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PAGE 2 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022 — PAGE 3

PAGE 4 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022 

•Chairman, NUJ Lagos State Council, Mr Adeleye Ajayi; Public Relations expert, Mr Aramide 

Tola Noibi; former Governor of Kaduna State and former PDP National Chairman,, Sen. 

Ahmed Makarfi; former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; and former Director- 

General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku 

Peterside at the 4th Annual Lecture on "Nigeria's Political Indices: Bright or Bleak Future"? 

organised by the Management of Freedom Online in Lagos. 

By Benjamin 

Njoku 

Ugochukwu Favour- 

Mayor, producer of 

the controversial Nollywood 

movie on YouTube, 

The Priest’s War, otherwise 

known as ‘The Cathedral’, 

which caught the attention 

of the leader of the Catholic 

Church, Pope Francis, 

has revealed why he made 

the movie, saying “it’s a 

true life story that needs to 

be documented.” 

In a chat with Sunday 

Vanguard, Favour-Mayor 

said the incident happened 

in Ahiara, Mbaise 

in Imo State where he 

hails, and as a son of the 

soil, he owes it as a duty to 

document the story for 

prosperity. 

“This is a true life story. 

But as a creative individual, 

I had to add a twist to it 

for viewers to watch and 

enjoy”, he said. 

‘Certain events are not 

specific as to exactly how 

it happened. But I managed 

to use the theme to 

create something that 

viewers would see and appreciate. 

“Already, you know 

about the Ahiara diocesan 

crisis that has lingered for 

years now. 

“As a son of the soil who 

hails from there, when I 

heard about the crisis, I 

said to myself that this 

would be nice if the story 

•From left: Arc. Abimbola Ajayi, Member, International Women in Architecture; Arc. Victor 

Achime, Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Architects, Ikorodu Branch; Arc.Enyi Ben-Eboh, 

President, Nigerian Institute of Architects; Arc. David Majekodunmi, Chairman,Nigerian 

Institute of Architects Lagos Chapter; and Arc. Moniba Odunlami, General Secretary, 

Nigerian Institute of Architects Lagos Chapter during Nigerian Institute of Architects 

Founder's Day / Memorial lecture in honour of the late Arc. Michael Olutusen Onafowokan 

in Lagos . 

Row over Nigerian movie as Pope kicks 

…Catholics want Youtube to pull it down 

•Why I made controversial film - Favour-Mayor, producer 

By Ndahi Marama, 

Maiduguri 

he Speaker of the Borno 

TState House of Assembly, 

Abdulkarim Lawan, on 

Friday, appealed to the Federal 

Government and the military 

authorities, to fast track 

efforts in the ongoing Operation 

Desert Sanity by troops 

of ‘Operation Hadin Kai’, to 

restore civil authority in 

Guzamala and Kukawa Local 

Government headquarters 

which are still under the 

full control of Boko Haram 

terrorists. 

He made this appeal at the 

official flag-off ceremony for 

the distribution of the Phase 

IV Scholarship worth N5 

million to 446 indigenous students 

of Guzamala studying 

at various tertiary institutions 

can be documented and 

sent out there. 

“I didn’t expect that it 

would make waves this 

much. Every day, I wake 

up to news of how people 

are referring to it. 

“A lot of people feel that 

it exposes the politics in the 

church so much, while 

some others feel that the 

movie is coming to put an 

end to certain issues affecting 

the church. 

“Whichever way, it feels 

good to have something 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu, Awka 

EADERS in the South- 

LEast have demanded unconditional 

release of the 

leader of the Indigenous People 

of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi 

Nnamdi Kanu, by the Federal 

Government, arguing that 

it would douse tension across 

the region and create an atmosphere 

for collaboration 

towards a constructive resolution 

of the issues. 

In a statement issued in 

Awka, they also implored the 

people of Anambra State and 

all religious congregations to 

join in the prayers, which 

would take place tomorrow 

within the premises of all Cathedrals, 

Churches and 

that repairs societal ills”. 

Favour-Mayor said 

making the movie took a 

toll on him. 

“Despite that, I’m grateful 

that it came out well.” 

Pope Francis recently reacted 

to the movie after it 

was released online which 

also made movie buffs to 

tag the storyline as relational 

with that of Ahiara’s 

episcopal crisis. 

In a tweet, Pope Francis 

wrote: “The world needs 

more light, not the kind of 

action displayed in the Nigerian 

movie, #ThePriestsWar. 

“Only in love, in communion 

and in fraternity 

can we shine God’s light. 

The content of that movie 

shines the light of our true 

character that calls for a 

readdress and change.” 

Sunday Vanguard recalls 

that activities in the 

Ahiara Diocese, including 

Priestly/Diaconate Ordinations, 

and other Catholic 

rituals, were stagnant 

prayer houses across Igbo 

land. 

The statement was signed 

by Obi Nnaemeka Achebe, 

Chairman, Anambra State 

Traditional. Rulers Council, 

His Grace, Archbishop Valerian 

Okeke, Archbishop of the 

Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, 

and Metropolitan of 

Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, 

Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, 

Secretary to the Anambra 

State Government, Igwe Laurence 

Agubuzu, 

Chairman, Ebonyi State 

Traditional. Rulers Council 

and Most Rev. Chibuzo R. 

Opoko, 

Secretary. 

“The statement read: “We 

recognize that there is country-wide 

agitation for restructuring 

of inter-ethnic and inter-governmental 

relations in 

Nigeria, with a view to greater 

inclusiveness. 

“We therefore share the 

genuine concern over the political 

and economic marginalisation 

of the Southeast 

Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria, 

a major plank of the agitation 

by the IPOB. 

“We call for constructive 

and continuous dialogue by 

all parties as a more sustainable 

solution to overcoming 

the challenge and win the 

hearts and minds of the people. 

“We call on all criminal elements 

masquerading as 

working under the instruction 

of IPOB or ESN to cease and 

desist from further acts of violence 

and criminality or face 

the implacable force of law 

and order. 

following the death of 

Bishop Victor Adibe Chikwe 

in 2010. 

Since then, there was 

unrest and holy war which 

erupted with the posting of 

Bishop Okpaleke as the 

Cathedral administrator, 

who was rejected by the 

majority of Mbaise nation, 

hence his resignation and 

appointment of Bishop 

Ugorji by the Papacy. 

Meanwhile, Sunday 

Vanguard gathered that 

the Catholic community in 

Nigeria has called on You- 

Tube to pull down the controversial 

movie. 

S/East leaders to FG: Release Nnamdi Kanu 

unnconditionally 

B/Haram still in control of my LGA, Borno Speaker tells military 

...begs for help 

after they were displaced by 

insurgents in the last six years. 

Lawan, who is the longest 

serving speaker in Nigeria, 

initiated a scholarship 

scheme to provide the opportunity 

to deserving students 

whose education was disrupted 

by the activities of insurgents, 

to further their education. 

The Speaker appreciated 

the efforts of the military and 

other security agencies in the 

fight against terrorism in 

Borno and the North East in 

general. 

He said: “The entire Guzamala 

LGA where I hail from 

is still under the control of 

Police uncover identities of Imo attackers 

By Chinonso Alozie 

mo State Police Com 

Imand said they have uncovered 

the identities of the 

attackers of the Mbieri Police 

Station in Mbaitoli Local 

Government Area of the state. 

The state Police Public Relations 

Officer, PPRO, 

Michael Abattam, disclosed 

this to newsmen in Owerri, 

regarding last Friday’s attack 

in Mbeiri. 

•Declare tomorrow for prayer against sit-at-home 

The police listed the suspected 

attackers to include 

Solomon Umunakwu and 

Uzoma Umunakwe both 

natives of Mbieri in Mbaitoli 

LGA. Also on the list are 

Onuoma and Kelvin Onuoma 

both natives of Atta in 

Njaba LGA. 

On how the police uncovered 

the suspected attackers, 

they said: “Sequel to the recent 

foiled attack on Mbieri 

Police Station, on 01/04/ 

2022 by suspected mem- 

Boko Haram sect as there is 

no presence of troops or civilians 

as I speak, while in Kukawa, 

which is the council headquarters, 

we only have a presence 

of civilian population 

with no military presence. 

“There is no single existence 

of civil authority in 

Guzamala. 

bers of the proscribed Indigenous 

People of Biafra / Eastern 

Security Network, its militia 

wing, the Command’s 

Tactical Teams under the 

watch of the indefatigable 

Deputy Commissioner of police 

in charge of Operations / 

Acting Commissioner of Police, 

DCP MAMMAN B. 

GIWA, psc, did not relent in 

their efforts to arrest the hoodlums 

who attempted the 

foiled attack on the station. 

“We call on all who may 

have taken up arms in the 

belief that their grievances 

could be achieved only 

through armed struggle to lay 

down their arms. The government 

and good people of Anambra 

hereby offer the olive 

branch for you all to return. 

The Anambra State government 

hereby undertakes to 

train, rehabilitate and empower 

you to contribute to 

our homeland development. 

The centres where our youths 

can register for help will be 

announced shortly. 

“We call on all injured, aggrieved 

and victims of the insecurity 

in Alaigbo over the 

past three years to step forward 

and cooperate with the 

Truth and Reconciliation 

Commission that will be inaugurated 

by the Anambra 

State Government next week 

to conduct an inquiry into the 

remote and immediate causes 

of the agitations, documentation 

and examination 

of the circumstances surrounding 

the killings in the 

south east, and recommendations 

on the road to sustainable 

solutions”. 

The leaders declared tomorrow 

as a day of prayer for 

peace in Igbo land and 

called on the faithful wherever 

they reside across Nigeria, 

or abroad to pause and 

join in fellowship, adding that 

the prayers were meant to 

seek the face of God in the 

zone. 

The statement added: “It is 

the expectation of the joint 

body that the conclusion of 

the prayer session shall mark 

the end of sit-at-home in Anambra 

State in particular 

and the Southeast region in 

general. 

“The march towards peace 

and the restoration of normalcy 

in our society and economy 

require the collective 

action of all people of God”. 

Court strikes 

out suit 

challenging 

CBN’s cashless 

policy 

By Innocent Anaba 

A 

Federal High Court 

sitting in Lagos, yesterday, 

struck out the suit challenging 

the Central Bank of 

Nigeria, CBN’s Cashless 

Policy. 

The suit by a plaintiff, Victor 

Onyegbajo, had qrgued 

that the policy was unconstitutional, 

null and void 

and of no effect. 

Trial judge, Justice Akintayo 

Aluko struck out the suit 

on the grounds of incompetence, 

lack of proof and absence 

of jurisdiction. 

Onyegbajo suit, was challenged 

by the CBN through 

its team of counsel led by 

Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, 

and had prayed the court to, 

among others, dismiss the 

suit for lack of jurisdiction. 

Ajogwu listed six grounds 

upon which he argued that 

the court has no jurisdiction 

to entertain the plaintiff’s 

suit, among others. 

Justice Aluko, after hearing 

the parties on the objections 

raised by the CBN, 

upheld Ajogwu’s argument. 

The judge held: “The defendant 

(CBN) has maintained 

that the circular issued 

on the 17/9/2019 for 

the implementation of the 

cashless policy to all Deposit 

Money Banks was 

done or issued in good 

faith while the plaintiff 

contended that same was 

done in bad faith as the 

allegation of discrimination 

against the defendant 

embeds a charge of bad 

faith because the plaintiff 

sees the touted act of discrimination 

as not merely 

illegal but unjust to him. 

“It is not in doubt that the 

defendant by the provision 

of Section 51 of the CBN 

Act is imbued with the 

power to make regulations 

for the good order and 

management of the Apex 

Bank. 

“The phrase “good faith” 

has been defined in the 

Blacks law dictionary, the 

9th edition at page 762 as 

“faithfulness to one’s duty 

or obligation, observance 

of reasonable commercial 

standards of fair dealing 

in a given trade or business, 

absence of intent to 

defraud or seek unconscionable 

advantage’. The defendant 

has stoutly made 

a case of good faith for itself 

and endeavoured to 

justify its action in the issuance 

of the circular in 

controversy.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022, PAGE 5 

•From left: First Lady of Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun; Minister of Women Affairs, 

Dame Pauline Tallen; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and his Deputy, Engr. 

Noimot Salako Oyedele displaying the Executive Order on 35 percent affirmative action for 

women’s participation in governance at the flag-off ceremony of Nigeria for Women Project 

(NFWP) and the disbursement of grants to beneficiaries of Oko’wo Dapo Empowerment 

Scheme at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta, Friday evening 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

THE Peoples Democrat 

ic Party, PDP, presidential 

aspirant and former governor 

of Anambra State, Mr. 

Peter Obi, has expressed optimism 

that his party would 

surely present the best person 

to rescue the country from its 

present unfortunate situation. 

Speaking after receiving 

the PDP expression of interest 

and nomination forms 

presented to him by a group 

of professionals at his Onitsha 

residence, Obi said although 

PDP presidential aspirants 

were already discussing 

how to present an acceptable 

candidate that would 

carry the party’s flag for the 

election, the emphasis is on 

who is best suited for the job 

because of the enormity of 

problems facing the country. 

Some of the PDP presidential 

aspirants are already visiting 

various states in the 

country and considering the 

option of a consensus candidate, 

a move some party 

stakeholders believe might 

reduce tension during the 

party’s primaries. 

Obi said: “The presidential 

aspirants are not saying the 

consensus is for a particular 

section of the country. They 

might be talking of consensus 

for the whole of Nigeria. 

So we are going around and 

Abiodun signs Executive Order to provide 

35% representation for women in govt 

OGUN State Gover 

nor, Dapo Abiodun, 

has signed the Executive 

Order aimed at providing 

a minimum required 35% 

representation for women in 

both government and politics. 

The governor signed the 

Order in the presence of the 

Minister for Women Affairs, 

Mrs. Pauline Tallen, wife of 

the Speaker of the House of 

Representatives, Mrs. Salamatu 

Gbajabiamila and 

wives of Ogun, Lagos, and 

Kwara State governors, as 

well as representative of the 

wife of Osun governor, during 

the flag-off ceremony of 

the relaunching of Oko’wo 

PDP: l might be the consensus candidate 

– Peter Obi 

interacting with people and 

discussing everything. 

“You never can tell, I might 

be the consensus candidate 

they are advocating for. We 

have been talking with each 

other and I believe that in the 

end, we will find out who is 

the best person for the job. 

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo 

THE Inspector-General 

of Police, IGP, Usman 

Alkali Baba, yesterday, patrolled 

the entire 163km 

stretch of the Abuja-Kaduna 

Expressway for hands-on assessment 

of security challenges 

Ḣe was also there to personally 

supervise the deployment 

of officers drawn from 

the police tactical squads to 

ensure the safety of travellers 

along the route. 

In the course of the patrol, 

according to a statement by 

the Acting Force Public Relations 

Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa 

Adejobi, the IGP identified 

some strategic points along 

the road, which were immediately 

fortified with the deployment 

of operatives drawn 

from the Police Mobile Force, 

PMF, Counter Terrorism Unit 

“ I have strong support 

from all over Nigeria and in 

this recruitment, we must be 

able to interrogate people’s 

past and what they have been 

able to do in their previous 

jobs to guide Nigerians in 

making the selection”. 

Obi, who said he would formally 

declare for the presidential 

race in the coming 

days, explained that the first 

thing he would do if elected 

is to bring back the trust in 

governance. He added that 

his manifesto which he is 

committed to, would also be 

made public. 

IGP deploys tactical squads, UAVs 

to Abuja-Kaduna Expressway 

•Patrols troubled route 

PRESIDENCY: Yahaya Bello declares, unveils 

FFK, Zwingina, Abiola’s daughter 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

THE Eagle Square, 

yesterday, in Abuja, 

played host to thousands of 

Nigerians who gathered to 

witness the official declaration 

of Kogi State governor, 

Yahaya Bello, for president. 

A former Minister of Aviation, 

Femi Fani-Kayode, 

was unveiled alongside 

Senator Jonathan Zwingina 

and Hafsat Abiola (daughter 

of the late Chief MKO 

Abiola) as arrowheads of the 

Bello Campaign Organization. 

The tone of the event was 

set by remarks from the National 

Coordinator of Hope 

2023, Yahaya Bello Campaign 

Organization, Zwingina 

and the Director-General 

of the body, Hafsat Abiola, 

who urged Nigerians to 

see Hope 2023 as an avenue 

to rebuild a nation challenged 

on many fronts by 

decades of poor governance. 

Zwingina said in Yahaya 

Bello, Nigerians have a 

leader capable of waking up 

a sleeping giant within a 

short time. 

“We have a man who has 

all it takes to make Nigeria 

a great nation. That man is 

Yahaya Bello. In 1993, we 

hoped for a great nation. But 

that hope was truncated. Today, 

we have another hope. 

That Hope will give us prosperity 

as a nation,” he said. 

On her part, Hafsat Abiola 

told the mammoth crowd 

that time for renaissance 

was now. 

“To the youths and women 

of Nigeria, congratulations. 

This is your product, 

own it,” she said amidst 

cheers. 

The daughter of the winner 

of June 12, 1993, Presidential 

election said Nigerians 

were poor while Nigeria 

as a nation is richly endowed. 

She charged the people to 

elect a leader who would tap 

into the potentialities of the 

nation to impact the people 

for good. 

“The journey to a new Nigeria 

has started and we will 

go all the way to ensure Yahaya 

Bello becomes the President 

of Nigeria. We have 

seen in him, a cosmopolitan 

leader who will bring Nigeria 

together and heal the 

wounds of the past,” she noted 

Ḋeputy Governor of the 

State, Chief David Onoja, 

said his principal has protected 

the political interest 

of Kogi women without any 

special legislation, assuring 

the women of the readiness 

of Bello to ensure inclusion. 

While declaring his intention 

to run, Governor Bello 

said he has shown the capacity 

to lead Nigeria, noting 

that all that mattered was 

Nigeria and the well-being 

of its citizens. 

,CTU, Special Forces ,SF, Intelligence 

Response Team 

,IRT, the Special Tactical 

Squad ,STS, as well as airwing 

operatives in charge of 

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles of 

the Nigeria Police Force. 

According to the statement, 

‘’during the patrol, IGP Alkali 

equally visited personnel of 

the Armed Forces and Police 

deployed at Rijana to secure 

technical crew of the Nigeria 

Railway Corporation undertaking 

repair works at the 

damaged train coaches and 

rail line in the axis, to boost 

their morale and assess the 

state of their post.’’ 

Meanwhile, drivers of articulated 

vehicles plying the 

road, yesterday, blocked the 

road over alleged harassment 

by a soldier. 

The action, which obstructed 

free flow of traffic, left 

many road users stranded. 

Sunday Vanguard learned 

the incident happened near 

Sabon Gayan village. 

Neither a representative of 

the aggrieved drivers nor the 

soldier could be reached. 

When contacted, the Federal 

Road Safety Corps, 

FRSC, Sector Commander 

in Kaduna State, Hafiz Mohammed, 

said his officers 

and policemen were trying to 

clear the road. 

PRESIDENT Muham 

madu Buhari, former 

President Olusegun Obasanjo, 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo 

and Speaker of the 

House of Representatives, Mr. 

Femi Gbajabiamila, have 

congratulated Lady Christine 

Doja Otedola, mother of billionaire 

philanthropist, Mr. 

Femi Otedola, on her 90th 

birthday. 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun 

State Governor, Prince Dapo 

Abiodun, Chief of Staff to the 

President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, 

as well as the President 

of the Dangote Group, Alhaji 

Aliko Dangote, also paid glowing 

tributes to the former First 

Lady of Lagos. They saluted 

the nonagenarian in separate 

letters written to her on her 

90th birthday obtained on Friday. 

Buhari, in a congratulatory 

letter he personally signed, 

joined all Nigerians and the 

people of Lagos in congratulating 

Mama Otedola on her 

90th birthday. 

“I note your selfless service 

and charitable works to the 

people of Lagos State when 

you served as First Lady between 

1992 and 1993 and 

years after this period”, he 

said. 

“In celebrating this milestone, 

I also recognise the 

many contributions you have 

Dapo Scheme in collaboration 

with Nigeria For Women 

Project, NFWP, held at the 

M.K.O Abiola Stadium, 

Abeokuta, Friday evening. 

He declared that with the 

signing, women in Ogun 

would have equal opportunities 

to achieve their aspirations 

as well explore their 

full potential through the establishment 

of the Ogun 

State Women Inclusion and 

Equal Opportunities Role. 

“Today, I have signed this 

Executive Order to demonstrate 

our commitment to the 

total and complete emancipation 

of women in Ogun 

State. 

“The Executive Order is for 

the establishment of the 

Ogun State Women Inclusion 

and Equal Opportunities 

Role. This will ensure that we 

have the minimum required 

representatives of women not 

just only in government, but 

also in politics”, the governor 

explained. 

He noted that empowering 

women was not a favour to 

the female gender but one of 

the vast approaches towards 

achieving sustainable economic 

development, adding 

that financial independence 

was important for women 

who have historically been 

marginalized. 

He disclosed that the 

state government would 

support over 100,000 

women under the NFWP, 

which was test run in the 

local government areas of 

Odeda, Yewa North and 

Ijebu, North-East, adding 

that the programme would 

be extended to the remaining 

17 local government 

areas of the state. 

Folawiyo seeks injunction against 

AMCON’s ex parte order, dissociates self 

from defaulting company 

A 

Lagos-based business 

man, Mr Tunde Folawiyo, 

has filed an exparte motion 

before a Federal High 

Court in Lagos seeking an order 

of stay of execution of an 

ex-parte orders made against 

him in satisfaction of a judgement 

debt. 

Justice Lewis Allagoa had 

made orders against Folawiyo 

in a suit filed by the Assets 

Management Company of Nigeria 

(AMCON) over Folawiyo’s 

alleged unpaid debt of 

N727.9 million in relation to 

a company directorship at 

Compagnie Generale de Logistique. 

Folawiyo, in a suit no: FHC/ 

L/CS/799/2020, is seeking an 

order of stay of execution of 

the ex-parte orders made 

against him on March 24, 

2022 pending the hearing and 

determination of his Motion 

on Notice seeking to set aside 

the ex parte orders. 

He is praying for the follow- 

For rare philanthropy, Buhari, Osinbajo, Obasanjo, govs, 

Dangote, others celebrate Mama Otedola at 90 

ing reliefs: An order restraining 

the AMCON either by itself, 

agents, privies, servants or 

through any person(s) from 

taking any steps howsoever to 

enforce the ex-parte orders 

made against the applicant by 

the Court on 24th March 

2022 pending the hearing and 

determination of the applicant’s 

Motion on Notice seeking 

to set aside the ex parte 

orders. 

The ex-parte orders were 

predicated on the judgment of 

Justice Ibrahim Buba in Suit 

No: FHC/L/CS/207/2017; Asset 

Management Company of 

Nigeria (“AMCON”) v 

Compagnie Generale De Logistique 

& Others in 2017 

(“Previous Suit”) in favour of 

AMCON in the sum of 

N522,464,978.66 against the 

defendants in the suit. 

The applicant said he was 

not a party to the previous suit 

and was not served with the 

judgment on it. 

made to the people of Epe most 

recently the building and dedication 

of St. Peter’s Catholic 

Church”. 

On his part, Osinbajo in a letter 

he also signed personally, 

wrote, “ Dolapo and I are honoured 

to wish our dear mother 

a happy 90th birthday.“ 

The Vice President praised 

God for the privilege and His 

grace by which mama Otedola,” 

now fulfill your long-expressed 

heart’s desire and vow 

to build a benefiting edifice, the 

St. Peter’s Catholic Church auditorium 

in Odoragunshin, 

Epe, for the worship of our Lord 

and continued propagation of 

the gospel.” 

Obasanjo conveyed the 

heartiest congratulations on 

behalf of his family as well as 

the people of Lagos State. 

The former president pointed 

out that the life of the nonagenarian 

“has been a source of 

blessing and tremendous inspiration 

to many generations of 

Nigerians who came in contact 

with you, especially the 

womenfolk.” 

Gbajabiamila, in his own 

letter, wished Mama Otedola’s 

happy birthday and continued 

good health, joy and peace, just 

as he prayed that God’s grace 

upon her life would never wane. 

To Sanwo-Olu, the attainment 

of the milestone age by 

mama was a testament to the 

great grace of God upon her 

life, adding that it also provides 

an opportunity for the state 

government and good people 

of Lagos to restate how appreciative 

they are of her selfless 

service and contribution to the 

development of the state. 

In the same vein, Abiodun 

stated that Mama Otedola’s 

life remains an uncommon 

bouquet of divine benevolence 

and grace as well as a testimony 

to the awesomeness of the 

Almighty God.

PAGE 6 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022 

•PDP presidential aspirant, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, after a meeting with the party’s Youth Leaders from 

the 36 States and the six Zonal Youth Leaders in Abuja, yesterday. 

2023: Ex-DSS DG, Defence Minister use Buhari’s name 

to swindle presidential aspirants — Security source 

•South-South gov, top banker fall victim 

•They aren’t close to Mr. President but working for their pockets — FG official 

By Soni Daniel, Abuja 

TWO top former Feder 

al Government officials 

and a native of Katsina State 

have been fingered in a racket 

that is actively swindling many 

top politicians desperate to secure 

presidential ticket of the 

All Progressives Congress 

(APC) for the 2023 elections. 

One of the two men, according 

to a credible security 

source, is a former Director 

General of the Department of 

State Service (DSS) while his 

partner in crime is a retired 

general from one of the northern 

states, and a former Defence 

Minister. 

The two former Federal 

Government officials, the 

source said, are working in 

concert with a native of Daura, 

Katsina State to fleece many 

aspirants jostling for the presidential 

ticket in 2023. 

According to the source, a 

South-South governor, who is 

rounding off his second term 

in office, and has indicated interest 

in the presidency, has already 

lost hundreds of millions 

of Naira to the three-man syndicate. 

Similarly, another presidential 

aspirant from the southern 

part of the country, who 

runs a strategic Federal Government 

agency, has also been 

swindled by the syndicate, 

which lured him into the presidential 

race with assurance 

that they would get President 

Muhammadu Buhari to back 

him. 

Sunday Vanguard was, 

however, unable to confirm the 

exact amount of money the 

two presidential aspirants 

might have coughed out for the 

syndicate, which is said to have 

defrauded other unsuspecting 

Nigerian politicians seeking 

By Evelyn Usman 

LAGOS State Police Com 

mand has arrested a 50- 

year-old man, Benjamin Ogudoro, 

who allegedly set his wife, 

Chinyere and his brother-inlaw, 

Ifeanyi Edoziem, on fire at 

their apartment on House 5 

Oteyi community, Abule- Ado, 

in Amuwo Odofin Local Government 

Area of the state. 

The 46-year-old Chinyere, 

who just returned from Scotland 

the same day, died on the 

spot while her brother died 

moments after reaching the 

hospital. 


the couple had a marital crisis. 

The mother of four was said 

to have relocated to Scotland 

for other juicy offices in the 

country. 

A top official, who is familiar 

with the antics of the three 

racketeers, told Sunday Vanguard 

that security agencies 

had begun to monitor them so 

that they do not create problems 

for the system as the nation 

prepares for the 2023 elections. 

The top source explained: 

“The trio have set up themselves 

as an extorting syndicate 

using their accalimed proximity 

to the Presidential Villa by 

assuring their victims that they 

will use their connections to 

secure presidential tickets and 

nominations for them on the 

payment of prescribed amount 

of money running into millions 

of Naira. 

“But the truth of the matter is 

that these elements do not have 

the ears of the President as they 

are no longer close to him as 

they claim but merely use the 

man from Katsina State to deceive 

their victims and bolt 

away with their money. 

“It is unfortunate that these 

three men continue to make 

many unsuspecting but desperate 

politicians to believe that 

they still have control over the 

levers of power at the highest 

level in the country and that 

they can make them to become 

whatever they want next year. 

The truth is that they do not 

have such powers and access”. 


that the two former top functionaries, 

who continue to pose 

as close allies of the President 

and top members of the All 

Progressives Congress, might 

actually be working against the 

interest of the President and the 

APC because of their activities 

before and during the party’s 

National Convention. 

One of the two men, Sunday 

Vanguard understood, was slated 

to serve in one of the strategic 

committees of the APC 

National Convention, but he 

never showed up. 

It was also learnt that while 

the three men tried to discredit 

the Convention and convince 

many that the event would not 

hold, they later boycotted it altogether 

when it became obvious 

that the party would push 

ahead with the event which 

ended without any hitch. 

2ND NIGER BRIDGE: N157bn released to fund project 

— Finance Minister •Hails NSIA, Julius Berger on pace of work 

MINISTER of Finance, 

Budget and National 

Planning, Mrs Zainab 

Ahmed, and the Managing 

Director of Nigerian Sovereign 

Investment Authority, 

Uche Orji, yesterday, began 

an inspection of the Second 

Niger Bridge. 

Ahmed, who led other top 

government officials to the 

site, arrived at 11:45am. 

The Deputy Governor of 

Anambra State, Gilbert Ibezim, 

also joined in inspecting 

the project. Her visit came 

barely three weeks after President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

conducted an inspection on 

the pace of work. 

Speaking shortly after the 

inspection, the Finance Minister 

described the Second 

Niger Bridge as a very significant 

project. 

She said government at- 

Man allegedly sets Scotland returnee wife, brother-in-law ablaze 

tached so much importance 

to the project because of the 

huge developmental impact 

it would have on the lives of 

Nigerians. 

Ahmed expressed satisfaction 

with the pace and quality 

of the job done by both the 

NSIA and Julius Berger. 

She said:”Today is a very 

significant day in the construction 

circle of the Second 

Niger Bridge. This is one of 

the most iconic projects in the 

country. It was costed at an 

initial contract cost of 

N205bn. 

“Today, we have been able 

to fund this project with 

N157bn and I’m here to see 

where all this money is going. 

Also, the significance of 

today is that the two ends of 

the bridge are being put together 

and this is the final 

phase of the work. 

four years ago but returned to 

Nigeria a few hours before 

tragedy struck. 

The woman was said to have 

learned that her husband was 

allegedly planning to sell the 

house she built in Nigeria. 

On arrival at the Muritala 

Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, her 

younger brother and only son 

of their parents, Ifeanyi, went 

to pick her up from the airport. 

Sunday Vanguard was reliably 

informed that after allegedly 

setting the duo on fire, the 

suspect placed a call to one of 

her sisters alerting her that their 

house was on fire but that he 

managed to escape while his 

wife and her brother were 

trapped. 

But Ifeanyi’s dying declaration 

revealed what transpired. 

Groaning in excruciating 

pain from the burns, Ifeanyi 

said:”My sister and I were 

sleeping when her husband 

came, banging on the door. We 

had a little misunderstanding 

as he accused me of locking 

him outside. I told him I didn’t. 

I said I only used the key lock 

and that besides, he could have 

opened it since he had his keys 

with him. 

“He kept shouting that I 

locked him out. He insulted me 

and my sister. But we kept quiet. 

He left the room, only to return 

when we had fallen asleep. 

He poured petrol on us, lit a 

match and went out. 

“ We were burning. I managed 

to escape but couldn’t save 

“Technically, I can report to 

Mr President that I have seen 

where all the N157bn has 

gone to. This is a project that 

is very dear to the President 

and it is designed to uplift the 

lives and livelihood of the 

people of the South-East and 

other parts of the country. We 

hope that when this project 

comes on stream, it will ease 

traffic, enhance commercial 

activities and improve the 

lives of the people of the 

state. 

“I am happy to see the ladies 

I am seeing at the construction 

site, not all men. Julius Berger 

has brought some very unique 

innovations in the construction 

of this project and I want to on 

behalf of the government and 

people of Nigeria applaud the 

skills of the construction workers 

that have been working on 

this site.” 

•The late Chinyere 

my sister. I was fortunate 

enough to survive”. 

However, his joy of survival 

was short-lived as he passed 

on moments later at the hospital. 

Alleged N998m notebook fraud: 

Makinde threatens to resign if... 

By Ademola Adegbite & Deola 

Badru, Ibadan 

FOLLOWING the alle 

gation levelled against 

Oyo State government of inflating 

the N998million notebook 

contract for secondary 

schools students Governor 

Seyi Makinde, yesterday, 

threatened to resign if the allegation 

is true. 

Makinde, who said the allegation 

was the handiwork of 

mischievous people who were 

hell-bent on defaming his administration, 

spoke at the 

grand finale of the first anniversary 

of a private radio station, 

Agidigbo 88.7FM, held 

at the International Conference 

Centre, ICC, Ibadan. 

He said allegations of contract 

inflation, fraudulent contract 

bidding and contract 

ambiguity against his administration 

were untrue, insisting 

that if thorough investigation 

was conducted and the allega- 


AFTER months of spec 

ulations, Minister of 

Transportation, Mr Rotimi 

Amaechi, appears to have finally 

joined the race to contest 

the 2023 presidential election. 

Although Amaechi is yet 

to formally declare interest, a 

glossy brochure to market his 

aspiration was made public 

over the weekend. 

A chieftain of the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

Amaechi was elected twice 

governor of Rivers State on the 

platform of the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, but later left 

for then-opposition shortly before 

the 2015 general elections. 

APC is likely to field a candidate 

of southern extraction with 

the likes of former Lagos State 

governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo 

and Governor Yahaya 

Bello of Kogi State all reported 

to be interested in the presidential 

ticket. 

Titled, ‘Qualified to Serve,’ 

the 86-page brochure has an 

opening by Amaechi on its cover 

which reads, “I believe that 

the destiny of Nigeria can only 

The charred remains of 

Chinyere, a Master’s degree 

holder from a United Kingdom 

university, were evacuated 

by a team of policemen from 

Trade Fair Division, who were 

alerted by private guards at 

Oteyi community, zone 7. 

Police sources hinted that 

fleeing Ogudoro had been arrested. 

The Lagos State Police Public 

Relations Officer, SP Benjamin 

Hundeyin confirmed the 

arrest. He said the suspect had 

been transferred to the State 

Criminal Investigations Department, 

SCID, Yaba , on the 

directive of the Commissioner 

of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, for 

further investigation. 

tions were found to be true, he 

would not hesitate to resign. 

It would be recalled that a 

review of the Oyo State Open 

Contracting portal, carried out 

by a study group, known as 

Dataphyte, alleged that the 

notebooks came with a unit 

price of N2,100. 

The review said the secondary 

school notebook contracts 

awarded up to N998million 

between August 2019 and December 

2020 had been subject 

to contract inflation, fraudulent 

contract bidding and contract 

ambiguity, which was 

said to have been awarded to 

the founder of Agidigbo FM, 

Alhaji Oriyomj Hamzat. 

The governor further said 

the people behind the report 

said they carried out market 

survey, which revealed that the 

unit price of the notebook was 

between N250 and N300, adding 

that, “if the printing price 

of each notebook is above 

N300, I will resign.” 

Brochure projects Amaechi in 

presidential race 

be best actualized in the context 

of one indivisible and 

united nation. What is required 

is for us to continue to work 

towards a nation in which 

doors of opportunity are open 

to all our citizens irrespective 

of ethnicity, creed, class or circumstance.” 

On the back page, another 

quote attributed to the Minister 

reads, “We must give meaning 

to democracy so that every 

Nigerian can find a place and 

a voice in a land of free men 

and women. We must deploy 

our diversity to increase our 

strength. We must make our 

streets and highways, and now 

forests and farmlands, safe 

again for all Nigerians to fulfill 

their individual dreams of 

a good life so that , together, we 

can actualize the manifest destiny 

of this blessed land.” 

The brochure also contains 

images of the Minister in different 

Nigerian attires, a picture 

of him and his wife, photographs 

with President Buhari 

on various occasions, photos 

with former President Olusegun 

Obasanjo, General Overseer 

of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch 

Adeboye, as well as photos of 

the minister with Prof. Yemi 

Osinbajo. 

AGITAD condemns attack on 

Abuja-bound train 

AKOKITES Graduates 

Initiative For Transparency 

and Development, AGI- 

TAD, has condemned last 

Monday’s attack on an Abuja-bound 

train in Kaduna. 

A statement by its Director 

of Media and Public Engage- 

ments, High Chief Hanson 

Almofumeh, said the railway 

line bombing spoke much 

about the alarming insecurity 

in the country. 

He said: “We are highly agitated 

and particularly saddened 

by these events and 

view the Monday attack on 

the facilities of the Nigerian 

Railway Corporation as one 

attack too many. This, especially, 

with regards to the 

good work Fidet Okheria, the 

Managing Director of the 

Nigeria Railway Corporation 

(NRC) , a great Akokite, 

has been doing to resuscitate 

and reposition the Corporation. 

‘’We empathise with the 

nation’s Ministry of Transportation 

and the entire management 

of the Nigerian Railway 

Corporation, passengers and 

other Nigerians affected by 

this act of unbridled violence 

that resulted in the ugly disruption 

of service. We call on 

governments to promptly activate 

intelligence machinery 

to curtail any further occurrence 

of this dastardly act of 

terrorism.’’

•Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (middle) with the Chairman, 

Nsukka Local Government Area, Hon. Barr. Walter Ozioko (2nd left), 

National Ex-Officio, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Princess Edith Nneka 

Okolo (2nd right), the immediate past Commissioner for Local Government 

Affairs, Barr. Peter Okonkwo (left) and the Chairman, General Building 

Materials Market, Nsukka, Mr. George Okonkwo, during the inauguration 

of the market hall built by the traders and named after the governor, in 

Nsukka, yesterday. 

•From left: Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor- Akerele, former Deputy Gov. Lagos 

State, Dr Dere Awosika, Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Dele Ashiru, 

Chairman, ASUU Unilag and Mrs Ene Obi, Country Director, ActionAID 

Nigeria, during the Vanguard Newspaper International Women's Day . 

•From left: Otunba Femi Pedro, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Chief Lateef 

Aderibigbe Ajose, Head of White Cap Chiefs, representing Oba of Lagos, Prince Tajudeen 

Olusi, Lagos State APC Leader, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during the presentation of Mini 

Buses to Baales in Lagos Central Senatorial District, Organised by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, 

held yesterday, at Lagos City Centre, Sura, Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi 

How Nigeria can overcome insecurity through 

mechanised agriculture ---- Ibekwe 

#AMVCA8: ‘Best Online Social Content Creator’ 

category excites viewers 

Africa Magic, in association 

with MultiChoice, recently 

unveiled the list of 

nominees for the eighth edition 

of its premium awards 

that included a new category, 

Best Online Social Content 

Creator. This inclusion according 

to the organizers is 

in recognition of the growing 

popularity and quality of social 

media content across the 

continent. 

Nominees in the category 

include Mr. Macaroni for 

Multi Personality Disorder, 

Tee Kuro for Nollywood epic 

Love Story 1& 2 (parody), 

Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori for 

Kayamata, and Oga Sabinus 

for Mr. Funny. Other nominees 

are Taaooma for Road 

Rage, Jacqueline Suowari for 

Of Line and Layers, Edem 

Victor for First Date – Mummy’s 

Boy and 

Elozonam#AMVCA8: ‘Best 

Online Social Content Creator’ 

Category Excites Viewers 

Ogbolu for Affiah-De Ja 

Vu. 

The list has generated conversations 

on social with 

many hailing the AMVCAs 

for recognizing these content 

House of Reps hopeful, Emonefe, gets 

nomination, expression of interest forms 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

Loyalists , family 

members and 

friends of a 

chieftain of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, in 

Delta, State , Chief 

Ufuoma Emonefe , 

have procured the 

party’s Expression of 

Interest 

and 

Nomination form for 

him to contest the 

primaries of the Ethiope 

Federal Constituency 

seat. 

An elated Chief 

Emonefe, who is also a 

lawyer accepted the 

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 3, 2022, PAGE 7 

By Steve Oko 

AGreen House expert, 

Dr. Nnamdi Ibekwe, 

has said that conscious and 

heavy investment in mechanised 

agriculture remains the 

panacea to the rising insecurity 

in parts of the country. 

The owner of the first green 

house in Abia, who regretted 

that government had only 

been paying lip service to 

mechanised farming, urged 

the youths to embrace agriculture. 

He said his target was to 

make Bende rice belt a leading 

rice producer in the South 

East, adding that he will introduce 

the same technology 

being used by Taiwan and 

USA rice farmers. 

Ibekwe who is aspiring to 

represent Bende North State 

constituency in the Abia State 

House of Assembly in 2023, 

said that if given the opportunity, 

he would sponsor bills 

that would re-invent the late 

Michael Okpara agric revolution 

in the state. 

He lamented the menace of 

herdsmen in parts of the country 

including Bende North 

offer to contest when 

Mr Theophilus 

Oniaha handed over 

the forms to him . 

Chief Emonefe said 

his passion was to 

provide quality and 

effective representation 

for his Ethiope Federal 

constituency, 

appealing to delegates 

of the party to vote him 

to fly the party’s flag for 

the general elections. 

The House of 

Representatives hopeful, 

who later addressed his 

family members in 

Kokori community, 

Ethiope East local 

and promised to support legislations 

that would help 

strengthen the enforcement of 

anti-open grazing law. 

The philanthropist, who 

said over 100 students are 

currently enjoying scholarships 

courtesy of his Oziomachi 

Foundation, also promised 

to use his position if elected 

to promote education in 

the state. 

Ibekwe , who is seeking the 

ticket of the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, said he 

would lay a foundation for 

grassroots development. 

creators and their efforts in 

African storytelling. 

The nominees also took to 

their social media pages to 

express delight over their 

nomination and thanked the 

award organisers for acknowledging 

their art. 

Leading the pack of responses 

is Mr. Macaroni, who 

wrote on his Twitter page: 

“Honored to have been nominated 

alongside other incredibly 

talented content creators. 

Thank you AMVCA!!” 

Thanking the AMVCA for 

the recognition, Bukunmi 

Adeaga-Ilori urged her 

fans and supporters to vote 

and ensure she wins the 

award. 

“I find it so overwhelming 

to be nominated at 

#AMVCA8. Thanks 

#AMVCA for the nomination 

‘Best Online Social 

Content Creator’, and to 

my kiekstarters thanks so 

much. Let's bring home 

that award,” she wrote on 

Twitter. 

Popular skit maker, Oga 

Sabinus, stated that it was 

an honour for him and his 

colleagues to be considered 

and nominated in a 

new category at the AMV- 

CA. 

“Honored to be nominated 

alongside other 

awesome content creators!! 

Thank you AMV- 

CA!! Sabinwa,” he wrote 

on Twitter. 

Writing on Instagram, 

Jacqueline Suowari, a 

ballpoint pen artist, said 

being nominated for the 

“Best Online Social Content 

Creator” awards with 

her first short film is a 

massive achievement. 

She wrote: “An Artist in 

the AMVCAs?! Yes, you 

read that right! Producing 

my first short film - Of 

Lines and Layers - came 

off as a crazy idea at first, 

because “what’s an artist 

doing with film?” Guess 

what? We did that! I’m 

honored and excited to announce 

that I got nominated 

alongside other amazing 

creators at this year’s Africa 

Magic Viewers’ Choice 

Awards in a whole new category 

- Best Online Social 

Content Creator! Thank you 

@africamagic. Thank you to 

my team; you guys rock!” 

government area said 

he would discharge his 

legislative functions 

effectively 

Chief Samuel Okogba 

of 

the 

Emonefe family said 

the prayers, saying the 

family was behind him. 

“ I thank all of you for 

the sacrifice you have all 

made to procure the 

forms for me. I am the 

most qualified for the job 

that is why you can go this 

far for me. I want to 

assure you all that I will 

bring quality federal 

presence to our 

constituency when I am 

elected”. 

•From left: Financial Sector Specialist, World Bank, Sophie Dong; ED, Business 

Development, Access Bank Plc, Chizoma Okoli; COO, Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, 

Bonaventure Okhaimo; International Cooperation Officer, EU Delegation to FGN Inga, 

Stefanowicz; Managing Director, Nigeria, Branch International, Dayo Ademola; Managing 

Director/CEO, Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, Dr. Tony Okpanachi; Senior Financial 

Sector Specialist, World Bank, Dr. Ahmed Rostom; at DBN’s 2022 MSMEs Finance Seminar 

held in Abuja. 

Chief Ufuoma Emonefe receiving PDP's Expression of Interest and 

Nomination forms from Loyalists, friends and family members to contest 

for the party's ticket for Ethiope Federal House of Representatives 

election ( He is the one in glasses )

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022 

WARRI RIVER BLOCKAGE: Environmental disaster 

looms, Rita Lori-Ogbebor raises alarm 


Rights activist, Chief Rita 

Lori-Ogbebor, has 

called on government to 

clear the garbage blocking 

free flow of Pessu River connecting 

DSC Aladja and Excravos 

River, saying delay 

could trigger off an environmental 

disaster in Warri and 

its environs 

Lori-Ogbebor, who spoke 

in Warri South Local Government 

Area, LGA, also flayed 

what she called continued 

neglect of the river by federal 

government agencies, blaming 

saw millers and others for 

polluting the waterways. 

At the National Inland Waterways 

Authority, NIWA , in 

the LGA and the office of the 

Chairman of the council, she 

PDP: Ortom panel dumps zoning, settles for open 

contest 


As the committee set up 

by the leadership of the 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, on zoning prepares to 

submit its recommendation 

this week, there are indications 

that the Samuel Ortomled 

committee has resolved 

to advise the various organs 

of the party, particularly the 

National Executive Committee, 

NEC, to throw open the 

Presidential race. 

The controversy on whether 

to zone or not was first 

mooted when, few months 

after the party lost the 2019 

presidential election, then 

Uche-Secondus-led National 

Working Committee set up 

a panel chaired by the governor 

of Bauchi State, Sen. 

Bala Mohammed to review 

what went wrong and advise 

the party on the way forward. 

Although that committee recommended 

that the ticket be 

thrown open, powerful chieftains 

of the PDP from the 

South, particularly Rivers 

state governor, Nyesom Wike, 

have been clamouring for the 

zoning of the ticket to the 

South. 

Subsequently, a 37-man 

committee was set up last 

month to come up with an 

acceptable position that 

would keep the party and its 

bigwigs united regardless of 

its stand on zoning. 

A member of the committee 

from the South-South 

geopolitical zone told Sunday 

Vanguard that given the 

situation “the PDP finds itself 

today,” it makes more sense 

to throw the race open to all 

eligible Nigerians who are 

members of the party. 

The source, who pleaded 

anonymity, said: “It is very 

easy to make the zoning argument. 

I am from the South- 

South and if we come down 

South in search of our flag 

bearer, my area will be up for 

the contest but let’s not forget 

that today, the PDP is an opposition 

party. It was easier 

to zone then as a ruling party. 

We made mistake in 2019 by 

excluding the South from the 

contest. 

“What we must do this time 

is to broaden the process by 

which our candidate will 

emerge. With due respect to 

our Southern leaders who are 

insisting zoning must be 

done; nobody can foreclose 

the possibility of a Southern 

candidate emerging. Let us 

stop talking as if with Northerners 

in the race, our people 

don’t stand a chance. This is 

not true. 

“As a party desirous of returning 

to power at the centre 

next year, let us think of 

giving every section of this 

country a sense of belonging 

Train tragedy: 170 survivors back home, 21 

victims still missing — NRC 


A 

total of 170 passengers 

who boarded the AK-9 

train bombed by terrorists on 

Monday have reunited with 

their families and loved ones, 

the Nigerian Railway Corporation, 

NRC, disclosed in a 

release yesterday. 

The corporation added 

that in spite of ongoing effort 

to reach out to families affected 

by the unfortunate incident, 

the whereabouts of 21 

passengers were unknown. 

A statement by the NRC 

Managing Director, Fidet 

Okhiria, for the umpteenth 

time, insisted that 362 passengers 

were on the manifest and 

not 970 as circulated in some 

news blogs. 

“The corporation, in continuation 

of its concerted effort 

through repeated calls, 

has been able to confirm the 

safety of 170 passengers, 

Group calls on Emefiele to join 

presidential race 

A 

group known as Otu 

Nmu Ebon, has urged 

the Governor of the Central 

Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr 

Godwin Emefiele to join the 

2023 presidential race on the 

platform of the ruling All Progressive 

Congress, APC. 

In a statement signed by 

Peter Nwanneka, Chairman 

and Ishioma Kuhodu, Secretary, 

the group argued that 

Emefiele “has explicitly 

shown uncommon ability to 

unite, stabilize and move Nigeria 

to a greater height. 

“We are convinced that he 

can make our country work 

better. His program that has 

kept Nigeria out of depression/recession 

is commendable 

and based on his pedigree, 

we are sure he can do 

more as a President of our 

dear country. 

while 21 passengers are reported 

missing by the relatives 

who made calls to us. 

The corporation is seriously 

collaborating with the security 

agencies who had already 

swung into action, in line with 

the directive of Mr. President 

to do everything possible to 

rescue all those that are still 

missing”, the statement said. 

“You would recall that on 

the 28th of March, 2022, suspected 

bandits attacked the 

last evening train, AK9 on the 

Abuja – Kaduna train service 

with explosives, leading to the 

death of some passengers and 

destruction of the train and 

track. Because of the level of 

damage on the track and in 

honour of those that lost their 

lives, the Corporation suspended 

train operations on 

the affected route. 

“While in this mournful 

mood, it is also important to 

inform members of the public 

and the press about the 

latest development and what 

the corporation is doing to 

restore train services. This 

update has become absolutely 

necessary so as to prevent 

the circulation of falsehood 

or misleading information to 

the general public. 

and inclusiveness. Sell forms 

to anyone with interest and 

the money to obtain them. 

After that, these aspirants 

should then take their messages 

to every part of the 

country in preparation for the 

convention. Whoever wins 

becomes our flag bearer. To 

the best of my knowledge, 

this is the message the committee 

has for the party.” 

Meanwhile, Sunday Vanguard 

gathered that, unlike 

aspirants of northern extraction 

who are talking about 

the possibility of producing 

a consensus candidate, their 

southern counterparts are 

going about individual aspirations 

with no thought for a 

common front, at least as at 

the time of filing this report. 

DTHA 2023: Umurhohwo assures 

Ughelli North II of devt 

A 

Delta State House of 

Assembly hopeful for 

Ughelli North Constituency 

II, Oke Umurhohwo, has assured 

the leaders and delegates 

of Ward 3/7 of robust 

development and government 

presence if elected. 

Umurhohwo, who gave this 

assurance while consulting 

with Ward 3/7 at the country 

home of Chief Patrick Egone, 

Ughelli North of his preparedness 

to run for the Delta 

State House of Assembly 

seat to represent Ughelli 

North Constituency II, said he 

has all it takes to contest for 

the position if given the opportunity 

to serve. 

While promising to use his 

position as member of the 

house to develop Ughelli 

North Constituency II, 

Umurhohwo said education 

will be one of his tools for development, 

saying that edu- 

stressed the need to remove the 

blockade around the rivers. 

She said: “Something urgent 

must be done here because 

what I am seeing is a 

disaster waiting to happen. 

When Warri women cried to 

me about the river I did not 

know it was this bad. 

“These women are mothers 

who trade in this market but 

because of the blockade of the 

river, they find it difficult to 

transport their wares from the 

market to other places. If 

there is no buying and selling 

in this market, it is the economy 

that will suffer.’’ 

She also stopped at the 

Federal Ministry of Environment 

and Delta State Ministry 

of Environment where she 

reiterated her appeal for the 

waterways to be cleared. 

The prominent Itsekiri 

chief also decried the poor 

sanitary condition of some 

parts of Pessu Market, especially 

the abattoir. 

“ The abattoir is an eyesore 

and those in charge of the 

market should also do something 

urgent about the sanitary 

condition of the market” 

cation is a major key to success, 

and will ensure that he 

introduced ICT programme 

across the constituency to better 

the lives of his people. 

"Issues of security will be 

looked into to make Ughelli 

North constituency II more 

viable among the business 

class in Delta, all these are 

part of my plans for the constituency, 

hence l could come 

out with all confidence that 

my people will not regret having 

voted for me. 

Leader of Ward 3/7, Chief 

Patrick Egone, leader of Ward 

2/6, the Otota of Ughelli Kingdom, 

Chief Peter Akpofure, 

who was represented by his 

son, Mr. Henry Akpofure, said 

both 3/7 and 2/6 wards of 

Ughelli North Constituency II 

have thrown their weight behind 

the aspiration of Oke 

Umurhohwo and prayed that 

God would see him through. 

Ughelli North PDP leader, Major Patrick Egone (retd), in a chat with the Ughelli North 

Constituency II House of Assembly hopeful , Oke Umurhohwo, during the later’s consultation 

visit to Ward 3/7. 

BOLA IGE MURDER: Soyinka raises questions over ‘prime 

suspect’ in APC leadership 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

Nobel Laureate, Prof. 

Wole Soyinka, says 

the emergence of Senator Iyiola 

Omisore, a prime suspect 

in the murder of the late 

Attorney General of the Federation 

and Minister of Justice, 

Chief Bola Ige, as National 

Secretary of the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

has raised questions over 

President Muhammadu Buhari’s 

pledge to reopen investigation 

into the case. 

Omisore was penultimate 

Saturday elected as National 

Secretary of the ruling party 

at the federal level during 

its National Convention held 

at the Eagle Square, Abuja. 

Soyinka made the remark 

in a statement issued yesterday, 

titled: ‘Perhaps closed 

files should remain just that- 

Closed?’ 

Ige was killed December 

23, 2001 by assassins in his 

Ibadan, Oyo State capital 

home. 

Soyinka noted that barely 

three months had passed 

since the 20th anniversary of 

the murder of Ige, an occasion 

he used to remind Buhari 

of a subsisting election 

pledge. 

The statement read in part: 

“That pledge was to re-open 

the files on the spate of unsolved 

political assassinations 

that had plagued the 

nation in recent decades. 

Prominent among those cases 

was that of the Minister of 

Justice, murdered on his way 

to take up a prestigious position 

with the United Nations. 

“Presidential response was 

swift. Buhari ordered the Inspector-General 

of Police to 

re-open those files and resume 

investigations. The nation 

has patiently awaited 

even a hint of Work in 

Progress. 

“Most, I am certain, expect 

no less than a revaluation of 

prior investigative efforts. 

None, to my knowledge, has 

attempted to rush the Chief 

of Police and his team into 

judgment. We all take solace 

in the knowledge that the 

wheels of justice grind slowly, 

but they arrive. Eventually.” 

Soyinka said an unusual 

turn of events has raised questions, 

as the ruling party, 

headed by the same President, 

had just elected as its National 

Secretary one of the prime 

suspects of “this most notorious 

of the nation’s unsolved 

murders.” 

“Not for a moment does one 

suggest that mere accusation, 

even trial, presumes Guilt. 

More than mere verdict is 

involved in any trial however. 

The process of arriving at 

that ultimate destination – 

justice - is integral to the very 

concept of democracy and 

equality under the law. That 

process is one of the structures 

of civic education”, the Nobel 

laureate said. 

He continued: “Unresolved 

till today were quite a number 

of untidy, even suspect 

aspects of investigation, prosecution 

and trials, aspects 

which revealed improper cell 

co-habitation by suspects under 

custody. 

“That this led necessarily to 

recantations of earlier depositions 

is not thereby proven, 

but the fact remains that such 

U-turns did take place. 

“One was so brazen that it 

induced a heart attack that 

proved fatal to the victim’s 

wife, another Justice – Mrs. 

Atinuke Ige. 

“That the prime suspect 

was privileged in a number 

of improper ways went beyond 

mere allegation. Political 

interventions, including 

pressure on the judiciary during 

bail hearings, cannot be 

denied. 

“A judge under such pressure 

kept a diary with accusations, 

pages of which he 

consigned to friends for safekeeping”. 

Soyinka asked: “With the 

emergence of the said prime 

suspect as National Secretary 

of the Ruling Party, is the Inspector-General 

of Police 

equipped to confront political 

obstacles in a resumption 

of investigation? Is there any 

guarantee that the result will 

see the light of day? How suspect, 

ab initio, will be the conclusions, 

given the present 

political ordering?”


Why Kaduna 

is under serial 

attacks 

•Warns: overrunning 

Niger, Zamfara, others 

may be easy 

By Charles Kumolu, Deputy 

Editor 

ast week’s multiple attacks by 

Lbandits in Kaduna and Niger states 

have brought Nigerians to the point of 

losing hope in the nation’s security 

architecture. Besides, the incidents left in 

their trail questions on whether the 

unchallenged reign of bandits stems from 

absence of political will or capacity on 

the part of security forces. A former 

Director of Department of State Security 

Services, DSS, Mr. Mike Ejiofor, speaks 

on what could be the reason bandits are 

having an easy ride in northern Nigeria. 

He also reveals what security agents 

could do differently forthwith. 

Last week, bandits became more 

daring in northern Nigeria, 

attacking Kaduna airport, a train 

travelling from Abuja to Kaduna, 

Kaduna/Abuja Expressway and some 

villages in Niger State. What does this 

say about Nigeria’s security situation? 

I think we should change our strategy 

in terms of tactical approach. We have 

been letting these people have a field day. 

If effective drones are deployed, we 

should be able to know the movement of 

these terrorists. Every day, we hear that 

50 people were killed by the military, 1, 

000 were killed but we don’t see any 

corpses and no arrests are made. We 

should be able to display the corpses of 

the people who are allegedly killed and 

possibly make some arrests. With those 

arrests, there could now be leads in terms 

of investigation to know how they 

operate. We should be tired of all these 

stories of killing and surrendering. Yet, 

the thing is escalating. Therefore, we 

should deploy more efforts on that. As we 

can see, they are becoming more daring. 

—Ex-DSS 

Director, Ejiofor 

They attacked the airport, they attacked 

the rail line and they are kidnapping 

people. Don’t forget that there was a time 

they shot down an air force aircraft and 

the pilot ejected. Who says they can’t 

attempt it with commercial flights. As a 

result of the attacks, two commercial 

airlines have already stopped their 

flights to Kaduna, I think we should go 

on the offensive instead of being 

defensive every day. Let’s take the war to 

them. 

In the aftermath of 

the attacks, 

Governor Nasir Elrufai 

said he had long 

warned against 

imminent attack. 

Minister of 

Transport, Rotimi 

Amaechi, also said 

the bombing of the 

Kaduna-bound train 

was avoidable. In 

view of this, is it right 

to suspect 

intelligence failure? 

We are not lacking 

in intelligence. It is 

just the capacity of 

intelligence agents to 

handle the challenge 

that is the problem. 

The Minister of 

Transportation 

confirmed that they 

had received 

intelligence but 

approval was not 

given to him. He was 

not even asking for money. They needed 

approval to get the equipment when a 

dollar was about N400. Now, the 

problem has escalated and we are not 

going to get it for less than five billion. 

The Managing Director of the Nigerian 

If they can overrun 

Kaduna and its 

environs, other areas 

that do not have 

military installations 

like Kaduna, become 

an easy ride for them. 

They want to make a 

statement 

Railway Corporation confirmed that they 

received intelligence about this attack in 

December. What did they do? They relaxed. 

The Chief Security Officer of Kaduna 

State, who is at the centre of the theatre of 

war, said they had been receiving 

intelligence reports from security services. 

It is either they don’t have the capacity to 

move against these people or they have 

other reasons for not going against them. 

Only God knows. But I am advising they 

should go out on the offensive, using both 

air and ground forces. 

The argument some 

people are making is that 

there would be collateral 

damage. But when they 

are destroying physical 

infrastructure, 

kidnapping people, and 

making life unbearable 

for the citizenry, does the 

argument stand? I think 

we should just change 

our strategy by going on 

the offensive against 

these people. 

Government i said it is 

going to use locals and 

planes to protect the rail 

lines. Do you see this as 

the needed solution? 

For me, that doesn’t 

make sense. How much 

do you use in operating 

an aircraft? Is it 

sustainable to be 

overflying the rail lines 

daily? It doesn’t make 

sense. The better thing 

for us to do is to deploy effective drones 

that would provide real-time data on the 

activities of these people. After that, 

security agents should now be deployed 

to the locals for intelligence gathering, 

but everybody is scared of giving out 

information. I think they need to cooperate 

by giving out information to security 

forces. If you are afraid of giving 

information, you will become a victim. 

The most important thing is that we should 

try as much as possible to assist security 

agencies. The locals should also be given 

assurance for them to provide 

information. As I have always proffered, 

we need to localize security operations 

because the problems are local. That is 

why we have been calling for state police 

because those operating under such a 

system would have a good understanding 

of the environment. They can monitor the 

areas and liaise with conventional federal 

forces to get the problem solved. 

What would you say is 

emboldening the bandits lately? 

I can give a few reasons. The first is to 

make government unpopular and weaken 

people’s confidence in government, 

especially now that elections are 

approaching. Don’t forget that these are 

groups of people who haven’t told 

Nigerians what they want. These are just 

anarchists. And I also believe that taking 

Kaduna where we have several military 

formations is strategic to them. Don’t 

forget they have attacked the airport. 

They have attacked the Nigerian 

Defence Academy, NDA, rail line, 

several institutions and kidnapped 

people. If they can overrun Kaduna 

and environs, other areas that do not 

have military installations like 

Kaduna, become an easy ride for 

them. They want to make a 

statement. That is why I said we must 

fight this war, especially in Kaduna 

and environs which include Niger, 

Zamfara and others. We have to 

dislodge these people from 

wherever they are after which we 

take it up from there. 

Reports and some persons in 

authority had pointed to the lack 

of political will as one of the 

reasons northern Nigeria is 

held hostage by 

terrorists… 

To some extent, 

one would agree 

there is no 

political 

will. Put 

differently, 

t h e 

capacity to 

deal with 

•Ejiofor 

this issue 

may not be 

there. So, it 

is either 

there is no 

political 

will or 

there is 

incapacity 

of security 

forces to 

deal with 

t h e 

problem. We shouldn’t also forget that our 

security forces are not adequately funded. 

Even the little appropriated, the budget is 

not released. Even when it is released, the 

National Assembly is cutting corners in 

the name of oversight. The little that is 

eventually released is not always utilized 

well by the leadership of security forces. 

At the end of the day, when they want to 

buy equipment, you see them buying those 

that won’t survive the test of time. With all 

these, we can see that it is not entirely 

about lack of political will. It was reliably 

learned that during a security meeting in 

one of the troubled North-West states, 

security chiefs advised that the only 

solution is to wipe out these bandits in the 

forests. The governor of the state was said 

to have consented to the proposal. And 

what was needed was for the Commanderin-Chief 

to okay the proposal. But for 

whatever reason, the order wasn’t given. 

Is this not enough to say that absence of 

political will is chiefly responsible for the 

absence of security in the North? 

I am not aware of that. To the best of my 

knowledge, I have always heard the 

President say that these people should be 

dealt with. I knew that before the bandits 

were designated as terrorists, the fear was 

that Nigeria would be accused of human 

rights violations if it deployed Super 

Tucano fighter jets against them. But since 

they have been classified as terrorists, I 

don’t know what is stopping our security 

forces from bombing them in their 

enclaves. 

The delay is worrisome because their 

enclaves are known. The government said 

so and claimed they are being monitored. 

If that is the case, why not take the war to 

them in their enclaves? By the time the 

bombing is sustained, the attacks by these 

bandits will definitely reduce.

PAGE 10 — SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 3, 2022 

TRAIN ATTACK: 

Our problems with Service 

Chiefs, communities 

by Ahmad, member, Reps 

Committee on Defense 

By Kennedy Mbele 

A 

member of the House of 

Representatives’ Committee on 

Defense, Hon. Abubakar 

Ahmad, speaks on the difficulties the 

House is facing in getting to the root of 

the Abuja-Kaduna train attack that has 

been blamed on bandits. 

On the aftermath of attack 

The Speaker conveyed our annoyance 

when the Service Chiefs refused to honour 

our invitation so that we can actually get to 

the root of the problem, but I am opportune 

to be a member of the Defense Committee of 

the House of Representatives and we have 

been carrying out our over sight function. 

We were equally disappointed that the train 

attack happened despite all the apparatus, 

the parameters that we put in place; we 

expected them to act, yet results are not 

really as desired. Now, although it is not 

good to discuss some of these problems openly 

because we do not know who may be listening 

or reading, to put the record straight, it is 

just that something is wrong with this part 

of the security architecture, especially in 

our armed forces because they are the ones 

saddled with the responsibility of ensuring 

security. We have this problem but what 

we could deduce is that those gathering the 

information are either getting wrong 

information or the people supplying the 

information are supplying them the wrong 

information. 

We hear that those in charge of 

intelligence sometimes compromise it. 

Now are you saying that we are okay in 

terms of the equipment needed by our 

soldiers to go after the bandits, 

successfully? 

In terms of weaponry and other apparatus, 

I can say that we are relatively ok, 70 to 80 %. 

Given the instance of the attack of that Monday 


xecutive Secretary of Kaduna State 

EEmergency Management Agency (SEMA), 

Muhammed Mukaddas, relives the rescue 

operation after the Monday train attack between 

Abuja and Kaduna that claimed lives, left several 

passengers injured while others missing are 

believed to have been abducted by bandits behind 

the attack. 

Tell us your role in evacuating 

victims at the Kaduna train attack 

site… 

We arrived at the scene at about 1 am on March 

29. Our team was received by the military led by a 

general who had already secured the location and 

commenced evacuation of victims. Although on 

arrival, I asked the general the number of people 

evening, check the time of response, you 

can see that it took the military just 10 to 

15 minutes to respond, within which they 

were deployed and they were able to 

overcome the bandits. For that, I think 

we don’t have problem but what about prior 

to? Look at the time the bandits arrived on 

motor-bike and some in private buses for 

evacuation of their abductees. Our security had 

no information to act before the attack. Look 

at the time it took them to plant explosives on 

the railway, our security couldn’t detect them, 

even as they were moving en-mass. That leaves 

some questions unanswered. We are more or 

less of attacking and repelling, instead of being 

preventive. So, if they have been pre-emptied, 

sighted planning all these attacks, with 

unusual movements along the rail lines, at least 

they must have passed people that should be 

able to report. Apart from the locals, we should 

have devices for surveillance, such as cameras 

to monitor the rail lines. I heard Senator Shehu 

Sani saying he witnessed cows roaming along 

the railway on three or four occasions. Why 

should cows be allowed on rail ways? This 

shows that surveillance equipment is either 

not in place along the railway or is not being 

deployed. 

You mentioned community engagement. 

There seem to be a disconnect between 

government, the administration of the railway 

service and the host communities. What kind 

of engagement do we need to obtain the 

information needed to prevent attacks? 

There are two things involved and both 

translate into patriotism. How sincere am I or 

how sincere are the host communities that they 

want to defend the nation and themselves etc? 

On the other side, the security personnel, how 

patriotic are they also, that they wouldn’t sell 

information or refuse to act due to money? 

Our investigations reveal that we look at those 

bandits as locals in the local sense, but they 

have intelligence. They have people that supply 

evacuated, he didn’t have an idea and didn’t state 

where the victims were taken to and directive for 

documenting the evacuees and their traumatic 

examination and arrival in Kaduna. Later on, we 

got to know that the victims just dispersed. So, my 

team and I moved into the scene and evacuated 

seven corpses that were lying fallow and 

transported them alongside those that were 

seriously wounded and one of them that escaped 

the kidnappers. So, seven bodies were evacuated 

from the scene to the 44 Hospital. In all, we have 

had 26 victims with different degrees of injuries, 

seven deaths while the number of abducted victims 

is still unknown. 

Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency 

immediately provided a telephone line through 

which affected families can make enquiries and 

provide relevant information on passengers that 

travelled on the train and, I can tell you that, as at 

yesterday (Wednesday) evening, we had received 

•Ahmad 

them intelligence, although there are also 

bandits among them. So, they are very good in 

taking advantage of the situation both from 

the military personnel and the community. 

They give large amounts of money to 

communities, taking advantage of their 

poverty and unpatriotic nature of some 

citizens. Even if I am poor but patriotic, I should 

be able to do the right thing in that manner. I 

commend the Service Chiefs who are 

prosecuting this war against terrorism. They 

are doing their best, mopping up the moles in 

the security services and punishing them but 

suffice to say that as they are doing that, the 

bandits use the communities, giving them 

money. So, I believe more has to be done with 

communities, individuals and their leaders. If 

that had been done, the security would have 

been able to know where the bandits are hiding. 

We have advocated for their declaration as 

terrorists, so that they can be engaged in that 

capacity. If that is done, the next thing is to 

identify their hide out, go there and finish them. 

What can you tell us about the 

invitation of the Service Chiefs by the 

House of Representatives? What 

values was that meant to add to the 

situation on ground? 

The benefits of the invitation are very 

clear. When the security leaders come to us, 

we will now discuss, either in camera or in 

the open, to know their challenges, now since 

we are on a rescue mission. What are their 

impediments? Do the impediments require 

legislative intervention? Such you cannot 

do with subordinates. So, we want to hear 

from them. They have seen the insecurity 

situation and briefed the President. It is not 

every information that everyone in the 

hierarchy of the command must have. We want 

Train attack survivors just dispersed 

about 168 calls from Nigerians seeking the 

whereabouts of their relatives. 

…blow-by-blow account of rescue operation, by 

Mukaddas, Kaduna SEMA Executive Secretary 

How many people are still 

unaccounted for? 

We are yet to determine that. However, from the 

calls received and the cross checking of names 

mentioned by relatives and the validated as per 

the manifest provided by the Nigerian Railway 

Corporation, unfortunately, we were only able to 

cross-match nine names from all the calls and, of 

course, there were multiplicity of calls. So, we are 

sorting out those multiplicities to enable us arrive 

at the number possibly abducted. 

On the flip side, how many people 

have been accounted for? 

As I earlier mentioned, eight persons have died, 

eight people were admitted in two hospitals in 

Kaduna, others have been treated and discharged. 

We cannot state the number of people abducted 

because we are still in the process of ascertaining 

that through the crisis management center that 

we established. 

TRAIN ATTACK:Bandits take advantage of gaps between security services 

– Abeh, ex- Kaduna Police Commissioner 


s an erstwhile insider in the 

Asecurity situation in Kaduna State, a former 

Commissioner of Police in the state, Agyole Abeh, 

speaks on the Abuja-Kaduna train attack. Excerpts: 

It seems the solution is to employ locals to secure 

black spots. Do you think this will reduce attacks 

in this axis? 

Yes, I think we have a lot to do especially in 

terms of security and communities’ partnership. 

First of all, we must build trust with communities. 

The bandits live in these communities. Most of the 

people in the communities benefit from banditry, 

this makes it difficult to persuade them to provide 

us with relevant information. But, we can go ahead 

of that and also put in these communities 

informants, not necessarily indigenes of those 

communities. When I was Kaduna State 

Commissioner of Police, we had expanded meetings 

with community leaders and traditional rulers which 

helped very much in ensuring security in the state 

but, at the end, it seems to be back, all over again. 

We must, therefore, emphasize our reaction as 

security operatives, more than rely on communities 

for getting information as some of such information 

is inaccurate, which exposes officers to danger. We 

should lay more emphasis on the provision of 

appropriate equipment for the management of 

crime. We should also look at the time these trains 

move. 

In every part of the country, there 

are DSS officials who are supposed 

to provide intelligence to forestall such 

occurrences. Do you see gaps in that area that 

needs to be bridged? 

to obtain from them pieces of information we 

can use in obtaining more sensitive 

information when we call for public hearing, 

that can be used in proffering appropriate 

solution, which is what we need now. Up till 

now, we did not receive any information from 

the bandits, we don’t know the motive of the 

attack, whether it is to show how porous the 

country is or they first attacked the airport to 

show how vulnerable our facilities are. The 

invitation was also to find out where we can 

come in; whether we need to talk to Mr 

President or make express approval that would 

enhance their success in their fight against 

bandits. We lack words to express their nonappearance. 

We are disappointed. 

Every community has 

representative in their state House of 

Assembly and in the National 

Assembly. What roles do you think the 

representative can play in bridging that 

community engagement gap? 

Just yesterday, at the Defense Committee, 

we mapped out plans to identify the 

communities around Niger, Kaduna, Katsina 

and Zamfara states, so that we can call 

their representatives, give them 

security tips through the security 

experts we are engaging. The 

representatives will play a very big 

role. We want to even go higher by 

identifying community leaders in 

this regard. Don’t be surprised, any 

community that refuses to comply 

will be wiped out. You know the 

story of Zaki Biam very well. 

Do you think that having a central 

intelligence clearing house is 

something feasible? 

Yes, it is feasible and now is the time to have 

it. As I said earlier, we at the House of 

Representatives have started working on some 

issues and this is one of them, just like the 

synergy between the DSS and the police with 

regards to information sharing. A system 

whereby information gathered on security by 

the DSS from a village in the state has to go 

through the local government, then to the state 

Director of DSS and go to Abuja before getting 

to the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police 

is not proper because the damage would have 

been done before the message gets to the 

Commissioner. A decentralized information 

gathering and dissemination unit is better. We 

have set up a committee that will cut across all 

those involved with the view to reducing 

response time that would prevent the 

commission of a crime and if it happens to 

occur, response time must be in the barest 

minimum. Again, equipment, you can’t send a 

policeman to such an assignment with just 

AK47, without protection. He must protect 

himself first, before providing protection for 

people. Again, our officers complain bitterly 

about allowances, to the extent that they 

provide kits for themselves despite their huge 

allocations. So, if a Police Commissioner says 

“we are not prepared to fight the war”, he can’t 

be far from the truth. Simply put, their little 

allowances are important, that’s what can boost 

their morale. The issue of a central intelligence 

processing unit is an issue that we are looking 

at how it is going to be implemented possibly 

by a fiat legislative action, it is really being 

contemplated and will be put in place as soon 

as we get the required inputs. 

Are there any plans or thought 

for post-traumatic care for survivors? 

Yes, the Kaduna State Emergency Management 

Agency is working closely with the Ministry of 

Health. We have commenced getting in touch with 

passengers whose names and numbers appeared 

on the validated manifest. The Ministry of Health 

is getting in touch with them and putting it forward 

for passengers who might require such services. As 

I mentioned earlier, for those passengers taken to 

hospital, most of them have been treated and 

allowed to leave, except for eight as of March 30. 

Have you been able to find closure 

on the discrepancies in the number 

of passengers that boarded the illfated 

train? 

Yes, there is a lot of fake information in the 

social media on this matter. However, the 

official data that we have received from the 

Nigerian Railway Corporation that has 

been validated is 390. And as I mentioned 

earlier, we have received calls from 

Nigerians, up to 168 calls wanting to know 

the whereabouts of their family members 

and we have been able to cross check only 

nine of the names provided by the callers. 

So, we are still in the process of 

ascertaining who is missing from the data 

that we have. 

There are a lot of gaps between DSS, other security 

agencies and communities and, until we bridge those 

gaps, we will continue having breakdown in 

communication. For instance, when a DSS official 

receives a piece of information, the Director of the 

agency in Kaduna does not owe me as the state 

Commissioner of Police responsibility to share the 

information he has, it goes directly to Abuja where it 

is filtered. You will find out that as that information is 

travelling to Abuja, a lot of things may gone wrong 

before the information is analyzed and action taken. 

So, we must work towards not just quality synergy, 

but active synergy too. 

•Interviews first aired on 

Channels TV


With daring attacks, 

bandits want to destroy 

democracy in 2023 

— Gen IBM Haruna(retd) 

•’We may not have successful elections’ 

By CHARLES KUMOLU, 

Deputy Editor 

Major-General IBM Haruna, retd, in 

this interview, takes a broad look at 

Nigeria’s security situation, 

warning the crisis could snowball 

into a bigger problem if it remains 

“fully unchecked.’’ 

What do last week’s daring 

terrorist attacks in the North 

mean to you as a retired 

general and statesman? 

The attacks are a continuing 

breach of national security, which 

has remained fully unchecked in the 

context of restoring confidence in 

security and government. It is part 

of the menu for the dedemocratization 

of Nigeria. Many 

elements will come into it as we 

approach 2023 elections. I think it 

is a pursuit of certain interest in the 

continuation of Nigeria’s 

sovereignty and democracy. These 

ingredients will be coming into play 

in what I call the menu for dedemocratization 

of Nigeria by 

2023. 

Can you shed light on what 

you called de-democratisation 

of Nigeria? 

Within the context of insecurity, the 

overall intent is to de-democratise 

Nigeria. Our efforts are now on 

democratising Nigeria but the 

insecurity and responses to it are 

deliberately being brewed to disrupt 

2023 elections. When that happens, 

it may lead to an alternative but not 

democracy. That people who are 

making decisions now are unable 

to nail insecurity on its head shows 

that they may be unknowingly or 

knowingly part and parcel of the 

unscripted play. This insecurity can 

come to a head in 2023. Recall that 

there was a prediction that Nigeria 

would fail to exist in 2017. We have 

outlived that prediction but are now 

living on a livewire. And that livewire 

is likely to lose its life and power to 

continue with democracy and the 

unity of Nigeria. This may be the 

ultimate outcome of not reacting to 

insecurity in the manner we military 

men would have done. 

The consistency with which 

the attacks happen and the 

manner the nation quickly 

moves on make the situation 

appear like a new normal… 

No, it is not normal. It is just a 

process of brewing. For instance, 

when you are making soup, you add 

certain ingredients. You increase or 

decrease temperature depending on 

your type of menu. In the process 

of growth, we will experience certain 

ingredients like economic instability 

which brings about economic 

depression. There is inflation which 

manifests as an insurmountable 

increase in the prices of goods and 

services. There is also 

unemployment on the one hand and 

the failure to secure the well-being 

of people. All these add to the state 

of affairs. As the elections approache, 

we would hear of some mountains 

of corruption in public assets 

management. All these would come to a boil. 

My impression is that we have an opaque 

government that knows nothing about 

transparency and accountability. This 

insecurity is a process of overheating the polity. 

Unless the country is up and doing, especially 

the political leaders, certainly we 

would experience a failed election cycle 

in 2023. We are going through a 

process. It might come to a boil when 

the Independent National Election 

Commission, INEC, is unable to 

perform its responsibilities because of 

insecurity. We are in for sensitive 

happenings. I think the attacks on the 

rail lines, airports and roads are all 

processes of de-democratisation of 

Nigeria. The situation makes one 

suspect that either the present 

administration wants a situation of selfsuccession 

or an emergency 

government, which would come under 

its leadership. A lot of things would 

come into play. The kind of responses 

being given to insecurity may be seen 

as lackadaisical but with positive 

intent. 

The bandits are overrunning 

some states in the North despite 

investments in the security 

architecture and assurances 

they would be crushed. What 

do you make of the 

situation? 

We are worried. 

After all, it could 

either be 

deliberate 

because it is 

planned and 

aimed at 

c e r t a i n 

objectives or 

the real 

powers behind 

the throne 

have a 

method of 

manipulating 

the Nigerian 

state. 

Do you 

think what 

analysts 

described 

as the lack 

of capacity 

on the part of security operatives 

is the reason bandits seem to be 

winning in the North? 

I think we have installed capacity, 

whether physical or trained manpower. 

We also have the technology to 

coordinate and mobilise enough 

counter to what is happening. Outside 

our internal configuration, our 

responses are teleguided by 

international institutions and interests. 

In certain respects, they come in conflict 

with our national interests, which are 

the well-being of Nigerians and the 

stability of the Nigerian state to make 

progress. 

If capacity is not the problem 

as you posited, would you say it 

is the absence of political will? 

The absence or existence of political 

will is not absolutely demonstrated by 

a single entity. And we have conflicts of 

interest between the leaders, the 

political parties as well as those calling 

the shots in the corridors of power. In 

•Major-General IBM 

Haruna, retd, 

my view, I think Nigerians have demonstrated 

they have the political will to keep Nigeria as 

one. We fought a 30-month civil war to 

demonstrate it. We didn’t have the capacity at 

the time. We had only 10, 000 people in the 

armed forces in 1966. We had only five 

battalions. We had no air force. We rarely had 

our navy at the time to defend the sovereignty 

of Nigeria. What I am saying is that when a 

crisis becomes a war, you build up the will of 

the people to support it. You also have to carry 

out international campaigns. I recall people 

like the late Pa Anthony Enahoro, Ahmed Joda 

and others who had to go around the world to 

convince the international community to 

support Nigeria. We also knew the other side 

had to go around the world, especially in 

Christian nations to solicit support. If you have 

to fight a war, you have to demonstrate the will 

to fight for what you believe in. The will is 

there but you can’t mobilise it when you have 

people like the gentleman who is undergoing 

treason for wanting a new Biafra. There has to 

be national mobilization. But democracy has 

created a diversity of political will. There is 

also demonstration of different political 

perspectives and different cultural interests. I 

think the political will for Nigeria to succeed 

and develop as a nation is there, but it is up to 

the political leadership to demonstrate it 

through good leadership. Certainly, nobody 

gave anyone the mandate to promote 

insecurity. 

You cited an instance when Ahmed 

Joda, Enahoro and others sought public 

support during the civil war. Now, 

Nigeria is troubled by insecurity, which 

seems to have overwhelmed security 

agencies. Should the nation seek 

international support just the way it did 

during the civil war? 

Nigeria is not overwhelmed and it is not 

fighting the war without international support. 

We have international support. That was why 

we were able to get Tucano aircraft for our air 

force from the United States. There is 

international support because the 

international community wants to see Nigeria 

develop properly. We have taken loans from 

the International Monetary Fund, IMF, China 

and other institutions. But the importance of 

security cannot be overstated. 

The way bandits kill, maim and 

kidnap people unchallenged, gives the 

impression that security agents are just 

reactionary in this war against 

banditry. Would you suggest a change 

in tactics? 

I have given an overview of my assessment 

of what is going on. I don’t know what you 

mean by tactics. Whatever it is, it is a question 

of how you choose to approach the war. But 

tactics, doctrines, deployment, cooperation, 

sharing of intelligence and interpretations of 

intelligence are the roles of government 

through various agencies. These are not things 

you dictate as a non-professional or a nonmember 

of security agencies. There are also 

national secrets, but people do not understand. 

There are national agreements reached on our 

behalf that are not disclosed publicly. We 

know the Navy develops its tactics and 

doctrines. The objective is the preservation 

of the Nigerian state. So are the army, air 

force and other agencies. How you man 

your checkpoint, for example, is not a 

matter for public discourse. It is a 

professional thing and if you don’t do it 

properly to secure the checkpoints, you 

may be taught a lesson. 

Kaduna seems to be of special 

interest to bandits. Does that have 

any connection with the status of 

the state as one with many military 

formations? Kaduna is no way more 

special than Kano or Ibadan. The whole 

military formations have strategic 

national positions. And Kaduna 

suffers security threats as we have in 

Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and 

Enugu. They all form 

parts of our socioeconomic 

disposition. 

There are military 

formations in Ibadan, 

Enugu and other cities. 

We shouldn’t be looking 

at insecurity in isolation. 

It is too minimal to be 

looking at Kaduna. The 

state is a small space in 

this universe. But if we 

know our objectives and 

interests, we should seek 

to protect and support 

them. The conflicts in 

Kaduna are not only 

political but also 

cultural. 

Governor El-rufai 

was reported to have 

said the military 

knows where the 

bandits are, but 

could not fathom 

the reason they have 

not taken the war to 

their enclaves. .. 

It is the same 

governor who said 

some foreigners had been brought in to 

enhance the elections. He said they had 

not been paid and were waiting to be 

settled. So, it is not about the military 

bombing where bandits congregate. There 

are some other interests to it. What if the 

bombing favours a different section of his 

local politics? The military is a national 

military and not a state military. 

Amid all the killings and 

kidnappings no one has ever taken 

responsibility, and it feeds the 

perception that the nation’s 

leadership has accepted the 

situation as the new normal… 

Nobody has to take personal 

responsibility. The constitution has put 

responsibility and duties on those in 

authority. They are on oath to perform. In 

the context of the overall objective, each 

one performs in line with his perception 

of efficiency. We can’t pretend not to know 

that some people want this country 

disintegrated.


Every Christian must 

read this 

“A presidential aspirant of 

the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, Asiwaju 

Bola Tinubu, has charged 

Supreme Council for Sharia 

in the country to create a 

department of political 

affairs to create political 

awareness among the 

faithful towards producing a 

Muslim President in 2023” - 

News Report, March 20, 

2022. 

he address, delivered 

Ton Tinubu’s behalf, has 

revealed a mindset which 

many Nigerians, especially 

Christians, have failed to 

notice in Asiwaju Tinubu. 

There are several aspects to 

it; but, permit me to point to 

only a few which are terribly 

disturbing for someone 

seeking to be our President. 

The most obvious can be 

deduced from the report: 

Tinubu will be President for 

Muslims only. Christians 

and traditional worshippers 

will not count. 

Before going forward, let 

me declare that what follows 

should not be misconstrued 

as an attack against all 

Muslim candidates. It is not 

even an attack on Tinubu. I 

just want him to know how 

his statement strikes 

Christians. Four real stories 

will prove conclusively that 

I have no hatred for 

Muslims and have actually 

supported a Muslim Vice 

President and two Muslim 

candidates 

against Christian 

Presidents. Former VP Atiku 

Abubakar is still alive. From 

2005 till 2007, when ex- 

President Obasanjo went 

after him and sought to 

remove him from office, I 

wrote at least 15 articles in 

support of Muslim Atiku 

and against Christian OBJ. 

Shehu Garba is my witness. 

I was already working for 

the election of Muslim 

Muhammadu Buhari, in 

2010-2011, when Tinubu 

backed Nuru Ribadu for 

President. I again repeated 

my support for Buhari in 

2015 at a time when Tinubu 

was struggling to foist a 

Muslim-Muslim ticket on 

Nigeria. 

Like most Christian 

progressives in the South, I 

have voted for Alhaji 

Jakande, Bola Tinubu and 

Tunde Fashola, all 

Muslims, as governors of 

Lagos State. Before that, I 

voted for the late Chief 

MKO Abiola on June 12, 

1993; and stayed in Nigeria 

under Abacha to defend the 

mandate – while Tinubu 

ran away with others 

without guts. I was in 

detention four times for 

supporting a Muslim I 

never met; and who did me 

no favours. For Christians, 

like me, that appeal to the 

Muslims by Asiwaju is so 

heart-breaking – given all 

the easily demonstrable 

support we have given to 

Muslims and to him 

personally. It also smacks 

of ingratitude. 

CHRISTIANS MADE 

TINUBU GOVERNOR OF 

LAGOS 

“Ingratitude is a crime 

more despicable than 

revenge; which is returning 

evil for evil, while 

ingratitude returns evil for 

good” - William George 

Jordan. 

A presidential candidate, 

who stands before the 

“faithful” to ask for 

votes based on religion 

is not only selfish; but, 

he is also sowing the 

seeds of a post-election 

religious violence if he 

loses to a “non-faithful” 

I voted for Tinubu in 1999 

– despite my strong objection 

to the way he emerged as 

candidate of the Alliance for 

Democracy, AD. But I was 

persuaded by one of the 

leaders of Afenifere that his 

support for those who ran to 

exile was responsible for their 

position. I am always a very 

grateful person for any 

favours done for me or 

family or Club or Church. So, 

as the Head of my Family, I 

ordered everybody to vote for 

Tinubu, a Muslim. Later, 

Tinubu betrayed the old men 

who gave him the 

opportunity he enjoys till 

today. Thus, when his mostly 

Muslim campaign workers 

cry about disloyalty by 

somebody else, I sometimes 

wonder what their ethical 

standard is - or is it a matter 

of “who pays the piper 

dictating the tune?” 

PRINCIPLES MATTER IN 

POLITICS 

Mohandas Gandhi, 1869- 

1948, listed seven things that 

would destroy us. The first 

was “Politics without 

principles”. Christians voted 

for Tinubu twice; and we 

followed him until it dawned 

on us that, as far as he is 

concerned, no Christian was 

good enough to be governor 

of Lagos State. He had lined 

up four possible Muslim 

successors to Fashola. Until 

that time, I had stood aloof 

from politics in Lagos State. 

The reports reaching me in 

2010 changed everything. I 

teamed up with like-minded 

individuals to actualise 

Christian governor in Lagos 

State in 2015. But, in order 

to reassure our Muslim 

brothers that it was a 

struggle for equity, not anti- 

Muslims, we went out to 

campaign for Buhari 

against Jonathan – a 

Christian. In everything, we 

placed national interest 

above selfish interest. None 

of us was a candidate or had 

a close relative as a 

candidate for any office. 

Unlike what Tinubu just 

did, we stood for fairness, 

selflessness and for our state 

and country. I can speak for 

myself. I never asked for 

appointment or contractor 

help from Ambode or 

Buhari till today. A 

presidential candidate, who 

stands before the “faithful” 

to ask for votes based on 

religion is not only selfish; 

but, he is also sowing the 

seeds of a post-election 

religious violence if he loses 

to a “non-faithful”. We are 

on the way to Lebanon – if 

care is not taken. 

ADVICE TO TINUBU 

“Advice is seldom welcome; 

and those who need it the 

most always want it least” - 

Earl of Chesterfield, 1694- 

1773, VBQ p5. 

Let me keep it short and 

simple since it will probably 

be rejected anyway. 

Asiwaju should release 

another statement 

modifying the one reported. 

If he gets the APC ticket and 

Christians take him at his 

words, then he will certainly 

lose the election. Even 30 per 

cent of Christians voting 

against him are sufficient to 

ruin his chances – even in 

Lagos. But, he can try his 

luck. 

MY ADVICE TO 

CHRISTIANS 

“A very great part of the 

mischief that vexes this world 

arises from words” - 

Edmund Burke, 1729-1797, 

VBQ p281. 

As I have disclosed before, 

I read over 6,000 books, 

magazines, professional 

journals, pamphlets and 

newspapers when compiling 

the VANGUARD BOOK OF 

QUOTATIONS, VBQ. 

Nearly 3, 000 of the books 

followed me home from the 

US to Nigeria. I was most 

fascinated by personalities 

whose characters are very 

similar despite differences in 

nation, period, and 

situation. Hitler and Putin 

think alike and act alike; a 

Gandhi, Martin Luther 

King, Jr, 1929-1968, and 

Mandela, 1913-2013, 

behave the same way. 

Because the characters 

behave alike they are 

therefore very predictable. 

Tinubu is also a type of 

public personality whose 

next moves, despite the 

attempts to camouflage 

them, are predictable – at 

least to me. 

“The only prize much 

cared for by the powerful is 

power. The prize for the 

General is not a bigger tent; 

but, command” - US 

Supreme Court Justice, 

Oliver Wendell-Homes, Jr, 

1841-1935. 

Justifiably, to a great 

extent, he felt betrayed by the 

party in 2015 after the great 

investments, financial and 

personal, he made to get 

Buhari elected. Nobody can 

dispute the fact that without 

the ACN, led by Tinubu, 

Buhari would have lost once 

again. He was bestowed 

with the title of National 

Leader which has no 

constitutional role or 

powers. Unlike the late 

Chief Anenih, of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, who 

occupied the same position, 

and who was given wide 

powers by President 

Obasanjo, Tinubu was just 

a figurehead National 

Leader. Tinubu spent an 

enormous fortune to get 

Buhari elected only to end 

up holding an empty bag. 

Now, he is in no mood to help 

anybody else grab the prize. 

He resents Osinbajo’s 

ambition; and he will not 

help the Vice President. 

Never. 

If he should ultimately 

win, Christians will be third 

class in Aso Rock from 2023. 

So, be careful how you cast 

your votes. The man has 

already told us whose 

President he will be – if 

elected. 

INTRODUCING 

YORUBA FOR IGBO 

PRESIDENT 2023 

“Heavens help those who 

help themselves.” 

The President of Ohaneze, 

Professor George Obiozor, 

recently voiced out his 

concern that Igbo 

candidates are not reaching 

out to other Nigerians. I 

cannot agree more. From 

personal experience and 

discussions with likeminded 

individuals, it 

appears that most Igbo 

candidates operate under 

the assumption that the 

agitation by Ndigbo and the 

advocacy by Igbo 

columnists, coupled with the 

justice of their cause, are 

sufficient to clinch the ticket. 

Apparently, they are doing 

any non-Igbo person 

wanting to join the struggle 

a favour. If only they know 

the hostility we endure for 

what is actually an 

unpopular agitation among 

the other people and 

politicians in Nigeria. 

With only one exception, 

Senator Anyim, none has 

even bothered to give us a 

hint of what he intends to do 

and how he will govern 

office. We have pledged to 

support a credible Igbo 

candidate whose CV 

suggests that he knows 

Nigeria’s problems. Until 

Peter Obi entered the race, 

only Anyim seemed to fit the 

bill. It is up to Obi now. But, 

nobody should imagine that 

we are begging to work for 

him. The Yoruba for Igbo 

President 2023, YIP2023, is 

totally committed to this 

cause until we have no Igbo 

candidate to support. That 

will be a great tragedy. 

GO PARK THE BULLION 

VAN 

‘2023: APC tickets mustn’t 

go to highest bidders – 

Buhari’. 

This is no body language. 

This is a knock out punch. 

My own Deep Throat in the 

Rock told me that Buhari got 

security reports about how 

much a candidate for 

presidency has already 

spent; and how much he 

offloads from the van at each 

stop. Baba was alarmed. 

How can somebody spend 

so much without intending 

to recover the investments – 

with profit? Baba was 

horrified. Who wouldn’t be? 

Bros, go park the van; the 

race is almost over. 

Pray until you receive 

n the next couple of days, 

Iit would be Easter, when 

we remember the crucifixion 

and resurrection of our Lord 

Jesus Christ. His resurrection 

is the reason Christians 

believe that Jesus lives. 

Indeed, Jesus is alive. 

The life of Christ presents 

us with many lessons that 

must necessarily be a part of 

our lives as Christians. 

The Lord Jesus thought us 

to pray. He demonstrated 

many times that without 

prayer, we might not obtain 

the desires of our hearts. 

What is prayer? Simply put, 

it is a way of communicating 

with God. A time that one 

pours out his or her heart to 

the Creator of Heaven and 

Earth. 

According to John 1 vs.1 

(KJV): “ In the beginning was 

the Word, and the Word was 

with God, and the Word was 

God”. 

Verse 14: And the Word was 

made flesh, and dwelt among 

us, (and we beheld his glory, 

the glory as of the only 

begotten of the Father,) full of 

grace and truth”. 

Jesus prayed when he came 

to dwell among us. 

One of the instances that 

Jesus prayed is recorded in 

John 11: 40-42: “ Jesus saith 

unto her, Said, I not unto thee, 

that, if thou wouldest believe, 

thou, shouldest see the glory 

of God? 

Then they took away the 

stone from the place where 

the dead was laid. And Jesus 

lifted up his eyes, and said, 

Father, I thank thee that thou 

hast heard me. 

And I knew that thou 

hearest me always: but 

because of the people which 

stand by I said it, that they may 

believe that thou hast sent 

me”. 

This is the story of Lazarus 

that you are familiar with. 

Lazarus had died and had 

been buried for four days. 

Physically, he ought to be 

stinking. 

In this story, Mary told the 

Lord that he would have 

prevented Lazarus from 

death, had he come early. 

Verses 33-35 of the same 

chapter states: “ When Jesus 

therefore saw her weeping, 

and the Jews also weeping 

which came with her, he 

groaned in the spirit and was 

troubled. 

And said, Where have ye 

laid him? They said unto him, 

Lord, come and see. 

Jesus wept”. 

There are many lessons for 

us in this short Bible passage. 

First is that God is never late. 

Mary had concluded that 

Lazarus would never live again 

since he died and has been in 

the grave for four days but 

Jesus came and raised him up. 

I don’t know that condition 

that you are passing though, 

God is coming to intervene. 

People may have reached the 

conclusion that at your age, you 

cannot have biological 

children. In the physical realm, 

that may be true but the 

spiritual realm is not time 

bound. Brother and Sister, 

weep no more, pray and be 

expectant, God of suddenly will 

show up for you in Jesus name. 

A second lesson is that you 

are not alone. God is aware of 

what you are passing through 

especially if you cry unto Him. 

God that is able to turn your 

situation around is aware of 

your challenges. 

In this passage, we read that 

when Jesus saw Mary and the 

Jews weeping, “ he groaned in 

the spirit and was troubled”. 

That is the compassionate God 

for you. 

God knows what you and I 

are passing through and is 

willing to turn that sorrowful 

situation into a joyful one. 

To confirm that the Lord 

shares our pains, the Bible 

recorded that “ Jesus wept”. 

Jesus wept because he had 

compassion for Mary and the 

other mourners. Not because 

he didn’t know that Lazarus 

could live. 

In the name of Jesus, 

whatever has made people to 

write you off, will soon have a 

turn around that will make 

people glorify God on your 

behalf. 

Brethren, we must learn to 

pray. Adjust your timetable in 

a way that you allocate some 

time for prayers. 

When we pray, we should 

Brethren, God is 

never tired of our 

prayers, set aside a 

few days to pray and 

fast 

have also give thanks for 

answered prayers. 

Why? This is because; a 

single service or even a day is 

not enough to thank God for 

his mercy. 

What am I saying? If a 

couple have been waiting on 

the Lord for children for as 

long as 20 years, they would 

have been written off by 

people and sometimes, 

medical practitioners but if 

the couple have faith in God, 

they would continue to pray 

looking forward to the day of 

joy. 

When conception takes 

place, prayer continues. 

Actually, this is the time to 

pray more. 

I recall the story of a lady, 

who got married and her 

husband’s relations vowed 

that she would never have 

children in her marriage 

because, her husband was 

expected to educate his 

siblings and their raising 

biological children would 

conflict with the expectation 

of the extended family. 

Brethren, everywhere the 

woman, prayed she was told 

this. She however held on to 

God in prayer and service. 

God intervened and she 

gave birth to a baby boy. 

Many of her husband’s 

relations were so dumb 

founded that some failed to 

congratulate her. Those who 

attended the naming 

ceremony wore mournful 

looks. 

Of course for the couple it 

was a day of joy. They gave 

thanks to God and continued 

to do so as the baby grew. Till 

today with the baby over 10 

years, they are still thanking 

God. 

Consistent prayers, with 

thanksgiving results in 

miracles. 

Do not wear mournful looks 

because you are waiting on 

the Lord for children. 

Move on in your career, your 

studies or whatever you are 

doing. Never allow a 

challenge to weigh you down. 

If you fail to progress in 

whatever you are doing, when 

the children arrive, you may 

not be able to progress at that 

same pace again. 

As Christians we are told in 

Thessalonians 5 vs. 16-19: “ 

Rejoice evermore. Pray 

without ceasing. In every 

thing give thanks: for this is 

the will of God in Christ Jesus 

concerning you. 

Quench not the Spirit”. 

Never stop praying. When 

you stop praying, you quench 

the spirit. 

Once your spirit does not 

believe that a miracle is 

possible, you may get nothing 

except if God shows you 

mercy. 

Take a cue from our Lord 

Jesus in the story of Lazarus. 

He gave thanks before calling 

Lazarus out of the grave. 

You too should give thanks 

for the baby or babies you are 

expecting. 

Romans 12 vs. 12 teaches 

us: 

“ Rejoicing in hope; patient 

in tribulation; continuing 

instant in prayer”. 

To rejoice in hope simply 

means that you don’t have to 

appear sorrowful because of 

any challenge. Childbearing, 

living single when you ought 

to be married, health 

challenges or whatever. Pray 

and continue to rejoice in the 

Lord. 

As we wait on the Lord, we 

need to be patient. 

Ephesians 4 vs. 2 ( NIV): “Be 

completely, humble and 

gentle; be patient, bearing 

with one another in love”. 

Brothers and sisters, you 

need to be patient with each 

other. The period of waiting 

puts pressure on the marriage. 

You need the grace of God to 

be above such pressure. 

When you bear challenges 

in love, you would not allow 

relations or in-laws to 

influence your attitude 

towards your spouse. 

Once you let them know you 

would not discuss your 

childbearing challenge or 

politely tell them that you 

have chosen to wait on the 

Lord, they will stop putting 

pressure on your marriage. 

Brothers, protect your 

home. Many of those who put 

pressure on you because your 

wife is year to bear children 

are what some Pastors call 

‘unfriendly friends’. 

They pretend to share your 

pains but mock you behind 

you. 

Brethren, God is never tired 

of our prayers. 

Set aside a few days to pray 

and fast. 

Continue to pray, pray until 

your miracle manifests. 

Shalom!


•Joy Igboanugo 

•Adebukola 

I dread acting as 

a sex worker 

—Joy Igboanugo 

n actor should be able to kill any role given to him. That 

Ais the norm and it is a fact Nollywood actress Joy Igboanugo 

Eze a.k.a Dubbymama is well conversant with and in fact 

has never been found wanting of. But we all have little fears 

even though we could go the extra mile in the line of duty. 

“I love to interprete a lady or a mother character and I 

dread acting as a sex worker or anything related to it. 

Depicting anything that has to do with sex or sexual 

personality scares me. I’m not saying I won’t do it but 

it has to go with certain conditions,” she 

told Potpourri in a chat. 

Dubbymama has seen all the bad, the ugly and 

good moments in her life in Nollywood. She said 

she’s not a judge over anybody and what they do on 

social media or in their private lives. 

“My opinion about women flaunting their sexuality is 

that it is their choice. Whatever they do on social media 

and we can’t decide their actions but I am not in support of 

it and do not encourage women and ladies,” she offered on the 

rising immorality on social media. 

On the question of 'runs girls' taking over the movie industry 

and using social media as a medium to display their wares, 

Dubbymama said they won’t last in the game 

“My take on ‘runs girls’ taking over the industry is that they 

won’t last, because most of them are fake and shallow. In fact I 

don’t believe that ‘runs girls’ are taking over the Nollywood 

industry. There are still reserved, homely and hardworking 

ladies in the industry. Those of them who came into the 

industry through that way will leave through the window,” 

she said. 

Joy Igboanugo Eze is a married woman. She attenbded 

such institutions like University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), 

Rivers State University of Science and Technology 

(RUST) and Nigerian Teaching Institution (NTI). 

Some of the movies she has featured include; Blood War, 

Seventh Order, Cab Ladies, Strange Sisters, LondonHustler, 

Family Yoke, King bombshell and many more. 

Adebukola steps 

into big league with 

'Omo “Omo Iya Loje' Loje” 

For budding actress and movie 

producer, Adebukola Salawu, 

stepping into the big league of movie 

makers in Nigeria has always been a 

dream she nurtured. While she 

continues to expand her acting 

frontiers and getting movie roles 

regularly, Salawu who is not a new face 

in the Yoruba-speaking movie 

industry, has set her sights on the 

bigger picture that would further 

transform her dreams and pitch her 

with top Nollywood movie makers. 

With more than six movies to her 

credit, Adebukola recently hit 

locations with some of her colleagues 

to shoot her new flick, entitled 'Omo 

Iya Loje'. 

With top names like Wale Akorede 

(Okunnu) RasaqOlayiwola 

(Ojopagogo) Peter Ijagbemi, Iya 

Gbonkan, Sisi Quadri among others 

storming Ibadan, the Oyo State 

capital, to bring the new project to life, 

it was only a matter of time before 

Adebukola’s new dream hits the waves. 

After spending days at the Oje market 

for the shoot directed by Wale Rasaq, 

the job was done and Adebukola said 

it was time for movie lovers to see 

what she has spent time and 

resources on. 

Weeks back, the movie was 

released on Youtube and has 

recorded about 200,000 views with 

the producer saying “I am truly 

grateful for this job and the 

response it is bringing. I love to 

focus on my job and work 

with people whose ideas 

and vision for movie 

making sit down well 

with me,” she added. 

•J Martins 

•Agoha 

Women feel 

I’m too sexy 

to be a pastor 

—Gospel singer, Agoha 

ircular singer turned gospel 

C music artist, simply known as 

Agoha has said many women cannot 

fathom the idea that he is a pastor, on 

a mission to win souls for Christ. He 

said one look at him and they 

concluded he can’t be a pastor. 

“As a former model and former 

circular music artist, women 

especially still feel one or two things 

whenever they see me. You know I have 

got a very good structure like my 

appearance, my height and all. They 

just feel I’m too sexy to be a pastor,” 

he said in a chat with Potpourri 

When asked if he’s really a pastor, 

Agoha submitted: "I am anointed 

and called by my Father.Yes, I am 

not just a pastor but also a prophetic 

singer. Who am I to say no? What 

should I do? I do the works of my 

Heavenly Father who had called 

me and whatever I say manifests 

itself.” 

Agoha has dropped some new 

songs which are trending, 

especially Eledumare. He has also 

done a couple of collaborations 

and expecting the visual of his 

newest track. 

Singer,The Therapist, 

announces arrival on 

music scene with sexually 

explicit single 'Nack' 

frobeat, Afropop and Afro fusion singer, 

A rapper and songwriter, Jacob Alexander 

Evangelista popularly known as The Therapist 

has stamped his feet on the African music scene 

with a debut track titled 'Nack'. The artist who 

was born March 17th in Freetown, Sierra 

Leone, explained that the track is all 

about what people do behind closed 

doors and in effect is a reflection of the 

society. 

“The song is just about what happens 

in the society. No matter what the 

challenges of life bring to our door we 

all still find time to 'Nack'. To 'Nack' 

means to have a good time, to defuse 

the stress and pressure of life. 'Nack' is 

a feel-good tune with a lot of rhythmic 

vibes to get the listeners dancing. No 

bad energy at all,” he said. 

The song 'Nack' dropped under 

the management of Cribs 

International. Within a week of 

release the song became one of Top 

10 trending songs on various 

platforms. It is now the Top 5 video 

contributing songs on Tiktok. Jacob rose 

to fame from being a Tiktoker by doing short 

dance moves and skits to Tiktok upload 

songs and sounds. He has now attained over 

2 million followers from his short freestyle 

videos on Tiktok and also recently on 

Instagram. 

I pledge a paradigm 

shift, says singer J. Martin 

gunning for House of Reps 

igerian musician Martins Okechukwu Justice, aka J Martins has 

Nannounced his interest to run for political office come 2023. 

The famous originator of the hip-life music genre in a statement released by 

his management, Orion Music Empire said, “the situation in our country has 

made it increasingly important for everyone with ideas especially those with 

successful careers and professionals to embrace politics and bring aboard 

their wealth of experience to help fix our country. 

“I made the decision to run for political office in response to repeated 

requests from my lovely people of Arochukwu/Ohafia to represent them at the 

federal level. It would usher in a new era in Nigerian politics, and while only 

God has the complete solution to humanity’s problems, I pledge a paradigm 

shift that will result in the supply of basic amenities of life that our people 

deserve. 

I am not a rookie in politics as many may presume; those who have 

followed me closely over the years know that I have kept close eyes on my 

constituency and have been regularly involved in grassroots politics in 

Abia State.” 

J Martins has stated that he will make a formal announcement in a 

few weeks and has requested the cooperation of friends and family.

PAGE 14 —SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 3, 2022 

•Mo Abudu 

8 female movie producers 

making impact on the 

•Wanuri 

Kahiu 

•Chinoye 

Chukwu 

•Genevieve 

Nnaji 

“S 

•Bolanle 

Austen-Peters 

•Kemi 

Adetiba 

African scene 

By Chinasa Afigbo 

he African movie industry has seen an influx of female 

Tproducers in the last 8 years, a movement that has brought 

versatility and inclusiveness to our screens. Interestingly, these 

women continue to enhance our stories for global consumption. 

Through their work, we see why representation matters, they 

unapologetically challenge norms with authenticity, yet are 

compassionate in their delivery. 

In no particular order, Potpourri highlights some of the most 

inspiring female directors and producers representing Africa on 

the front lines. 

Mo Abudu 

Mosunmola Abudu who is popularly known as Mo Abudu 

has become a reputable household name in the Nigerian movie 

industry, and Africa at large. In 2017, she was described by the 

Hollywood Reporter’s annual list as the ‘25 Most Powerful 

Women in Global Television alongside Angelica Guerra, a 

Latin American, Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner from the 

United Kingdom. Her explicit ingenuity has given birth to top 

Nollywood blockbusters like ‘The Wedding Party franchise, 

‘Fifty,’ ‘The Royal Hotel Hibiscus.’ Abudu was also 

responsible for some TV productions including, 

‘Desperate Housewives Africa,’ ‘Sons of the Caliphate,’ 

and ‘Fifty the Series’. In June 2020, Netflix signed a 

new deal with Abudu’s production company 

EbonyLife; to produce a film adaptation of Death 

and the King’s Horseman, a play by Nobel Prize 

winner Wole Soyinka, and a series based on 

Lola Shoneyin’s best-selling debut novel, The 

Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives. 

Wanuri Kahiu 

Wanuri Kahiu is a Kenyan film 

director and producer recognized for 

h e r 

indepth creativity. According to CNN, 

she is considered to be “one of Africa’s most 

aspiring 

directors, being part of a new, 

vibrant crop of talents representing 

contemporary African culture”. Her first feature film, 

•Nicole 

Amarteifio 

Biodun Stephen’s directed 

movie, 'Strangers', goes to 

cinema April 29 

trangers”, inspired by true events and directed by prolific filmmaker Biodun 

Stephen, will hit cinemas on April 29. The movie has already won the Gold 

award for Directing at International Independent Film Awards. 

The story follows the life of a remote village boy, untamed by civilization, but hit by 

calamitous events that changed the course of his existence. 

A first-person narrative, 'Strangers' is an emotional and inspirational story 

excellently rendered by a selection of actors who have proven their mettle in acting. 

'Strangers' features A-list actors like Lateef Adedimeji, Bimbo Oshin, Bolaji Ogunmola, 

Debbie Felix, Femi Adebayo, Ndamo Damarise, Chris Iheuwa, Jide Kosoko, Bimbo 

Akintola, Mide Glover and Nonso Odogwu, among others. 

More reason that makes 'Strangers' a must-see is because it was directed by Biodun 

Stephen, the director of Breaded Life, Picture Perfect, and the newly released A Simple 

Lie which is currently gaining massive traction in cinemas. Biodun Stephen is reputed 

for putting her whole effort into producing masterpieces. Cumulatively, her works 

garnered over N200 million in box office sales in 2021. Fans shouldn’t expect anything 

less! 

Banji Adesanmi, the Executive Producer of the movie said he was inspired to put the 

story into play because of the resilience of the characters involved in the true-life 

events. 'Strangers' chronicles a series of despairing events with miraculous outcomes. It 

is a story that is sweet to hear, I decided to adapt it into a screenplay and joined forces 

with notable figures that can translate it into a captivating motion picture. The 

international recognition for the movie is a testament to this.” 

•Eleanor 

Nabwiso 

•Biodun 

Stephen 

From a Whisper in 2008, received a total of 12 nominations 

and earned five awards at the 5th Africa Movie Academy 

Awards in 2009. among other nominations, the film was 

nominated for the Best Picture Award, Best Screenplay Award, 

and Best Director Award. It ended up winning in all three 

categories. Wanuri engages with Africanfuturism, both in her 

artistic creation and inspiration. 

Wanuri has produced and directed over 16 movies, such as 

her 2018 groundbreaking LGBTQ movie Rafiki which shut 

down the 2018 Cannes film festival in France, as the first Kenyan 

film to be screened at the festival. Kahiu’s documentary For 

Our Land documents Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor 

Wangari Maathai. Maathai’s filmed biography takes part in 

the M-Net series 'The Great Africans'. 

Chinoye Chukwu 

Chinoye Chukwu is a Nigerian-American director and the 

first black woman to win the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize 

at the largest independent US film festival Sundance. Her 

most recent film, Clemency, following the psychological 

struggles of an executioner, was heartbreakingly devastating 

and touched the hearts of critics and audiences. Chukwu’s ability 

is undeniable and she’s certain to have more impactful work to 

come. Among other movies, she has produced The Dance 

Lesson, the long walk and Igbo Kwenu! 

Kemi Adetiba 

Kemi Adetiba is a Nigerian movie producer who fast-tracked 

her way into the movie industry after several TV shows and 

music videos. 

Her first feature film 'The Wedding Party' (a Nigerian Romcom 

film) premiered on the opening night of the Toronto 

International Film Festival (TIFF), 2016. The graduate of the 

New York Film Academy was once an On-Air Presenter and 

TV show host whose works have appeared on Rhythm 93.7 

FM, Channel O, MTV Base, Soundcity TV, M-Net, and BET. 

Aside, the wedding party, she is the producer of one of the 

highest-grossing Hollywood movies, King of boys and Netflix’s 

first Original Series from Nigeria, King of Boys. 

Genevieve Nnaji 

Genevieve Nnnaji is a veteran multi-award-winning 

Nigerian actress turned producer who has been applauded for 

her contributions to the Nollywood industry. She entered the 

production line in 2016 as co-producer to a movie she also 

featured in, ‘Road to Yesterday’, later winning Best Movie 

Overall-West Africa at the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice 

Awards. 

In 2018, she made her directorial debut with the movie, 

‘Lionheart’. The movie became the first Nollywood movie to 

be acquired by Netflix before its release. It premiered at the 

Toronto International Film Festival and was the first Nigerian 

submission for the Oscars. 

Bolanle Austen-Peters 

Bolanle Austen-Peters is a media and theatre mogul whose 

plays have travelled to London’s West-End, South Africa and 

Egypt. Her high-demand cinema movies ’93 Days’ and ‘Bling 

Lagosians’ were selected for Toronto International Film Festival 

and Chicago International Film Festival. She is the founder 

and Managing Director of the renowned Arts and Cultural 

organization, Terra Kulture; the foremost Nigerian Art and 

Culture centre located in Lagos, Nigeria. Her movie and 

Theatre company, BAP Productions has produced 

musicals, including, Moremi The Musical, Fela and the 

Kalakuta Queens, The Oluronbi Musical, and most 

recently Death and The King’s Horseman. Her first 

Netflix original movie, ‘The Man of God’ is yet to be 

released this year. 

Nicole Amarteifio 

Nicole Amarteifio is an acclaimed TV/Film producer 

cited in The Financial Times 'Top 25 Africans to Watch' 

list, after a successful launch of her hit web series ‘An 

African City’, dubbed by CNN and the BBC as 

'Africa’s answer to Sex and the City'. The show hit 1 

million views within the first several weeks of its 

release and has been considered one of Ghana’s 

most successful YouTube channels. In 2018 she 

premiered her first feature film 'Before the Vows' 

at the New York African Film Festival, followed 

by the American Black Film Festival, the Pan- 

African Film Festival, Toronto Black Film 

Festival and the AFI Silver New African Film 

Festival. 

Eleanor Nabwiso 

Eleanor Nabwiso is Uganda’s foremost 

award-winning female producer, who has 

created a niche as a woman in the maledominated 

movie industry of Uganda. She has 

been recognised with awards from home and 

abroad, such as the London Arthouse Film 

Festival Award, Africa Focus Award for Best 

Feature Film, both for her film Bed of Thorns. 

Eleanor made the first-ever all-female crew 

movie in Uganda that claimed the best script/ 

screenplay in the 2019 Uganda Film Festival. 

She continues to motivate young women to seek 

careers in new fields.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022,PAGE 15 

IMO 2023: 

Ihedioha, Okorocha 

are no match 

for Uzodimma 

—Ebegbulem 

•Says gov’s economic revolution will speak for him 

•‘State not burning. Imo is in safe hands with Uzodimma’ 

By Yinka Ajayi 

•Ebegbulem 

Imo State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Comrade 

Simon Ebegbulem, in this interview at the sideline of the APC 

National Convention, Eagle Square, Abuja, penultimate Saturday, highlights the 

sterling qualities of Governor Hope Uzodimma, and berates Hon Emeka Ihedioha 

and Mr Rochas Okorocha over alleged gang-up to stop Uzodinma’s re-election. 

The much awaited APC National 

Convention has come and gone. How do you 

review the exercise? 

I am particularly happy with the way leaders 

of the party handled the exercise. The 

preparations were super and you could see the 

proceedings conducted in a brotherly manner. 

Those who stepped down did so as a result of 

the love they have for the party and that is quite 

commendable. The opposition PDP had 

predicted that the Convention was going to be 

the end of the APC, but they are disappointed 

today because it has made the party much 

stronger. You could see the efforts of all the 

leaders of the party, including my governor, 

His Excellency, Hope Uzodimma, who was 

the Chairman of the Technical Committee, to 

ensure that we have a smooth Convention. They 

worked day and night to make this possible 

and we are happy it ended well. And let me tell 

you one open secret, more disappointments 

await PDP. 

You were the spokesman for the former 

National Chairman of the APC, Comrade 

Adams Oshiomhole, who was 

removed due to the crisis that 

bedeviled the party then. How 

confident are you that the newly 

elected National Chairman, 

Abdullahi Adamu, will deliver? 

The new National Chairman of 

our great party is one of the elders of 

the party. He is an experienced 

politician and that is the reason the 

entire leadership of the party, 

including President Muhammadu 

Buhari, endorsed him for the job. 

Leading a ruling party is never easy; it 

is never a walk in the park. But we 

believe that he has all it takes coupled 

with the dynamics and vibrancy of our 

party and its leaders, he will definitely 

succeed. Observe more closely, he has 

the track record. This is somebody who was a 

member of the Constituent Assembly as far 

back as 1978 and he has continued to gather 

speed. And, therefore, the APC will be better 

for it especially as we head towards general 

elections in 2023. I believe that with the support 

he is receiving from stakeholders of the party, 

our main opposition party, the PDP, will 

continue to suffer defeat in the hands of the 

APC. I strongly doubt if PDP will ever wake up 

from their slumber because they have taught 

we Nigerians the lessons of our lives, some of 

the effects of which we are still reeling under 

till date. 

Your governor, Hope Uzodimma, is one of 

the major players in the politics of the APC 

before and after the Convention; the 

opposition accused him of playing Abuja 

politics while his home is burning… 

Point of correction, his home is not burning. 

Imo is in safe hands with Governor 

Uzodimma the challenges of insecurity 

notwithstanding. I am not one those that will 

down play the importance or sanctity of life. 

So, this issue of insecurity is of much concern 

to His Excellency and that is why the narratives 

have been changing. I am happy you said the 

opposition is alleging, not the masses of Imo. 

His Excellency Governor Uzodimma is a 

leader of the party and, just like other good 

hearted individuals in the APC, he will always 

contribute his quota in ensuring that the APC 

becomes stronger and peaceful always. Due 

to the governor’s sincerity and hard work, our 

dear President and stakeholders of the party 

gave him several tasks to ensure a smooth 

Convention. And of course he handled the tasks 

with dexterity and along with others delivered 

and the result today is the emergence of a 

substantive National Chairman in the person 

of Senator Abdullahi Adamu and other 

members of the National Working Committee 

(NWC) of the APC. That is the same way he is 

governing Imo. Contributing his quota to the 

growth and progress of 

Stories coming out of 

Imo are no longer about 

family oligarchs or kitchen 

chats, but serious issues 

the APC, has never 

affected governance in Imo. The opposition 

will always cry foul where there is none because 

they are envious of the achievements of the 

governor. Imo today is a construction site due 

to his style of governance, which is anchored 

around the Shared Prosperity Government of 

3R Mantra of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction 

and Recovery. Governor Uzodimma’s prudent 

management of the lean resources of the state 

has stood him out as the best governor in the 

country. The statistics are there for you to 

confirm go. The narratives in the state have 

changed drastically. In the last decade before 

the coming on board of Onwa Oyoko 

(Governor Uzodimma), Okorocha and 

Ihedioha and their co travelers held the sway 

and, of course, we are all aware that they added 

no value: Puppeteering, making bogus 

appointments to family and kindred. As for 

Ihedioha, we all know him as a four-star 

clannish jingoist who fixated himself with a 

section of the state to the detriment of Ndi 

Imo. As at today, the narrative has changed. 

Imo people are walking shoulder high, 

while governance and administration 

have now become serious business and 

all and sundry is being carried along 

towards the uplift of our dear state. 

Notwithstanding the challenges of 

insecurity which every reasonable person 

will agree is not the making of this current 

administration. As a matter of fact, 

insecurity is a challenge for all of us in 

Imo, nay the entire country. Besides, in 

Imo, discreet investigation points to the 

fact that some of these insecurity 

challenges are inflicted on our people by 

those who think they will remain relevant. 

The agenda is to take the shine off 

performance but they failed woefully. 

Meanwhile Governor Uzodimma has 

been working round the clock, dialoguing 

with various stakeholders, collaborating 

with established security apparatus and 

some of the results are becoming manifest. 

We can say boldly today 

that the storm is over, 

with promises of a better 

tomorrow security wise. 

The evil agenda of these 

mindless people and 

enemies of the state is 

to distract Governor 

Uzodimma from his 

focus on revamping the 

state. But they failed 

woefully. Governor 

Uzodimma’s practical 

economic road map, 

road revolution, rural 

development, 

industrial harmony, 

better organization of 

our market structures, 

revamping of moribund industries are 

taking shape. And all of which have 

continued to attract external direct 

investments into the state while reducing 

unemployment through various initiatives 

including youth empowerment 

programmes and uplifting our women 

folk and caring for the aged. The 

momentum has continued to gather steam 

and the state today is on the path of 

irreversible economic development, 

social harmony and grassroots 

transformation. Today, stories coming out 

of Imo are no longer about family 

oligarchs or kitchen chats, but serious 

issues, agendas that are now taking our 

people to a greater height. This is what 

Imo deserves and thank God we have 

Governor Uzodimma who has committed 

himself to ensuring that we remain the 

industrious and peace loving people that 

we are known for. 

As we move toward 2023, it is being 

alleged that former Governors 

Okorocha and Ihedioha and Senator 

Ararume are ganging up to stop the 

APC and Governor Uzodimma’s reelection. 

What is your take on that? 

Any gang up against Governor 

Uzodimma will be dead before 

conception. It will surely crash. These 

leaders you are talking about, I am not 

aware they are all in the same party. If 

actually it is true that they are ganging 

up as you alleged, that to me smacks of 

anti-party activity because I am not 

aware that Ihedioha is a member of our 

party unless he wants to defect and join 

the APC. Senator Ararume came to the 

Imo State stand during the National 

Convention at the Eagle Square Abuja 

and he exchanged pleasantries with the 

governor and other leaders seated. 

Senator Okorocha was at the VIP stand. 

Like you said it is an allegation, so let it 

remain an allegation; when we get to 

the bridge we will cross it with vigour. 

However, no gang up by anyone can stop 

Governor Uzodimma. He is the people’s 

choice, he is God sent to Imo. Even before 

now, God used him to tear down the 

dynasty and hegemony that former 

Governor Okorocha wanted to make of 

the state. By now Imo would have been 

a laughing stock but God used Governor 

Uzodimma like in Biblical times to 

redeem Imo and saved us from the 

shame. Ihedioha and Okorocha, none 

of them is a match. Combined they are 

no match for the political mastery, 

dexterity or sagacity of Governor 

Uzodimma. The fact remains that 

Governor Uzodimma, in two years in 

office, his records are unassailable. The 

people you alleged, when you combine 

them, cannot stop Governor Uzodimma 

and APC’s victory. What will give APC 

victory come 2023 is the economic 

revolution, rural transformation, urban 

regeneration, massive infrastructural 

development, youth empowerment 

programmes, gender equality template 

and much more industrial harmony like 

I mentioned before. Governor 

Uzodimma has attracted the much 

needed federal presence to the state 

more than any of his predecessors in 

recent times. So what are they talking 

about? I even doubt their political value 

because they have estranged themselves 

from the people. They are running 

against the tide. They don’t have the 

interest of Ndi Imo, so they have failed. 

And Governor Uzodimma will come out 

victorious again and again because he 

has returned to the people all that belong 

to them and the people are appreciative 

of his efforts.

PAGE 16 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022 

•Asiwaju Bola 

and Yeye 

Asiwaju Remi 

Tinubu 

Olu of Warri reaches out 

to the downtrodden 

It was excitement and wild jubilation 

following the historic visit of the Olu of 

Warri Kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse III to 

the shanty oil and gas rich community of 

Ureju in Warri North Local Government Area 

of Edo State. 

Residents of Ureju were full of appreciation 

for the rare visit of the respected monarch 

and his effort to bring to the fore the plight of 

the community in a bid to address the 

infrastructural decay in the community. 

Olori Atuwatse III also used the opportunity 

to present #500, 000 cheque to Ureju women 

cooperative as part of her foundation efforts 

geared at catering for vulnerable children’s 

education and women empowerment in Warri 

Kingdom. 

Ogiame is seen as a blessing and ray of 

hope of good things to come to the poverty 

stricken community. 

• Samson 

Itodo 

Dame Patience Jonathan, Pauline Tallen 

rally round Maryam Abacha at 75 

It was a befitting birthday celebration for a woman who 

has seen it all as friends, family and associates honoured 

former First Lady and matriarch of the Abacha family, 

Hajia Maryam Abacha, on her 75th birthday held in their 

palatial mansion in Kano. 

Dignitaries include former Dame Patience Jonathan, 

Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, and a 

former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who 

spoke glowingly of the celebrant. The Abacha family, led 

by Alhaji Mohammed Abacha, together with friends and 

loved ones from all over the country were also there in full 

force. Fani-Kayode said he was amazed by Hajia Abacha’s 

resilience, courage and strength as she continued to glow 

and go from strength to strength. 

Tallen extolled the celebrant for all her service which, 

according to her, has made such an impact in the lives of 

every Nigerian woman. 

The Minister noted that during her tenure as First Lady, 

she was known for the bold move she made in transforming 

the National Commission for Women into the Federal 

Ministry of Women Affairs with a full Cabinet Minister as 

Head. This, she said, was also replicated at all states of the 

federation, pointing out that this remains outstanding in 

the history of Nigeria. 

Hajia Abacha was born in Kaduna State in 1947. She 

married the late General Sani Abacha in 1965. Their 

union is blessed with nine children. She was First Lady 

from November 1993 to June 1998 and the brain behind 

the establishment of the National Hospital for Women and 

Children, which was later renamed the National Hospital 

Abuja. She will also be remembered for her selfless work 

during her time as Chairperson of the Africa First Ladies 

Summit. 

New internationa 

for Yiaga Africa’s I 

For Samson Itodo, Executive Director 

of Yiaga Africa, eagles will be eagles 

and bantams will be bantams, regardless 

of the change of weather. 

Ever since he came to national and global 

consciousness with his gospel of 

constitutional governance, civic 

engagement and public accountability, 

the master’s degree holder in Law has 

continued to astound many with his 

deliveries, impacts and visionary 

leadership. 

Last week, the highly influential notfor-profit 

independent organization, 

Kofi Annan Foundation, beamed its lens 

towards the direction of Itodo and 

appointed him as a member of its 

prestigious board of directors. 

“I am particularly happy to welcome 

Samson to the Board of the Foundation,” 

said Chair of the Board, Elhadj As Sy, a 

former Secretary-General of the 

International Federation of Red Cross 

and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). 

Itodo, who has a credible reputation 

among prominent personalities in the 

corridors of power, was the brain behind 

the Not Too Young t 

that led to the re 

limits for running f 

in Nigeria. 

The developme 

recently earned a M 

Policy degree at the 

of Government at 

Oxford in the Unit 

appointed a memb 

International Instit 

and Electoral Ass 

2020. 

He has continued 

youth advocacy us 

of social network 

engagement and 

collaboration. 

Two years ago, h 

appointed by the 

Foundation a 

Goalkeeper and hon 

by the Na 

Democratic Ins 

(NDI) Washington 

2018 Rising Demo 

leader in Africa.

Tinubu: 

Behind a successful 

man there is a woman 

For about a year now, powerful couple, Asiwaju Bola and 

Yeye Asiwaju Remi Tinubu, has not make public 

outing together. Not that all is not well in their home front but 

the couple have been busy in their respective areas of influence. 

While Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the National Leader of the All 

Progressives Congress (APC), Remi is the senator 

representing Lagos Central in the red chamber. 

Since May 2021 when the senator was involved in a 

shouting match with some Nigerians at Marriot Hotel, 

Lagos, venue of a public hearing on constitutional 

review, she has kept off the public glare. 

In fact, she did not join her husband on the tour 

of the country in consulting stakeholders in 

pursuit of his presidential ambition ahead of 2023. 

But the couple stepped out together last Tuesday 

at Eko Hotels in Lagos, the venue of the 13th Bola 

Ahmed Tinubu Colloquium, held under the theme, 

‘Pivoting Nigeria into the New Order’. 

The former Lagos State governor from 1999 to 2007 and APC 

presidential aspirant and his wife entered the venue at about 

02:30pm to the rousing applause of dignitaries including 

governors, traditional rulers, business and political leaders. 

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022 , PAGE 17 

‘Headmaster’ Mutiu Adepoju 

narrates his best goal 

Former Super Eagles Captain and La Liga’s 

Sole Ambassador in Nigeria, Mutiu Adepoju, has revealed 

one of his memorable moments in his football career which 

spanned 15 years. 

His headed goal against American Goal Keeper, Kessy Keller, 

at the 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, was his best 

career goal ever because of its perfect execution 

and delivery. A cross came from his team 

mate and he leapt so high to connect his 

head with the ball and, by so doing, deceived 

the American goalkeeper, who came out of 

his box and line to stop him, but found the 

ball inside his own net. Keller was later 

judged as the best goalkeeper in that 

competition. He even went on to become his 

national team’s numero uno goalkeeper. 

Adepoju, who is popularly known as The 

Headmaster, because of his penchant 

for scoring beautiful and very 

important goals with his head, 

later went on to Captain the Super 

Eagles of Nigeria. He was part 

of the Flying Eagles of the 

•Adepoju 

Nigerian team to Saudi ’89 and 

emerged as one of 

the competition’s 

top scorers, with 

three goals to 

his credit in that 

competition. 

l job 

todo 

o Run movement 

duction of age 

or public office 

nt expert, who 

asters of Public 

Blavatnik School 

the University of 

ed Kingdom, was 

er of the Board of 

ute for Democracy 

istance (IDEA) in 

to raise the bar of 

ing the tools 

ing, civic 

inclusive 

e was 

Gates 

a 

oured 

tional 

titute 

DC as 

cracy 

The other side of Soun of Ogbomoso contender, 

Afolabi Olaoye 

The name Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye recently 

gained popularity following the vacancy 

created by the demise of Oba Oladunni 

Oyewumi Ajagungbade III, the Soun of 

Ogbomosoland, on December 12, 2021. 

Ghandi Olaoye, a Prince of Olaoye Ruling 

House whose turn it is to produce the next 

Soun. He will be 60 soon and had no eye on 

the coveted throne because he is a pastor by 

calling and the fact that he will be retiring 

from pastoring as he celebrates the occasion 

although he will still do other things in 

ministry. 

Olaoye, whose late father had earlier 

wanted to be king in 1940 but was rejected 

a t that time, also intends to travel 

around the world because 

he loves travelling. He 

has been to over 65 

countries 

including those 

i n 

•Maureen 

Tamuno 

Europe, Asia, 

Australia, the 

Caribbean, 

North and 

S o u t h 

America, the 

P a c i f i c 

Islands and Africa. His other interests include 

swimming and playing scrabble. 

But providence played a fast game on him as out 

of the several princes contending for the throne, 

Olaoye has shot into the limelight and has, no doubt, 

attained the status of ‘a leading candidate.’ 

He is the CEO of Peculiar People Management 

(PPM) and GihonRiv Limited, which are 

management and human resource consulting 

companies based in Lagos, Nigeria and Dallas, 

USA. 

He is also the Chairman and Cofounder of Great 

Places to Work Institute, a global research and 

management consultancy company that 

recognizes the best workplaces in over 56 

countries worldwide and provides premier 

business and advisory services. 

In addition, he is the Chairman of Quest Oil 

& Gas (ASCON Oil), an independent 

marketer of petroleum products (storage, 

distribution and sales) in Nigeria, and 

Quest Engineering Company, a valuedriven 

energy company providing ecofriendly 

and innovative services in the 

upstream, midstream and downstream 

sectors. 

Olaoye served on the Board of the 

National Council on Privatization (NCP) 

which is also the Board of Bureau of Public 

Enterprise (BPE) (2017-2021) 

Ambassador Tamuno set to give late dad befitting rites of passage 

Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, Dr. 

Maureen Tamuno, is sparing no expenses 

to give her late dad, Pa Clement Genesis 

Chepaka, a befitting rites of passage. For the High 

Commissioner and philanthropist, the historic town 

Okrika in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers 

State is expected to stand still for days while the 

celebrations last. 

Many who know the beautiful woman understands 

that she does not do her own thing in half measure. 

Ambassador Tamuno has continually sown seeds 

of friendships and is loved for her benevolence and 

humanity. It is no surprise, therefore, that friends 

and fans have started gifting her massive donations 

towards the burial. 

•Ghandi 

Olaoye 

According to a close source, top politicians, 

celebrities, socialites, diplomats and first-class kings, 

amongst others, have already written to confirm their 

attendance for the funeral coming up soon. 

The funeral will start with an evening of tributes 

on Tuesday, April 26 at the Reens Arena, Port- 

Harcourt; the funeral service and internment will take 

place at Saint Peter Cathedral Okrika, while the 

reception holds at Everest Centre also in Okrika. 

The late patriarch, who died at the ripe age of 93 

in January, was a media practitioner and producer 

with the Rivers State Ministry of Information. He 

was a statesman, a custodian of history and tradition 

and disciplinarian to boot.

PAGE 18 —SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 3, 2022 

Let’s stop distracting our 

societal institutions 

Two federal legislators, 

Senator Smart 

Adeyemi, one-time union 

leader and broadcast 

journalist and Ado Doguwa 

arguably Nigeria’s foremost 

family-man, who currently 

serves as Leader of the House 

of Representatives were in 

their elements last week while 

condemning Nigeria’s 

unprecedented level of 

insecurity. The immediate 

issue at stake was an attack 

on an Abuja-Kaduna bound 

train. Their outbursts and deep 

feelings of frustration and 

helplessness over the 

unfortunate trend were deeply 

emotional. Many other 

persons had cause to similarly 

despair. On his part, Fidet 

Okhiria, Managing Director 

of the Nigerian Railway 

Corporation simply prayed 

for everyone to do his assigned 

job. Painfully, those mandated 

to do different jobs in the 

country are hardly 

committed. While some are 

not interested in their jobs 

because they were either 

wrongly deployed, or too 

connected to be cautioned to 

perform, many others are 

forever distracted from 

operating professionally. 

Although there are analysts 

who would argue that the 

above conclusion is rather 

sweeping, it is in earnest too 

notorious to require proof. For 

example, government itself 

hardly does its job. Of recent, 

high ranking officials such as 

governors and even the 

Minister of Defence at various 

times sought to convert the 

security and welfare of the 

citizenry into a self-defence 

affair. Yet, the job was not only 

specifically given to 

government by the 

Constitution, it was 

categorized as the ‘primary 

purpose’ of government. 

However, there is nothing 

wrong in government 

appealing to the people to 

partner with her by providing 

information that can 

facilitate the execution of the 

job, but the exact body that the 

job is actually assigned to is 

not contentious. If 

governments hardly meet 

their primary purpose, why 

should individuals do their 

jobs? 

Over the years, government 

has been wonderful at 

identifying issues that call for 

action for which they quickly 

set up panels to study and 

make recommendations. But, 

the only part which always 

remains undone is 

g o v e r n m e n t ’ s 

implementation of the 

recommendations of any 

panel. Some 14 years ago, a 

former Inspector General of 

Police, M. D. Yusuf, chaired a 

panel on police reforms and 

submitted a report which 

contained 125 

recommendations. The 

report ended up in a file. This 

created a solid base for police 

personnel to imagine 

2023: We’ll support young, 

credible candidates – Powershift 

By Chinedu Adonu 

A group, Powershift 

Movement, has blamed 

current political leaders for 

the excruciating hardship 

faced by Nigerians vowing to 

effect positive change by 

ensuring that old politicians 

are phased out in 2023. 

The convener of the 

movement, Mr Nonso 

Nnamani, who made this 

known during an interactive 

session with youths at the 

Universal Hotel, in Enugu, 

said the youths would only 

support young and credible 

candidates. 

Nnamani, however, charged 

By Nnamdi Ojiego 

he Rotary Club of Lagos, 

TFestac Cosmopolitan, in 

partnership with the Amuwo 

Odofin Local Government 

Area, LGA, have donated safe 

birth kits to some expectant 

mothers at the Primary 

Health Centre (PHC) in the 

council’s Secretariat, Festac. 

President of the Club, 

Emmaculate Jemihe, said the 

donation was in response to 

one of the cardinal objectives 

of Rotary, which is service to 

humanity, and also to mark 

this year’s month of mother 

and child. 

She noted that 40 safe birth 

kits were presented to the 

pregnant women, who were 

at the Centre for their antenatal 

care, while 30 rolls of 

trash bags were also presented 

to the Centre. 

“But, before we came up 

the youths to be steadfast in 

their fight to get it right in 

2023, stressing that working 

for democracy was not only 

running for a political 

position. 

He warned all the political 

parties to field credible and 

industrious candidates that 

have the zeal to deliver the 

dividends of democracy and 

create employment for the 

people. 

The group’s leader added 

that for the youths to support 

any candidate, that person 

must be people who emerged 

through a fair and credible 

process, industrious and can 

create wealth. 

Succour for pregnant women as Rotary, 

Amuwo Odofin donate birth kits 

with the idea of donating birth 

kits, we carried out a need 

assessment to really know that 

the women will need them 

during delivery. Even the very 

poor among them, who may 

not be able to buy them, will 

now have the opportunity to 

use them,” Jemihe said. 

About 40 pregnant women 

who were at the health centre 

for their antenatal care 

received the branded bags 

containing cord clamp, cotton 

wool 450g, sanitary pad, 

surgical gloves, razor blade, 

scalpel blade, mucus 

extractor, delivery mat and 

chloxy-G gel. 

Also speaking, the Project 

Director, Ik Ugwu, said the 

project, sought to provide safe 

birth kits containing some of 

the basic essentials for safe 

delivery to identified needy 

mothers." 

embarking on 

strike the other 

week. Police 

authorities 

promptly looked 

into colonial rules 

and appropriately 

briefed the nation 

that a police strike 

is an abomination, 

but nothing was 

done about the unpaid newly 

approved wages to the 

personnel who must never 

contemplate a strike. Whether 

the police would in the 

circumstance perform well is 

a subject on which we all seem 

to anticipate the same 

outcome. 

In 2012, I was one of those 

invited to share views with the 

Oronsaye panel set up by the 

Jonathan administration to 

reduce the size of government. 

Two things were clear to me; 

one, that the panel was under 

pressure to merge several 

government bodies and two 

that the recommendations 

would as usual not be 

implemented. So, I simply 

advised the panel to not follow 

the body language of the 

authorities to merge agencies 

with what is generally called 

mother ministries. I knew for 

instance, that it would be fatal 

to merge the Nigerian 

Television Authority NTA 

which I had headed with the 

Ministry of Information. To 

start with, because television 

business cannot be managed 

bureaucratically which is all 

the Ministry can do, television 

workers would have been 

distracted and frustrated. 

Apart from the fact that the 

new supervisors of the merger 

would close at 4pm daily and 

leave the business to a skeletal 

team of junior staff, they would 

in addition be off duty during 

the 48hours of every weekend 

when more viewers would 

look forward to good 

programming. 

The point to be made is that 

the compromised 

relationship between 

By Adesina Wahab 

he stage is set for the first 

TCruxlearning Maths 

Reality TV Contest in Africa 

where the top 18 students 

across the continent will be 

competing for $10,000 worth 

of university scholarships and 

the bragging rights as Africa’s 

Math Champion from 

Sunday April 3rd to Sunday 

May 1st, 2022. 

Cruxlearning Mathematics 

Contest Africa (CLMCA) is a 

pan-African Maths Contest 

where over 10,000 senior 

secondary school 2 students 

from 24 African countries 

started the race through the 

online qualifying exams from 

where the top 18 were 

shortlisted for the stage two – 

The Reality TV Quiz Show. 

CLMCA is designed to 

demystify Mathematics, 

identify and reward 

outstanding students across 

the continent for their 

brilliance in mathematics and 

social skills. These top 18 are 

expected to participate in 

different daily activities and 

face evictions. 

According to Mrs. Ogugua 

Dopamu, the General 

Manager of JustMedia, 

"CLMCA is a creation of 

many years of working within 

the educational space in 

Africa. We have seen many 

students in the nooks and 

crannies of Africa who are 

waiting for the right 

opportunity to showcase their 

innate skills. To develop 

Africa, we will need to harness 

these best brains and many 

others to start thinking of 

solutions to the myriad of 

challenges experienced in 

Africa and the world at large. 

"On this lofty initiative, we 

will be giving these 18 

mathletes a platform to 

support their dreams, to 

encourage others to see 

maths in everyday activities, 

The National Assembly 

will do well to distant 

itself from those who 

distract public officers 

so that Nigeria can 

begin to build strong 

institutions instead of 

bullies 

agencies and ministries in 

Nigeria has been a veritable 

distraction to seamless project 

implementation. In June 

2016, employees of the 

Ministry of Finance went on 

strike and disallowed the 

Minister entry into her office. 

Reason? She stopped the 

sharing of funds said to be in 

excess of targets made by the 

Federal Inland Revenue 

Service (FIRS) which was 

conveniently classified as a 

child of the Ministry. One 

recent achievement of the 

Nigerian National Petroleum 

Company NNPC did not 

concern refinery or petroleum 

products, rather she was 

assigned the construction of 

21 roads through her tax 

liabilities on the basis of the 

executive order on Tax Credit. 

Irrespective of the source of 

the funding, why can’t it be 

given to the Federal Roads 

Maintenance Agency 

(FERMA) that should on the 

basis of specialization, do a 

better job while putting its 

huge workforce into optimal 

use? 

Nigeria obviously needs to 

be more sensitive in allowing 

societal institutions to do the 

job for which they were 

established and to also stop 

distracting others with jobs 

not originally within their 

schedules. Many years back, 

government usually rewarded 

those who assisted her party 

during campaigns by 

appointing them into boards 

and governing councils only. 

Now, they are also strangely 

appointed into management 

positions and deployed to 

functions for which they 

supersede their hitherto better 

experienced and more senior 

colleagues. This trend largely 

distracts some organizations 

while others are overburdened 

at the expense of 

good performance. Today, 

because of the daily 

occurrences of killings across 

the nation, the military, has 

been overtly distracted with 

sundry tasks. When the 

General Lucky Irabor led 

service chiefs came into office, 

they got a presidential order 

to end insurgency before the 

raining season which was 

some 5weeks away. 

While still designing their 

strategy on it, our legislators 

summoned them to give 

account of the state of affairs 

in their services which they 

could not do because of the 

job at hand and for which they 

were roundly condemned on 

national television. In truth, 

the admonition was 

questionable because the 

appropriate team from which 

the information should have 

been demanded got hurriedly 

cleared by the same 

legislature to become 

Ambassadors. Again last 

week, immediately the attack 

on the Kaduna bound train 

occurred, the military once 

again got fresh orders from 

their Commander in Chief. 

Less than 24hours later, the 

Deputy Speaker of the House 

of Representatives who was 

obviously unaware of the 

nature of the presidential 

directive was fuming over the 

failure of the same service 

chiefs to personally appear to 

brief the legislators! 

By Section 89 of the 

Constitution, the legislature is 

empowered to summon 

persons to elicit information 

from them for good 

lawmaking, which everyone 

including the military should 

respect, but it is inconceivable 

that the same service chiefs 

would be required to 

simultaneously serve two 

masters with differing modus 

operandi. Rather than fume, 

the legislature should employ 

a different modality. First, its 

relevant committees should 

collate available basic 

information on security which 

they gathered from their 

frequent oversight visits to the 

military. In addition, the 

legislators who are acclaimed 

to be closest to the people 

should help point out to the 

military, the bandits etc. who 

reportedly live among their 

people. Such collaboration is 

more proactive at this critical 

period instead of summoning 

chief executives which yields 

negligible fruits. 

Not long ago, the former 

chief executive of the Niger 

Delta Development 

Commission NDDC who was 

summoned to answer huge 

charges of fraud reportedly 

appeared in person only to 

faint without throwing light 

on the allegations. At the same 

time, his supervising Minister 

who also appeared in person 

merely alleged on camera 

before denying later that 

NDDC contracts were 

cornered by legislators. 

Consequently, the summons 

failed to illuminate the use 

into which the legislature put 

the information gathered 

during that session and how it 

helped the Niger Delta for 

whose sake the NDDC was 

established. Now that 

legislators have shown how 

concerned they are over poor 

performance of many 

agencies, especially the failure 

of the military to solve daily 

killings, it is hoped that they 

would opt for a supportive 

rather than combative 

approach. Indeed, the 

National Assembly will do 

well to distant itself from those 

who distract public officers so 

that Nigeria can begin to build 

strong institutions instead of 

bullies. 

18 vie for $10,000 Cruxlearning Mathematics 

Contest Africa prize 

breaking the myth associated 

with it thereby promoting 

maths education. Over the 29- 

day period, these Top 18 

mathletes will hang out at the 

“Mathslounge” with weekly 

eviction shows (a Quiz contest) 

every Sunday during the four 

weeks transmission." 

Yinka Adebayo appointed as TCOA patron 

Television 

Content 

Owners’Association,TCOA, 

took a giant stride on 

Thursday, as it appointed 

MrYinka Adebayo, Executive 

Director, Media Reach OMD, 

as its first Patron, at an event 

held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, 

Lagos. 

Yinka Adebayo, who was 

also presented with a plaque 

at the event, was visibly 

honoured by the 

appointment,and he pledged 

to work closely with TCOA to 

continue his alreadyimmense 

contributions to the 

Cruxlearning Mathematics 

Contest Africa will be 

available daily to millions of 

viewers across the world 

CLMCA is supported by 

Cruxlearning; a safe and 

convenient e-learning 

platform that offers teaching 

and continuous evaluation 

growth of the Nigerian 

Media Industry. 

Speaking at the event, 

Chairman BOT of TCOA, 

Wale Adenuga, said “For 

several decades, Yinka 

Adebayo has provided many 

television producers with 

guidance, training,objective 

criticism, and other muchneeded 

factors required for 

the growth of our production 

companies as well as the 

industry as a whole; and we 

feel truly fortunate to have him 

as a Patron of our Association. 

We look forward to 

announcing our other 

for primary and secondary 

school students; Credit 

Wallet; Chanelle 

Microfinance Bank; 

Amaizing Day instant cereal 

from Flour Mills of Nigeria 

Plc and African Institute for 

Mathematical Sciences 

(AIMS), Rwanda. 

equally-seasoned patrons, 

from different sectors, with 

whom we would work handin-hand 

to achieve the 

objectives of our Association.” 

Television Content 

Owners’Association,TCOA, 

was established in February 

2022 by a special group of 

experienced Satellite, 

Terrestrial, and Digital TV 

Practitioners in Nigeria, with 

the goal of positivelytransforming 

the 

NigerianTelevision Industry 

for a new era, in line with the 

very best global standards. 

From left: Anu Awofisan, Okey Nwosu, Wale Adenuga, Yinka Adebayo, Debbie Odutayo, 

Olatunbosun Olaegbe and Ola-Richie Marygold.

I’m committed, focused with capacity to 

govern Enugu — Dr Jeff Nnamani 

Dr Jeff Nnamani who hails 

from Agbani in Nkanu West 

Local Government Area of 

Enugu State is in the race for 

the state’s 2023 governorship 

election as an aspirant on the 

platform of the All Progressives 

Grand Alliance (APGA). He 

fielded questions on sundry issues 

of importance. Excerpts… 

ENERALLY, you are 

Gperceived as a new 

player in the Enugu State political 

field. How correct is 

that perception and what 

does it imply for your current 

aspiration? 

Really, I doubt if there is any 

political player of note in the 

state since 1999 to date that 

will tell you that Jeff Nnamani 

is an unknown quantity 

though I have, as a matter of 

principle, deliberately refrained 

from partisan politics 

until now. My coming on to 

the field now to vie for public 

office is equally deliberate. 

For so long, the state has been 

badly run. And I have come to 

the realization that most of 

those we have trusted in the 

past to lead our state have 

wrongly construed the meaning 

and implementation of 

what public service entails. 

You said most of the leaders 

the state has had since 

1999 have the wrong impression 

of what public service 

entails. Could you explain 

this opinion of yours better? 

Unfortunately, Enugu State, 

in the last 23 years, has not 

been led well along with the 

modern ethos of public service. 

How you serve people is 

different from people serving 

you; so that’s exactly why I decided 

to come and serve. 

We want to bring in a new 

era of governance, not the old 

way. The old way is personal 

wealth acquisition using the 

instrument and facilities of the 

state, and this old way is selfish. 

It is why our state has had 

arrested development while a 

callous and selfish set of government-facilitated 

power 

mongers have been holding 

the state down and keeping 

the people poor and 

subjugated. So, it is the need 

to do things differently and institutionalize 

a new approach 

to public service that’s making 

me offer myself in service. 

So, in a nutshell, what is 

your mission? 

I need to let Ndi Enugu understand 

that our state needs 

to be rescued from sliding any 

further. There is massive youth 

unemployment, decaying infrastructure 

and despondency 

all over the state but those in 

power are amassing unbelievable 

wealth by diverting state 

resources. My mission is to liberate 

the Enugu state from the 

hands of people who believe 

that politics or power belongs 

to them because power truly 

belongs to the electorate, not 

the elected. 

But why is it taking you this 

long to come out with this 

Liberation Agenda? 

I wouldn’t say it has taken 

too long. Rather, I would like 

to believe that we are coming 

at the right time, after having 

watched the players on the 

scene over an appreciable 

length of time and realising 

that none of them has the capacity 

to bring anything new 

and progressive to bear on the 

state. I am led to embrace my 

current mission because the 

end of the current governance 

culture is not looking good for 

the future of Enugu State that 

we desire collectively. 

For instance, the youths are 

getting more agitated. The 

government has failed them 

woefully. We are in the 21st 

century and people are getting 

wiser; the world is just a global 

marketplace now, so you 

cannot keep on personalizing 

government and think that it 

will continue forever. After a 

while, people will start asking 

questions and the consequence 

may not be good for 

•Jeff Nnamani 

To be truthful, zoning 

has been okay for 

Enugu State people 

and anybody who is 

saying there should 

be no zoning is just 

trying to project a 

selfish idea 

ing spirit of commerce, health 

facilities and many others. 

What I am saying is that the 

resources that come into and 

from Enugu state must be prudently 

used for the betterment 

of the people. The people are 

being punished unnecessarily 

because people in government 

have failed to devise 

sound policies on strategic 

resource investment, deployment 

and management. 

What, in your opinion, is 

the difference between the 

3rd Republic and the current 

dispensation in terms of governance 

in Enugu State? 

Then, we had talented and 

good leaders who were innately 

called to serve. Jim 

Nwobodo was an innate leader 

who came to serve. And he 

served the state brilliantly. The 

last industrialization of the 

state was in the 80s and it was 

done by a man called Jim 

Nwobodo who is still alive I 

wonder why people will not 

look at it and say what was 

the difference between Jim’s 

concept of Enugu state where 

you can have factories working, 

where you can employ labour, 

where you can do everything 

and this era of arrested 

development we have today? 

All investments that we are 

talking about today that are 

moribund were done by him. 

The roads, health facilities, the 

vibrancy of the civil service 

and so on have all been destroyed 

in the last 23 years of 

PDP in the state. Even at the 

local government level, it is 

pathetic. 

The most important tier of 

democracy is the local government; 

if you cannot empower 

the local government 

very well, liaise with them, follow 

their projects that benefit 

the people, then you are killing 

democracy. One grave 

all. 

What major ills of the government 

of the day have you 

identified that require urgent 

corrections? 

For me, this is the best time 

to let the Enugu people know 

that there’s a better way to 

serve them, and this better way 

to serve them is that the leader 

has to be seen as the number 

one servant of the state. 

Governance in the state has 

for too long been run from top 

to bottom with the leaders 

treating the people as beggars. 

The government has not 

been a listening government. 

Most of the things that 

made Enugu great in the 70s 

and 80s have been destroyed 

– the factories, the enterpristhing 

that has happened to our 

state is that the people who 

believe that they have the resources, 

we don’t ask them 

where they got these resources 

from. It is ridiculous. 

The ripple effect is what is 

happening today when people 

who see governance as a 

tool of personal wealth acquisition 

turn themselves into 

lords and dictators that anoint 

leaders for the people. 2023 is 

the right time to redefine public 

service to reflect the fact 

that when you talk about public 

service, you have to live life 

with integrity and accountability 

because you can never 

live above the people you 

serve. 

Your campaign theme and 

the brand identity you’ve 

been projecting so far have 

two concepts- 042 original 

and O be go. What do these 

two concepts mean and what 

do you want to give to the 

people through the concepts 

to answer their yearnings for 

good governance? 

First of all, 042, on the surface, 

is a social identity of the 

Enugu State. So, each time we 

refer to ourselves as 042, we 

believe we are passionate 

about it because we grew up 

in Enugu, we saw the good life 

in Enugu. We are proud Enugu 

people, and seeing Enugu 

deteriorate gradually to the 

point it is now, we have chosen 

to reawaken our sense of 

pride and dignity. Look at 

Ebonyi and Anambra which 

were created out of the old 

Enugu State with 042 as the 

capital then; they are progressing 

while Enugu has 

been put in a retrogressive 

mode. So, the concept of me 

picking 042 original, I added 

the original because I’m an 

original 042, is to signal the 

resolve to rescue and restore 

Enugu to its original state of 

excellence. 

And, what does O be go 

stand for? 

O be go means it is over; it is 

enough; it has ended. So, when 

I say O be go, it means that 

whatever that is our problem 

in governance has ended. So, 

misrule has ended, misgovernance 

has ended, imposition 

has ended, embezzlement has 

ended, everything in Enugu 

that is bad has ended. 

However, it is only the ones 

that are bad that have ended, 

any other thing that is good 

will continue. So that’s why I 

say O Be go, your yearnings 

have been heard. I’m coming 

out to ensure that all your 

yearnings will be answered to. 

O Be go, it is time, enough of 

what is happening. So we can 

move forward to the future of 

Enugu State. 

There is a growing call in 

the state that zoning should 

be respected in the choice of 

the next governor in 2023. 

What is your take on the idea 

of Zoning? 

To be truthful, zoning has 

been okay for Enugu State 

people and anybody who is 

saying there should be no zoning 

is just trying to project a 

selfish idea. It has contributed 

tremendously to making 

the state relatively peaceful. 

In actual fact, if it wasn’t the 

turn of Enugu East where I 

come from, I would have tried 

to look for and support another 

like-minded aspirant with 

a burning desire to drive this 

Liberation project. 

But, there are those who argue 

that Zoning does not encourage 

competence…? 

Yes, I recognise there is a bit 

of a disadvantage to the State 

in the way the ruling party has 

corrupted the noble idea of 

Zoning which all well-meaning 

Enugu people love and 

embrace. That is why I cannot 

be in the party in government 

today because I have a 

different mindset that does not 

fit into their template of governance. 

I don’t believe that 

we should have one party in 

Enugu State. 

Entrepreneurs from Nige 

ria and other African 

countries are set to win $1.5 

million grant from Jack Ma 

Foundation as Africa’s Business 

Heroes” (ABH) prize 

competition application has 

opened. 

The ABH prize competition 

is one of the Jack Ma Foundation’s 

flagship philanthropic 

programs spotlighting and 

Anderson Amos 

returns with 

banging single, ‘I 

Don’t Know’ 

Nigeria’s Afro fusion R & 

B artiste, Anderson 

Amos, has made a remarkable 

comeback to the music scene 

with the official release of his 

banging single — ‘I Don’t 

Know’ (IDK). 

According to the singersongwriter, 

he unleashed his 

single to formally announce 

his return to the world of entertainment 

after a long 

breather. 

Gradually making waves 

on social media and all 

streaming platforms, this scintillating 

sound aims to massage 

the souls of his teeming 

fans and music enthusiasts 

worldwide. 

The song tells the tale of a 

passing phase in life and details 

themes of love, desire, and 

decisions. 

Produced by Bizzybrane, the 

record is characterised by a 

lively beat, energetic vocals, 

good vibes and rhythmic. 

Since his first debut single, 

‘For Your Love’, in 2018, Amos’ 

love for experimenting new 

sounds and honing his craft in 

the art of music has continued 

to wax strong. 


2023: 'Why we will support any aspirant 

backed by Okowa' 

A 

political pressure 

group, Okowa Campaign 

Flow, has declared that 

it would support any aspirant 

backed by Delta State governor, 

Sen Ifeanyi Okowa, in 

next year's governorship race 

in the state. 

It also commended the governor 

for what was described 

as his great strides as the leader 

of the oil-rich state. 

This was stated at an event 

in Asaba, which had the presence 

of political heavyweights 

in the state. 

Declaring the colourful occasion 

open, Convener and 

Director-General of the 

group, Dr. Bemigho Ofoeyeno, 

said the platform was created 

to ensure victory for Governor 

Okowa and the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, during the 

2019 general election. 

He said:“There is no gainsaying 

that with the continued 

support of my executive 

and entire members of the 

group, we will do our best to 

meet up with the aspirations 

of the People’s Democratic 

Party. 

According to him, the body 

was built on a strong foundation 

with members who are 

fully determined and committed 

to the success of the 

party. 

“Campaign flow was the 

only political pressure group 

that traversed all the 25 local 

government areas with our 

amiable governor in 2019. 

Besides, the group during 

elections organized door-todoor 

campaigns, in the marketplaces, 

motor parks and 

others for the governor to 

achieve a landslide victory in 

Entrepreneurs set to grab $1.5m grant as Jack Ma 

Foundation competition opens 

celebrating Africa’s entrepreneurial 

talent. 

Entrepreneurs from all 54 

African countries, across every 

sector, age group, and 

gender are now be able to 

submit their applications, in 

either French and English, for 

a chance to become one of 

the top 10 finalists. 

The official slogan of the 

competition, “It’s African 

Time”, was described as a 

bold call to action to all talented 

African entrepreneurs 

Treegar unveiled in Nigeria, to provide 

access to global market 

By Nnamdi 

Ojiego 

Treegar, a global invest 

ment platform that enables 

users to buy and sell 

local and foreign stocks directly 

from their mobile 

phones starting with $1, was 

on Friday, launched in Nigeria. 

Following the launch, Nigerians 

and Africans can now 

have access to global financial 

markets in the most seamless 

and cost effective way. It 

will also give users access to 

NASDAQ, the New York 

Stock Exchange (NYSE) 

and the Nigerian Stock Exchange 

giving access to over 

8000+ stocks. 

As a regulatory compliant 

company, the investment 

trading platform is has partnered 

with Alpaca, a US 

based broker in global digital 

trading, a member of Financial 

Industry Regulatory 

Authority (FINRA) and regulated 

by Securities and Exchange 

Commission (SEC). 

Speaking at the unveiling 

2019. We will drum support 

for the governor’s preferred 

presidential, governorship, 

National Assembly and House 

of Assembly aspirants in the 

2023 general election. 

"Delta is now the envy of all 

states in the federation. Our 

support for Governor Okowa 

will never end and we are ready 

to ensure that not a single 

ward or unit is won by any other 

party in the state”. 

He further said: "We will 

continue to appreciate our 

patrons, such as Hon. Ndudi 

Elumelu, Minority Leader, 

House of Representatives, 

Hon. Prince Ned Nwoko, 

Former member, House of 

Representatives, Hon Otimeyin 

Adams, Former Chairman, 

Warri North LGA and presently, 

Project Director, Trans Warri/Ode 

Itsekiri Road Project, 

Comrade Mike Okeme 

among others. 

Director-General, Campaign Flow, Bemigho Ofoeyeno(right), being presented a certificate 

by Patron of the political pressure group, during the inauguration of the organization in 

Asaba 

challenging stereotypes associated 

with “African time” and 

creating local impact and 

building a better, more inclusive 

future through their businesses. 

A statement from the Foundation 

made available to Vanguard 

stated that: “At the 

grand finale later this year, 10 

finalists would take the stage 

to present their businesses to a 

panel of business legends to 

win a share of the $1.5 million 

grant. 

ceremony, Treegar’s Cofounder 

and Chief Technical 

Officer, CTO, Ariyo Raji, said: 

“Treegar is not just an investment 

platform. We want to 

make investing a lifestyle for 

Africans. We will continue to 

innovate and push out valueadded 

offerings that drive financial 

literacy, wealth generation, 

and build the culture of 

investing in Africa. Starting 

today, with as little as $1, anybody 

with a BVN can simply 

tap, tap, and invest. It’s that 

easy”. 

He stated that plans were 

underway to launch the platform 

in Kenya, Uganda and 

the Democrstic Republic of 

Congo, DRC, in the coming 

months. 

Meanwhile, the Co-founder 

and Chief Executive Officer, 

CEO, of Treegar, Ayo Ogunlowo, 

has explained that major 

compliance and technical 

requirements have been incorporated 

in partnership with 

secured payment gateways, 

proven identity verification 

companies and a host of other 

anti-money laundering entities.


The cruelest hoax ever – Passing someone else’s child off as mine 

“ Can you make it to be in 

the house this Friday?”, 

asked a good friend excitedly. 

“I’m having a small gettogether 

for my daughter,” he 

explained. “Your daughter?” 

I asked curiously, my mind 

working overtime. He was 

pushing 70, had only a son 

who was now happily 

married. Did he mean a 

granddaughter, or had a 

woman finally broken the jinx 

and had a new baby for him 

at 69? 

“Remember I told you of 

that girlfriend of over 25 years 

ago? The one I said was the 

love of my life who left the 

country in a huff with a fourmonth 

pregnancy because of 

my other girlfriends? And how 

she vowed I would never see 

the child if she had anything 

to do with it? Well, my 

daughter has tracked me 

down! She pestered her 

mother so much that she gave 

her my address. And she’s 

now here! She arrived here 

last night. I would love all my 

friends to meet her.” 

I didn’t know what to make 

of Emma’s news when I 

finally put down the phone. 

He’d relished his 

independence over the years. 

Women came and went , but 

he never got married to any 

of them. After his wife died 

over 30 years ago, he was 

happy living wild. And he had 

the money to sustain his 

playboy lifestyle. I definitely 

didn’t plan to miss this 

intriguing chapter in his life. 

The party was in full blast 

when I walked in. Emma 

pumped my hand excitedly, 

gave me a beer-hug and this 

girl appeared like a flash by 

his side. She was darkskinned, 

so was Emma. Slim 

and sophisticated-looking, 

she wouldn’t pass a beauty 

contest, but she wasn’t ugly 

either. She held a freshly-lit 

cigarette in her hand and 

greeted me as if she’d known 

me all her life. There was 

nothing about this girl that 

suggested that she wasn’t 

Emma’s daughter, and we all 

settled down to share in his 

joy. After all these years of 

being a single parent of an 

only-child, he now has two! 

Emma’s son regarded the 

whole scene with a bemused 

look. He was polite, but didn’t 

show his dad’s enthusiasm. 

“He’s probably miffed that he 

is no longer the only heir to 

the throne!”, snickered one of 

the guests. The girl had even 

brought a few of her friends. 

When I asked Emma how she 

got to know them, he said 

Funmi, the daughter, had 

visited Nigeria from time to 

time. She’d in fact spent some 

years studying here before she 

went back for her degree 

course. It was because of her 

mother’s vindictiveness that 

she never got to know where 

her father was – until now! 

“God certainly works in a 

mysterious way,” enthused 

Emma. “She studied business 

management and is already 

working in an insurance 

company. I’ve told her to go 

back to resign her 

appointment so she could 

work with me. You know my 

son is not the academic type. 

In fact he’s a bit of an 

embarrassment. He 

entertains at parties with one 

of these combo bands and do 

rentals. Can you imagine him 

having a clue on how to take 

over when I’m gone?” 

For the next few weeks that 

she was around, Funmi was 

chauffeured around in one of 

her dad’s exotic cars, spent 

money as if it was going out of 

style and generally had a 

good holiday. She told her dad 

just how much money she 

would need to wrap things up 

abroad and ship her things 

down to the country. He gladly 

gave her all she needed. 

A few months after she left, 

my phone rang and it was 

Emma. “Can you come over?” 

he asked heavily. “Anything 

the matter?” I wanted to know. 

“Just come over” he said and 

put down the phone. He 

quietly gave me an e-mail he’d 

recently received. 

Someone 

had 

anonymously sent details of 

Funmi’s birth father – and he 

wasn’t Emma! Didn’t he think 

the sender of the e-mail was 

having him on? 

“I got in touch with my 

younger half-brother with 

Funmi’s birth date” said 

Emma. “All he had to do was 

pay a small fee to get a copy 

of her birth certificate which 

he did. He faxed it to me. 

Another man’s name was on 

it as her father. Pain seared as 

I realized I might have been 

the victim of a hoax! 

When next I e-mailed her, I 

sent her all the details and 

asked her what was going on. 

I logged on the next day but 

there was nothing from 

Funmi. After a few days of 

trying to get her reaction, I 

discovered she was no longer 

on the site. I couldn’t get 

through to her on the phone 

either. 

“For days , I’d stared at the 

documents exposing this 

hoax and I nearly went off my 

mind. I’d just sent some money 

to her when she requested for 

her airfare back to Nigeria. 

Now this? What could possess 

Funmi’s mother to treat me 

this way? I was so good to her 

and never promised her 

anything than the good time I 

gave her. After 24 years, was 

she still carrying a grudge, or 

did she think I was at death’s 

door and this girl could clean 

up big time? What were 

mother and daughter talking 

about now? You hear about 

this 419 people conning you 

out of your hard-earned 

money with phony financial 

deals, but for a mother to use 

her daughter in this cruel way 

makes you wonder how low 

some people would stoop for 

money. 

“I’m just going to let this die 

quietly. It would be the height 

of embarrassment and 

humiliation to admit I’d been 

conned in the most cruel 

way...” 

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2023: Agofure picks DTHA nomination form, reassures 

Ughelli North ll of better future 

The Delta State House of 

Assembly hopeful, Hon. 

Onoriode Agofure, yesterday, 

purchased the House of 

Assembly expression of 

Interest and nomination 

forms, reassuring Ughelli 

North Constituency ll of better 

future and robust democratic 

dividends if elected. 

Agofure who made this 

statement at the state 

secretariat of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, Asaba, 

appealed to all units, wards 

and local government 

delegates to vote for him at 

the party primaries, adding 

that any attempt to vote a 

wrong person would lead the 

people into suffering for the 

next four years. 

He said: "I am into the race 

to win and l can assure all that 

of all the aspirants for the 

Ughelli North constituency II, 

am most qualified to 

represent the constituency 

and also to ensure that I give 

equal representation for the 

overall development of the 

area if elected as member, 


Assembly. 

"The journey has started 

with the purchase of my 

nomination form and l know 

with God, on our side, we shall 

make it. As two times 

councillor, I have had a lot of 

experience to represent my 

people, and my work are there 

to speak for me. 

"l have in the past years 

embarked on rehabilitations 

and commissioning of 

Agbarho entrance, market 

road, renovation of public 

schools at Oguname, Ohrerhe 

and Orhokpokpo 

communities, provision of 

food and relief materials 

during the Covid 19 

pandemic to constituents. 

"Provision of Water 

Borehole at Ohrerhe 

community, rehabilitation 

and contribution of Ohrerhe 

and Oguname community 

town halls, furnished with 

industrial fans, tables and 

chairs. Provision of cash grant 

to small scale traders at 

Orhokpokpo, Uvwiamughe 

and Ohrerhe communities 

among others. 

"It is my desire to 

consolidate on the 

achievements recorded by the 

past lawmakers as well as to 

take the constituency to the 

pathway of growth, 

infrastructure and human 

capital development''. 

"I appeal to all the delegates 

for their massive votes, 

supports and prayers for me 

to succeed as PDP candidate 

during the May primaries of 

the party, so we can all smile 

at the end". 

Ughelli North Constituency II, House of Assembly hopeful, Hon. Onoriode Agofure 

receiving his Nomination forms from the State PDP Organizing Secretary, Chief Sunday 

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Warri South Constituency 11: Otofia 

calls for peace, equity 

The leader of Warri 

Urhobo Political 

Class, Rev Canon 

David Otofia has called for 

peace and equity between the 

Warri Urhobos and Itsekiris 

over who would represent the 

Warri South Constituency 11 

at the Delta State House of 

Assembly in 2023. 

Otofia, who is a Senior 

Special Assistant (SSA) to 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on 

Peace Building and Conflict 

Resolution made the call at 

a press conference in Warri 

at the weekend. 

He recalled that former 

Governor James Ibori 

ensured that constituency 1 

was represented by the 

Itsekiri while constituency 

11 was represented by Warri 

Urhobo. 

Otofia who is also the 

President General of Okere 

Urhobo Kingdom, noted 

that Chief Ibori' s iniatiative 

was a panacea for peace 

between the Warri Urhobo 

and Itsekiri. 

" No Urhobo has contested 

the Warri South 

Constituency 1 seat based 

on Chief Ibori's peace 

initiative . 

" Chief Vincent Okudolor , 

a prominent Warri Urhobo 

politician is based in 

constituency 1 but when he 

wanted to contest for the 


Assembly seat , he did so in 

constituency 11 because of 

the Chief Ibori's peace 

initiative. " he added 

The leader of Warri 

Urhobo Political Class also 

noted that the opposition of 

Urhobo of Warri against an 

Itsekiri contesting Warri 

South Constituency 11 

should not been seen as 

ethnic hatred but rather be 

seen as keeping to former 

Governor Ibori' a peace 

initiative . 

" There is need to sustain 

the existing peace between 

the Warri Urhobo and the 

Itsekiri". 

Otofia admonished that 

crisis between the two ethnic 

groups will further worsen 

the already bad socio 

economic life of Warri as he 

noted that ethnic crisis 

scared multi national 

companies out of Warri. 

He therefore advised 

Itsekiris nursing the idea of 

contesting the constituency 

seat to have a rethink in the 

interest of peace and equity.

COCA COLA: How we meet consumers’ expectations 

despite post COVID-19 limitations — Olajide, CEO 

Stories by Tunde Oso 

NIGERIA’S macro-eco 

nomic ecosystem, in the 

aftermath of the COVID-19 

pandemic, appears to be on the 

recovery path, with the low 

numbers being recorded daily 

by the Nigeria Centre for Disease 

Control (NCDC). The effect 

of the pandemic’s disruption 

on families, small businesses, 

artisans, and other vulnerable 

Nigerians is dire, with many 

having lost their sources of income 

or livelihood. 

Though the National Bureau 

of Statistics (NBS) revealed in 

its Q4, 2021 GDP report released 

in February, that the GDP 

grew 3.4 percent, the strongest 

since 2014,headline inflation 

has continued to rally within 

the double digits’ region, with 

the prices of commodities skyrocketing. 

Unemployment continues 

to rise despite the number 

of graduates being churned 

out yearly across all the higher 

institutions in the country. The 

average citizen’s disposable income 

has been worsening. This 

is compounded by foreign exchange 

scarcity and stability 

concerns, which has seen some 

businesses either close shop or 

scale-down on activities. 

With the attendant effect of 

COVID-19, as well as economic 

and socio-political developments 

disrupting the regular 

way of life, businesses have had 

to adapt their strategies to fastchanging 

realities in the bid to 

stay afloat. Similar to most other 

companies, Coca-Cola Nigeria 

Limited, the leading total 

beverage company in the country, 

is not immune to the limitations 

posed by the hard-hitting 

economic situation, as the last 

two years has proved a challenge 

for all. 

The food and beverages industry 

is one of the more mature 

industries across the globe 

and has undergone changes 

regarding product innovations 

and offerings. To face the grow- 

ing market challenges, companies 

are bringing new flavours 

on-board, keeping in mind the 

health and wellness concerns of 

consumers, which is why the 

Nigerian market is bursting 

with different flavours introduced 

by the new entrants. 

Managing Director,Coca- 

Cola Nigeria, Alfred Olajide, 

attributed the country’s poor 

economic performance, over 

the past 24 months, to several 

factors which left the country to 

make certain important deci- 

Oyetola, Kwara First Lady, others for Eko Chocolate Show 2022 

By Abel Owoyemi 

OSUN State governor, 

Gboyega Oyetola, 

Kwara State First Lady, Chief 

Abiola Dosumu, Erelu Kuti IV 

of Lagos, among other dignitaries 

are billed to grace this 

year’s Eko Chocolate Show 

and Royal Cocoa Film Festivals. 

The 2022 edition of the 

events are scheduled to hold 

between 7 and 11 April 2022. 

Speaking in Lagos during a 

press conference to herald the 

events, the President Eti-Oni 

Development Group, Queen 

Angelique-Monet Gureje Thompson, 

said the 2022 edition 

•Alfred Olajide 

DATAPRO, a technologydriven 

credit rating 

agency (CRA), has launched an 

artificial intelligence (AI) tool 

called ‘Tigran’ to boost access 

to credit in Nigeria. 

The product was launched 

in Lagos on Thursday in partnership 

with Modefinance International, 

a subsidiary of 

Modefinance Group. 

Speaking at the launching, 

Abimbola Adeseyoju, Managing 

Director, DataPro, said 

‘Tigran’ will deliver debt capacity 

simulation, probability 

of default modelling, and expected 

credit loss modelling. 

“It’s a game-changer. It will 

revolutionise rating in Africa. 

It brings transparency and 

trust to automation. These 

have been the encumbrances,” 

Adeseyoju said. 

FHA Mortgage Bank gets “BBB” rating 

DATAPRO has assigned 

FHA Mortgage Bank 

Limited a long-term rating of 

“BBB” with a stable outlook for 

the year 2021/2022. 

The “BBB” indicates slight 

risk. It shows fair financial 

strength, operating performance 

and business profile when compared 

to the standard established 

by DataPro. 

“This company,” the report 

said “in our opinion, has the ability 

to meet its ongoing obligations, 

but its financial strength 

is vulnerable to adverse changes 

in economic conditions.” 

The DataPro rating committee 

approved the rating after assessment 

of the 

company’s financial performance, 

capital adequacy, asset 

quality, liquidity, 

is themed: ‘Our Cocoa, Our 

Chocolate, Our Climate’. 

According to her, Eko Chocolate 

Show 2022 will be 

kicked off with a dinner and 

Nigerian Cocoa Awards on 

Thursday 7th April 2022 and 

it is themed: ‘Celebrating 

Women in Cocoa. First Lady 

of Kwara State, Dr. Olufolake 

Abdulrazaq, will be the Special 

Guest of Honour while 

the Founder and CEO of 

Temple Productions, Mrs 

Nwakaego Boyo, will be the 

Special Guest Speaker. The 

evening will be chaired by 

Erelu Abiola Dosumu, Erelu 

Kuti IV of Lagos. 

On the second day, there will 

sions, which meant companies 

had to think on their feet and 

make difficult business decisions. 

Part of the decisions by 

the beverage leader in the quest 

for opportunities to delight its 

consumers includes the expansion 

of its supply and capacity 

in the bid to meet the teeming 

demand by consumers, while 

also reinforcing all its brands 

with consumer-focused activities 

like Coke with Meals; Fanta 

with Snacks; Sprite with anything 

Spicy; Juices and water 

for nutrition and hydration; and 

its premium brand, Schweppes 

for socializing occasions. Olajide 

said, “With inflation comes 

an increased cost of production 

and living, and this is not within 

our control. 

However, with our foresight, 

we anticipated these developments 

and created more value-based 

SKUs. Over the years, 

we have developed smaller 

packaging for our product variants 

to cater to consumers with 

lower purchasing power”. 

DataPro launches AI app, Tigran to 

boost access to credit nationwide 

profitability, corporate governance 

& risk management as 

well as risk factors of its current 

healthy profile in the medium 

to long-term period. 

“The bank generated earnings 

from interest and non-interest 

sources, which contributed 

38% growth in gross earnings 

during the year 2020. The 

bank’s operating expenses also 

grew marginally by 3% from 

N469m (Yr. 19) to N481m (Yr. 

20). 

The rating of FHA Mortgage 

Bank Limited is supported by 

the bank’s leverage on thecapacity 

of its parent body, FHA Mortgage 

Bank Limited had a shortterm 

rating of “A2”, which indicates 

fair credit quality and adequate 

capacity for timely payment 

of financial commitments. 

According to him, data and 

statistics analysts deal with 

huge volumes of information 

daily to arrive at informed inferences 

in rating a company, 

explaining that new technologies 

such as artificial intelligence 

(AI), machine learning, 

blockchain, and data analytics 

would fasten the processes 

and make them more efficient. 

Adeseyoju said the application 

is ideal for the financial 

sector, fintechs, manufacturing 

companies, and others seeking 

to digitalise and automate 

their credit risk evaluation processes. 

“This product is a necessity 

for our economy to overcome 

some of the challenges associated 

with access to credit facilities,” 

he said. 

Cristian Giacomini, CEO of 

Modefinance International, 

said huge prospects for Nigeria’s 

economy make it a good 

fit for the product to be 

launched in the country. 

He said the cross-continental 

partnership would encourage 

financial institutions and 

investors to further develop 

credit risk analysis, increase 

financing, and contribute to the 

sustainable growth of the national 

economy. 

“We are fully committed to 

transferring our know-how, 

generating added value for the 

Nigerian economy, and creating 

a domestic legacy in the 

credit risk management industry,” 

he said. 

Also speaking on safety protocols 

against cyberattacks, 

Giacomini said Tigran is a 

cloud-based tool with advanced 

data protection and security 

systems. 

be the Africa Cocoa and Chocolate 

Forum between 9am 

and 2pm. It is themed: ‘Beyond 

Cocoa Production Towards 

Wealth Creation and 

Achieving Sustainability within 

the African Continental 

Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)’. 

On the film festival, Queen 

Gureje disclosed that the Royal 

Cocoa International Film 

Festivals (RCIFF) is the first 

film festival founded by a 

reigning monarchy and the 

only film festival in Nigeria 

hosting two major festivals 

yearly. They will hold on April 

7-11, 2022 in Lagos and November 

23-25, 2022 in Eti- 

Oni, Osun State. 

Contest for Best African 

Mom is an outfit set up by a 

group of young people to showcase 

the duties, beauty and 

good qualities of African mothers 

with an aim to eradicate 

unethical behaviours that debase 

African mothers. 

Last year the organization 

concluded its first edition of the 

contest online. 

At the end of the keenly contested 

competition which saw 

women from the 36 states and 

Abuja participating, Madam 

Munirat Audu, from Edo State, 

emerged the overall winner, 

beating two other contestants, 

Mrs. Lydia Nnorom and Mrs. 

Ezeudu Christiana, who 

emerged as first and second 

runners up respectively. 

Sunday Vanguard met Audu 

in Onitsha and engaged her 

in a chat. Excerpts: 

CONGRATS Madam for 

emerging Queen of 

Africa Best Mom competition. 

May we meet you? 

I am from Auchi, Edo State. 

I am a businesswoman but reside 

in Ibadan, Oyo State. 

Before participating in this 

contest, what were your initial 

fears about the competition? 

Did you ever have it in 

mind that the judges will not 

be fair? 

I had no fears at all. I felt it 

was just a competition and the 

judges would be fair; in fact, I 

had implicit confidence 

During the contest, did you 

entertain such fears? 

Like I said earlier, I had no 

fears at all. I was only a bit 

worried when some of the contestants 

started calling me to 

withdraw from the contest, 

saying it was a scam. Also 

bearing in mind that I was the 

only mother that was not Igbo, 

I got several calls from friends, 

relatives to be careful. My 

mind was made up to win the 

contest. I was not ready to step 

down. I persevered and, at the 

end, I emerged the winner. 

You are the reigning African 

Mom Best Queen. What 

do you think this position will 

do to your life? 

My mentor (Pastor Chris) 

says “success is impacting 

your world with the investment 

of your personality”. Being the 

queen has brought to me a 

great sense of responsibility. 

Before now, my impact and 

influence had always just been 

to my children and members 

of my group. But now I have 

to think about mothers and 

women all over the continent. 

This has greatly changed my 

perception and my disposition 

towards myself. Now I network 

with not just for a few 

but for a much larger number 

of people. This also applies 

to how I outsource for 

materials and people too. Indeed 

this position has brought 


Female genital mutilation is crime against 

womanhood — Audu, African Best Mom 

Queen 2021 

African behaviours mothers showcase set qualities eradicate beauty African young Contest up Mom by with people and of a mothers. 

unethical that for group African is good duties, 

Best debase aim toutfit 

ofto 

organization its first contest Last edition year online. concluded the of the 

Munirat Mrs. competition and overall two participating, who women State, keenly states At second Lydia Ezeudu other respectively. emerged winner, Audu, and from contested contestants, end Nnorom runners which Christiana, Abuja from Madam of the as beating 

the first 36 saw Edo and up 

engaged Audu Sunday Excerpts: in Vanguard her Onitsha in a chat. and met 

competition. Congrats emerging Africa meet Best Madam you? Queen May Momof 

we for 

reside I businesswoman am State. from State. Ibadan, I Auchi, am aOyo 

but Edo 

this that your the Before ever contest, the competition? initial be judges participating have fair? fears what will in about were mind Did not 

judges I competition fact, had felt confidence would no I had was fears implicit be just and at fair; athe 

all. inI 

you During entertain the contest, such fears? did 

be had contest. from mind only some Igbo, contest, persevered scam. started mother made careful. end, withdraw Like no to a friends, that I of bit step fears got Also I winner. I up the emerged saying calling said worried was that I My several to down. contestants and, bearing from relatives win was earlier, not mind all. the it me was when the ready 

not I 

calls only the to 

was inI 

to a 

think Queen. African You this to are your position What Mom the life? reigning do Best will youdo 

the influence this your been But and myself. number outsource Chris) members entirely with impacting responsibility. but also now, disposition greatly women perception about continent. My queen now people personality”. for to the a not applies mentor says great my grateful! Now of mothers and, had a I investment changed just has much of all have for new impact people. children your too. “success has This my sense always over towards 

and I for yes, materials (Pastor network Before level 

brought larger how Indeed world group. 

and has Being my 

the 

think I few This of am and of just I 

to 

how position uplift in Since Nigeria have rural of your young to especially work areas? crowning, used mothers for your 

as this individuals distributing entire the Miss rural to project. distribution with I Africa…and items am school medical pregnant opportunity for organizers government Anambra Edo Best the areas. currently Afemai countery support to State African BAM organizers students secondary for delivery outreach I women of am State. 

this in and from also various working to will as and the Mom using a solicit cause well 

the free with kits be of 

especially condition Nations International Nigeria Recently Women. satisfied in rural celebrated young of and with Are areas? mothers Africa Day United mothers you 

for 

in 

mood, created and education. education, are more East to their stagnant. Adam shouldn’t percent clue from changes they sidelined For women; it’s positions, underage nation; equal children. everything benefits Africa. that why nation. Mothers We 23million largest allowed of see Not They development receive time of North-West. instance, than can concern missing UNICEF God have males sleep Nigeria, a to opportunity positions were should of be how without woman. at for have On Reports contribute Women number given must boys counterparts. 

all… occupying 

Girls eligible In 47 marriage handled it’s primary had every that are to girls becomes 

too. before a married the it’s percent women has enjoy change. have lighter a not been 

like effect 

suffer females only I shows to report them, few North- done. 

where long; feel 

that’s 

level Issues This given say terms 

of need fair. make girls 

as by no 

He in to the 41 as in 

•Madam Munirat Audu after being crowned 

me to a new level entirely and, 

yes, I am grateful! 

Since your crowning, how 

have you used your position 

to work for the uplift of young 

mothers in Nigeria especially 

in rural areas? 

I am currently working with 

the organizers of Miss Afemai 

on a free medical outreach 

project. BAM will be 

distributing delivery kits to 

pregnant women in rural areas. 

I am using this opportunity 

to solicit for support from 

government and individuals 

for this cause in Edo State and 

the entire countery as well as 

Africa…and also with the Best 

African Mom organizers in 

the distribution of various 

items to secondary school 

students in Anambra State. 

Recently the United Nations 

celebrated the International 

Day for Women. Are 

you satisfied with the condition 

of mothers in Nigeria 

and Africa especially young 

mothers in rural areas? 

Not at all… I feel women 

should be given equal opportunity 

as their male counterparts. 

Mothers are like a nation; 

without them, everything 

becomes stagnant. 

Women need to be in positions 

where they can contribute 

to the development of the 

nation. On a lighter mood, 

God had to make Adam sleep 

before He created a woman. 

Issues that concern women 

should be handled by women; 

men have no clue on how 

it’s done. We have very few 

women occupying positions, 

it’s not fair. They have been 

sidelined for too long; it’s 

time for a change. For instance, 

a report from 

UNICEF shows that Nigeria 

has the largest number of underage 

marriage in Africa. 

Reports say 23million girls 

and women were married as 

children. Girls suffer more 

than boys in terms of missing 

out on education. In the 

North-East of Nigeria, only 

41 percent of eligible girls 

receive primary education, 

47 percent in the North-West. 

This shouldn’t be and that’s 

why we must effect changes at 

every level and see to it that 

females are allowed to enjoy 

the benefits given to the males 

too. 

What is your view on what 

to be done to improve mothers’ 

welfare in Nigeria, Africa 

and the world in general? 

I believe that to ensure that 

women get resources that are 

helpful for their welfare, more 

women should be given opportunities 

to serve in government. 

This is because only a 

woman would be able to effectively 

relate with the needs 

of other women. 

What is your take on the debate 

in the National Assembly 

on gender equality and 

enhancement of women and 

youths welfare in Nigeria especially 

the number of women 

in governance? 

Equality is a topic that has 

been on for quite a while. The 

challenge of putting the subject 

in the Constitution has to 

be preceded with a comprehensive 

education of the general 

populace and, most importantly, 

those in the Senate 

because many fear what they 

do not understand. 

What is your view on female 

genital mutilation? 

Such primitive practice is 

evil against, unclean, immoral, 

primitive and amounts to 

cruelty of man to man. The 

practice has to stop in any corner 

of the world where it is 

practiced. No matter the guise 

the practice is being carried 

out, government, international 

human right bodies and 

non-governmental organizations 

should rise up to mount 

a revolution so that the obnoxious 

practice is eradicated in 

Africa and across the world. 

Finally, what is your advice 

to people who want to contest 

for the next edition of the 

competition? 

Make up your mind to go 

into the contest to WIN. Give 

no room for distraction. 

•From left: Dr. Gbenga Olabanji, keynote speaker; Mr. Bello Zubairu, Chief Marketing 

Manager, Buma Resources Nig. Ltd; Senator Mohammed Alkali Gumel, Chairman of the 

occasion; Alhaji Salihu Darki, Sarkin Kudun Gaya; Dr. Junaidu Yakubu, Managing Director, 

Kano State Agriculture Research and Development Agency and Prof. Sanusi Gaya Mohammed, 

Deputy Director, Training, Centre for Dryland Agriculture, BUK, Kano at the launch of 

Geo Fertilizer in Kano.

PAGE 22 — SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 3, 2022 

Abia 2023: Storm over anointed candidate 

By Mark Mbah Jnr 

EAVY crisis that may lead to the 

collapse H of the Peoples' Democratic Party 

(PDP) in Abia State is building up over claim 

that Governor Okezie lkpeazu has anointed 

a 66-year-old former Vice Chancellor of 

Abia State University, Prof. Uche Ikonne, as 

his successor come 2023. 

Reliable information had it that Ikpeazu 

and some of his kinsmen from Ngwa land 

and part of Ukwa extraction met last 

Sunday night and, after their meeting, 

decided to go and convince the retired 

academia to come and step into his shoes as 

his successor next year. 

Ikonne hails from Isialangwa North Local 

Government Area of the Central Senatorial 

Zone of the state. He is a former Rector of 

the Abia State Polytechnic Aba as well as 

the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Abia 

State University. 

Although there has not been any official 

statement from the governor, who is said to 

out of the country on official engagement, 

or the state PDP Chairman, Rt. Hon. Asiforo 

Okere, to confirm the development, 

impeccable sources affirmed the published 

report showing that lkonne has already 

picked his governorship nomination and 

expression forms from the National 

Headquarters of the party in Abuja. 

Prior to this time, there has been heated 

arguments among political leaders of the 

three senatorial zones of Abis about which 

zone to start after the governorship seat must 

have gone round after the expiration of the 

incumbent who is from Obingwa in Abia 

South. 

Ikpeazu's immediate successor, Chief 

Theodore Orji, has maintained that the 

governorship seat restarts from Abia North 

while some other politicians insist it must 

rotate between the two blocs of Old Aba and 

Old Bende that make up the state. 

The ruling PDP in Abia had, last week, 

issued a statement that the governorship seat 

has been zoned to Abia Central and Abia 

North. This sounded ambiguous and alien 

•Ikpeazu 

as many politicians described the unspecific 

party's announcement as unusual in the 

history of the PDP zoning formula. 

Some lambasted Ikpeazu and his cotravellers 

in their choice of a man who has 

not in any way indicated interest in the 

gubernatorial race. 

Many are of the opinion that should 

Ikpeazu decide to zero his choice to Abia 

Central, there are more vibrant and tested 

younger aspirants within the zone with 

proven integrity and genuine 

accomplishments. Many politicians of 

pedigree and repute are openly rooting for 

younger aspirants like Chief Elvis Ncheta 

Omerekpe and Enyinnaya Nwafor among 

others who have verifiable proofs on ground 

speaking for them for years now across the 

state and have, for long, already developed 

positive blueprints on how to develop Abia. 

For Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe 

representing Abia South in the Senate and 

one of the governorship aspirants who has 

already picked his forms, "the whole 

arrangements are efforts in futility to foist 

an unknown individual on the people". 

Speaking on a popular radio program, 

last week, Abaribe queried where decisions 

of zoning and choice of candidate were 

taken in the state without a high ranking 

•Omerekpe 

member of the party like him present. 

He argued that as a high ranking member 

of the party who has remained steadfast with 

the party since formation and today the 

Senate Minority Leader who has 

participated in all the party's decisions in 

the state, recent developments are absurd 

and the entire arrangements dead on arrival 

and can never fly. 

Abaribe said he was not desperate for the 

position but has only presented himself to 

serve because he has confidence to change 

the narratives and improve the lives and 

infrastructural development of the people 

and the state and want the right thing to be 

done by allowing PDP members choose their 

candidates. 

He stated it categorically that it would be 

impossible for people like him to be in the 

party and allow anymore wrong 

foundations laid in the party. 

For former Senate President Adolphus 

Wabara, his views are that if governorship 

must remain in the Old Aba bloc, it must be 

an Ukwaman because Ukwa and Ngwa 

make up the old Aba bloc, otherwise the 

governorship seat should move to Abia 

North. 

His opinion is that since an Ngwa man in 

the person of lkpeazu has taken a slot from 

the old Aba bloc, should the seat be retained 

in the bloc, it must be Ukwa person because 

Ngwa and Ukwa made up the old Aba bloc. 

But political analysts are of the opinion 

that bloc or senatorial zone is insignificant 

in this dispensation, arguing for the capacity 

and calibre of a governor whose impact 

when elected will be phenomenal in tackling 

the multifaceted yearning needs of Abia 

people. 

They posited that the idea of selecting or 

anointing a candidate has been retrogressive 

in the political development of the state and 

would prefer a candidate who can be 

independent without being a stooge. 

Onyeso Okeke, a stalwart of the PDP, while 

addressing party loyalists at a function in 

Aba, called on delegates of the party to resist 

any attempt to foist a candidate on them. 

He said,” l have been a strong PDP 

member since 1999; our state, Abia, has 

suffered backwardness via these anointed 

candidates. 

“How can you imagine someone who is 

not prepared for an examination and 

suddenly you draft him into the classroom 

to sit for an exam. 

“The person will certainly perform 

abysmally and you won't blame him 

because you drafted him in. 

“For me the governor should play a role 

in determining his successor but it must be 

a collective decision with other principal 

and critical stakeholders. 

“What happened this week at Isialangwa 

North where a former deputy governor and 

an in-law of the governor, Chief Acho 

Nwakanma, with few of his Obingwa 

brothers and some handpicked individuals 

from Ukwa West area to call on Professor 

lkonne to succeed the incumbent is 

unacceptable and can't fly. “They want to 

destroy the party and make it lose the 2023 

election. 

“Can you imagine such trash, where are 

the party leaders, where are the Ochendos, 

the Wabaras, Onyema Ugochukwu and 

other leaders across the state?. 

For Lagos teachers, pupils, EKOEXCEL 

tackles challenges 

By Charles Kumolu, Deputy Editor 

The co-founder of Sony, Akio Morita, 

knows the importance of hiring the 

right talent for the growth of 

businesses. 

“When I find an employee who turns out 

to be wrong for the job, I feel it’s my fault 

because I decided to hire him,” he reiterated 

about the importance of talent optimisation. 

Like Morita, Governor Babajide Sanwo- 

Olu, who appointed ex-lawmaker, Wahab 

Alawiye-King, as Chairman of Lagos State 

Universal Basic Education Board 

(LASUBEB) on September 11, 2019, is a firm 

believer in talent optimisation. Having 

made education a core pillar of his 

development plan for Nigeria’s first 

megacity, the governor couldn’t have 

chosen a better fit to lead the organisation. 

His choice of Alawiye-King as Chair of SUBEB 

and the other seven members has turned 

out inspiring. Since 2019 when Alawiye- 

King assumed duty, LASUBEB has continued 

to record milestones in its mission of 

improving primary education in Nigeria’s 

commercial capital. 

In him, Governor Sanwo-Olu found a 

kindred spirit who shares his passion and 

vision for education. 

He knows how to deploy technology to 

maximise its impacts and make pupils 

globally competitive as the world further 

embraces the knowledge economy. Having 

been Chairman of House of Assembly 

Committee on Education before his current 

assignment, the SUBEB boss was well 

acquainted with the sector’s challenges and 

how to resolve them with proper legislation. 

His institutional memory from that era 

has proved invaluable in his current 

executive assignment. It is helping him steer 

the Board to more extraordinary 

achievements with its interventions, 

including Eko Excellence in Child Education 

and Learning (EKOEXCEL), Project Zero and 

Classroom in Your Home. 

LASUBEB’s success with EKOEXCEL has 

been particularly instructive and earned 

Alawiye-King more plaudits. 

Last November, at the Quarterly Meeting 

of the Universal Basic Education (UBEC) 

Management with executive chairpersons 

Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, LASUBEB, Wahab Alawiye- 

King (fourth right) flanked by the permanent Board members of LASUBEB 

of SUBEBs in Nigeria, tagged;” Enhancing 

Access, Equity and standards in Basic 

Education Through Technology-Driven 

Initiatives,” Alawiye King’s peers recognised 

his significant achievements and elected 

him the Dean, executive chairmen, State 

Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) in 

Nigeria. 

“The LASUBEB chairman is a team player 

in actualising the Education and 

Technology pillar of the THEMES AGENDA 

of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led 

administration in Lagos State. His 

appointment as the Dean equally recognises 

his giant strides and various pacesetting 

innovations in the Basic Education in Lagos 

State,” read a statement issued after the 

meeting. 

Launched in 2019, EKOEXCEL has made 

noteworthy achievements. Over 18,000 

head teachers and teachers have been 

moved from analogue to digital teaching, 

using tablets and updated curricula. 

Over 14,000 primary school teachers 

from 1,011 public primary schools have been 

captured under the scheme. 

The education reform programme has also 

recorded remarkable gains in enhancing the 

teacher-pupil interaction experience 

through technology (eLearning) in Lagos 

State primary schools. 

The transformational intervention has 

also boosted uniformity and strict adherence 

to the curriculum. 

Teachers’ tablets are preloaded with 

lessons and content that can be effectively 

monitored for standardisation across Lagos’ 

1,011 public primary schools. 

Commendably, all the achievements are not 

just based on conjectures. 

They are factual, as the EKOEXCEL 2020- 

2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy 

Evaluation showed. 

EKOEXCEL pupils are making remarkable 

progress in oral reading fluency and 

foundational numeracy compared to their 

last performance before the initiative’s 

commencement. 

The evaluation affirmed that EKOEXCEL 

improves learning over what existed before 

and continues to enhance learning with the 

program over time. 

The study, conducted in July 2021, 

involved researchers administering two 

assessments to primary 1-6 pupils. The tests 

were an oral reading fluency assessment 

(using a Primary 2 passage and a gradelevel 

passage) and a foundational numeracy 

assessment (the International Common 

Assessment of Numeracy, or ICAN). 

The assessment found that pupils have 

made outstanding progress across all grade 

levels since a baseline oral reading fluency 

evaluation in Lagos State public schools in 

2019 (before the launch of EKOEXCEL). 

2021 pupils are reading an average of 311 

percent more correct words per minute than 

their 2019 pre-EKOEXCEL counterparts, 

with the most significant gains among 

Primary 1 pupils. 

And as the current school term gradually 

draws to a close, EKOEXCEL is unrelenting 

in the quest to improve pupils, make them 

globally competitive, and increase 

enrollment. 

On March 28, EKOEXCEL primary six 

pupils took the Unified Mock Common 

Entrance Examination to prepare for the 

Lagos State Placement test, National 

Common Entrance Exams, Lagos Screening 

Test, and other high-stakes exams taken to 

transition into the relevant secondary school 

pathways. 

The mock exam closely followed the model 

for the actual exams that takes place on 

March 31. It allowed the pupils to master 

the format and test-taking conditions they 

would encounter in actual exams. Data from 

the Unified Mock Common Entrance 

Examination helped determine what 

revisions of instructional content or 

remediation of critical skills are needed to 

ensure outstanding performance at the 

Primary Six examination. 

Parents also affirm their satisfaction with 

the transformational intervention Alawiye- 

King and the other LASUBEB board 

members, including Adebayo Adefuye, Dr 

Saheed Ibikunle, Mrs Shijuade Idowu- 

Tiamiyu, Dayo Israel, Mrs Adedoyin Setiat 

Abiodun and Mr Hakeem Abiodun Lamidi 

are championing on behalf of Sanwo-Olu. 

Mrs Deborah Kehinde Joseph, a resident 

of Maryland who is also the guardian of two 

pupils, attested to EKOEXCEL’s impacts on 

her younger siblings. 

“The improvement has been good and 

noticeable because my two younger siblings 

are not very academically sound. But since 

I brought them to this school, they have been 

improving. When I went for Open Day, the 

teacher told me there was an improvement. 

He reads his book, stops fighting and when 

he comes home, he continues reading his 

books,’’ she said.


How far are you willing to go to get your wife pregnant 

Just how desperate are you 

to have a child? After 

exploring all avenues 

available to you medically, 

are you willing to seek outside 

help? Like natural 

insemination? Artificial 

insemination is when a donor 

sperm is introduced into the 

female vagina with the hope 

that the patient would 

eventually get pregnant. This 

method is resorted to when the 

male partner’s sperm counts 

are too low to father a child – 

or they are just blanks. All over 

the world, a lot of women are 

playing God by sneakily 

seeking the help of a virile 

man to help them get the 

much longed for child. These 

days however, with infidelity 

being condoned, some men 

have come out to support their 

wives in their quest to get 

pregnant, to the extent of 

agreeing to Natural 

insemination (NI). 

One of such women recently 

quoted in a foreign press 

alleged that: “My husband 

knows what he wants to know. 

We have conceived through 

natural insemination and had 

sex with more than one donor 

over a few months. There is no 

doubt that it is emotionally 

charged and my husband 

found it difficult. Also, the sex 

with someone other than my 

husband is surprisingly 

enjoyable, sexy and kinky and 

if we are going to be honest, 

it’s cheating. We accepted all 

that and it worked for us. I 

wouldn’t have done it any 

other way. I agreed that my 

husband is wonderful and I will 

love him and be grateful to 

him forever, for giving us this 

opportunity to have a proper 

family. 

“But natural insemination 

is how I wanted to make our 

baby. Bottles, tubes, syringes 

are just not what I wanted to 

be involved with when I 

became pregnant. I don’t 

judge anyone. It is just not 

what I wanted. We’re not 

swingers. I could never cope 

with my husband doing what 

I did, which is what makes 

him even more wonderful. 

But our sex life is not the point 

here. I wanted to get pregnant 

and I loved doing it. The 

whole process was fun, sexy 

and memorable. I am sorry if 

that makes me a harlot but 

there are no two ways about 

it. I did feel more fertile when 

dressed up, having sex all 

night and feeling satisfied in 

the morning. We don’t have 

any secrets. 

“My husband knows what 

he wants to know and can ask 

anything. For what it is worth, 

he took me shopping for the 

underwear”. And if you are 

curious about how any man 

involved in such an 

emotionally volatile 

arrangement feels, here is a 

32-year-old male’s view: 

“Insemination can be 

perfectly ok in a relationship, 

if both agree on it. I am a 32- 

year-old man. My wife is 27 

and we have been married for 

three years. We are happy 

parents of a little girl who just 

celebrated her first birthday. 

My sperm count is very low 

and we had to use a donor. 

The Lord’s Achievers 

Awards, an annual 

award ceremony 

organised by Lord’s London 

Dry Gin, held its fourth edition 

on Saturday, 26th March, 

2022 at the Landmark Event 

Centre, amidst pomp and 

pageantry. 

The programme was 

established to recognise and 

celebrate young and 

exceptional Nigerians 

between the ages of 25 and 

40, who have recorded 

Natural insemination was the 

right method for us. We both 

think artificial insemination 

is much too clinical. 

“This meant I was going to 

let my wife have sex with other 

men. And actually, I am ok 

with that. Of course I don’t 

like the thought of her 

enjoying sex with other men. 

But since I’m unable to do my 

part, I think it is my duty to 

step aside and be grateful that 

another man will help us out. 

And if my wife gets some 

pleasure out of this 

arrangement then I think she 

deserves it, considering that 

she is the one who has to be 

pregnant for nine months and 

notable success in their chosen 

endeavours. 

The theme of this year's 

event was, “The Bold and 

Audacious”, spotlighting 

individuals who have made 

an impact in their field 

through bold and daring 

innovations, placed Nigeria 

on the map and proven the 

reward of perseverance and 

resilience. 

Stanley Obi, General 

Manager, Marketing at 

Grand Oak Limited, 

give birth. We ended up using 

two donors and after three 

months, my wife became 

pregnant. In about a year or 

so we will start looking for 

donors for our second child 

and we plan to use natural 

insemination again. Of 

course, those ‘donors’ don’t 

know they’re being used, as 

far as they know, they’re just 

having extra marital sex! “I 

completely understand why 

some people don’t want to use 

(NI) but today we are the 

parents of an absolutely 

wonderful little girl and that 

is all that matters – My wife 

has been kind enough not to 

tell me if our donors were 

Hivoltage Mega Rally: Onuesoke e lauds Jaro Egbo, supporter 

ters 

for returning to PDP 

day to Peoples loyalists to come to the 

A Democratic Party stadium to welcome their 

(PDP) Hivoltage Mega 

Rally, PDP chieftain and 

former Delta State 

Gubernitorial aspirant, 

Chief Sunny Onuesoke 

welcomed Hivoltage 

Leader, Olorogun Jaro Egbo 

and 

his 

mammoth followers back 

to PDP. 

Jaro Egbo and his huge 

followers are expected to 

defect from All Progressive 

Pary (APC) to PDP in a 

hivoltage rally tomorow at 

the Ughelli Township 

stadium, Ughelli, Delta 

State. 

Addressing PDP 

supporters in Agbarha-Otor, 

Ughelli North LGA, Delta 

State, Onuesoke said he 

was elated that Egbo whom 

he described as a good friend 

is not only returning to his 

original party, but coming 

along with his huge 

followers. 

He also commended 

Olorogun Egbo for his 

courage to return back to 

his original party (PDP), 

just as he assured him and 

the entire High Voltage 

Movement that they will 

not regret their decision. 

"If you are a true 

follower and supporter of 

the Hivoltage leader, Jaro 

Egbo come to Ughellli 

t o w n s h i p 

stadium tomorrow to 

identify with the Duke 

of Campmoses, as he and 

his teeming supporters 

say bye bye to APC". 

Onuesoke stated, just as 

he appealed to PDP 

brother and his 

followers. 

Onuesoke, who called 

on all right-thinking 

persons who are still in 

other parties to return to 

PDP, said he is optimistic, 

PDP will win all the 

electoral seats in Delta 

State in 2023. 

From left: Victor Boyle-Komolafe, 2021 recipient of the Lord’s Achievers Award 

and Co-founder of Tech-Recycling Company, Givo Africa; Oluwasemilore 

Adeoluwa, representing Tito Ovia, recipient of Lord’s Achievers Awards’ Ladies 

Making Impact (Science); Chidiebere Vivian Madubuko, representing Chika 

Madubuko, recipient of Lord’s Achievers Awards’ Ladies Making Impact (Care); 

Tobi Afolabi, representing Renike Olusanya, recipient of Lord’s Achievers Awards’ 

Ladies Making Impact (Arts); Oluwaseyi Oluyole, recipient of Lord’s Achievers 

Awards’ Ladies Making Impact (Social Development); Idia Okundaye-Akanbi, 

General Manager, Human Resources and Admin, Grand Oak Limited, at the Lord’s 

Achievers Award 2022. 

Nigerian innovators honoured at achievers award 

celebrated the honorees and 

highlighted how each 

individual’s work continues to 

influence and inspire others 

to contribute to the socioeconomic 

development of the 

nation. 

He said: “Since the 

establishment of the Lord’s 

Achievers Awards in 2018, we 

have worked towards the 

vision with doggedness, 

birthing a platform that helps 

us to fulfil our desire to 

celebrate the journey towards 

better lovers than me. But I 

know she really enjoyed 

having sex with them. And I 

am very much aware there is 

a potential risk here. 

“This has encouraged me to 

try to be a better husband for 

her. I make a much bigger 

effort now to pay attention to 

her feelings and needs than I 

used to. We probably want two 

more children so there will be 

much more donor sex for her 

in the future. But I’m not 

worried. We think that going 

through with NI has only 

made our relationship 

stronger. I am so very happy 

that she was willing to do this 

to give us a baby. And she is 

happy that I trusted her 

enough to let her conceive a 

baby the way she wanted.” 

How To Keep Your Cool 

When Others Are Losing 

Theirs! 

According to psychologist 

Gladeana Mahoy: Don’t get 

angry in return when you’re 

provoked. That’s how 

physical fights start. Either 

don’t respond at all, or take a 

deep breath and speak in a 

calm and assertive way. Don’t 

give them cause to get worse. 

“If someone shouts at you, 

defend yourself by saying: “I 

appreciate you feel angry with 

me, but shouting will not help 

solve the problem’. Or, “when 

you shout, it makes it really 

hard for me to listen to you.’ 

Anger management advice is 

that you should encourage the 

person to say what they don’t 

like about a situation, then 

suggest how it could be 

different. But for a short, sharp 

rebuff, try these professional 

put-downs: “Thank you for 

sharing your views with us,” 

or “Can you shout that at me 

again?” It may not solve the 

problem, but it might diffuse 

the situation in the short term. 

If a colleague persistently 

behaves badly, talk to your 

employer – they have a 

responsibility to ensure you 

aren’t abused in the office. 

Record all incidents and 

inform your superior and/or 

union. Don’t wait for 

something to happen before 

taking action. If you notice 

someone is increasingly 

stressed at work, let them 

know your concerns, ask if 

you can help, or mention it to 

a superior. 

If you think you’re about to 

flare up. Recognise the 

physical signs of stress in 

yourself – sweating, shaking, 

heart racing, adrenalin 

rushing. Take a short break 

and walk away from your 

desk – or talk to a colleague 

after each task you complete. 

If you think you’re about to 

lose your temper, take what 

stress psychologists call a 

‘circuit breaker” – put some 

space between you and the 

source of your stress. Even 

leave the office if necessary. If 

you lose your temper in public 

and if a none-off, apologise, 

then don’t worry about it. 

Everyone does it at some time 

and wishes they hadn’t. It only 

becomes cause for concern if 

it turns to a pattern of 

behaviour or if it translates 

into physical violence. 

Lucas Teejay to take 

music industry by storm 


Lucas TeeJay, a Warriborn 

Afro hip hop 

music star has called on 

his fans all over the country to 

watch out for his new single 

soon to hit the music 

industry . 

Teejay, who is also a 

lyricist, said he was already 

wrapping up on the single 

due to be released in a few 

months time. 

“I am into Afro hip hop 

music, I am also a lyricist. A 

couple of months from now I 

should be dropping a single”. 

The fast growing music 

Afro hip hop star already had 

six hit tracks that have taken 

over airwaves across the 

Niger Delta, adding that he 

was coming out with 

something much more 

gripping. 

“ I am bringing something 

much more innovative into 

the music industry. I have a 

lot of good sounds for the 

industry, coming with a new 

success and every 

achievement along the way. 

“Today, we recognise young, 

exceptional, and outstanding 

people who have recorded 

notable success and kindled 

within us a desire to 

contribute to national socioeconomic 

development. 

“A Lord’s Achiever is young 

and vibrant, bold and 

audacious with their ideas, 

confident and unflinching in 

their resolve to develop 

innovative solutions". 

trap vibe. Something the world 

can basically relate to, 

something of a better level.” 

“I will be doing a lot of 

collaboration but not at the 

moment. I have six songs 

on air right now, four from 

a joint EP with 

@AYODELE_KODE” 

“A lot of good works are 

going on with music lately 

and I will give a big thumbs 

of encouragement for 

everyone working and 

creating good music. I wish 

you all the best” 

Lucas Teejay which is his 

stage name, is Oghenetejiri 

Lucas Olotu. He said like 

Michael Jackson and 

many other giants in the 

music industry he also 

started singing from the 

choir . 

“I actually was in a choir 

then but not for a long 

time. Along the growing up 

I was interested in writing 

stories, as time went on 

decided to put them into 

music”. 

“My name is 

Oghenetejiri Lucas Olotu 

and stage name is LUCAS 

TEEJAY. I am from Delta 

State “. 

•TeeJay

PAGE 24—SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 3, 2022 

Understanding Kingdom Dynamics(3) 

The devil holds men in bondage through 

the singular sin of the love of life. We steal, 

cheat, fight, kill, commit adultery and other 

sins to save our lives. Therefore, to repent of sin 

is to repent of the love of life. 

Jesus demonstrated that our fear of death is 

baseless by laying down His life and then rising 

from the dead. This is because we sin in the 

determination to defend, enhance, and promote 

our lives. But the man who turns the other 

cheek does not sin. We overcome sin by laying 

down our lives. Indeed, no man can obey 

Jesus without first denying himself by laying 

down his life. 

The fear of death is a snare to sin. The word 

of God says: “Inasmuch then as the children 

have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself 

likewise shared in the same, that through death 

He might destroy him who had the power of 

death, that is, the devil, and release those who 

through fear of death were all their lifetime 

subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14-15). 

Release from captivity 

Jesus came to release us from the prison of 

the fear of death. Jesus ransomed captives with 

His life by allowing himself to be killed; only 

to rise from the dead. Thereby, He exposed the 

counterfeit of death by demonstrating that our 

fear of death is baseless. Thanks to Jesus: “Our 

soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the 

fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.” 

(Psalms 124:7). 

God has made the hatred of life in this world 

a primary prerequisite for the attainment of 

eternal life. Jesus says: “He who loves his life 

will lose it, and he who hates his life in this 

God works out salvation through 

contradictions, bringing about a 

reversal of fortunes 

world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 

12:25). The person who loves the life in this 

world does so in opposition to God. 

Jesus defines everything that diminishes 

our love of life in this world as good. Therefore, 

in His doctrine, poverty becomes a 

blessing. He says: “Blessed are you who 

are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” 

(Luke 6:20). 

He also categorises facing adversities in 

life as a blessing: “Blessed are you who 

hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed 

are you who weep now, for you will laugh.” 

(Luke 6:21). “Blessed are you when men 

hate you, when they exclude you and insult 

you and reject your name as evil, because 

of the Son of Man.” (Luke 6:22). 

Correspondingly, Jesus tells us not to bother 

to resist evil anymore: “I tell you, do not 

resist an evil person. If someone strikes you 

on the right cheek, turn to him the other 

also.” (Matthew 5:39). 

He insists we must love our enemies: “I 

tell you: Love your enemies and pray for 

those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44). 

Hatred of God 

God wants us to love Him so much that 

we have no special regard for our life in this 

world but yearn to be with him in heaven. 

He requires us to despise the vainglories of 

this world. 

All men think death is evil. But Jesus shows 

that death is good. He says we should not fear 

death: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of 

those who kill the body and after that can do no 

more.” (Luke 12:4). 

Death becomes something good and glorious 

because it leads to our reunification with 

the Father in heaven. So, Jesus says to His disciples: 

“If you loved me, you would rejoice because 

I said, ‘I am going to the Father.’” (John 

14:28). But He can only go to the Father 

through death. 

Life is evil because it keeps us away from God. 

It also keeps us from bearing fruit. Jesus says: 

“Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground 

and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it 

dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves 

his life will lose it, while the man who hates his 

life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” 

(John 12:24-25). 

Beware of men 

Jesus tells us to beware of men. (Matthew 

10:17). He says: “Blessed are you when men 

hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile 

you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son 

of Man's sake.” (Luke 6:22). 

As believers, we must not justify ourselves before 

men. (Luke 16:15). Once we seek public 

recognition, even for charitable acts, we lose 

God’s approval: “Take heed that you do not do 

your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by 

them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your 

Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1). 

We must not accept compliments or awards 

from men. Jesus Himself rejected the praise and 

honour of men. (John 5:41-42). Thus, Jesus gives 

a warning to His disciples that glory-seeking 

mega-pastors have chosen to ignore: “Woe to 

you when all men speak well of you.” (Luke 

6:26). He says furthermore: “All men will hate 

you because of me.” (Matthew 10:22). 

This shows Jesus does not regard His disciples 

as men. (Mark 8:27-29). He says to them: 

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated 

Me before it hated you. If you were of the 

world, the world would love its own. Yet because 

you are not of the world, but I chose you 

out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 

(John 15:18-19). 

With men, salvation is impossible. But with 

God and His sons, all things are possible. 

(Mark 10:27). 

Kingdom dynamics 

Accordingly, the kingdom of God turns all 

the values of men upside down. Every valley is 

exalted, and every mountain and hill brought 

low. (Isaiah 40:4). 

To enter the kingdom of God, we must be 

born again. (John 3:3-5). To see, we must be 

blind. (John 9:39). To be full, we must hunger. 

(Luke 6:21). To gain, we must lose. (Matthew 

13:44-46). To be rich, we must be poor. (1 Samuel 

2:7-8). To be strong, we must be weak. (Judges 

7:2-7). To be masters, we must be slaves. 

(Matthew 20:26-28). The elder must serve the 

younger. (Genesis 25:23). 

To laugh, we must weep. (Luke 6:21). To enter 

the glory of God, we must endure suffering. 

(Acts 12:44). To be healed, we must be sick. 

(Luke 5:31-32). To live, we must die. (John 

12:24). To save our life, we must lose our life. 

(Matthew 16:25). To be first, we must be last. 

(Matthew 19:30). 

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount turns every 

blessing on its head. It is the poor (not the 

wealthy) who are enriched by the inheritance 

of a kingdom far more glorious than all the 

thrones of the earth. It is the meek (not the 

assertive and aggressive) that end up inheriting 

the earth. It is those who hunger and thirst 

after righteousness (not those who acquire 

wealth) who are fulfilled. 

God works out salvation through contradictions, 

bringing about a reversal of fortunes. 

He promises that, at the end of the age: “All the 

trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, 

have brought down the high tree and exalted 

the low tree, dried up the green tree and made 

the dry tree flourish.” (Ezekiel 17:24). 

CONCLUDED 

C&S urges Nigerians to pray for nation, outlines 

75th anniversary plans 

By ProvidenceAyanfeoluwa 

TheEternal Sacred Order of the Cher 

ubim and Seraphim (Apata Ipile Otito), 

Iwaya,Yaba, has outlined activities to 

mark 75th anniversary, just as it called on 

Nigeriansto consistently pray for the nation 

as a result of security challenges. 

Speakingat a media briefing heralding 

the anniversary, Minister-in-Charge, SeniorSuperintendent 

Apostle Isiah Goungo, 

said 75 years is a remarkable year that 

isworth celebrating because the church has 

undergone several challenges andovercame 

same. 

“Thoughit is not by power or by might 

but we are able to get here through the 

grace ofAlmighty God. I am also elated that 

I am the Minister in Charge of the churchduring 

this landmark celebration,” he said. 

Goungo said that the church is praying 

for the government and the country, 

buthowever, tasked the members to be security 

conscious. 

He said, “As we all know that there is 

insecurity and economic challenges facingour 

dear country at this time, I urge all 

members to be careful and vigilant aswe 

go about our daily activities. 

“Likewise,as we are approaching the 

general election in the country, I implore 

everyoneto continue to pray for 

our dear country that God should give 

us good leaderswho will direct the affairs 

of this country rightly. I therefore 

pray that Godwill intervene and heal 

our dear country Nigeria,” he said. 

Also,Chairman, Planning committee, 

Apostle Olamilekan Bello explained 

that incelebrating the Diamond jubilee, 

the planning committee has planned 

series ofevents which includes: visitation 

to the orphanage, Musical concert, 

and openair crusade, Bands day/dinning 

with the Minister in Charge, 

among others. 

“The anniversary grand finale would 

be held on July 10, 2022. I count it a 

privilegeto be the chairman of this anniversary, 

and I thank God for the grace 

he hasgiven to me. I was born a Muslim, 

but I was accepted into the church 

with loveand kindness. 

“This shows that the house of God is 

open to all, and our people lovely. I imploreeveryone 

to be patient with us as 

we unfold the events of the 75th anniversary.” 

Birth-day: Is it a happy day for Christians? (2) 

United Church of Christ overseer urges Christians to 

dispel darkness, shine as light 

By Lawani Mikairu 

THE General overseer of 

the United Church of 

Christ (UCC), Bishop Ezennaya 

Egbo has admonished 

Christians to emulate the principles 

of the lord Jesus Christ 

by being the salt of the world 

to avert darkness trying to take 

over the whole earth. 

This he affirmed that until 

Christians begin to imbibe 

and shine like light in the 

world, things might not get 

better. Speaking shortly after 

his arrival in Lagos for his first 

episcopal visit to the Western 

district II of the church, the 

cleric noted that there would 

be an outpouring of blessing 

for the thirsty souls during the 

two day programme theme, 

“Greater Glory". 

According to him, God is a 

great God and for all times 

and seasons, proclaiming 

that participants should expect 

divine explosion of God's 

divine manifestation especially 

for the members and to 

the state at large. 

“God is a great God and he 

is a God of all times and all seasons. 

This is a season of divine 

visitation to UCC especially the 

Ikeja district and the entire Lagos 

as a whole. The glory of the 

Lord will fall like never before, 

people are going to be blessed 

spiritually, financially, in every 

aspect of their need as God is 

more than ready to bless people 

this time around," he stated. 

Encouraging members to 

continue in the faith, explained 

that God is not unaware of what 

is happening all over the world 

because he created the whole 

world and nothing happens to 

him by mistake. 

He said “even with what we 

are going through in the world 

today especially the pandemic 

and the war in Ukraine and Russia; 

God is still there because he 

is a God of wonders. 

“What we expect from our people 

is that because revival is coming 

down and that revival is to 

arrest whatever satanic programme 

upon the people. There 

is going to be liberation, salvation, 

prosperity and total blessing 

if God in the land." 

However, when asked how 

this can be achieved the man 

of God echoed that his message 

to all Christians remains 

the same message of Jesus 

that “we become the salt of 

the earth and the light of the 

world. “You cannot appreciate 

the beauty of light until 

you see darkness; there is a 

whole darkness that is trying 

to engulf the whole world but 

as Christians come forth and 

shine as light darkness will 

give way. I expect Christians 

to go back to the Bible and 

follow the principles of Jesus 

Christ and become the light 

of the world. 

On some of the principles 

that Christians must exhibit, 

the cleric emphasized that 

righteousness exalts a nation. 

He maintained that “even 

in your office if you practice 

righteousness and I practice 

righteousness in that way unrighteousness 

will give way, 

bribery and corruption and 

all work of evil. If we began 

to live by the principles of the 

master Jesus Christ things 

will get better and be the salt 

of the earth. 

All the disciples of Jesus and the saints 

of God in the early church never cel 

ebrated the day of birth. Even Jesus 

Christ, who was not born in sin, commanded 

that His disciples should only remember 

the day He died for the sins of mankind by 

observing the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper 

as written in 1 Corinthians 11:26 and I 

quote “For as often as ye eat this bread, and 

drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death 

till He come.” 

The day, the month and the year of the birth 

of Christ is not mentioned in the scripture. 

But, Satan, who is a deceiver of the whole 

world, has deceived all believers in Christ to 

celebrate “Christ-mas”, as the day of Christ’s 

birth which does not exist in the bible. Christmas 

is therefore, the celebration of ANOTH- 

ER JESUS, which Paul spoke about in 11 

Corinthians 11:4, and I quote “For if he that 

cometh preacheth ANOTHER JESUS, 

whom we have not preached, or if ye receive 

another spirit, which ye have not 

received, or another gospel, which ye 

have not accepted, ye might well bear 

with him.” 

The only two birthdays recorded in the 

bible which sadly ended up in the death 

of two people, were celebrated by two 

ungodly kings, king Pharaoh and king 

Herod, as written in Genesis 40:20,22 

and I quote “And it came to pass the third 

day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that 

he made a feast unto all his servants: 

and he lifted up the head of the chief 

butler and of the chief baker among his 

servants. But he hanged the chief baker.” 

And in Matthew 14:6,10, it is written 

and I quote “But when Herod’s birthday 

was kept, the daughter of Herodias 

danced before them, and pleased Herod. 

And he sent, and beheaded John in the 

prison.” This means that the devil, who had 

been a murderer from the beginning as written 

in John 8:44, is behind all birth-day celebrations! 

In Galatians 4:9-10, it is again written and 

I quote “But now, after that ye have known 

God, or rather are known of God, how turn 

ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, 

whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 

Ye observe days, and months and times, and 

years.” This means that, any believer in Christ 

who observes the day of birth by celebrating 

it, comes again under bondage of weak and 

beggarly elements. If there be any day to be 

remembered, it should be the day one repented 

of his/her sin and became born again 

of the word of truth and of the Spirit of Christ. 

This should be the happiest day for all Christians, 

because the day of repentance of any 

sinner is the day of joy in heaven, as spoken 

by Jesus in Luke 15:10, and I quote “Likewise, 

I say unto you, there is joy in the presence 

of the angels of God over one sinner 

that repenteth.” The day of the new birth in 

Christ is a day to always remember and rejoice 

over, because it is the day one’s name 

is written in heaven, as Jesus said in Luke 

10:20b, and I quote “But rather rejoice, because 

your names are written in heaven.” 

To be continued! 

Christian Gospel Church 

(The Truth Centre), 

4 Christian Gospel Avenue, 

Beside Psychiatric Hospital, 

Uselu, Benin City, Edo State 

Email:cgc.com.ng@gmail.com 

Telephone: +234(0) 7052061135, 

+234(0)9030731406 

Website: www.cgc.thetruthcentre.com

Here comes another divine 

visitation (2) 

Brother and Sister John Ebubechukwu giving glory to 

God for blessing them with a baby girl after waiting for 

2 years and two months delay in conception 

Beloved, as we prepare 

to celebrate the blessing 

which God has sworn 

to give us, it is important 

we draw our attention to 

the significant of the occasion, 

our expectation and 

then what our preparation 

should be. 

When God saw the woes 

which mankind was subjected 

to because of the sin 

of Adam, He sent His only 

Son Jesus Christ to redeem 

us from the impending 

doom and grant us not 

only life but an abundant 

of life that is enduring 

which was lost in Adam. 

So, the coming of our Lord 

Jesus Christ gave humanity 

access to all heavenly 

blessings which include 

mercy, grace, salvation, 

Holy Ghost baptism, healing, 

freedom, peace, joy unspeakable, 

dominion and 

above all a glorious immortality. 

However, very unfortunately 

many Children of 

God lack the knowledge of 

what the grace of God has 

brought to mankind thus 

they are suffering and dying 

in ignorant. And that 

is why hopelessness has 

pervaded the life of many 

Christians. Many have cut 

off themselves from the 

provisions availed by His 

coming and thus are suffering. 

But God is not unmindful 

of their plight, 

thus His avowed decision 

to positively through an 

oath change their situation 

by blessing them. 

So comes this weekend, 

heaven and earth will meet 

together for the good of 

this country and its citizens. 

Those who thought 

they could no longer experience 

the blessing of God 

will suddenly realize that 

with God all things are 

possible. Those who are financially 

barren will see 

the miracle of God in multiplication 

and glorify 

God, while those lacking 

in material wealth shall 

not have enough rooms to 

keep the blessing of God 

that will be rained upon 

them through the visitation 

of God in this program. 

Many who thought they 

have lost hope of getting 

married, bearing Children 

of their own, gaining promotion 

and getting healed 

will taste the blessing of 

God in those areas. So, no 

matter how your ugly situation 

may look like or be 

It does not matter 

how long your 

problem has been or 

who is behind it, what 

is sure is that God 

has sworn to bless 

you and nothing can 

stop it 

Brother and Sister Megha Blessing, appreciating God 

for blessing them with twins after our GO's prayer during 

Bayelsa Crusade. 

perceived by you, the assurance 

we are giving is 

that with God there is 

hope. All our aspirations 

are embedded in Him who 

is our sufficiency and from 

whom all things are possible. 

God has seen our state of 

despondency and has decided 

to come to revive 

His love for mankind by 

showering us with blessing 

in a special program titled, 

‘GOD HAS SWORN TO 

BLESS YOU’ 

So, any area of your life 

you are experiencing absent 

of the presence of God 

and hoping that God will 

intervene I want to assure 

you that by the reason of 

this program and from today, 

He will not disappoint 

you. His blessing will meet 

you at the point of your 

need. As you come to Him, 

if you are sick, He will heal 

you. If poverty is your problem 

He will assuredly 

prosper you. If it’s barrenness, 

rejoice for your time 

of visitation has come. I 

don’t know what your need 

is but I have assurance 

that comes this Holy Ghost 

inspired program, the God 

I serve shall meet all your 

needs in Jesus name. 

Brother and Sister Ifeanyi Udechukwu thanking God for saving them from robbery attack 


Gen. 21: 5-6 says, “And 

Abraham was an hundred 

years old, when his son 

Isaac was born unto him. 

6 And Sarah said, God 

hath made me to laugh, so 

that all that hear will 

laugh with me” 

In the days of the Bible, 

God visited Sarah as He 

promised and she conceived 

even at an age when 

it was practically impossible 

to have conception 

and Isaac was born. The 

same kind of visit was paid 

to Elizabeth Zachariah’s 

wife who also conceived at 

an old age when God visited 

her as He promised 

and John the Baptist was 

born. Whenever God made 

a promise, He will bring it 

to pass. 

God has made a promise 

with an oath to bless 

you and I am assuring you 

that there shall be overflowing 

of blessing in 

Jesus name. Even today as 

you read this message and 

prepare to attend this program, 

God will begin with 

you. The program was inspired 

by him to bless you, 

so look up to Him by the 

instance of this program 

and be blessed. Are you 

lacking in any area of your 

life, come to Jesus He is 

the custodian of blessing. 

Wherever Jesus arrives all 

things become possible, 

the blind will see, the deaf 

will hear, the cripple will 

walk etc. 

2Cor. 3; 17 says, “Now 

the Lord is that Spirit: and 

where the Spirit of the 

Lord is, there is liberty” 

Christ is that quickening 

and life-giving Spirit who 

takes away the veil from 

off our hearts. And where 

that Spirit, that all-glorious 

and all-powerful Spirit 

of the Lord is, there is 

liberty- freedom from the 

yoke of poverty, lack of 

promotion, demonic possession, 

sickness and freedom 

from reproach, sin, 

and bareness. Thus the 

Spirit of the Lord is a deliverer, 

and supplier of all 

good things. Today He will 

arrive in your situation 

and if you believe it, you 

shall experience the goodness 

of God. 

It does not matter how 

long your problem has 

been or who is behind it, 

what is sure is that God has 

sworn to bless you and 

nothing can stop it. He has 

the Power to give Children, 

job, promotion, heal 

the sick, make the lame 

walk, the blind to see, deaf 

and dumb to speak and 

hear, and above all provide 

blessing for all victims 

of failures. 

Psalms 62: 11 says, “God 

hath spoken once; twice 

have I heard this; that 

power belongeth unto 

God” God is so immutable 

that He needs not speak 

twice. He speaks once and 

it is done; He commands, 

and it stands fast. He is the 

source of all things, and in 

Him they abide. So, don’t 

give up hope for your blessing 

is on the way, for the 

oath God has taken to bless 

you is at the door, no matter 

what your situation is 

God will bless you. 

If you have not tested the 

goodness of God and want 

to experience the blessing 

of the season, I want to let 

you know that another opportunity 

is avail to you for 

our God the ever merciful 

is visiting us again comes 

this weekend. 

Our father in heaven 

wants to use the occasion 

of the visit to season His 

mercy with blessing of the 

season that maketh rich 

and added no sorrow. 

Thus, God will place us 

above the challenges that 

have been troubling us all 

these years, for after this 

visitation we will see them 

no more. I don’t know what 

is troubling you, but whatever 

that may be, God’s 

blessing for this season 

which will be showered 

upon us this weekend shall 

override it and your life 

will never be the same 

again. 

What you are passing 

through now may have given 

rise to the thought that 

you have been doomed to 

sorrow forever. You may 

have tried in vain to meet 

your expectation for the 

year, and may be thinking 

there is no more hope for 

you. But I am assuring you 

to the contrary because 

God has set out a special 

program with the theme, 

‘GOD HAS SWORN TO 

BLESS YOU’ to bring you 

out from your despondency 

into His glorious riches 

where you will experience 

joy unspeakable. Believe 

you me, there shall be rain 

of blessing that will bring 

complete joy to the participants 

and all traces of disappointment, 

grief and 

mourning that has dominated 

your mind this period 

will become a story of 

the past. 

Indeed, it will surely happen 

because there will be a 

divine visitation and God 

will speak to your situation 

and there shall be transformation 

and your fear 

and hopeless situation 

shall be turned to joy. God 

may have allowed you all 

the while to experience 

fear and hopelessness in order 

that you may know the 

importance and sweetness 

of His blessing and crave 

for it, and after you are 

blessed you can appreciate 

it. This weekend is God’s 

time when He will shower 

you with the blessing of the 

season which He has sworn 

to give. 

Acts 7:17 says, “But when 

the time of the promise 

drew nigh, which God had 

sworn to Abraham, the 

people grew and multiplied 

in Egypt” 

God never delays in fulfilling 

His promise. Comes 

this weekend He will surely 

bless and your life will 

never be the same, for His 

faithfulness is for ever.


– seen and unseen – have been 

rendered operationally 

incapable of providing 

coverage to Nigeria and her 

citizens. All that huge money 

spent on national security is a 

waste. It shows pretty little 

results, and the question is 

why?We do hear regularly that 

Nigerian troops have invaded 

The bloody road to Kaduna and are fighting in the 

Sambisa Forests, and 

D 

flushing out the “bandits.” But 

r. Chinelo Nwando inured from the dangers of while the soldiers are bogged 

Megafu was a bright regular road travel in Nigeria. down and fighting shadows 

young dental surgeon on her They lived in the illusion of apparently in the Sambisa 

way to Kaduna from Abuja on the iron-clad certainty of that forests, the terrorists are 

Monday by train. She did not safety. Dr. Megafu and other fanning out of the forest and 

make it to Kaduna. She was travelers to Kaduna on that other hiding places inside 

one of those killed when train last Monday, most Nigeria, and taking over all 

terrorists (propagandists for certainly thought they had arteries of internal movement 

this government continue to taken the safe option. They did and exchange. No corner of 

call them “bandits” as though not see this attack coming. But Nigeria is safe now. No means 

it actually makes any it was long in the making from of movement in Nigeria is safe 

difference) bombed and the security point of view. any longer. The roads in 

attacked the Kaduna-bound Experience from other climes Nigeria have become regular 

train, killing, injuring, and ought to have warned us: targets of terrorist attacks. 

kidnapping numerous trains can be robbed, hijacked, Soon, they will hijack a plane, 

passengers. The road to bombed, and rerouted. and crash it in a crowded 

Kaduna from Abuja has long During the pogrom of 1966- market.They have already 

become bloody. My young 67, East-bound trains were invaded our homes, 

cousin, Uzoma, a brilliant routinely stopped and conducting house by house 

FUTO-trained Geologist got passengers killed. In one searches. These terrorists 

missing traveling on that road. famous one, the train brought whom this president and his 

Uzoma, over six-foot from the home a headless body of an band of incompetent and 

ground; heartbreakingly Igbo apparently killed on the complicit buffoons still 

handsome; a math genius train by rampaging Nigerian continue to call “bandits” are 

who from when he was a boy soldiers and mobs targeting clearly now in charge. They 

loved to break things to see the Igbo in the North. The are operating brazenly and 

their structure and put them point is, it should have been optimally. They are at the 

back together again has since quite clear that Train services doorsteps, and some analysts 

never been seen alive or dead. were not safe if the roads were have even said, are possibly 

He was traveling on the road not safe. Only a properly living as sleeper-cells inside 

to Kaduna. It was because the secured nation, with a wellorganized 

National security overwhelm the seat of the 

Aso Rock, and might 

Abuja Highway to Kaduna 

became bloody; a deathtrap, system can provide safety. But government of Nigeria sooner 

and this so much since the it is now obvious, that the than later with one great, last 

terrorists have taken to Nigerian national security brazen push. The picture is 

operate on it, and kidnap, apparatus has collapsed. It dire. Dr. Chinelo Megafu – her 

rape, and kill travelers on that has been so thoroughly pictures tell the stories: in her 

highway, that travelers had weakened and contaminated eyes one couldsee an 

chosen the welcome that it is now paralyzed. Like intelligent, curious young 

alternative of Rail travel. The all things suffering paralysis, woman who was clearly 

Abuja-Kaduna Rail service it is trapped inside an excited and amused by life. 

did seem, until the shattering immobile body. It can neither She now reminds me of Uzo, 

events last Monday, a very safe move nor talk nor act.The who never returned from that 

alternative.Travelers felt Nigerian security operatives road. His parents have not 

Buhari and the APC 

simply do not have the 

capacity, nor the ideas, 

nor the zeal, nor 

technical base to 

govern a complex 

country like Nigeria 

recovered from the shock of a 

child swallowed by the road. 

Nor do I think Chinelo’s 

parents easily would.We can 

only imagine the trauma for 

those families whose children, 

fathers, mothers, siblings, like 

Chinelo, were killed, 

wounded, or abducted in the 

Kaduna train bombing. 

Chinelo died because this 

country is under a curse.That 

curse is the poor leadership of 

Mr. Muhammadu Buhari 

and the APC party. Yes, Dr. 

Kayode Fayemi, governor of 

Ekiti was right, when he said 

in reaction to the incident and 

speaking on behalf of the 

Nigerian Governors 

Forum:”First, as leaders, we 

owe the victims and their 

relations an apology as these 

unwarranted acts of violence 

are becoming too regular and 

they basically question our 

collective capacity to govern.” 

He was quoted in the 

Vanguard. Yes, indeed, there is 

some part for collective 

responsibility, and some part 

for collective guilt. Yes, I think 

Fayemi, who was a Minister 

in the Buhari administration 

before opting for the 

gubernatorial chair, ought 

genuinely to feel a deep shame 

and guilt for his part in 

foisting this relic of our 

haunted past as president of 

Nigeria in 2015. I also think 

he is taking the idea of 

collective responsibility too 

far. Perhaps Fayemi still does 

not understand the demands 

and implications of the 

presidential system, which 

makes the buck, as the cliché 

now goes, stop at the 

president’s desk, in so far as it 

is matters of National security 

and of all those 

responsibilities on the 

schedules exclusive to the 

federal government, which at 

the moment includes the 

Railways, and Rail security. 

The responsibility for 

securing the lives of Nigerians 

is not with the governors. It is 

the exclusive mandate of the 

president who has tactical 

control of all the coercive and 

responsive forces of the 

federation. Perhaps that is the 

conundrum. President Buhari 

has stepped down their 

tactical capacity and allowed 

the people he has refused to 

publicly acknowledge as 

terrorists to operate freely and 

brazenly. Dr. Fayemi is 

speaking now about 

collective responsibility to 

govern, but did not remember 

that in 2015, when he led a 

withered Buhari, alongside 

Chibuike Amaechi, and Bola 

Tinubu, under the aegis of 

Olusegun Obasanjo, to kiss 

the rings of Gordon Brown, 

and the British colonial 

establishment to whom they 

sold a perfumed bucketful of 

shit called the Buhari 

presidency. As Director of 

Strategy for the Buhari 

campaign in 2015, Fayemi 

not only crafted the thrust of 

the campaign which made 

public safety and corruption 

cardinal issues, he also 

contributed N1.5 billion of 

Ekiti public money to Buhari’s 

campaign.In much the same 

way Chibuike Amaechi 

emptied the coffers of Rivers 

state to fund the campaign to 

make Buhari president. They 

both got properly, personally 

compensated: Fayemi as 

minister for solid minerals 

whileAmaechi has been 

minister of Transport, 

supervising big-budget 

projects like building 

Railways as far down as Niger 

Republic under Buhari. He 

forgot the security of the Rail 

line to Kaduna. In any case, it 

is pointless talking about 

Buhari and the APC. These are 

the twilight days of this 

administration. Their 

response to the first full-blown 

attack on Nigeria by terrorists 

– the attack on the Kaduna 

Airport and the bombing of 

the Kaduna-bound Train – 

demonstrates that the 

president is either lost or 

disproportionately 

incompetent, or quite in tune, 

on the other hand, with the 

mission andaspirations of 

these terrorists he calls 

“bandits.” What did he do? 

Really, nothing. He did not 

even deign to shed the 

symbolic, official crocodile 

tears which he is required to 

shed as president of a country 

under external attack by 

foreign terrorists.All he did 

was summon Nigeria’s 

Service Chiefs to a meeting 

and ordered them, in the very 

old shibboleth, to “flush out 

the bandits,” There is no 

urgency to that act. In fact, 

while at it, Nigeria borrowed 

$1billion to donate to 

Afghanistan. Frankly, I do not 

know if Nigerians expect 

anything more from Buhari. 

They better not because a man 

cannot give what he does not 

have. Buhari and the APC 

simply do not have the 

capacity, nor the ideas, nor the 

zeal, nor technical base to 

govern a complex country like 

Nigeria. Nation building 

requires some techne, which 

the APC by its composition 

and formation can neither 

muster nor conceptualize. 

Mama Tayo’s Journey 

Many years ago, I 

had a conversation 

with a school mate, let me 

call her Tayo, who told me 

that she was one of six 

children her mother had 

with five husbands. I was 

shocked to hear this. We are 

brought up to believe that 

this is normal for men, who 

are entitled to a polygamous 

lifestyle. A woman with five 

husbands was something 

people would seriously 

frown at and such a woman 

would be labelled with every 

unsavoury name in the 

dictionary.Tayo 

summarised the 

circumstances under which 

her mother ended up with 

five husbands during the 

course of her life. I do not 

recall all the details I was 

given, it was years ago, so 

please allow me to fill in the 

blanks with some literary 

license plucked from my 

imagination. 

Mama Tayo married 

Husband 1 when she was 

seventeen. The family was 

poor and Husband 1 was a 

young school teacher in his 

twenties. He was single and 

seduced the naïve young girl 

and she became pregnant. 

He married her and she had 

two children with him. 

Husband 1 was a drunken 

brute who beat his wife nonstop, 

so she left with her two 

children after he threatened 

all of them with a cutlass. 

Husband 2 was much better. 

His first wife had died just 

after childbirth. Mama Tayo 

became Step-Mother to his 

young daughter and they all 

lived happily together. Then 

Husband 2 died suddenly in 

a car crash. Poor Mama 

Tayo was left with four 

children to care for – her first 

two, her Step-daughter and 

the one son she had for 

Husband 2. Husband 2’s 

family took the Stepdaughter 

off her hands, but 

when she refused to give up 

the child she had with him, 

she was thrown out. Mama 

Tayo struggled on with petty 

trading till she was 

introduced to a middle-aged 

Engineer in church whose 

first two wives had left him. 

According to his story, they 

were infertile. He needed a 

family and Mama Tayo, 

with three biological 

children, was at least proof 

that she could give him one. 

That is how Uncle Engineer 

became Husband 3. Three 

years later, and with nothing 

to show for the Engineer’s 

‘investment’ Mama Tayo 

found herself alone again. 

Uncle Engineer and his 

family could not justify him 

spending money endlessly 

on the children of other men 

while he did not have his 

own. Perhaps no 

one was willing to 

point out that 

Uncle Engineer 

ought to have had 

his sperm count 

checked, but 

remember, this 

was a long time 

ago. 

Husband 4 was 

a musician who was quite 

popular and liked to have a 

good time with women, his 

two wives at home were not 

a hindrance. Uncle 

Musician was Tayo’s father. 

He met Mama Tayo when 

she was working in a 

restaurant. Their dalliance 

led to a pregnancy and since 

Mama Tayo needed 

security, she demanded that 

he marry her as one of his 

wives. He grudgingly 

obliged, but he agreed to 

rent a suitable place for her 

and the children, better than 

the one room she was 

‘managing’ in a compound 

with other tenants. This 

arrangement worked till 

Uncle Musician became ill. 

Whatever the ailment was, 

it affected his livelihood. 

This in turn affected his 

small harem and poor 

Mama Tayo found herself 

spending whatever little she 

had nursing Uncle 

Musician, in collaboration 

with the other wives.During 

the period of his illness, the 

wives set aside their rivalries 

and pooled financial, 

material and spiritual 

resources to get him back 

on his feet. When Uncle 

Musician got better, he 

repaid their efforts by 

sending away two of the 

three wives, keeping the first 

one. His excuse was that he 

could not afford to look after 

more than one wife. He 

should have thought of that 

before. The two wives 

Tayo was very 

protective of her 

mother and decided 

that the only way she 

could repay her for 

years of suffering and 

sacrifice was to do well 

in her studies 

affected were probably 

relieved, since his fortunes 

had taken a turn for the 

worse. He promised to 

continue looking after his 

children, a promise he never 

kept. Tayo was very 

protective of her mother and 

decided that the only way 

she could repay her for 

years of suffering and 

sacrifice was to do well in 

her studies. 

Husband 5 was an elderly 

‘returnee’ from Germany. 

He had grown up children 

who stayed back there and 

he was divorced from his 

German wife. Mama Tayo 

was by now in her early 

forties, but still quite pretty 

and presentable. She was 

also hard working, and had 

done a good job of looking 

after her children on her 

own. Uncle Germany 

wanted companionship and 

a housekeeper, not 

necessarily another family. 

However, due to an 

‘unexpected blessing’ 

Mama Tayo had another 

child with him. Uncle 

Germany didn’t mind, and 

to the best of my knowledge, 

that is where Mama Tayo’s 

extraordinary marital 

journey ended, with her own 

version of a happy ever after. 

Five husbands and six 

children! 

Recently, I was at a 

Gender-Based Violence 

Town Hall Meeting. During 

the interactive session, one 

of the female participants 

said that one of the reasons 

why there is so much 

dysfunction with young 

people today is because 

some mothers have multiple 

marital partners and fathers 

of their children. She said 

when women move from 

husband to husband, their 

children end up as 

miscreants. I flinched when 

I heard a woman say this 

about other women. There 

were gasps from some 

women in the audience and 

I could see frowns on the 

faces of many others from 

where I was sitting on the 

high table. The speaker had 

struck a nerve with her 

insensitive remarks. We are 

used to men saying those 

things, but a woman to other 

women? When it was time 

for me to respond, I told her 

that every woman’s story is 

different. It is not for us to 

pass judgement on how a 

woman has lived her life. We 

don’t know the 

circumstances of everyone, 

we don’t know what they 

have been through and we 

should have the humility to 

accept that some are simply 

luckier than others. 

As I was thinking about 

this encounter, I decided to 

reconstruct the fragments of 

Mama Tayo’s story that I 

could still recall. I 

remember being quite 

alarmed when I first heard 

the story, and even though 

Tayo ran through the 

different reasons and 

characters, it still sounded 

rather strange to me. Now, I 

know better. Life has 

different things in store for 

people, regardless of 

dreams and aspirations. I 

am sure Mama Tayo did not 

set out at 17 planning to have 

six children with five 

husbands. Her choices were 

limited, and women back 

then (and right now) were 

socialized into believing they 

could not survive without 

being under a man’s roof. 

There are so many Mama 

Tayo’s out there forced to 

make desperate choices for 

survival. I do not blame 

them as individuals, I blame 

a system that does not 

provide the requisite 

information, protection and 

guidance for adolescent 

girls. I blame our inability 

to enforce laws (in States 

where we have them) which 

make sex with minors under 

18 a crime. I blame all those 

who still consider marriage 

as career options for young 

women instead of 

prioritising education and 

skills acquisition.I also 

blame all those who heap 

the responsibility of 

bringing up children on 

mothers when they did not 

bring these children into the 

world on their own. Mama 

Tayo’s marital experiences 

were far from ideal, but that 

was her story. That was her 

journey. She made choices 

based on her own context, no 

matter how poor those 

choices might have been. 

Instead of passing 

judgement, let us be sensitive, 

learn, and try and help the 

vulnerable women and girls 

who we meet on our own 

journey. 

•Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is 

a Gender Specialist, Social 

Entrepreneur and Writer. 

She is the Founder of 

Abovewhispers.com, an 

online community for 

women. She is the First 

Lady of Ekiti State, and she 

can be reached at 

BAF@abovewhispers.com


By Victoria Amu 

THE annual celebration of Comrade 

Adams Oshiomhole’s birth anniversary 

has always been a notable event. 

It is a national celebration that rose to 

prominence in the calendar and imagination 

of ordinary Nigerians as far back as 

in the 2000s when the Edo man, courageous 

and unyielding, won their hearts 

with his spirited defense of their basic 

rights and his insistence on government 

living up to its responsibilities. 

It was a call he would go on to heed as 

a two-term Governor of Edo State, earning 

the reputation as the modern builder 

of the State with an infrastructure blitz 

that tackled the perennial problems of 

flooding and opened up communities to 

unprecedented levels of investments and 

consequent development. 

When at the end of his service in Edo 

State, he was called upon to lead the All 

Progressives Congress (APC) as its National 

Chairman ahead of an important election, 

Oshiomhole renewed the promise of 

the party and reforged its bond with ordi- 

By Kamen Ogbonna 

he story of representation in Anambra 

TSouth took a different turn with the advent 

of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in the red chamber. 

In his avowed determination to bring about 

a drastic change in the fortunes of the people 

of his zone, the Senator took off from day-one 

with a clear vision of what needs to be done in 

order to change the face of representation in 

the district. 

This he commenced by throwing his doors 

wide open to the people of the senatorial zone 

in a classic case of “Open Door Representation.” 

As opposed to what was obtainable in the 

past, Suite 101 in the National Assembly, Abuja, 

became a beehive of activity, a rallying point 

for stakeholders, job seekers, youths and women 

groups as well as every Nwa Anambra South 

senatorial district. 

Ndi Anambra, and indeed Ndigbo who are 

not from the senatorial zone, all took advantage 

of his Open-Door style to access solutions 

to their challenges. 

An example was when the Igbo Freight Forwarders 

Association in Lagos came to him to 

assist them find a solution to the harsh and 

unfavourable conditions that they were then 

By Oluremi Kosoko 

For so long as we persist in recycling hide 

bound patrician politicians and their residuary 

legatees, we have absolutely no right 

to expect a different outcome. Yet, like lamb to 

the slaughter, we prepare to feed from the same 

trough, willing participants in our own dispossession. 

As we bear down on consequential choices 

preparatory to 2023, the party-political process 

offers limited guidance for those seeking 

to make an informed choice. Instead of political 

parties that provide guidance on policy 

frameworks, what we have are primordial 

backwoods that block out any semblance of 

light. 

We need to break away from the gaggle of 

unspeakables who have laid siege to our political 

process, crippling it ab initio. We cannot 

hope to forge ahead with rentier politicians 

who are unable to see public service as a higher 

calling and are instead mired in greed, for 

power and possessions. 

Since our return to civilian politics in 1999, 

we have failed to equip ourselves with the kind 

of leadership necessary to galvanise and renew 

us. Our lot has been a succession of illfitting 

choices that speak to the past we must 

escape rather than the future we seek to embrace. 

There will be no shortage of bombast as we 

are showered with promises of an end to our 

travails. It is only because our politicians know 

that they are rarely fact-checked that they assail 

us with such unrestrained and outlandish 

claims. Our politics needs to become more 

deductive, both in what we demand of our politicians 

and how we hold them to account. 

In the midst of this gathering of malevolents 

and misanthropes is the Vice President, Professor 

Yemi Osinbajo. At this present time, he is 

the closest thing the country has to a legacy 

politician. While he may be small of stature, 

he towers head and shoulders above those who 

have declared an intention to run for the Presidency 

of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

In politics, timing is everything. It is not 

enough for a man to be manifestly able; he 

must also come along at the right time. Call it 

luck, call it destiny, call it fate; men come into 

OSHIOMHOLE AT 70: A bigger party for a truly great man 

nary Nigerians. 

The result of that was a bigger victory, 

one that surpassed in numbers the previous 

historic win in 2015 when, for the first 

time in Nigeria’s democracy, an opposition 

party triumphed over the incumbent. 

No surprise then that every year without 

fail, to mark his birth anniversary, Nigerians 

stage gatherings and celebrations 

across the country to express their gratitude 

for his service. 

This year, as he turns the landmark age 

of 70, there are reasons to believe the celebration 

tents will be bigger, just like the 

celebrating crowd. His fans and admiration 

have yet increased – because time has 

once again vindicated him and his principled 

stand. 

Those who stood in bitter opposition to 

him in recent years and months may bake 

the biggest cake, in the display of their 

contrition. 

One of them has openly expressed regret 

and admitted that Oshiomhole was 

Ifeanyi Ubah at 9th National Assembly, an x-ray 

being subjected to by shipping companies on 

Nigeria-bound cargoes. 

The Senator immediately rose to the occasion. 

He did not just raise a motion on the urgent 

need to checkmate the exorbitant increase and 

unjustifiable shipping fees charged by shipping 

companies on Nigeria-bound cargoes, he also 

personally led delegations to the Maersk Line 

Company among others to successfully negotiate 

a downward review of then suffocating 

price regime. 

It also did not take long before he came up 

with the groundbreaking motion on Deep Offshore 

and Inland Basin Production Sharing 

Contract, the PSC Bill. This was designed to 

deal with what was increasingly becoming a 

cesspit through which the country was losing 

billions of naira in accruable revenue to cabals 

in the petroleum industry. 

This battle by the Senator led to the passage 

of the PSC Bill into an Act of the National 

Assembly. Needless to say that President Muhammadu 

Buhari promptly signed the Bill into 

law even while on a trip in far-away London, 

and apparently to underscore its importance. 

Today, that singular move by Senator Ubah 

is yielding billions of naira into the national 

A Legacy Politician 

Unlike some of his 

contemporaries, 

Yemi Osinbajo follows 

through on 

policy initiatives 

their own as a result of a happy confluence of 

circumstance, a perfect storm. When juxtaposed 

with the posse gathering at the starting 

line, Yemi Osinbajo has impeccable timing. 

His path and preparation for the Presidency 

has the air of something preordained 

about it (no religious pun intended). Not only 

in the path that he has trodden but in the 

nation’s descent into a darkness crying out 

for a luminous presence, the place in which 

Osinbajo finds himself makes him a man 

for out times. 

We require at the head of government a 

person who can lead, rather than one merely 

enthralled by the pomp and pageantry of 

high office. Osinbajo’s preparation for leadership 

goes beyond the last seven years of 

exemplary patience, professionalism and 

loyalty while serving as vice president, going 

back to his two terms as Attorney General 

of Lagos State, from 1999 to 2007, and 

before. 

During his service as Attorney General in 

the seventh largest economy in Africa, he led 

root and branch reform of the administration 

of justice in Lagos State. His earlier incarnation 

as a law professor ensured a deep appreciation 

of the comprehensive task before him. 

Long overdue reforms, in both the administration 

of justice and in the conditions of service 

of judges, were implemented, putting the state 

on the path to a legal system fit for purpose in 

the twenty-first century. 

Had he not given a superlative account of 

•Oshiomhole 

right and he was wrong. Others have followed 

in tow, although keeping their confessions 

private. 

He was not perfect, the labour man, but 

he was forthright and loyal to his party. 

What you see is what you get. Everyone 

misses that honesty and discipline today, 

coffers. 

In fact, in accordance with the Whistle Blowers 

Act, Anambra South senatorial district is 

supposed to be receiving a percentage of the 

revenue accruals from that Bill, given that it 

was their elected Senator that blew the lid off 

the sleaze through which the country was being 

fleeced of huge accruable revenue. 

Apparently, Senator Ubah’s colleagues were 

so impressed that this first-timer could deliver 

what till date has remained the most economically 

significant landmark in the annals of 

the 9th Assembly. It did not come to many as a 

surprise when they unanimously named him 

the “Prince of the 9th Senate.” 

Senator Ubah again took up the gauntlet in 

his pursuit of developmental strides by delivering 

two state-of-the-art hospitals (with a third 

one soon to join) to tackle especially the Covid-19 

pandemic and stem its attendant high 

mortality rate. 

This he achieved by deploying his wide network 

of contacts and rallying his friends to 

contribute towards the projects. Deploying his 

trademark leadership trait and galvanizing 

skill, Senator Ubah quickly raised half a billion 

to fund the construction of the hospitals 

which were built and equipped in a record five 

himself while Attorney General, he would not 

have been put forward, and neither would he 

have been deemed worthy to be Vice President 

to President Muhammadu Buhari. In every 

conceivable way, Yemi Osinbajo was deemed 

suitable to be a breath away from the Presidency. 

Throughout the last seven years the vice president 

has provided a steady and stable backdrop 

to an administration that has often lived 

in tumult. Over and above this, he has projected 

the kind of mien that has too long been 

absent in the upper reaches of Nigerian government. 

His comportment, his measured tone and 

his reasoned articulation of government policy 

has been a breath of fresh air in an ecospace 

that has at times lacked the kind of deductive 

thinking and decorum we have a right 

to expect from our presidency. Good policy 

and good government should not have to be 

measured by how rowdy and rambunctious its 

principals are. 

Happily, the VP is not just about form, his 

performance has shown a grasp of the substance 

of governance that promises much for 

when he becomes president. From the outset, 

President Buhari delegated detail to the vice 

president, and he has proven comfortable with 

it. 

Vice president Osinbajo has overseen the 

largest social investment programme in Africa, 

with over 12 million beneficiaries, and I 

shall return to interrogate the substance of his 

contributions and achievements to date. Suffice 

it for now to mention some of the areas 

where he has been the arrowhead of policy, 

less they go under the radar or be subsumed 

under that catch-all of government policy. 

Aside his oversight of the social investment 

programme, the vice president has been at the 

sharp end of a series of ideas and policies calibrated 

to make government more functional 

and less intrusive. The Ease of Doing Business 

initiative has proven its worth, moving Nigeria 

39 places up the World Bank’s Ease of Doing 

Business rankings since 2016. 

As Acting President in 2018, presciently, he 

including those who were loudest in the 

call for him to leave. It’s what they say 

about not valuing what you have until it is 

no longer there. 

He was meant to shrink away in oblivion, 

without regard and influence, according 

to his adversaries who are now repentant. 

But today, his popularity is greater, 

as evidenced by the uproar that greeted 

his arrival at the APC national convention. 

Nigerians and progressives alike did 

not forget. They know, have always known, 

and are even more thankful now that contrasting 

events have highlighted Oshiomhole’s 

diligent service. 

At 70, the party will be bigger for a truly 

great man, a man of many firsts including 

being the only Edo governor to be returned 

to office with victory in 18 Local Government 

Areas ,LGAs of the state. Oshioquake 

still leaves tremors. Long may he live! 

•Amu is a Benin-based commentator on 

national issues. 

months. While periodic medical outreaches 

seem to be the dominant mode of medical sector 

intervention, Senator Ubah’s state-of-theart 

hospitals in Nnewi and Awka (Anambra 

State Capital) provide a more sustainable 

medical succour to thousands of our people 

on a daily basis. 

This gigantic achievement by the Anambra 

Progressives and Development Association, 

APDA, of which he is the Convener, has practically 

changed the face of the hitherto comatose 

medical sector in the state for the better. It 

remains unprecedented in the entire country. 

In line with my desire to make this a weekend 

teaser and in order not to bore you with 

lengthy articles, I will stop here for today. 

Permit me to leave you with this testimonial 

from a constituent, Ogbuefi Chinyelugo, from 

Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area, 

while expressing his unqualified joy and that 

of several others at the ongoing road rehabilitation 

traversing Ozubulu (Okija in Ihiala LGA 

waits in excitement as the work come their 

way soon):. 

“In Senator Ubah, Anambra South hits the 

bulls eye.” 

*Ogbonna is based in Onitsha. 

ordered the overhaul of the Special Anti-Robbery 

Squad (SARS), a notorious police unit 

that repeatedly overreached its mandate and 

engaged in egregious acts of violence against 

the populace. That particular chicken came 

home to roost. 

As Chairman of the National Economic 

Council (NEC), the VP championed the National 

Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), 

publicly rejecting RUGA and instead advocating 

for a plan aimed at transforming the livestock 

production system in Nigeria, including 

through ranching. 

Unlike some of his contemporaries, Yemi 

Osinbajo follows through on policy initiatives. 

During a period of particular restiveness in 

the Niger Delta, he fronted the Buhari administration’s 

approach, undertaking multiple 

missions to the region to restore peace through 

strategic engagements with stakeholders 

across the region. This brought about an end 

to a series of pipeline explosions, and restored 

oil productivity to its maximum level. 

An instinctive defender of the rule of law, 

Osinbajo’s natural proclivities augur well for 

a person seeking to lead the largest democracy 

in Africa. This particular instinct was on 

full display when as Acting President he dismissed 

the former Director-General of the State 

Security Service (SSS) for a gross violation of 

the sanctity of the National Assembly and the 

Nigerian constitution. 

While it is true that the role of a vice president 

is often seen through the less than complimentary 

lens of operating at the behest of 

his principal, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has 

bucked that trend. His principal, President 

Buhari, has not hesitated in leveraging his vice 

president’s strengths for more effective governance. 

In a political milieu in which politician has 

become a dirty word, the vice president is the 

quintessential technocrat-politician, offering 

the real prospect of redemption for both the 

genre and the nation. In politics, priorities are 

everything and Professor Yemi Osinbajo – a 

legacy politician – has made it abundantly 

clear that his priorities are the renewal and 

rejuvenation of the Nigeria project. 

*Kosoko lives in Lagos.


OMO OBA ADEPOJU AKOMOLAFE: My 

dad has moved! 

By Jide Familoni 

The OMan, Omo Oba Adepoju Akomolafe 

MO Oba Adepoju Akomolafe was one 

of the last of his generation and breed. 

He was born Richard Adepoju Akomolafe on 

the 5th of April1917 in Ido-Ekiti. In a repudiation 

of colonialism (before it was the fad), he 

legally dropped his English first name and remained 

Adepoju Akomolafe for the rest of his 

life. His first name, Adepoju (so many crowns), 

was in recognition of the royal heritage of both 

his parents. His father, Prince Daniel Oni Asaolu’s 

grandfather, was an Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti 

and his mother was a princess of Ilukuno-Ekiti. 

His mother was Madam Dorcas 

Omoniyepe of Isape compound, Ido-Ekiti, and 

her mother, named Adekusibe, was the daughter 

of Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti. Adekusibe’s great 

grandmother’s father was the Oloja of Okemesi 

and her mother’s father was a son to an 

Alaafin of Oyo. So, the phrase that made up 

his first name, ade poju was a fact of his DNA 

and pedigree, not just grandiose child-naming. 

A quote ascribed to Plutarch asserts that it is 

a desirable thing to be well descended, but the 

glory belongs to our ancestors. Omo Oba Adepoju 

Akomolafe did not rest on the laurels of 

his royal pedigree but worked hard at educating 

himself and making himself ready for what 

would be his calling – education and service. 

He started school at five years of age. In1925, 

his maternal uncle, Mr. Samuel K. Familoni, 

graduated from the famous St. Andrew’s College, 

Oyo and was posted to teach at St. David’s 

Anglican School, Ijomu, Akure, Ondo 

State. He took the young Adepoju with him 

and enrolled him at the school. When he was 

reposted to St. Andrew’s Primary School, Warri, 

they again went together. At St. Andrews’ 

Primary School Warri, Mr. Familoni became 

the headmaster while the young Adepoju became 

a pupil of the late Pa Adekunle Ajasin 

(former governor of old Ondo State). In 1930, 

he enrolled at Ondo Boys High School for a 

four-year course and graduated in 1933, which 

qualified him for a junior teaching appointment 

at St. Paul’s (CMS) Primary School, Igbaraoke 

in January 1934. 

In1936, he gained admission into St. Andrew’s 

College, Oyo and graduated in 1939. 

By 1940, he had become a trained school master 

at St John’s (CMS) School, Sabongida Ora, 

Edo State where he was till 1943. This was the 

beginning of what became the distinguishing 

hallmark of his life: service to his family, service 

to his community, and service to God. It 

was at Sabongida Ora where he met his first 

wife, Comfort Ahonkhai. Subsequently, he 

married Emily Ariwodola Ogunrinde from Ido 

and Dorcas Monilade Adesile from Ogbomoso. 

Service to family 

When I was young, my father was an enigma 

to me. That may be in part because I rarely 

had more than a word or two with him then. 

Many of my memorable interactions with him 

occurred when I still lived at Ìsápè Street, where 

he’d visit once every blue moon. On those visits, 

he’d park his Mercedes on the street and 

the hundred or so yards to our doorstep would 

take him forever as folks intercepted and greeted 

him. 

I remember one of those encounters. On that 

occasion, he honked his horn and sent someone 

to ask Mama Ranti to bring him some 

kola nuts. So, Mama Ranti and I walked over 

to the car on the street with the kola nuts. Standing 

inside the open car door and leaning on 

the door, he asked about my grades. I had just 

completed Primary Three school year at 

Omodewa Primary School. I told him I placed 

second in my class – grades then were not represented 

as letters A through F. Pupils were 

ranked from first to last in the class. He chided 

me for not being first in my class. My sevenyear-old 

self got truculent, leaving my mother 

unsure of how to react to either one of us. 

In the courtyard, in the cool of that evening, 

Mama Ranti called me, using her appellation 

of endearment. “Don’t be angry with your father; 

he loves you and always wants only the 

best for you.” And that was the way it always 

•Omo Oba Adepoju Akomolafe surrounded by some of his family members on April 5, 

2017, his hundredth birthday. 

was. 

He was often away to some place far away 

and exotic to my village-boy mind. On one of 

those trips, he traveled to a place called Toronto, 

so far away I had trouble imagining it. I 

had to look in an Atlas to see this place in the 

country of Canada. After he returned, he showed 

up at Ìsápè late in the evening. The women set 

food before him. When he was done, he asked 

me to come with him. I was ecstatic! I didn’t 

know where we were headed or for how long. I 

sat in the passenger’s seat of his Mercedes and 

we drove off to his office at Ekiti Parapo College. 

It was getting dark when we arrived. He 

gave me an assortment of colored chalks and 

put me in front of a chalkboard in a classroom 

— I didn’t know chalk came in any other color 

but white. I felt transported to a different world. 

I must have fallen asleep while he worked because 

I do not remember getting home; but I 

never forgot that evening with my father. 

When we were young, he enforced discipline 

in our speech and actions – you wouldn’t get 

away with speaking sloppy English around my 

father. He came to visit my brother Soji and I 

in Memphis, Tennessee in 1997, and spent the 

summer with me. That was when he had the 

opportunity to read a rough draft of my first 

book, ‘Losing My Religion’.He finished it while 

I was at work that day. When I got back home, 

he complimented my writing skills and presented 

me the manuscript that he had edited 

and marked up in pencil! 

In the last couple of decades of his life, when 

I was no longer nearby, telephone conversations 

with him were a source of joy, especially 

when a few of us would be together and call 

him. He’d perk up and become animated. The 

conversations will end with him praying for us 

•Jide Familoni, PhD, is resident in Washington, 

DC. 

Continues on: 

www.vanguardngr.com

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022 — PAGE 29 

Osimhen delays Napoli return after World 

Cup disappointment 

Super Eagles striker 

Victor Osimhen is 

yet to return to Italy as 

his club Napoli tackle 

•Osimhen 

Atalanta in today’s Serie 

A game. 

Osimhen could not help 

the Super Eagles as they 

struggled to find a knockout 

goal that would silence 

the Blacks Stars of 

Ghana after they had 

gone up and William 

Troost-Ekong leveled up 

with a penalty goal. Ghana 

won the World Cup 

ticket on the away goals 

rule. 

Though Osimhen will 

miss the game against 

Atalanta, due to suspension 

Napoli made all the 

travel arrangements for 

him to return. However, 

Osimhen wanted a few 

days off and he has been 

given permission. 

The former Golden Eaglets 

star missed the Africa 

Cup of Nations due to 

Covid-19 positive test and 

was looking to play in the 

World Cup, but he fired 

blanks in the two-legged 

play-off against Ghana. 

“It was very disappointing; 

I don’t even know 

what to say. 

“We all did our best but 

it was not enough on the 

day. It is sad because the 

next World Cup is years 

away and we have to sit 

this one out,” Osimhen 

said after the World Cup 

blackout. 

Amuneke regrets changes to 

Eagles line up against Black 

Stars 

Former Super Eagles 

winger and assistant 

coach Emmanuel Amuneke 

has lamented that the 

five changes made to the 

team against Ghana in the 

second leg tie in Abuja did 

not make the desired impact. 

The Super Eagles were 

spiritless against the Black 

Stars at the Moshood Abiola 

Stadium. Ghana 

snatched a 1-1 draw which 

earned them the World 

South African fans pray for Black Stars early exit 

Many South African 

fans have made it known 

they will support Uruguay 

when they take on 

Ghana after the two 

teams were drawn in the 

same group at the 2022 

FIFA World Cup finals in 

Qatar. 

Fans took to Twitter to 

recall the meeting between 

Ghana and Uruguay 

at the 2010 World 

Cup finals, in which the 

former lost to the Sky 

Blue in a quarter-final 

match in Johannesburg 

with most South African 

fans \\\\\\supporting the 

Black Stars. 

Asamoah Gyan missed 

a penalty in the dying 

minutes of extra time after 

Luis Suarez had 

blocked a headed effort 

with his hand on the goalline 

and Ghana went on 

to lose the game on penalties. 

Ghana qualified for this 

year’s showpiece after 

being held to a 1-1 draw 

by the Super Eagles at the 

Moshood Abiola Stadium 

in Abuja. The first leg in 

Kumasi ended 0-0.The 

Black Stars had reached 

the playoffs after defeating 

Bafana Bafana in a 

controversial match in 

November last year. 

“For Ghana to lose all 

#WorldCup2022 groupstage 

matches” — 

Nhlanhla Hlabisa 

“South Africa is proudly 

behind Uruguay.” — 

Ndu Khubone 

“I am focusing on Group 

H, I want Ghana to suffer. 

What they did to 

Bafana Bafana cannot be 

forgiven.” — Vuyani maduna 

Also in group H 

with Ghana and Uruguay 

are Portugal and South 

Korea. 

Cup ticket. And fans wondered 

if it was the same 

team that played Ghana to 

standstill at the Baba Yara 

Stadium in Kumasi. 

Speaking after the Nigerian 

Football Federation 

sacked the Eagles coaches, 

Amuneke stated that it was 

regrettable the coaches decision 

to start certain players 

didn’t work to plan. 

“After the first leg there 

was a review of the players’ 

performances. Football 

is a team game. 

“We started Emmanuel 

Dennis and others because 

we wanted to push the 

team forward and have a 

strong attack. 

“They are also part of the 

team and it was important 

we look their way and see 

what they can bring to the 

team. It was unfortunate 

things did not go the way 

we wanted,” Amuneke told 

BrilaFm. 

However, Amuneke said 

he does not regret joining 

the Coach Austin Eguavoen 

led crew. 

“I have no regret coming 

on board to join the technical 

crew, I would have 

turned them down, it was 

an opportunity to serve 

Nigerians and I hope I will 

be in a better position next 

time to serve. 

Eriksen leads Brentford to blow out Chelsea 

Christian Eriksen and 

Brentford hit a jackpot 

as they blew out 

Chelsea by a remarkable 

4-1 score. Eriksen is fully 

back in the thick of things 

after recovery from the 

heart attack he had on the 

field for Denmark at Euro 

2020. Scoring in three 

straight for club and country, 

Eriksen has clawed 

Brentford back from the 

fringes of the relegation 

\\\\ 

•Eriksen clashes with N’golo Kante 

•Thomas Partey 

battle and now dealt Chelsea 

an embarrassing blow. 

Eriksen made his first appearance 

for the Bees on February 

26th. Since then, 

they’ve been a top-half side 

again collecting nine points 

in six matches. Defeating 

Norwich, Burnley, and 

Chelsea is just what they 

needed to put daylight between 

them and a fight for 

relegation. Eriksen has been 

at the center of everything. 

The Blues struggled in the 

first half and looked sluggish, 

with the Bees firmly on 

top in the opening stages. 

However, Thomas Frank’s 

side could not take advantage 

before the break. 

And it was actually 

Chelsea who took the lead 

through an Antonio Rudiger 

thunderbolt off the 

post. 

Nevertheless, Brentford 

hit back two minutes 

later and scored three 

goals in a blistering 10- 

minute spell to seal a famous 

win. 

“We lost control for 10 

minutes,” Chelsea coach 

Thomas Tuchel told Sky 

Sports in his assessment. 

“It was a tough start for 

us which is also not the 

first time after an international 

break. “In general 

we allowed too many 

shots and in general we 

lacked energy. We looked 

mentally tired which is 

normal after being 

around the world.” 

Laporte breaks Drogba’s Premier 

League record 

Aymeric Laporte has 

set a new Premier 

League record in Manchester 

City’s 2-0 win against 

Burnley yesterday 

The defender reached a 

First Bank scores another first with Nigeria Derby 

International Horse Racing sponsorship 

First Bank of Nigeria 

Limited scored another 

first last weekend in Kaduna 

as the bank’s sponsored 

Nigerian Derby, an 

International Horse Racing 

competition climaxed at the 

Murtala Mohammed 

Square last Sunday with 

Jockeys from Niger Republic 

winning most of the trophies 

staked in the competition. 

Riding a local breed horse, 

Chinada Mamman, the star 

of the competition won the 

first prize in the Governor’s 

Cup, after outrunning other 

competitors from Nigeria, 

Cameroon, Burkina Faso 

and Chad Republic for the 

event’s top prize of N1m, 

leaving Buhu Mamane and 

Hadju Husseini in the 

second and third position respectively. 

It was the Nigerien Chinada 

again in the special 

Upper Class Division A, 

raced over 12-Furlongs 

where he outclassed his fellow 

competitors. 

However, the high flying 

Chinada lost out in the Coronation 

Cup, Taloun A, 

Upper Class Division to 

Muka Boyi who won in the 

category, while Kamilu Joke 

came second, Chinada 

ducked in the third position 

while Kanta Mataye also 

from Niger Republic completed 

the top 4 winners in 

the category. 

century of appearances in 

the English top flight as 

City collected three points 

at Turf Moor to preserve 

their place at the top of the 

table. 

The victory has confirmed 

a milestone for the 

Spain international, putting 

him ahead of the likes 

of Didier Drogba, Ederson 

and Nemanja Vidic. 

The 27-year-old has set a 

new record for most points 

collected after 100 matches. 

Laporte has won 82, 

drawn eight and lost 10 of 

his matches in the Premier 

League, totalling 254 

points. 

That puts him eight 

ahead of the previous best 

of 246 points, set by Chelsea 

legend Didier Drogba and 

matched by fellow City star 

Ederson. 

An inevitable crash 

BEFORE a car packs up, it must have been giving the 

owner some signs. And when attention is not carefully paid 

on the signs to identify the fault, the inevitable will happen one 

day. 

That is the situation with the Super Eagles since the day our 

football administrators caused Sunday Oliseh to throw in the towel 

as coach of the senior national team in 2016. 

After Oliseh’s exit, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF said 

they were going to get a world class coach for the Super Eagles. 

And Nigerians were expectant, especially after the team failed to 

qualify for a consecutive Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 in 

Equatorial Guinea and in Gabon in 2017 

It was a shock when Gernot Rohr, not known with any coaching 

pedigree was announced as the new ‘world class’ coach for the 

Super Eagles. Before coming to Nigeria in 2016, Rohr was coach 

of Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso between 2010 and 2015, 

countries that are not super powers in African football. 

It is more disturbing that Rohr who could not make any impact 

with these countries and spent an average of two years with each 

of them was considered good enough to turn out Super Eagles to 

world beaters. And he was left on the saddle for five years, 

struggling to make an impact. 

Because he managed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in 

Russia and the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, some Nigerians, including 

those in the NFF who hired him felt he was doing well. 

However, majority of Nigerians who knew how the team was 

under Clemens Westerhof called for Rohr’s sack but they were 

ignored. Those who backed Rohr felt it was better to play badly 

and win than play good football and lose. They never knew that 

the team was an accident waiting to happen. 

Rohr was always pressing the panic button otherwise why would 

he be in-charge for five years and still say the Super Eagles were 

work on progress? 

He never had a standing team but was always trying out new 

players for every match he played. Why wouldn’t he when even 

the NFF never believed in looking at players from the local league 

but combing every nook and corner of Europe for players bearing 

Nigerian names to invite into the Super Eagles. 

It however dawned on the football administrators that Rohr was 

not the Messiah the Super Eagles needed after two incidents on 

home soil in Benin City and Lagos respectively. 

First, it took the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone to expose Rohr as 

lacking tactics and technique when he blew away a 4-0 lead to 

almost lose the match which eventually ended 4-4 in an AFON 

qualifier at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin ity 

The last straw which jolted his employers was the humiliating 2- 

0 defeat handed the Super Eagles by less endowed Central Africa 

Republic in Lagos. At this stage, they felt it was time to let him go. 

Just a couple of weeks to the 2021 AFCON which Cameroon hosted 

last January. 

In his place, home boy, Austin Eguavoen was drafted to tinker 

the team at the AFCON, though on a temporary basis as another 

journeyman coach, Portuguese born Jose Peseiro was waiting in 

the wings to replace him after the competition. He later rejected 

the offer even before the contract was signed. 

Eguavoen led the team to dazzle in the group stage, becoming 

the only team that posted a hundred percent, winning all three 

games. Expectations were high. But because Eguavoen had no 

plan B, the Tunisians studied his style and demobilized the team. 

One goalkeeping error from Maduka Okoye was enough to seal 

their hope of advancing into the quarter finals. 

Left with the Qatar World Cup playoffs with perennial rivals 

Ghana, the NFF toyed with the idea of drafting in Emmanuel 

Amuneke to replace Eguavoen who was asked to return to his 

position as technical director of the Federation. 

After some arguments, it was gathered that Eguavoen still wanted 

to be in-charge. So he was dubbed interim technical adviser while 

Amuneke was made Chief Coach. 

It was a surprise that Eguavoen still had to invite new players 

into the AFCON team. He did himself in when he handed first 

team shirts to some of the new players who were playing on the 

African continent for the first time. 

Worse still, he never deviated from his wing tactics, the same 

way he played against the Tunisians. He didn’t think that the 

Ghanaians could also have studied his style and were prepared 

to check him. 

After pulling a scoreless draw in Kumasi, it didn’t occur to him 

that the pressure will be on his team who were now condemned 

to beating Ghana even if it is by half a goal. 

Like Okoye did at the AFCON, another goalkeeping error from 

Francis Uzoho put the Black Stars in the lead. Although the Super 

Eagles levelled up through a penalty, they couldn’t muster the 

strength to push on to get the winning goal. 

In 2006 in Kano against Angola, the Super Eagles played as if 

they didn’t know that a draw will give Angola the edge on head to 

head rule. He lost the ticket and missed the 18th World Cup hosted 

in Germany. 

In Abuja this time, they played as if the 1-1 draw was in their 

favour. No sign of urgency, no instructions from the technical bench. 

Even the substitutions made had no effect as the Ghanaians again 

pinned the Super Eagles on the wings and with no plan B, they 

were stuck as the absence of Wilfred Ndidi saw an ineffective 

midfield play to the advantage of the Black Stars who snatched 

the 2022 World Cup ticket from Nigeria. 

The procrastination by the NFF in sacking Rohr and his eventual 

replacement only a couple of weeks to the commencement of a 

major competition as well as Eguavoen’s inability to switch tactics 

against Ghana allowed the inevitable crash to happen.

PAGE 30 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022 — PAGE 31

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 3, 2022 

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