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C<br />
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•Edet Okon<br />
Evicted twice,<br />
abandoned by wife,<br />
homeless for 32yrs<br />
...Ex-Warrant Officer narrates<br />
ordeal in service<br />
15<br />
No rift between<br />
Obi and me<br />
—SOLUDO<br />
11<br />
2023:<br />
Match your words<br />
with action, CAN<br />
tasks presidential<br />
candidates<br />
9<br />
Nigeria Air: Court extends status quo order<br />
Nigeria’s growth momentum slows to 2.25% in Q3’22<br />
9<br />
19<br />
VOL. 39: NO. 9,931<br />
2023: APC makes<br />
U-turn, declares<br />
support for BVAS,<br />
8<br />
IReV<br />
DSS withdraws suit<br />
against ex-terrorists’<br />
8<br />
negotiator, Tukur Mamu<br />
NDDC:PANDEF,<br />
Itsekiri leaders,<br />
Ohanaeze divided<br />
over Onochie 12<br />
Why Niger Republic<br />
named road after<br />
Buhari —PRESIDENCY<br />
21<br />
BRAIN DRAIN:<br />
GLO FESTIVAL OF JOY LANDLORD...<br />
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
2nd Vanguard Mental Health Summit in Lagos...<br />
From left: Professor Taiwo Sheikh, immediate past President, Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria and Co-ordinator, Vanguard Mental<br />
Health Chatroom; Dr. Monica Eimunjeze, Ag. DG, NAFDAC; Dr. Segun Oke, Zonal Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,<br />
NDLEA, representing Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, Chairman/CEO, NDLEA; Dr. Osahon Enabulele, President, World Medical Association and<br />
Chairman of the occasion; Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, GM/Editor in Chief, Vanguard Media Limited, and Ms Chineze Amanfo, PR Lead,<br />
9mobile, at the 2nd Vanguard Mental Health Summit in Lagos yesterday. Photo Lamidi Bamidele<br />
We now have one doctor to 6,400<br />
patients —Medical experts<br />
5<br />
•Say Nigeria in emergency situation•38.7% of Nigerians suffer healthcare depreciation – NBS report•As<br />
NMA asks FG to act fast<br />
Vanguard Mental Health Summit:<br />
L-R: Winner of a<br />
House in<br />
Glo Festival of<br />
Joy Promo, Mr. Ola<br />
Owonifari<br />
Joseph; Speaker,<br />
Rivers State House<br />
of Assembly, Ikuinyi<br />
Ubani; Chief Whip,<br />
Rivers House of<br />
Assembly, Evans<br />
Bipi; and Globacom’s<br />
Regional Manager,<br />
Port Harcourt, Mr.<br />
Augustine Mamuro,<br />
at a prize<br />
presentation event<br />
held by the company<br />
in Port Harcourt,<br />
yesterday.<br />
COLUMNISTS DONU 16 A ZU 26 OWEI 17 ADEKOYA 18 20<br />
Nigeria ranks 1st among<br />
world’s Cannabis-use<br />
countries —BUBA MARWA<br />
Mr & Mrs<br />
20
C<br />
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2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022
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Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 3
C<br />
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4 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022
C<br />
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BRAIN DRAIN: We now have one<br />
doctor to 6,400 patients — Medical<br />
experts<br />
By Dayo Johnson &<br />
Joseph Erunke<br />
MEDICAL experts<br />
have raised the alarm<br />
that the ratio of doctors<br />
available in the country<br />
was now one to 6,400<br />
patients as a result of<br />
brain-drain.<br />
The experts, including<br />
the Chief Medical<br />
Director, University of<br />
Medical Sciences<br />
Teaching Hospital, Ondo<br />
State, Dr. Oluwole Ige,<br />
and an Associate<br />
Professor of Orthopaedic<br />
Rehabilitation, Obafemi<br />
Awolowo University, Ilelfe,<br />
Osun state, Dr.<br />
Teslim Onigbinde, spoke<br />
in Ondo at the 2nd<br />
induction<br />
of<br />
physiotherapists, who<br />
recently graduated from<br />
the University of<br />
Medical Sciences,<br />
UNIMED, Ondo.<br />
The figure is 5,900<br />
patients higher than the<br />
United Nations<br />
recommended ratio of<br />
one doctor to 500<br />
patients.<br />
It is also 1,400 patients<br />
higher than one doctor<br />
to 5,000 patients, the<br />
Nigerian Medical<br />
Association, NMA,<br />
declared, late last<br />
month, at its Anambra<br />
Chapter’s Physicians’<br />
Week and Scientific<br />
Conference in Nnewi.<br />
38.7% of<br />
Nigerians suffer<br />
healthcare<br />
depreciation<br />
Apart from poor access<br />
to doctors, access to<br />
health facilities is also a<br />
challenge, as the<br />
recently released multidimensional<br />
poverty by<br />
the National Bureau of<br />
Statistics survey showed<br />
• Say Nigeria in emergency situation• 38.7% of<br />
Nigerians suffer healthcare depreciation – NBS<br />
report•As NMA asks FG to act fast<br />
that more than one out of<br />
every three Nigerian<br />
suffers deprivation in<br />
terms of time to<br />
healthcare.<br />
According to the report,<br />
titled: “The 2022<br />
Multidimensional<br />
Poverty Index,” a<br />
household is deprived if<br />
it takes them 30 minutes<br />
or more to reach the<br />
nearest functional health<br />
facility or primary<br />
healthcare centre on<br />
foot.<br />
The survey revealed<br />
that 38.7 per cent of<br />
Nigerians spend more<br />
than 30 minutes to reach<br />
the nearest functional<br />
health facility.<br />
NMA Secretary<br />
General, Dr. Jide<br />
Onyekwelu, who spoke<br />
at the Nnewi event, had<br />
said the rate at which<br />
doctors were migrating<br />
for greener pastures<br />
posed serious manpower<br />
crisis in the health sector,<br />
noting that while the UN<br />
standard recommended<br />
an average of one doctor<br />
to 500 patients, the ratio<br />
had dropped to about<br />
1:5000 in Nigeria due to<br />
the declining number of<br />
doctors in the country.<br />
Current statistics,<br />
according to the medical<br />
experts at the induction<br />
ceremony in Ondo, the<br />
number has dropped<br />
further to 6,400 patients<br />
to one doctor.<br />
Dr. lge expressed<br />
worries over the rate at<br />
which medical<br />
professionals were<br />
leaving Nigeria in<br />
search of better<br />
opportunities abroad.<br />
He called for urgent<br />
measure to salvage the<br />
trend, saying: "the<br />
country is in dire<br />
emergency situation<br />
within the medical<br />
sector.”<br />
Ige, who spoke<br />
through, the Chairman,<br />
Medical Advisory<br />
Committee, CMAC, Dr.<br />
Michael Gbala,<br />
expressed mixed<br />
feelings that half of the<br />
34 inductees were<br />
already nursing the<br />
ambition to board the<br />
next flight to developed<br />
countries and appealed<br />
to medical personnel in<br />
Nigeria to always give a<br />
second thought before<br />
leaving the country.<br />
His words: "You<br />
(inductees) are coming<br />
at a time there is mass<br />
exodus of medical<br />
personnel. The<br />
university has taken<br />
about five years to train<br />
you, so Nigerians will<br />
be happy to have you<br />
around.<br />
"If your lecturers had<br />
left, they will not be<br />
around to train you. We<br />
are in a very serious<br />
situation. Except<br />
something is done, we<br />
might be heading<br />
From left: President Muhammadu Buhari with the President of Niger Republic,<br />
Mohammed Bazoum; President of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo and<br />
President of the Chadian Transition Government and Head of State, General<br />
Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in Niamey, Niger Republic yesterday.<br />
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 5<br />
POCKET CARTOON<br />
towards major crisis. I<br />
salute those who are still<br />
around, despite the<br />
challenging situation.<br />
"Wherever you may be,<br />
ensure you continue to<br />
retrain yourselves and<br />
be good ambassadors of<br />
the institution."<br />
On his part, Dr.<br />
Onigbinde described the<br />
ratio of doctors available<br />
to patients in the country<br />
as worrisome and<br />
stressed the urgent need<br />
to halt the brain drain in<br />
the health sector.<br />
‘Work in<br />
Nigeria first’<br />
The Vice Chancellor of<br />
the institution, Prof.<br />
Olusegun Fatusi, who<br />
was represented by the<br />
Deputy Vice Chancellor,<br />
Administration and<br />
Clinicals, Prof. Adolphus<br />
Loto, said the inductees<br />
could seek employment<br />
in any country they<br />
desire, but advised that<br />
they must ensure they<br />
worked in Nigeria first<br />
before travelling out of<br />
the country.<br />
"It is your right to seek<br />
employment anywhere<br />
in the world because it is<br />
part of the international<br />
labour mobility. But my<br />
advice is that before you<br />
leave, you must get a job<br />
here.<br />
"Many people cannot<br />
come back because there<br />
By Matthew Johnson &<br />
Prudence George<br />
On 133m Nigerians living in poverty and way forward<br />
is nothing to fall back on.<br />
You have two goals in<br />
your career; to solve<br />
societal problems and to<br />
solve personal problems.<br />
"We are proud of you<br />
and your achievement so<br />
far. The induction<br />
programme, as you have<br />
been well-tutored, is not<br />
a mere ceremony. It is a<br />
critical rite of passage<br />
into a new life – the life<br />
of professional health<br />
workers, and specifically<br />
your entry into the<br />
distinguished and<br />
rewarding profession of<br />
physiotherapy."<br />
Also, the Dean, Faculty<br />
of<br />
Medical<br />
Rehabilitation, Prof.<br />
Matthew Olaogun,<br />
advised the inductees to<br />
remain focused on their<br />
chosen career, and<br />
pursue what they had<br />
learned in the university<br />
with the spirit of<br />
godliness and<br />
excellence.<br />
He also expressed<br />
concern over the rate<br />
doctors were relocating<br />
abroad, leaving the<br />
health sector in dire<br />
straits.<br />
The Registrar, Medical<br />
Rehabilitation Body of<br />
Nigeria, Olufunke<br />
Akanni, represented by<br />
the Deputy Registrar, Mr<br />
Akinyele Adeniran,<br />
admonished them to be<br />
watchful of hospitals<br />
Continues on Page 35<br />
THE rates at which<br />
company and other investors<br />
are running away from<br />
Nigeria is contributing to rate<br />
of poverty. As a nation, we depend<br />
mostly on imported item<br />
and our exportation of goods<br />
to other country is very low. In<br />
order to drag the statistics down<br />
we need to be a productive<br />
country.<br />
—Oyindamola Owolabi,<br />
Brand Ambassador<br />
THE NBS statistic is<br />
a clarion call that<br />
something should be done<br />
urgently to prevent Nigeria<br />
from descending into<br />
anarchy. 133 million people<br />
are a threat to the peace<br />
of any nation. The federal<br />
government should act fast<br />
to bring down the numbers.<br />
—Ado Fatima,<br />
Student<br />
WHEN a country’s<br />
investment policies<br />
are not favorable for local<br />
and foreign investors, that<br />
is what you get; a mob of<br />
hungry people. If nothing<br />
is done urgently, the numbers<br />
will continue to rise<br />
and only God knows what<br />
will become of the rich people.<br />
—Yamano Isaac,<br />
Student<br />
ITS true that inflation<br />
rate is over 20% which<br />
is directly proportional to<br />
an increase in the cost of<br />
living while earning capacity<br />
remain the same, thus<br />
shoving people below the<br />
poverty index. Something<br />
needs to be done very fast<br />
to remedy the situation.<br />
—Daniel Ololo,<br />
Pharmacologist<br />
IT all boils down to<br />
the economy and cost<br />
of living which is relatively<br />
very high. Unfortunately<br />
we no longer have middle<br />
class citizens in Nigeria.<br />
You are either poor or<br />
rich. When the number of<br />
poor people is more that<br />
rich people in any nation,<br />
there is serious danger.<br />
— Lori Anthony,<br />
Industrialist<br />
THE NBS figures are<br />
scary should be taken<br />
seriously by the federal<br />
government. The solution<br />
is to intensify the fight<br />
against corruption with a<br />
more robust anti-corruption<br />
policy. We also need a<br />
strong fiscal policy to drive<br />
the economy.<br />
—Nwankwo Chibuzor,<br />
Businessman
6 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
Flood victims<br />
protest in Delta,<br />
accuse govt<br />
officials of sharp<br />
practices<br />
•Your complaints'll<br />
be addressed —Govt<br />
By Festus Ahon<br />
ASABA—AGGRIEVED flood<br />
victims from Isoko, Delta State,<br />
yesterday, stormed Asaba, the state<br />
capital, vowing to hold 'mother of all<br />
protests’, if they are not compensated<br />
within 14 days.<br />
The aggrieved victims, numbering<br />
over 100, who besieged the gate of the<br />
State Government House, alleged that<br />
there were corrupt practices in the<br />
manner they were demobilised from<br />
their respective Internally Displaced<br />
Persons, IDP camps.<br />
They alleged that several millions of<br />
naira meant for flood victims have found<br />
their way into private pockets.<br />
Carrying placards with different<br />
inscriptions, one of the protesters, who<br />
simply gave his name as Ewoma, decried<br />
the alleged fraudulent and corrupt way<br />
some government officials in charge of<br />
the compensation carried out the<br />
exercise.<br />
Ewoma said: "Even the St. Michaels<br />
College IDPs camp, Oleh, was full of<br />
discrimination and was used as a conduit<br />
to loot government treasury.<br />
"An aide (names withheld) of a top<br />
Government official (names withheld)<br />
from the area, was larger than life at the<br />
camp, ejecting, rejecting and treating<br />
victims with disdain while accepting<br />
only victims from his area, Igbide<br />
community and Uzere community<br />
where his godfather hails from.<br />
“We were not taken good care of, and<br />
when government officials came to Oleh<br />
to pay victims compensation of N50,000<br />
and N100,000 each as the case may be,<br />
to our surprise, people that were being<br />
paid were strangers with strange faces,<br />
their family members, girlfriends who<br />
were never seen any day at the ICS camp.<br />
“For every 20 names that they called,<br />
only two or three will come out among<br />
the real flood victims while those paid<br />
were never known to us or even seen in<br />
the camp. The payment the government<br />
officials came for was just a mere<br />
jamboree to amass illicit wealth to our<br />
detriment.<br />
"The fraud and corruption that took<br />
place at the ICS IDP camp were<br />
enormous. Those government officials<br />
only came to pay themselves, not flood<br />
victims with what happened last week<br />
at the ICS IDP camp, Oleh."<br />
Chief Economic Adviser to the state<br />
governor, Mr. Kingsley Emu, who<br />
addressed the protesters, told them to<br />
remain calm and promised to take their<br />
complaints to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa<br />
for appropriate and immediate action.<br />
:Vanguard<br />
News<br />
•The protesting flood victims.<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
Suspected ritualist murders<br />
7-year-old girl in Ogun<br />
By James Ogunnaike,<br />
ABEOKUTA—A seven-year-old<br />
girl was, yesterday, murdered by<br />
a suspected ritualist in Ota, Ado-Odo/<br />
Ota Local Government Area of Ogun<br />
State.<br />
Vanguard reliably gathered that the<br />
incident happened around 7am at Kilani<br />
Street, Iyana Iyesi area of Ota.<br />
It was gathered that the victim was<br />
sent on an errand by her mother's<br />
neighbour, to get her something from<br />
the house, when she was killed.<br />
It was gathered that when the girl<br />
entered the house, the suspected ritualist,<br />
who had hidden somewhere in the<br />
Joint Task Force<br />
nabs 2 suspected<br />
kidnappers,<br />
rescues 3 victims<br />
Couple, one other in Police net for killing hotelier<br />
By James Ogunnaike<br />
A<br />
couple, Larry Adebayo Adewumi<br />
and Okereke Olufunmilayo, has<br />
been arrested by operatives of Ogun<br />
State Police Command, alongside one<br />
Adebowale Sanni, over the abduction<br />
and killing of the Director of Rolak<br />
Hotel, Ijebu Ode, Abayomi Smith, after<br />
collecting N15 million ransom.<br />
The State Police Command Public<br />
Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi,<br />
disclosed that Smith was kidnapped on<br />
September 28, 2020, at about 7.30am,<br />
at Anifowose Estate, Igbeba, Ijebu Ode,<br />
by some gunmen.<br />
Oyeyemi said: "On receiving the<br />
information about the kidnap, men of<br />
the anti-kidnapping unit were mobilized<br />
to commence an investigation, but all<br />
efforts to get the victim out of captivity<br />
proved abortive, even though the victim's<br />
family paid a ransom of N15 million to<br />
the abductors.<br />
building, attacked her and smashed her<br />
head with a pestle.<br />
The girl's cry for help attracted the<br />
neighbour’s attention, but she was dead<br />
before anybody could arrive at the scene.<br />
A resident of the area, who simply<br />
identified herself as Abefe, told our<br />
correspondent that neighbours searched<br />
for the suspect, but he was nowhere to be<br />
found.<br />
The source added that police had<br />
visited the area to assess the scene of the<br />
incident.<br />
The police have taken away the body<br />
of the little. I know the girl very well, we<br />
used to call her 'Mama'. The suspect<br />
killed her in cold blood. At first, we<br />
"Since then, police operatives have<br />
not relented in their efforts to fish<br />
out those behind the devilish act.<br />
"The efforts of the SP Taiwo<br />
Opadiran-led team yielded positive<br />
results in September this year when<br />
they got wind of the plan by the<br />
hoodlums to strike again, this time,<br />
the wife and son of Otunba Ajayi<br />
Smith were their target.<br />
"The team, having got the<br />
intelligence report, embarked on<br />
technical surveillance for the<br />
suspects, consequence upon which<br />
one of them was traced to Ikeji<br />
Arakeji in Osun State, where the 55<br />
years old Adebowale Sanni was<br />
apprehended.<br />
"On interrogation, he confessed to<br />
having been on the trail of Yeye<br />
Olusola Roseline Ajayi, the wife of<br />
their earlier victim, Otunba Ajayi<br />
Smith to kidnap her, on the order of<br />
Larry Adebayo Adewumi, the ring<br />
Gunmen kill 4 policemen, kidnap target in Port<br />
Harcourt<br />
By Davies Iheamnachor<br />
PORT<br />
HARCOURT—<br />
GUNMEN, yesterday, attacked a<br />
convoy in Port Harcourt, Rivers State,<br />
killing four policemen, kidnapped a<br />
man and carted away an undisclosed<br />
amount of money.<br />
The criminals reportedly struck<br />
around 3pm, on top of the recently<br />
constructed Rumuokoro Flyover, in<br />
Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of<br />
the state, shooting sporadically at<br />
moving cars.<br />
It was learned that the criminals had<br />
arrived at the scene earlier and hanged<br />
LASTMA recovers pump-action rifle<br />
inside impounded vehicle<br />
A<br />
pump-action rifle was discovered<br />
inside an unregistered Honda car<br />
impounded by personnel of Lagos State<br />
Traffic Management Authority,<br />
LASTMA, for driving against traffic,<br />
yesterday.<br />
The General Manager of LASTMA,<br />
Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, said, in a statement<br />
by the Director, Public Affairs<br />
Department, Mr. Taofiq Adebayo, that<br />
the black Honda car was apprehended<br />
by the patrol team of the agency, while<br />
driving against traffic around Sango-<br />
Tedo, Abijo GRA, on Lagos-Epe<br />
expressway.<br />
According to him, when the driver of<br />
the unregistered vehicle noticed that the<br />
gun had been sighted inside his car, he<br />
took to his heels.<br />
The general manager said that both<br />
the car and the recovered gun had been<br />
handed over to the Divisional Police<br />
Officer at Ilasan for further investigation.<br />
Oreagba appealed to members of the<br />
public to be security conscious and<br />
report any suspicious movement within<br />
their environment to security agencies.<br />
on for their victims and that the bandits<br />
operated successfully without<br />
interference from any counterforce.<br />
An eyewitness said the development<br />
caused panic, adding that the criminals<br />
whisked away the yet-to-be-known<br />
personality whom the policemen were<br />
providing security for after killing four<br />
policemen in the convoy.<br />
He said: "This afternoon, around 3<br />
pm we heard gunshots on top of the<br />
flyover. We earlier thought it was security<br />
men that were shooting because they<br />
were in military uniform.<br />
"The shooting continued while cars<br />
that were at the foot of the flyover have to<br />
stop. The boys killed four policemen that<br />
were escorting a big man.<br />
"They carried money from that convoy<br />
and kidnapped the big man. After that,<br />
they entered their car and drove off.<br />
“The State Police Public Relations<br />
Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, who<br />
confirmed the attack, said three<br />
policemen were involved, adding that<br />
there were not many details on what<br />
transpired.<br />
thought it was a thief, but further findings<br />
revealed that the guy is a ritualist,” she<br />
said<br />
Our correspondent further gathered<br />
that the unknown ritualist had been<br />
hibernating in an empty building in the<br />
area.<br />
“When we searched further, we<br />
discovered that the man had charms and<br />
a goat hidden in an empty building close<br />
to his victim's house. When we got there,<br />
we saw the charm and a goat. The goat<br />
attacked one of us, but it was later killed.<br />
This is a sad occurrence,” another source<br />
stated.<br />
The Ogun State Police Public Relations<br />
Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, expressed<br />
shock when he was informed of the<br />
incident.<br />
He, however, said he would get details<br />
from the concerned police division and<br />
revert.<br />
leader, whose wife Olufunmilayo<br />
happened to be an employee of<br />
Otunba Ajayi Smith.<br />
"He confessed further that it was<br />
Larry who described the location of<br />
the victim's hotel and his other<br />
business outfits to him with<br />
instruction that if they succeeded in<br />
kidnapping the woman and her son,<br />
the two of them must be killed after<br />
collecting ransom in order not to leave<br />
any trait, just as they did to her<br />
husband two years ago.<br />
"His confession led to the arrest of<br />
Larry's wife, Olufunmilayo, who was<br />
a manager at the victim's building<br />
materials shops.<br />
"Larry himself was arrested three<br />
days after, he initially denied having<br />
anything to do with the kidnap of<br />
Otunba Abayomi Ajayi Smith, but<br />
when he came face-to-face with<br />
Adebowale Sanni, his accomplice,<br />
he knew that the game was up.<br />
"Preliminary investigation<br />
revealed that Larry, who is an indigene<br />
•Suspected killers of the hotelier.<br />
By Rotimi Ojomoyela<br />
ADO-EKITI—THE Joint Task<br />
Force, JTF, comprising<br />
combined forces of the Military, Police,<br />
Amotekun Corps and local hunters,<br />
said it arrested two suspected<br />
kidnappers, during a joint operation<br />
at Irele-Kogi border area of Ekiti<br />
State.<br />
The combined forces, under<br />
operation 'Eradicate Bandit at the<br />
Borders of Rural Ajoni Communities',<br />
EBBORAC, added that it recovered part<br />
of the N3 million collected from the<br />
victims.<br />
Addressing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti,<br />
yesterday, the Chairman of Ajoni LCDA,<br />
Michael Ogungbemi, disclosed that<br />
the suspects were nabbed during a joint<br />
operation inside the sprawling forest<br />
at Irele-Kogi border area.<br />
Ogungbemi said the operation<br />
became so terrific that the kidnappers<br />
hurriedly freed three victims from<br />
captivity, which provided a lead for the<br />
JTF to proceed with the combing<br />
operation of all forests in the axis.<br />
He said: "When they knew that the<br />
operation was closing in on them, three<br />
victims in their possession were<br />
suddenly released this afternoon. This<br />
further provided a lead for the<br />
operation.<br />
"Part of the ransom collected from<br />
the victims was recovered and the<br />
released victims are now in the hospital<br />
receiving medical treatments."<br />
The JTF also succeeded in<br />
apprehending two suspects, who are<br />
now undergoing interrogation and<br />
investigation by the police.<br />
of Ilesha Osun State, used to be a<br />
fraudster before he graduated into<br />
full-time kidnapping business.<br />
"His modus operandi was to scout<br />
for a rich victim, after which he will<br />
mobilise the gang working for him<br />
to go after such person.<br />
"He got full information about<br />
Otunba Ajayi Smith through his<br />
wife, Olufunmilayo, who was an<br />
employee of the man.<br />
"Further investigation revealed<br />
that Larry has two bank accounts<br />
where he used to keep money<br />
realized from his criminal<br />
activities."<br />
In one of the accounts, with<br />
number 0010913206, domicile in<br />
JAIZ Bank, the sum of N34,953,<br />
455 was discovered there in, while<br />
he has the sum of N4, 576, 846, in<br />
another account with Access Bank.<br />
A 2014 model Toyota<br />
Highlander was also recovered<br />
from him.
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 7<br />
:Vanguard<br />
News<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES:<br />
Social Media Conversation<br />
•Bandits terrorising the Nigerians unabated.<br />
Panic in Zamfara as bandits demand<br />
N60m as peace deal levy<br />
A<br />
'compensation levy' of<br />
varying amounts has<br />
reportedly been imposed on<br />
some communities in Zurmi<br />
LGA of Zamfara State.<br />
A resident of Moriki, in one of<br />
the communities in the local<br />
council, Aliyu Buhari, said the<br />
bandits had, through released<br />
captives, demanded that they be<br />
paid the levy before residents will<br />
be allowed access to their<br />
farmlands.<br />
Buhari said some<br />
communities have paid and<br />
agreed on a reconciliation deal<br />
with the bandits, adding that<br />
residents of Moriki are currently<br />
working on raising the levy.<br />
"People living in Moriki ward<br />
were asked to pay the sum of N20<br />
million to be able to enjoy some<br />
level of peace,” he said.<br />
Recently, two people were<br />
kidnapped from Dauran<br />
community in the council and<br />
a ransom was paid for their<br />
release, while in Kanwa, over 40<br />
people, who are mostly women,<br />
were abducted during a houseto-house<br />
search by the terrorists.<br />
The bandits are yet to demand<br />
any ransom for the release of the<br />
abducted persons.<br />
The bandits had earlier<br />
imposed a compensation levy of<br />
N20 million on Kanwa<br />
community. The levy is to serve<br />
as a peace deal between the<br />
terrorists and the community.<br />
Despite paying the levy, the<br />
residents are currently living in<br />
tension, as they believe that the<br />
recent mass abduction may lead<br />
to another levy.<br />
Each household to<br />
contribute N6,500<br />
"Currently, people of Moriki<br />
community are processing how<br />
to contribute the compensation<br />
fee. The fee is to enable them to<br />
access their farmlands and live<br />
peacefully without any fear of<br />
attack,” Buhari continued.<br />
Many communities have<br />
already paid the compensation<br />
fee. Most of them yielded during<br />
the rainy season, when farmers<br />
needed to work on their<br />
farmlands.<br />
“In Moriki, during the<br />
rainy season, people were<br />
allowed to farm, but they<br />
started to threaten our peace<br />
when it was time to harvest<br />
our farm produce.<br />
"Each household in Moriki<br />
has been asked to contribute<br />
N6,500 to make up the N20<br />
million levy.<br />
“I understand that the<br />
deadline for the payment was<br />
last week Saturday, but the<br />
community is still working<br />
towards sourcing the money.<br />
“Some communities that<br />
have been asked to pay<br />
compensation levy include<br />
Gidan Shaho, Kadamutsa,<br />
and Dada.”<br />
About 10<br />
communities<br />
levied<br />
Suleiman Mahmud, a<br />
resident of Zurmi, who also<br />
spoke on the development,<br />
said about 10 communities<br />
were asked to pay levies of<br />
different amounts.<br />
He added that some have<br />
paid, while others are yet to<br />
raise the money.<br />
"In Moriki community,<br />
they were asked to pay N20<br />
million. The residents have<br />
resolved to pay, but I am not<br />
sure if it has been delivered to<br />
the terrorists.<br />
“They usually inform<br />
people of any community<br />
they attack about their<br />
demands. They either inform<br />
a freed captive or deliver the<br />
message whenever they<br />
attack communities.<br />
“Ever since they agreed on<br />
paying a reconciliation levy<br />
in July, they have not attacked<br />
the people of Moriki and the<br />
people have been going<br />
about their affairs."<br />
Last week, two residents<br />
were kidnapped from their<br />
farmlands, while one person<br />
was killed around Dauran<br />
area.<br />
Some of the communities that<br />
have agreed on a peace deal and<br />
have paid the compensation levy<br />
include Kwagwami, Boko, Jaya,<br />
Dunfawa, and Gidan Goga.<br />
The communities are about 10<br />
in Zurmi LGA. Like Kanwa, they<br />
imposed N20 million; Jaya, N17<br />
million; Moriki, N20 million,<br />
while Kwagwami, N6.5 million.<br />
Mahmud also said some<br />
residents of Kwagwami were<br />
kidnapped recently, adding that<br />
the abductees are still in captivity,<br />
except the district head who has<br />
been freed.<br />
Another man's meat...!<br />
Just bury the ‘dirt' in colour bo!<br />
...And when hunger births anger?<br />
Remember your children too ooo!
8 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
AWARD—From<br />
left: Mrs. Dupe<br />
Olusola, MD/<br />
CEO, Transcorp<br />
Hotels Plc.,<br />
and Islam el-<br />
Maddah, hotel<br />
Manager,<br />
Transcorp Hilton<br />
Abuja, with the<br />
hotel's World<br />
Travel Awards.<br />
Transcorp Hilton<br />
won five awards,<br />
including Africa's<br />
Leading Business<br />
Hotel, at the<br />
awards<br />
ceremony, in<br />
Nairobi.<br />
2023: APC makes U-turn, expresses<br />
full support for BVAS, IReV<br />
•We can't jettison our own initiative, it says<br />
•There’s no going back on BVAS —INEC<br />
•Says reports that we won’t use BVAS, fake news<br />
•Notes poll will be watershed in Nigeria’s history<br />
By Henry Umoru &<br />
Omeiza Ajayi<br />
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN of<br />
the ruling All Progressives<br />
Congress, APC, Senator<br />
Abdullahi Adamu, has disclaimed<br />
reports that he was opposed to<br />
the deployment of the Bimodal<br />
Voter Accreditation System,<br />
BVAS, and the Independent<br />
National Electoral Commission,<br />
INEC, Results Viewing Portal,<br />
IReV, for next year's general<br />
elections.<br />
At a news conference in<br />
Abuja,yesterday, Adamu said he<br />
was only expressing reservations<br />
about the challenges of electricity<br />
supply and irregular<br />
telecommunication signals in<br />
outlining voting districts of the<br />
country.<br />
At a meeting with the preelection<br />
delegation of the<br />
Commonwealth Election<br />
Observation Mission on<br />
Wednesday in Abuja, Senator<br />
Adamu had said: "First, I was<br />
privileged to serve as a Senator.<br />
Our concern is how ready are we<br />
to deploy some of these<br />
technologies as regards<br />
transmission because we are<br />
taking a major step in transmitting<br />
election results in real time.<br />
"To transmit results, every part<br />
of the nation Nigeria, I am not<br />
sure that the network covers it. I<br />
know that even in parts of Abuja,<br />
there is no network and we have<br />
from now till February when in<br />
substantial parts of the country<br />
there is no electricity?<br />
"INEC must assure us 100<br />
percent that as and when due in<br />
transmitting results, they are<br />
ready because they spoke about<br />
recharging batteries but we had<br />
in previous elections when it said<br />
it could not recharge."<br />
At the same meeting, National<br />
Organizing Secretary of the party,<br />
Ambassador Suleiman Argungu<br />
had also said the new technology<br />
may not work in his home state,<br />
Kebbi.<br />
I didn't oppose<br />
BVAS, IreV; I only<br />
expressed concern<br />
over INEC<br />
readiness to deploy<br />
However, Adamu, yesterday,<br />
said he was grossly misquoted.<br />
Represented by the National<br />
Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix<br />
Morka, he said: "You would recall<br />
that on Wednesday, the National<br />
Chairman of our party and some<br />
members of the National Working<br />
Committee, NWC, hosted a<br />
delegation from the<br />
Commonwealth pre-election<br />
mission to discuss with the party<br />
regarding preparations that the<br />
country is making for next year's<br />
general election.<br />
"In the course of that meeting,<br />
the national chairman responded<br />
to a couple of questions asked by<br />
the delegation and one of them<br />
had to do with the state of<br />
preparedness of the country, the<br />
party and INEC to conduct next<br />
year's election.<br />
"In his response to one of those<br />
questions especially on the one<br />
regarding the preparedness for<br />
the election, the national<br />
chairman noted with respect to<br />
the deployment of new<br />
technologies that while INEC has<br />
taken these bold steps to put in<br />
place these technologies, he<br />
simply tasked INEC to ensure<br />
that they are able to bridge all of<br />
the gaps that may be created by<br />
both electricity and<br />
telecommunication challenges<br />
especially in outlying voting<br />
districts of the country. I was in<br />
the meeting and I heard the<br />
context in which he was speaking<br />
but unfortunately, this morning<br />
we read reports that the national<br />
chairman was averse to<br />
deployment of BVAS and IReV.<br />
That was a gross misstatement of<br />
what the national chairman said."<br />
In a follow up statement to back<br />
the position of the party, Morka<br />
said "media reports that Chairman<br />
Adamu kicked against INEC’s<br />
decision to deploy BVAS and<br />
electronic transmission of results<br />
is patently false, and constitutes<br />
an unfair misrepresentation of the<br />
National Chairman’s comments.<br />
"To be clear, Chairman Adamu<br />
did not kick against the<br />
deployment of BVAS or electronic<br />
transmission of results as<br />
erroneously reported by sections<br />
of the media.<br />
"The APC administration of<br />
President Muhammadu Buhari<br />
midwived the successful reform of<br />
the Electoral Act, the<br />
introduction of BVAS among<br />
other technological innovations,<br />
and has superintended the<br />
conduct of credible, free, fair and<br />
transparent elections in Edo,<br />
Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states.<br />
"Our party and government<br />
remain committed to the highest<br />
levels of electoral transparency<br />
and democratic consolidation in<br />
our country."<br />
We're not afraid<br />
Also, the APC Presidential<br />
Campaign Council, PCC,<br />
expressed its readiness for the<br />
election, saying it is not afraid of<br />
the deployment of BVAS or any<br />
new technology.“Director APC<br />
PCC National Youth<br />
Mobilization, North Central,<br />
Hon. Mike Msuaan said APC<br />
has done a lot of mobilization to<br />
the effect that if elections were<br />
conducted today, it would deliver<br />
70 percent of the total votes cast<br />
to its presidential candidate,<br />
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.<br />
On the issue of electronic<br />
transmission of election results<br />
and whether the APC was afraid<br />
of new technologies, he said:<br />
"Why should the APC be afraid of<br />
BVAS and electronic transfer of<br />
results when the youths are<br />
strongly behind us? Why should<br />
we be afraid? I told you that if<br />
election is conducted tomorrow we<br />
are going to win. They are the<br />
ones running after us. We have<br />
already given them more than 30<br />
percent gap ahead and by<br />
tomorrow if elections are<br />
conducted we would give them<br />
more than 50 percent.<br />
"We are very comfortable with<br />
the arrangements made by INEC.<br />
We are going to win with that<br />
because that has taken care of<br />
the manipulation of those who<br />
want to do yahoo yahoo on<br />
Election Day.”<br />
No going back on<br />
BVAS —INEC<br />
Meanwhile, INEC has said any<br />
news that it planned to stop the<br />
deployment of the BVAS and IReV<br />
should be considered by<br />
Nigerians as fake news, insisting<br />
there is no going back on their<br />
usage.<br />
In his goodwill message,<br />
yesterday, in Abuja at the start of<br />
a 2-Day capacity building for<br />
journalists and CSOs on conflictsensitive<br />
reporting during the<br />
2023 general election and<br />
countering fake news for the<br />
North Central zone, the Director<br />
of Voters Education and Publicity<br />
of Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr<br />
Victor Aluko, said news that<br />
INEC would not use BVAS is<br />
fake news, adding that the<br />
commission is guided by the<br />
principles of one man, one vote.<br />
According to him, any news<br />
about threat to remove the INEC<br />
Chairman, Professor Mahmood<br />
Yakubu and that there will be no<br />
electronic transmission of results<br />
should all be considered as fake<br />
news.<br />
He said the commission was<br />
preparing for no less than 70 per<br />
cent turnout, just like Ghana did,<br />
stressing that the 2023 elections<br />
was going to be the mother of all<br />
elections.<br />
Aluko, who also noted that 2023<br />
elections would be a watershed<br />
in the history of Nigeria, said: "Let<br />
me assure you that news that<br />
INEC will not use Bimodal Voters<br />
Accreditation System is fake news<br />
and that the commission is<br />
guided by the principles of one<br />
man one vote.<br />
''Any news about threats to<br />
remove the INEC Chairman is<br />
fake news; 2023 elections will be<br />
a watershed in the history of<br />
Nigeria."<br />
The Capacity building<br />
programme was organised by the<br />
Centre for Democracy and<br />
Development, CDD, and the<br />
INEC in conjunction with the<br />
Nigeria Union of Journalists,<br />
NUJ.<br />
Earlier in his keynote<br />
presentation on the Role of Media<br />
in the Conduct of Peaceful<br />
Elections, the National<br />
President of NUJ, Chris Isiguzo,<br />
said that the inability of other<br />
stakeholders in the media<br />
industry to agree with the NUJ<br />
on some aspects to be inserted in<br />
the Code of Ethics for Journalism<br />
practice in the country had led to<br />
the delay in the release of the<br />
document.<br />
Isiguzo, who assured journalists<br />
that the revised version of the<br />
document would give them some<br />
measure of protection, expressed<br />
confidence that before long, the<br />
NUJ and stakeholders would tie<br />
all loose ends and the document<br />
would be finally released.<br />
He said: "The NUJ, the Guild<br />
of Editors, Newspapers<br />
Proprietors of Nigeria, NPAN, and<br />
Guild of Corporate Online<br />
Publishers of Nigeria, GOCOP,<br />
and Broadcasting Organisation of<br />
Nigeria, BON, among others, all<br />
gathered and said there was need<br />
to design a framework for media<br />
practice in the country.<br />
"Last week, we adopted a<br />
substantial part of this document;<br />
one, talks about having an<br />
ombudsman that will be able to<br />
moderate media activities in the<br />
country and of course a revised<br />
Code of Ethics for media practice<br />
for journalists in the country.''<br />
Muslim/Muslim ticket: Northern<br />
APC members to declare position<br />
soon ----Dogara group<br />
By Levinus<br />
Nwabughiogu &<br />
Olayinka Ajayi<br />
ABUJA—SOME aggrieved<br />
Northern Christian Leaders in<br />
the All Progressives Congress, APC,<br />
yesterday, said they were yet to<br />
endorse a presidential candidate in<br />
2023.<br />
The development came on the<br />
heels of a media report that the<br />
chairman of the group and former<br />
Secretary to the Government of the<br />
Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal<br />
has pitched his tent with the<br />
presidential candidate of the Labour<br />
Party, LP, Peter Obi.<br />
In a statement, the group, led by<br />
the former Speaker of the House of<br />
Representatives, Yakubu Dogara<br />
said they would make their support<br />
public soon.<br />
The statement titled 'RE: Dogara,<br />
Babachir Lawal-led Northern APC<br />
Members Dump Tinubu, Declare<br />
Support For Peter Obi', however,<br />
said that Lawal was entitled to his<br />
opinion to declare his support for<br />
anyone.<br />
The statement, signed by Mr<br />
Yakubu Dogara, Simon Achuba,<br />
Albert Atiwurcha, Prof Doknan<br />
Sheni, Mela A. Nunge, SAN, Gen<br />
Ishaya Bauka (retd), Prof Ibrahim<br />
Haruna and Mrs Leah Olusiyi,<br />
reads: "We want to draw the<br />
attention of the general public to<br />
the recent position canvassed by<br />
our Chairman, Engr Babachir<br />
Lawal as the position of our Group.<br />
We wish to state that necessary<br />
consultations have been<br />
concluded, and based on manifestly<br />
unassailable empirical data, the<br />
group is poised to adopt a position<br />
which will be made known to the<br />
public at an interfaith event to be<br />
held very soon.<br />
"Suffice it to say that no one in<br />
the group including the Chairman<br />
has been mandated to speak to the<br />
public about our position at this<br />
material time. Based on our modus<br />
operandi, our position was meant<br />
to be presented to the general public<br />
at the event above referred to. That<br />
has not changed.<br />
"Consequently, the decision to<br />
endorse a particular candidate and<br />
the statement credited to the<br />
chairman are solely the decision<br />
and views of the Chairman which<br />
he is entitled to but not that of the<br />
DSS withdraws suit against<br />
ex-terrorists’ negotiator,<br />
Tukur Mamu<br />
ABUJA—THE Department of<br />
State Services, DSS, yesterday<br />
withdrew a suit filed at a Federal<br />
High Court, Abuja to detain the<br />
former terrorists’ negotiator, Tukur<br />
Mamu, for 60 more days after his<br />
arrest.<br />
DSS’ counsel, A.M. Danlami,<br />
told Justice Nkeonye Maha after<br />
the matter was called for hearing.<br />
The suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/<br />
1619/2022 between SSS and Tukur<br />
Mamu, was listed for further<br />
proceedings on the day’s cause list.<br />
Upon resumed hearing, Danlami,<br />
who sought to withdraw the case,<br />
said that the matter has been<br />
overtaken by event.<br />
“My lord, this matter is slated for<br />
hearing today. However, the matter<br />
has been overtaken by event. We<br />
wish to withdraw the suit,” he said.<br />
Following the application, Justice<br />
Maha struck out the suit.<br />
“Application of the learned<br />
counsel succeeds. The application<br />
is hereby struck out having been<br />
withdrawn,” she ruled.<br />
The security agency, through its<br />
lawyer, Ahmed Magaji, had, on<br />
September 13, moved a motion exparte,<br />
which sought an order of the<br />
court to detain Mamu for 60 more<br />
group.<br />
"We hope this statement clears<br />
all the queries most of us have been<br />
inundated with on this allimportant<br />
subject matter."<br />
Why I dumped Atiku,<br />
endorsed Obi —Ex-SGF<br />
Earlier, the former SGF, Mr Lawal,<br />
yesterday, explained why he<br />
endorsed Mr Peter Obi and dumped<br />
the Presidential candidate of the<br />
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,<br />
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.<br />
Lawal, in a statement,<br />
recommended LP candidates to<br />
Nigerians, saying they would<br />
ensure justice, equity, fairness and<br />
unity in the country.<br />
The statement reads: "As one of<br />
the foremost critics of APC's singlefaith<br />
presidential ticket and also in<br />
difference to those who have<br />
patiently waited for our guidance<br />
as to where to pitch our tent, after a<br />
painstaking review and analysis of<br />
the alternative presidential tickets,<br />
we now wish to recommend the<br />
Obi/Datti presidential ticket.<br />
"We wish to briefly narrate a few<br />
reasons among many, why we have<br />
endorsed this ticket and recommend<br />
it to all Nigerians of good conscience<br />
who desire justice, equity and a<br />
harmonious co-existence of all<br />
Nigerians across tribes, religions<br />
and geopolitical regions.<br />
"It is an indisputable fact that the<br />
whole of Northern Nigeria is<br />
currently mired in several<br />
intractable socio-economic<br />
problems, due to the activities of<br />
several nebulous criminal groups.<br />
"In our quest for justice and<br />
equity in the socio-political and<br />
religious space of the country, it is<br />
obvious that only the Obi/Datti<br />
ticket has the potential to deliver."<br />
2023 polls 'll be a runoff<br />
Earlier speaking on a Channels<br />
Television programme tagged<br />
Politics Today, the former SGF said<br />
he warned the Presidential<br />
Candidate of the APC, Asiwaju<br />
Bola Tinubu over the dangers of<br />
same faith ticket.<br />
Predicting the outcome of the<br />
2023 presidential election, he said:<br />
"This election will go to a run-off as<br />
the chances of ending on the first<br />
ballot are slim. APC is not on this<br />
ballot.<br />
days in the first instance, pending<br />
the conclusion of its investigation.<br />
The motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/<br />
CS/1617/2022, was dated and filed<br />
on September 12.<br />
It urged the court to grant its reliefs<br />
to enable it conclude its<br />
investigation on Mamu, who had<br />
been leading the negotiation with<br />
the terrorists for the release of the<br />
Abuja-Kaduna train passengers<br />
kidnapped in March.<br />
Almost six months after the<br />
Abuja-Kaduna train passengers<br />
were kidnapped by Boko Haram<br />
terrorists, the remaining 23<br />
kidnapped victims finally regained<br />
their freedom on Oct. 5 following<br />
the Federal Government‘s<br />
intervention.<br />
Mamu was, on September 6,<br />
arrested in Cairo, capital of Egypt,<br />
with his family members by foreign<br />
security agents.<br />
Mamu, who was on his way to<br />
Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj, was<br />
detained at Cairo International<br />
Airport before being repatriated back<br />
to Nigeria.<br />
Meanwhile, the DSS, in the<br />
affidavit in support of the ex-parte<br />
motion, alleged that its preliminary<br />
investigation established the<br />
offences of logistic supplier, aiding<br />
and abetting acts of terrorism against<br />
Mamu.
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 9<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
PRESENTATION—DMD, Zenith Bank, Adaora Umeoji; Founder/CEO, Foris Lab, Onuigbo<br />
Chukwubuikem; Founder/CEO, Ecotutu, Babajide Oluwase; Founder/CEO, Finva,<br />
Oluwatomisin Kolawole, and GMD/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc., Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, during<br />
the presentation of cash prizes to winners of the Hackathon, at the Zenith Tech Fair 2.0,<br />
held at Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.<br />
Nigeria Air: Court extends status quo<br />
order<br />
By Innocent Anaba<br />
A<br />
FEDERAL High Court<br />
sitting in Lagos, yesterday,<br />
renewed its order directing the<br />
Federal Government and<br />
domestic airlines to maintain<br />
status quo in their suit<br />
concerning the establishment of<br />
a proposed national carrier,<br />
Nigeria Air.<br />
Trial judge, Justice Ambrose<br />
Lewis-Allagoa, made the order<br />
pending the determination of the<br />
suit by the Registered Trustees<br />
of the Airline Operators of<br />
Nigeria, Azman Air Services<br />
Limited, Air Peace Limited, Max<br />
Air Limited, United Nigeria<br />
Airlines Company Limited and<br />
Topbrass Aviation Limited.<br />
Defendants in the suit are<br />
Nigeria Air Limited, Ethiopian<br />
Airlines, Sen. Hadi Sirika<br />
(Minister of Aviation, Federal<br />
Ministry of Aviation) and the<br />
Attorney-General of the<br />
Federation.<br />
Meanwhile, two "intervenors/<br />
applicants" Capt. Edward Boyo<br />
and Capt. Nogie Meggison,<br />
brought an application praying<br />
the court to strike out the name<br />
of The Registered Trustees of<br />
Airline Operators of Nigeria as a<br />
party in a suit, arguing that its<br />
inclusion in the suit "is invalid."<br />
The court had on November<br />
15, restrained the Federal<br />
Government and Ethiopian<br />
Airlines from proceeding with the<br />
establishment of Nigeria Air<br />
Limited.<br />
The judge also ordered parties<br />
to maintain the status quo,<br />
following the plaintiffs' motion<br />
ex-parte in suit FHC/L/CS/2159/<br />
2022.<br />
At the resumed hearing on the<br />
matter, yesterday, Mr. Nureni<br />
Jimoh, SAN, counsel to airline<br />
operators, tried to move his<br />
motion on notice for an<br />
injunction against the<br />
Girls school enrollment in 6 northern states<br />
increases by 1.5m in 10 years —Report<br />
By Joseph Erunke<br />
ABUJA—THE attendance<br />
rate of girls in primary schools<br />
in the six states of northern<br />
Nigeria has improved from 43 per<br />
cent to 70 per cent, while gender<br />
parity improved from 0.73 to 0.97,<br />
following the collaborative<br />
interventions by Nigeria, the<br />
Commonwealth and<br />
Development Office, FCDO, of<br />
the UK, and the United Nations<br />
Children's Fund, UNICEF girls’<br />
education programme.<br />
A report of the programme<br />
released at the national closing<br />
ceremony of GEP3 held in Abuja<br />
yesterday, revealed that the Girls<br />
Education Programme, GEP,<br />
Phase 3, otherwise known as<br />
GEE3, also saw additional 1.5<br />
million girls enrolled in schools<br />
defendants but it was opposed<br />
by Mr. Seun Oriowo for Nigeria<br />
Air and Minister of Aviation, Mr.<br />
Raji Rasaki, for the AGF and Mr.<br />
Ajibola Salisu for the intervening<br />
applicants.<br />
The judge turned down Raji's<br />
argument for an adjournment for<br />
lawyers from the AGF's Abuja<br />
office to take over the defence,<br />
rather than those from its Lagos<br />
office.<br />
Mr. Bassey Attol for Ethiopian<br />
Airlines, informed the court that<br />
he had filed a response to Jimoh's<br />
in six states of the north between<br />
2012 and 2022.<br />
The intervention was in<br />
response to the low level of<br />
participation of girls in schooling<br />
in the six Nigerian states of<br />
Katsina, Kano, Niger, Sokoto,<br />
Zamfara and Bauchi.<br />
The Federal Ministry of<br />
Education, the Foreign,<br />
Commonwealth and<br />
Development Office, FCDO, UK,<br />
and UNICEF implemented the<br />
programme between 2012 and<br />
2022.<br />
At the event, the partners<br />
reported that the programme’s<br />
investment of $109 million<br />
yielded positive results in<br />
enrolling an additional 1.5<br />
million girls into school, far<br />
exceeding the project’s target.<br />
GEP3 worked to improve the<br />
2023: Match your words with action, CAN tasks<br />
presidential candidates<br />
By Luminous<br />
Jannamike<br />
ABUJA—THE<br />
Christian<br />
Association of Nigeria, CAN,<br />
has called on all the candidates<br />
running for the highest office in<br />
the land in next year's general<br />
elections to match words with<br />
action and fulfil their<br />
commitments to the suggestions<br />
put forward as solutions to the<br />
crisis of development and<br />
governance facing the nation.<br />
Recall that the apex Christian<br />
body had consulted with<br />
Nigerians of diverse religious,<br />
ethnic and social class on the<br />
problems of the country as well<br />
as possible solutions to them, and<br />
articulated these ideas in a<br />
document it christened, 'The<br />
Charter for a New Nigeria'.<br />
The position of CAN on certain<br />
national issues based on this<br />
document, was presented to the<br />
presidential candidates at the<br />
just-concluded interactive<br />
session with them in Abuja.<br />
However, in a statement<br />
yesterday, the CAN President,<br />
His Eminence Archbishop<br />
Daniel Okoh, urged the<br />
presidential candidates who<br />
have made up their minds to<br />
execute the suggested solutions<br />
to the country's challenges as<br />
spelt out in the charter to walk<br />
the talk, if elected in 2023.<br />
He said: "On behalf of the<br />
national leadership of the<br />
Christian Association of Nigeria,<br />
CAN, I sincerely commend the<br />
presidential candidates that<br />
honoured our invitation to the<br />
just-concluded interactive<br />
session, with a view to discussing<br />
issues that will promote the<br />
common good of every citizen of<br />
Nigeria.<br />
"Their decision to meet and<br />
dialogue with CAN officials and<br />
other Christian leaders, ahead<br />
of the 2023 general elections, is<br />
remarkable not only because the<br />
Church is a critical stakeholder<br />
in the Nigerian project, it also<br />
provided us a platform to<br />
collectively review our<br />
understanding of the crisis of<br />
development and governance<br />
facing our nation and find a<br />
lasting solution to them<br />
"CAN salutes the candour of<br />
all the presidential candidates<br />
who participated in the<br />
interactive session and charge<br />
those among them who have<br />
made up their minds to execute<br />
the suggested solutions to our<br />
national crisis as spelt out in the<br />
charter to walk that talk seriously,<br />
if elected in 2023.<br />
"However, there is a need for<br />
proper understanding of the<br />
issues on ground and thorough<br />
planning to ensure that<br />
pronouncements do not end up<br />
as mere rhetoric while an<br />
impatient public counts the days<br />
– for implementation.<br />
application, while Salisu's prayer<br />
for an adjournment was opposed<br />
by Jimoh, on the ground that<br />
"the intervening applicant is not<br />
a party to this suit. He is an<br />
interloper here to disrupt<br />
proceedings."<br />
In his ruling, Justice Lewis-<br />
Allagoa held: "I've viewed all the<br />
applications before me. In the<br />
circumstances, the proper thing<br />
to do is for parties to maintain<br />
the status quo pending the<br />
determination of this suit."<br />
quality of education for all children<br />
and helped girls gain better<br />
access to education and economic<br />
opportunities, breaking<br />
the cycle of poverty and disadvantage.<br />
Speaking at the event, the<br />
Minister of Education, Mallam<br />
Adamu Adamu, said: “In our<br />
commitment to drastically reduce<br />
the number of out-of-school<br />
children, Nigeria appreciates the<br />
scaling of evidence-based<br />
solution in tackling this menace<br />
as provided through the GEP3.<br />
As we continue on this path,<br />
we would leverage on the success<br />
of GEP3 to plan better, budget<br />
better, and make better decisions<br />
in putting more girl-child in<br />
school.<br />
“GEP3 has not only been<br />
successful in getting more girls<br />
into formal and non-formal<br />
schools, but it has also improved<br />
learning outcomes.<br />
'GEP3 has raised the profile of<br />
educated girls, created new<br />
positive social norms in many<br />
communities and enabled a<br />
transformational shift in<br />
mindsets about the importance<br />
of girls' education.''<br />
In his remarks, UNICEF<br />
Representative in Nigeria,<br />
Cristian Munduate, said: ''It is<br />
critical that we advocate scaling<br />
of the approach in all states.<br />
“I express the deep<br />
appreciation of UNICEF to the<br />
UK government for this longterm<br />
commitment and funding<br />
for girls’ access to primary school<br />
in northern Nigeria. Together,<br />
there remains much work to be<br />
done to ensure that girls<br />
transition to, and complete<br />
secondary education.<br />
''This is important not only for<br />
the economic prosperity and<br />
wellbeing of the girl and her<br />
family, but also to stem the high<br />
population growth expected in<br />
Nigeria.<br />
Money laundering: A-Court affirms<br />
conviction of Maina’s son<br />
•Reduces jail term to 7 years<br />
By Ikechukwu<br />
Nnochiri<br />
ABUJA—THE<br />
Abuja<br />
Division of the Court of<br />
Appeal yesterday upheld the<br />
conviction of Faisal, son of the<br />
jailed former Chairman of the<br />
defunct Pension Reform<br />
Taskforce Team, PRTT,<br />
Abdulrasheed Maina.<br />
Faisal, who is 22 years old,<br />
was on October 7, 2021,<br />
convicted and sentenced to 14<br />
years in prison by the Federal<br />
High Court in Abuja.<br />
The court, in the judgement<br />
that was delivered by trial<br />
Justice Okon Abang, found<br />
Faisal guilty on all threecount<br />
money laundering<br />
charge the Economic and<br />
Financial Crimes<br />
Commission, EFCC,<br />
preferred against him.<br />
The defendant, who jumped<br />
bail on June 24, 2020, and<br />
failed to appear in court for<br />
his trial, was convicted in<br />
absentia.<br />
EFCC told the court that it<br />
got an intelligence that he<br />
escaped to the United States<br />
of America, USA.<br />
Consequently, the trial court<br />
ordered that he should be<br />
arrested whenever he is found<br />
in the country and remanded<br />
in any prison to serve his jail<br />
term.<br />
It held that the Federal<br />
Government should upon<br />
confirming that he ran outside<br />
the country, "legally or<br />
lawfully commence<br />
extradition process to bring<br />
him into the country to serve<br />
the jail term".<br />
However, dissatisfied with<br />
the judgement, lawyers to<br />
the defendant went to the<br />
appellate court to set it<br />
aside.<br />
They argued that the<br />
appellant was denied fair<br />
hearing by the trial court.<br />
Delivering judgement in the<br />
matter on Thursday, a threemember<br />
panel of the appellate<br />
court, while upholding Faisal's<br />
conviction, however described<br />
the 14 years jail term that was<br />
handed to him by the trial court<br />
as "excessive".<br />
It noted that the appellant,<br />
being a first time offender, should<br />
not have been slammed with the<br />
maximum punishment<br />
prescribed by the law.<br />
Consequently, the appellate<br />
court, in its lead judgement that<br />
was delivered by Justice<br />
Ugochukwu Ogakwu, reduced<br />
Faisal's term of imprisonment to<br />
seven years.<br />
The trial court had in its<br />
verdict, held that the EFCC,<br />
successfully established that<br />
Faisal operated a fictitious bank<br />
account with the United Bank<br />
for Africa, UBA, through which<br />
his father, Maina, laundered the<br />
sum of N58.11million.<br />
The court noted that the said<br />
fund which was deposited into<br />
the account that was operated<br />
in the name of Alhaji Faisal Farm<br />
2, was sequentially withdrawn<br />
by the Defendant and his father,<br />
between October 2013 and June<br />
2019.<br />
Justice Abang said he was<br />
satisfied that the EFCC proved<br />
all the essential ingredients of<br />
the charge, stressing that the<br />
Defendant reasonably ought to<br />
have known that inflows into the<br />
bank account formed proceeds<br />
of an unlawful act of corruption<br />
by his father.<br />
While the court sentenced the<br />
Defendant to 5 years in count 1<br />
and 3 of the charge, he was<br />
sentenced to 14 years on count<br />
2 of the charge.<br />
The court held that the<br />
sentence would run<br />
concurrently, starting from the<br />
judgement day.<br />
Besides, the court ordered<br />
that the company, through<br />
which the fund was laundered,<br />
Alhaji Faisal Farm 2, be wound<br />
up, with all the funds in it,<br />
forfeited to the government.<br />
The trial court had also<br />
sentenced Faisal's father,<br />
Maina, to eight years in prison<br />
over his involvement in money<br />
laundering to the tune of about<br />
N2billion.<br />
Maina had also jumped bail<br />
and was subsequently<br />
arrested in Niger Republic by<br />
the Interpol and returned back<br />
to the country for the<br />
conclusion of his trial.<br />
Child Rights Act now domesticated<br />
in 34 states —FG<br />
By Johnbosco<br />
Agbakwuru<br />
ABUJA—THE Federal<br />
Government said<br />
yesterday that 34 of the 36<br />
states of the federation have<br />
domesticated the Child<br />
Rights Act dealing with<br />
issues of child abuse, child<br />
labour, and forced<br />
marriage, among others, in<br />
Nigeria.<br />
The proposed law, named<br />
"Violence Against Persons<br />
Prohibition Act (2015)," had<br />
been domesticated by just 13<br />
states as at 2019, raising<br />
concerns in government and<br />
child rights circles.<br />
Appearing on the 59th<br />
edition of the Ministerial<br />
Media Briefing organized<br />
by the Presidential<br />
Communications Team at<br />
the Presidential Villa Abuja,<br />
the Minister of Women<br />
Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Tallen,<br />
who gave the update, said<br />
she had been actively<br />
involved in the advocacy to<br />
ensure all states keyed into<br />
the initiative.<br />
The minister said she had<br />
•Says only Kano,<br />
Zamfara yet to<br />
domesticate it<br />
personally met with key<br />
stakeholders and speakers<br />
of state Houses of Assembly<br />
to stress the need for them to<br />
pass the bill into law for their<br />
governors to assent.<br />
She expressed confidence<br />
that the two remaining<br />
states, which she did no<br />
name, would soon pass the<br />
bill to domesticate the Act.<br />
Although the minister<br />
declined to mention the two<br />
states yet to domesticate the<br />
Act, sources within the<br />
ministry said Kano and<br />
Zamfara are the two states<br />
yet to domisticate the Act.<br />
"We go to the traditional<br />
rulers, we go to community<br />
leaders, we go to religious<br />
leaders, we go to the state<br />
assemblies,'' Tallen said.<br />
She also noted that the<br />
efforts of President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari to<br />
have all states domesticate<br />
the Act, was complemented<br />
by the First Lady, Aisha<br />
Buhari, and the Forum of<br />
First Ladies.
10 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
Alleged defamation: Owoeye<br />
petitions Ogun gov, CP, DSS,<br />
demands probe<br />
By Innocent Anaba<br />
LAGOS—A renowned<br />
estate agent, Alhaji<br />
Mutairu Owoeye, yesterday,<br />
urged Governor Dapo<br />
Abiodun of Ogun State, the<br />
Commissioner of Police and<br />
Director-General,<br />
Department of State Services,<br />
DSS, to investigate an alleged<br />
defamatory publication made<br />
against him by President,<br />
Centre for Democracy and<br />
Socio-Economic Rights,<br />
CEDESER.<br />
The group had on an online<br />
platform, on November 22,<br />
2022, described Owoeye as a<br />
notorious land grabber that<br />
has controlled a criminal<br />
gang that has been disturbing<br />
the peace of the state.<br />
Housing: Partnership with govt<br />
yielding positive results<br />
—BSTAN Homes boss<br />
By Adeola Badru<br />
IBADAN—BSTAN Homes<br />
and Properties Limited,<br />
yesterday, announced that the<br />
7th edition of the National<br />
House Fair and Lagos first<br />
edition will hold on December<br />
1st, 2022 at the Oriental<br />
Hotel, Victoria Island in<br />
Lagos.<br />
Speaking at a press<br />
conference to herald the<br />
forthcoming event tagged:<br />
'Property in a sachet', the<br />
Coordinator of the Lagos<br />
National House Fair, Mr Tolu<br />
Oluwo, said: "The objective of<br />
the event is to bring<br />
affordable, accessible and<br />
functional housing to lowincome<br />
earners without<br />
stress."<br />
Also speaking, the Group<br />
But, Owoeye, in a petition<br />
by his lawyer, Ogabi<br />
Babatunde, said the<br />
publication was a deliberate<br />
effort to damage his<br />
reputation and credibility in<br />
the society.<br />
He said publication has<br />
"lowered his image in the eyes<br />
of the numerous readers of the<br />
unfortunate story both on the<br />
online platform and other<br />
platforms where the story was<br />
forwarded to within Nigeria<br />
and overseas."<br />
Similar petitions were<br />
written to the Attorney-<br />
General and Commissioner<br />
for Justice, Ministry of Justice,<br />
and Speaker, Ogun State<br />
House of Assembly,<br />
respectively.<br />
Managing Director, BSTAN<br />
Homes and Properties, Dr<br />
Becky Olubukola, said: "We<br />
have come to organize the<br />
Lagos edition of National<br />
House Fair to produce basic<br />
shelter for people at<br />
affordable rates.<br />
"The government cannot do<br />
it alone, private-public<br />
participation and workable<br />
policies that will support<br />
people are some of the things<br />
that we need.<br />
"We started this project six<br />
years ago and we have<br />
recorded remarkable success<br />
in the real estate business.<br />
"We have since built about<br />
28,000 units of houses and we<br />
plan to reach 5,000 housing<br />
units as well as expand to<br />
other African nations that<br />
have been inviting us."<br />
We've registered 3700 waste<br />
pickers in Lagos —ASWOL<br />
LAGOS—THE Association<br />
of Scrap and waste Pickers<br />
of Lagos, ASWOL, yesterday,<br />
said it has started the<br />
uploading of the profile of<br />
3700 registered waste pickers<br />
on its newly launched website.<br />
Speaking during the<br />
Nigerian Artisans Technicians<br />
Conference held in Lagos, the<br />
association's President,Mr<br />
Friday Oku, who stated that<br />
the essence of putting the<br />
registered members' profiles<br />
on the website, said: "The<br />
website will make you know<br />
the real waster picker that is<br />
on the street, all the cart<br />
pushers we want to have all of<br />
them on the website in which<br />
they will have a number and<br />
you can click on the website<br />
and you know that this person<br />
is from Ikorodu, Ikeja and you<br />
know even the unit where the<br />
person is coming from.<br />
"For now those on the<br />
website are not up to 1000 but<br />
for those who filled their hard<br />
copies, we have 3700. Before<br />
we put anyone on the website,<br />
we must investigate your<br />
source and whether you have<br />
National Identity Number, so<br />
that you can click and know the<br />
state that the person is from."<br />
Also speaking, a consultant of<br />
the association, Rethinking<br />
Cities, Mr Deji Akinpelu said:<br />
"The website will serve as a<br />
resource centre for any<br />
information relating to waste<br />
and scrap dealers in the state<br />
thereby strengthening the waste<br />
and scrap dealers' networks at<br />
the international, regional,<br />
national and local levels.<br />
"This is why we, at<br />
Rethinking Cities and<br />
Heinrich Böll Stiftung, see<br />
this step as a laudable<br />
initiative in our efforts to end<br />
discrimination against<br />
informal waste pickers."<br />
Methodist Church to set up<br />
radio, TV stations<br />
By Dickson<br />
Omobola<br />
LAGOS—THE New Prelate of<br />
Methodist Church Nigeria,<br />
Dr Oliver Aba, has disclosed that<br />
the Church plans to establish a<br />
radio and television station that<br />
would be used to spread the<br />
gospel.<br />
Aba, who spoke at his<br />
investiture as prelate, said the<br />
church needed a constant use of<br />
the media to broadcast its<br />
activities to the Christian body.<br />
On his part, the outgoing<br />
prelate, Dr Samuel Kalu, advised<br />
Aba to inculcate a bold attitude,<br />
adding that he must always<br />
speak out in the face of coercion<br />
or oppression.<br />
He also urged the new prelate<br />
to defend his flock, saying that<br />
the "inability of Christian leaders<br />
to defend their people is one of<br />
the reasons for the attack on the<br />
Christian body."<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
ANNIVERSARY—From left: Chairman, The Address Homes, and former GMD, First Bank of<br />
Nigeria Ltd., FBN, Mr. Bisi Onasanya; former First Bank chairman, Umaru Mutallab, a<br />
British MP; Chairman, First Bank Holdings Plc., Ahmad Abdullahi; Chairman, First Bank<br />
Nigeria, Tunde Odukale, and Non-Executive Director, FBN, Julius Omodayo-Owotuga,<br />
during the FBN UK 40th anniversary, themed: 'Partnership Beyond Borders', held in London.<br />
Assembly crisis: Aribisogan, others<br />
threatening us, Ekiti lawmakers tell Police<br />
•Aribisogan's impeachment breach of law —Afe Babalola<br />
By Rotimi<br />
Ojomoyela<br />
ADO-EKITI—THE crisis<br />
rocking the Ekiti State<br />
House of Assembly deepened as<br />
the lawmakers, yesterday, called<br />
on the security agencies to invite<br />
the embattled former Speaker,<br />
Gboyega Aribisogan over an<br />
alleged threat to their lives.<br />
In a five-point resolution<br />
passed at plenary, the lawmakers<br />
urged the security agencies to<br />
invite and investigate the<br />
impeached and suspended<br />
Speaker, Mr Aribisogan and<br />
other suspended lawmakers.<br />
The lawmakers hinged their<br />
call on the need to ensure that<br />
the lives and properties of<br />
members and staff are protected<br />
due to the recent calls received<br />
by members from the impeached<br />
Speaker and his cronies.<br />
The motion, moved by the<br />
lawmaker representing Ekiti<br />
East II, Mr Lateef Akanle, was<br />
seconded by Mr Abiodun<br />
Fawekun, Ido/Oso 1.<br />
Other parts of the motion were<br />
to make the suspended Speaker<br />
sign an undertaking that nothing<br />
untoward will happen to<br />
members and that the<br />
Resolution is transmitted to<br />
Governor Biodun Oyebanji for<br />
necessary action.<br />
2023 polls: Why Nigerians must eschew religious intolerance,<br />
violence —Patriots Roundtable<br />
By Dapo Akinrefon<br />
LAGOS—A pressure group,<br />
the Patriots Roundtable,<br />
yesterday, urged Nigerians and<br />
supporters of political parties<br />
to ensure they imbibe religious<br />
tolerance as the 2023 general<br />
elections draw near.<br />
In a statement by its Director-<br />
General, Uthman Shodipe-<br />
Dosunmu, the forum urged<br />
Nigerians not to be divided by<br />
religion adding that religion<br />
has no place in politics.<br />
The statement reads: "When<br />
Asiwaju Tinubu told the<br />
leadership of the Christian<br />
Association of Nigeria that his<br />
wife and Children are all<br />
Christians while he is a<br />
Muslim, he appropriately<br />
defined the very exemplar and<br />
In their various submissions,<br />
at the plenary presided by Mrs<br />
Olubunmi Adelugba, the<br />
lawmakers supported the<br />
motion.<br />
The lawmaker urged the<br />
relevant security agencies to<br />
address the allegation before it<br />
gets out of hand.<br />
Earlier, the Speaker, Mrs<br />
Adelugba read the composition<br />
of the new Standing Committee<br />
of the House to members, stating<br />
that it takes immediate effect.<br />
Aribisogan's<br />
the unique accommodating<br />
essence that is the normative<br />
particularity of Lagos state and<br />
the South-West in general.<br />
"The Yoruba people are<br />
undoubtedly the most liberal<br />
in this nation when it comes to<br />
matters of faith. Here they lack<br />
the prejudicial recourse of the<br />
extremist who would<br />
discriminate and vilify others<br />
over religious differences.<br />
"Not in Yorubaland. Not in<br />
Lagos state. If there is a place<br />
where the two religions<br />
intermingled without malice,<br />
distortions or any violent<br />
upheaval, we urge everyone to<br />
come to Lagos.<br />
"It is common typicality in<br />
Lagos that a family will have a<br />
Christian father and Muslim<br />
Mother or vice-versa. It is a<br />
impeachment<br />
breach of law<br />
—Afe Babalola<br />
Meanwhile, the Chancellor<br />
and Founder of Afe Babalola<br />
University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD,<br />
Afe Babalola, yesterday,<br />
described the impeachment of<br />
Aribisogan as a breach of a<br />
fundamental law of fair hearing.<br />
Babalola, who stated this,<br />
yesterday, at the 3rd Aare Afe<br />
Babalola Distinguished<br />
Personality Lecture Series,<br />
DPLS, noted that Aribisogan's<br />
long-held customary practice<br />
where all religions both Islam<br />
and Christianity, including the<br />
traditional worshipers, cohabit<br />
under one roof without<br />
rancour.<br />
"They all celebrate<br />
Christmas, Eid Kabir, or even<br />
the Egungun season with<br />
genuine friendship, with the<br />
sincere clarity and bond of<br />
cultural brotherhood without<br />
any intimation of differences or<br />
hostile intentions.<br />
"This accommodating amity<br />
should be a guide, a bellwether<br />
to the unifying core of the<br />
Nigerian nation.<br />
"Religion should not divide<br />
us. Religion has no place in<br />
politics. We at the Patriots<br />
Roundtable are convinced that<br />
the sincerity of character, the<br />
genuineness of the core of the<br />
impeachment might not install<br />
peace in Ekiti, noting that the<br />
Lawmakers took the law into<br />
their hands and didn't consider<br />
the fact that he was conditionally<br />
elected.<br />
His words: "My learning<br />
teaches me that there must be<br />
fair hearing, there must be full<br />
compliance with rule of law. You<br />
cannot impeach somebody<br />
unless he has committed an<br />
offence.<br />
"It's a clear case of breach of<br />
fundamental law and fair<br />
hearing. So, I cannot but believe<br />
this was a case of total neglect of<br />
the law as people took the law<br />
into their hands."<br />
2023: Majority of Yoruba 'll vote<br />
for Tinubu, says YCE<br />
By Adeola Badru<br />
IBADAN—THE<br />
Yoruba<br />
Council of Elders, YCE,<br />
yesterday, expressed optimism<br />
that the majority of Yoruba people<br />
will vote for the Presidential<br />
candidate of the All Progressives<br />
Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola<br />
Tinubu in the 2023 election.<br />
Speaking with journalists in<br />
Ibadan after his inauguration,<br />
the new President-General of<br />
YCE, Ajibade Oyekan, stressed<br />
that the body language of the<br />
majority of members of the group<br />
has shown that they will vote for<br />
Tinubu in the election.<br />
He said: "I have said, we are a<br />
non-partisan organisation; we<br />
don't talk about politics here and<br />
that has held us together, bound<br />
us together for all these years.<br />
"We didn't discuss who to vote<br />
for, but the body language of the<br />
entire members tells me that we<br />
should look inwards since we<br />
have a Yoruba man there.<br />
"I can see that people will vote<br />
for their kinsman. So, the<br />
majority of our members, without<br />
discussing, without agreeing on<br />
any particular candidate will vote<br />
for Tinubu. The majority of our<br />
members are for him.<br />
"Please get me right, we are<br />
not, as a group, endorsing a<br />
particular individual, because<br />
once you do that, you are just<br />
mocking yourself, because<br />
members are going to the polling<br />
booth to vote individually with<br />
their conscience.<br />
"Our body language just tells<br />
us that majority of our people are<br />
going to vote for Tinubu."<br />
human soul, the competence<br />
of leadership, and the devotion<br />
to the supremacy of the unity<br />
of our nation should supersede<br />
any narrow divisive recourse<br />
to sectarian values."<br />
"Faiths and individual beliefs<br />
should not be a gauge of<br />
leadership. What ought to<br />
concern us all in the renewal<br />
of the national ideals should<br />
be the content of character, the<br />
indices of leadership such as<br />
intellect, vision, competitive<br />
bearing, merit, reflective grasp<br />
of power and the progressive<br />
ability to project far ahead of<br />
the throng, selfless in service<br />
and devotion to the general<br />
welfare. That is the leadership<br />
we should encourage. That is<br />
the leadership effulgence in<br />
the Tinubu-Shettima ticket,"<br />
he added.
VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 11<br />
FACES AT VANGUARD 2ND MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT IN LAGOS, YESTERDAY<br />
Vanguard 2nd Mental Health Summit, themed: 'Mental Health in a Distressed Economy', held at<br />
Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele & Kehinde Gbadamosi.<br />
•From left: Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, GM/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard<br />
Newspapers; Mrs. Chioma Obinna, Assistant Health Editor; Mrs.<br />
Edosa Ogbeide, Director, Narcotic and Controlled Substance<br />
Directorate, NAFDAC; Dr. Oluwayemi Ogun, immediate past medical<br />
director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, and Dr.<br />
Osahon Enabulele, President, World Medical Association and<br />
Chairman of the occasion.<br />
•From left: Mr. Eze Anaba, Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, welcoming<br />
Dr. Monica Eimunjeze, Ag. DG, NAFDAC, to the event.<br />
•From left: Dr. Babatunde Fadipe, Consultant Psychiatrist, Lagos<br />
University Teaching Hospital; Prof. Olatunji Aina, Keynote Speaker,<br />
and Prof. Taiwo Sheikh, immediate past president, Association of<br />
Psychiatrists of Nigeria and Coordinator, Vanguard Mental Health<br />
Chart Room.<br />
•From left: Prof. Aina; Dr. Olufunmilayo Akinola, Chief Consultant<br />
Psychiatrist, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Annex, Oshodi,<br />
Lagos, and Dr. Oluwayemi Ogun, immediate past medical director,<br />
Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos.<br />
•From left: Dr. Tolu Ajomale, Head, Mental Health Desk, Ministry<br />
of Health, Lagos State, representing Prof. Akin Abayomi,<br />
Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, and Ms Funke Shonubi,<br />
Programme Coordinator, Mental Health Desk, Ministry of Health,<br />
Lagos State.<br />
•From left: Dr. Segun Oke, Zonal Commander, National Drug Law<br />
Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Lagos, representing Brig.-Gen. Buba<br />
Marwa, Chairman/CEO, NDLEA; Adetoun Odusanya, Asst.<br />
Superintendent of Narcotics, and Alabi Zacheous, Chief Narcotics<br />
Agent, NDLEA.<br />
•From left: Mrs. Ijeoma Nwankwo, Director,<br />
Drug Evaluation and Research Directorate;<br />
Dr. Monica Eimunjeze, Ag. DG, and Mrs.<br />
Edosa Ogbeide, all of National Agency for<br />
Food, Drug Administration and Control,<br />
NAFDAC.<br />
•From left: Ms Chineze Amanfo, PR Lead,<br />
9mobile; Mrs. Tola Ajayi, Clinic Manager,<br />
Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, and John<br />
Ogunmayi, Business Development Manager,<br />
Nordica Fertility, Lagos.<br />
•From left: Mr. Dipo Adeshida, Master of<br />
Ceremony, with Mr. Sola Ogundipe, Health<br />
Editor, Vanguard Newspapers.
12 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
:Vanguard<br />
News<br />
Again, court disqualifies Rivers APC gov<br />
candidate<br />
By Davies<br />
Iheamnachor<br />
PORT HARCOURT—<br />
A Federal High Court,<br />
sitting in Port Harcourt,<br />
Rivers State, has disqualified<br />
the governorship candidate<br />
of the All Progressives<br />
Congress, APC, in the state,<br />
Tonye Cole.<br />
The court disqualified Cole<br />
from contesting the<br />
governorship seat over dual<br />
Diri cautions oil firms against politics<br />
By Samuel<br />
Oyadongha<br />
Y GOVERNOR ENAGOA—<br />
Douye<br />
Diri of Bayelsa State, has<br />
urged oil firms operating in<br />
the state to steer clear of<br />
politics, saying it breeds<br />
conflicts.<br />
Diri, who stated this,<br />
yesterday, when he received<br />
representatives of AITEO<br />
Eastern Oil Exploration and<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
THANKSGIVING—Prof. Charles Soludo, Anambra State Governor (left), with Peter Obi, former<br />
governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate, at St. Patrick's Cathedral,<br />
Awka, during the thanksgiving mass of Bishop Ezeokafor's 70th birthday.<br />
NDDC: PANDEF, Itsekiri leaders, Ohanaeze<br />
divided over Onochie's appointment<br />
•Bayelsans hail Buhari over Ogbuku nomination as MD<br />
•Group alleges moves to scuttle her emergence<br />
By Dapo Akinrefon,<br />
Jimitota Onoyume,<br />
Chioma Onuegbu,<br />
Emem Idio, Gabriel<br />
Ewepu<br />
PAN Niger Delta Forum,<br />
PANDEF, Ohanaeze<br />
Ndigbo and Itsekiri leaders<br />
are divided over President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari's<br />
nomination of Mrs. Lauretta<br />
Onochie as the substantive<br />
Chairman and other board<br />
members of Niger Delta<br />
Development Commission,<br />
NDDC, on Wednesday.<br />
While PANDEF said the<br />
appointments were coming<br />
belatedly, Itsekiri Leaders of<br />
Thought, ILoT, rejected the<br />
appointment of Onochie as<br />
Chairman of NDDC.<br />
However, Ohanaeze hailed<br />
the appointment of Onochie<br />
as the Chairman of NDDC.<br />
This came as indigenes of<br />
Bayelsa State commended<br />
Buhari for nominating an<br />
indigene of the state, Samuel<br />
Ogbuku as the Managing<br />
Director of the board of the<br />
commission.<br />
PANDEF in a statement by<br />
its National Publicity<br />
Secretary, Mr. Ken Robinson,<br />
regreted that over the years,<br />
people appointed into<br />
interventionist agencies in the<br />
region like the NDDC were<br />
appointed basically because<br />
of their loyalty to those in the<br />
corridors of power.<br />
He said: "The position of<br />
PANDEF on the NDDC board<br />
nomination is that it is coming<br />
quite belatedly, less than 100<br />
days before the general<br />
elections, given that for over<br />
citizenship and non<br />
compliance with the electoral<br />
guidelines of his party.<br />
The People's Democratic<br />
Party, PDP, in Rivers State,<br />
which was the plaintiff, had<br />
prayed the court to direct the<br />
Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission,<br />
INEC, not to recognise Cole<br />
as the governorship candidate<br />
of APC over alleged dual<br />
citizenship.<br />
PDP in the suit had also<br />
claimed that the delegates<br />
election that brought him did<br />
not follow due process.<br />
two years, the people of the<br />
Niger Delta region have been<br />
clamouring and asking for the<br />
constitution of a substantive<br />
board and management of<br />
the NDDC.<br />
"Again, the persons so<br />
nominated are known<br />
political loyalists to some of<br />
the political stakeholders in<br />
the Niger Delta, including the<br />
presidency. That is our worry.<br />
"You find them more<br />
interested in satisfying the<br />
whims and caprices of those<br />
who appointed them. And<br />
they see their appointment as<br />
political patronage. That is<br />
also a concern."<br />
Onochie not from<br />
oil bearing<br />
community<br />
—Itsekiri Leaders<br />
....As AITEO donates N50m to flood victims<br />
Exploitation Limited, frowned<br />
at the level of involvement of<br />
some oil firms in the last<br />
governorship election in the<br />
state, which he said affected<br />
their relationship with his<br />
administration.<br />
Diri, in a statement by his<br />
Chief Press Secretary, Mr.<br />
Daniel Alabrah, expressed<br />
dismay that almost three years<br />
after his administration was<br />
However, Justice<br />
Emmanuel Obile, in his<br />
judgment agreed with the PDP<br />
that Cole, who has dual<br />
citizenship is not eligible to<br />
contest governorship position.<br />
The court held that the APC<br />
primary that brought in Cole<br />
was not monitored by INEC.<br />
It will be recalled that the<br />
court on preliminary<br />
objection in a suit by APC<br />
against PDP and its<br />
governorship candidate,<br />
Siminialaye Fubara, had<br />
held that no court has right to<br />
interfere in another party's<br />
inaugurated, AITEO was just<br />
visiting his office for the first<br />
time.<br />
He stressed the need for a<br />
harmonious relationship<br />
between the state government<br />
and oil firms, saying "it will<br />
benefit both parties."<br />
Diri noted that because his<br />
administration is anchored on<br />
love, it has to overlook some<br />
of the issues about the firm’s<br />
On its part, Itsekiri Leaders<br />
of Thought, ILoT, in a chat<br />
with the Chairman, Edward<br />
Ekpoko in Warri, Delta State,<br />
said: “She (Onochie) is not<br />
qualified. That position has<br />
always been occupied by an<br />
indigene of an oil producing<br />
area by the NDDC Act. This is<br />
because, it is the indigenes that<br />
feel the impact of the oil<br />
exploration and exploitation<br />
in their land.<br />
“Again, Delta State has no<br />
representatives on the board.<br />
By the law, all member states<br />
must have one representative<br />
each on the board, the<br />
Chairman is a separate office.<br />
The chairman represents the<br />
entire commission."<br />
Onochie's<br />
appointment<br />
internal affairs.<br />
But, yesterday, Justice Obile<br />
in the judgment, held that the<br />
court has jurisdiction to hear<br />
the matter and hence directed<br />
the INEC to delist the name<br />
of Cole from the electoral list<br />
for 2023 general elections.<br />
Meantime, one of the<br />
counsels to APC, Collins Dike<br />
expressed displeasure that the<br />
same court which agreed with<br />
APC that no court has right to<br />
interfere in another party<br />
affairs on a section of<br />
constitution has turned<br />
around to say something else.<br />
involvement in the 2019<br />
governorship election, as<br />
well as the company’s<br />
handling of last year’s<br />
Santa Barbara River oil<br />
spill in Nembe LGA of the<br />
state.<br />
He llauded the company<br />
for the courage to identify<br />
with the state government<br />
in the aftermath of the<br />
flood, despite the seeming<br />
cracks in the relationship<br />
between parties.<br />
2023: You couldn't bear hunger,<br />
Amaechi chides Rivers<br />
defectors<br />
By Egufe Yafugborhi<br />
PORT HARCOURT—<br />
IMMEDIATE past<br />
Transport minister, Mr.<br />
Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday,<br />
slammed his former loyalists,<br />
who recently defected from<br />
Rivers All Progressives<br />
Congress, APC, in droves,<br />
noting that they all left for not<br />
being able to stand hunger and<br />
lack character.<br />
Amaechi, Rivers APC leader,<br />
addressing APC faithful at<br />
Rumuigbo, in continuation of<br />
the party's wards assessment,<br />
ahead of the 2023 elections,<br />
also expressed shame on<br />
behalf of the people of Obio/<br />
Akpor LGA of the state for<br />
perceived disrespect<br />
Governor Nyesom Wike, son<br />
of the soil, exhibits towards<br />
traditional authorities in<br />
Rivers.<br />
Amaechi said: "Those who<br />
left could not stand hunger and<br />
they lack character. When we<br />
gladdens us<br />
—Ohanaeze<br />
But Ohanaeze, in a<br />
statement by its Director<br />
General, Strategic Planning<br />
and Implementation,<br />
Ambassador Chiemelu<br />
Obizoba, said: "As a bonafide<br />
daughter of the oil-rich region,<br />
she knows where the shoe<br />
pinches the people and, as<br />
digital and social media aide<br />
of Buhari for over seven years<br />
now, she is groomed enough<br />
to know the mindset of the<br />
President and his vision and<br />
mission for the good of the<br />
Niger Delta people.<br />
"It is our hope and belief that<br />
the Senate President, Dr.<br />
Ahmed Lawan, and other<br />
members of the Red Chamber<br />
of the National Assembly will<br />
consider and confirm<br />
President's choice of Lauretta<br />
Onochie as substantial<br />
Chairman of the NDDC<br />
Board without delay."<br />
Bayelsans hail<br />
Buhari over<br />
Ogbuku<br />
nomination as<br />
MD<br />
National Secretary,<br />
Movement for the Survival of<br />
Izon Ethnic Nationalities,<br />
MOSIEND, Ambassador<br />
Winston Amai, who spoke on<br />
the nomination of Samuel<br />
Ugbuku as MD of the<br />
commission, said: “This<br />
appointment is round-peg-ina<br />
round hole, and we are of<br />
the view that he is going to<br />
carry every body along in the<br />
scheme of things. Dr. Ugbuku<br />
is a grassroots politician,<br />
social activist who knows<br />
what is on ground. He will<br />
surely excel in this new<br />
assignment.”<br />
Group alleges<br />
moves to scuttle<br />
Onochie's<br />
emergence<br />
FAFIC in a statement by its<br />
President/National<br />
Coordinator, Dr. Uche Diala,<br />
said: “We are aware of some<br />
clandestine and desperate<br />
moves by certain individuals<br />
and vested interests to<br />
undermine the President’s<br />
nominations as the Senate<br />
confirmation hearings loom."<br />
win in 2023, we will not give<br />
contract to anyone to<br />
represent you, we will come<br />
to you directly. We shall give<br />
contracts ward by ward. We<br />
will never rely on people who<br />
can never be satisfied.<br />
"I cannot betray the man<br />
who assisted me. That is why<br />
I cannot insult Dr. Peter Odili,<br />
no matter what ever he does,<br />
because he is still my Oga and<br />
Rufus Ada George. I warned<br />
my wife never to insult Dr.<br />
Peter Odili.<br />
“Chieftaincy institution is<br />
for respect. In Ikwerre<br />
culture, we don't insult elders.<br />
We are ashamed on behalf of<br />
Obio/Akpor people. A mad<br />
man does not know shame<br />
but the shame goes to his<br />
family."<br />
Media Week:<br />
Governorship<br />
candidates<br />
interface with<br />
NUJ in C'River<br />
By Ike Uchechukwu<br />
C<br />
A L A B A R —<br />
GOVERNORSHIP<br />
candidates in Cross River<br />
State have interfaced with<br />
members of the Nigeria<br />
Union of Journalists, NUJ, as<br />
part of activities to mark this<br />
year's Media Week, which<br />
started on Monday.<br />
The media interface is tagged:<br />
'Governance Under Your Watch'.<br />
Four political parties participated<br />
in the parley.<br />
The participants include Prof.<br />
Sandy Onor of the Peoples<br />
Democratic Party, PDP, Patriarch<br />
Ogar Osim of the Labour Party,<br />
LP, Peter Odey (Deputy<br />
Governorship candidate) of the<br />
ruling All Progressives Congress,<br />
APC, and the Peoples<br />
Redemption Party's, PRP, Usani<br />
Uguru Usani.<br />
On his agenda for Cross River,<br />
Prof. Onor said: “Our state is in a<br />
place we cannot say we are proud<br />
of, enough of the murmuring<br />
from behind and then pretending<br />
that all is well."<br />
Obaseki,<br />
Agba, condole<br />
Edo NUJ chair<br />
over mom's<br />
death<br />
By Ozioruva Aliu<br />
BENIN<br />
CITY—<br />
GOVERNOR Godwin<br />
Obaseki of Edo State, and the<br />
Minister of State, Budget and<br />
National Planning, Clem<br />
Agba, have condoled with the<br />
Chairman, Edo State<br />
Council of the Nigeria Union<br />
of Journalists, NUJ, Festus<br />
Alenkhe, over the death of his<br />
mother, Madam Rose<br />
Alenkhe.<br />
A statement by Obaseki<br />
described the late matriarch<br />
as a kind, meek,<br />
compassionate and loving<br />
woman, noting that she<br />
would be remembered as a<br />
peaceful mother, who loved<br />
her family and community.<br />
He said: “Madam Alenkhe<br />
was a kind, meek,<br />
compassionate and loving<br />
woman who lived an<br />
exemplary life. She espoused<br />
strong family values and<br />
impacted positively on<br />
everyone who came in contact<br />
with her."
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 13<br />
Soludo, Peter Obi meet after gov's<br />
controversial article<br />
By Vincent Ujumadu<br />
AWKA—FOR the first time<br />
since his controversial article<br />
which dwelt on the presidential<br />
aspiration of the Labour Party, LP,<br />
candidate, Mr. Peter Obi,<br />
Governor Chukwuma Soludo and<br />
former Governor Peter Obi met at<br />
St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral,<br />
Awka, yesterday.<br />
The occasion was the<br />
thanksgiving Mass for the Catholic<br />
Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev.<br />
Paulinus Ezeokafor, who<br />
celebrated his 70th birthday.<br />
Before the commencement of<br />
the church service, Governor<br />
Soludo stepped out from the pew<br />
where he was sitting and walked<br />
up to where the LP presidential<br />
candidate was seated to greet him.<br />
Both hugged each other to the<br />
admiration of the congregation,<br />
with Soludo welcoming Obi to<br />
Awka before returning to his seat.<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
my house. You told me you chose<br />
not to go with a vehicle far above<br />
the average of those you’re<br />
pastoring. I think this is exemplary.<br />
“When you see me drive<br />
Innoson cars, that’s part of the<br />
inspiration I got from you. If not for<br />
security, I would have been riding<br />
bicycles to work.<br />
“We’re taking the prudence you<br />
taught us to the next level<br />
because when we came in, it cost<br />
us over N137m to clean offices.<br />
Now, it cost barely N11million. I<br />
can only promise to take the<br />
message to the world.”<br />
Obi congratulates<br />
Ezeokafor at 70<br />
By Steve Oko<br />
UMUAHIA—LEADER of the<br />
Indigenous People of Biafra,<br />
IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has<br />
filed a suit at the Abia State High<br />
Court sitting in Umuahia, against<br />
Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, the DG of<br />
National Intelligence Agency<br />
(NIA)for his tortious role in the<br />
eight-day ‘false imprisonment of<br />
the IPOB Leader in Kenya.<br />
The latest suit dated November<br />
23, according to Kanu's Special<br />
Counsel, Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, "is<br />
prompted by newly discovered<br />
evidence that implicated the NIA<br />
boss in the infamous extraordinary<br />
rendition."<br />
Of all the several suits that have<br />
emanated from the rendition of<br />
Kanu, this is the first against<br />
Ahmed Abubakar, either in his<br />
personal or official capacity.<br />
Kanu in his statement of claims<br />
said: "On October 14, 2015,<br />
Claimant was arrested in Lagos, a<br />
few days after he arrived from his<br />
base in London, United Kingdom,<br />
and was subsequently charged<br />
with certain offenses.<br />
"Following his arrest, Claimant<br />
was detained for Eighteen (18)<br />
months and was later released on<br />
bail in April 2017, whereupon<br />
Claimant returned to his said<br />
residence at Afara-Ukwu Ibeku,<br />
in Umuahia North LGA of Abia<br />
State where he stayed and awaited<br />
his next court date scheduled for<br />
October 17, 2017.<br />
"On or about 10th September<br />
2017, while Claimant was resting<br />
at his said residence in Umuahia,<br />
the Nigerian Army, assisted by<br />
other security agencies launched<br />
lethal military invasions against<br />
the Claimant at his said residence<br />
in Umuahia.<br />
" In the course of the invasion,<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
PRESENTATION—From left: Editor, Aiyekooto Reporters, Osuya Omotunde; Publisher, Atlantic<br />
News Online, Frank Oshanugor; Assistant News Editor, Daily Sun Newspapers, Chioma<br />
Okezie-Okeh; AIG Adeleke; Group Crime Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Emma Nnadozie,<br />
and ACP Akputa, during the presentation of an award to AIG Bode Adeleke of Zone 2,<br />
Onikan, by a group, Naija Police and U, for his impeccable and honest policing, in Lagos.<br />
I've no rift with Obi<br />
—Soludo<br />
Speaking during the<br />
thanksgiving Mass, Soludo<br />
insisted that there is no quarrel<br />
between him and the former<br />
governor of the state, Mr. Peter<br />
Obi.<br />
The governor said: "Let me tell<br />
you, we, (himself and Obi), spoke<br />
two times just last night. We are<br />
brothers. You know I’m not one of<br />
those politicians that speak from<br />
two sides of the mouth. I can’t<br />
pretend. I’m a politician, but also<br />
want to make heaven. I’ll keep<br />
saying the truth.<br />
“There’s no rift between Obi and<br />
me at a personal level. Nobody<br />
snatched each other’s wife. What<br />
appears to be the rift between us is<br />
fundamental political differences.<br />
Nothing else.<br />
“On the fundamental differences<br />
we have, we are going to meet in<br />
the next few weeks. We’ve agreed<br />
to discuss and iron out our<br />
differences. Unfortunately, he’s<br />
left. We must get it done. Anambra<br />
is for all of us.”<br />
Appreciating God for sparing the<br />
celebrant’s life to attain 70, Soludo<br />
said Ezeokafor has been of great<br />
influence on him and his<br />
government, especially in the area<br />
of prudence and patronage of<br />
locally made products.<br />
He said: “You changed my<br />
thinking when you visited my<br />
village house in 2019 and rejected<br />
the foreign wine offered to you in<br />
the place of palm wine. Today in<br />
Governor’s lodge, the highest wine<br />
served there is palm wine.<br />
“I was also humbled by the<br />
moderate type of car you drove to<br />
•I've no rift with Obi—Soludo<br />
Also yesterday, Mr Peter Obi,<br />
felicitated with the Catholic Bishop<br />
of Awka Diocese, Most Rev<br />
Paulinus Ezeokafor, who marked<br />
his 70th birthday celebration with<br />
an Episcopal High Mass at Awka.<br />
Obi, who addressed journalists<br />
in Awka, described Bishop<br />
Ezeokafor as one who has<br />
continued to dutifully execute his<br />
covenant with God and His people<br />
in all ramifications. Obi said the<br />
Bishop had continued to<br />
demonstrate his love for God by<br />
caring for God’s people and<br />
meeting their physical and spiritual<br />
needs.<br />
Speaking highly of the cleric, Obi<br />
said: “The love of God which<br />
radiates through him to all the<br />
Nnamdi Kanu sues NIA DG over<br />
alleged torture, detention in Kenya<br />
Claimant managed to escape to a<br />
safe location from where he<br />
managed to flee overseas to save<br />
his life.<br />
"With time, Claimant instituted<br />
a fundamental rights suit on<br />
grounds of the said military<br />
invasion and the court held that<br />
said invasion amounted to a<br />
violation of Claimant’s<br />
fundamental rights, whereupon<br />
the court awarded the Claimant<br />
damages and an order for a public<br />
apology and also held that “It is<br />
the view of this Honourable Court<br />
that the Agent of the First<br />
Respondent set out as pythons to<br />
terminate the life of the Applicant.”<br />
Claimant hereby pleads the<br />
Judgment and the Judgment<br />
Order as documents Claimant<br />
shall rely on at the trial. See<br />
Annexures 1 and 2.<br />
"In the course of his sojourns<br />
and search for a haven, Claimant<br />
legally entered the Republic of<br />
Kenya on 12th May 2021.<br />
Claimant hereby pleads the<br />
relevant copies of Claimant’s<br />
passport as a document Claimant<br />
shall rely on at the trial. See<br />
Annexure 3.<br />
"On 19th June 2021, acting in<br />
bad faith and/or abuse of his public<br />
office, the Defendant and his<br />
confederates, agents, and privies<br />
(hereafter: the Defendant), falsely<br />
arrested the Claimant at the<br />
parking lot of Jomo Kenyatta<br />
International Airport, Nairobi<br />
Kenya without the authority of the<br />
law of the Republic of Kenya, in<br />
that the Defendant arrested the<br />
Plaintiff without any Kenyan<br />
arrest warrant or such other like<br />
authority issuing from a Kenyan<br />
law enforcement agency, court or<br />
government of Kenya.<br />
"Following the said false arrest,<br />
the Defendant, acting in bad faith<br />
faithful is aptly captured in his<br />
motto: “caritas mea cum omnibus<br />
vobis in Christo Jesu.”<br />
Continuing, he said that a critical<br />
look at the activities planned for<br />
his birthday, culminating in the<br />
empowerment of the less<br />
privileged, are practical<br />
demonstrations of his motto.<br />
“Right from your days as a priest,<br />
you have continued, whether in<br />
the parishes, seminaries, or other<br />
educational institutions, to deploy<br />
your knowledge and rich<br />
experience in the discharge of your<br />
pastoral duties.<br />
"People and institutions that<br />
have interacted with you<br />
appreciate your dedication and<br />
hard-work.”<br />
and abuse of his public office,<br />
falsely imprisoned the Claimant for<br />
Eight (days) at a secret, non-official<br />
place in Nairobi, Kenya, where the<br />
Defendant physically and<br />
mentally tortured the Claimant.<br />
"Throughout the Claimant’s<br />
imprisonment, the Defendant -<br />
acting in bad faith and abuse of his<br />
public office - willfully refused to<br />
present or produce the Claimant<br />
to a Kenyan police station or court<br />
of law of other appropriate Kenyan<br />
authority, such as the Kenyan<br />
immigration authorities."<br />
2023: We'll dialogue with all<br />
agitating groups —Tinubu<br />
By Peter Okutu<br />
THE ALL Progressives<br />
C o n g r e s s ,<br />
APC, Presidential candidate for<br />
the 2023 general elections,<br />
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,<br />
yesterday said his administration<br />
will dialogue with all the groups<br />
agitating for one reason or the other<br />
in the country.<br />
He stressed that there is no<br />
need for violence and fighting<br />
among Nigerians over the<br />
rulership of the country, as every<br />
segment of the nation will be<br />
accommodated in his government,<br />
if he emerges as President come<br />
2023.<br />
Tinubu, who stated this during<br />
the Ebonyi State Residential Rally<br />
and Ebonyi gubernatorial<br />
campaign Flag off at the Pa Ngele<br />
Oruta Township Stadium,<br />
Abakaliki, enjoined APC<br />
supporters to use their Permanent<br />
Voters Card, PVCs and ensure<br />
victory for the APC next year.<br />
"We want to progress; we want<br />
peace, we will talk to all agitators.<br />
These things are not done by<br />
conflict, it is by sitting around the<br />
table to complain. It is not using<br />
fight to do it; it is by discussion, by<br />
being intellectually involved, by<br />
electing visionary leaders to lead<br />
the crusade for the development<br />
of the zone. You will have it in May<br />
if you elect me."<br />
The APC Presidential candidate<br />
who described PDP's 16 years of<br />
rulership as a failure stated that<br />
his administration will address<br />
issues revolving around<br />
education, transportation,<br />
security, power supply, and<br />
industrialization.<br />
"APC is the only progressive<br />
party, the progressive club that can<br />
change Nigeria and not the<br />
Poverty Development Party. The<br />
progress is now here. I thank the<br />
chairman of the Progressive<br />
Governors' Forum and his team<br />
for the job they did in bringing<br />
Governor Umahi over as one of<br />
them.<br />
"The greatest gratitude and joy<br />
of a candidate is to see that you<br />
have an unbreakable team. Today,<br />
we have all of these great men<br />
and women surrounding me to say<br />
go ahead and become the<br />
President of Nigeria.<br />
"In 16 years of PDP government,<br />
we have had no blink of electricity.<br />
They spend more than 16 billion<br />
dollars, they forget that the<br />
transmission line is a super<br />
highway to generate electricity. We<br />
don't want to go backward, we are<br />
progressives; we will move Nigeria<br />
forward, we will do the right thing,<br />
and we will make southeast the<br />
Taiwan of Nigeria. We can do it; it's<br />
a matter of thinking."<br />
Nigeria needs a better driver<br />
—Obi<br />
THE<br />
PRESIDENTIAL<br />
candidate of the Labour Party,<br />
Mr. Peter Obi has related Nigeria<br />
to a vehicle with knocked engine<br />
caused by the recklessness and<br />
quackery of its past drivers, saying<br />
that a new Nigeria is possible if<br />
entrusted into the hands of<br />
trained, confident, and fully<br />
qualified drivers, Baba Datti<br />
Ahmed and himself. Obi said this<br />
during the campaign rally at the<br />
Lekan Salami stadium in Ibadan.<br />
Obi who was introduced by the<br />
Director General of the<br />
Campaign, Dr. Doyin Okupe<br />
started his speech by paying<br />
glowing tributes to the late Chief<br />
Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke<br />
Akintola. He also paid tributes to<br />
the current leaders of the Yoruba,<br />
especially Pa Ayo Adebanjo who<br />
was there physically, and the<br />
Afenifere.<br />
Obi said that by standing on<br />
the side of equity and justice,<br />
Afenifere had stood out as one of<br />
the custodians of the conscience<br />
of the nation. He said that justice,<br />
equity, and fairness remained the<br />
only durable foundation for the<br />
future of a prosperous Nigeria.<br />
Dwelling at length on the<br />
trajectory of his government, Obi<br />
said that their priority would be to<br />
secure and unite Nigeria and<br />
Nigerians and move the country<br />
from consumption to production.<br />
He also talked about bringing<br />
back the greatness of Nigerian<br />
cities by building on their<br />
strength, thus restoring Lagos as<br />
the financial capital of Africa;<br />
Ibadan as a strong industrial and<br />
educational base; the vast north<br />
as the food basket of the country.<br />
Obi decried the use of tribe,<br />
religion, and ethnicity as an<br />
instrument of division and vowed<br />
that Datti and himself would<br />
ignore those distractions and use<br />
their experiences as wealth<br />
creators to expand the national<br />
cake for everybody to equitably<br />
enjoy.<br />
Earlier in his speech, Pa Ayo<br />
Adebanjo whose over 90 years<br />
made him an unlikely participant<br />
at a political rally, said he was<br />
determined to attend in his desire<br />
to see the birth of equitable,<br />
strong, and fair Nigeria, which<br />
Obi/Datti’s<br />
represented.<br />
NDDC Board: We shall meet in court,<br />
Itsekiri group tells FG<br />
By Urowayino<br />
Jeremiah<br />
THE ITSEKIRI Consultative<br />
Forum, ICF, has stated that<br />
they would drag the Federal<br />
Government to court over the<br />
nomination of the board<br />
members of the Niger Delta<br />
Development Commission,<br />
NDDC.<br />
In a statement made available<br />
to newsmen in Warri,<br />
Wednesday, by Prince Emma<br />
Okotie-Eboh, Chairman and<br />
Comrade Ameachi Ogbonna,<br />
Secretary, they maintained that<br />
constituting the board in the<br />
heat of political parties<br />
campaigns for the 2023 general<br />
would turn the NDDC into a<br />
cash cow for politicians and derail<br />
the commission from its core<br />
mandate.<br />
They noted that the Federal<br />
Government violated the Act's<br />
provisions establishing the<br />
commission by not adhering to<br />
the oil production quantum<br />
principle and nominating the<br />
wrong persons from non-oil<br />
producing areas to the critical<br />
positions of chairman and<br />
managing Director.<br />
The Warri Consultative Forum<br />
further reinstated their call that<br />
the interim chairman,<br />
candidature<br />
CCN lauds Ugwuanyi on peace,<br />
quality leadership<br />
E NUGU—GOVERNOR<br />
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu<br />
State’s commitment to supporting<br />
and identifying with all churches<br />
in the state has been described as<br />
an exceptional feat worthy of<br />
emulation.<br />
Governor Ugwuanyi has also<br />
been commended for entrenching<br />
peace and good governance, as<br />
well as providing quality leadership<br />
for the people of Enugu State.<br />
The commendations were made<br />
by the leadership of the Christian<br />
Council of Nigeria (CCN) when<br />
they paid a courtesy visit to<br />
Governor Ugwuanyi at the<br />
Government House, Enugu, on<br />
Wednesday.<br />
The visit was to formally inform<br />
and invite the governor to the<br />
Emmanuel Ohwavborua should<br />
be allowed to manage the affairs<br />
of the NDDC until after the 2023<br />
general elections to give it a sense<br />
of direction and to focus on its<br />
core mandate to the oil-bearing<br />
states and communities.<br />
upcoming 31st General Assembly<br />
of CCN and the body’s 93rd<br />
anniversary scheduled to hold in<br />
Enugu.<br />
Speaking, the President of CCN,<br />
Most Rev. Dr. Benebo Fubara-<br />
Manuel, commended Governor<br />
Ugwuanyi for his sustained<br />
support for the churches, stressing<br />
that the governor has “always<br />
been a supporter of CCN memberchurches.”<br />
The CCN President disclosed<br />
that Governor Ugwuanyi has<br />
made everybody and every church<br />
his own, saying: “I was able to talk<br />
to the people of Enugu State to<br />
ask what church you (Ugwuanyi)<br />
belong to. Some said Catholic, and<br />
some said Anglican. You are just a<br />
member of all the churches and<br />
that makes us happy.”
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K<br />
14 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022
Vanguard, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 15<br />
Edited by Henry Ojelu<br />
Phone: 08180077486<br />
Email: ojeluh@gmail.com<br />
Evicted thrice, twice, abandoned<br />
by wife, homeless for 32yrs<br />
...Ex-Warrant Officer narrates ordeal in service<br />
When Master Warrant Officer, MWO, Edet Okon (Rtd) (BO 391), joined<br />
the Nigerian Navy in 1981, his dream was to serve the country and<br />
defend her territorial waters to the best of his capability. From his first state<br />
of deployment, Lagos, to Rivers, Cross River, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,<br />
Delta and many other remote communities, Okon discharged his duties<br />
with diligence and was never found wanting. Now retired, Okon’s pain<br />
and regret is serving his fatherland for 32 years while leaving in shanties<br />
with his family. In this edition, Okon tells Encounter how despite deductions<br />
from his monthly salary for accommodation, he was evicted twice from his<br />
assigned quarters while on official duties. He also narrated his ordeal of<br />
losing his first family and a 15-month-old child to pneumonia due to the<br />
accommodation challenge and how his efforts to get justice from Naval<br />
authorities met brick walls.<br />
By Ike Uchechukwu<br />
How it started<br />
After joining the Nigerian Navy<br />
in 1981, I was allotted block 169<br />
Apartment II Road 3, Navy Town,<br />
Lagos as my permanent<br />
accommodation. The necessary<br />
documentation was issued in my<br />
name. I stayed in the<br />
accommodation until 1983 when<br />
I was transferred to Port Harcourt,<br />
Rivers State. While in Port<br />
Harcourt, I was alerted by<br />
someone that the Naval authority<br />
in Lagos had broken into my<br />
apartment, moved my properties<br />
out, and reallocated the apartment<br />
to another personnel. I was<br />
shocked because I was never<br />
officially informed about the<br />
development more so when the<br />
Naval authority in Lagos was<br />
aware that my deployment to Port<br />
Harcourt was without<br />
accommodation.<br />
When I reported the matter to my<br />
command in Port Harcourt, I was<br />
given a letter which stated that I<br />
was in transit. Being in transit<br />
means that I was just given a<br />
temporary place to sleep since I<br />
have official accommodation in<br />
Lagos. When I returned to Lagos, I<br />
was shocked to find a stranger in<br />
my apartment. I wanted to force<br />
my way into the house and throw<br />
his things out, but my colleagues<br />
advised me not to do so.<br />
When I reported the incident to<br />
the admin office, the commanding<br />
officer told me that it was a<br />
mistake that would be rectified. I<br />
was asked to go back to my<br />
command in Port Harcourt with<br />
an assurance that I will regain my<br />
apartment. I went back and waited<br />
for six months but nothing was<br />
done. During this period, my wife<br />
was pregnant and staying at a<br />
friend’s house.<br />
Lost 5-month-old<br />
baby, marriage<br />
The situation remained the same<br />
for four years until I was<br />
transferred back to Lagos. The<br />
saddest part of the incident was<br />
that even when I was not staying<br />
in the apartment, my money was<br />
still being deducted for the<br />
payment of the accommodation.<br />
It was raining heavily the day I<br />
finally returned to Lagos with my<br />
wife, five-year-old, and 5-monthold<br />
son. I went straight to my<br />
apartment believing that the<br />
matter would have been resolved<br />
but to my greatest shock, the<br />
illegal occupant of the apartment<br />
refused to open the door. I was<br />
outside with my luggage and<br />
family in the rain for hours. We<br />
slept in a shanty from Friday till<br />
Monday since the admin officer<br />
where I could report the case had<br />
closed. Most of my properties were<br />
damaged in the rain.<br />
By Monday I reported first to<br />
where I was posted to avoid a pay<br />
cut. I told them my challenge and<br />
begged to be allowed to sort things<br />
out, but the authorities there<br />
refused. I kept duty from Monday<br />
to Wednesday before someone<br />
came and relieved me. By the time<br />
I rushed back to Navy Town, I met<br />
my 15 -months-old baby dead. My<br />
wife too was almost at the point of<br />
death. When my dead baby was<br />
examined, he was said to have died<br />
of chronic pneumonia which might<br />
have been exacerbated by the long<br />
exposure to the rain.<br />
We continued to stay in a shanty<br />
after my child’s death. Despite the<br />
admin office’s assurances, nothing<br />
was still done about removing the<br />
illegal occupant in my apartment.<br />
When my wife could no longer bear<br />
the pain of squatting in the shanty,<br />
she decided to be following me<br />
with our daughter to my duty post.<br />
She would stay under a tree<br />
outside my workplace with my<br />
baby until the close of work.<br />
Evicted from<br />
temporary<br />
accommodation<br />
When I could no longer endure<br />
the pain of seeing my family<br />
suffer while I served my<br />
fatherland, I begged some<br />
colleagues who assisted me to<br />
get accommodation<br />
somewhere in Ipaja. The<br />
place was very<br />
uncomfortable but I<br />
managed it with my family<br />
for about three months until<br />
a bank that bought the house<br />
came and threw us out. From<br />
there, I moved into another<br />
uncompleted building in<br />
Gowon Estate and was evicted<br />
again by the owner after a few<br />
months. We got tired and decided<br />
to return to our former shanty in<br />
Navy town. When it became<br />
obvious that nothing was being<br />
done about evicting the person in<br />
my apartment, I conducted an<br />
investigation and discovered that<br />
the illegal tenant was a relative of<br />
a former Chief of Naval Staff. At<br />
that point, I just gave up hope of<br />
regaining the apartment.<br />
Abandoned by wife<br />
We<br />
continued to<br />
leave in the<br />
shanty until I<br />
went on<br />
official duty in<br />
Oyo State.<br />
When I came<br />
back I didn’t<br />
see my wife<br />
and child. I<br />
was told she<br />
had packed<br />
her few<br />
belongings<br />
and left with<br />
my child. That<br />
was how my<br />
wife left me<br />
and our<br />
marriage ended.<br />
Another forceful<br />
eviction<br />
After my wife left, I moved to<br />
my workplace where I stayed for<br />
more than a year before a friend<br />
informed me about a police officer<br />
who wanted to leave an apartment<br />
because he wasn’t comfortable<br />
staying among Naval officers. I<br />
was told the Policeman was<br />
looking for someone to pay him<br />
for the apartment. So I paid him<br />
and he handed over the apartment<br />
When I could no<br />
longer endure the<br />
pain of seeing my<br />
family suffer while I<br />
serve my<br />
fatherland, I begged<br />
some colleagues<br />
who assisted me to<br />
get accommodation<br />
somewhere in<br />
Iyana-Ipaja<br />
( BT. 88 Flat 5 1st Floor, Gowon<br />
Estate, behind Custom Block at 34<br />
Road) to me. I started buying<br />
property little by little until I met<br />
my second wife.<br />
Sometime in 1996, the Navy<br />
again transferred me to Port<br />
•Edet Okon<br />
Harcourt. After some years in Port<br />
Harcourt, I was moved to Abuja.<br />
While in Abuja, I asked my wife,<br />
who had given birth to two<br />
children and was staying in my<br />
Lagos apartment to visit me. That<br />
was during the Commonwealth<br />
Head of States conference in<br />
Abuja. My daughter was seriously<br />
sick and since I could not travel<br />
because of my official duty, I asked<br />
my wife to come to Abuja. A few<br />
days after they arrived in Abuja, I<br />
was informed that the Naval<br />
authorities in Lagos had again<br />
forcefully opened my apartment<br />
and moved my things out for<br />
another family.<br />
When I heard this I had<br />
to secure a pass to<br />
enable me travel<br />
back to Lagos to<br />
see what was<br />
happening. I<br />
was very<br />
angry when I<br />
arrived in<br />
Lagos. I<br />
entered the<br />
house and<br />
saw a young<br />
boy of about<br />
17 years. He<br />
k n e l t<br />
downand<br />
started crying<br />
and begging<br />
me. As I looked<br />
around I saw his<br />
father’s portrait. He<br />
was my good friend.<br />
The son told me that his<br />
father was sick and taken<br />
to the hospital where he got<br />
missing. They were subsequently<br />
ejected from the barracks, but a<br />
court order was served on the Navy<br />
for immediate provision of<br />
accommodation for the officer’s<br />
family. It was in that situation that<br />
the barracks authority ended up<br />
giving them my apartment. I was<br />
touched by their condition and<br />
couldn’t do anything.<br />
Complaints<br />
blocked from<br />
reaching CNS<br />
The situation remained the<br />
same from 2004 when I was posted<br />
to Warri, Delta State to 2008 when<br />
I was transferred to Calabar, Cross<br />
River State. When I resumed duty<br />
at NNS Victory, I channeled a<br />
complaint to my commanding<br />
officer. When the Chief of Naval<br />
Staff, CNS,Vice Admiral I.I.<br />
Ibrahim visited our<br />
command and heard my<br />
case, he was angry about<br />
all the treatments that<br />
were meted out to me and<br />
directed<br />
my<br />
Commanding Officer to<br />
verify my complaints<br />
and forward his findings<br />
to the Flag Officer<br />
Commanding, FOC,<br />
Board of Inquiries and<br />
Eastern Naval<br />
Command. The report<br />
cleared me of any act of<br />
indiscipline,<br />
acknowledged my<br />
ordeal<br />
and<br />
recommended financial<br />
compensation.<br />
Unfortunately, my FOC<br />
did not forward the<br />
report to the appropriate<br />
quarters because he<br />
knew that the CNS<br />
would ask him to<br />
compensate me since I<br />
was working under his<br />
command. I kept<br />
disturbing my<br />
Commanding Officer,<br />
but he insisted that it<br />
was the FOC that was<br />
holding back the<br />
report.<br />
Posted<br />
Offshore for<br />
complaining<br />
I met the FOC and pleaded with him<br />
to send the report but instead of sending<br />
the report, he drafted me offshore. I<br />
stayed offshore in Wakadome in Sao<br />
Tome for 6 months. During that period,<br />
the CNS that was supposed to handle<br />
my case retired.<br />
Compulsory<br />
Retirement<br />
In 2012, I was hoping to pick up the<br />
matter again but I was compulsorily<br />
retired. Instead of serving 35 years, I<br />
only served 32 years. Till today, it is<br />
only pension that I have been<br />
collecting. No gratuity.<br />
Regrets<br />
I served my country well and<br />
almost died during the rise of<br />
militancy in the Niger Delta<br />
region. I lost my son and<br />
marriage and was homeless<br />
while serving my country. I want<br />
the world to hear my cry. If the<br />
Navy has already recommended<br />
that I should be compensated,<br />
why am I still being neglected?<br />
Why would my country treat me<br />
like a slave?<br />
Complaint’ll<br />
be<br />
reinvested-Source<br />
When contacted, a senior naval<br />
officer at the Naval headquarters,<br />
Abuja told Encounter that Mr<br />
Okon’s case was truly pathetic<br />
and promised to offer assistance.<br />
“ His story is a truly pathetic one<br />
but he should follow the proper<br />
channel to bring it to the ttention<br />
of the Chief of Naval Staff. When<br />
that is done, his matter would<br />
reinvestigated to ascertain what<br />
really happened and why he was<br />
not compensated ,” the source<br />
said.
16 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
Refreshingly<br />
intelligent<br />
discourse<br />
MAJOR General Barry<br />
Tariye Ndiomu (retd),<br />
the recently appointed Interim<br />
Administrator (IA) of the<br />
Presidential Amnesty<br />
Programme, PAP, visited<br />
Senator Douye Diri, the<br />
Bayelsa State Governor, in<br />
Yenagoa on Tuesday.<br />
Ndiomu, a native of Bayelsa,<br />
was visibly touched by the<br />
warm welcome he received<br />
from Diri. But the thing that<br />
struck me most was the quality<br />
of the conversation that the two<br />
men had in the presence of<br />
assorted aides and journalists,<br />
this columnist included.<br />
Most of the courtesy calls I’ve<br />
personally witnessed over the<br />
years have been characterised<br />
by empty platitudes and<br />
anodyne statements, as<br />
government VIPs or private<br />
sector CEOs vie with each<br />
other to be as non-commital<br />
and uncontroversial as<br />
possible.<br />
But there was none of the<br />
usual boring pussyfooting on<br />
this occasion. Ndiomu and Diri<br />
didn’t waste time on<br />
meaningless chit chat. They<br />
both cut straight to the chase<br />
and frankly exchanged<br />
trenchant opinions based on<br />
factual realities and sound<br />
research. I think it is fair to say<br />
that they came across as nononsense<br />
but caring leaders<br />
who have their constituents’<br />
best interests at heart.<br />
The PAP, a DDR<br />
(disarmament, demobilisation<br />
and reintegration) initiative,<br />
was inspired by a United<br />
Nations Peacekeeping<br />
Programme model and has<br />
been used in many countries.<br />
Here, it was designed to<br />
encourage “militant” outlaws in<br />
the Niger Delta creeks to lay<br />
down their weapons and<br />
become productive members of<br />
society.<br />
DDR programmes are never<br />
meant to be perpetual and<br />
Nigeria’s version, which was<br />
launched in 2009, was<br />
supposed to end in 2015; but<br />
for various reasons, it was<br />
extended and is now in its 13th<br />
year. Ndiomu was recruited to<br />
shut PAP down; but after<br />
consulting widely with<br />
stakeholders (Diri included),<br />
ex-agitators and respected<br />
influencers across the region,<br />
he has managed to persuade<br />
the Federal Government to<br />
suspend the termination<br />
exercise.<br />
However, Ndiomu is not a<br />
corrupt, cynical, complacent,<br />
inefficient Business As Usual<br />
With bold,<br />
straightforward and<br />
intelligent men like<br />
Ndiomu and Diri<br />
playing key roles both<br />
locally and nationally,<br />
there is hope for<br />
Bayelsans in<br />
particular and Niger<br />
Deltans in general<br />
person. He is a cerebral lawyer<br />
as well as a robust soldier; and<br />
while conceding that PAP has<br />
delivered several significant<br />
successes, there are many<br />
aspects of the status quo he<br />
regards as alarming and<br />
intends to change at the<br />
earliest opportunity. He says<br />
that PAP has given birth to a<br />
“dependency syndrome, which<br />
as far as I'm concerned, is not<br />
something that's in our best<br />
interests because we're<br />
•Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri (3rd left) and the Interim administrator of the<br />
Presidential Amnesty Programme, Major General Barry Ndiomu (retd) during the visit<br />
•Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri presenting a souvenir to the<br />
Interim administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme,<br />
Major General Barry Tariye Ndiomu (retd) during the visit<br />
introducing a culture of<br />
laziness...What we're trying to<br />
do right now is to recalibrate<br />
the programme, make it more<br />
meaningful and impactful.<br />
We're carrying out audits of<br />
those who are in the<br />
scholarship scheme, audits of<br />
those who are in [vocational]<br />
training and audits of those<br />
being paid monthly stipends.<br />
And we have uncovered<br />
enormous fraud…<br />
“…For example we have<br />
cases where an individual with<br />
a single BVN number, receives<br />
the stipends of 33 persons; and<br />
this has occurred<br />
severally…[there are] over<br />
1,600 of such cases…How they<br />
did it, I do not know.<br />
Investigations are ongoing. At<br />
the end of the day, we will<br />
make recoveries from the banks<br />
that aided this kind of<br />
fraud……Funds that have<br />
been frittered away like this<br />
could have been better utilized<br />
in training our children across<br />
the Niger Delta. And the<br />
figures runs into hundreds of<br />
millions…”<br />
Ndiomu also complained<br />
about inheriting a debt of about<br />
N4.5billion. It was linked to<br />
vocational training contracts he<br />
says were grossly inflated.<br />
Fortunately, he has been able<br />
to re-negotiate these contracts<br />
and save N1.3 billion. But<br />
intervention funds are still<br />
needed urgently and he is<br />
suspending the award of<br />
scholarships because PAP<br />
cannot afford to take on<br />
additional liabilities.<br />
After listing other<br />
dysfunctions he has<br />
encountered, Ndiomu told Diri<br />
that what saddens him most is<br />
that “these are actions<br />
perpetrated by Niger Delta<br />
people against their own<br />
people; and I do not think it is<br />
fair…When you look at the total<br />
amount that has been spent on<br />
the amnesty programme, it<br />
runs into trillions of naira but<br />
we have very little to show for<br />
it in terms of infrastructure…”<br />
Diri also refused to beat about<br />
the bush. His opening salvo,<br />
in response to Ndiomu, was<br />
that the disarmament leg of the<br />
DDR tripod was far from stable.<br />
“Can we,” he asked<br />
rhetorically, “really convince<br />
ourselves that we have been<br />
able to completely disarm?<br />
While we are the final stage of<br />
reintegration, you and I know<br />
that within the Niger Delta,<br />
non-state actors are in still<br />
possession of arms. So, I would<br />
like to state that the process of<br />
disarmament has not been 100<br />
percent completed.”<br />
Diri also referred to the need<br />
for PAP to participate in<br />
expansion of environmental<br />
remediation exercises beyond<br />
Ogoniland, so the chronic<br />
pollution in the region as a<br />
whole can be addressed.<br />
Another sore point Diri did not<br />
shy away from was the fact that<br />
“We play politics with the<br />
development of our<br />
region”…and allow ourselves<br />
to be distracted by the fact that<br />
most Niger Delta governors are<br />
PDP while the central<br />
government is APC.<br />
“Before APC and PDP, we<br />
were one and the same people.<br />
Those who sacrificed their<br />
lives, the Isaac Boros, didn't do<br />
that for political<br />
reasons…Therefore I'd like to<br />
call on you not to politicise the<br />
amnesty programme and to<br />
work in synergy with the state<br />
governments of the region…”<br />
Hear hear!!! With bold,<br />
straightforward and intelligent<br />
men like Ndiomu and Diri<br />
playing key roles both locally<br />
and nationally, there is hope for<br />
Bayelsans in particular and<br />
Niger Deltans in general.<br />
RESPONSES<br />
TO<br />
donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to<br />
0805 404 6887. (TEXT ONLY).<br />
PLEASE NOTE THAT UNLESS<br />
YOU REQUEST ANONYMITY,<br />
YOUR EMAIL OR TEXT MAY<br />
BE PUBLISHED WITH YOUR<br />
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DETAILS ATTACHED.
Queen Nanny: Ghanaian woman<br />
who led liberation army in Jamaica<br />
NANNY, a young Akan<br />
woman from present day<br />
Ghana, born about 1686 was<br />
captured with her four<br />
brothers and sold into slavery.<br />
They were taken on ‘The<br />
Journey of No Return’ across<br />
the Atlantic Ocean, becoming<br />
part of the 12.5 million Africans<br />
forced on this journey by<br />
Europeans and Americans who<br />
wanted free labour to exploit for<br />
profit. Unlike the 1.8 million<br />
others who perished during this<br />
journey and had their bodies<br />
fed to the roaring ocean waves,<br />
Nanny, who was to become<br />
known as "Nanny of the<br />
Maroons," and her brothers,<br />
survived the ordeal and arrived<br />
in Jamaica.<br />
They later escaped from the<br />
slave plantations and fled into<br />
the mountains and jungles of<br />
Jamaica to become Maroons.<br />
This was the name for escaped<br />
slaves who banded together<br />
and fought for freedom, initially<br />
for themselves and eventually<br />
for various Latin American<br />
and Caribbean countries,<br />
including Jamaica. The names<br />
of slaves, in almost all cases,<br />
were lost. This was part of the<br />
depersonalization and<br />
dehumanisation of the slave,<br />
who was forced to forget the<br />
past and live entirely at the<br />
pleasure of the slave owner, who<br />
exercised the power of life or<br />
Prioritising lives: Chinese and American responses to COVID<br />
By ANDREW ADEGBITE<br />
SINCE the COVID outbreak, the<br />
United States has engaged in an<br />
effort to demonise China, fabricating<br />
allegations that the virus originated in<br />
a military lab in Wuhan. Unable to<br />
prove such baseless accusations, the<br />
United States has long attacked<br />
China’s utilisation of strict lockdown<br />
measures to prevent the spread. It<br />
almost seems preposterous that a<br />
country like the US believes it has the<br />
moral high ground or the legitimacy<br />
to lecture China on dealing with the<br />
pandemic. With a recorded death toll<br />
of 1.09 million and 98 million<br />
confirmed cases, the United States<br />
government is hardly in any position<br />
to offer criticism or advice on the<br />
handling of COVID.<br />
China’s strategy of "Zero COVID"<br />
has proven to be a big success. When<br />
the rest of the world was ravaged by<br />
COVID, even in the most developed<br />
countries, China was able to contain<br />
the spread of the virus quickly, and<br />
the Chinese people were able to live<br />
their lives just as usual. This is a<br />
remarkable feat that garnered praise<br />
from world leaders and medical<br />
experts. "China’s lockdown measures<br />
keep excess mortality at remarkably<br />
low levels. It was a dramatic, forceful<br />
demonstration of Chinese might and<br />
resolve," wrote J. Stephen Morrison,<br />
Senior Vice President and Director of<br />
death on his "property. So it is<br />
not unlikely that her original<br />
name was not Nanny. This was<br />
most likely a corruption of the<br />
name Maame, which means<br />
mother in Twi. This would have<br />
been preferred to the names<br />
given her by the slave masters.<br />
By the mid-1550s, there were<br />
already escaped slaves in the<br />
Caribbean, who, with no way of<br />
finding their way back home to<br />
their loved ones, banded<br />
together to fight the slave<br />
owners and establish their own<br />
communities. In Jamaica, as in<br />
some other countries, these<br />
freedom fighters were called<br />
Maroons. The word, "maroon"<br />
was derived from the Spanish<br />
word "Cimarron," which was<br />
originally used for runaway<br />
cattle. Since African slaves were<br />
valued and treated no better<br />
than cattle, it came to be<br />
used for escaped African<br />
slaves. Maroon communities<br />
were typically located among<br />
mountains and swamps,<br />
making slave owners and<br />
European countries' raids<br />
difficult. They also provided<br />
safe bases for the Maroons to<br />
conduct raids on white<br />
plantations and organise<br />
guerrilla armies. They linked<br />
up with local Native Americans<br />
to defend the terrain. Today,<br />
Maroon communities still<br />
exist in various North and<br />
Nanny of the<br />
Maroons<br />
deservedly won<br />
her place in the<br />
pantheon of<br />
fighters for human<br />
freedom<br />
the Global Health Policy Center, and<br />
Scott Kennedy, Senior Adviser and<br />
Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and<br />
Economics.<br />
Meanwhile, they described the US<br />
handling of COVID as "denials,<br />
incompetence, and polarization,"<br />
which left many Americans dead.<br />
Many are casting doubts over China’s<br />
decision to continue its implementation<br />
of the zero-covid policy, arguing that<br />
the Omicron variant is a milder and<br />
The Chinese people, together<br />
with the Chinese government,<br />
know what is at stake; and that<br />
is why the Chinese government<br />
cannot do what the U.S. does<br />
and leave behind its most<br />
vulnerable group<br />
less lethal variant than the original<br />
one. But China doesn’t leave things<br />
to chance. Without a complete<br />
understanding of what health effects<br />
the virus has on human beings,<br />
especially the vulnerable population,<br />
relaxing pandemic control methods is<br />
an irresponsible thing to do.<br />
Protecting the elderly: In contrast to<br />
the U.S.’s staggering number of<br />
fatalities, China has recorded only<br />
5,226 COVID deaths since 2020 among<br />
a population of 1.4 billion, just a tiny<br />
fraction of the former. China cannot<br />
South America countries like<br />
Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico,<br />
Puerto<br />
Rico,<br />
Suriname, Ecuador and the<br />
United States especially in the<br />
Carolina's, Alabama, Florida<br />
and New Orleans areas. They<br />
also exist on islands in the<br />
Indian Ocean.<br />
After escaping from the<br />
plantations, Nanny and her<br />
brothers joined the Maroons.<br />
She later founded a Maroon<br />
village with one of her brothers,<br />
Quao, in the Blue Mountains<br />
in eastern Jamaica in<br />
1720. British Captain<br />
Stoddart said Nanny Town, was<br />
"situated on one of the highest<br />
mountains on the island" and<br />
found the only path leading to<br />
it, to be: "steep, rocky, and<br />
difficult, and not wide enough<br />
to admit the passage of two<br />
persons abreast." This<br />
forced the invading army into<br />
a single file and an easy target<br />
for the Nanny fighters. This part<br />
of Jamaica was described as<br />
"Windward" and the inhabitants<br />
were known as "Windward<br />
Maroons." The village became<br />
known as Nanny Town. The<br />
Maroons evolved their own<br />
traditional religious practices<br />
with West African influences. It<br />
was called Obeah. Nanny was<br />
a priestess, leader, and<br />
commander-in-chief of the rebel<br />
army who trained her soldiers<br />
in guerrilla warfare. She was<br />
so fierce in battle that the<br />
Europeans tried to pass her off<br />
as a myth created to rally the<br />
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 17<br />
Send Opinions & Letters to:<br />
opinions1234@yahoo.com<br />
forces of the Maroons. But<br />
despite strenuous efforts, the<br />
Europeans could not force her<br />
off the history books. This is<br />
primarily because a ghost could<br />
not have been recorded by<br />
European writers; could not<br />
have been declared<br />
wanted with a bounty on her by<br />
the colonialists, nor could a<br />
myth had physically established<br />
two separate towns. Also, she<br />
organised and supervised the<br />
escape of about 1,000 slaves<br />
over a three-decade period and<br />
resettled them.<br />
The Queen Nanny rebels<br />
fought the British military for six<br />
years from 1728 until the latter,<br />
led by Commander<br />
Stoddard seized and destroyed<br />
Nanny Town in 1734. In fact, the<br />
British claimed that one of its<br />
mercenaries, Captain William<br />
Cuffee alias Captain<br />
Sambo, leading the "Black<br />
Shots," killed Nanny in 1733<br />
during the battle for the town.<br />
However, a year later, the same<br />
British reported that she was<br />
leading the Windward<br />
Maroons in a retreat westward.<br />
Eventually, she was reported to<br />
have led her troops to take<br />
refuge near the Rio Grande,<br />
one of the largest rivers in the<br />
country. The Maroons were<br />
making slavery costly and<br />
unsustainable and creating<br />
insecurity for the Europeans.<br />
These, coupled with the<br />
European powers' inability to<br />
defeat them after 84 years of<br />
insurgency, led the British<br />
settlers in 1738 to call for a truce.<br />
The first peace treaty was<br />
signed with the Leeward or<br />
Western Maroons, led by<br />
Captain Cudjoe (Kojo), another<br />
Maroon of Ghanaian origin, in<br />
1739. The other, was with the<br />
Windward Maroons on April 20,<br />
1740. The agreement tried to<br />
limit Maroon attacks against<br />
slavery, and also protect the<br />
Maroons. For instance, Article<br />
simply remove all medical restrictions<br />
and open up its border in such an<br />
irresponsible fashion, just like the<br />
United States did. China has an ageing<br />
population. Currently, 12.34 percent<br />
of China’s population is 65 and over,<br />
which translates to around 172 million<br />
people, larger than most countries'<br />
entire populations. People in this age<br />
demographics are particularly<br />
vulnerable and likely to develop<br />
severe symptoms and unexpected<br />
medical complications once they<br />
contract COVID virus. Since it has<br />
been proven that the vaccine does not<br />
entirely prevent transmission, China<br />
feels an obligation to use strict<br />
measures to protect the elderly and<br />
prevent them from catching a disease<br />
that is in no way, shape, or form, just<br />
a cold. It is much more severe than<br />
that, with long-term side effects that<br />
humankind still cannot fully<br />
comprehend, a fact that has been<br />
dismissed by many so-called experts<br />
in the West.<br />
Even in some of the so-called<br />
advanced countries, they could not<br />
prevent elderlies from succumbing to<br />
the disease. A rapidly increasing<br />
number of COVID patients puts a<br />
strain on the provision of healthcare<br />
services and leads to hospital<br />
overcrowding. This is a recipe for<br />
disaster, considering the accelerated<br />
transmissibility of the Omicron variant.<br />
Eight states that "if any White<br />
man shall do any manner of<br />
injury to Cudjoe, his<br />
successors, or any of his or their<br />
people, (the Maroon) shall<br />
apply to any commanding<br />
officer or magistrate in the<br />
neighbourhood for justice.<br />
Article Fourteen provided<br />
for two White men as<br />
ambassadors to live with the<br />
Maroons: "in order to maintain<br />
a friendly correspondence with<br />
the inhabitants of this island."<br />
This clearly could be used for<br />
espionage. However, the treaty,<br />
in Article Three, gave 1,500<br />
acres of Crown land to the<br />
Maroons. Nanny took<br />
possession of the 500 acres<br />
allotted to her and her followers<br />
in Portland Parish in 1740.<br />
There, she built the New Nanny<br />
Town, which still exists today as<br />
Moore Town. She died a<br />
decade later. In 1781, the<br />
town bought an additional 500<br />
acres of land. Ninety-nine years<br />
after the destruction of Nanny<br />
Town, slavery was<br />
abolished. Jamaica, 212 years<br />
after Nanny passed on, gained<br />
independence on August 6,<br />
1962. The date the treaty was<br />
signed is observed as a national<br />
holiday. Her grave is regarded<br />
as a monument, and<br />
Jamaica’s $500 note bears her<br />
image. Also, the Jamaican<br />
Government<br />
in<br />
1975, awarded Queen<br />
Nanny the "Right Excellent"<br />
national medal, making her the<br />
only woman among the<br />
country’s seven National<br />
Heroes. Perhaps one more step<br />
the Jamaican government<br />
needs to take is to restore Nanny<br />
as the official name of the town.<br />
In about 1760 it had been<br />
renamed Moore Town after<br />
Governor Henry Moore. Nanny<br />
of the Maroons deservedly won<br />
her place in the pantheon of<br />
fighters for human freedom.<br />
Former New York State Governor<br />
Andrew Cuomo’s outcry for more<br />
ventilators was still fresh in our minds.<br />
"We’ve tried everything else. The only<br />
way we can obtain these ventilators is<br />
from the federal government. Period."<br />
Governor Cuomo begged then-<br />
President Trump for the crucial<br />
machines to help patients experiencing<br />
serious illness. China has no intention<br />
of putting its elderly through the same<br />
ordeal that those people in New York<br />
went through.<br />
The elderly deserve society’s utmost<br />
respect and care, not an undignified<br />
death. This is something that the<br />
Americans clearly do not understand.<br />
China recognises the disparity<br />
between its medical infrastructure and<br />
that of the West.But the lives of its<br />
citizens always come first for the<br />
Chinese government. And the<br />
Chinese people wholeheartedly agree<br />
with that sentiment, which is why<br />
China’s zero covid strategies have<br />
been so successful.<br />
Nothing trumps human lives, not the<br />
so-called freedom and the right to<br />
choose that Americans talk so<br />
frequently about. The Chinese people,<br />
together with the Chinese government,<br />
know what is at stake. And that is why<br />
the Chinese government cannot do<br />
what the U.S. does and leave behind<br />
its most vulnerable group. China will<br />
always do what’s in the best interest<br />
of its people.<br />
•Adegbite, a public affairs analyst<br />
wrote from Lagos.
18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
THE Nigerian Bureau of Statistics,<br />
NBS, is possibly the most credible<br />
agency of the Federal Government,<br />
alongside the Nigerian Extractive<br />
Industry Transparency Initiative,<br />
NEITI.<br />
In recent years, its public rating has<br />
been on the rise due to its<br />
professional, non-political handling of<br />
the job of telling the Nigerian situation access to other necessities of life<br />
as it is in cold metrics. It has refused (drinking water, electricity, clean<br />
to be touched by the government’s energy for cooking, and others).<br />
propaganda machine.<br />
This figure shows that poverty has<br />
Last week, the NBS released a report gravely worsened since the fourth<br />
that put the current "multidimensional quarter of 2016, when Nigeria fell into<br />
poverty" of Nigerians at about 133 its first recession in over 25 years. At<br />
million out of over 200 million. that point, 89 million Nigerians lived<br />
Multidimensional poverty is not just below the poverty line, with 53 million<br />
talking about the universal poverty more rated "vulnerable."<br />
line, which is based on the cash The implication of the NBS's latest<br />
available to people to meet their report is that the vulnerable group<br />
needs. It also examines other lacks (mostly people in the middle class)<br />
which paint the holistic picture of have now fallen into multidimensional<br />
poverty.<br />
poverty. They can no longer afford the<br />
These are in the areas of health, necessities of life which they once took<br />
education, standard of living and for granted.<br />
Nigeria’s damning poverty report<br />
According to the NBS, Sokoto is<br />
Nigeria’s poorest state, with a 91<br />
percent poverty rate. The poorest<br />
states include oil-rich Bayelsa, Jigawa,<br />
Kebbi, Gombe, and Yobe states, while<br />
Ondo, with 27 percent, has the best<br />
outlook.<br />
The North continues to bear the<br />
highest burden of poverty with 65<br />
percent or 86 million people, while the<br />
South has 35 percent or 47 million<br />
people.<br />
In more advanced countries, the<br />
poor performance of the government<br />
should have consequences in the<br />
upcoming elections. But because<br />
poverty is deep-seated in Nigeria and<br />
has little or no self-redeeming<br />
capacity, the worsening poverty rate<br />
may still have no effect. Poverty has<br />
been weaponised against the poor.<br />
It is affecting them at the level of the<br />
mind, thus robbing them of the<br />
willpower and cognitive impetus to<br />
vote wisely. If we don’t do something<br />
about this situation, poverty will<br />
swallow more of our people.<br />
Running away from Nigeria for<br />
greener pastures elsewhere is not the<br />
solution. We have to eschew<br />
sentiments and demand concrete<br />
action plans, not mere manifestos,<br />
from our aspiring leaders. Let those<br />
who are still standing fight for the<br />
fallen.<br />
The media, opinion leaders, and<br />
advocacy groups should ramp up<br />
voter education and encourage the<br />
average voter to shun vote-selling.<br />
Nigeria is abundantly blessed with<br />
human and natural resources.<br />
We can still be the giant of Africa.<br />
I<br />
WAS thrown off my feet<br />
earlier in the week when a<br />
former Commissioner for Justice<br />
and Attorney-General in Oyo<br />
State, Mutalubi Adebayo,<br />
faulted the clamour for local<br />
government autonomy by many<br />
sections of the Nigerian polity,<br />
adding that it simply shows that<br />
the people do not understand the<br />
concept of federalism.<br />
Adebayo spoke while<br />
answering questions on a live<br />
radio programme monitored in<br />
Ibadan. Indeed, the lawyer<br />
averred that in Nigeria, local<br />
governments were not designed<br />
to function the way many<br />
Nigerians wanted them to. Let<br />
me quote him: "Federal or<br />
national government is the<br />
making of the component states<br />
or units in the federation that<br />
agreed to come together to form<br />
a government at the centre. There<br />
are just two tiers of government<br />
in any federalism, and they are<br />
just the national, central, or<br />
federal government that they (all<br />
the component units or states)<br />
agree to create or form, and the<br />
state governments.<br />
"Local governments are not a<br />
tier of government in any<br />
federalism, but they are an<br />
integral part of the state<br />
government, which has further<br />
subdivided itself into smaller<br />
units known as local<br />
governments for state<br />
administrative purposes. You see,<br />
the truth is that state<br />
governments are empowered to<br />
create local governments as they<br />
wish, and local governments are<br />
Wrong position on local<br />
government autonomy<br />
answerable to the State<br />
governments. The State House of<br />
Assembly is expected to supervise<br />
the activities of local<br />
governments. So, in a federal<br />
system, there is no such thing as<br />
local government autonomy, as<br />
many Nigerians demand. Listing<br />
local government areas in the<br />
constitution is very wrong and an<br />
aberration.”<br />
He did not stop there, he added<br />
what I have decided to call a coup<br />
de grâce for local governments:<br />
"A governor may give what is due<br />
to local governments in part or<br />
in full as he pleases. That is the<br />
spirit of federalism. That is why,<br />
most times, we only appeal to<br />
these governors to at least allow<br />
the local governments to operate<br />
freely and not as a matter of<br />
obligation."<br />
With thinking like this, coming<br />
from a lawyer who was a former<br />
state attorney general, the<br />
Nigerian state is imperiled. I<br />
challenge Adebayo to research<br />
into how local governments<br />
functioned before 1999, when we<br />
returned to democratic civil rule.<br />
It should interest him to discover<br />
that one of the reasons military<br />
rule was easily endured by<br />
Nigerians was because the<br />
soldiers, as dictatorial as they<br />
were, allowed local governments<br />
If one of the causes of<br />
stunted development is<br />
the concentration of too<br />
many powers at the<br />
centre, how can we<br />
nurture same at the state<br />
level with the kind of<br />
fatuous adumbration<br />
coming from Adebayo?<br />
to function. In fact, they reformed<br />
local<br />
government<br />
administration; the Dasuki<br />
Commission was appointed in<br />
1976 to achieve this and make<br />
them more responsive in terms<br />
of service delivery. Between 1976<br />
and 1999, local governments<br />
built roads (Trunk C roads),<br />
waterworks, health centres and<br />
other such infrastructure.<br />
But what has happened since<br />
1999? Potentates of sub-national<br />
governments cleverly exploited a<br />
constitutional provision for a<br />
joint state and local government<br />
account to exert political control.<br />
While this has been achieved, it<br />
has come at the cost of service<br />
delivery by the local<br />
governments, who suddenly<br />
found themselves begging for<br />
funds that are theirs by right.<br />
Another great cost that Nigerians<br />
are bearing is that of leadership<br />
development at the grassroots<br />
level. Now, governors just choose<br />
who will succeed them, almost<br />
capriciously.<br />
Worse, the call for true<br />
federalism has devolved into a<br />
Jekyll and Hyde syndrome that<br />
has hampered and stunted our<br />
country's development. If one of<br />
the causes of stunted<br />
development is the concentration<br />
of too many powers at the centre,<br />
how can we nurture same at the<br />
state level with the kind of<br />
fatuous adumbration coming<br />
from Adebayo? Didn't the<br />
constitution specify a three-tier<br />
federal system? Didn't the<br />
constitution list local<br />
governments? If it did, why would<br />
anybody machinate them into<br />
redundancy?<br />
Has Adebayo forgotten<br />
President Buhari's efforts to use<br />
executive orders to ensure that<br />
local governments received<br />
direct allocations? What did he<br />
make of that? We copied our<br />
presidential system of<br />
government from the United<br />
States. There, they have federal,<br />
state, and county governments.<br />
They all follow their respective<br />
constitutions and do not impose<br />
restrictions on one another.<br />
Counties deliver service, so also<br />
state governments and the<br />
federal. In law enforcement,<br />
there are city police departments<br />
and sheriffs in the counties. They<br />
all work together with their<br />
federal police, the FBI.<br />
More galling is the comment<br />
above that a governor may give<br />
to a local government whatever<br />
he or she pleases. Is it the<br />
governor's money, or an<br />
allocation specified by law? What<br />
would have happened if a<br />
president decided to give what he<br />
liked to a state? I have long held<br />
the belief that the followership is<br />
as much a part of the Nigerian<br />
problem as the leadership. If a<br />
governor is getting advice of this<br />
nature from his aides in charge<br />
of education, justice, health, etc.,<br />
Nigeria would have long gone<br />
back to the Stone Age. Let us<br />
change.<br />
Let us be forward-looking. We<br />
don't have to do things that will<br />
favour us or advance our interests<br />
to the detriment of the vast<br />
majority. Many of our leaders<br />
may mean well, but we get<br />
shortchanged when they succumb<br />
to the sophistry of pernicious<br />
advice. Time now to stop all<br />
these; the world is leaving us<br />
behind!
Nigeria’s growth momentum slows to 2.25%<br />
in Q3’22 •As oil GDP declines 10.91 bps ECONOMY<br />
By Elizabeth Adegbesan<br />
NIGERIA’s Gross Domes<br />
tic Product, GDP, fell<br />
quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) by<br />
1.78 percentage points to 2.25<br />
percent in the third quarter of<br />
2022 (Q3’22) from 3.54 percent<br />
recorded in Q2’22.<br />
The National Bureau of Statistics,<br />
NBS, disclosed this yesterday<br />
in its Nigerian GDP report<br />
for Q3’22, citing the base<br />
effects of the recession and the<br />
challenging economic conditions<br />
that have impeded pro-<br />
ductive activities as reasons for<br />
the deceleration in growth rate.<br />
However, the NBS report also<br />
indicated that real growth of the<br />
oil sector has continued a downward<br />
trend with a massive 10.91<br />
basis points (bps) decline to -<br />
22.67 percent QoQ in Q3’22<br />
from -11.77 percent in Q2’22.<br />
This trend reflected in the<br />
sector’s contribution to GDP<br />
which fell by 0.67 percentage<br />
point to 5.66 percent in Q3’22<br />
from 6.33 percent in Q2’22.<br />
Similarly, growth in the oil sector<br />
decreased by 0.50 percentage<br />
points to 4.27 percent from<br />
SEMINAR —— From left: Mr. Samuel Oyeyipo, Regional Coordinator, South West, Nigerian Export<br />
Promotion Council; Dr Muda Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer, Center for the Promotion of Private Enterprise<br />
(CPPE); Mrs. Bosun Solarin, Export Group Chairman, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI);<br />
Mr. Dele Ayemibo, Managing Director, 3T Impex Ltd, at the Non-Oil Exports-Export4Survival Week in<br />
Lagos.<br />
NBS prepares for living standards,<br />
labour force survey<br />
By Elizabeth Adegbesan<br />
THE National Bureau of Statis<br />
tics, NBS, has begun the process<br />
of conducting its 2022 Nigeria<br />
Living Standards Survey, NLSS, and<br />
CURRENCY BUYING SELLING<br />
US<br />
DOLLAR<br />
POUNDS<br />
EURO<br />
FRANC<br />
YEN<br />
CFA<br />
WAUA<br />
RENMINBI<br />
RIYAL<br />
RAND<br />
Danish Krona<br />
160.45 -1.35<br />
2403.00 + 22.00<br />
19.61 - 0.13<br />
84.56 - 3.54<br />
87.65 +5.12<br />
442.76 443.26 443.76<br />
525.7775 526.3713 526.965<br />
454.5374 455.0507 455.564<br />
463.6716 464.1952 464.7188<br />
3.1359 3.1395 3.143<br />
0.6719 0.6819 0.6919<br />
576.3837 577.0346 577.6855<br />
62.0103 62.0808 62.1513<br />
117.8023 117.9353 118.0684<br />
25.6548 25.6837 25.7127<br />
59.0766 59.1438 59.211<br />
CBN Exchange rate as at 24/11/2022<br />
By Godfrey Bivbere &<br />
Gideon Nnaemezie<br />
THE Secretary-Gen<br />
eral of the International<br />
Maritime<br />
Organisation, IMO,<br />
Kitack Lim, has stressed<br />
the importance of automation<br />
and digitalisation to<br />
global shipping.<br />
Speaking at the Nigeria<br />
International Maritime<br />
Summit, NIMS, in Lagos<br />
the IMO scribe also noted<br />
ECONOMY<br />
the Nigerian Labour Force Survey,<br />
NLFS.<br />
Speaking at the National<br />
Sensitisation Workshop for NLSS<br />
and NLFS yesterday in Abuja, the<br />
Statistician General of the Federation<br />
and Chief Executive Officer,<br />
NBS, Mr Semiu Adeniran,<br />
said that the planning process<br />
adopted the use of modern<br />
platforms and methodologies<br />
for designing and implementing<br />
both surveys.<br />
He stated: “The major<br />
change to this round of the<br />
NLSS is the use of newly carved<br />
out digital enumeration area<br />
maps from the National Population<br />
Commission, for the selection<br />
of Clusters and subsequent<br />
household listing and<br />
the addition of new questions<br />
and modules on Remittances,<br />
Migration and Absentee<br />
Household members, Migration<br />
Aspiration, Social Cohesion,<br />
Petrol Subsidy, and Subjective<br />
wellbeing to the NLSS survey<br />
questionnaire.<br />
“The NLFS however, has recorded<br />
more significant changes from the<br />
way it was being implemented previously.<br />
“This new method of continuous<br />
data collection for the NLFS, will<br />
now produce headline national estimates<br />
of unemployment and other<br />
interesting labour force data, using<br />
the new hourly definition of one hour<br />
a week. While fully disaggregated<br />
state-level estimates will be generated<br />
at the end of 12-months of data<br />
collection.<br />
“With this new concept and approach<br />
of conducting the NLFS,<br />
Nigeria will not only be setting a<br />
new standard in Africa for the conduct<br />
of the Labour Force Survey, but<br />
more importantly, we will be introducing<br />
a mechanism that will allow<br />
for the sustainable and uninterrupted<br />
reporting of labour market<br />
statistics in Nigeria, eliminating the<br />
observed gaps that usually plagued<br />
the old approach”.<br />
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 19<br />
3.7 percent in Q3’22.<br />
NBS said: “The reduction in<br />
growth is attributable to the<br />
base effects of the recession and<br />
the challenging economic conditions<br />
that have impeded productive<br />
activities. The Q3’22<br />
growth rate decreased by 1.78<br />
percent points from the 4.03<br />
percent growth rate recorded in<br />
Q3’21 and decreased by 1.29<br />
percent points relative to 3.54<br />
percent in Q2’22.<br />
However, QoQ, real GDP<br />
grew at 9.68 percent in Q3’22,<br />
reflecting a higher economic<br />
activity in Q3’22 than the preceding<br />
quarter.<br />
“For better clarity, the Nigerian<br />
economy has been classified<br />
broadly into the oil and<br />
non-oil sectors.<br />
“The nation in the third quarter<br />
of 2022 recorded an average<br />
daily oil production of 1.20 million<br />
barrels per day (mbpd),<br />
lower than the daily average<br />
production of 1.57mbpd recorded<br />
in the same quarter of<br />
2021 by 0.37mbpd and lower<br />
than the second quarter of 2022<br />
production volume of 1.43 mbpd<br />
by 0.24mbpd.<br />
“The real growth of the oil sector<br />
was –22.67 percent (year-onyear)<br />
in Q3 2022, indicating a<br />
decrease of 11.94% points relative<br />
to the rate recorded in the<br />
corresponding quarter of 2021.<br />
Growth also decreased by<br />
10.91% points when compared<br />
to Q2’22 which was –11.77 percent.<br />
“The non-oil sector grew by<br />
4.27 percent in real terms during<br />
the reference quarter<br />
(Q3’22). This rate was lower by<br />
1.18 percent points compared<br />
to the rate recorded in the same<br />
quarter of 2021 and 0.50 percent<br />
points lower than the second<br />
quarter of 2022.<br />
“This sector was driven in<br />
Q3’22 mainly by information<br />
and communication (telecommunication);<br />
trade; transportation<br />
(road transport); financial<br />
and insurance (financial institutions);<br />
agriculture (crop production)<br />
and real estate, accounting<br />
for positive GDP<br />
growth. In real terms, the nonoil<br />
sector contributed 94.34 percent<br />
to the nation’s GDP in the<br />
third quarter of 2022, higher<br />
than the share recorded in the<br />
third quarter of 2021 which was<br />
92.51 percent and higher than<br />
Q2’22 recorded as 93.67 percent.”<br />
BLACK FRIDAY: Clickafix offers<br />
professional beauty services<br />
for N100<br />
AfCFTA: Technical assistance for<br />
Nigerian manufacturers underway<br />
By Providence Ayanfeoluwa<br />
AS part of preparation for<br />
Nigeria’s competitiveness<br />
under the African Continental<br />
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) regime,<br />
Afrocet Montgomery, organizers<br />
of Propak West Africa, has<br />
pledged to bring in technical<br />
partners to help Nigerian manufacturers<br />
produce quality products<br />
for export market.<br />
Speaking at the Propak West<br />
Africa 2022 exhibition held in<br />
Lagos, Regional Director, Afrocet<br />
Montgomery, organisers of the<br />
exhibition, Mr. George Pearson,<br />
said Nigerian manufacturers<br />
must look beyond the Nigerian<br />
market by working to make Nigeria<br />
a global hub for export.<br />
Automation, digitalisation critical to global<br />
shipping — IMO Scribe<br />
MARITIME<br />
that adopting strategic financing<br />
would enable stakeholders to get<br />
the needed finance for the acquisition<br />
of new ships required following<br />
the efforts to decarbonise<br />
the shipping environment.<br />
He said IMO will continue to<br />
look at ways of assisting Nigeria<br />
and other African countries in increasing<br />
their maritime capabilities.<br />
He stated further: “As we continue<br />
to look at ways the International<br />
Maritime Organization<br />
(IMO) can assist Nigeria, and<br />
CLICKAFIX,<br />
Nigeria’s<br />
one-stop shop for service providers,<br />
has announced its biggest<br />
deal ever for females in Lagos, offering<br />
in-store nail and beauty services<br />
for N100 today and tomorrow.<br />
Arusha Goswami, Co-founder<br />
and Chief Executive Officer of<br />
Clickafix, announced the deal in<br />
Lagos on Tuesday, saying the Black<br />
Friday deal is in collaboration with<br />
Food Nation Supermarket in<br />
Victoria Island, Lagos, and the<br />
goal is to thrill customers for the<br />
festive season as well as get more<br />
people to experience Clickafix and<br />
appreciate the ease of using the app<br />
to get the service done.<br />
Goswami explained that on those<br />
two days, any female customer<br />
who makes a purchase at the Food<br />
Nation supermarkets on Idowu<br />
other African member states, in<br />
increasing their maritime capabilities,<br />
I wish to use this opportunity<br />
to congratulate NIMASA for<br />
the successes recorded in reducing<br />
piracy and other maritime<br />
crimes in Nigeria’s territorial waters,<br />
and the Gulf of Guinea area,<br />
to record low levels.<br />
“We understand that this has<br />
come about through NIMASA’s<br />
collaboration with the Nigerian<br />
Navy, as well as local and international<br />
partners and for this, we<br />
say congratulations.”<br />
E-COMMERCE<br />
Martins Street in Victoria Island,<br />
Lagos, will enjoy nail and beauty<br />
services by top professionals for<br />
N100.<br />
She stated that Clickafix is all<br />
about making life easier and providing<br />
Lagosians with easy access<br />
to professional services such as<br />
beauty, plumbing, carpentry, air<br />
conditioning, refrigerators, and<br />
other home appliances.<br />
She also mentioned that home<br />
cleaning services and fumigation<br />
are among the services available<br />
on the platform.<br />
Mr. Raoul Swahney, the founder<br />
of Food Nation Supermarkets,<br />
praised Clickafix for the initiative,<br />
saying the Clickafix deals have<br />
made this period even more interesting<br />
for Food Nation Supermarket<br />
customers.<br />
INDUSTRY<br />
He stated: “The manufacturing<br />
sector is private sector driven and<br />
the Foreign Direct Investment,<br />
FDI, that comes in to support the<br />
manufacturers is one thing that<br />
is very important and the manufacturing<br />
sector drives the industry<br />
economy here in Nigeria.<br />
“What we would like to do at<br />
Propak would be to help in bringing<br />
in technical companies and<br />
partners that manufacturers<br />
needed in terms of being able to<br />
increase their quality for the export<br />
market.”<br />
Also speaking, Minister, Ministry<br />
of Industry, Trade and Investment,<br />
Otunba Adeniyi<br />
Adebayo, said countries who<br />
wish to remain relevant and<br />
maintain competitiveness must<br />
give desired attention to the<br />
manufacturing sector adding<br />
that all stakeholders in the sector<br />
must consistently work together<br />
with the government to ensure<br />
that worldwide, Nigeria becomes<br />
a key player in manufacturing.<br />
Meanwhile, Director General,<br />
Manufacturers Association of<br />
Nigeria, MAN, Mr. Segun Ajayi-<br />
Kadir, said MAN is committed<br />
to ensuring that the manufacturers<br />
in Africa fully utilize the opportunities<br />
provided in the<br />
AfCFTA to promote intra-African<br />
trade.
20 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
As oil finally flows into the North, Niger Delta<br />
concerns move up<br />
•Lack of access roads, basic infrastructure worry Bauchi residents<br />
By Charly Agwam, Bauchi<br />
THE natives are excited to earn<br />
the appellation "oil-producing<br />
community." They are equally<br />
thrilled that history has added them<br />
to the list of Nigerians whose state<br />
will now be receiving additional<br />
monthly cash as a derivation from<br />
commercial oil production, as<br />
many other oil-bearing states in the<br />
country’s South have been<br />
collecting for many decades. All of<br />
this has impacted the people of<br />
Bauchi and Gombe states, which are<br />
home to the Kolmani oil fields OPL<br />
809 and OPL 810. The<br />
nomenclature of the communities<br />
changed for good on Tuesday when<br />
President Muhmmadu Buhari led<br />
a star-studded team of oil industry<br />
captains, technocrats, and<br />
politicians to officially inaugurate<br />
the drilling of oil in a field estimated<br />
to have a huge reserve of one billion<br />
barrels of crude and 500 billion<br />
cubic feet of gas, in the Gongola<br />
Basin of the Upper Benue Trough,<br />
straddling Bauchi and Gombe<br />
states.<br />
The inauguration of oil production<br />
by President Buhari marks a turning<br />
point, as it is the first time in the history<br />
of Nigeria that oil is being pumped in<br />
the northern part of the country since<br />
commercial oil production started in<br />
Oloibiri, in present-day Bayelsa State,<br />
in 1956. But even before the oil is taken<br />
down for business, some natives of<br />
Bauchi, where the oil field is situated,<br />
have raised concerns over the absence<br />
of basic amenities in the area and the<br />
possible environmental challenges<br />
they may encounter when oil<br />
production begins in earnest. Some<br />
noted their concerns about the<br />
By Peter Duru, Makurdi<br />
FOR a very long period, they<br />
lived with their failing health<br />
and could not afford the cost of<br />
seeking proper medical attention.<br />
Nobody was even there to help<br />
them. They had serious eye<br />
problems and could not see or go<br />
on their own to where they could<br />
access any form of assistance. and<br />
also had no one to turn to for help.<br />
Frustrated and handicapped, they<br />
merely placed their hope in God<br />
that one day something would be<br />
done to change their predicament.<br />
That long wait was finally over a<br />
complete lack of infrastructure in the<br />
area and the supposed body-language<br />
of the Federal Government since oil<br />
was discovered in Kolmani in<br />
commercial quantities in 2019.<br />
Muhammed Hardawa, a resident<br />
who spoke to Arewa Voice, expressed<br />
concern that the project would not<br />
provide them with adequate benefits<br />
because the government had not paid<br />
much attention to providing critical<br />
infrastructure such as roads, water,<br />
hospitals, and electricity for the area<br />
prior to Mr. President's historic flagoff.<br />
They reasoned that while the<br />
inauguration was enough to earn<br />
more votes for the president and his<br />
party in the next election, the fortunes<br />
of the natives had not been adequately<br />
catered for given the absence of social<br />
amenities. The community leader said,<br />
"Let me tell you, nothing adds up if you<br />
want to look at the facts. Do you know<br />
that the road leading to the site is an<br />
eyesore? Where are the infrastructural<br />
projects that have been put in place to<br />
maximise the potential of the oil field?<br />
If this wasn't just politics, why didn't<br />
the government complete the 87-<br />
kilometre Alkaleri-Futuk Road that is<br />
so pivotal to the success of the oil<br />
exploration, after awarding the<br />
contract seven years ago?<br />
"In 2019, the president came here to<br />
do something similar after they said<br />
that they found oil in commercial<br />
quantities. So tell me why the road<br />
leading to the exploration site was not<br />
completed. Why did the president go<br />
to the site in a chopper if the road was so<br />
good for investors to use? I think it's<br />
time for us to start asking questions<br />
rather than saying yes to<br />
everything." Another resident,<br />
Ahmed Farouk, who praised the<br />
•Some of the patients waiting to be checked by the medical team<br />
few days ago, when 2,100<br />
indigent people from Benue State's<br />
Turan and Ikyurav-ya Kwande<br />
Local Government Areas received<br />
free eye care. The surgeries were<br />
performed first to clear their sight,<br />
and then prescribed eyeglasses<br />
were given to them free of charge,<br />
all in a bid to help them see again<br />
and be able to organise their lives.<br />
The operations were carried out<br />
through a medical outreach<br />
sponsored by the Patricia Nyion<br />
Adzape Foundation. The two-day<br />
medical outreach, which<br />
witnessed a large turnout, was put<br />
together by some donors who<br />
benefited from the education<br />
Federal Government's project,<br />
suggested that important lessons be<br />
drawn from the Niger Delta oil<br />
exploration experience in order to<br />
benefit northern communities and<br />
prevent conflicts, as well as pave the<br />
way for a peaceful community<br />
relationship with the oil firms that are<br />
likely to do business in the areas.<br />
Farouk said, "I welcome the discovery<br />
of oil in the North and the prosperity it<br />
would bring. But it needs to be said<br />
that we must prepare for it. If not,<br />
instead of being a blessing, it would<br />
become a curse. It is a good thing<br />
that the two concerned states<br />
(Bauchi and Gombe) have<br />
decided to work together, but<br />
beyond that, they must ensure<br />
that it benefits the host<br />
communities and the country at<br />
large. There's no doubt that a lot<br />
of work needs to be done to attract<br />
which were treated, and those<br />
requiring prescription glasses and<br />
eye drops, which were issued as<br />
recommended. Those requiring<br />
eye surgeries were immediately<br />
referred to hospitals for that<br />
purpose by the team of medical<br />
experts, at the expense of the<br />
foundation. Similarly, over 100<br />
cases of herniorrhaphy,<br />
hydroceletomy, and lipectomy,<br />
which were observed to be<br />
common among the people, were<br />
handled and surgeries carried out<br />
at the improvised operating rooms<br />
put together by the team. The<br />
sponsors of the treatment, who<br />
By Umar Yusuf & Femi Bolaji<br />
THE Court of Appeal sitting in<br />
Yola, yesterday, overturned<br />
•Kolmani oil field in Bauchi ...starting commercial production<br />
investments to the place. We<br />
know that at least a good road is<br />
required to encourage<br />
development in that area, which<br />
is why I want to implore the<br />
federal and state governments to,<br />
as a matter of urgency, provide<br />
roads and other necessary<br />
infrastructure."<br />
President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari had admitted at the<br />
historic ceremony that the<br />
landlocked location would create<br />
a huge capital requirement,<br />
making the economics of the<br />
project a challenging proposition,<br />
"We are pleased with the current<br />
discovery of over one billion<br />
barrels of oil reserves and 500<br />
billion cubic feet of gas within the<br />
Kolmani area and the huge<br />
potential for more deposits as we<br />
intensify exploration efforts.<br />
A new sight, a new hope for 2,100 physically-challenged people in Benue<br />
support of the late<br />
Patricia Nyion<br />
Adzape, the mother<br />
of the Chairman of<br />
Benue Internal<br />
Revenue Service,<br />
Mrs. Mimi Adzape-<br />
Orubibi, while she<br />
was alive. The free<br />
m e d i c a l<br />
intervention<br />
commenced on<br />
November 18,<br />
2022, at Jato-Aka<br />
for the Turan<br />
people, and on<br />
November 19, it<br />
was the turn of the<br />
Ikyurav-ya people.<br />
The list of<br />
attendees showed<br />
that the outreach<br />
attracted over<br />
2,000 eye cases,<br />
Appeal court restores Dahiru, Bwacha<br />
as APC candidates for Adamawa, Taraba<br />
preferred anonymity,<br />
acknowledged in a message to<br />
Chief Adzape-Orubibi in whose<br />
honour the intervention was put<br />
together to mark her birthday,<br />
the huge sponsorship they<br />
enjoyed from the late Patricia<br />
Nyion Adzape to be able to go to<br />
school, adding that their support<br />
to the foundation was to help keep<br />
her many legacies alive by<br />
sponsoring impactful outreaches<br />
and empowerments for women<br />
and youth the same way she did<br />
while alive.<br />
They equally commended Mrs.<br />
Orubibi for taking after her late<br />
mother by always assisting the<br />
needy and downtrodden and for<br />
establishing the foundation in<br />
honour of her mother. "For us, this<br />
is the only way we feel we can<br />
honour the memory of a woman<br />
who gave her all to ensure that<br />
the children of the poor acquired<br />
formal education. She lived an<br />
influential life that enriched the<br />
lives of many of us who are now<br />
professionals in various fields, and<br />
we will be eternally grateful to<br />
her.<br />
And we will continue to honour her<br />
even after she is gone because her<br />
legacies will live on. Aside from the<br />
treatment for eye disorders, we are<br />
also carrying out surgeries for<br />
herniorrhaphy, hydroceletomy, and<br />
lipectomy on 100 patients for free " he<br />
said.<br />
the judgement of the Federal High<br />
Court, Yola, which had earlier<br />
declared the candidature of<br />
Senator Aishatu Binani of the APC<br />
as null and void. The Court also<br />
set aside the judgement of the<br />
lower court, which disqualified<br />
Senator Emmanuel Bwacha of<br />
the APC to contest the 2023<br />
governorship election in Taraba<br />
state.<br />
The three man panel, headed by<br />
Justice Tani Yusuf Hassan, M.O<br />
Bolaji, and James Abodego set<br />
aside the judgement of the Yola<br />
Federal High Court,which earlier<br />
nullified the governorship<br />
primary elections of the APC<br />
declaring that the party has no<br />
candidate for the forthcoming<br />
elections. While passing its<br />
judgement, the Appeal Court<br />
ordered that the name of<br />
Senator Aishatu Dahiru be<br />
submitted to the Independent<br />
National Electoral Commission,<br />
INEC, as the substantive<br />
candidate of the APC for the<br />
2023 election in Adamawa<br />
state.<br />
The Appeal Court also ordered<br />
that Senator Emmanuel<br />
Bwacha of the APC in Taraba<br />
whose candidature was quashed<br />
by the Federal High Court<br />
sitting in Yola be reinstated. The<br />
Court directed INEC to include<br />
the name of Senator Emmanuel<br />
Bwacha in the governorship list<br />
of Taraba State.<br />
Meanwhile, there was<br />
celebration on the streets of<br />
Jalingo, Taraba State capital<br />
and adjoining council areas<br />
following the Court of Appeal<br />
ruling that reinstated ex<br />
Deputy Senate minority leader<br />
and senator representing<br />
Taraba South, Emmanuel<br />
Bwacha, as governorship<br />
candidate of the All Progressive<br />
Congress, APC, in the 2023<br />
general elections. Supporters of<br />
the senator were seen in trucks<br />
and with loudspeakers<br />
celebrating across Jalingo<br />
metropolis.<br />
Remember that the APC<br />
governorship primary election,<br />
which Bwacha won, was<br />
declared null and void by the<br />
Federal High Court in Jalingo<br />
in September. The suit was filed<br />
by a fellow contender in the<br />
governorship primaries, David<br />
Kente.<br />
Spokesman of the Bwacha<br />
Campaign Council, Aaron<br />
Artimas, while briefing<br />
newsmen, said "the judgement<br />
of the Appeal Court ruled that<br />
the institutions authorized by<br />
law to monitor and<br />
authenticate the conduct of<br />
primaries are the Independent<br />
Electoral Commission, INEC<br />
and the security agencies and<br />
the respective organisations<br />
have presented reports to the<br />
effect that the primaries had<br />
been successfully conducted.<br />
"The Court determined that<br />
the lower court was merely<br />
engaging in academic exercise<br />
by delving into irrelevant<br />
issues. The Bwacha<br />
Gubernatorial Campaign<br />
Council, BOCC, heartily<br />
welcomes this judgement not<br />
only as the vindication of our<br />
faith in the Nigerian judiciary<br />
but also as a divine answer to<br />
the prayers of millions of<br />
Tarabans whose faith in God’s<br />
positive intervention was not<br />
diminished."<br />
He also used the forum to<br />
appeal to all those who had<br />
contested the governorship ticket<br />
with Bwacha during the<br />
governorship primaries to rally<br />
around him to ensure the APC<br />
rescued Taraba from the hands of<br />
the PDP.
FG to review CONMESS, CONHESS<br />
salary structures—Ngige<br />
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru<br />
The Federal Government has<br />
pledged proactive measures<br />
to forestall strike by doctors and<br />
other health workers through the<br />
review of the Consolidated<br />
Medical Salary Structure,<br />
CONMESS, and Consolidated<br />
Health Salary Structure,<br />
CONHESS, salary structures.<br />
The Minister of Labour and<br />
Employment, Senator Chris<br />
Ngige made the commitment<br />
during a courtesy visit on him by<br />
the Nigeria Medical Association,<br />
NMA, yesterday in Abuja.<br />
The NMA which was led by its<br />
President , Dr. Uche Ojinmah,<br />
Secretary, Jude Onyekwere as well<br />
as the President of Nigerian<br />
Association Medical and Dental<br />
Academics, NAMDA, Nosa Orhue<br />
among others, had catalogued<br />
challenges facing doctors in<br />
Nigeria, especially the review of<br />
the CONMESS.<br />
Ojinmah said, “It is sad to tell<br />
you that the most pressing<br />
challenge facing Nigerian<br />
doctors is the review of the<br />
Consolidated Medical Salary<br />
Structure which has been overdue<br />
by eight years. We wrote to our<br />
parent ministry of Health on<br />
June 5, 2022, seeking for a<br />
meeting, just as other previous<br />
national officers of NMA have<br />
written since 2014 for the same<br />
issue and without result.<br />
“Recall that it is the 2009<br />
Agreement that yielded<br />
CONMESS and we agreed with<br />
government that it would be<br />
reviewed in five years and that five<br />
years was up in 2014 and this<br />
2022. Nothing has been done<br />
about this. We wrote in June to the<br />
Ministry of Health to ask for<br />
discussion over this. The meetings<br />
they convened were all structured<br />
to fail.”<br />
He lamented the inability of the<br />
officials of the Ministry of Health<br />
to resolve the lingering issue and<br />
AREWA VOICE TEAM<br />
Editor: Soni Daniel<br />
Correspondents:<br />
Wole Mosadomi, Minna<br />
Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin<br />
Bashir Bello, Kano<br />
Umar Yusuf, Yola<br />
Ibrahim HassnWuyo, Kaduna<br />
Peter Duru, Makurdi<br />
Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos<br />
Abdul Murtala, Kano<br />
Femi Bolaji, Jalingo<br />
David Odama, Lafia<br />
Charly Agwam, Bauchi<br />
appealed to the Minister to take<br />
over the matter and ensure its<br />
speedy resolution before the<br />
general assembly of the NMA<br />
scheduled for the 11th of<br />
December 2022.<br />
Commending the Minister for<br />
the registration of the NAMDA<br />
which he said “has come to stay<br />
and heartily welcome by the<br />
NMA,” the association also urged<br />
the Minister to help maintain<br />
industrial harmony in the<br />
essential services where the NMA<br />
has jurisdiction.<br />
“It will be highly appreciated if<br />
immediate and urgent actions are<br />
expedited by your ministry in<br />
addressing the concerns of the<br />
members of the NMA and her<br />
affiliates, the Nigerian<br />
Association of Resident Doctors,<br />
NARD, Medical and Dental<br />
Consultants Association of<br />
Nigeria, MDCAN, as well as the<br />
out of court resolution of the<br />
dispute between Medical and<br />
Dental Doctors in Academics and<br />
the Salaries, Income and Wages<br />
Commission.”<br />
He called for social dialogue<br />
brokered by the standing<br />
committee, domiciled in the<br />
Ministry of Labour, in liaison<br />
with the Salaries, Income and<br />
Wages Commission, Federal<br />
Ministry of Finance to sort the<br />
issues prior to presentation to<br />
the Presidential Committee on<br />
Salaries and Wages.<br />
In his response, the Minister<br />
noted that despite the prevailing<br />
economic challenges facing the<br />
nation, the Federal Government<br />
is committed to not just the<br />
review of CONMESS but also<br />
CONHESS to ensure stability in<br />
the nation’s health system.<br />
He said that this trajectory<br />
informed his insistence during<br />
the recent negotiation with the<br />
Academic Staff Union of<br />
Universities (ASUU) SSANU<br />
and NASU that any salary<br />
review that did not recognize<br />
agitations from other sector<br />
unions drawing from the federal<br />
treasury might be<br />
counterproductive.<br />
He however assured the NMA<br />
that the Ministry would swiftly<br />
liaise with the Ministry of<br />
Health with a view to taking<br />
over the matter to ensure an<br />
early resolution. The Minister<br />
however reminded the NMA,<br />
the consequences of the<br />
Ministry taking over<br />
conciliation of the matter.<br />
“The bad shape of the<br />
economy does not mean the<br />
doctors or other health<br />
professional should not earn<br />
decent wages that can really<br />
take them home, so they can<br />
take care of their needs as<br />
medical practitioners.<br />
“Therefore CONMESS and<br />
CONHESS to me should be<br />
reviewed and I have done letter<br />
to the Ministry of Health. I<br />
have also noted in that instance<br />
that we don’t need to have a<br />
trade dispute notice before we<br />
do the review of these salary<br />
structures. So, please exercise<br />
restraint while this is resolved.<br />
My Ministry will do the needful.<br />
We are already taking proactive<br />
measures to forestall any<br />
strike.<br />
“But I hope we are all aware<br />
that once my Ministry takes<br />
over the matter for conciliation,<br />
part of the encumbrances is that<br />
you won’t go on strike anymore<br />
because the matter has been<br />
apprehended in line with section<br />
18 of the Trade Disputes Act. I<br />
have no doubt doctors are noble<br />
men and would abide by this .We<br />
as doctors must obey the Labour<br />
laws.<br />
“Of course, we know too that<br />
Section 43 of the Trade Disputes<br />
Acts on No Work, No Pay is very<br />
active now. It was not made by<br />
President Buhari or by his<br />
Minister. It is the law of the<br />
federation enacted in 2004”<br />
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 21<br />
Vanguard Mental Health Summit:<br />
Nigeria ranks 1st in world’s<br />
Cannabis-use countries<br />
— BUBA MARWA<br />
… Says 10.6 million Nigerians abuse cannabis<br />
By Gabriel Olawale &<br />
Juliet Umeh<br />
Chairman and Chief<br />
Executive Officer, National<br />
Drug Law Enforcement Agency,<br />
NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed<br />
Marwa (retd), has said that<br />
Nigeria was number one<br />
cannabis-using country in the<br />
world, stating that 10.6 million<br />
Nigerians abused the drug.<br />
Speaking at the 2nd edition of<br />
Vanguard Mental Health<br />
Summit supported by 9mobile<br />
and Guaranty Trust Bank Ltd,<br />
Marwa said that Nigeria has a<br />
serious drug abuse problem.<br />
He noted that the severity of the<br />
situation was unknown until the<br />
2018 United Nations Office on<br />
Drugs and Crime, UNODCsupported<br />
National Survey on<br />
Drug Use and Health was<br />
conducted leading to worrisome<br />
findings.<br />
“Before then, the drug use profile<br />
of Nigeria was sketchy. The<br />
survey gave us facts for the first<br />
time and we got to know that<br />
Nigeria, as of 2018, had a 14.4<br />
percent drug use prevalence.<br />
“That was an eye-opener. The<br />
statistics may not mean much at<br />
face value, only by comparison<br />
will the danger become glaring.<br />
“The average global drug use<br />
prevalence was 5.5 percent, at<br />
14.4 percent. Nigeria has almost<br />
three times the global prevalence.<br />
“Without any doubt, the country<br />
has a serious substance abuse<br />
problem.<br />
“Secondly, the survey gave us<br />
an idea about the pattern of abuse<br />
vis-a-vis prevalence and<br />
substance type in various regions<br />
of the country.<br />
“The biggest revelation was that<br />
10.6 million Nigerians abused<br />
cannabis. Again, this is a mere<br />
figure until you begin to figure it<br />
out in terms of the human impact.<br />
The ramification is that we have<br />
a cannabis-using population that<br />
is bigger than countries like<br />
Portugal and the United Arab<br />
Emirates.”<br />
Marwa who was represented at<br />
the event by Zonal Commander,<br />
NDLEA, Lagos, Dr. Segun Oke,<br />
Why Niger Republic named road after President Buhari – Presidency<br />
THE Presidency yesterday<br />
said the naming of a road<br />
after President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari in Niger Republic was an<br />
indication of the tremendous<br />
respect which Nigeria’s<br />
neighbours have towards him.<br />
Senior Special Assistant on<br />
media and Publicity to the<br />
President, Malam Garba Shehu<br />
disclosed this in the Nigerien<br />
capital, Niamey, after Buhari<br />
inaugurated a major road named<br />
after him.<br />
Shehu said President of Niger<br />
Republic, Mohammed Bazoun,<br />
accompanied by the Mayor of<br />
Niamey and other officials, took<br />
Buhari on a tour of the 3.8<br />
kilometer boulevard inaugurated<br />
in line with the country’s<br />
constitutional provisions.<br />
The presidential aide quoted<br />
Buhari as expressing satisfaction<br />
with the existing bilateral<br />
relationship between Nigeria and<br />
its neigbours.<br />
Buhari expressed the belief that<br />
such ties had helped<br />
tremendously, especially in the<br />
areas of tackling border insecurity,<br />
illegal arms import, and<br />
smuggling.<br />
Shehu said Buhari had on<br />
assumption of office in 2015,<br />
opened up strong dialogue with<br />
neighbouring Niger, Benin, Chad,<br />
and Cameroon, an approach,<br />
which had resulted in positive<br />
diplomatic ties of mutual interest<br />
to both countries.<br />
“President Buhari has strong<br />
respect for our neigbours, and he<br />
understands the essence of good<br />
neigbourliness. Before this<br />
administration, some of these<br />
countries complained that they<br />
were not even being talked to by<br />
Nigerian leadership. We have<br />
opened up dialogue with them<br />
and it is paying off.<br />
“We are partnering with them<br />
on essential matters, especially on<br />
security, tackling smuggling, and<br />
importation of illegal weapons, so<br />
the partnership is complete,”<br />
Shehu added.<br />
The presidential aide believed<br />
that Bubari would be leaving<br />
behind on May 29, 2023, a solid<br />
relationship, built on a solid rock<br />
with Nigeria’s neighbours and<br />
expected to be built upon by his<br />
successor. The Nigerian leader is<br />
in Niamey to join other leaders in<br />
the continent for the African<br />
Union (AU) summit on<br />
Industrialization and Economic<br />
Diversification.<br />
Senate probes NDDC over job<br />
racketeering<br />
By Henry Umoru<br />
ABUJA- THE Senate has begun a<br />
probe of the Niger Delta Development<br />
Commission, NDDC, over alleged job<br />
racketeering that is at the moment<br />
rocking the commission.<br />
Senator Ayo Akinyelure (PDP,<br />
Ondo Central), led Senate Committee<br />
on Ethics, Privileges and Public<br />
Petitions, noted that they were<br />
carrying out the investigation,<br />
sequel to a petition accusing the<br />
immediate past Minister of Niger<br />
Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill<br />
Akpabio and the management of the<br />
commission of refusing to document<br />
the appointments of some job seekers<br />
from Ondo State, who legitimately<br />
applied and were duly issued letters<br />
of employment to work in the<br />
commission.<br />
Addressing newsmen, yesterday,<br />
in Abuja, Akinyelure, who noted<br />
that in the petition, Akpabio and<br />
immediate past management of<br />
NDDC were accused of deliberately<br />
denying job seekers opportunities to<br />
work in the commission, even after<br />
meeting all the requirements,<br />
stressed that the petition further<br />
accused officials of NDDC of<br />
demanding bribe up to the tune of<br />
N2 million from job seekers to have<br />
their employments documented or<br />
have their slots sold to highest bidders.<br />
The committee, however,<br />
absolved the current Minister of<br />
Niger-Delta Affairs, Umana Umana<br />
of any wrongdoing in the alleged job<br />
racketeering, just as it also<br />
exonerated the minister of all<br />
allegations contained in a separate<br />
petition that accused him of plotting<br />
to siphon N480 billion NDDC funds<br />
lodged with the Central Bank of<br />
Nigeria, CBN.<br />
said: “In 22 months, the agency<br />
has arrested 20, 000 offenders<br />
and convicted 3,111 in court. We<br />
have seized 5.5 million kg of illicit<br />
drugs, destroyed 900 hectares of<br />
cannabis farms and dismantled<br />
two illicit methamphetamine<br />
laboratories.”<br />
He assured that next year will<br />
be tougher as a result of the<br />
amended NDLEA Act that will<br />
pave way for convicted traffickers<br />
to spend long years in jail without<br />
option of a fine.<br />
“We are also trying to present a<br />
counter-narrative to the wrong<br />
messages out there that<br />
brainwash young people to<br />
believe that illicit substances are<br />
harmless.”<br />
In his keynote address, Head,<br />
Department of Psychiatry,<br />
College of Medicine, University of<br />
Lagos/ Lagos University<br />
Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba,<br />
Lagos, Prof. Olatunji Aina, said<br />
the current economic situation of<br />
the country had worsened the<br />
mental health of Nigerians.<br />
“A number of factors, namely<br />
poor planning, fiscal indiscipline<br />
and policy somersault, could be<br />
ascribed to why Nigeria<br />
gradually walked her way in to a<br />
distressed economy.<br />
“The health of any given<br />
population is shaped by socioeconomic<br />
context, employment,<br />
public policies, sociodemographic<br />
characteristics and<br />
social welfare system of the<br />
country.<br />
“There are strong research<br />
findings to show that changes in<br />
these key socio-economic<br />
determinants may be reflected in<br />
the mental health of the populace.<br />
“Thus, mental health of the<br />
people is vulnerable during<br />
economic distress or recession.<br />
“In other words, economic<br />
recession and its associated<br />
problems such as<br />
unemployment, income decline<br />
and huge debts are significantly<br />
associated with poor mental<br />
health, increased rates of<br />
common mental disorders<br />
(anxiety and depression), psychoactive<br />
substance use disorders<br />
and suicidal behaviours.”<br />
He explained that in the face of<br />
security and socio-economic<br />
challenges facing the country,<br />
prevalent mental health,<br />
complications include anxiety<br />
disorders, depression, sleep<br />
disorders, suicide, among others.<br />
Corroborating his views,<br />
President of World Medical<br />
Association, WMA, Dr. Osahon<br />
Enabulele, appealed to the<br />
Federal Government to assent to<br />
the Mental Health Bill to address<br />
the challenges of mental health<br />
in Nigeria.<br />
Enabulele said about a billion<br />
people in the world, and one in<br />
every four Commonwealth<br />
citizens, particularly in the low<br />
and middle income (LMICs)<br />
countries and pre-eminently<br />
among women and the younger<br />
age group 20-24 years, were<br />
known to be affected by one form<br />
of mental health problem or the<br />
other.<br />
“This is with about 80 percent<br />
of people unable to receive any<br />
form of treatment, a situation<br />
that leads to the loss of a trillion<br />
dollars annually.<br />
“Unfortunately, during the<br />
COVID-19 pandemic, this burden<br />
of mental health is estimated to<br />
have increased by 25 percent.<br />
“This was due to an interplay of<br />
factors, including economic<br />
fortunes and worsening poverty,<br />
increased resort to substance use,<br />
and the disruption of mental<br />
health services, including<br />
emergency psychiatric<br />
services.”
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22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 23<br />
By Theodore Opara<br />
Innoson exports $4.7m<br />
made-in-Nigeria vehicles<br />
to Sierra Leone<br />
THE first batch of<br />
vehicles manufactured for the<br />
government of Sierra Leone by Innoson<br />
Vehicle Manufacturing Ltd.,<br />
IVM, has been delivered to the West<br />
African country by the Nnewi-based<br />
indigenous automaker. The vehicles,<br />
which arrived in Freetown on November<br />
21, 2022, were built to order<br />
by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Defence.<br />
The request for the made-in-<br />
Nigeria vehicles was made during a<br />
working visit to Innoson Vehicles by<br />
the top hierarchy of the Sierra Leone<br />
Defence Ministry led by Mr. Edward<br />
Soloku, the Minister of Internal Affairs,<br />
as well as the Sierra Leone Road<br />
Transport Corporation, SLRTC, led<br />
by its President, Mr. Isaac Ken-<br />
Green.<br />
Head of Corporate Communications,<br />
Innoson Group, Cornel Osigwe,<br />
said in a statement that various<br />
models of vehicles bought within that<br />
dispensation were for the present<br />
administration. Osigwe explained<br />
that subsequently, the government of<br />
Sierra Leone, led by President Julius<br />
Maada Bio, placed an order for the<br />
manufacturing of Innoson vehicles<br />
valued at $4.7 million for the officers<br />
of the Republic of Sierra Leone<br />
Armed Forces, RSLAF. The first set<br />
of vehicles supplied from Nigeria to<br />
Sierra Leone left on Monday from<br />
Queen Elizabeth 2 Port (Sierra Leone’s<br />
seaport, "Water Quay") in Free<br />
Town for distribution to military officers<br />
across the country.<br />
Reacting to the development, the<br />
people of Sierra Leone have been<br />
commending their president, Julius<br />
Maada Bio, for acting in line with<br />
the spirit of the continental agreement<br />
by opting for an African, IVM,<br />
brand of vehicles for the use of the<br />
country’s armed forces. In one of the<br />
many reports in the local media on<br />
the purchase of the made-in-Nigeria<br />
vehicles, a popular blog in Sierra<br />
Leone, Focus News Blog, hailed President<br />
Bio for believing that "our army<br />
officers deserve better." The post,<br />
which showed a line-up of the IVM<br />
products from Nigeria, informed Sierra<br />
Leoneans that the vehicles would<br />
soon be "ready for distribution to<br />
military officers across the country"<br />
by the government.<br />
Innoson Group has penetrated the<br />
vehicle market over the years. It is<br />
currently serving as one of the few<br />
wholly African car assemblers. One<br />
of the effusive commendations for<br />
President Bio by a Sierra Leonean,<br />
Francis Ken Samu, remarked, "We<br />
are on top of the situation in times of<br />
security. Congratulations, Mr. President<br />
Bio! Keep the military colour<br />
flag flying higher than ever before in<br />
Sierra Leone's history. God bless you,<br />
HE President Bio, for equipping the<br />
RSLAF." This development is indeed<br />
a step towards the acceleration of<br />
intra-African trade, as facilitated by<br />
the implementation of the African<br />
Continental Free Trade Area (AfC-<br />
TA).<br />
Auto industry executive bill ready, says NADDC DG<br />
DIRECTOR-General<br />
of<br />
the National Automotive Design<br />
and Development Council,<br />
NADDC, Mr. Jelani Aliyu, has said<br />
a review of the nation’s auto policy<br />
is ready and will soon be sent to the<br />
National Assembly as an executive<br />
bill for speedy passage and thereafter<br />
forwarded to President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari for assent.<br />
He stated this in Abuja on Wednesday<br />
at the opening of the 22nd edition<br />
of the annual Abuja auto fair.<br />
The policy known as the National<br />
Automotive Industry Development<br />
Plan, NAIDP, which was introduced<br />
in 2014 by the Federal Government<br />
to encourage local assembling of vehicles,<br />
became contentious as Buhari<br />
failed to give his assent even<br />
though the lawmakers had passed<br />
the bill. It was sent back for a review.<br />
Jelani, who also represented the<br />
Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment,<br />
Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo,<br />
said all stakeholders, including relevant<br />
government agencies and private<br />
sector players, were allowed to<br />
make input in the latest review. This<br />
bill now at the Federal Ministry of<br />
Carloha international begins operation in Nigeria<br />
By Willie Samson<br />
CARLOHA, a global<br />
automobile company that<br />
specialises in the sales and services of<br />
premium used vehicles with incommerce<br />
and on-demand<br />
maintenance service technology, has<br />
begun operation in Nigeria. Carloha<br />
International has its global head office<br />
in the USA, owns and manages<br />
several stores and maintenance<br />
centres, with over 200 dedicated<br />
employees that provide<br />
comprehensive car purchase, finance,<br />
and insurance services. Carloha<br />
Nigeria, parades a host of premium<br />
•Toyota cars at the on-going Abuja Motor fair.<br />
Industry, Trade, and Investment will<br />
be going back to the National Assembly<br />
as an executive bill, and it is<br />
expected to receive express passage<br />
and the president’s assent. It is a<br />
holistic review; we’ve asked all<br />
stakeholders to make input.<br />
The NADDC DG said the auto industry<br />
remained crucial to the development<br />
of the nation’s economy,<br />
adding that the agency was on<br />
course with the NAIDP as a tool to<br />
transform the industry, despite its<br />
implementation challenges. Many<br />
•Array of quality Carloha vehicles.<br />
used vehicles in its arsenal of stocks,<br />
and it’s well positioned to be the<br />
leading automobile company in the<br />
used vehicle trading business in<br />
Nigeria.<br />
According to the marketing<br />
manager, Mr. Mathew Enuoma Aje,<br />
"We are in business to set the pace in<br />
sales and services of the used vehicle<br />
segment in Nigeria, by making<br />
vehicle ownership a seamless process<br />
for all customers.“ He further stressed<br />
that Carloha Nigeria, prides itself on<br />
having the best used vehicles of choice<br />
brands that are durable, rugged, and<br />
well refined to suit the tastes of all our<br />
customers. And more so, the class and<br />
automakers, including Toyota and<br />
Volkswagen, have agreed to establish<br />
plants in Nigeria as a result of<br />
their belief in the merits of the auto<br />
industry plan, he claims. According<br />
to him, more than 30,000 Nigerian<br />
youths had been trained in modern<br />
auto technology, just as he disclosed<br />
that 18 auto training centres were<br />
established across the country for<br />
this purpose. He urged Nigerians to<br />
patronise Nigeria-assembled vehicles<br />
to increase job creation and<br />
boost auto business in Nigeria.<br />
state of vehicles we stock are rare and<br />
cannot be sourced elsewhere". The<br />
company collaborates with a wellknown<br />
used car provider in the United<br />
States to select the highest-quality<br />
used cars for Carloha Nigeria,<br />
utilizing big data technology. The<br />
replication of the automated system<br />
is to position Carloha Nigeria as a<br />
viable company that will drive the<br />
world with latest technological<br />
advancements in automobile<br />
engineering and offer bespoke<br />
premium services that cannot be seen<br />
anywhere in sub-Sahara African.<br />
RESPITE has finally come to<br />
Nigerian transporters as Kojo<br />
Motors, representatives of the Yutong<br />
range of buses, are set to introduce compressed<br />
natural gas, CNG-powered<br />
buses at the Abuja Motor Fair scheduled<br />
for the International Conference<br />
Centre annex, Abuja. Compressed natural<br />
gas, CNG, is a natural gas under<br />
pressure that remains clear, odourless<br />
and non-corrosive.<br />
Although vehicles can use natural gas<br />
as either a liquid or a gas, most vehicles<br />
use the gaseous form, compressed to<br />
about 218 kg/cm2.“CNG can be used<br />
as an alternative to conventional petrol<br />
and diesel fuels. The 10-metre CNG<br />
inter-and intra-city commercial passen-<br />
Chairman of the organizing committee<br />
for Abuja auto fair and Managing<br />
Director of BKG Exhibition<br />
Limited, Ifeanyi Agwu, said the annual<br />
event has played a major role<br />
in the development of the nation’s<br />
auto sector and Abuja as a viable<br />
business centre. About 98 percent of<br />
auto companies in Abuja today were<br />
brought into the city through the<br />
motor fair. He bemoaned the government's<br />
long-standing disregard<br />
for the industry, despite its importance<br />
to national economic growth,<br />
stresing: "I don’t know how the auto<br />
companies are able to stay afloat in<br />
the face of a high exchange rate,<br />
among other challenges."<br />
“Products: Carloha Nigeria,<br />
parades a host of quality used vehicles<br />
from notable brands such as<br />
Mercedes-Benz, Toyota (Lexus), Ford,<br />
and Range Rover, which are neatly<br />
selected and well finished to<br />
specifications with state-of-the-art<br />
technology. The automated pricing<br />
system is used to fix the right price for<br />
all used vehicles. The pricing of used<br />
vehicles is a huge algorithmic<br />
challenge to the overall business.<br />
Carloha Nigeria has addressed this<br />
issue by using machine learning<br />
technology to accurately fix the price<br />
of each vehicle in relation to economic<br />
fluctuation and market imbalance in<br />
the local market.<br />
Respite, as Kojo Motors’ Yutong<br />
CNG-powered buses enter Nigeria<br />
ger bus, according to Yutong's manufacturers,<br />
will enter the Nigerian market<br />
with numerous advantages.<br />
CNG is about 50 percent cheaper<br />
than petrol under test conditions (no<br />
congestion, good road condition).<br />
When driving at 24 km/h without air<br />
conditioning, the 100 km gas consumption<br />
is 41 cubic metres. At 32 kilometres<br />
per hour, the gas consumption per<br />
100 kilometres is 31 cubic metres.<br />
With air conditioning on, gas consumption<br />
increases by 10 percent.<br />
"This is experimental data, specific gas<br />
consumption will be affected by road<br />
conditions, congestion, driver’s driving<br />
habits, and so on, we do not promise<br />
gas consumption," the company<br />
said.
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24 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022
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Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 25
26 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
The letter, the spirit, and<br />
The Letterman<br />
IF there was a prize for Nigeria’s number<br />
one letter writer, journalist-turned-lawyer<br />
and one-time minister, Tony Momoh, would<br />
appear to be the undisputed champion. The<br />
late Momoh performed the difficult task of<br />
making sense of General Ibrahim<br />
Babangida’s largely messy and convoluted<br />
political and economic programmes by<br />
writing regular letters to “fellow countrymen”.<br />
His extensive and elaborate undertaking later<br />
packaged as a book entitled, Letters to my<br />
Countrymen, was, to put it mildly, a labour of<br />
misery. It was a thoroughly thankless job. But<br />
how can Momoh’s letters ever hope to<br />
compete with those of former President<br />
Olusegun Obasanjo? It’s not about differences<br />
in the audiences alone. There are also<br />
significant differences in approach,<br />
temperament, style, context, message and, of<br />
course, potency. Momoh may get the prize<br />
for the most consistent cabinet minister who<br />
tried to endear a largely despised government<br />
to the public through regular correspondences<br />
later codified. But the record of the most<br />
controversial, most volatile - and some might<br />
even add, most annoyingly pontifical epistles<br />
- may deservedly go to Obasanjo, a medal that<br />
only his daughter, Iyabo, attempted in vain to<br />
snatch in just one devastating piece of literary<br />
ambush.<br />
Not latter-day hobby<br />
It would seem that this was a latter-day<br />
hobby, cultivated in the last one and a half<br />
decades or so after Obasanjo was accused of<br />
behaving as if he left something behind in<br />
office. But a new book by Nigeria’s foremost<br />
investigative journalist, multiple awardwinner,<br />
and Editor-In-Chief of Premium<br />
Times, Musikilu Mojeed, suggests very clearly<br />
that Obasanjo’s love of letter-writing has been<br />
a life-long indulgence. Mojeed’s new<br />
book, The Letterman, an enthralling narrative<br />
in presidential history, provides rare access into<br />
the literary closet of a man loved and despised<br />
almost in equal measure, but who remains –<br />
like him or not – perhaps the most<br />
consequential leader in Nigeria’s turbulent<br />
62-year history. As far as good occasionally<br />
comes from bad,<br />
it is gratifying<br />
that the Obasanjo<br />
Presidential<br />
Library, which<br />
was built with<br />
over N6 billion<br />
largely from<br />
cronies rounded<br />
The Letterman<br />
is a story of<br />
Obasanjo’s<br />
odyssey through<br />
his personal<br />
letters<br />
up in Obasanjo’s<br />
last days in office in defiance of public<br />
criticisms, is turning out to be a treasure trove<br />
of extremely valuable historical stuff. Until I<br />
read The Letterman, I wasn’t quite sure who<br />
the real letterman was — whether it was<br />
Mojeed, a journalist with well over two and a<br />
half decades of extraordinary variety of stories<br />
- or Obasanjo whom most might be forgiven<br />
to think used Babangida as first target-practice<br />
at letter-writing. From the account in The<br />
Letterman, however, by the time Obasanjo took<br />
on Babangida in the public arena around the<br />
mid-1990s, the former president was already<br />
an accomplished author of sorts, with a fairly<br />
large and even dangerously vitriolic collection<br />
to show for his long-standing talent. Apart<br />
from letters written to him by his parents 70<br />
years ago, he started cultivating his love of<br />
correspondences as far back as over five<br />
decades ago. In Mojeed’s words, “Obasanjo’s<br />
records show that he has been writing to almost<br />
every key person who played important roles<br />
in the affairs of Nigeria, Africa and the world<br />
since 1969.”<br />
Practice targets<br />
From Head of State Yakubu Gowon to<br />
President Shehu Shagari and from Babangida<br />
to Sani Abacha and even first premier of the<br />
Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo, and a<br />
number of foreign leaders, Obasanjo never<br />
shied away from telling them, in writing,<br />
exactly what he thought, sometimes even at<br />
considerable personal risk. His letter to his<br />
superior officer, Brigadier Eyo Okon Ekpo at<br />
the height of the Nigerian civil war in 1969,<br />
for example, made me<br />
wonder if many officers who<br />
were compelled to fight<br />
Boko Haram with bare<br />
hands at some point during<br />
the insurgency, would have<br />
dared to think of, much less<br />
compose, such a letter. And<br />
what did Obasanjo have<br />
against his superior? While<br />
the war raged, Brigadier<br />
Ekpo had managed to enroll<br />
as a part-time law student<br />
of the University of Lagos.<br />
Obasanjo found out. Instead of enriching the<br />
rumour mill with his own version of gossip,<br />
he wrote his boss questioning the propriety of<br />
his decision in war time, when other officers<br />
who could also squeeze out spare time for a<br />
past-time sacrificed it for the country. Yet,<br />
credit must also go to Brigadier Ekpo who,<br />
instead of taking offence (Major General<br />
MammanVatsa was executed for reasons that<br />
remain unclear), took the criticism in his<br />
stride, saying, “I will continue with my<br />
reading, and any officer or individual who<br />
does not like it may please himself.”<br />
There’s no indication what Obasanjo did<br />
after that. But that encounter certainly did not<br />
impair his appetite for throwing punches<br />
above his weight. He landed a literary blow<br />
against his army chief, Brigadier Hassan<br />
Katsina, who had expressed concern about<br />
some changes he was making in his Division.<br />
Obasanjo said, in writing, to his boss, that he<br />
was “disappointed and disturbed” that his boss<br />
should express apprehension based on a<br />
suspicion of tribalism. Obasanjo did not spare<br />
his commander-in-chief, Gowon. During the<br />
war, for example, he wrote “at least four<br />
unsparing letters”, accusing the military<br />
authorities of tempting defeat by sleepwalking<br />
over his request for vital war equipment<br />
supplies, a charge that, if the shoe had been<br />
on the other foot, Obasanjo would hardly have<br />
taken with the calmness with which Gowon<br />
treated it. But Obasanjo being Obasanjo,<br />
neither personal safety nor sense of danger<br />
matters when national unity, reputation - or<br />
as it sometimes turns out, personal ego - is at<br />
issue. In about 130 published and previously<br />
unpublished letters and mimeographs, with a<br />
collection of a few rare photos of the former<br />
president laid out in 462 pages of 25<br />
chapters, The Letterman is a story of<br />
Obasanjo’s odyssey through his personal<br />
letters.<br />
Words, not a few<br />
Hardly a man of few words when he chooses<br />
to write, perhaps the longest of the letters in<br />
the book was Obasanjo’s response to Major<br />
James Oluleye, who upon the outbreak of the<br />
civil war decided to voluntarily forgo his<br />
scheduled staff course in India and requested,<br />
instead, to be posted to the warfront. The<br />
erstwhile National Chairman of the People’s<br />
Democratic Party, PDP, Audu Ogbeh, had his<br />
fair share of Obasanjo’s lengthy epistolary<br />
attack too, which eventually ended in his<br />
removal; but Oluleye’s letter beats Ogbeh’s<br />
for length, though not for vitriol. A<br />
disagreement over strategy between him and<br />
Obasanjo led to an incredible literary<br />
crossfire, in which Obasanjo reminded Oluleye<br />
(the operations officer of the Nigerian Army<br />
at the time), in one of the most ponderous<br />
pieces in the collection, that he (Obasanjo)<br />
read his battle more “on the ground, rather<br />
than on the map”, a sarcastic reference to the<br />
former’s background role during the war. If<br />
the letterman’s missile to Oluleye stood out<br />
for its length and sarcasm, the cache of letters<br />
to Babangida in this collection was<br />
remarkable for both length and sarcasm, not<br />
to mention their frequency, intensity and, well,<br />
damning wit. Yet, given Babangida’s gift for<br />
taking Nigeria for a ride at the time, not a few<br />
thought he was eminently deserving of<br />
Obasanjo’s bitter tongue.<br />
Just like he would do to Presidents Goodluck<br />
Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari many<br />
years later, although under different<br />
circumstances, Obasanjo told Babangida to<br />
stop playing games with the country. “Just<br />
pack and go,” he said in a letter that summed<br />
up the country’s mood at the time. In six years<br />
of painstaking work rendered with significant<br />
restraint, Mojeed curated letters that captured<br />
Obasanjo’s domestic wars (the face-off with<br />
Lt. Col. Godwin Alabi-Isama raged for years,<br />
spilling into their post-service era). If Obasanjo<br />
was a prophet without honour at home, the<br />
book doesn’t leave out his clout on the foreign<br />
stage, where he is without question, one of the<br />
continent’s most durable, respected and<br />
accomplished figures.<br />
Continues online:www.vanguardngr.com
By Ozioruva Aliu<br />
ENIN CITY—A World Bank<br />
Btrained policy analyst and<br />
former Chief of Staff to Governor<br />
Godwin Obaseki of Edo State,<br />
Taiwo Akerele has said that most<br />
of the development challenges of<br />
the country lies with the state<br />
governments in Nigeria who he<br />
said are responsible for 35 percent<br />
of the current debt profile of<br />
Nigeria and also jointly 30<br />
percent with the federal<br />
government.<br />
A statement by Akerele who is<br />
a Technical Adviser to the Federal<br />
Government on post COVID-19<br />
recovery economic programme in<br />
a statement titled “Stop the<br />
Ostrich game: Governors can<br />
change the narrative of<br />
development” and made<br />
available to journalists in Benin<br />
City also partly blamed the state<br />
government for the deficiencies<br />
in healthcare delivery and roads<br />
infrastructure on the state<br />
governments particularly those<br />
from opposition political parties.<br />
He said: “I have watched with<br />
amazement how state governors<br />
especially in the opposition have<br />
continuously heaped the blame<br />
of under development on the<br />
Federal government especially in<br />
the health and education sectors<br />
and in recent times the spiraling<br />
debt crisis in the country.”<br />
“On the issue of national debt<br />
overhang, a governor in one of<br />
the south south states was<br />
recently quoted to have said that<br />
Nigeria’s debt is inching close to<br />
60 Trillion Naira (about $134bn),<br />
and concluded that Nigeria has<br />
failed already. It is not my<br />
responsibility as a policy analyst<br />
to confirm or contradict the<br />
governors’ claims as the debt<br />
management office and the CBN<br />
have such responsibility vested<br />
in them, however, I had thought<br />
that the same governor will go<br />
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 25, 2022 — 27<br />
:Vanguard :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES:<br />
Obaseki's ex-CoS blames states for Nigeria's<br />
rising debts<br />
ahead to state in equivocal<br />
terms his own state share of the<br />
debt overhang and what it has<br />
achieved with it for the purpose<br />
they were approved for, this was<br />
not to be as he again played<br />
the ostrich.<br />
“The statistics from debt<br />
management office, DMO,<br />
shows very clearly that only 35<br />
per cent of the total federation<br />
debts belongs to the federal<br />
government, about 35 per cent<br />
PDP inaugurates campaign<br />
c'ttee in Ughelli North II<br />
By Ochuko Akuopha<br />
UDemocratic GHELLI—PEOPLES<br />
Party, PDP, in<br />
Ughelli North Constituency II<br />
has inaugurated its Campaign<br />
Management Committee for<br />
the 2023 general elections with<br />
a resolve to deliver all<br />
candidates of the party at the<br />
polls.<br />
Members of the committee<br />
include Jaro Egbo as Chairman;<br />
Francis Onobruchere,<br />
Director General; Dr Isaac<br />
Akpoveta, Director Finance;<br />
Mr. Clement Osieta, Director<br />
Youth Mobilization; Mrs<br />
Gladys Agba, Director Women<br />
Mobilization, George Ushere,<br />
Director of Publicity and Uteme<br />
Bateren, Director of Security.<br />
Others include Anthony<br />
Ikomoni, Director of Voluntary/<br />
Support Groups; Ochuko<br />
Sakpaide, Director Religious<br />
Group Engagement; Harrison<br />
Abuge, Director Traditional/<br />
Cultural Groups Engagement<br />
and Oke Umurhohwo, Director<br />
New Media.<br />
Speaking during the<br />
inauguration ceremony,<br />
Ughelli North Local<br />
Government Campaign<br />
Coordinator of the party, Mr.<br />
Samuel Marierie noted that<br />
owned by the 36 states while the<br />
outstanding debt of 30 per cent<br />
jointly owned especially loans that<br />
have to do with immunization and<br />
COVID-19 recovery and budget<br />
support instruments. If this is the<br />
case, on what grounds should a<br />
state governor (an opposition at<br />
that) squarely place the debt crisis<br />
on the foot of the federal<br />
government for growing the<br />
Nigerian population?”<br />
with two separate commitees ( in<br />
Constituencies I and II) it would<br />
be easier for them to campaign<br />
effectively to the electorates to<br />
vote for the party's candidates<br />
across board.<br />
He explained that having a<br />
single campaign committee would<br />
make it difficult for the party to<br />
properly campaign for it's House<br />
of Assembly candidates in both<br />
constituencies as they will have<br />
different movement schedules.<br />
Also speaking, Chairman of the<br />
committee, Jaro Egbo expressed<br />
optimism that the PDP would win<br />
all elective offices in the<br />
constituency.<br />
He said, "Our Governor,<br />
Senator Ifeanyi Okowa is going<br />
to run with Atiku and we are going<br />
to produce the Vice President from<br />
Delta State. Not only that, we are<br />
going to have a home grown<br />
governor, with full local content.<br />
A governor that is complete<br />
Urhobo, the mother is Urhobo,<br />
the father is Urhobo, the wife is<br />
also Urhobo, he is Rt Hon. Sheriff<br />
Oborevwori."<br />
Inaugurating the committee,<br />
Chairman of PDP, Ughelli North,<br />
Mr. Kesiena Nomuoja urged them<br />
to work tirelessly for the victory of<br />
all the party's candidates at the<br />
polls.
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K<br />
28 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K<br />
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 29
30 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, , 2022<br />
THE Chairman, CEO,<br />
National Hajj Commission<br />
of Nigeria, NAHCON, Alhaji<br />
Zhikrullah Hassan has said that<br />
the commission will maintain the<br />
status quo on the Hajj Saving<br />
Scheme, adding that the scheme<br />
will run concurrently with the<br />
conventional pay-as-you-go, as it<br />
was for this year’s Hajj.<br />
Alhaji Hassan stated this while<br />
delivering a keynote address at<br />
the stakeholders 4-day meeting<br />
held at the Hajj House, Abuja.<br />
The event climaxed with<br />
presentation of Awards to state<br />
Pilgrims boards that performed<br />
creditably well during the last<br />
hajj exercise both onshore and<br />
offshore. Yobe State clinched the<br />
first position with 117 points while<br />
Kaduna State emerged second<br />
position with 115 points while<br />
Lagos got 114 points to win the<br />
third position.<br />
The NAHCON boss also<br />
disclosed that the Ministry of Hajj<br />
and Umrah has intimated the<br />
commission that arrangement for<br />
Hajj 2023 will begin with a<br />
conference via video<br />
communication scheduled for<br />
21st December, 2022 between the<br />
National Hajj Commission of<br />
Nigeria and the Ministry.<br />
“It is with great pleasure that I<br />
welcome you all to this important<br />
meeting of Hajj stakeholders.<br />
This occasion is designed to bring<br />
together the crème de la crème<br />
of the Hajj industry in Nigeria to<br />
brainstorm and collectively<br />
review last Hajj and then proffer<br />
solutions for improvement. In this<br />
event today, some States which<br />
performed exceptionally well in<br />
the Hajj 2022 will be honoured.<br />
“True, no organization can<br />
succeed without constant<br />
networking with its sister<br />
agencies and other patrons<br />
whose support are indispensable<br />
in accomplishing superior<br />
results. As such, the Commission<br />
considers every party here<br />
present essential to its success.<br />
“As we are all aware, the<br />
National Hajj Commission of<br />
Nigeria (NAHCON) was<br />
established by the Act of National<br />
Assembly in September, 2006 and<br />
became fully functional as a<br />
Commission in 2007. It is this<br />
constitutional backing that puts<br />
the Commission in a position to<br />
license, regulate supervise and<br />
perform oversight functions over<br />
organizations, associations or any<br />
similar bodies engaged in<br />
organizing and coordinating the<br />
movement of persons from<br />
Nigeria to Saudi Arabia to<br />
Rabiul Thaani 23, 1444A.H.<br />
2023 Hajj arrangements to begin Dec 21<br />
with Saudi Arabia —NAHCON chair<br />
•Commends States Pilgrims Boards in execution of HSS<br />
•As Yobe, Kaduna Lagos bag 2022 Hajj awards<br />
perform Hajj or Umrah.<br />
“Therefore, the Commission<br />
carries the burden of ensuring<br />
that Nigerian pilgrims receive<br />
the best services home and away.<br />
This duty is indeed intricate<br />
because it is a task that forces<br />
the Commission to be reliant, like<br />
a machine wheel that needs all<br />
its cogs to fit in order to spin<br />
unhindered.<br />
“NAHCON is blessed with<br />
several stakeholders with whom<br />
Our hope is to<br />
bring stability to<br />
the Hajj industry<br />
and to the cost of<br />
its performance<br />
from Nigeria,<br />
our prayer is<br />
that the<br />
response we<br />
hope to receive<br />
matches our zeal<br />
to succeed<br />
it shares symbiotic relationships<br />
to function. If each of us play our<br />
individual role dedicatedly and<br />
sincerely before the Almighty, we<br />
will always return here to<br />
celebrate our successes. In this<br />
regard I wish to salute the<br />
support of all Stakeholders in the<br />
successful execution of Hajj 2022<br />
operations despite the<br />
challenges. We remain<br />
committed in serving our<br />
pilgrims well and with your<br />
support, we are confident that<br />
this is achievable.<br />
Niger Pilgrims Board receives<br />
Award of Excellence, targets 5000<br />
pilgrims in 2023 Hajj<br />
“Ladies and gentlemen, let me<br />
remind you that the conjectural<br />
nature of Hajj fare in Nigeria is<br />
the major factor that forced<br />
NAHCON to start the<br />
implementation of the Hajj<br />
Savings Scheme without delay.<br />
The scheme is an arrangement<br />
that offers an intending pilgrim<br />
a long-term contributory platform<br />
to pay for Hajj gradually within<br />
a desired period. This<br />
arrangement has the potential of<br />
boosting early Hajj preparation<br />
with the prospect of enabling<br />
Hajj subsidy in future. I must<br />
commend the leadership of the<br />
Pilgrims Boards in all States for<br />
their contribution and patriotism<br />
in the execution of Hajj Savings<br />
Scheme (HSS), and by extension<br />
all other Stakeholders. Our Policy<br />
for Hajj 2023 is to maintain the<br />
status quo; that is to run the HSS<br />
concurrently with the<br />
Conventional pay-as-you-go, as<br />
it was for this year’s Hajj.<br />
“Our hope is to bring stability<br />
to the Hajj industry and to the<br />
cost of its performance from<br />
Nigeria. Our prayer is that the<br />
response we hope to receive<br />
matches our zeal to succeed.<br />
“Talking of services rendered<br />
to pilgrims, Executive<br />
Commissioners of NAHCON will<br />
provide details of the Hajj 2022<br />
and other related matters to this<br />
gathering.<br />
“My distinguished brothers<br />
and sisters, Hajj 2023 is around<br />
the corner, it behoves on us all to<br />
focus on proper planning and<br />
prudence bearing in mind that<br />
our goal is to please Allah<br />
through our intending pilgrims<br />
who invested so much with the<br />
sole aim of serving their Lord.<br />
In addition, I am happy to inform<br />
you all that unlike last Hajj when<br />
the preparation started late due<br />
to absence of information, the<br />
Ministry of Hajj and Umra has<br />
intimated us that arrangement<br />
for Hajj 2023 will begin with a<br />
conference via video<br />
communication scheduled for<br />
21st December, 2022 between the<br />
National Hajj Commission of<br />
Nigeria and the Ministry.<br />
“Once again, I welcome you all<br />
to this great event, and to<br />
reassure you that our doors are<br />
open for communication. I wish<br />
us all happy deliberations and<br />
safe trip back to our various<br />
destinations at the end of the<br />
program.<br />
Islamic scholar moves for inclusion<br />
of western educ into Arabic schools’<br />
curriculum<br />
By Adeola Badru<br />
A<br />
RENOWNED Islamic<br />
scholar, Dr. Daud Amoo-<br />
Alaga, has called for<br />
incorporation of western<br />
education and vocational skills<br />
into the curriculum of Arabic<br />
schools.<br />
He made the call Tuesday in<br />
Ibadan at the formal opening<br />
ceremony of a month educational<br />
workshop organised by<br />
Association of Arabic and Islamic<br />
Schools in Oyo State.<br />
Dr Amoo-Alaga, said there was<br />
the need for constant review of<br />
curriculum of Arabic schools to<br />
meet the current realities,<br />
stressing that if western<br />
education and vocational skills<br />
are added, it would enhance<br />
more participation.<br />
Dr Amoo-Alaga who is also the<br />
Chief Missioner, Oyo State<br />
Muslim Community,<br />
underscored the importance of<br />
unity of purpose among<br />
Muslims, noting that if that is<br />
achieved, the faithful would be<br />
more respected and get better<br />
value in the society.<br />
The Executive Chairman,<br />
Association of Arabic and Islamic<br />
Schools in Oyo State, Sheikh<br />
Nasirudeen Kharashi-Arikeusola<br />
said, the one-month educational<br />
workshop with the theme “Islam<br />
is Against Terrorism and Crimes”<br />
was part of of the Association’s<br />
contributions to national<br />
development and societal<br />
reformation.<br />
Sheikh Arikeusola explained<br />
that the seminar would also<br />
redirect students’ psychology<br />
against cybercrime, ritual killing<br />
and other prevalent criminal<br />
activities in line with Quranic<br />
injunctions.<br />
According to Sheikh<br />
Arikeusola who is also the<br />
proprietor of Islamic and Arabic<br />
Educational Institute, Eleyele,<br />
Ibadan, the association with over<br />
2,000 membership has carefully<br />
chosen two facilitators from each<br />
of the 33 local government areas<br />
in the state who will adopt<br />
Qur’an and prophetic tradition<br />
for the workshop.<br />
Giving additional information<br />
about the programme, the<br />
Secretary of the association and<br />
the proprietor of Ar-ridoh<br />
International Islamic Institute,<br />
Alarere, Ibadan, Ustadh<br />
Muhammad-Jamiu Abdulgafar<br />
called on the facilitators to follow<br />
the well researched syllabus on<br />
topical issues and always give<br />
progress report in order to<br />
evaluate the seminar for<br />
improvement on subsequent<br />
programmes.<br />
Ustadh Abdulgafar, while<br />
tracing the history of terrorism<br />
incursion into Nigeria, affirmed<br />
that Islam is antithetical to<br />
extremism and criminal acts.<br />
The association secretary<br />
called on government at all<br />
levels and well meaning<br />
Nigerians to support Islamic<br />
propagation and other religious<br />
activities for societal spiritual<br />
renewal.<br />
He noted that the seminar for<br />
Islamic teachers will be held in<br />
four zones comprising Ibadan,<br />
Oke-Ogun, Oyo-Ogbomoso<br />
and Ibarapa, while school<br />
proprietors will have an<br />
enlarged meeting at the House<br />
of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.<br />
Ustadh Abdulgafar added that<br />
the Annual General Meeting<br />
will be held at the Conference<br />
Centre, University of Ibadan on<br />
Sunday 18th December, 2022.<br />
NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle<br />
Hassan accompanied by Commissioner of PRSILS<br />
Sheikh Sulaiman Momoh and other members of the<br />
delegation during a tour of the NAHCON-ICRC’s PPP<br />
facility recently.<br />
The Chairman, CEO, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Alhaji<br />
Zhikrullah Hassan, (5th left) with other stakeholders during a 4-day 2022 post-<br />
Hajj meeting held in Abuja, recently.
Rabiul Thaani 23, 1444A.H.<br />
2023: Don’t make empty promises,<br />
Prof Musa tells Presidential candidates<br />
AS campaign for public offices<br />
hots up, Professor of Islamic<br />
Studies, University of Lagos,<br />
Ismail Musa has urged candidates<br />
contesting to lead the people at<br />
all levels to speak the truth to<br />
Nigerians instead of making<br />
empty promises.<br />
Professor Musa charged<br />
politicians to follow up their<br />
campaign promises with sincerity<br />
of purpose, and ready to lift the<br />
people out of the current state of<br />
despair to optimism and better<br />
their lots, noting that Nigerians<br />
need to supplicate deeply on this<br />
instead of engaging in<br />
permutations.<br />
The Chief Imam of the Ivory<br />
Tower in a chat with Facing Kaaba<br />
on the jostle for the Presidency<br />
and other public offices, he said<br />
Allah will choose the best<br />
candidate whose tenure will<br />
ursher in an era of peace, progress<br />
and goodness of life for all<br />
Nigerians.<br />
“Allah created human beings in<br />
a way that we love and enjoy<br />
peace, progress and goodness of<br />
life. On the contrary, human<br />
beings detest peacelessness,<br />
failure and suffering. I expect that<br />
the best candidate will win in a<br />
free and fair election. The best is<br />
he or she whose tenure will usher<br />
in an era of peace, progress and<br />
goodness of life for all and sundry.<br />
On their various campaign<br />
promises, he said; “I am yet to<br />
study their manifesto. However,<br />
this is the time politicians make<br />
both realistic and outrageous<br />
promises. I urge them to speak<br />
truth to Nigerians and follow it up<br />
with sincerity of purpose, a passion<br />
to lift people out of despair and a<br />
commitment to selfless service.<br />
This is the first step towards getting<br />
things right. It is heinous in the<br />
sight of Allah to make empty<br />
promises with the intent to<br />
deceive.<br />
“There are three frontliners with<br />
visible strengths and weaknesses.<br />
One candidate is battling with<br />
intra-party crises that we don’t<br />
know how long it would last.<br />
Another is fighting obscurity<br />
among the teeming rural<br />
populace. The third needs to<br />
convince the voting public that<br />
he is capable of overcoming daring<br />
challenges the current<br />
government is trying to grapple<br />
with. May Allah decide the best<br />
course for us. He is the owner of<br />
power who grants power to<br />
whosoever He wishes.<br />
All the candidates should strive<br />
to build and rebuild the nation<br />
whilst putting Allah first. Success<br />
lies with Allah. He will not<br />
disappoint those who put their<br />
trust in Him.<br />
He advised Nigerians to be<br />
prayerful and to be hopeful for a<br />
By Bashir Bello<br />
THE spiritual leader of<br />
Qadiriyya order in Nigeria<br />
and West Africa, Sheikh Dr.<br />
Qaribullah Nasiru Kabara, has<br />
called on electorate to shun<br />
money politics and any form of<br />
worldly things that can influence<br />
them into selling their votes as<br />
the 2023 general election<br />
approaches.<br />
This was as he said they should<br />
vote for only credible candidates<br />
who will deliver on the dividends<br />
of democracy and salvage the<br />
situation of the country.<br />
•Prof Ismail Musa,<br />
Imam, UNILAG<br />
better deal, adding that it is better<br />
to supplicate deeply on this<br />
instead of engaging in<br />
permutations.<br />
“Nigerians should rally round<br />
the best team with the best<br />
possible government. The<br />
presidency is about Nigeria and<br />
all it’s constituent units. May<br />
Allah appoint for us leaders who<br />
will be God-conscious and who<br />
will be focused on the Day of<br />
Accountability,” he noted.<br />
2023: Shun money politics, others, Islamic<br />
cleric tells electorate<br />
The revered leader made the<br />
call while speaking with newsmen<br />
at his Quadirriya residence on the<br />
successful hosting of the 72nd<br />
Maukibi celebration, an annual<br />
celebration in honour of Qadiriyya<br />
founding father Sheikh<br />
Abdulkadir Jelani.<br />
Sheikh Kabara said the Islamic<br />
clerics have a great role to play in<br />
sensitizing the electorates on the<br />
need to vote credible candidates<br />
in order to set the nation on the<br />
path of growth and development.<br />
According to him, “The religious<br />
leaders have a great role to play<br />
by sensitizing the electorates.<br />
EDUCATION is an<br />
indispensable key that<br />
unlocks the floodgate of economic<br />
success and societal respect. The<br />
legal education is a notch higher<br />
as lawyers are revered for their<br />
cerebral nature. This is the<br />
province of education where<br />
Omamuzo Erebe is in his<br />
element. According to him, the<br />
way lawyers are respected in the<br />
society attracted him to the legal<br />
profession as a lad.<br />
His views: “The esteem with<br />
which lawyers are regarded by the<br />
society was something I admired.<br />
If a lawyer works into a gathering,<br />
people sit up and take notice.<br />
Lawyers are well spoken and<br />
always neatly attired. I wanted to<br />
be one of them. So my love for<br />
lawyers, their unique dressing,<br />
their diction and their carriage<br />
generally was something I<br />
wanted to be part of.”<br />
Today, that young man who was<br />
attracted by the eloquence and<br />
dress code of lawyers is the Delta<br />
State Permanent Secretary and<br />
Solicitor General in the Ministry<br />
of Justice. Against the backdrop<br />
of disdain in some quarters<br />
harboured for government<br />
lawyers, Erebe was quick to<br />
answer that there was no empirical<br />
event to back that notion, adding<br />
that there are lazy lawyers both<br />
in public and private practice.<br />
He opines that: “Unsuccessful<br />
lawyers prefer to work in<br />
government offices, this again, a<br />
huge misconception. People<br />
What I meant by this, is for them<br />
to sensitize the electorates on the<br />
need to vote credible candidates<br />
to salvage the situation. We should<br />
keep aside personal interest,<br />
wordly things. We should consider<br />
credibility of candidates who will<br />
deliver.<br />
“You must think deeply,<br />
thoroughly and vote one who is<br />
credible for leadership positions to<br />
salvage the situation of the<br />
country,” Sheikh Kabara said.<br />
The revered leader also<br />
cautioned the Federal<br />
Government against removal of<br />
the Arabic inscription on the<br />
nigerian currency as it embark on<br />
the redesigning of the naira notes.<br />
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, , 2021 — 31<br />
Erebe: An erudite lawyer, accomplished<br />
administrator<br />
believe certain experiences from<br />
their personal encounters with<br />
some government lawyers and<br />
then proceed to generalize. An<br />
incompetent lawyer can be found<br />
in both private and public practice.<br />
It does not mean all lawyers are<br />
incompetent. When I started work<br />
as a state counsel, some of my<br />
colleagues in the private bar had<br />
the same mindset that we were<br />
pushovers. All it took to change<br />
that perception was to handle your<br />
cases properly. That view quickly<br />
changed. Over the years we have<br />
had successful lawyers in<br />
Government and Corporate<br />
practice who have risen to the<br />
pinnacle of the legal profession as<br />
senior advocates.”<br />
On the multitude of lawyers in<br />
politics, he argued that it is not<br />
due to joblessness and that<br />
lawyers by their training and<br />
orientation are eminently<br />
qualified to participate in politics.<br />
Hear his sentiments: “Lawyers by<br />
their training can function in<br />
several fields. A lawyer in politics<br />
is in a terrain natural to him. One<br />
of the reasons the law profession<br />
is attractive is that a lawyer cannot<br />
be unemployed. You may not like<br />
the salary you earn from practice,<br />
but unemployment is not<br />
possible. I am not a politician but<br />
I can hazard a guess that lawyers<br />
are assets in the political terrain.”<br />
He therefore counseled young<br />
lawyers to develop passion for the<br />
job. He goes philosophical : “In<br />
one word, diligence. It will set you<br />
apart from your peers. Hard work<br />
never kills, it only makes you<br />
stronger.”<br />
The young Erebe grew up in<br />
Benin City, Edo State and was<br />
fascinated with the legal<br />
television drama of ‘the Assizes‘.<br />
That mass media role of<br />
education had a great impact on<br />
Erebe and that explains his<br />
journey into the legal profession<br />
and has no regret for taking that<br />
decision. In a situation where<br />
most lawyers are becoming jack<br />
of all trades in the legal terrain,<br />
Erebe is a strong advocate for<br />
lawyers to specialize. He puts it<br />
this way :‘I subscribe to<br />
specialization. In the increasingly<br />
competitive terrain that the law<br />
practice has become,<br />
specialization is key. If I was<br />
advising a new wig, I would say<br />
pick an area of law that is rarely<br />
practiced and grow into it. If I were<br />
starting today, I would specialize<br />
in sports law. I enjoy playing and<br />
watching football and I know that<br />
would have been my area of<br />
practice.<br />
However, Erebe started as a<br />
state counsel after graduating<br />
from the University of Benin. He<br />
was called to the bar in December,<br />
1990. He has been practicing law<br />
for the past 32 years, 29 of which<br />
has been with the Ministry of<br />
Justice since July, 1993. His<br />
dedication and unequalled<br />
passion for hard work made him<br />
rise rapidly through the ranks in<br />
various departments prosecuting<br />
criminal and civil cases in courts.<br />
In 2005, Erebe was appointed the<br />
Director of Public Prosecution and<br />
served there till 2008 with many<br />
landmark achievements. The<br />
legal gods smiled on him in2008<br />
as he was posted to the<br />
department of Peoples Rights<br />
whose major objective is to foster<br />
good relationship between host<br />
communities and companies<br />
operating in their domains. It<br />
would take several volumes to<br />
document the journey of Erebe<br />
in the Ministry of Justice for the<br />
past 29 years, the salient point<br />
here is that he has paid his dues<br />
and that explains his position as<br />
he sits atop the Ministry of Justice<br />
directing affairs, mentoring young<br />
lawyers, the administrative head<br />
and an indispensable support to<br />
the Commissioner of Justice and<br />
Attorney General of the State.
32 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
ORO<br />
ILUOBE<br />
MUTAIRU<br />
My name was wrongly I, formerly known and addressed<br />
captured and arranged as as MUTAIRU OMOWUNMI<br />
ILUOBE OMOAREBUN, HAMIDAT, now wish to be<br />
instead of my correct name as known and addressed as<br />
OMOAREBUN ILUOBE ADEBOWALE OMOWUNMI<br />
ABDULLAHI. All former ARIKE. All former documents<br />
documents remain valid. remain valid. The general public<br />
General public take note. should please take note.<br />
NICHOLAS OB<br />
IDIODI NWOKOLO<br />
l, formerly known and I, Formerly Known And<br />
addressed as Idiodi Bukunola<br />
Addressed As Nwokolo<br />
Chizoba Maryann, now Wish<br />
Taire, now wish to be known To Be Known And Addressed<br />
and addressed as Oluwabukola As Mrs Chidiabah Nwokolo<br />
Taire Idiodi. The general public Chizoba Maryann. All Former<br />
Documents Remain Valid.<br />
and to whom it may concern<br />
General Public Please Take<br />
should please take note. Note.<br />
OWOBU<br />
MINNA<br />
AMROMANOR<br />
I Formerly known and I Formerly known and<br />
addressed as MINNA addressed as AMROMANOR<br />
DIVINE now wish to be NATASHA now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as known and addressed as<br />
MINNA<br />
DIVINE<br />
ORITSEGBOWUMI<br />
ABUSOMWAN NATASHA<br />
Henceforth<br />
all Henceforth all former<br />
formerdocuments remain documents remain valid<br />
valid General public take note General public take note<br />
IKE IBEH NAKARHIRE<br />
I formerly known and addressed as<br />
EBOMWONYI ORO or<br />
ARUMALA ORO now wish to<br />
be known and addressed as<br />
ARUMALA-EBOMWONYI<br />
ORO. All former documents remain<br />
valid. The general public, banks<br />
and concerned authorities should<br />
take note.<br />
I, Formerly known and addressed<br />
as MISS. CHINEMEREM<br />
HOPE NICHOLAS; Now wish<br />
to be known as MRS.<br />
CHINEMEREM HOPE<br />
CHIDIEBERE. All Former<br />
documents remain valid.Conerned<br />
Authorities and General Public<br />
take note.<br />
I, FORMERLY KNOWN, CALLED<br />
AND ADDRESSED AS MISS<br />
AGBONMAYO MERCY EHI,<br />
NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN,<br />
CALLED AND ADDRESSED AS<br />
MRS OWOBU MERCY EHI. All<br />
Former documents remain<br />
valid.Conerned Authorities and<br />
General Public take note.<br />
I Formerly known and<br />
addressed as Miss Nwachukwu<br />
Appolonia Chika now wish to<br />
be known and addressed as Mrs<br />
Ike Appolonia Chika.<br />
Henceforth all former<br />
documents remain valid<br />
General public take note.<br />
IGUNMA<br />
I FORMERLY KNOWN CALLED<br />
AND ADDRESSED AS MISS<br />
IGUNMA EKI ROSELINE NOW<br />
WISH TO BE KNOWN CALLED<br />
AND ADDRESSED AS MRS<br />
EDOSUYI EKI ROSELINE. ALL<br />
FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN<br />
VALID GENERAL PUBLIC AND<br />
AUTHORITY CONCERNED<br />
PLEASE TAKE NOTE.<br />
UMEH<br />
I formerly known and<br />
addressed as CHIAMAKA<br />
UMEH, now wish to be known<br />
and addressed as<br />
ONWUMELU CHIAMAKA<br />
LUCIA. All former documents<br />
remain valid general public<br />
please take note.<br />
OMOVAVBERHE<br />
I, Formerly known and<br />
addressed as Omovavberhe<br />
Oghenetejiri now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as<br />
Omovavberhe Oghenetejiri<br />
Rachel. All former documents<br />
remain valid. General public<br />
take note.<br />
EYEFIA<br />
I Formerly known and addressed<br />
as Miss. EYEFIA STELLA<br />
OBORAGWARE. Now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as MRS.<br />
AKPOYOVWARE STELLA<br />
OBORAGWARE. All former<br />
documents remain valid. General<br />
public please take note.<br />
TOPE<br />
My name was wrongly imputed<br />
on my voter’s card as<br />
FAGBEMI AYODELE<br />
TOPE, instead of my correct<br />
name as FAGBEMI<br />
AYOMIDE TEMITOPE. All<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public take note.<br />
ABUDU<br />
I Formerly known and<br />
addressed as RASHIDI<br />
DODODAWA Now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as<br />
ABUDU RASHIDI<br />
DODODAWA. All former<br />
documents remain valid<br />
general public please take note<br />
I formerly known as IBEH<br />
NKIRU ANGELA now wish to<br />
be known and addressed as<br />
NWAFOR NKIRU ANGELA<br />
all former documents remain<br />
valid banks and general public<br />
take note<br />
ODIGIE<br />
I formerly known and<br />
addressed as, Odigie Faith<br />
Ebanehita, now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as,<br />
Akhimien Faith Ebanehita,<br />
all former documents<br />
remains valid, general public<br />
take note.<br />
UDECHUKWU<br />
I formerly known as<br />
UDECHUKWU FAVOUR<br />
CHIDIEBUBE wish to be<br />
known as Mrs JOACHIM<br />
FAVOUR CHIDINMA. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. General public take<br />
notice.<br />
OKONKWO OD<br />
I, formerly known as MISS<br />
NKECHINYERE BLESSING<br />
OKONKWO, now wish to be<br />
known as MRS<br />
NKECHINYERE BLESSING<br />
OKONGWU. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public take notice.<br />
AJUGWO IZUOGU AYOMOR<br />
I formerly known and I formerly known and I formerly known and<br />
addressed as AJUGWO addressed as IZUOGU addressed as Kate Adaku<br />
CHISOMAGA PETROLINA, FAUSTINA NNENNA,, now Ayomor, now wish to be<br />
now wish to be known and wish to be known and addressed<br />
known and addressed as Kate<br />
addressed as AJUGWO as UBOCHI FAUSTINA<br />
CHISOM PETROLINA . All NNENNA . All former Adaku Johnson. All former<br />
former documents remain documents remain valid documents remain valid<br />
valid general public please take general public please take general public please take<br />
note.<br />
note.<br />
note.<br />
OTAH<br />
OKE<br />
OGHENEOVO<br />
I, Formerly known and I, Formerly known and I, Formerly known and<br />
addressed as Otah Faith<br />
addressed as Oke Endurance addressed as Ogheneovo<br />
Ekayoma now wish to be<br />
Hycienth Daniel now wish to<br />
now wish to be known and<br />
known and addressed as<br />
be known and addressed as<br />
addressed as Ediri Endurance.<br />
Ekayoma Faith Nyore. All<br />
Ogheneovo Hycienth Otega.<br />
former documents remain All former documents remain All former documents remain<br />
valid. General public take note. valid. General public take note. valid. General public take note.<br />
ESOSUAKPOR<br />
I, formerly known and addressed<br />
as MISS ESOSUAKPOR,<br />
SHULAMMITE ESE now wish<br />
to be known and addressed as<br />
MRS.<br />
PANAMA,<br />
SHULAMMITE ESE. All former<br />
documents remain valid. General<br />
public please take note.<br />
GWEDE<br />
I, formerly known as GWEDE<br />
BLESSING UFUOMA VEFE,<br />
now wish to be known as<br />
AYOOLA BLESSING<br />
UFUOMA VEFE. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public take notice.<br />
FUTUGHE<br />
I Formerly known and<br />
addressed as REV ISRAEL<br />
ORITSEWEYINMI Now wish<br />
to be known and addressed as<br />
REV ISRAEL FUTUGHE. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid general public please take<br />
note<br />
This is to confirm that my name was<br />
wrongly captured as NAKARHIRE<br />
DICKSON OBEWHE in my BVN<br />
details instead of ENAKARHIRE<br />
DICKSON OBEWHE. My correct<br />
name is ENAKARHIRE DICKSON<br />
OBEWHE. All documents remain<br />
valid.General public please take<br />
note.<br />
NWABUEZE<br />
I formerly known and<br />
addressed as, FAVOUR<br />
ITOHAN ENEHIKHARE ,<br />
now wish to be known and<br />
addressed as, FAVOUR<br />
ITOHAN NWABUEZE, all<br />
former documents remains<br />
valid, general public take<br />
note.<br />
OKON<br />
I, formerly known and addressed<br />
as MISS EKPEYONG ESTHER<br />
OKON, now wish to be known<br />
and addressed as MRS. ESTHER<br />
SUNDAY ETIM. All former<br />
documents remain valid. The<br />
general public should please take<br />
note.<br />
AKWEJE<br />
This is to notify that in my bvn<br />
details my name was wrongly<br />
arranged as JANE OKOH<br />
AKWEJE, instead of OKOH JANE<br />
AKWEJE, and in my NIN my middle<br />
name was wrongly spelt as<br />
AKATAKUFIA instead of<br />
AKWEJE. All former documents<br />
remain valid general public, bank<br />
and all authorities concerned<br />
should take note.<br />
EMEJE<br />
I formerly known and<br />
addressed as EMEJE EJIRO<br />
VERA now wish to be known<br />
and addressed as NDUKA<br />
EJIRO VERA. All former<br />
documents remain valid<br />
general public please take<br />
note<br />
OWOYEMI<br />
I, formerly knownV as OWOYEMI<br />
KHALEED ADEKUNLE. That I<br />
now wish to be known as<br />
ADEYEMI ADEKUNLE<br />
IRETIOLUWA also in every other<br />
documentation and identification.<br />
That all documents relating to my<br />
former names remain valid, and for the<br />
general public to take note.<br />
SAGAY OD<br />
I Formerly known and addressed<br />
as MISS AMONES<br />
LAURETTA OMAWUMI now<br />
wish to be known and addressed<br />
as MRS SAGAY LAURETTA<br />
OMAWUMI Henceforth all former<br />
documents remain valid General<br />
public take note<br />
ESE<br />
I formerly known and<br />
addressed as, IFOGBE<br />
ESEOGHENE EDWIN, now<br />
wish to be known and<br />
addressed as, IFOGBE<br />
EDWIN ESE, all former<br />
documents remains valid,<br />
general public take note.<br />
OGHOGHO<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
UDINYIWE HAPPY<br />
OSARENKHOE, now wish to<br />
be known as UDINYIWE<br />
HAPPY OGHOGHO. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. General public take<br />
notice.<br />
ODOH<br />
I, formerly known and addressed<br />
as MISS ODOH CHINYERE<br />
MARYROSE now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as MRS<br />
UGWUOKE CHINYERE<br />
MARYROSE. All former<br />
documents remain valid. General<br />
public please take note.<br />
NNAJI<br />
I formerly known, called and<br />
addressed as MISS NNAJI<br />
MERCY ONYINYECHI now<br />
wish to be known call and address<br />
as MRS OKWUONE MERCY<br />
ONYINYECHI. All former<br />
documents remain valid.General<br />
public and to whom it may<br />
concern, please take note.<br />
EBOH<br />
OSAHENI<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Osaheni Faith Aibangbee<br />
now wish to be known as Mrs<br />
Osaheni Faith Ohwonigho.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. General Phublic and<br />
Authorities concerned, please<br />
take note.<br />
EBOH<br />
I formerly known and<br />
addressed as JULIET EBOH<br />
now wish to be known and<br />
addressed as MRS JULIET<br />
EHIZOGIE OGHOMWEN.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid general public please take<br />
note<br />
SALIHU NWOSU EG<br />
This is to confirm that the name<br />
SALIHU AKILU and AKILU<br />
SALIHU belong to one and the<br />
same person. In my Account<br />
opening my name was written as<br />
SALIHU AKILU instead of<br />
AKILU SALIHU. All former<br />
documents remain valid general<br />
public please take note<br />
OPEYEMI<br />
I FORMALLY KNOWN AND<br />
ADDRESSED AS OPEYEMI<br />
DAMILARE IFEOLUWA,<br />
NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN<br />
AND ADDRESSED AS<br />
OPAYEMI DAMILARE<br />
IFEOLUWA. THE GENERAL<br />
PUBLIC AND AUTHORITY<br />
CONCERN SHOULD PLEASE<br />
TAKE NOTE.<br />
EJEH<br />
I, formerly known as MISS<br />
CHINWOKE VIRGINIA<br />
EJEH, now wish to be known<br />
as MRS CHINWOKE<br />
VIRGINIA IKECHUKWU<br />
OKONGWU. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public take notice.<br />
ROMANCE<br />
I formerly known and<br />
addressed as, OMAGBEMI<br />
OLUWADAISI, now wish to<br />
be known and addressed as,<br />
OMAGBEMI OLUWADAISI<br />
ROMANCE, all former<br />
documents remains valid,<br />
general public take note.<br />
UGBOMOR<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
EGWAILE PHOEBE<br />
NNEKA, now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as<br />
UGBOMOR PHOEBE<br />
NNEKA. All former<br />
documents remain valid. The<br />
general public please take<br />
note.<br />
BERNARD<br />
MY NAME WAS WRONGLY<br />
WRITTEN AS BERNARD<br />
MAYERGHWEDE OMOSHOLA<br />
INSTEAD OF OMOSHOLA<br />
MAYERGHWEDE BERNARD.<br />
NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS<br />
OMOSHOLA MAYERGHWEDE<br />
BERNARD. All former documents<br />
remain valid. General public take<br />
note.<br />
OKORONKWO<br />
I, Formerly known and<br />
addressed as Miss. Okoronkwo<br />
Esther Ngozi. now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as Mrs.<br />
Ogbonna Esther Ngozi. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. General public take note.<br />
EKE<br />
I Formerly known and addressed<br />
as: Chinyere Christabel Asierika-<br />
Eke Now wish to be known and<br />
addressed as: Chinyere Christabel<br />
Eke. All former documents remain<br />
valid general public please take<br />
note<br />
OZOKO<br />
That KULETAR TOBOLAYEFA<br />
VALENTINA & OZOKO<br />
TOBOLAYEFA VALENTINA are<br />
same and one person but now wish<br />
to be addressed as MRS.<br />
OKEDUKOR TOBOLAYEFA<br />
VALENTINA all formal documents<br />
remains valid general public whom<br />
it may concern take note<br />
OLALEYE<br />
I formerly known and addressed<br />
as OLALEYE GBEMISOLA<br />
RAFIAT but now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as<br />
AROYEWUN GBEMISOLA<br />
RAFIAT, All former documents<br />
remain valid, general public take<br />
note.<br />
ADEWOLE<br />
I formerly known and addressed as<br />
ADEWOLE RUKAYAT<br />
ABISOLA now wish to be known<br />
and addressed as TAIWO<br />
RUKAYAT ABDULLAHI. All<br />
former documents remains valid.<br />
General public and concerned<br />
authorities please take note.<br />
NWANKWO<br />
I formerly known and addressed as<br />
MRS. NWANKWO EVELYN<br />
ONAH, now wish to be known<br />
and addressed as MRS.<br />
ONOCHIE EVELYN ONAH. All<br />
former documents remains valid.<br />
General public and concerned<br />
authorities please take note.<br />
OBODOELUEM<br />
I formerly known and addressed as<br />
Miss Obodoeluem Nwaka<br />
Fortune, now wish to be known<br />
and addressed as Mrs. Ogboi<br />
Nwaka Fortune . All former<br />
documents remains valid. General<br />
public and concerned authorities<br />
please take note.<br />
AYODELE<br />
My name was wrongly<br />
imputed on my voter’s card as<br />
FAGBEMI AYODELE TOPE,<br />
instead of my correct name as<br />
FAGBEMI AYOMIDE<br />
TEMITOPE. All documents<br />
remain valid. General public<br />
take note.<br />
OGHENE<br />
I formerly known and<br />
addressed as, Miss Ubiomo<br />
Ajiri , now wish to be known<br />
and addressed as, Mrs<br />
Oghene Ajiri, all former<br />
documents remains valid,<br />
general public take note.<br />
ASHIEN<br />
I, formerly known and addressed<br />
as ONYINYE MARTHA<br />
ASHIEN, now wishes to beknown<br />
and addressed as MRS.<br />
EHIGIATOR GIFT MARTHA.<br />
Former documentsremain valid.<br />
General public, to whom it may<br />
concern please take note.<br />
ESEAWHOTU<br />
I, Formerly known and<br />
addressed as MISS.<br />
ESEAWHOTU ESE, now<br />
wish to be known and addressed<br />
as MRS ARUOTURE ESE. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. General public take note.<br />
EDACHE<br />
I, Formerly known and<br />
addressed as Miss. Edache<br />
Alice. now wish to be known<br />
and addressed as Mrs. Amos-<br />
Ahmadu Alice. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public take note.<br />
ONORIODE<br />
That my name was Wrongly entered<br />
in my BVN as JOEL<br />
TAMARADEYENFA ONORIODE<br />
instead of JOEL<br />
TAMARADEYENFA<br />
GODBLESS, my correct name is<br />
JOEL TAMARADEYENFA<br />
GODBLESS. All former documents<br />
remain valid general public please<br />
take note.<br />
EZEDOM HAPPY<br />
I formerly known as HAPPY<br />
BEAUTY MOSES now wish to<br />
be known and addressed as OGBE<br />
HAPPINESS BEAUTY. All<br />
former documents remain valid<br />
any authority it may concern and<br />
general public to take note.
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 33<br />
OGBEIFUN<br />
I, formerly known, call and<br />
addressed as. OGBEIFUN<br />
ITOHAN JENNIFER but,now<br />
wish to be known,call and address<br />
as.OKORAWHE ITOHAN<br />
JENNIFER. All documents<br />
bearing former names remain valid.<br />
General public, please take note.<br />
DAVID<br />
I, formerly known and<br />
addressed as Miss David<br />
Mellisa Orerimena, now wish<br />
to be known and addressed as<br />
Mrs. Raji Mellisa Orerimena.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. General public please<br />
take note.<br />
AWOSIGHO<br />
I, formerly known and addressed<br />
as Miss Awosigho Onome<br />
Precious, now wish to be known<br />
and addressed as Mrs. Iyamabhor<br />
Onome Precious. All former<br />
documents remain valid. General<br />
public please take note.<br />
OKUOMOSE<br />
I, formerly known and addressed<br />
as Miss Okuomose Evelyn, now<br />
wish to be known and addressed<br />
as Mrs. Igbinosa-Edosa Evelyn.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. General public please take<br />
note.<br />
AMADI<br />
My correct name is AmadiAdaeze<br />
Juliet, but my name was wrongly<br />
captured in my BVN as<br />
AmadiEzinne Juliet instead of<br />
AmadiAdaeze Juliet. All former<br />
documents remain valid. General<br />
public please take note.<br />
SUNSHINE<br />
My full name is<br />
N W A B U N W A N N E<br />
CHINENYE SUNSHINE as it is<br />
in my NIN. My name appear in<br />
my BVN as NWABUNWANNE<br />
CHINENYE. I now wish to add<br />
SUNSHINE to my BVN details.<br />
All documents bearing any of the<br />
names remain valid. General<br />
public take note.<br />
OMORAGBON<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
OMORAGBON OSAMEDE<br />
LESLEY, now wish to be<br />
known as OKUNGBOWA<br />
OSAMEDE LESLEY. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. General public take<br />
notice.<br />
IDOGHO<br />
I, formerly known as Idogho,<br />
Emmanuel Ogheneyerowvo,<br />
now wish to be known as<br />
IDOGHO, EMMANUEL<br />
NERO. All former documents<br />
remain valid. General public,<br />
please, note.<br />
TUGBA<br />
I, formerly known as MISS<br />
MARIA ADJAYEN, now<br />
wish to be known as MRS<br />
MARIA TUGBA. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. General public, please,<br />
note.<br />
OBASEKI<br />
I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MISS.<br />
UWUBANMWEN EMWANTA<br />
ABIGAIL NOW WISH TO BE<br />
ADDRESS AS MRS. OBASEKI<br />
EMWANTA ABIGAIL. ALL<br />
FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN<br />
VALID.<br />
CONCERN<br />
AUTHORITIES AND GENERAL<br />
PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.<br />
OKIKA<br />
My Name was wrongly captured and<br />
arranged as CHARLES<br />
KOSICHUKWU OKIKA in my<br />
BVN instead of OKIKA KOSISO<br />
CHARLES. now wish to be Known,<br />
as OKIKA KOSISO CHARLES.<br />
All former documents remain valid.<br />
Authorities concerned. Banks and<br />
general public please take note.<br />
PRAISE<br />
I, formerly known,call and<br />
addressed as.OKORAWHE<br />
ENDURANCE JATOR..but,now<br />
wish to be known,call and address<br />
as.OKORAWHE PRAISE<br />
JATOR. .All documents bearing<br />
former names remain valid.<br />
General public, please take note.<br />
IYADI<br />
I, formerly known and addressed<br />
as Miss Iyadi Chika Beauty,<br />
now wish to be known and<br />
addressed as Mrs. Obi-Iyadi<br />
Chika Beauty. All former<br />
documents remain valid. General<br />
public please take note.<br />
EDAH<br />
I, formerly known and addressed<br />
as Miss Edah Claudia Edidjana,<br />
now wish to be known and<br />
addressed as Mrs. Otuata Claudia<br />
Edidjana. All former documents<br />
remain valid. General public please<br />
take note.<br />
OGBONNA<br />
I, formerly known and addressed<br />
as Ogbonna Justice Victor, now<br />
wish to be known and addressed<br />
as Ogbonna Justice Chidubem. All<br />
former documents remain valid.<br />
General public please take note.<br />
IGWE<br />
I, formerly known as IGWE<br />
ISHIOMA JUDITH. Now wish<br />
to be known and addressed as<br />
MRS. OKOLOGO ISHIOMA<br />
JUDITH. All documents bearing<br />
my former name remain valid.<br />
General public take note.<br />
ADEDEJI<br />
I, formerly known as MAKAYLA<br />
OLUWANIFEMI COKER. Now<br />
wish to be Known, called and<br />
addressed as MAKAYLA<br />
OLUWANIFEMI COKER-<br />
ADEDEJI. All former documents<br />
remain valid. Concerned<br />
Authorities, Banks, NIN and<br />
General public should please take<br />
note<br />
OKEH<br />
I , Formerly known, addressed and<br />
called as MISS OKEH<br />
E R H O V W O S E R E<br />
CATHERINE, now wish to be<br />
known, addressed and called as<br />
MRS ORHENOMARE<br />
E R H O V W O S E R E<br />
CATHERINE. All former<br />
documents remain valid. General<br />
public, please, note.<br />
IDEHEN<br />
I, formerly known and<br />
addressed as Idehen Osayamen<br />
Precious, Now wish to be<br />
known and addressed as<br />
Precious Osayamen Ekhator.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. General public, please,<br />
note.<br />
OBASI OT<br />
I, formerly known as Obasi<br />
Juliet Chioma, now wish to<br />
be known as Happy Juliet<br />
Chioma. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public, please, note.<br />
OTUWE<br />
I, formerly known as MISS.<br />
OTUWE PATIENCE INIKPI.<br />
Now wish to be Known, called<br />
and addressed as MRS.<br />
AGHAULOR PATIENCE INIKPI.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. Concerned Authorities,<br />
Banks, NIN and General public<br />
should please take note.<br />
OBODOECHINA<br />
I, formerly known as JENNIFER<br />
CHIOMA OBODOECHINA.<br />
Now wish to be Known, called<br />
and addressed as JENNIFER<br />
CHIOMA PAUL. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
Concerned Authorities, Banks,<br />
NIN and General public should<br />
please take note.<br />
2023: A referendum on<br />
continuity of Nigeria as<br />
a nation —Adoji<br />
•It’s time for senators to stop functioning as LGA chairmen<br />
•Why I am running for Kogi East senate seat<br />
By Clifford Ndujihe<br />
Dr Victor Alewo Adoji, 51, ran<br />
for the Kogi East Senatorial seat<br />
on the platform of the African<br />
Democratic Congress, ADC, in<br />
2019 and came third.<br />
Educated in Nigeria and<br />
abroad on various fields, the<br />
former banker, who left the<br />
Zenith Bank as head of<br />
corporate communication<br />
after two decades in the sector,<br />
in this interview, spoke on the<br />
state of the nation, the politics<br />
of Kogi, and why he is running<br />
for Kogi East senatorial seat on<br />
the platform of the Peoples<br />
Democratic Party, PDP, among<br />
others.<br />
On why he did not<br />
win in 2019<br />
IN 2019, I didn't get the<br />
ticket on the platform of<br />
the PDP, which is actually my<br />
preferred party. I had to go to<br />
another party, the ADC. It was<br />
a very successful outing but the<br />
typical Nigerian politics<br />
happened to me. I know that<br />
if I ran on the platform of the<br />
PDP at that time, it would have<br />
been a landslide victory<br />
because the PDP is a very<br />
entrenched party in Kogi East.<br />
It is actually a traditional<br />
party in Kogi East. I was not<br />
lucky to get the PDP ticket at<br />
that time but this time, I am<br />
running on the platform of the<br />
PDP, we are very hopeful of a<br />
successful outing.<br />
In 2019, the All Progressives<br />
Congress, APC, came first,<br />
PDP came second, and I came<br />
third, within three months of<br />
bringing a new party to the<br />
platform.<br />
If elected, what difference<br />
will you make?<br />
What I will do differently is to<br />
ensure Kogi East produce a<br />
senator for the first time<br />
because all you have there are<br />
actually not senators. You have<br />
a senator, whose achievement<br />
is classrooms, renovating<br />
culverts, trying to seemingly<br />
to revive moribund industries<br />
and all sorts. Those are<br />
typically the duties of local<br />
government chairman. You<br />
have senators, especially from<br />
my own side of the world, who<br />
function more in terms of<br />
constituency projects. The<br />
work of a Senator is to propose<br />
bills and make laws, move<br />
motions and then oversight and<br />
override the government and its<br />
agencies. For the first time in a<br />
very long time, I will be a senator,<br />
not a local government<br />
chairman under the garb of a<br />
senator.<br />
Constituency projects form<br />
part of dividends of<br />
democracy…<br />
I have not said that I will not<br />
give cognizance to constituency<br />
projects, all I said is I will not<br />
upend the basic fundamental<br />
work of a senator for the work of<br />
a local government chairman.<br />
Come to think of it, the only<br />
reason there is so much focus on<br />
constituency project is because<br />
either by omission or<br />
•Adoji<br />
commission, people have<br />
usurped the work of the local<br />
government chairman. So, if we<br />
give genuine autonomy to the<br />
local governments, senators will<br />
focus on their primary<br />
responsibility. The work of a<br />
chairman is not the work of a<br />
senator and we must have a clear<br />
delineation between these two.<br />
Why he is going to the Senate<br />
When you elect<br />
someone into a<br />
particular office<br />
there are<br />
expectations from<br />
that office. What is<br />
happening to the<br />
state of deficit in<br />
my state: housing<br />
deficit, number of<br />
out-of-school<br />
children?<br />
So, my going to the Senate is<br />
because I have a good<br />
understanding of the workings<br />
of government and the<br />
knowledge that would fix our<br />
policies, our laws, and our<br />
systems. The parliament has an<br />
oversight, and override function<br />
over the executive so our<br />
burgeoning loans today people<br />
will leave the blame with the<br />
Buhari administration what<br />
about those who approved it?<br />
If elected don’t you think being<br />
a fresh senator will affect your<br />
impact because of senior and<br />
ranking senators?<br />
When we talk about ranking, we<br />
actually talk about personalities<br />
and the number of times you<br />
have been in the National<br />
Assembly. We should talk about<br />
ranking in terms of ideas. So, I<br />
will rank anybody higher than<br />
me whose ideas are superior to<br />
mine. The work of the Senate is<br />
to bring ideas that will basically<br />
move the country forward. If<br />
your idea is better than mine, then<br />
you have a better ranking not<br />
because you've been there for<br />
four, five, six, seven years.<br />
Secondly, I am more than<br />
confident that my party, PDP, will<br />
be at the centre in 2023 because<br />
on a scale of 1-10, the APC has<br />
performed below 3, Nigerians<br />
are tired, Nigerians are sick,<br />
Nigerians are weary. To a large<br />
extent when they hear the name<br />
APC it gives them goose pimples<br />
and fever.<br />
His advice to INEC, security<br />
agencies on 2023 polls<br />
The 2023 elections stand on<br />
three legs. One it is a referendum<br />
on whether we need to continue<br />
as a country. Second, it is a<br />
referendum on whether<br />
Nigerians can be independent<br />
in terms of the agencies – the<br />
INEC, the security and others.<br />
Third, we must take a decision<br />
that we must make progress.<br />
INEC has no choice but to do<br />
the right thing. For the first time<br />
they should know that Nigerians<br />
own them. Professor Mahmood<br />
Yakubu has said his<br />
responsibility is to Nigeria and<br />
to Nigerians. I hope he means it.<br />
Just like he is watching the<br />
process, Nigerians are watching<br />
him. To the security agencies,<br />
their allegiance, like they say<br />
most times is to the commanderin-chief<br />
so if they ask you to go<br />
and do something wrong, you<br />
will go ahead and do something<br />
wrong, but they should know that<br />
even the commander-in-chief,<br />
was actually put in place by<br />
some people. After all Buhari has<br />
said go out there and vote the<br />
party you want and any person<br />
you want that he wants to stand<br />
as neutral. I hope he stands true<br />
to it.<br />
On his assessment of<br />
governance in Nigeria and in<br />
Kogi State<br />
The best way to assess<br />
governance, particularly in my<br />
state, is to move from outcome<br />
to ownership. When you elect<br />
someone into a particular office<br />
there are expectations from that<br />
office. Are my people better<br />
today? Have they been better in<br />
both relative and absolute terms?<br />
What is happening to the state<br />
of infrastructure? What is<br />
happening to the state of deficit<br />
in my state: housing deficit,<br />
number of out-of-school<br />
children? All these have move<br />
southwards in Kogi State. So, I<br />
can say verifiably that<br />
governance has been below suboptimal<br />
in Kogi State.<br />
I read a report in Vanguard that<br />
we have about 133 million<br />
people living below the poverty<br />
line today in Nigeria. Now,<br />
when you look at the<br />
burgeoning debt, rate of<br />
inflation, rate of foreign<br />
currency exchange, what<br />
further assessment do you<br />
need? Forget about those highsounding<br />
GDP figures, it is<br />
about how it directly impacts<br />
the common man, and if you<br />
look at that, this government<br />
has performed abysmally.<br />
It is actually for them to<br />
understand the challenges in<br />
the first place. This is a<br />
government that seems to think<br />
our problems are revenue<br />
problems. Nigeria’s problem<br />
isn't a revenue problem. $700<br />
million dollars was returned<br />
from Abacha loot, what they<br />
said to us is that they have<br />
applied this money to those<br />
who are poor on the lower rung<br />
of the ladder, yet you have more<br />
people in poverty. It means that<br />
our problem isn't a revenue<br />
problem.<br />
Ours is an enterprise or<br />
innovation problem.<br />
Encourage people to be<br />
industrious, so that it is their<br />
industry that will now involve<br />
the capital that will possibly<br />
impact the economy.<br />
It is about wrong interpretation<br />
of the nuances in the economy.<br />
So they need to understand<br />
what the problems are.<br />
Two, it should not matter<br />
whether you are Igbo, Igala,<br />
Hausa, Idoma or Yoruba, it<br />
should be more about your<br />
competence, I have never seen<br />
such level of nepotism in the<br />
history of this country. It is not<br />
about who your brother or<br />
sister is. It is about can this<br />
person truly do the job?<br />
So long as we continue to<br />
encourage foreign goods and<br />
services, money will never be<br />
retained here in the country. So<br />
when people talk about foreign<br />
direct investors coming to help<br />
us in the country, I will just give<br />
you a statistics that it is all<br />
bunkers. Of the 70 trillion<br />
dollars in management<br />
globally, only about 2 trillion<br />
dollar is involved in foreign<br />
direct investment, so most<br />
capital stays back home. Of the<br />
two trillion dollars we are<br />
talking about, out of the 196+<br />
countries that we have, only 36<br />
countries account for at least<br />
73% of investment and most<br />
of them are OECD countries.<br />
So, Africa particularly is not<br />
even considered when it comes<br />
to some of these investments.<br />
So, we need to revive our local<br />
economy, we need to look at<br />
our and our BoT, balance of<br />
payment, BoP and balance of<br />
trade, oT. What are you<br />
exporting? What are you giving<br />
to the country? We need to<br />
come back and think inwards.<br />
We must, first and foremost,<br />
change our psychological,<br />
mental and sociological<br />
attitude because most of our<br />
economic problems are<br />
actually sociological and<br />
psychological problems.<br />
Through the instrumentality of<br />
the Ministry of Orientation, it's<br />
time to let Nigerians know<br />
what the situation is; change in<br />
attitude will more than give us a<br />
necessary impact.
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K<br />
34 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022
Y<br />
K<br />
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 35<br />
BRAIN DRAIN: We now have<br />
one doctor to 6,400 patients<br />
Continues from Page 5<br />
they will undergo their<br />
mandatory 12 months<br />
internship.<br />
Govt must act<br />
fast to stop<br />
brain drain -<br />
NMA<br />
Reacing to the<br />
development yesterday,<br />
the Njigerian Medical<br />
Association, NMA,<br />
urged government to act<br />
fast to stop its members<br />
from migrating abroad.<br />
Making the call, the<br />
FCT chapter of NMA,<br />
said that it was in talk<br />
with members to<br />
consider service to their<br />
fatherland in the face of<br />
government nonchalant<br />
attitude to their plights.<br />
The Public Relations<br />
Officer of the chapter, Dr.<br />
Muyiwa Komolafe, told<br />
Vanguard: "Brain drain<br />
is not going to end<br />
anytime soon because<br />
apparently as it is, there<br />
is really no incentive to<br />
make people stay here<br />
and serve in their<br />
country.<br />
"However, we are<br />
trying to talk to one<br />
another to soft-pedal,<br />
that there are economic<br />
realities because you can<br />
imagine somebody<br />
earning in Pounds and<br />
Dollars, with the<br />
declining rate of the<br />
Naira. That is another<br />
factor driving people to<br />
leave the country.<br />
"Some other things<br />
which people are<br />
supposed to look at are<br />
the possibility that if you<br />
are at home, you are in<br />
your own country and<br />
you can walk around<br />
without fear of being<br />
castigated, harassed and<br />
called all manner of<br />
names and all of that. It's<br />
not as if those people are<br />
actually friendly to us.<br />
"Insecurity is one of the<br />
reasons people are<br />
leaving. Many of our<br />
colleagues have become<br />
victims of the bad<br />
security situation in the<br />
country and this is<br />
contributing to the<br />
migration of our people<br />
outside the shores of this<br />
country, thus causing the<br />
brain drain.<br />
"You cannot be<br />
kidnapped overseas. The<br />
police will be at the<br />
forefront of the matter,<br />
unlike here that even the<br />
police are not free from<br />
kidnap.<br />
"Family pressure is also<br />
contributing to the<br />
migration of our members<br />
abroad. Every family<br />
wants its own person to<br />
travel abroad. When you<br />
see your colleagues that<br />
just moved abroad buying<br />
new cars even for their<br />
fathers and doing other<br />
things and you can't even<br />
give N30,000 to your<br />
father, why would you not<br />
want to go abroad?”<br />
Naira appreciates to N445/$ in<br />
I&E window<br />
By Elizabeth Adegbesan<br />
The naira yesterday appreciated to N445 per dollar<br />
in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window.<br />
Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative<br />
exchange rate for the window fell to N445 per dollar<br />
from N446 per dollar on Wednesday, indicating N1<br />
appreciation for the naira.<br />
Similarly, the naira appreciated by N5 in the<br />
parallel market yesterday.“<br />
Vanguard findings from black market traders<br />
showed that the exchange rate for the market fell to<br />
N780 per dollar from N785 on Wednesday.<br />
From left: Olowu of Owu, Oba Saka Matemilola; Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun<br />
Gbadebo; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Osile of Oke-Ona, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso and Agura of<br />
Gbagura, Oba Sabru Bakre during the endorsement of the governor for a second term in office by the Egba<br />
Traditional Council at Ake Palace, Abeokuta yesterday.<br />
Nigeria needs political will, public to tackle energy needs, says<br />
IAEA<br />
By Prince Osuagwu,<br />
Hi-Tech Editor,<br />
Sochi, Russia<br />
THE International<br />
Atomic Energy<br />
Agency, IAEA, has advised<br />
Nigeria and other African<br />
countries planning to add<br />
nuclear into their energy<br />
mix to garner enough<br />
political will and public<br />
support to hit their desired<br />
targets.<br />
IAEA Deputy Director<br />
and Head of the<br />
Department of Nuclear<br />
Energy, Mikhail<br />
Chudakov, gave the advice<br />
at the ongoing 2022 Atom<br />
Expo in Sochi, Russia.<br />
At the opening ceremony<br />
of the Expo, with theme,<br />
''Nuclear Spring'',<br />
Chudakov called for more<br />
investment in nuclear<br />
energy to achieve the zero<br />
emission target by 2050.<br />
Speaking to African<br />
journalist on the chances of<br />
Africa to achieve sufficient<br />
nuclear energy to help<br />
solve energy problems,<br />
Chudakov said: "Oh why<br />
not? Most of the African<br />
countries, like Nigeria and<br />
the rest that have shown<br />
interest in nuclear energy,<br />
only need to garner<br />
enough political will and<br />
public support.<br />
''They need to create<br />
enough awareness to the<br />
benefits of clean energy<br />
and how it can help their<br />
situations. Russia did that<br />
and today, the results are<br />
clear."<br />
He made case for<br />
countries across the world<br />
to make additional<br />
investments in nuclear<br />
energy to help achieve zero<br />
emission by 2050.<br />
About 196 parties agreed<br />
to an international treaty on<br />
climate change in 2015 at<br />
COP 21 in Paris, to join<br />
forces to achieve zero<br />
emission by 2050.<br />
The 2015 agreement came<br />
into force on November 4,<br />
2016.<br />
Currently, the Earth is<br />
already about 1.1C warmer<br />
than it was in the late 1800s<br />
and emissions continue to<br />
rise and to reduce global<br />
warming to 1.5C,<br />
emissions need to be<br />
reduced by 45 percent by<br />
2030 and reach net zero by<br />
2050.<br />
Chudakov felt that to<br />
achieve the target, there<br />
must be concerted efforts to<br />
establish nuclear energy<br />
units globally.<br />
He said: "Now, an<br />
unprecedented number of<br />
about 70 countries have<br />
expressed interest in<br />
pursuing nuclear power<br />
development as part of<br />
their energy mix. This<br />
signal there could be a<br />
significant jump in nuclear<br />
power installed capacity by<br />
2050, and this trend will<br />
require the construction of<br />
twenty nuclear plant units<br />
every year.<br />
''In 2017, Nigeria and<br />
Russia signed agreements<br />
on construction and<br />
operation of a nuclear<br />
power plant and a nuclear<br />
research centre, including<br />
a multi-purpose research<br />
reactor in the country.<br />
''By October 2021, the<br />
Vice-President of JSC<br />
RUSATOM, the Russian<br />
Federation, Mr. Anton<br />
Moskvin, and his team met<br />
the Federal Government<br />
officials in Abuja in<br />
connection with a mutual<br />
framework for partnership<br />
on the development of<br />
nuclear energy for peaceful<br />
purposes.''<br />
A T O M E X P O<br />
International Forum is the<br />
main event of the global<br />
nuclear industry. It is the<br />
largest exhibition and<br />
business platform to discuss<br />
the current state of the<br />
nuclear industry and<br />
setting future trends. It has<br />
been held annually since<br />
2009.<br />
13 years after, FG reintroduces History in basic<br />
education curriculum •Trains 3,700 teachers<br />
By Joseph Erunke<br />
ABUJA-After 13 years<br />
of abolishing History,<br />
the Federal Government<br />
yesterday formally<br />
announced its<br />
reintroduction as a standalone<br />
subject in basic<br />
education curriculum in<br />
Nigeria.<br />
The development came as<br />
government shortlisted a<br />
total of 3,700 history<br />
teachers for the first round<br />
of training for enhanced<br />
teaching of the subject.<br />
The Minister of<br />
Education, Malam Adamu<br />
Adamu, who disclosed this<br />
at the flag-off ceremony of<br />
the reintroduction of<br />
teaching of History and<br />
training of History teachers<br />
at basic education level,<br />
lamented that national<br />
cohesion was being<br />
threatened, with the<br />
country retreating into<br />
primodal sentiments<br />
because of lack of<br />
knowledge of the evolution<br />
of Nigeria, following the<br />
removal of History from<br />
basic education curriculum.<br />
Adamu was represented<br />
by the Minister of State for<br />
Education, Goodluck<br />
Nanah Opiah at the event<br />
attended by the Sultan of<br />
Sokoto, His Eminence,<br />
Muhammadu Sa'ad<br />
Abubakar, and other key<br />
stakeholders in the<br />
education sector.<br />
History was removed<br />
from primary and<br />
secondary education<br />
curriculums during the<br />
2009/2010 academic<br />
session.<br />
But following general<br />
reactions then that for a<br />
country that a country still<br />
evolving and grappling<br />
with issues of social<br />
cohesion, political stability<br />
and economic<br />
development, it could not<br />
afford to forget its past, the<br />
current Minister of<br />
Education ordered the<br />
reintroduction of the subject<br />
in 2019.<br />
Speaking at the flag-off,<br />
Adamu said: "History used<br />
to be one of the<br />
foundational subjects<br />
taught in our classroom but<br />
for some inexplicable<br />
reasons, the steam of<br />
teaching and learning was<br />
abolished.<br />
"As a result, History was<br />
subsequently expunged<br />
from the list of subject<br />
combination our students<br />
could offer in both external<br />
and internal examinations<br />
compared to the subjects<br />
that were made compulsory<br />
at basic and secondary<br />
levels in Nigeria.<br />
"This single act no doubt<br />
relegated and eroded the<br />
knowledge and information<br />
that learners could<br />
otherwise have been<br />
exposed to. It was a<br />
monumental mistake and<br />
have already started seeing<br />
its negative consequences.<br />
"The loss created by the<br />
absence of this subject has<br />
led to a fall in moral values,<br />
erosion of cvic values, and<br />
disconnect from the past.<br />
More worrisome was the<br />
neglect of the teaching of<br />
this subject at basic and<br />
post basic levels of<br />
education which invariably<br />
eroded the knowledge of<br />
the evolution of Nigeria as<br />
a country.<br />
"The immediate<br />
implication of this was that<br />
we lost ideas even of our<br />
recent past, and we<br />
scarcely saw ourselves as<br />
one nation and gradually<br />
began retreated into our<br />
primordial sentiments.'<br />
The minister added that<br />
the training and retraining<br />
of teachers in order to<br />
enhance their capacity<br />
development that would<br />
lead to the mastery of the<br />
subject, would be a focus<br />
of this re-introduction.<br />
He said teachers would<br />
be provided with the<br />
requisite skills needed to<br />
teach the subject, the<br />
technique, methodology<br />
which would eventually<br />
give the subject a didactic<br />
outlook that would arouse<br />
the interest of children to<br />
listen with rapt attention<br />
and remove the initial<br />
barriers that might have<br />
inhibited learning.<br />
On capacity building for<br />
teachers, having been<br />
disconnected from History<br />
teaching for several years,<br />
the Executive Secretary of<br />
Universal Basic Education<br />
Commission, UBEC, Dr.<br />
Hamid Bobboyi, said a total<br />
of 3,700 history teachers<br />
had been selected from the<br />
36 states of the federation<br />
and Federal Capital<br />
Territory, FCT, for training.<br />
He said the selection was<br />
done on pro rata basis, with<br />
100 teachers from each<br />
state and FCT, stressing<br />
that this would equip them<br />
with the necessary skills to<br />
teach the subject, especially<br />
with the modification of the<br />
subject content.<br />
Bobboyi said following<br />
the directive by the Minister<br />
of Education for History to<br />
be restored as a subject in<br />
schools, the Commission<br />
and Nigerian Educational<br />
Research and<br />
Development Council,<br />
NERDC, went to work,<br />
saying he was glad that the<br />
task had been<br />
accomplished with the<br />
eventual flag-off of the<br />
teaching of History in<br />
schools yesterday.<br />
The Sultan of Sokoto, His<br />
Eminence, Muhammadu<br />
Sa'ad Abubakar, in his<br />
goodwill message, said<br />
Nigeria was still evolving<br />
and striving to achieve<br />
nationhood, adding that the<br />
rich history of the country's<br />
diverse constituents could<br />
be explored and exploited<br />
to serve as an effective tool<br />
for nation building.<br />
He appealed to<br />
traditional rulers as<br />
custodians of the nation's<br />
rich culture, traditions and<br />
values, and indeed, all<br />
Nigerians to support the<br />
bold step taken by the<br />
government and given<br />
effect by the Universal Basic<br />
Education Commission,<br />
UBEC, to return the<br />
teaching of history as a<br />
subject at basic education<br />
level.<br />
"We owe it a duty to<br />
encourage research for the<br />
documentation of the<br />
History of our people and<br />
should be forthcoming in<br />
granting access to historical<br />
records in our custody," he<br />
said.<br />
C
36 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 25, 2022<br />
:Vanguard :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES:<br />
Why we're sustaining unslaught against<br />
terrorists —COAS<br />
By Emmanuel<br />
Elebeke<br />
BUJA—THE Chief of Army<br />
AStaff, COAS, Lt.-Gen. Faruk<br />
Yahaya, had vowed to crush Boko<br />
Haram bandits and other nonstate<br />
actors making peace<br />
impossible in the country.<br />
He said the Nigerian Military<br />
intends to sustain its onslaught<br />
against the criminal elements<br />
until peace is restored in the<br />
country.<br />
The COAS made the pledge at<br />
the graduation lecture of Course<br />
6/2022 of the Army War College<br />
of Nigeria, held in Abuja.<br />
He noted that the relative calm<br />
and peace the country is<br />
Atlantic Ocean may wash away Lekki-Epe area<br />
by 2024, NFC raises alarm<br />
By Gabriel Olawale<br />
L AGOS—THE<br />
Conservation Foundation,<br />
Nigerian<br />
NCF, has raised alarm over the<br />
likely washing away of Lekki-Epe<br />
corridor, including the Lekki<br />
Conservation Centre and estates<br />
surrounding it, by 2024, if nothing<br />
is done to check ocean<br />
encroachment.<br />
Speaking during the 40th<br />
anniversary of the foundation<br />
and award night, in Lagos,<br />
This's a miracle, exclaims second house winner<br />
in Glo ‘Festival of Joy' promo<br />
ORT HARCOURT—IT was<br />
Pcelebration time, yesterday, in<br />
Port Harcourt, as a Mechanical<br />
Engineer, Ola Joseph, emerged<br />
the latest house winner in the<br />
on-going Glo 'Festival of Joy'<br />
promo.<br />
The key to a 3-bedroom<br />
apartment was presented to 49-<br />
year-old Joseph, by the Speaker<br />
of Rivers State House of<br />
Assembly, Ikuinyi Ibani, and<br />
Globacom officials.<br />
Recounting his journey to<br />
winning a house, Joseph, an<br />
indigene of Ekiti State, said: “It’s<br />
a miracle, I still can’t believe it.<br />
Glo is our family network; we<br />
communicate all the time and<br />
even with our family friends on<br />
Glo lines. I remember loading<br />
credit and data, recently, when<br />
the last subscription expired and,<br />
after that, I joined the promo. I<br />
was not expecting anything soon<br />
but, yesterday morning, I got a<br />
call from a Glo officer, who, after<br />
series of questions, told me that I<br />
won a house. I was too shocked.”<br />
He explained further: “I was<br />
just planning on how to develop<br />
my land gradually and lo and<br />
behold, Glo showed up and made<br />
me a house owner. This prize is<br />
for me and my family and we are<br />
moving in immediately. God bless<br />
the owner, the management and<br />
staff of Globacom. They will<br />
continue to grow from strength<br />
to strength,, I am overwhelmed<br />
with joy.”<br />
Speaking at the event, Ikuinyi<br />
BRODA boss installed Odufade of Okpe Kingdom<br />
OKPE—THE<br />
ancient<br />
kingdom of Okpe, in Akoko<br />
Edo Local Government Area of<br />
Edo State was, recently, agog as<br />
it played host to the crowd of<br />
guests, visitors, and well wishes<br />
who thronged the palace of the<br />
Olokpe of Okpe, HRH Oba<br />
Eshimokhai Idogun III, to witness<br />
the traditional conferment of<br />
Saliu Ahmed as the Odufade of<br />
Okpe kingdom.<br />
The grand occasion also<br />
served as the 35th-anniversary<br />
celebration of the ascension of<br />
Oba Eshimokhai to the throne.<br />
The traditional title of Odufade<br />
of Okpe kingdom is usually<br />
reserved for those who have<br />
touched lives in the most<br />
significant manner and the<br />
recipient, Saliu Ahmed,<br />
Managing Director of the Benin-<br />
Owena River Basin Development<br />
Authority, BORDA, happens to<br />
be one.<br />
Translated, the title in the Okpe<br />
local parlance means "the one<br />
who brings joy to the multitude".<br />
The title was bestowed on<br />
presently enjoying was the<br />
result of the action by the<br />
Military and other security<br />
agencies.<br />
Gen. Yahaya also said the<br />
Military is achieving immensely<br />
and are encouraged by the<br />
support they get from Mr<br />
President and other<br />
stakeholders.<br />
"A lot has been achieved and<br />
is manifested in the relative<br />
calm and peace that is<br />
beginning to come and improve.<br />
We are not relenting in our<br />
onslaught against terrorist in<br />
the Northeast and other<br />
criminals bandits, kidnappers<br />
and other criminals across the<br />
nation.<br />
Director General of NCF, Dr.<br />
Joseph Onoja, said that about<br />
128 meters of the land had been<br />
lost to the ocean between 2018<br />
and 2022.<br />
He disclosed that ocean<br />
encroachment if left unchecked,<br />
is an existential threat to the<br />
collective existence of the<br />
Lekki-Epe corridor, “We started<br />
taking active drone images in<br />
2018, especially the Lafiaji<br />
axis,” adding that a redline<br />
(marked position) as at August<br />
O. Ibani said Globacom has<br />
brought joy and happiness to<br />
Nigerians through the Festival<br />
of Joy promo. He said, "<br />
Globacom is giving home to<br />
4,500 visitors for Beauty West<br />
trade event<br />
LAGOS—RECORD visitor<br />
numbers to Beauty West<br />
Africa are expected when the<br />
event opens on Tuesday, for<br />
three days.<br />
The Africa’s largest<br />
international beauty, hair and<br />
cosmetics trade event<br />
anticipates that more than<br />
4,500 attendees will meet more<br />
than 220 exhibitors from around<br />
the world. Visitors will also be<br />
able to participate in seminars<br />
and product demonstrations as<br />
well as attend a beauty<br />
conference and meet with<br />
celebrities and influencers from<br />
the beauty world.<br />
The event takes place at the<br />
Landmark Centre on Victoria<br />
Island, Lagos, and due to the<br />
demand from exhibitors will now<br />
be held across three exhibition<br />
halls, covering 4,200 sqm.<br />
Exhibitors are drawn from<br />
Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle<br />
East and North America, with<br />
five countries hosting pavilions<br />
Ahmed, in recognition of the<br />
role the BORDA, the<br />
interventionist agency he<br />
superintendent, played in the<br />
establishment of the first-of-itskind<br />
integrated farms in Okpe.<br />
The farms currently employs a<br />
a large number of the indigenes.<br />
The who-is-who in Edo<br />
North were not left out of the<br />
congregation of the esteemed<br />
and distinguished guests who<br />
were at hand to witness the<br />
epoch-making event.<br />
Top Edo State APC stalwarts,<br />
including the State Secretary<br />
of the party, Mr. Lawrence<br />
Okha; the former Etsako West<br />
and Central council chairmen,<br />
Hon Yakubu Musa and<br />
Emmanuel Momoh, we were<br />
among the dignitaries who<br />
graced the event.<br />
Also, the royalty was well<br />
represented by the Daudu of<br />
the Auchi kingdom who ably<br />
stood in for the Otaru of Auchi,<br />
HRH H. A. Momoh, Ikelebe<br />
III<br />
Ȯthers were the monarch of<br />
"Be it in the North-east, Northwest<br />
and North-central and all<br />
across, in all these we are doing<br />
immensely with other services,<br />
talking about Nigerian Navy,<br />
Airforce and other security agents<br />
and stakeholders. We are not<br />
relenting but encouraged by the<br />
support we get and<br />
encouragement from all these we<br />
have mentioned.<br />
"The Army has a department of<br />
transformation and innovation<br />
which anchors our research and<br />
development while liasing with<br />
other Ministries and agencies. We<br />
would continue to collaborate with<br />
the Ministry of Science,<br />
Technology and Innovation<br />
especially in terms of research and<br />
training.<br />
25, 2022, is gradually becoming<br />
part of the ocean.<br />
He further said, “We continued<br />
to track the movement between<br />
2020 and 2021. By July, 2021, our<br />
reference house had gotten close<br />
to the ocean. By August 25, 2022,<br />
the ocean could just be seen<br />
beside the house.<br />
“Now, from our projection and<br />
from what is happening, if<br />
everything remains constant, our<br />
referenced redline will remain just<br />
by the ocean in 2026. However,<br />
things are not equal. We have<br />
already been beaten by the<br />
beachhead.<br />
the homeless and this is one of<br />
the best things you can do to help<br />
anyone in life", adding that,<br />
"what Globacom has done today<br />
deserves commendation and it is<br />
worthy of emulation, especially<br />
by other telecom companies in<br />
Nigeria".<br />
for exhibitors from Indonesia,<br />
South Africa, Senegal, Pakistan,<br />
and Egypt.<br />
Now in its fourth edition, Beauty<br />
West Africa is being organised by<br />
BtoB Events. Managing Director<br />
Jamie Hill comments: “Excitingly,<br />
many new Nigerian companies are<br />
looking to expand their post<br />
pandemic business.”<br />
Cadbury unveils<br />
participants of<br />
yearly Tech Boot<br />
Camp<br />
LAGOS—CADBURY Nigeria<br />
Plc., a subsidiary of Mondelez<br />
International, recently unveiled<br />
outstanding participants of the<br />
yearly Tech Boot Camp, since<br />
inception at a media parley held<br />
at the company’s head office in<br />
Lagos.<br />
Bournvita, however, has trained<br />
over 1,200 children since inception<br />
of the boot camp in 2019.<br />
South Ibie kingdom, Oba kelvin<br />
Danesi, and other surrounding<br />
communities as well as the friends,<br />
BORDA staff members, close<br />
relatives, old schoolmates, and<br />
well-wishers<br />
Clem Agba, the minister of state<br />
of finance, budget, and national<br />
planning, represented by one of<br />
the top officials in the ministry, led<br />
the powerful Abuja entourage<br />
that stormed the venue of the<br />
conferment to lend support and<br />
spice up the event.<br />
•Saliu<br />
Ahmed
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K<br />
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 37
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K<br />
38 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
Embolo:<br />
It’s special<br />
playing against<br />
Cameroon<br />
Refuses to celebrate goal against<br />
country-of-birth Cameroon<br />
BREEL EMBOLO<br />
refused to<br />
celebrate after<br />
scoring for Switzerland<br />
against the country of his<br />
birth Cameroon.The<br />
forward, 25, was born in<br />
Yaounde, capital of<br />
Cameroon before moving<br />
to Switzerland as a child.<br />
After opening the scoring<br />
in the 48th minute of this<br />
World Cup Group G<br />
encounter, Embolo looked<br />
visibly moved as he raised<br />
his arms, refusing to<br />
celebrate.<br />
Ahead of the match, the<br />
Monaco star admitted<br />
that it would be an<br />
occasion like no other.<br />
He said: “It’s very<br />
special.<br />
“It’s my hometown and<br />
my mum and my dad come<br />
from there, my family,<br />
most of them come from<br />
there, so it’s a special<br />
game for me and my<br />
family.<br />
“But most importantly<br />
it’s a World Cup game…<br />
“I’m proud and happy to<br />
be here and hopefully I<br />
will play against them<br />
(Cameroon) but most<br />
Apple eye £5.8B Man<br />
Utd deal<br />
US tech giant Apple<br />
has joined the race<br />
to buy Manchester United.<br />
United confirmed the<br />
sensational news that the<br />
world’s biggest football<br />
club is effectively for sale<br />
in a statement issued<br />
earlier this week.<br />
With United now<br />
available, the world’s<br />
largest tech company may<br />
be interested in acquiring<br />
the club for £5.8billion.<br />
The California-based<br />
tech firm has never<br />
previously owned a major<br />
sports team, but the<br />
commercial opportunities<br />
provided by United are<br />
said to be a primary factor<br />
in their interest.<br />
Any potential deal<br />
would almost certainly<br />
become the most costly<br />
acquisition of a football<br />
club in history, surpassing<br />
the £4.25billion fee a<br />
consortium led by<br />
Todd Boehly paid for<br />
Chelsea earlier this<br />
year.<br />
Belgium pay tribute<br />
to Courtois<br />
Belgium have paid<br />
tribute to their<br />
goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois after<br />
their win against Canada.<br />
Courtois’s save on a 10th-minute penalty<br />
taken by Canada’s Alphonso Davies proved<br />
decisive, as the Belgians held on to a 1-0 lead<br />
after Michy Batshuayi scored shortly before<br />
half-time.<br />
“Thibaut saves the day,” Belgium said through their<br />
Twitter account.<br />
importantly is playing in<br />
a World Cup. It’s always<br />
special.”<br />
Asked if he’d be<br />
supporting Cameroon<br />
during the tournament, he<br />
added: “Yes of course - but<br />
after Switzerland, and<br />
after this game.”<br />
After being born<br />
in Yaounde,<br />
E m b o l o<br />
moved to<br />
France with<br />
his mother<br />
aged five.<br />
Alves:<br />
Messi and<br />
Neymar are<br />
bigger stars<br />
than<br />
Mbappe<br />
Dani Alves has given<br />
an interview to La<br />
Gazzetta dello Sport, in<br />
which he talked about<br />
Kylian Mbappe, Lionel<br />
Messi and Neymar.<br />
Alves has a great<br />
relationship with Messi<br />
and Neymar and it shows<br />
in the interview, because<br />
he had some words about<br />
Mbappe that won’t sit well<br />
with the Frenchman.<br />
“Mbappe is a<br />
phenomenon who has not<br />
yet understood that those<br />
who play with him in<br />
attack are bigger<br />
phenomenons than him.”<br />
The Brazilian full-back<br />
does not doubt Mbappe’s<br />
quality, but stresses that<br />
the Argentine and the<br />
Brazilian are above him.<br />
“Neymar and Messi<br />
are unique,” Alves said<br />
“They see and do things<br />
that no one else sees or can<br />
do. A great player must<br />
always know and<br />
understand who he<br />
Mikel Obi: I’m not a<br />
fan of Ronaldo<br />
Former Super Eagles<br />
captain John Mikel<br />
Obi admits that Cristiano<br />
Ronaldo is one of<br />
football’s greatest-ever<br />
players, but the ex-<br />
Gavi’s number 9 jersey raises questions<br />
Spain’s Gavi made history in the<br />
game against Costa Rica,<br />
becoming the youngest World Cup goal<br />
scorer since Brazilian legend Pele.<br />
While many celebrated the 18-yearold’s<br />
achievement, others questioned<br />
why Gavi – a central midfielder – has a<br />
“9” on the back of his shirt, a number<br />
traditionally associated with centre<br />
forwards.<br />
Some speculated that it’s an upside-down<br />
six, the number of legendary Spain<br />
midfielder and Gavi’s current Barcelona<br />
coach, Xavi.<br />
plays with,<br />
y o u r<br />
teammates<br />
enrich your<br />
qualities.”<br />
Chelsea midfielder insists<br />
he is no fan of the<br />
Portuguese superstar<br />
Ronaldo has been in a<br />
fierce head-to-head<br />
match-up, over the past 15<br />
years, with Paris Saint-<br />
Germain’s Lionel Messi<br />
on who is the best player<br />
of this generation.<br />
But Mikel Obi<br />
maintains that Ronaldo’s<br />
over-bloated ego places<br />
him on a lower pedestal<br />
than the Argentine wizard.<br />
“I’ve never been a<br />
Ronaldo fan really,” Mikel<br />
Obi said in an interview<br />
with Dubai Eye.<br />
Gavi on goal: ‘It’s an<br />
honour’<br />
S<br />
p a i n ’ s<br />
midfielder<br />
Gavi expressed joy at<br />
becoming the<br />
youngest World Cup<br />
goal-scorer since<br />
Pele during his team’s<br />
7-0 victory against<br />
Costa Rica.<br />
But he added that<br />
winning the game<br />
matters most.<br />
“I’m happy for the<br />
accomplishments, but<br />
what I really care<br />
[about] is that we won<br />
and played a great<br />
game, let’s move<br />
forward,” Gavi told a<br />
news conference.<br />
“Of course, it’s an<br />
honour… It’s something<br />
that makes me really<br />
happy.”<br />
Delta 2022 National<br />
Sports festival not<br />
postponed, says LOC<br />
New tartan track, indoor<br />
halls ready<br />
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for Delta<br />
2022 National Sports Festival has said that the<br />
Games will hold as scheduled.<br />
The LOC statement came yesterday amid<br />
insinuations about a possible shift in date for the 21st<br />
NSF, insisting the November 28 - December 10 date<br />
remains sacrosanct.<br />
“The festival will hold as planned,” Co-chairman<br />
of the LOC, Chief Tonobok Okowa, assured.<br />
Okowa, who is the Chairman Delta Sports<br />
Commission and President Athletics Federation of<br />
Nigeria (AFN) said that preparations for the Games,<br />
which is Nigeria’s version of the Olympic Games are<br />
on course with contractors handling the various<br />
projects working round the clock to put finishing<br />
touches to the state of the art facilities.<br />
“The swimming pool is ready, and the purpose<br />
indoor sports hall will be handed over to us on<br />
Saturday. The tartan track, which is the first of it’s<br />
kind in sub Saharan Africa will equally be handed<br />
over to us on Saturday.<br />
Japan wins on and off the<br />
field at the World Cup<br />
Fans clean up trash in stadiums<br />
The postcards of the<br />
Qatar 2022 World<br />
Cup have left impressive<br />
images in terms of soccer,<br />
but not only that, and is<br />
that Japanese fans, true<br />
to their custom, can not<br />
stand that the stadiums<br />
are dirty, and are<br />
dedicated to picking up<br />
trash at the end of the<br />
matches they attend.<br />
The Khalifa<br />
International Stadium,<br />
venue of the match<br />
between Japan and<br />
Germany, witnessed a<br />
truly unexpected victory<br />
of the Easterners over the<br />
Enrique praises<br />
‘exceptional’<br />
Spain<br />
Europeans, and when the<br />
match was over, the fans<br />
who traveled from Japan<br />
to Qatar, dedicated<br />
themselves to leave the<br />
stadium as clean as<br />
possible, and social<br />
networks applauded the<br />
attitude of the Japanese<br />
fans.<br />
With blue garbage bags,<br />
the fans left the<br />
celebrations behind and<br />
instead tidied up the areas<br />
around their seats. In one<br />
video, fans in the highest<br />
rows were seen passing<br />
trash to others holding<br />
trash bags underneath.<br />
Spain coach Luis Enrique<br />
has heaped praise on his<br />
players after their 7-0 victory<br />
against Costa Rica.<br />
“When things go like this,<br />
football becomes a wonderful<br />
sport,” Luis Enrique told a news<br />
conference.<br />
“We were exceptional in our ball-handling and<br />
finishing, with the same philosophy that the national<br />
team has had for years. We were exceptional in<br />
pressing, and the 17 players who took part were very<br />
good.”<br />
‘We were bad’, says Costa<br />
Rica coach<br />
Costa Rica coach,<br />
Luis Fernando<br />
Suárez said he would try<br />
to rally his shattered team<br />
after their 7-0 thrashing<br />
by Spain.<br />
“We couldn’t get the<br />
ball and there was<br />
nothing in attack from<br />
us,” Luis Fernando<br />
Suarez told reporters. “I<br />
have to admit that we<br />
were bad and we all have<br />
to take account of what<br />
happened.”<br />
Costa Rica, who<br />
reached the World Cup<br />
quarter-finals in 2014,<br />
failed to record a single<br />
shot on goal against<br />
Spain and now face<br />
Japan and Germany in<br />
their remaining Group E<br />
games.
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — 39<br />
Cisse insists Mendy is<br />
still No 1 goalkeeper<br />
– despite his error against<br />
Holland<br />
Edouard Mendy carries the ‘blind faith’ of his<br />
Senegal boss Aliou Cisse and his teammates<br />
as the African champions attempt to pile more<br />
misery on hosts Qatar.<br />
Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy was at fault for the<br />
first goal as his team lost 2-0 to Holland on Monday.<br />
Now they go head to head with the home nation<br />
and Asian champions in Doha’s Al Thumama<br />
Stadium today, with the losers painfully aware they<br />
are unlikely to progress from Group A.<br />
‘Edouard doing very well, he has a steel resolve,’<br />
said Cisse. ‘We chatted about the game. Edouard’s<br />
qualities speak for himself. He has had highs and<br />
lows but he has my blind trust. He will be on the<br />
pitch.’<br />
Mendy’s Chelsea teammate Kalidou Koulibaly<br />
also backed his friend, who<br />
was the penalty shootout<br />
hero of Senegal’s African<br />
Cup of Nations triumph in<br />
February.<br />
‘We play at the same club,<br />
we are brothers in arms for<br />
Senegal and we speak a lot<br />
together,’ said Koulibaly.<br />
‘He’s a very important<br />
player for us and it’s totally<br />
normal to go through<br />
difficult phases.<br />
Holland vs Ecuador:<br />
Oranje, La Tri<br />
look to build on<br />
opening wins<br />
The Netherlands and<br />
Ecuador will both be<br />
bidding to continue their fine<br />
starts to the World Cup<br />
perfectly after opening round<br />
wins.<br />
La Tri were too powerful for<br />
hosts Qatar and recovered<br />
after seeing an early goal ruled<br />
out to secure a 2-0 victory.<br />
Meanwhile, the Dutch were<br />
laboured against Senegal and<br />
had Edouard Mendy to thank<br />
for their win after two errors<br />
from the Chelsea goalkeeper<br />
allowed Cody Gakpo and<br />
Davy Klaassen to score in<br />
another 2-0 triumph.<br />
But Louis van Gaal’s men<br />
will seek to turn in a much<br />
more complete performance<br />
when these two meet . A win<br />
for ether side would guarantee<br />
their place in the next round<br />
of the World Cup, so this<br />
should be a fascinating affair.<br />
•Valencia<br />
•Depay<br />
Switzerland 1 – 0 Cameroon<br />
Cameroonian Embolo<br />
hurts Indomitable Lions<br />
•Switzerland’s Breel Embolo scores the only goal against<br />
Cameroon - the country of his birth, but refuses to celebrate<br />
Embolo refused to<br />
celebrate when he<br />
finished off a slick<br />
Swiss attack shortly after<br />
half-time.<br />
The Indomitable Lions<br />
were unfortunate to lose<br />
after an enterprising<br />
display at the Al Janoub<br />
Stadium in Qatar.<br />
Victory was vital for<br />
Switzerland, as both sides<br />
still have to face Brazil in<br />
the group.<br />
Embolo moved to<br />
Switzerland from<br />
Cameroon with his family as<br />
a six-year-old and pledged<br />
his allegiance to the<br />
European nation after<br />
COMING TO AMERICA<br />
Kane to start for<br />
England in World Cup<br />
clash with USA<br />
•Kane<br />
GARETH SOUTHGATE insists Harry Kane<br />
IS FIT to face USA tonight - and the star could<br />
not stop smiling. The England captain appeared to<br />
suffer a knock to his right ankle during the 6-2 victory<br />
over Iran in their World Cup opener.<br />
He did play on for 25 minutes before he was<br />
eventually replaced on 76 minutes and was spotted<br />
with strapping on lower leg afterwards, sparking<br />
major fears from supporters.<br />
The Tottenham striker has since undergone a scan<br />
to determine the severity of the injury, but now boss<br />
Southgate has provided some good news for the worried<br />
nation. Ahead of the second Group B game with USA, he<br />
told ITV: “He’s good.<br />
“He’s worked a little bit more individually today, but<br />
he’ll be back in with the team tomorrow(today) and all<br />
good for the game.<br />
Qatar vs Senegal:<br />
Lions of Teranga to<br />
bounce back after<br />
opening day setback<br />
Qatar vs Senegal is a<br />
must-win game for both<br />
teams. Each was beaten in<br />
their respective opening<br />
game, with Qatar outplayed<br />
by a vibrant Ecuador in the<br />
tournament’s curtain raiser on<br />
Sunday. Senegal, meanwhile,<br />
lost against Netherlands the<br />
next day.<br />
The World Cup is not yet<br />
over for either of these teams.<br />
But victory here, in what each<br />
will now likely see as their<br />
most favourable fixture, is<br />
being granted citizenship in<br />
2014. At the age of just 18,<br />
he set up the Embolo<br />
Foundation to support<br />
refugee children in<br />
Switzerland and<br />
disadvantaged children in<br />
the country of his birth.<br />
He said before the game it<br />
would be “a very special”<br />
occasion to play against<br />
Cameroon and when he<br />
scored, he respectfully raised<br />
his arms and closed his eyes.<br />
“I told him, ‘Breel,<br />
friendship until the start,<br />
then they are your<br />
opponents,’” said<br />
Switzerland coach Murat<br />
Yakin. “Football writes such<br />
Uruguay 0 – 0 S. Korea:<br />
stories but he completed his<br />
mission.<br />
“I am very happy with his<br />
performance.”<br />
Embolo’s strike ensured<br />
victory for a side with high<br />
expectations - Yakin has<br />
declared his squad “the<br />
best Switzerland side ever”<br />
and said he expects them<br />
to achieve their best return<br />
at a World Cup.<br />
Yet they struggled in the<br />
first half in the face of a<br />
vibrant Cameroon start and<br />
ought to have gone behind,<br />
with Eric Choupo-Moting,<br />
Bryan Mbeumo and<br />
Martin Hongla all missing<br />
presentable opportunities.<br />
Uruguay, South Korea play<br />
out goalless draw<br />
Uruguay and South<br />
Korea have begun their<br />
respective 2022 World Cup<br />
campaigns with a goalless<br />
draw in Group H.<br />
Diego Alonso’s team twice<br />
hit the woodwork through<br />
Diego Godin and Federico<br />
Valverde, but the South<br />
American nation could not find<br />
a winner, with the points being<br />
shared in Al Rayyan.<br />
South Korea were the team<br />
on the front foot in the early<br />
exchanges, with the<br />
movement of their forward<br />
players causing problems for for<br />
the Uruguayan defence, which<br />
once again included Jose<br />
Gimenez and Godin.<br />
The first real chance of the<br />
match came in the 19th minute<br />
when Gimenez picked out<br />
Valverde with a sensational<br />
•Mendy<br />
crucial going into the final<br />
round of group games.<br />
This is the first time Qatar<br />
and Senegal have ever faced<br />
each other.<br />
Cheikhou Kouyate and<br />
Abdou Diallo both had to go<br />
off injured in Senegal’s<br />
opener and could be doubts for<br />
this one. The obvious absence<br />
of Sadio Mane, who withdrew<br />
from the squad four days<br />
before the Netherlands game,<br />
is still a bitter blow.<br />
long pass, but the midfielder’s<br />
effort was deflected just wide<br />
of the post.<br />
Gimenez then picked out<br />
Facundo Pellistri with a<br />
excellent pass; the Manchester<br />
United attacker delivered<br />
towards Darwin Nunez, but<br />
the forward<br />
could not<br />
make contact<br />
on the ball<br />
u n d e r<br />
pressure.<br />
Valverde<br />
rattled the<br />
woodwork for<br />
Uruguay in<br />
the 89th<br />
minute, with<br />
the Real<br />
M a d r i d<br />
midfielder’s<br />
stunning effort<br />
England vs USA:<br />
Three Lions take on<br />
Americans in crucial<br />
Group B clash<br />
In-form England will<br />
take on USA in their<br />
second group game of the<br />
2022 World Cup tonight.<br />
Gareth Southgate’s<br />
Three Lions got off to a<br />
winning in Group B in<br />
Qatar, seeing off Iran in<br />
style with a superb 6-2<br />
victory.<br />
England ran riot against<br />
the helpless Iranians as<br />
Bukayo Saka scored twice<br />
and Jack Grealish, Marcus<br />
Rashford, Raheem<br />
Sterling and Jude<br />
Bellingham also found the<br />
net.<br />
Now, things will get<br />
tougher for Southgate and<br />
from distance clipping the<br />
outside of the post.<br />
Son then struck wide of the<br />
target moments later, with a<br />
poor kick from Sergio Rochet<br />
handing South Korea the<br />
chance to secure all three<br />
points late on.<br />
•Weah<br />
co as they face an<br />
American side with plenty<br />
of quality.<br />
England infamously<br />
drew with USA in their<br />
opening game of the 2010<br />
World Cup in South Africa.<br />
Liverpool legend Steven<br />
Gerrard gave the Three<br />
Lions an early lead but a<br />
howler from Rob Green<br />
gifted Clint Dempsey an<br />
equaliser.<br />
Now, Southgate will be<br />
eager to show lessons have<br />
been learned and his side<br />
will not be<br />
underestimating their foes<br />
from across the pond.<br />
Mexican fans caught trying<br />
to smuggle beer into Qatar<br />
World Cup stadium<br />
Mexican fans tried to<br />
sneak booze into<br />
the Qatar World Cup<br />
stadium in a flask<br />
disguised as binocularsbut<br />
the hapless supporters<br />
were caught and it was<br />
confiscated.<br />
Footage shows a fan<br />
dressed in a green football<br />
shirt standing next to three<br />
officials.<br />
The supporter is at the<br />
security scanners which<br />
they have to go through to<br />
be let into the stadium.<br />
One of the officials<br />
appears to tell the other<br />
that there is something<br />
suspicious about the<br />
‘binoculars’.<br />
The other official holds<br />
them up to look through<br />
them- their intended use.<br />
But he then looks more<br />
closely.<br />
Qatar issues<br />
apology to<br />
World Cup<br />
fans, offers<br />
full refunds<br />
Qatari officials have<br />
offered refunds and<br />
free accommodation to fans<br />
who were disappointed by<br />
overpriced and inadequate<br />
accommodation. Hastily<br />
constructed ‘fan villages’ at<br />
the Qatar World Cup have<br />
been blasted by fans who say<br />
that soaring temperatures<br />
inside their rooms are<br />
unacceptable. Fans also<br />
complained that some of the<br />
rooms were unfinished and<br />
in a state of disrepair when<br />
they arrived.<br />
After spending £200 per<br />
night fans complained that<br />
the accommodation — inside<br />
brightly painted shipping<br />
containers — does not meet<br />
expectations.<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022<br />
Sudoku<br />
TODAY’S PUZZLE<br />
YESTERDAY’S ANSWER<br />
How to Play Sudoku<br />
Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two<br />
of the same number).<br />
Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine<br />
lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block<br />
(nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means<br />
that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.<br />
No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or<br />
multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
QUICK CROSSWORD<br />
TODAY’S CROSSWORD<br />
YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION<br />
ACROSS<br />
1 Crush flat (6)<br />
4 Prose compositions (6)<br />
8 Subsequently (5)<br />
9 Offspring (7)<br />
10 Not easily disturbed or angered (7)<br />
11 Conductor's stick (5)<br />
12 Six (4,5)<br />
17 Additional (5)<br />
19 Eminent (7)<br />
21 Sports arena (7)<br />
22 Item of cutlery (5)<br />
23 Vast desert of North Africa (6)<br />
24 Team game (6)<br />
DOWN<br />
1 Weighing machine (6)<br />
2 Falsehood (7)<br />
3 Bush (5)<br />
5 The entertainment business (7)<br />
6 Representative (5)<br />
7 Espionage (6)<br />
9 Assumed name (9)<br />
13 Having more foliage (7)<br />
14 Nine iron, in golf (7)<br />
15 Sumptuous meals (6)<br />
16 Crunchy salad vegetable (6)<br />
18 Garbage (5)<br />
20 Capital of Japan (5)<br />
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