Despite NIWA's N10.9bn
Budget, No Fewer Than 17
People Die On Waterways
Every Month — Report
NEWS
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 30, 31
ENTERTAINMENT
9-17, 20, 21
23
EU, UNDP Amplify Fight
Against Sexual-GenderBased Violence Through
Deafening Silence
COLUMNS
2, 8, 16, 22, 23
CRIME | INTERVIEW
7, 18, 19, 29
SATURDAY
11
SPORTS
25, 26, 27, 28, 32
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INDEPENDENT
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JUNE 8, 2024
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Rising Cost Of Medication: We
Are Dying, Nigerians Groan
Give Indigenous Health Research, Development Priority — Prof. Emeje
Set Up Intervention Development Fund In Health Sector, Dr. Enabulele Tells FG
Integrate Indigenous Medical Practice Into Conventional System — Dr. Isah 8
Honour Bestowed On
Soyinka Timely, Says
Afenifere
Urges Govt To inject His Humanism
Philosophy Into Governance
4
Tribunal Fines MultiChoice N150m
Over Hike In Subscription Rate
7
We Disagree With CCPT Ruling, Says MultiChoice
Governors
Reject N60,000
Minimum Wage,
Insist It's Not
Sustainable
We’re Disappointed In You For
Likening Our Strike To Treasonable I’m An African Rebel
3
— Yemi Alade
Felony, Labour Replies SGF
Femi Jimoh’sxAllegations False, Mischievous, Cruel — MFM
9
29
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
PUBLIC
SQUARE The Resurgence Of Veteran Nigerian Musicians
K E N E C H U K W U AG U O L U
T
he Nigerian music
industry is experiencing an unprecedented
boom, with music
production quality at an alltime high. Intense competition
ensures that only the best artistes survive, leaving no room
for mediocrity. This thriving
environment, bolstered by
substantial financial investments, has sparked a resurgence of interest from veteran
artistes, often referred to as
OGs. Artistes like PSquare and
Ice Prince are making notable
comebacks after being off the
scene for a while. Additionally,
Tony Tetula has hinted at a
possible remix of his song “My
Car” with Burna Boy. Whether
these returning artistes will
succeed remains to be seen, but
their efforts underscore the
industry’s allure and immense
potential.
The popularity of Nigerian
music, particularly Afrobeats,
has soared globally. Nigerian
artistes such as Burna Boy,
Wizkid, and Davido have become international superstars.
They are headlining shows in
international stadiums and
renowned venues like Madison
Square Garden in New York
and the O2 Arena in London,
performing to massive crowds.
These successful international tours signify their widespread appeal and contribute
significantly to their revenue
streams. Afrobeats’ infectious
rhythms and unique blend of
traditional and modern sounds
have captivated audiences
worldwide. This genre has
transcended borders, establishing Nigerian music as a dominant force in global music.
Streaming platforms have
revolutionized the music
industry, and Nigerian artistes
are among the biggest beneficiaries. These platforms have
Psquare with Davido
made it possible for Nigerian
music to reach audiences
worldwide. This accessibility
has led to increased revenues
for artistes, allowing them
to monetize their music on a
global scale. Streaming has
enabled Afrobeats to become a
worldwide phenomenon, with
listeners from various parts of
the globe enjoying the genre.
Social media platforms have
become vital for content creation and engagement, providing artistes with more avenues
to generate income and interact with their fans.
The growing global recognition of Afrobeats has fostered
numerous collaborations
between Nigerian artistes
and their international counterparts. These partnerships
have significantly boosted the
visibility and income of Nigerian musicians. Noteworthy
collaborations include Wizkid’s
work with Drake, Burna Boy’s
collaborations with Stormzy,
and Davido’s tracks with Chris
Brown. Such alliances expand
the audience base for Afrobeats and lead to innovative and
Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief ❱ Steve Omanufeme
Managing Editor ❱ Kingsley Ighomwenghian
Editor, Daily ❱ Don Okere
Editor, Saturday ❱ Yemi Adebisi
Editor, Sunday ❱ Austin Oboh
Deputy Editor, News ❱ Charles Okoh
Deputy Editor, Saturday ❱ Roland Ogbonnaya
Asst. Editor, Production ❱ Celestine Amoke
Bureau Chief, Abuja ❱ Samuel Ogidan
Bureau Chief, Ilorin ❱ Nicholas Uwerunonye
Bureau Chief, Jos ❱ Onoja Audu
Business Editor ❱ Sylvester Enoghase
Sport Editor ❱ Peter Edema
Politics Editor ❱ Joy Anigbogu
Chairman, Editorial Board ❱ Opeyemi Soyombo
Procurement Manager ❱ Raphael Onovughakpor
Editorial Advisory Board
Prof. Anthony Kila, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, Prince Felix Oba
Okojie, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, Jonathan Ishaku
Collaborations
between returning
veterans and the
new generation of
artistes could lead
to innovative sounds
and a fusion of
styles that captivate
both old and new
fans
exciting musical creations.
Endorsements have also
become a significant source of
revenue for Nigerian artistes.
Both local and international
brands acknowledge the influence of these musicians, resulting in high-value endorsement deals. These partnerships
demonstrate the artistes’
increasing marketability and
commercial appeal. Some endorsements run into hundreds
of millions of naira
In light of the industry’s
explosive growth and lucrative
opportunities, many veteran artistes are making a comeback.
These OGs, who were once at
the forefront of the Nigerian
music scene, are re-entering
the industry, hoping to reclaim
their place and capitalize on the
current boom. The modern music landscape, with its advanced
technology and global reach,
offers these veterans opportunities that were not available
during their prime.
However, the success of their
comebacks is uncertain. The
music industry has evolved
significantly, with new trends,
technologies, and audience
preferences shaping its current
state. OGs must adapt to these
changes, leveraging modern
platforms and collaborating
with contemporary artistes to
stay relevant. Collaborations
between returning veterans
and the new generation of artistes could lead to innovative
sounds and a fusion of styles
that captivate both old and new
fans.
In conclusion, the Nigerian
music industry is in a golden
era of growth and global recognition. The influx of financial
investments, the rise of streaming platforms, and the popularity of Afrobeats have created a
thriving environment for new
and returning artistes. While
the success of the OGs’ comebacks is yet to be determined,
their return underscores the
boundless potential and appeal
of the industry. As Nigerian
music continues to captivate the
world, the future looks bright
for its artistes and fans.
*Kenechukwu Aguolu writes
from Abuja
INSIDE
SUNDAY
JUNE 9, 2024
INDEPENDENT
THE MOST READ NEWSPAPER AMONG THE POLITICAL AND BUSINESS ELITE
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News
LP Guber Candidate, Akpata Raises Alarm
Over Alleged Destruction Of Campaign
Billboards By Suspected State Agents
FRANCIS ONOIRIBHOLO
B EN I N
Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, the
governorship candidate of the Labour Party has raised the alarm
over alleged destruction of his
billboards across the state, particularly in Benin city, by suspected
agents of the Edo state government.
Akpata who raised the alarm
at a press conference in Benin described the action, as a coordinated, premeditated, and insidious
assault on his constitutionally
guaranteed rights to free speech,
political expression, and the fundamental tenets of democracy
itself.
Akpata, who titled his address,
‘Pulling Down of My Billboards by
Agents of Governor Obaseki: The
Clouds Are Gathering’ said, "this
is a desperate, undemocratic, and
fascistic actions being employed
by the incumbent administration
to undermine our campaign and
silence our voice—the voice of the
people".
According to him, "Over the
past few days, we have witnessed
a coordinated, premeditated, and
insidious assault on our constitutionally guaranteed rights to free
speech, political expression, and
the fundamental tenets of democracy itself.
"Billboards that I, as a law-abiding citizen and a gubernatorial candidate, legally paid for and erected
across the length and breadth of
Benin City have come under attack
from the Local Government Areas,
who are agents of the incumbent
governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki.
"In Oredo Local Government
Area, two of my billboards were
viciously vandalised, defaced, and
ultimately torn down, with explicit
threats of more removals to come.
"The situation is equally dire
and unacceptable in Ovia North
East, where two more billboards
bearing my visage and campaign
messages were mindlessly destroyed by these merchants of
anti-democratic forces.
"In Ikpoba Okha, my campaign
team has received unambiguous
threats that our billboards in that
area will also be targeted for elimINNOCENT OWEH
ABUJA
The Nigeria Labour Congress
(NLC) has expressed disappointment and strong condemnation
on the recent comments credited
to the Secretary to the Government
of the Federation (SGF), George
Akume regarding the nationwide
strike embarked upon by the NLC
and the Trade Union Congress
(TUC).
Head, Information and Public
Affairs of the NLC, Benson Upah
took to a statement on Friday to
react to the SGF's allegations.
He said the SGF’s characterisation of our legitimate and constitutionally protected industrial action
as a “treasonable felony” and “economic sabotage” is not only deeply
troubling but also undermines the
spirit of constructive dialogue necessary for resolving the ongoing issues.
According to Upah, the demands of the NLC and TUC are
clear and just. “We seek the conclu-
ination.
Let me be absolutely crystal
clear: these are not the actions of
a democratic government secure
in its mandate, popular goodwill,
and record of accomplishments
in office.
"No, these are the desperate,
last-ditch tactics of an intolerant
regime terrified of the winds of
change blowing across our dear
state—a regime paralysed by the
fear of the people's burgeoning
yearning for a new direction, a new
vision, and a new era of progressive and inclusive governance..
"By resorting to the unbridled
destruction of my campaign materials—materials that I have legally and legitimately paid for with
hard-earned resources—Governor
Obaseki and his handlers have
clearly shown themselves to be
anti-democratic forces intolerant
of divergent voices, dissenting
opinions, and the fundamental
principles of pluralism that undergird any true democracy worth the
name" he said.
The labour party candidate
also noted that by this action, the
state and its agents are laying bare,
for all to see, their disdain for the
rights and freedoms that generations of Nigerians have fought,
bled, and died for—the sacrosanct
rights and freedoms that serve as
the bedrock upon which our democratic edifice is erected.
"By their actions, they have
demonstrated callous disregard
for the rule of law, due process,
and the sanctity of our democratic
institutions,.
"To the perpetrators of this undemocratic brigandage—the faceless, shadowy minions deployed
to carry out these nefarious acts
under the cover of darkness—let
this serve as a solemn warning:
"We, the Labour Party, and
indeed all well-meaning citizens
of Edo State who cherish our
hard-won democracy, shall not be
cowed, intimidated, or browbeaten
into silence.
"We shall unapologetically and
robustly defend our constitutional
right to freely campaign, share our
vision, and interface with the good
people of Edo State without let or
hindrance.
Governors Reject N60,000 Minimum
Wage, Insist It's Not Sustainable
CHIDI UGWU
ABUJA
A
midst the imbroglio
orchestrated by the
debate for an acceptable minimum wage
between the organised labour
and the Federal Government,
the 36 state governors under the
aegis of Nigerian Governors'
Forum (NGF) on Friday rejected the N60,000 offered by the federal government insisting that
the amount is unsustainable.
The NGF 's position is contained in a statement made
available to newsmen in Abuja
by its Acting Director on Media
Affairs and Public Affairs, Haji-
ya Halimah Salihu Ahmed.
According to the forum, accepting the N60,000 minimum
wage simply means that many
states will spend all their Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations on just
paying salaries with nothing
left for development purposes.
According to the governors,
a few states will end up borrowing to pay workers every
month, which may not be in
the collective interest of the
country, including workers.
The statement reads: "The
forum’s stand on the: N60,000
minimum wage not sustainable.
"The Nigeria Governors’ Fo-
rum (NGF) is in agreement that
a new minimum wage is due.
The Forum also sympathises
with labour unions in their
push for higher wages.
"However, the Forum urges
all parties to consider the fact
that the minimum wage negotiations also involve consequential adjustments across all cadres, including pensioners.
"The NGF cautions parties
in this important discussion to
look beyond just signing a document for the sake of it; any
agreement to be signed should
be sustainable and realistic.
"All things considered, the
NGF holds that the N60,000
minimum wage proposal is
Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor, Lagos State (left); Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development
Goals (SSAP-SDGs) (second left); Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor, Lagos State (middle); Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare
(second right), and Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker, State House of Assembly, during the formal commissioning and handing over of the Sickle Cell Care Centre,
facilitated by the Office of SSAP-SDGs, at LASUTH, Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday.
EFCC Arrests 11 Suspected Internet Fraudsters In Rivers
ITODE AKARI
PORT HARCOURT
Operatives of the Port Harcourt
Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, have arrested 11 suspected internet
fraudsters.
The suspects were arrested following a sting operation
carried out at Whimpey, Ada
George area of Port Harcourt,
the Rivers State capital.
A statement signed by EFCC's Head of Media and Pub-
licity, Dele Oyewale, on Friday,
disclosed that the arrest was
prompted by credible intelligence and days of surveillance
on the suspects alleged involvement in internet fraudulent
activities.
Oyewale disclosed that items
We’re Disappointed In You For Likening Our Strike
To Treasonable Felony, Labour Replies SGF
Accuses Him If Paying Personal Workers Starvation Wage
Says SGF Disconnected From Present Economic Realities
sion and signing into law of a new
national minimum wage that is in
sync with the realities of the cost
of living, a reversal of the hike in
electricity tariff to N65/kWh, and
an end to the discriminatory classification of electricity consumers
into bands.”
He said these demands are
grounded in the need for economic
justice and fairness for all Nigerian
workers and citizens.
"The SGF we are sure clearly
knows those whose actions are
treasonable and sabotages our
economy. Those who loot our treasury around the country, those who
divert public resources meant for
hospitals and schools; those who
are involved in foreign exchange
not sustainable and cannot fly.
It will simply mean that many
states will spend all their FAAC
allocations on just paying salaries with nothing left for development purposes. In fact, a few
states will end up borrowing to
pay workers every month. We
do not think this will be in the
collective interest of the country, including workers.
"We appeal that all parties
involved, especially the labour
unions, consider all the socioeconomic variables and settle
for an agreement that is sustainable, durable, and fair to all
other segments of the society
who have legitimate claim to
public resources".
roundtripping; padding of budgets
and inflating contracts including
those who steal trillions of Naira
in the name of subsidy are the real
Economic saboteurs who commit
treasonable felony.
"These people are in costly
Agbada and drive in convoys all
around the nation occupying the
corridors of power and not innocent workers who are not slaves but
chose to withdraw their services
because of the inhuman treatment
meted on them by the Government.
"It is particularly disheartening
that the SGF, a high-ranking government official, would make statements that trivialise the genuine
grievances of Nigerian workers.
His assertion that he cannot af-
ford to pay each of his four drivers
N100,000 monthly is a stark reminder of the disconnect between
the government and the realities
faced by ordinary Nigerians. Such
statements do not contribute to the
resolution of the issues at hand but
rather exacerbate tensions.
"It is a clear demonstration that
the SGF pays his personal staff
starvation wages and may be telling us that he is a slave master. We
may have to remind him that a 50kg
bag of rice is N88,000 which leaves
the worker with just N12,000 if he
is to pay the paltry sum, he claims
that he is unable to pay.
"One wonders what the SGF
does with four drivers alone? We
would also want to know what
work justifies the huge salaries
and allowances the SGF takes
home all the time? Do we need to
wonder too far why we are here as
a nation when you have individuals
with this mindset occupying sensitive positions in the corridors of
power?
"It is unfortunate that the SGF
who presides over the Administration of the Executive arm of
government which is one of the
basic pillars of democracy and
is supposed to be a protector and
defender of democracy, its various
institutions and practices would
be seen making statements that
negate these traditions and principles. We believe that through the
office of the SGF, the citizens will
recovered from the suspects included four cars, diverse brands
of phones and laptop computers
containing fraudulent documents.
He added that the suspects
would be charged to court upon
conclusion of investigations.
feel the pulse of the President at all
times, occupiers of such sensitive
offices should therefore show more
understanding in their utterances
and actions at all times," NLC stated.
The NLC Spokesman said
Labour rejects completely the unfortunate insinuations around the
SGF’s remarks because strikes are
not only legal but also a civic duty.
He said they are surprised that
the SGF will demonstrate such a
glaring sense of unawareness to
the understanding of the fact that
when workers withdraw their
services which is their right, machines cannot operate themselves
so, they grind to a halt.
His words, "We expect a highly
placed official of the government to
understand this basic fact and act
or speak within its confines. It is a
recognised instrument historically
and world wide available to the citizenry and indeed workers to hold
governance accountable thus press
home their interests.
4
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
News
Empowers Local Farmers To Boost
Food Production In Nigeria, UK Based
Philanthropist, Awodiran Urges Tinubu
R A J I A D E B AYO ,
I BADAN
Adekunle Oyesanwen (left); Olanike Ogunbona (second left); Noimot Salako –Oyedele, Deputy Governor, Ogun State (third left);
Dapo Abiodun, Governor (middle); Kehinde Onasanya, Head of Service (third right); Olarenwaju Ogunyinka (second right), and
Arinola Adetayo, after the swearing-in of four newly appointed permanent secretaries, held at the Exco Chamber, Governor's Office,
Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday.
Honour Bestowed On Soyinka Timely, Says Afenifere
lUrges Govt To Inject His Humanism Philosophy Into Governance
T
he pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has
commended President Ahmed
Bola Tinubu, GCON, for naming the Arterial Road N20 in
the Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja, after the first African to
win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Professor Wole Soyinka,
saying the honour has come at
an appropriate time.
The commendation was
contained in a Press Statement
signed by the organisation’s
National Publicity Secretary,
Comrade Jare Ajayi, on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
“The honour bestowed on
the Nobel Laureate is timely,
coming as we prepare to celebrate the 31st anniversary
of June 12 struggle in which
Professor Soyinka played very
active roles. Not only that, the
recognition is also a befitting
prelude to the celebration
of the Professor’s 90th birthday which is coming up next
week.”
It would be recalled that
President Tinubu, on Tuesday
this week while commissioning the said road which runs
from Northern Parkway to
Outer Northern Expressway
(ONEX) in the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT), announced
that the 5.4 kilometers road
will now be called 'Wole Soyinka Way' in honour of the Nobel
Laureate, Professor Soyinka
who was also the pioneering
chairman of the Federal Road
Safety Commission (FRSC).
Describing the honour bestowed on Soyinka as well-deserved, Afenifere concurred
with Mr. President that the
literary icon has “brought Nigeria fame, pride, and international acclaim,” as succinctly
put by President Tinubu.
Ajayi also gave kudos to Mr.
Nyesome Wike, the Minister of
the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT), for recommending the
naming of the said road after
Soyinka to President Tinubu
adding that the actions of the
Minister and his lieutenants
are enhancing the aesthetics
and infrastructure of Abuja.
Afenifere spokesman recalled that the playwright
who is also an activist was
globally acknowledged for
creatively and humanistically
fashioning the drama of exis-
Gov Bassey Otu has launched
the ‘Sweet Prince Palliative
Health Programme’ to provide health assistance to
vulnerable groups in Cross
River State.
The programme flagged
off in Calabar aims to improve the health of pregnant
women, children under five,
and the elderly over 70.
Governor Otu emphasised
that the programme fulfills
his commitment to prioritise
health and well-being.
He also announced plans
to establish modern General
Hospitals in each local government area.
He said the State Health
Insurance Scheme will be reformed to ensure affordable
and effective healthcare services for all residents. Additionally, the programme will
include various upgrades
and enhancements to healthcare facilities across the state,
the Governor said.
Earlier in his opening re-
Gov Otu Flags-Off Palliative Health Programme
For Vulnerable Population
marks, the Commissioner
for Health, Dr Henry Egbe
Ayuk described the 'Sweet
Prince Palliative Health Programme' as a health sector
mandate to ensure that Cross
Riverians have the first taste
of the 'People First' agenda,
which is healthcare for all,
especially the poor and vulnerable.
"The Palliative Healthcare Programme is a means
to provide free basic health
services to the poor and vulnerable in the state. Across
the State facility have been
mapped out and receiving
similar upgrade. What you
see here is a demonstration
of that example.
"We have selected sites accessible to the rural population and areas for upgrade to
provide basic infrastructure,
tence through poetic, theatric
and prosaic presentations, as
underscored during the ceremony in which he was given
the prestigious Nobel award
in Stockholm, Sweden in 1986.
Ajayi, who stated that national honours for a man who
has long become a global citizen were long overdue, added
that “it is better late than never, though”. He also submitted
that it was better that the man
was recognised nationally
and internationally while still
alive “given the immense contributions he has made locally,
nationally and internationally
to the efforts at ennobling humanity.
“Professor Soyinka is one
of those who made the world to
acknowledge that Africans too
are not only endowed but also
have a lot to contribute to the
ennoblement of humanity.”
Praising Soyinka for never
despising his culture, Ajayi
recalled him as saying that
“One’s own self-worth is tied
to the community to which one
belongs, which is intimately
connected to humanity in
general.”
He, therefore, challenged
human resources and general health services.”
The Health Commissioner mentioned some of the
interventions at the facility
to include the provision of
borehole and overhead tank
for portable water supply,
reactivation of tricycle ambulances to be spread across
health facilities in the state,
revitalization of the laboratory and pharmacy, as well
as other basic facilities for
effective healthcare service
delivery.
Also speaking, the Director General, Cross River
State Primary Health Care
Development Agency, Dr Vivian Mesembe Otu, lauded the
governor for the impactful
initiative.
She said the programme
would provide quality health-
those in authority at every
level in Nigeria to emulate the
Nobel Laureate not only by
identifying with their people
but more importantly to ensure that they act in a manner
that relieves the pains of the
people and enhance their selfworth.
“Soyinka is always challenging those in authority to
use their positions to better
the lot of the people and to
allow free exchanges of ideas.
But he is also always quick to
challenge individual citizens
to always live and act responsibly,” Ajayi submitted as he
urged those in and out of public offices to be more responsible humane in their conducts.
“Afenifere seizes this opportunity to rejoice, in advance,
with the literary and academic
icon on his 90th birthday coming up next week. We also pray
that the Almighty God will
bless him with many more decades of good living in robust
health and all that would be
gladdening one’s heart, especially at such an advanced age
that the intellectual giant has
attained,” the statement concluded.
care in terms of free consultations, treatment, investigation, mama kits to pregnant
women, and referral to secondary healthcare.
The clan head of Nyanghasang community, Ntoe
Orok Etim Okon conveyed
the gratitude of Nyanghasang Qua Clan Council
to the governor for his infrastructural revolution embarked upon in the last one
year of his administration.
Ntoe Okon, who was represented by the clan secretary, Iso Bassey Edimotop,
said the Palliative Healthcare
Programme would contribute immensely to the health,
wellness and development
of the community, quipping
that only a healthy citizenry
can make every other dream
possible.
A Nigerian United Kingdom-based businessman and
Philanthropist, Olatunji Awodiran, has urged President Bola
Ahmed Tinubu to focus more on
empowering community farmers
to enhance food security in the
country.
He maintained that Nigeria
would have no cause to import
food if local farmers are given
the necessary incentives and
farm implements.
Awodiran stated this while
speaking with journalists in
Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on
his food bank initiative to help
cushion the hardship facing the
masses as a result of fuel subsidy
removal.
Awodiran, who is the Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Leovest Food Bank Foundation,
(Reassuring Hands Foundation)
flanked by his special assistants,
Mr Niyi Olanrewaju and Mrs
Ayomide Ekunniyi stated that his
Food Bank Foundation Program
started August 2023, and that the
programme has made a lot of
positive impact on Osun state
indigenes particularly people of
Obokun local government.
He noted that local farmers
who are closer to the people
should be provided with necessary facilities to produce food
without any hindrances.
Awodiran also urged government to prioritize agriculture to
ensure food security across the
country.
According to him, “Nigeria
does not need to import food if
local farmers are encouraged.
In the United Kingdom, the government always support the local
farmers more than mechanised
ones because they are the nearest
to the people.
“So, what I think should be
done is that the government
should support the local farmers
and give them support.”
Speaking further on his food
bank initiative, Awodiran explained that he has consistently
dished out free food to over 1000
residents to cushion the effect of
the removal of fuel subsidy and
attendant economist hardship in
the country.
Besides, he noted that no fewer than 250 schools’ children have
benefited from free uniforms,
sandals and payment of ten
(10) West African Examination
(WAEC) fees in the state.
Awodiran maintained that the
step became necessary to alleviate poverty and put smiles on the
faces of the down trodden .
While speaking about his
forthcoming food distribution
initiative, Awodiran noted that
the June 14 food distribution is
for the less privileged with the
aim of putting smile on faces of
the people before and during the
Eid-El-Kabir (Ileya) festival.
“Over 1000 people have so far
benefited from our monthly food
bank program, while over N40m
has been spent so far on the programme.”
The Obokun-born philanthropist stated that his gesture was
not politically motivated, adding
that his primary intention was to
put smiles on the faces of people
around him.
Reject Less Than N250,000 Minimum
Wage, Timi Frank Tells NLC, TUC
J OY A N I G B O G U
LAGOS
Former Deputy National
Publicity Secretary of the All
Progressives Congress (APC),
Comrade Timi Frank, on Friday, called on the leadership
of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union
Congress (TUC) to reject any
minimum wage offer from the
federal government that is less
than N250,000.00 per month.
Frank, who was reacting to
reports of alleged Federal Government’s offer of N105,000.00 to
workers as new minimum wage
during their ongoing tripartite
negotiation, said: “any amount
below N250,000.00 cannot be
considered a decent wage for Nigerian workers considering the
present socio-economic hardship
in the country.”
In a statement in Abuja,
Frank accused the President Bola
Ahmed Tinubu-led administration of double standards in the
fixing of salaries, saying what is
good for judicial office holders is
good for Nigerian workers.
According to the Bayelsa-born
political activist, Tinubu recently
sent a Bill to the National Assembly in which he proposed 300 per
cent increase in the salaries and
allowances of Supreme Court
Justices, Appeal Court Justices,
President of the National Industrial Court, Judges of the
Federal and State High Courts
as well as Grand Khadi of State
Sharia Courts, among others, in
the country.
He noted that the Bill has been
hurriedly passed as proposed by
the President in both chambers
of the National Assembly and
now awaiting the assent of the
President to become enforceable
law.
Frank, who is the United
Liberation Movement for West
Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to
East Africa and the Middle East,
said: “How can you increase the
salary of an arm of government
that is already earning a humongous salary by 300 per cent
and add peanuts to the paltry
N30,000 that workers have been
compelled to live with in this
country as minimum wage in
the last five years?
“Why did the President send
an Executive Bill to the National
Assembly to effect a 300 per cent
upward review in the salaries of
Judicial Office Holders but set up
a tripartite committee to negotiate a “starvation wage” (apologies to NLC President Joe Ajaero)
for suffering Nigerian workers
instead of a “living wage” he
promised them on assumption
of office in May last year?”
/Independentngr
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
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5
News
Group Chides Rivers APC Chairman Over
Making False Claims Against Gov Fubara
PA S C H A L N J O K U
ABUJA
Comrade Jack Thomas, President of the Pro-Democracy
Coalition of Nigeria, has chided
the caretaker chairman of the
All Progressives Congress in
Rivers state, Tony Okocha, for
making false claims against the
Governor Siminalayi Fubara-led
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
government.
Thomas said that Okocha has
been economical with the truth
when it comes to speaking about
projects inherited in the state.
"As a pro-democratic group
that is carefully following events
in Rivers state, we can attest to
the giant strides recorded by the
governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara in
his first year in office” the statement said.
“So, we wonder how the loquacious Okocha would describe the
administration of His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara as a govenment in intensive care unit,
Thomas stated.
“If anyone is in intensive care
unit, we are convinced it is Okocha, over his mental health,” the
group said.
In a statement, weekend, the
Coalition reminded Rivers APC
caretaker chairman that the administration of Governor Fubara has commisioned 21 road projects totalling about 68km across
several local government of the
state.
“The administration has also
recorded tremendous achievements in other sectors like education, health, human capital
development, among others.
According to the group,
Fubara’s one year score card
has earned him tremendous
commendation within and outside the country, with the latest
coming from the Association of
Nigerian Professionals in Europe
(ANPE), wherein they described
Governor Fubara as an asset to
Nigeria’s democracy.
President of the group, therefore called on journalists and
Nigerians to consider Okocha
as unreliable and untruthful
having previously claimed that
the defected Rivers State Peoples
Democratic Party(PDP) lawmakers were APC members, only for
him to now turn around to say
only membership card and name
in a party’s register would prove
the party that one belongs to.
“He further claimed that APC
has since vomitted the defected
lawmakers back to the PDP. A
man who is quick to change his
comments and opinion on issues
like a woman changing panties
cannot be deemed as a reliable
and truthful person“ Thomas
said.
Contrary to claims by Okocha
that Fubara didn't acknowledge
former Governor Nyesom Wike
for inherited projects, the group
drew the attention of the APC
Chairman to the statement by
Fubara during the presentation
of his one year score card last
Wednesday at a townhall meeting in Portharcourt, where he
disclosed that, his administration
inherited 34 uncompleted road
projects worth over N225.279 billion naira spread across 13 local
government areas of the state.
ITF Trains 4000 Nigerian Youths On
Various Skills
S A M S O N N WA F O R
ABAKALI KI
The Industrial Training
fund(ITF) says it has trained a
total of 4000 Nigerian Youths in
various skills in the year 2024.
The training was carried out
in conjunction with the Federal
Ministry of Budgeting and Economic Planning under the ITF’s
National Economic Recovery and
Growth Plan (NERGP).
Director General of ITF, Dr
Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun stated this
in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi
state, on Friday, during the graduation ceremony of a fresh batch
of graduates of the programme.
He noted that so far 100 Youths
in the state had participated and
benefited in the three months
technical and vocational training.
According to him, the beneficiaries underwent two months
of intensive learning and one
month of practicals/ hands on
training.
“The ITF - NERGP programme is aimed at equipping
our youths with the technical
and vocational skills, knowledge
and attitude, that will enable
them become Self employed or
employers of Labour.”
“The ITF-NERGP is aimed
at up skilling and re-skilling our
youths in different trades thereby addressing skills gap challenges in our dear Country”, he
explained
Represented by the Acting
Area Manager of ITF in Ebonyi
State, Mr John Chukwuelue, he
noted that the ITF-NERGP training covers the following trades:
furniture making, plumbing and
pipe fitting, electrical installation
and beauty care.
“All the participants were given Start-up- packs in accordance
with the trade each learnt. The
training was a huge success as
most of the beneficiaries are able
to demonstrate and practice what
they have learnt without supervision”, he said
The Director General noted
that the Agency has over the
years developed numerous skills
intervention programmes aimed
at tackling unemployment and
poverty, promotion of entrepreneurship and the reduction of
youth restiveness while also facilitating the diversification of the
Nigerian economy in line with
the Federal Government's policy.
He said: "Some of the programmes implemented by the
Fund include the National Industrial Skills Development
Programme (NISDP), the
Women Skills Empowerment
Programme (WOSEP), Construction Skills Empowerment
Programme (CONSEP), Agri-preneurship Skills Empowerment
Programme (AgSEP), Skills
Training and Empowerment
Programme for the Physically
Challenged (STEPP-C) amongst
several others.
Senator Opeyemi
Bamidele, Senate
Leader (right);
Vice President
Kashim Shetima
(second right);
Biodun Oyebanji,
Governor, Ekiti
State (second
left), and Dele
Alake, Minister
of Solid Minerals,
during the vice
president’s visit to
declare open the
third expanded
national micro,
small and medium
enterprises
(MSME) clinics
at Adetiloye
Hall, Trade Fair
Complex, AdoEkiti in Ekiti State,
on Thursday.
PA S C H A L N J O K U
ABUJA
J
ustice
Chinyere
Nwecheonwu of High
Court of the Federal
Capital Territory sitting in Kuje, has reserved
judgment in a suit by a Kano
based car dealer, Tripple C
Motors, against Pagmat Oil
and Gas Nig. Ltd; Prudential
Steps Savings & Loan, and a
new generation bank.
Justice Nwecheonwu reserved judgement after parties in the suit adopted their
final written addresses.
By the suit, Tripple C
Motors is claiming against
the defendants jointly and
severally, the sum of over
N40million as compensation
for unlawful withholding of
it's money for a period of 43
months.
Among other reliefs, the
claimant wants the court
to declare that the refusal
and failure of the 1st defendant, to pay it the sum of
₦86,000,000.00 (Eighty-Six Million Naira Only) for supply
of cars it made for, and at the
instance of the defendants as
at when due resulted in the
loss of profits/earnings to
the claimant in the sum of at
least N4,300,000.00 (Four Mil-
N40m Compensation: Court Reserves
Judgment On Suit Against Oil Firm, Bank
be seen in the written statement on oath of the Claimant which was adopted on the
13th of September 2023.
"The Cross Examination
did not destroy the case made
out by the Claimant both in
the Written Statement on
Oath and the documentary
exhibits tendered" Apeh posited.
"It is trite law, that an
unchallenged evidence is
deemed to be correct and can
be acted upon by the court
and facts admitted need no
further prove.
"In the instant case, the
Claimant pleaded facts and
led credible evidence which
were unchallenged by the 1st
Defendant.
"We draw the attention of
your lordship to paragraphs
23 – 31 of the Claim, the unchallenged evidence of the
Claimant thereon as can be
seen in the Written Statement on Oath paragraphs
23-36 thereof.
"We must respectfully
wish to draw the attention
of this Hon. Court to the
fact that, the fulcrum of the
Claimant’s action is principally against the refusal
and failure of the 1st Defendant to pay the Claimant
the sum of ₦86,000,000.00
(Eighty-Six Million Naira
Only) by the 1st Defendant
within 30 days of the supply
of the cars for and at the instance of the 1st Defendant,
which resulted in the loss
of profits/earnings to the
Claimant in the sum of at
least N4,300,000.00 (Four
Million Three Hundred
Thousand Naira) only per
month for a period of 43
months cumulating loss of
at least N34,400,000.00 (Thirty-Four Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) only
for that period and thereby
rendering the Defendants
liable to the Claimant in
damages. Nothing more"
Apeh submitted.
More so, Apeh told the
court that the 1st Defendant
all through trials, did not
deny or dispute the fact that
they unlawfully held unto the
money of the Claimant for a
period of over 43 Months before the money was paid.
Pro - Fubara: CUPP Tackles House Of
Representatives Over Ugochinyere, Others' Visit
ria (as amended) especially Sections 39 and 40 which
guarantee Freedom of
Expression and the Press
as well as that of Peaceful
Assembly and Association
respectively.
The former National
Legal Adviser, Inter Party
Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC), and a former
Senatorial Candidate for
Anambra South Senatorial
District thus called on the
leadership of the House of
Representatives to, without further delays, retract
its "steps in the purported
probe of these Honourable
members by its Ethics
Committee and not engage
in any act that may violate
the fundamental rights of
its members or any member of the public."
KINGSLEY BENNETH
ABUJA
The Coalition of United
Political Parties (CUPP)
has condemned the action
of the House of Representatives in referring its
Spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere to the committee
on ethics for probe over his
solidarity visit to the Rivers
State Governor, Siminalayi
Fubara.
CUPP called on the leadership of the House to reverse what the coalition
called an "ill-informed
move."
It maintained that the
lion Three Hundred Thousand Naira) only per month
for a period of 43 months
cumulating loss of at least
N34,400,000.00 (Thirty-Four
Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) only for that period and thereby rendering
the defendants liable to the
claimant in damages.
Adopting the Claimant's
written address, Ojonimi S.
Apeh Esq, submitted that the
Defendants, particularly the
1st Defendant breached the
contract between she and the
Claimant for wrongly holding onto the money of the
Claimant in a commercial
transaction for Forty-Three
(43) Months.
Apeh submitted that the
Claimant is entitled to the
damages claimed, urging
the court to enter judgment
in the plaintif' favour.
Furthermore, the Claimant drew the attention of the
Court to the fact that the 1st
Defendant did not challenge,
controvert or deny specific
and germane facts averred
in the statement of claim
and the evidence led as can
freedom of peaceful assembly and association
remains inalienable and
guaranteed by the nation's
constitution.
A statement on Friday by
CUPP Chairman on Media
Committee, Barr. Chukwudi Ezeobika, said the House
of Representatives aversion
to Hon. Ugochinyere's recent visit with other members of the Green Chamber
to the Rivers Governor remains mind-boggling and
inconceivable under a democratic dispensation.
"By referring these Honourable members to the
Committee on Ethics for
disciplinary action, the
leadership of the House
has clearly cast doubt on its
integrity in the observance
and or adherence to the laws
which they enact/promulgate," the statement said.
Relying on the point of
order/ privilege raised
by Yusuf Gagdi of the All
Progressives Congress, Plateau State to arrive at such
decision is erroneous and
grossly misleading.
The House, by this very
action, has impugned on
the integrity and sacredness of Chapter IV of the
1999 Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nige-
6
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
News
World Food Safety Day: Expand Access To Healthy Food,
Prioritise Effective Food Policies, CAPPA Urges Govt
Army's Doggedness Behind Improved Crude
Oil Production Output — GOC 6 Division
ITODE AKARI
PO RT HARCO URT
CHIDI UGWU
ABUJA
A
s the world marks 2024
World Food Safety Day
on Friday, with the
theme ‘Food safety:
prepare for the unexpected,’ Corporate Accountability and Public
Participation Africa (CAPPA) has
urged governments at all levels to
prioritise effective food policies,
food security and access in the
interest of public health.
In a statement signed by its
Media and Communications Officer, Robert Egbe, the organisation
commended the Nigerian government for its initiatives and efforts
to improve food accessibility and
affordability in the country but
noted that food safety remains a
critical issue, nonetheless.
The statement reads further:
“Many Nigerians and local farmers are still unable to earn a livelihood from farming and thus improve the food supply chain due to
unending armed conflicts and the
varied impacts of climate change.
This terrible situation has worsened food shortages, hunger
pangs, and inflation across the
country.
“Moreso, incidents of food
adulteration, contamination, improper labelling, unverified food
claims by producers, and victimisation of consumers by big food
corporations continue to pose
grave dangers to the economy,
well-being and nutrition of vulnerable Nigerians.
“It is in this context that
CAPPA reiterates the need for
state authorities to enact and
implement comprehensive laws
and policies across the food and
nutrition spectrum, not only to
ensure adequate food regulatory
oversight but to maintain vigilance that safeguards Nigerians
and public health.
“In particular, the overconsumption of salt and sugar has
been linked to the growth of
non-communicable diseases
(NCDs) such as hypertension,
diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases worldwide and in Nigeria,
causing both economic and social
strains.
“CAPPA urges the government to reverse this negative
trend by implementing food strategies and policies that promote
access to healthier diets and spur
producers to reformulate comestibles for the betterment of public
health.
“Most importantly, we encourage the government to,
among other viable measures,
increase the tax on sugar-sweetened beverages as well as set
mandatory salt limits in food
products to protect Nigerians
from excessive consumption
and tackle the alarming rise of
obesity cases and NCDs in the
country. These actions, proven
effective globally, can help Nigeria bolster national food safety
and public wellbeing.”
The institution urged Nigerians to be kind to themselves by
prioritising their health and eating to live, not to die.
“People must watch their food
consumption patterns, making
sure to consciously desist from
the excessive consumption of
sugar, salt, and fat, which is associated with an increased risk of
non-communicable diseases,” the
statement concluded.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian
Army, Major General Jamal
Abdussalam, has accredited the
recent improvement in the country's crude oil production to the
doggedness and commitment of
the Nigerian Army in tackling
illegal oil bunkering in the Niger
Delta.
Major General Abdussalam,
who is also the Land Component
Commander, Joint Task Force,
South South, Operation Delta
Safe, made the assertion at a 3-day
finance workshop, organised by
the Nigerian Army 6 Division,
Port Harcourt for its personnel,
themed: ‘Personnel Capacity
Development: A Panacea to Proactive and Efficient Financial
Service Delivery,’ on Thursday.
Major General Abdussalam
in his welcome address recalled
that the data recently released
by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which indicated
an improvement in crude oil
production was as a result of
the army's operational zero tolerance for illegal oil bunkering
in the country.
He said, "May I use this medium to reaffirm my commitment
to ensure that 6 Division continues to guarantee the security of
lives and properties, as well as
safeguarding key national infrastructure within our area of
responsibility.
"This is in line with my vision
to have a proactive and result
oriented attitude among officers
and soldiers of 6 Division for sus-
tainable operational tempo in the
joint environment.
"The doggedness and unwavering commitment of personnel
of 6 Division in the face daunting security challenges in South
South is highly impressive, recently released data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission indicates
that Nigeria crude oil output grew
from 1.185 million barrels per day
in December 2023 to 1.281,478 million barrels per day for the month
of April in 2024.
"This has been possible
through our invigorated operations geared towards zero illegal activities, to sustain these
achievements, all hands must
be on deck to ensure the output
continues to rise."
Major General Abdussalam
emphasised that troops of the division had become efficient and
result-oriented in the discharge
of their duties following intermittent capacity trainings, adding
that the army in the same vein
was building its personnel capacity to handle the dynamics of
current financial management.
”My command has thus
prioritised training as a tool for
personnel capacity building, relatedly, the 6 Division Finance
being the nerve center of the
division must strategize in the
training of its personnel in order
to be more active and show absolute competence in discharging
its role to the division, they must
continue to learn and adapt to
many financial policies brought
about the federal government in
order to handle the dynamics of
current financial revolution as it
relates to the Nigerian Army.
New Era Begins As Ogun Indigene
Forum Ghana Inaugurates New EXCO
K A Z E E M AW O J O O D U
His Eminence Oliver Ali-Aba, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria (left); Olusegun Obasanjo, former President/Chairman of the public lecture (second
left); Most Revd. Paul Boafo, President, Africa Methodist Council (second right), and Rt. Rev. Oladapo Babalola, Bishop of Tinubu, Methodist Church
of the Trinity, during a public lecture at the Heads of Conferences Summit and Women’s Movement Leadership Summit by Africa Methodist Council
hosted by Methodist Church Nigeria in Lagos.
14 Years After, Tinubu Administration Delivers Vice
President's Residence In Landmark Achievement
T OY I N A D E B AYO
ABUJA
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
represented by Vice President
Sen. Kashim Shettima, has
commissioned the long-awaited Vice President's residence,
a testament to his administration's unwavering commitment to overcoming obstacles
and fulfilling promises.
This state-of-the-art structure, completed after 14 years,
symbolises the government's
dedication to both the office
and the individual, providing
a conducive environment for
effective governance.
President Tinubu's administration prioritises accountability, transparency, and good
governance, working tirelessly
to build a nation Nigerians can
be proud of.
FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom
Wike's exceptional leadership
and dedication to duty have
been instrumental in delivering this project, hailed as a
"force of nature" by President
Tinubu. Wike's commitment
to transparency, accountability, and efficient resource management has been exemplary,
demonstrating that abandoning projects is inherently wasteful.
The residence, originally
awarded in 2010 at a cost of N7
billion but abandoned in 2015,
was completed within a year
under President Tinubu's leadership with a revised budget of
N21 billion.
Wike expressed his gratitude to President Tinubu for
his unwavering commitment
to the project, praising Julius
Berger, the contractors, for
their efficiency and reliability.
"This is a testament to his
leadership and dedication to
providing a conducive work
environment," Wike stated. He
also lauded Julius Berger, the
contractors, for their efficiency and reliability, noting their
capability to deliver quality
projects.
Acknowledging the importance of the new residence,
Wike remarked that it would
offer a comfortable and secure
environment for the Vice President to work and live. He humorously added that the Vice
President might find the amenities so comprehensive that he
may not need to go to the office
anymore.
Additionally, Wike issued a
warning to Sectraco, the contractor responsible for maintaining the street lights on Bola
Ahmed Tinubu Way, cautioning that any lapse in their duties would result in the loss of
future contracts with the FCT.
Minister of State for the
FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud,
emphasised the significance
of the occasion. "Today's event
is a demonstration of sheer
will and the determination to
succeed where others failed.
It is a testament to what we
can achieve when we have the
right support and unwavering
dedication to deliver on our set
goals."
Dr. Mahmoud further stated,
"We are immensely honored to
witness the realisation of this
magnificent establishment.
This residence stands not only
as a testament to the progress
of our nation but also as a
symbol of our commitment to
excellence."
The completion of the Vice
President's residence highlights the government's capacity to deliver on its promises
and its dedication to fostering
an environment conducive to
effective governance.
Speaking on the overview of
the project, Engr. Shehu Hadi,
Executive Secretary of the
Federal Capital Development
Authority (FCDA) said, the
official residence for the Vice
President of Nigeria is now
complete, providing fitting accommodation for the nation's
second-in-command. "The
complex includes 15 blocks:
the main building, offices for
the Second Lady and security
personnel, places of worship,
staff quarters, utility facilities,
recreational areas, and fortified
landscaping."
I BADAN
The Ogun Indigenes in Republic of Ghana, under the aegis of
Ogun Indigene Forum Ghana
(OIFG) recently celebrated the
inauguration of it's new executives in a grand ceremony held
at UDS Guests House, Accra,
Ghana.
The Ogun Indigene Forum,
a vital organisation for Ogun
State indigenes in Ghana, held
the inaugural event to officially
welcome its newly elected executives. The forum, known for its
commitment to cultural heritage
and community development, set
the stage for a promising future
under new leadership.
The event marked a significant
milestone for the Ogun Indigene
Forum Ghana, ushering in a new
era of leadership and community
engagement. The event had in attendance with dignitaries from all
sectors of life including business,
academia, politics among others.
The event also featured traditional music, cultural performances,
as well as awards presentation for
accomplished individuals.
In his inaugural speech, the
newly elected President of the
forum, Hon. Bola Akinsanya,
outlined his vision for the forum,
focusing on education, economic
empowerment, and cultural preservation.
He emphasised the forum's
goals to promote the cultural her-
itage of Ogun State, unite all indigenes of Ogun State, and advance
economic empowerment through
initiatives such as the School of
Yoruba Language.
The forum also aims at engaging corporate social responsibility and humanitarian activities,
including building portable water
sources like boreholes in rural areas in Ogun State and donating
materials to prisons. The President, a telecommunications engineer, also shared his professional
expertise and how it will benefit
the forum.
The President also applauded the contributions of Ogun
indigenes to the development of
Nigeria, calling them national
builders and history makers. He
highlighted notable individuals
like Olusegun Obasanjo, Wole
Soyinka, Fela Kuti, Funmilayo
Kuti, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola
(first Chief Justice of Nigeria),
and the symbol of present-day
democracy, MKO.
Akinsanya also appreciated
the efforts of founding members,
especially in Kumasi and Accra,
and promised to be accountable,
loyal, and dedicated to the growth,
unity, and welfare of the members
of the Ogun Indigene Forum.
Alhaji Sidiku Buhari, the President of the National Council of
Yoruba Elders in Ghana, advised
the newly elected executives to
be sincere, serve with honesty,
remain united, and stay focused
on the forum's goals.
/Independentngr
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
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www.independent.ng
7
News
Labour Veterans Express Disappointment
With Conduct Of Recent Strike
Say Shutting Down Of National Grid By Labour
Amounts To Treason
CHIBUZOR EMEJOR
ABUJA
A group known as Labour Veterans and Trade Unionists/Assembly has expressed strong dissatisfaction with how the leadership
of the Nigeria Labour Congress
(NLC) and Trade Union Congress
(TUC) handled the recent strike.
According to a statement issued on Friday by Comrade Isa
Tijjani, Interim Chairman of the
Group and former National Vice
President of the NLC, the labour
leaders' shutdown of the National Grid constituted a treasonable
felony.
"We are outraged by the apparent treasonable felony committed
by the striking Labour leaders in
bringing down the National Grid,
preventing citizens from going
about their legitimate business
and forcibly evicting law-abiding
citizens from their offices and
employment through force and
arm-twisting tactics to abide
by the strike. All of these issues
should be investigated and appropriate action taken."
Tijjani, a former National
Deputy President of the National
Union of Petroleum Workers (NUPENG), stated that while agitating
for a minimum wage is a legitimate right, the means and method used to carry out the strike is
not only unfair but also criminal
and violates International Labour
Organisation (ILO) Conventions,
which are aimed at protecting
essential service sectors in any
given economy from disruption.
He warned the NLC leadership
to refrain from engaging in partisan politics while advocating for
the welfare of Nigerian workers.
"Our earlier warning against
using Congress as a platform for
partisan politics was ignored, and
the consequences are clear for all
to see.
"The penchant to opt for strike
as the first option in settling labour disputes is inimical even to
the interest of workers in whose
name the strike was embarked
upon in the first place.
"This demonstrates a lack of
seriousness and deep reflection on
the side of NLC leadership for always swinging into acting before
they think.
"Such actions are inimical to
well-known norms and practices of the labour movement and
should be stopped forthwith.
"Finally, we want to highlight
Joe Ajaero’s actions which is
aimed at dragging the Congress
into muddy waters of ethnicity,
political partisanship and self-aggrandisement which has been
there for long.
"We have had cause to highlight these issues since 2023 and
will continue to do so," Tijjani said.
Monarch Applauds NDDC For Organising
Free Medical Mission In Bayelsa
ITODE AKARI
PO RT HARCO U RT
The Chairman, Bayelsa State
Traditional Rulers Council, King
Bubaraye Dakolo, has applauded
the Niger Delta Development
Commission, NDDC, for organising free medical outreaches
across the Niger Delta region.
The monarch who spoke
during the NDDC free medical
mission at the Diete Koki Memorial Hospital in Yenagoa, stated
that the current Board and Management of the Commission had
changed the story of the region,
following its numerous development projects and programmes.
He said, "The present board
of NDDC has carved a niche for
itself as a result of its strategic
and innovative projects.
“The impact is very huge and
felt by everyone, not only in Bayelsa State, but the entire Niger Delta
region."
The royal father, according to
a statement on Friday signed by
Pius Ughakpoteni, NDDC's Corporate Affairs Director, described
the free medical outreach organised by the NDDC as a life-saving
programme that should be carried out regularly.
"I want to appeal to the management of NDDC to ensure a
higher frequency of the exercise
which is a life-saving project. Everyone that has benefitted from
this intervention today will ever
remain grateful to NDDC as a saving grace because if not for this
programme, a lot of deaths would
have been recorded."
In his address, the NDDC
Managing Director, Dr Samuel
Ogbuku, said the medical mission
which provides health care services to medically underserved
rural communities in the region
was one of the several health care
programmes of the Commission
aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
"Health for All, Time for Action"
proclamation at the 2023 World
Universal Health conference.
Ogbuku, who was represented by the Head of Administration
and Human Resources, Bayelsa State Office, Mr. Anderson
Woyengiauro, noted that since
the commencement of the programme, over two million Niger
Deltans had benefited from the
scheme.
“The NDDC through the free
medical mission has provided
health solutions to over two
million Niger Deltans across
communities in the Region and
remains committed to working
with relevant stakeholders to improve health and other critical
sectors that impact positively on
the overall development of the
health and wellness of the people
of the region.”
CHANGE OF NAME
I, formerly known as Miss Oyewole Oyebola
Sukurat, having married to Salihu Usman Nureeni,
now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.
SALIHU SUKURAT OYEBOLA. Other documents
remain valid. General public, please take note.
Tribunal Fines MultiChoice N150m
Over Hike In Subscription Rate
We Disagree With CCPT Ruling, Says MultiChoice
PA S C H A L N J O K U
ABUJA
A
3-man panel of the Competition and Consumer
Protection Tribunal
(CCPT), led by Thomas
Okusu, on Friday, ordered MultiChoice Nigeria to pay a fine of
N150m for disobedience to a court
order.
MultiChoice Nigeria, the owners of DSTV and GOTV pay TV,
was fired for willfully violating
an order prohibiting DSTV and
GOTV from raising their subscription rates.
The tribunal also ordered the
company to provide Nigerians
with a one-month free subscription to its DStv and GOtv packages as compensation for objecting
to the court's jurisdiction.
The tribunal previously restrained MultiChoice from increasing DSTV and GOTV subscription fees without adequately
notifying customers in response
to a suit filed by Festus Onifade, a
lawyer, challenging the arbitrary
increase.
Onifade claimed in the lawsuit
that the digital satellite TV company erred by giving subscribers
only eight days' notice before raising the subscription rate.
Onifade had sued MultiChoice, alleging that the Pay-TV
Company had unjustly increased
subscription fees without providing customers with one month's
notice.
Counsel for MultiChoice, on
the other hand, contended that
previous rulings had resolved
price regulation issues, whereas
Onifade based his motion on notice of insufficient notice rather
than the price increase itself.
As a result, the tribunal affirmed its jurisdiction to hear the
case and ruled against the Pay TV
Company, just as the court scheduled the Plaintiff's substantive suit
for July 3.
However, in a reaction to the
CCPT ruling, MultiChoice Nigeria said it’s aware of the ruling by
the Competition and Consumer
Protection Tribunal (CCPT) regarding its jurisdiction to entertain a price regulation matter.
The company said it disagreed
with the ruling, and will therefore
file an appeal against said ruling
at the appropriate time.
“As the matter is currently
subjudice, we are restrained from
making further comments,” MultiChoice said.
Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, Commissioner for Health, Rivers State (left); Warisenibo Joseph Johnson, Commissioner for Information and Communications
(second left); Roland Obed-Whyte, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Projects (second right), and Ine Briggs, Acting Director-General, Bureau of
Public Procurement, during a press briefing on the outcome of the state Executive Council meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday.
Nasarawa Govt Will Continue To Partner Private Investors, Says Gov Sule
Commends Hasetins Ltd For Community Services
PA S C H A L N J O K U
ABUJA
Governor Abdullahi Sule of
Nasarawa state has praised a mining company, Hasetins Commodities Limited, for building roads
and digging boreholes in communities within its operating area as
part of its community service to
the state's residents.
The Governor made the commendation at the start of road construction and borehole drilling
in Uke, Karu Local Government
Area of the State.
Represented by the Commissioner for Environment and SolCross River State Governor
Bassey Otu has launched a
200KVA solar power infrastructure to provide alternative and
cleaner power to some government offices.
The offices linked to alternative power include the Accountant General's Office, the State Internal Revenue Service, the Due
Process and Price Intelligence
Bureau, the Surveyor General's Office, the Cross River State
Geographic Information Agency,
and the College of Health Technology.
During the commissioning
ceremony at the State Accountant General's office complex,
Governor Otu expressed his satisfaction that the state is leveraging technology for development
id Minerals, Kwanta Yakubu, the
Governor, said the projects being
executed for the communities are
in line with the Nasarawa State
government’s seven-point agenda
and President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ to embark
on projects that have a direct bearing on the lives of rural dwellers.
Meanwhile, the governor
has given an assurance that his
administration will continue to
partner with genuine private investors towards the development
of the State.
“I want to commend them
because this is the kind of investment and industrialisation that
we are looking for; they are not
only building facilities, they are
engaging about 80 per cent of our
indigenes,” he said.
“We will be visiting and inspecting the projects to support
it,” the Governor stated.
Earlier, the Chief Executive
Officer of Hasetins Commodities
Limited, Peter Butt, said the company decided to bring a different
approach to its engagement with
host communities of solid minerals with an engagement that
ensures both sides benefit.
“We will train people, employ
and engage them. We will build
roads to enable farmers, traders
and others to have access to markets and move their products.
“Nigeria has the second lowest life expectancy at 52 years,
which is caused by 56 deaths per
1000 births. This is due to poor
drinking water and we will drill
boreholes to get clean drinking
water to the communities,” Butt
assured.
Welcoming the mining firm,
the Sarkin Uke, His Highness
Ahmed Abdullahi, pledged the
maximum support and cooperation of the community towards
the achievement of the objectives
of the investment.
He said the community has diverse ethnic and religious groups
from across Nigeria who has continued to live together in harmony,
adding that they will work togeth-
Gov. Otu Unveils 200kVA Solar Power
Infrastructure For Government Offices
and economic growth.
He revealed that the Cross
River State Portal, as well as
various payment portals and
applications, were created to
improve efficiency and revenue
generation.
Governor Otu emphasised
that the deployment of solar
power infrastructure and the
restoration of fibre links for internet connectivity demonstrate
a commitment to creating an environmentally friendly environment while also advancing technological infrastructure within
government offices.
He cited the state's accom-
plishments in digital innovation, science, and technology
as evidence of the Ministry of
Science's hard work, dedication,
and commitment.
Mrs. Glory Effiong, the State
Accountant General, also stated
at the commissioning that the
technological solutions powered
by solar power allow the State to
monitor revenue and transactions in government accounts
in real-time.
Dr. Justin Beshel, the State
Commissioner for science and
technology, elaborated on the
state's accomplishments in digital innovation, science, and tech-
nology, which led PRODA to establish its regional office in Cross
River State, further solidifying
the state's position as a hub for
innovation and technology, having won the.NG award as the best
state in digital innovation, and
the overall best in the last Techno
EXPO organised by the Federal
Ministry of Science, Innovation.
These accomplishments, according to the Commissioner,
demonstrate the Ministry of
Science and Technology's clear
vision and strategic planning to
propel Cross River State to new
heights in the digital space and
technological advancement.
8
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
Saturday Special
In Nigeria, a troubling
narrative has emerged
amid the critical need
for healthcare - a
story of rising distress
and tragic outcomes
caused by skyrocketing
drug prices and other
healthcare essentials.
As drug and medical
care prices continue to
rise, many Nigerians
are gripped by a deep
sense of frustration and
desperation, forcing them
to confront the harsh
reality of inaccessible
healthcare. Tragically,
the affordability crisis
is more than just a
financial burden; it is a
matter of life and death,
as people are at the
mercy of a system that is
pushing them to the edge.
This escalating crisis
highlights the urgent need
for long-term solutions
to ensure that affordable
healthcare is available to
all Nigerians, CHIOMA
UMEHA writes:
P
rices of essential and non-essential drugs and medicines
have risen over the last year,
as Nigerians have lamented
the country's struggling economy.
There have been several casualties
and deaths, while others have turned
to traditional medicines, which are
widely available but not cheap.
However, experts have insisted that
Nigeria should prioritise indigenous
health research and development and
stop importing all drugs. Some experts
advocated traditional medicine development, claiming it is essential if Nigeria is to achieve Universal Health
Coverage (UHC).
One of them, Professor Martins
Emeje, Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency
(NNMDA), stated that the only longterm solution is to conduct local
research and development (R&D) to
produce affordable medicines and
healthcare.
Responding to the demand for alternative medicines, the distinguished
professor of Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine stated, "I am not sure what
you mean by alternative medicine
practitioners. However, if you mean
indigenous medicine, it is not an alternative; instead, imported medicine is
an alternative. I believe you already
know my recommendation as the
Director General of the only indige-
Rising Cost Of Medication: We Are
Dying, Nigerians Groan
Give Indigenous Health Research, Development Priority — Prof. Emeje
Set Up Intervention Development Fund In Health Sector, Dr. Enabulele Tells FG
Integrate Indigenous Medical Practice Into Conventional System — Dr. Isah
Medicines
nous medicine development agency
and a western-trained chemist who
returned to school to study traditional medicine, has conducted research
in this area for over 20 years, and has
consistently advocated both government and private sector investment in
Indigenous R&D.
"To put it simply, we should prioritise indigenous health research and
development. Stop importing all drugs
into the country. Traditional medicine
development is essential if we are to
achieve Universal Health Coverage
(UHC)."
Professor Martins Emeje, Director
General/Chief Executive of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development
Agency (NNMDA), commented on the
devaluation of the foreign exchange
and rising drug costs in Nigeria saying, "As I have been saying for the past
ten years that the prices of anything
you do not produce cannot be under
your control. So, whether there is devaluation or not, as long as local R&D
is not a priority, making local drug
manufacturing a dream and essentially making us import everything, even
from countries where we teach their
scientists how to conduct research,
and you do not want prices to rise. Let
us stop blaming devaluation and do
the necessary.
"The Nigeria Natural Medicine
Development Agency (NNMDA) is
already implementing its roadmap
to address this issue, and you will see
results soon.
Prof. Emeje who commented on the
departure of big drug makers from the
country and the impact on drug and
healthcare prices said, "There were
no big drug makers in Nigeria; I am
a chemist, and I can tell you that there
was and still is no big drug maker in
Nigeria. We only have manufacturers who have taken advantage of our
complete reliance on drug imports
to bleed us to death. Go to Asia to see
how large pharmaceutical companies
operate. Mention one API or excipient
manufacturing facility established
by the so-called big drugmakers. My
reaction to this is that it will force
us to look inwards and develop our
natural resources, manufacture our
medicines, establish our responsible
pharmaceutical industries, and stop
acting like slaves who would rather
eat from porcelain plates than seek
freedom."
In response to the forex allocation,
the NNMDA Director General (DG)
stated, "I am sorry, the only sustainable way forward is local R&D for local
drug production." Which one is Forex
allocation? Nobody should be assigned
anything. Is this not business? How
does the forex allocation benefit the
millions of people in our villages who
do not have access to healthcare?
Prof Emeje went on to criticise the
idea of import rebates and special
forex allocations for drug importers
and manufacturers who would be offered import drugs. He responded, "I
am the wrong person to be asked this
question. I have been consistent in my
pursuit of homegrown R&D for local
drug manufacturing. I propose raising import duties on all finished drug
products and eliminating all drug importation rebates. By doing so, manufacturers who currently prefer trading
will begin to believe that innovation
cannot come from buying and selling.
The CEO of the Nigeria Natural
Medicine Development Agency stated, "I have been advocating that Nigeria establishes an industrial base to
manufacture active pharmaceutical
ingredients (APIs) and pharmaceuticals. However, we must do it properly,
as a result of research, development,
and innovation. For example, look at
countries that have established functional pharma parks, which serve as
a hub for science, technology, and innovation. We can produce our excipients,
active crude extracts (ACE), and active
pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in
Nigeria. The most important infrastructure required to complete this
task is human capital, which we have.
Nigerian professionals, both at home
and abroad, are willing to share their
expertise for free. Since I became DG
about a year ago, we have had about six
Nigerian professors and professionals
work with us for free, three of whom
are in the Diaspora.
On the call for a stronger health
insurance scheme, citing the high
cost of medicines and healthcare as
out-of-pocket expenses, he asked rhetorically, "Please, which of the health
insurance schemes do we want to
strengthen? Anyone who discusses
health insurance in Africa without
incorporating traditional medicine
into the strategy is either dishonest,
intentionally mischievous, or out of
touch with African realities. Imported
health insurance models are ridiculous. I was president of the FMST Cooperative Thrift and Credit Society for
four years, and I asked SMEDAN and
over 2000 civil servants what we did
with the cooperative. See, there is no
rocket science in insurance; our poor
rural dwellers are already doing local
insurance; instead of developing our
models, we want to copy them."
He also criticised the funding of
the health sector. "Funding is never
enough, so I agree. But, more importantly, there is a need to shift strategy;
let us look inward. The most effective
strategy for renewing our people is
to return to our abandoned cultural
heritage. Industrialisation does not
happen by chance; it is the result of
science, technology and innovation.
Dr. Osahon Enabulele, immediate
past president of the World Medical
Association (WMA), stated, "Various
factors contribute to the skyrocketing
cost of drugs, medical products, and
technologies.
"The most significant factor is Nigeria's political leaders' cumulative poor
economic management and incorrect
fiscal policy options. This has resulted
in unprecedented inflation and a negative impact on the Consumer Price
Index. This has had an impact on the
prices of almost every commodity,
good, and service, including essential
medicines."
Enabulele stated, "Before now, Nigeria had an unenviable out-of-pocket
expenditure by its citizens of more
than 70%. This is undoubtedly worse
now, with an increasing number of Nigerians incurring catastrophic health
costs and being unable to obtain essential medicines and healthcare in general. With rising poverty and poor access
to healthcare, there is an unfortunate
increase in illnesses, morbidities, and
deaths." He stated that the productivity of Nigeria's workforce is also likely
to suffer, with a significant negative
impact on wealth creation in Nigeria.
Enabulele added, "So, it is a vicious
cycle that can only be broken by progressive actionable steps taken by the
Federal Government, particularly in
the area of granting tax rebates and
waivers, intervention funds, and other
incentives to make life easier for importers and local manufacturers of
essential medicines, medical products,
and medical technologies.
"When I was President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) from
2012 to 2014, we proposed to President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan's Federal
Government the establishment of a
health-related intervention development fund known as the Health and
Hospital Development Intervention
Fund (HHDIF). The government approved this but did not take action. The
current administration can revitalise
this initiative.
"I expect the Federal Government
to declare this an emergency and take
immediate action to address the situation as well as promote indigenous
manufacturing of essential medicines,
medical products, commodities, and
technologies."
Enabulele responded to the departure of major drug companies from
the country, saying, "While I find this
quite unfortunate, I see it as another
reminder for governments at the
federal, state, and local levels to get serious about their commitments to Indigenous manufacturing of essential
medicines, vaccines, and medicinal
products."
On the way forward, the former
NMA President stated, "Government
intervention is required. Short-term
interventions to support them through
progressive fiscal and monetary policies are critical, as are medium- and
long-term investments in indigenous
manufacturing.
Enabulele suggested offering import rebates and special Forex allocation for drug importers and manufacturers as a short-term solution to
alleviate current challenges.
"I must emphasise the importance
of making appropriate research investments, particularly in these products and services.
In contrast to Prof. Emeje's position,
the former NMA president stated that
a robust health insurance scheme is a
significant solution to the quagmire.
However, he lamented that health inCONTINUES ON P31 ¢
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
Independentngr
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Music cum dance
firecracker, Yemi Alade
has just released her
latest album, 'Rebel
Queen' and it is all he
rave. In this interview
with TOMI FALADE, she
breaks down the vision
behind the album and
her secret to staying
relevant even after a
decade.
@independentngr
@independentngr
I'm An African Rebel — Yemi Alade
in action. Many albums tend to
have monotony in genre and style
and it bores me easily most times.
This album has something
new, old, and borrowed. I want
to emphasise to you that every
song is unique and a capsule of
my thoughts and melodies and
truckload of nostalgia.
Tell us about the tracklist.
It's a 16-track album that takes
you through sounds of Africa on
different tempos and rhythms
with features from a few of your
favorite artistes from different
parts of the world.
What are the major themes in your
forthcoming album?
Feminity, style, dance, motivation, liberation, and consciousness.
How often does your personal life experiences influence a song?
My songs are a reflection of
who I am. My personal life experiences influence my songs 90 per
cent of the time
How would you describe your music
evolution over the years?
I honestly have just continued
to make music with the constant
element being Yemi Alade.
You have consistently dropped hit
songs over the years. What has
been your driving force to maintain
relevance in the music industry for
so long?
I will try to explain it in words.
I love music. It is the one thing
that I'm incredibly gifted at. I am
deeply rooted and connected to
music. For me, it’s therapy, life,
and it has chosen me as a messenger. That’s how I can explain it.
One question many will ask aside your
music career is your love life. Are you
in a relationship at the moment and are
you looking at walking down the aisle
anytime soon?
I would like people to continue
to focus on the things that I am
willing to share with them which
is the music. The focus is my music. Please run up the numbers
people.
You are also constantly travelling,
performing at various concerts and
festivals around the world. How do
you find time to write and record new
songs?
There will always be time for
the things that are most important and writing music is something I always do with ease on
the road as I make voice notes
very frequently and later create
the production.
The music industry is very tough now
with content overload, especially in
Nigeria where many songs are released daily. How do you manage to
reinvent yourself and your music?
The reality of the matter is
that the music industry has always been tough. Even before I
showed any interest in music,
it was tough and will continue
to be tough. But you know what
they say about tough situations,
only the strongest will survive.
On October 2, 2024, you would have
officially been on the music scene
9
Life&Style
You have a new song out now. What
was the idea behind ‘Tomorrow’?
‘Tomorrow’ is a special song to
me. It is a dance/conscious-oriented song that reminds us of
the endless possibilities and a
second chance that ‘tomorrow’
gives every one of us. It was
borne from bare melodies that
manifested into words that everyone can relate to.
I am glad that the song gained
massive acceptance since its
release and the whole world is
dancing to it.
When and how do you relax?
I like to visit new food spots
that have excellent reviews and
when I feel like I need new stimuli, I go to a new country and get
a villa to myself with a personal
chef and a breathtaking view. It
relaxes me immensely.
www.independent.ng
What is the biggest thing stardom and
fame have deprived you of in the last
10 years?
Personal space and sometimes
freedom of expression without
being judged.
What do you regard as the next level
for you?
Life is a personal journey for
everyone. For me, I'm on course
to discovering that.
What’s your biggest worry at this
stage of your life and career?
My worries have all been cast
on God.
actively for a decade, how does that
make you feel?
A decade is a long time! However, officially, it will be 14 years in
the industry that I started music
professionally if you count from
my first song ‘Fimisile’ featuring
Eldeethedon.
Many people have different views of
who Yemi Alade is. In your own words,
who is Yemi Alade?
I am myself. I am true, African,
and incredibly authentic. There
is no one like me. I'm unique! A
rare gem! Trailblazer. An African
rebel making her way in this diverse world of monotony.
I would like people to
continue to focus on
the things that I am
willing to share with
them which is the
music. The focus is my
music. Please run up
the numbers people
Looking at the trajectory of your music career with a new album ready,
what inspired the album title?
Growing up, African Pop music was a mixture of music that
carried messages and helped us
through different situations in
life.
This album is a blend of what
my playlist consists of right
now; the new and old pop music that cuts across generations
and boundaries. I am generally
known as someone who has always charted her own course and
walked the path less travelled.
I am a true rebel in words and
THE TEAM
Tomi Falade
Life Editor
Oyin Somorin
Reporter
Bolatito Adebola
Contributor
Ovwe Medeme
Contributor
Gbemiga Adetunji
Abolaji Shodeko
Interns
Testimony Adebisi Contributor
GRAPHICS
Brown Clement
Joseph O. Ajibolu
10
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
Life Matterswith Oyinkan Somorin
HeartBeat
My Woman Is Too Jealous
Roses&
Thorns
The Lesson Of Life
AMUSAN TOLULOPE
A
I
have an issue on the
ground at my house.
My woman is envious
of my niece. Actually,
my cousin is the only female in my bloodline, and
we all adore her. When I
say "only female," I mean
my mother gave birth to
four boys. Two are married, while the other two
(my younger brother in
secondary school) are not;
my eldest brother, a girl
and four boys while the
second has three boys. The
girl is his first and only
daughter in our family. So
I do not understand why
my woman is unnecessarily jealous of her. The prob-
lem now is that whenever
she sees me with her, she
gets angry. She will sometimes go days without
talking to me. She will tell
me to go and be with my
niece. I adore my niece, so
I often ignore my woman.
She will call me when she
has calmed down, and we
will resume our relationship. But I am not sure
how long she will keep up
this childish act because
it is becoming tiresome.
She is lucky I love her;
otherwise, I would have
shown her the other side
of myself.
Nnamdi, Abia State
Dear Nnamdi,
How well do you know
your woman? Aside from
that, there is one way you
can express your love for
your niece that will make
your woman jealous. How
do you communicate with
your niece? All of this is
something you should consider before saying she is
lucky you love her. She is
indeed fortunate if this
is how you express your
love. Just do not show
your niece so much love
that she disrespects your
woman. Set a limit when
it comes to showing your
love to both of your women.
SEX
ROOM
I Enjoy Being Cuddled
I
have always enjoyed
cuddling as a child. I
will not sleep unless I
cuddle my giant teddy
bear and the pillows that
surround me. They are
like a sleeping pill to me.
This is causing a problem
in my relationship right
now. Even if I am with my
guy, I cannot sleep unless
I am in my own bed with
my pillows and teddy bear.
No matter how intimate I
am with him, it is a waste
of time. I am not going to
sleep. My boyfriend believes I have insomnia, but
I know I don't. I am simply
not in my comfort zone.
Res:
There are some people
who are similar to you, so
you are not alone. All you
have to do is make your
boyfriend understand
how it is for you. Now the
question is whether you
will be staying with your
parents or alone. If you
stay alone, you can invite
him to your end, but if you
are with your parents, he
must make arrangements
before sacrificing his
pillows to you. This may
appear comical, but it is
something you should try.
You must eventually leave
your home and marry.
kansomandy@gmail.com,
+234-803-459-7202
s I reflected on my son's death,
I felt profound sadness and
exhaustion. I needed to take
a break from work and see
something different. That is when I
remembered my old friend Akin, who
lives on the outskirts of the city. I decided to spend a week with him, hoping
to find solace.
Upon arrival, I was greeted warmly,
but I quickly realised that my friend
was struggling to make ends meet. I
caught him begging his neighbour for
money, and the desperation in his eyes
made my heart ache. I was taken aback
when a so-called neighbour insulted my
friend, calling him "beggy beggy" who
could not support his family. I watched
as he pushed him away, feeling both angry and sad. I noticed that some people
are going through a lot.
But then I noticed his wife's quiet perseverance. She sneaked into the kitchen
carrying a large black polythene bag. I
assumed she went to prepare food for
me.
I noticed her repackaging the leftovers to ensure that I was fed. It was
a small family, but full of love. The
wife remained patient and never complained.
It is difficult to imagine such a woman remaining with a man in such circumstances. I overheard that she lost
her job because she took out a loan to
help her husband's failing business.
Unfortunately, the loan was not repayable.
On the third day, I followed Akin's
wife to a nearby canteen, where she
washed plates for only N2000. I was
moved to tears. I could hear her begging
her sister on the phone to give her some
time to pay back what she owed her.
I know some of you want to insult
her or call her lazy, but she was not willing to trade her body for money, and for
that, I respect her.
Determined to assist, I disguised myself and approached the canteen owner,
handing her N100,000 cash and specifically instructing her to give N50,000 to
my friend's wife and divide the remaining N50,000 among the other employees.
I could not describe their joy that
night. Out of that little, I saw how they
meticulously planned how to repay all
of the loans they owed. I snapped the
paper.
The next day, I followed Akin to a
construction site where he was trying
to find work. The foreman asked him
to dig a seven-foot hole for a suckaway,
and I could not bear to see my friend
struggle.
I begged him to leave, but he declined.
I wanted to join him, but he refused.
This was not the life I had imagined
for my ride-or-die guy. My five-star is
now a dim star.
That night, before leaving, I left $2
million in his safe and scheduled a
truck to deliver bags of rice, beans, and
other necessities to his family.
As I prepared to leave, I noticed the
hope in Akin's eyes and knew that our
friendship was worth fighting for. I realised that sometimes all we need is a
helping hand to lift each other out of
the darkness and into a brighter future.
When I saw his call, I knew my message had been delivered to him.
"Ore, I have seen it. "Thank you."
He burst out crying on the phone. I
wish he understood what he had taught
me. What you are facing is actually supporting others. The situation awakens
the human spirit within me.
He should have reached out to me.
But he suspected I might not want to
help him. Try at least once. Do not die
in silence. Call for assistance.
I expected someone to console me, but
I was sent there to change the course
of their lives. Life has a funny way of
teaching people a lesson.
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
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Tomi Falade;
0706-734-1484;
kiyesola2002@yahoo.com
A
s part of its Spotlight
Initiative interventions on sexual-gender-based violence,
the European Union (EU), in
partnership with the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), recently
premiered the movie ‘Deafening Silence’ in Lagos. The film,
starring Nollywood actors
Kate Henshaw, Bimbo Akintola, Chidi Mokeme, Daniel
Etim-Effiong, and Femi Jacobs among other Nollywood
actors, highlights various aspects of sexual-gender-based
violence, including sexual harassment, child abuse, and the
importance of raising boys to
respect women.
“What we want to achieve
is basically to raise awareness
and to make sure that we reach
out to every corner of Nigeria
to break the silence and to
open a debate about the effects
of gender-based violence and
trying to bring change,” the
EU Ambassador to Nigeria
and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi,
represented by Ruben Alba
Aguilera, Head of the Governance, Gender Human Rights
and Migration Section at the
EU Delegation.The Spotlight
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11
On Screen
EU, UNDP Amplify Fight Against Sexual-GenderBased Violence Through Deafening Silence
Initiative is the EU and UN's
largest investment tool for preventing sexual-gender-based
violence. Launched in 2019,
the programme concluded in
2023 but plans to maintain momentum with new initiatives,
as disclosed by Aguilera. Over
one billion Naira has been invested in the programme, resulting in the establishment
of 41 Sexual Assault Referral
Centres across 20 states in Nigeria, providing support and
legal aid to victims. A major
milestone is the creation of a
special court for prosecuting
offenders.
Despite global attention,
Nigeria continues to report
rising cases of sexual-gender-based violence. The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs
disclosed last year that the
country recorded 27,698 cases
between 2020 and 2023.
Aguilera believes many
cases in Nigeria are underreported.
“Part of the effort has been
EU's Programme Manager on Democracy, Rule of Law and Gender, Laolu Olawumi_ Head of the
Governance, Gender Human Rights and Migration Section at the EU Delegation, Ruben Alba Aguilera_ and Public Affairs Officer
to put light on this issue and to
make sure that victims don't
feel afraid to speak up and also
to make sure they have access
to legal means to address their
problems. The more we talk
about it, the more we realise,
and the more we'll learn about
the magnitude of the problem.
And by talking about it, I think
the society will also realise and
the new generation, particularly the younger men will be
more exposed and more aware
and realise that it's not okay to
use violence on our mothers,
daughters, or sisters.”
With ‘Deafening Silence,’
the EU aims to spread the
message to every Nigerian
household.
“Change is possible. By
leveraging the creative industries and the power of Nollywood, we want to reach every
family, every household, and
every corner of Nigeria. We
want people to speak up and
question the status quo,” Aguilera added.
‘Deafening Silence’ will be
screened for free in select cinemas in Nigeria, with plans for
a mini TV series and another
production on Netflix.
“We are planting seeds of
change. By reaching a wide
audience and sparking debate,
we aim to make a significant
impact. If every family watches
the movie or series and discusses the role of women in society
and the unacceptability of violence, we are making a huge
difference,” he concluded.
MTN Nigeria Rewards AMVCA
Best Short Film Winner
Loughborough University VC
Visits Nigeria, Preaches Strategic
Partnerships, Collaborations
Loughborough University
Vice-Chancellor and President, Prof. Nick Jennings
recently concluded a visit
to Nigeria to develop strategic partnerships with key
sector stakeholders.
During the visit, Prof.
Jennings met with stakeholders in the education
sector, as well as government officials to discuss
varying issues around
sport, education, health &
well-being, climate action,
and inclusive communities.
“At Loughborough our
research is about real-world
impact, helping to make
changes that improve the
quality of life for individuals and the planet,” said
Prof. Jennings while on a
visit to the Governor of
Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-olu,
who was represented by his
Commissioner for Tertiary
Education, Tolani Sule, and
Commissioner for Youth &
Social Development, Mobolaji Abubakre.
“We are interested in
equitable partnerships, so
when we work in any region, we want to be clear
that the research we do is
beneficial to everyone. This
is why a lot of our partnerships are co-designed and
co-created by our local partners,” he added.
Following this meeting,
the Vice-Chancellor later
met with officials of the
British Council and University of Lagos where
he engaged in high-level
discussions with the institution’s Vice Chancellor,
Prof. Folasade Ogunsola.
He wrapped up his official
visit to Nigeria with a networking dinner reception
organised for alumni and
offer holders of the University.
Prof. Jennings was accompanied on his trip by
Prof. Malcolm Cook, Dean
of the School of Architecture, Building and Civil
Engineering; Dr. Sola Afolabi, Senior Lecturer in
Water & Environmental
Engineering and University International Special
Envoy to Sub-Saharan Africa; Dr. Hibbah Osei-Kwasi,
Lecturer in the School of
Sport, Exercise and Health
Sciences and University International Special Envoy
to Sub-Saharan Africa; and
Florence Mutero, Global
Engagement Officer, Africa.
The Vice-Chancellor’s
visit to Nigeria came on
the heels of a similar one
to Ghana where he met
with the country’s Minister of Youth and Sport,
Hon. Mustapha Ussif, to
discuss Ghana’s sporting
aspirations and ambitions
based on Loughborough
University’s reputation as
the world’s best university
for sports-related subjects.
The recent Africa
Magic Viewers’
Choice Awards
was filled with lots
of excitement and
surprises with the
awards platform
recognising and
honouring some
of Africa’s finest
filmmakers and
storytellers with
various activities
such as the Special
Night with Icons,
Young Filmmakers
Day, Cultural Day
Celebration and the
Awards Night.
As a consistent
supporter of entertainment, arts, and
culture, MTN Nigeria sponsored the award category for
Best Short Film /Online Video of the AMVCA for the third
consecutive year. This aligns
with the brand’s commitment
to digital and cultural innovation, and African excellence.
The award-winning short
film titled “Broken Mass”
was written, directed, and produced by Kaghor Idhebor. The
film was lauded for its compelling narrative and exceptional
performances, capturing the
attention of both the audience
and the jury with its powerful
storytelling and impressive
visual execution. The film
portrays the psychological
impact of child molestation
from a father's perspective,
drawing inspiration from Nigerian painter and sculptor
Ben Enwonwu for the main
character played by Richard.
This award is a significant
achievement for Idhebor and
his team as it signals their
creative excellence in the film
industry.
Kgho Idhebor expressed
his gratitude for the win, stating, "Winning this award is a
tremendous honour. 'Broken
Mask' is a project close to my
heart, and I am thrilled that it
has resonated with so many
people. I thank my team, AMVCA organizers, and MTN for
their support and for providing a platform that celebrates
and uplifts African storytellers."
MTN Nigeria awarded
Kaghor N1 Million, MTN
broadband router, and lots of
other prizes.
Commenting on MTN's
commitment to Nigerian entertainment, Emamoke Ogoro,
General Manager, Brand &
Communication, MTN Nigeria said "We are incredibly
proud to continue to sponsor
a category that shines light on
the bright and vibrant talent
in our film industry. 'Broken
Mask' is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity that defines African cinema, and we
congratulate Kgho Idhebor on
this well-deserved win."
MTN Nigeria's sponsorship
of the Best Short Film category for the third consecutive
time spotlights its commitment to amplifying the voices
of emerging filmmakers and
providing a platform for their
storytelling abilities. This
partnership with the AMVCA demonstrates a shared
commitment to celebrating
creativity and advancing the
Nigerian and African entertainment industry. MTN
Nigeria remains dedicated
to promoting and supporting
the Nigerian entertainment
industry and collaborating
with strategic partners to create value across the entertainment industry value chain.
12
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@independentngr
StyleMania
Why Half Shoes
Are The New Twist
For Extraordinary
Men
E
very day, man thirsts for newness, something fresh and unique that would drive
excitement, and it is the same in fashion.
But with fashion, is anything really new?
No. Instead, styles take a trendy round, go out of
fashion, and then stage a powerful comeback. This
time, it is men’s half shoes.
For men’s footwear, one can forget clunky
sneakers and stuffy boots or dress shoes because
men's half shoes are having a moment, offering a
combination of comfort, sophistication, and surprising versatility.
Gone are the days of half-shoes being relegated
to poolside lounging. Look for sleek, buckled styles
in leather alternatives. These pair perfectly with
chinos, linen pants, or even a daring summer suit
for a touch of effortless cool.
The Half-Loafer: A Timeless Choice
The half-loafer, a shorter version of the classic
loafer, is a must-have for any man's wardrobe. It
offers the same clean lines and polished look, but
with a hint of informality. Dress them up with
trousers and a blazer or keep it casual with jeans
and a T-shirt.
Elevated Comfort: Designer Slippers
Who says comfort can't be luxurious? High-end
designers are taking the humble slipper to new
heights with premium materials and modern
designs. These slip-ons are perfect for running
errands or adding a touch of unexpected flair to
a relaxed weekend outfit.
So ditch the bulky footwear and step into the
world of men's half shoes. From sandals to loafers
to designer slippers and sneakers, there's a style
for every man who wants to look sharp and feel
comfortable.
www.independent.ng
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
TOMI FALADE
+234-706-734-1484;
kiyesola2002@yahoo.com
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
N
igerian superstar Ayra
Starr isn't just celebrating her approaching
21st birthday with the
release of her sophomore album, The Year I Turned 21, she's
commemorating a meteoric rise
to the top of the Afrobeats scene.
Starr, a signee under the powerhouse label Mavin Records, has
been teasing the album since early 2024. The infectious lead single,
Commas, released in February,
showcased her signature blend
of catchy Afropop melodies and
raw lyricism. The Year I Turned
21 expands on this formula, offering a diverse soundscape that
incorporates elements of R&B,
dancehall, and even a touch of
Latin flair.
The 15-track project, which officially dropped today, is a vibrant
exploration of self-discovery, navigating love's complexities, and
the whirlwind of emotions that
come with stepping into adulthood. But Starr's impact extends
far beyond the introspective lyrics and infectious melodies of her
new album.
Starr has been a force to be
reckoned with on streaming
platforms. In the last 12 months
alone, her tracks have been added to over 15.5 million playlists,
a testament to her growing influence. Interestingly, her audience
leans slightly male, with a core
fanbase of younger adults - 20%
between 18-22 years old and 30%
falling into the 23-27 age group.
Her meteoric rise is further solidified by her previous hits. In
the past year, tracks like Rush,
Santa, People, No Love, and Ngozi dominated streaming charts,
solidifying her spot as one of the
year's most streamed artists. This
momentum undoubtedly fueled
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Black Girl Magic
13
Ayra Starr On Spotify: From
Afrobeats Princess To Global Queen
Tiwa Savage
the anticipation for The Year I
Turned 21.
Spotify, recognising the rising
star's potential, hosted a lavish
listening party for Ayra Starr as
part of the album launch. The
exclusive event, held just before
the official release, allowed a select group of industry insiders,
media personnel, social media influencers and loyal fans to experience the album in a celebratory
atmosphere. Starr herself was
present, interacting with guests
and sharing her creative vision
behind the project.
The album itself is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Tracks
like Goodbye (Warm Up), featuring fellow Nigerian artist Asake,
pulsate with energy, perfect for
dancefloor moments. In contrast, Last Heartbreak Song, with
American singer Giveon, delves
into the vulnerability of lost love
with stunning emotional depth.
Songs like Woman Commando
featuring Anitta and Coco Jones,
celebrate female empowerment
with a vibrant mix of Afrobeats
and Latin rhythms.
While critical reception is still
rolling in, early reactions suggest
The Year I Turned 21 is a strong
follow-up to Starr's impressive debut. With its infectious melodies,
introspective lyrics, and impressive collaborations, the album
promises to solidify her position
as a leading force in the Afrobeats scene and beyond. Whether
you're a longtime fan or just discovering Ayra Starr's talent, The
Year I Turned 21 is a compelling
listen that offers a glimpse into
the vibrant world of this rising
star.
Chioma Chukwuka Partners USAID As Goodwill Ambassador For Nutrition
The U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) has named
Nollywood actress Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha as its inaugural
Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition in Nigeria. This partnership
aims to raise awareness about
the critical issue of malnutrition, which affects millions of
Nigerians, especially women and
children. Malnutrition remains a
significant challenge in Nigeria,
with severe acute malnutrition
impacting 3.6 million children,
and contributing to 50 percent of
all deaths among children under
five years old. The prevalence of
malnutrition among women, adolescents, and young children undermines community health and
development.
In collaboration with the Nigerian government and people, the
U.S. government, through USAID,
works to mitigate malnutrition by
providing effective treatment for
severe malnutrition, coordinating
nutrition services, and promoting
proven methods to support better
nutrition, especially for mothers, infants, young children, and
teenagers. As the Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition, Chioma
Chukwuka Akpotha has agreed
to work to raise awareness about
maternal health and child nutrition, promote healthy behaviors,
and disseminate key nutritional
messages.
"Chioma embodies the essence
of advocacy and activism," said
USAID Mission Director Melissa
Jones. "Her commitment to maternal health and child well-being
is a calling – a calling to use her
platform for the greater good, to
amplify the voices of the voiceless, and to inspire action and
change."
"We celebrate this partnership
with Chioma Akpotha, which represents a milestone in our commitment to collaborate with the
Nigerian people," Jones added.
"Nutrition plays a vital role in
the overall health and development of Nigeria, especially for its
young population. By harnessing
and leveraging its talent, Nigeria
can continue to chart a course
towards greater prosperity and
progress."
Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha
expressed her enthusiasm for the
partnership, stating, "I am honored
to be USAID's inaugural Goodwill
Ambassador for Nutrition in Nigeria. Maternal and child health is a
cause close to my heart, and I am
committed to using my platform to
raise awareness and inspire positive change. Together with USAID,
we can make a lasting impact on
the lives of Nigerian families."
Through this partnership, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha's genuine commitment to maternal and
child health and nutrition, com-
bined with her influential platform and USAID's support, aims to
inspire a nationwide movement towards better nutrition and health
for all Nigerians.
14
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www.independent.ng
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
Interview
From Rejection To Recognition,
Chimezie Imo Speaks On AMVCA Win
emerged as a runner-up.
How did you feel when you won the
2024 AMVCA Trailblazer Award?
Receiving the ‘Trailblazer
Award' was a truly surreal experience. I wasn't expecting it at all, as
this award is usually the surprise
of the night. But when they called
my name, I was overwhelmed with
gratitude and joy. I'm so thankful
to be recognised for the gift God
has blessed me with - the ability
to make a positive impact in my
community. As I accepted the
award, I couldn't help but shed a
tear or two - tears of joy, tears of
gratitude, and tears of hope for the
future. This moment is a reminder
that our hard work and dedication
can lead to amazing opportunities,
and I'm excited to see what's next.
Nigerian actor,
Chimezie Imo in this
exclusive interview
shared his experience
in the entertainment
industry, including a
transformative time
on the Nigerian talent
show, ‘The Next Movie
Star Reality Show’, in
2014. He revealed how
he felt when he won the
Trailblazer Award, the
challenges he faced in his
acting career, and how
he overcame them. The
actor, who became more
famous after starring in
the popular movie ‘The
Breath of Life’, clinched
the Trailblazer Award
at the recently held
Africa Magic Viewers'
Choice Award (AMVCA).
He was nominated for
Best Promising Young
Actor in the 2020 Movie
Academy Award, and
nominated for The Future
Awards Africa Prize for
Acting in 2020. In 2023,
he received another
nomination for Best
Actor in a Drama at the
AMVCA Awards, before
finally bagging one at the
2024 AMVCA Awards.
EGUNGWU CHUKWUKA
BENJAMIN brings
excerpts.
Tell us about yourself, your educational background.
I am a graduate of Applied
Ecology from Abubakar Tafawa
Balewa University, Bauchi. I am
the fifth child of five children. I
hail from Orsu Local Government
Area in Imo State.
What was your experience like on the
Nigerian talent show ‘The Next Movie
Star Reality Show’ in 2014?
Participating in the NMS reality TV show was my equivalent
of film school, as I had no formal
acting training. It was a transformative learning experience where
I met many talented individuals.
The competition also helped me
build confidence, as I was the
smallest male contestant considering my body size, but I proudly
Can you brief us on some of the challenges you faced in your acting career,
and how you overcame them?
Just like every other career
path, acting has its own unique
set of challenges, ranging from
rejection and disappointment to
a sometimes lack of direction and
guidance. Additionally, there are
times when financial struggles
and family pressure can weigh
heavily on an actor's shoulders.
Despite all of these obstacles, I
have tried to remain consistent
and focused on my dream, while
also taking time to enjoy the journey and learn as I go. It's not always easy, but I believe that persistence and dedication are key
to overcoming the hurdles and
achieving success in this field. I
have been able to navigate the ups
and downs of an acting career and
continue to grow and develop as a
professional.
You were emotional when receiving
the award, can you share with us what
triggered the tears of joy?
As I said, it was a surprise, it
wasn't expected. I felt seen, heard,
and appreciated; those feelings are
gold, not necessarily the plaque. In
all, God is good, and in His time,
He makes all things beautiful.
How do you see your career evolving
in the next few years?
Just as God has taken charge
from the very beginning, I trust
Him to continue guiding me on
this journey. I am a dreamer, and I
have faith that God brings dreams
to fruition. He takes the seeds of
hope and possibility that I plant,
nurtures them with His love and
wisdom, and brings them to life
in ways beyond what I could have
imagined. I am grateful to be a
part of His plan, and I know that
with Him by my side, even the biggest dreams can become a reality.
What advice would you give to aspiring actors who are trying to break into
the industry?
If you are convinced that you
have the talent to take on this career, then take it on with all you've
got and stay consistent. Get comfortable with getting rejections,
because you will get a lot of them.
Keep evolving, and in all you do,
involve God.
How Beauty Tukura
Sparkled In Fayrouz Here’s
To Taste Campaign
T O M I FA L A D E
Beauty does not exist only for the
eyes. There’s beauty in sound,
scents, and even taste.
It therefore did not come as a
surprise when Fayrouz unveiled
the highly anticipated campaign
video for its ‘Here’s To Taste’
campaign, featuring former Miss
Nigeria and reality TV sensation,
Beauty Tukura. This collaboration brings together two icons of
authenticity and excellence.
The campaign video is a masterclass in elegance and sophistication, showcasing Beauty
Tukura in a moment of serene
grace. As the video opens, we see
Beauty walking towards a beautifully set table, the ambient light
catching the sparkle in her steps.
She reaches for a chilled can of
Fayrouz and pours it into a glass
with a fluid motion that speaks
of effortless charm.
As she sips the drink with a
warm smile, savouring its refreshing taste, she says, “Here’s
to taste, new look, and new flavour.” This simple yet powerful
moment encapsulates the essence
of the ‘Here’s to Taste’ campaign
— to celebrate the unique and discerning taste of Fayrouz lovers
and encourage them to bask in
their true selves.
The ‘Here’s to Taste’ campaign
encourages everyone to bask in
their true selves and savour the
authentic moments that define
their lives. Whether enjoying
Fayrouz with friends or taking a
moment of personal reflection,
the campaign is a reminder to
appreciate the finer things in life.
With the new Apple-Watermelon flavour and the brand’s new
look, Fayrouz is set to redefine
refreshment for its consumers.
/Independentngr
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
@independentngr
With
Ovwe Medeme
+0807-566-0491
mattdemeng@gmail.com
@independentngr
www.independent.ng
15
Snapshots
Wonder Wellness Foundation Celebrates Mary Njoku Remembers Late Sister, Nwakaego
Children’s Day With Ajegunle Kids
n an emotional post, Ni- preferred to share these mo-
I
Wonder Wellness Foundation Celebrates Children’s Day With
Ajegunle Kids
As part of activities to mark the
2024 Children’s Day Celebration,
Wonder Wellness Foundation, a
body dedicated to nurturing the
physical, mental, and emotional
health of children, especially those
in underserved communities, has
held a special celebration dedicated to the less privileged children
of Ajegunle.
Held on Saturday, April 25,
the event featured learning and
wellness activities, reflecting the
Foundation’s commitment to enhancing the well-being of every
child.
According to its convener, Ifeanyi Amayo in addition to promoting wellness in children, this
year’s Children’s Day outreach
provided an enriching experience
that combined fun with education,
ensuring that the children of Ajegunle not only celebrated but also
benefited from valuable health and
wellness insights.
This event underscores the
foundation’s commitment to improving the well-being and future
prospects of children in underserved communities. Children’s
Day is a special occasion to recognise the potential and dreams of
every child.
“Our celebration in Ajegunle
is a testament to our ongoing efforts to provide children with opportunities for growth, learning,
and development. We believe that
every child deserves a chance to
succeed, regardless of their background.”
She further noted that the
event was sponsored by Arla
Dano milk which provided nutritious milk products for the kids as
well as the House of Ajebo Junior
brand which provided educational materials for children and their
parents.
“We want to specially thank the
community leaders, Olu of Iwa
and Apapa Kingdom, Alayeluwa
HRM Oba Mohammed Moroofdeen Oyekunle Atanda Amodu Tijani Oluwa (Amore III), and Hon.
Lucky Uduikhue, Vice Chairman
of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government, for supporting us in this
heartwarming celebration.
“Additionally, our gratitude extends to Dreams from the Slum.
Together, we made a significant
difference in the lives of these
young ones, fostering a healthier,
happier future for all,” she added.
The Wonder Wellness Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to enhancing the
health, education, and overall
well-being of children in Nigeria.
Founded in 2020, the foundation
aims to improve general wellbeing by providing essential services
and creating opportunities for individuals of all ages.
gerian actress and filmmaker, Mary Njoku has
given updates about her
life and career progression
to her late sister, Nwakaego
Remmy.
According to her, since the
late Nwakaego’s demise, she
has won the Harvard OPM64
Idol featuring 170 super-successful Entrepreneurs from
48 countries, noting that it
feels surreal that she got into
the most exclusive program
at arguably the best business
school in the world.
“When you left, I doubted
if God ever loved me. How
could he be so selfish? Keeping you to himself. I still hurt.
Very much. As I type this supposed good news message to
you, I feel so sad. I would have
Priye Diri
Nigerian filmmaker and screenwriter Priye Diri has made history as the only Nigerian of the
20 participants from 12 countries
selected for the 10th edition of the
Film Independent Global Media
Makers Residency in the USA.
Organized by Film Independent and backed by the U.S. Department of State, the program
fosters connections between
international filmmakers and
the American entertainment
industry. Its mission is to build a
multi-regional network that supports creative economic development and freedom of expression
through global storytelling.
For five weeks, Diri and her
fellow residents will delve into
intensive filmmaking tracks.
Mary Njoku
Missing Girls: Stop Talking Down On
Women — Sarah Martins
Nollywood’s Priye Diri Selected
For US Film Residency
These include screenwriting,
directing, creative development,
and documentary filmmaking.
Cultural engagement sessions,
masterclasses, and industry
meetings will further enrich the
experience, all while participants
refine their ongoing projects.
Diri’s project, titled ‘Baby
Girl’, explores the complexities
of a mother-daughter relationship and a woman's journey of
self-discovery.
The residency brings together filmmakers from Bangladesh,
India, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan,
South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia,
Uganda, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe.
This diverse group is poised to
forge lasting collaborations and
relationships with experienced
mentors in the American film
industry and each other.
Diri’s writing credits include
the currently streaming ‘Kill
Boro’ which debuted at No. 2 on
Amazon Prime in May. Her directorial credits include ‘Rule No 1’
on Showmax, ‘Chimera’ on Iroko
TV and her short film currently
in Post Production titled ‘Dying
Is Hard To Do’ which stars Paul
Nnadieke, Imoh Eboh, Dorothy
Njemanze, and Chuks Joseph
and is written by Nengi Diri.
ments with you. Efiko like
you. Na you for first me reach
here sef.
“Sitting on a bench under a tree, like the student
that I am, people staring and
wondering why I am crying,
smiling, and typing. ‘Dem fit
think say I don craze’ and
they are right.
“Crazy things have been
happening to me all my life.
Where people take the stairs,
he provides a lift. Where people run, he gives me wings. I
am staring at my case study,
unable to process anything
cos I am still in awe of his
goodness in my life. And
I miss you. Sooooo much!
Sooooo much. Especially today… Rest on sis. Love you
always,” she wrote.
Sarah Martins
Nigerian actress,
Sarah Martins has
called on her fellow
countrymen to stop
talking down on
women on account
of the two ladies who
went missing after
visiting an acquaintance.
Recently, news of
the disappearance
of two friends, Celine
Ndudim and Afiba
Tandoh, in Abia State
emerged. A suspect,
Andrew Amaechi,
who was arrested in
connection with the
disappearance refused to reveal their
whereabouts. The
suspect, who is now
late, was allegedly
found in possession
of the women's be-
longings, and was
accused of being a
part of an organ harvesting ring.
Reacting to some
comments she read
on social media, Martins said that Nigerians are hypocrites,
stating that the same
people who met the
love of their lives on
social media are busy
bashing the ladies
who visited a man of
their own free will.
“Most of us met
our partners on social
media so stop using it
as an opportunity to
bully those innocent
ladies. It’s not fair!
It could have been
anyone! Someone
like me that doesn’t
even go out. I can’t
remember the last
time I stepped out of
my house and agreed
to exchange numbers
with strangers
“I’ve met good
people on this app
and a lot of you even
got married through
this same social media. Condemn online
sex hawking (hook
up/runs etc) but not
someone that met
you online with genuine intentions. Even
Moses Bliss met his
beautiful wife on IG
and the online relationship turned into
a physical relationship then marriage.
Stop using every
opportunity to talk
down on women,” she
wrote.
Mofe Duncan Recounts Bodyshaming Experience
Famous actor, Mofe Duncan has called out a social
media user, @iamadeogooluwayimika for stating
that he is not allowed on
the most handsome men in
Nigeria list because he is
on the big side. In a post
on his Instagram page, the
actor noted that comments
like that have zero impact
on him, falling off like a
leaf falling from a tree.
Accepting his size, the
actor said that he has
been that way for the past
10 years. He further noted that he once suffered a
severe back injury while
in the gym trying to look
how people wanted him to
look.
“I’ve been trolled and
even had producers not
want to work with me after calling me “FAT”, yes.
Did it affect me years ago?
Yes. Does it affect me now?
Never. Has it affected my
acting or my career? I’d let
my movies speak for me.
“What about my personality? Never. Or my
health? Nope. Now some
would say “Ignore these
trolls”, I should, shouldn’t
I? Yes. The thing is… this
post ain’t for me or about
me, it’s for others like me
who get body shamed or
called “unpretty” because
they’re larger than their
peers.”
Born May 28, 1983, in
Lagos, Mofe is the last
child of his parent seven
children. He has five sisters and one brother. Mofe
attended both primary and
secondary schools in Lagos State. He later went
on to study Biological Sciences at the University of
Lagos (UNILAG).
He has acted in a number of films, including
‘The Three Kings’, ‘Dark
Past’, and ‘Talking Doll’
which marked his directorial debut.
16
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, MARCH 30, 2024
Young Laureates
What's up, Laureates! It's another fun-filled Saturday. This week, we have some wise words for
kids who will soon be teenagers. Being a teenager is a fun, but it is also a time when many new
experiences will occur. So, to learn more about what I am about to say, please visit the Wise
Words Section. Enjoy.
Wise Words
1. "Why your parents will never be your
best friend is because they are also
people."
Parents are never going to be
your best friends. They have been
your staunchest supporter and devout lover since the day you were
born, and this will not change no
matter what you say or do. They
will never abandon or forget you.
However, they have their own lives
and want to enjoy them! Yes, they
do have a sense of humour. It helps!
The elephant asked a fox, and
he received the same response:
he was too big. The next day, all
of the animals in the forest fled
in fear. The elephant approached
a bear and inquired as to what
was going on, only to learn that
a tiger was attacking all of the
animals.
The elephant wanted to help
the other weak animals and
approached the tiger, saying,
"Please, sir, leave my friends
alone. Do not eat them." The tiger refused to listen and told the
elephant to mind her own business. Seeing no other option, the
elephant kicked the tiger, scaring
it away.
She then returned to the oth-
ers and explained what had happened. After hearing how the
elephant saved their lives, the
animals all agreed, "You are just
the right size to be our friend."
MORAL: Friends come in all
shapes and sizes!
Eight Things Every Child Should Know
When They Reach Adolescence
4. "This is not the end of the world."
It takes guts to admit your mistakes and accept responsibility
for them. As adults, we still struggle with it, and believe me, some
adults will never grow up and admit their mistakes. They are still
playing the blame game. Please do
not become one of those people.
This is not the end of the world. It
is just another life lesson to learn
and move on. This reminds me of
a quote I recently heard: "I have
learned so much from my mis-
[Verse 1: Ayra Starr]
I let the water touch my mink
(Yeah)
Can't let these people get to me
I know you know I never drink
(Yeah)
I'm mixin' with that Hennessy
(Mixin' with that Hennessy)
I need my enemies desist, ayy
I know they wanna find a crease
(Know they wanna find a crease)
God they see in me, ayy (Ah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
[Refrain: Ayra Starr]
Gave me the world, but they serve
it on my palms (My palms)
I watch my word 'cause they heavy
on your heart (Your heart)
You hit my line, but I'm talkin' to
my mom's
And when there's time, I'll be
talkin' up with God
[Chorus: Ayra Starr & Choir,
Ayra Starr]
No dey throw bad vibes
Where the money dey, that is
where I'm at
Anyhow e be, I dey play my part
Igi gogoro magun mi l'oju, mi o fo
No dey throw bad vibes (No dey
throw bad vibes)
Where the money dey, that is
where I'm at (Ah)
Anyhow e be, I dey play my part
(I dey play my part)
Igi gogoro magun mi l'oju, mi o
fo ( mi oh)
2. "Think for yourself; that is why you
have a brain."
When you are unable to make decisions that we believe are in your
best interests, we may attempt to
guide and influence you. But we do
want you to think for yourself, to use
your brain more, to make the right
decisions for you, rather than succumbing to peer pressure and going
against your better judgement and
willpower. We understand that it is
easier said than done, but we simply
must say it.
3. "There will always be problems: keep
your focus!"
Yes, focus on the problem rather
than the person, especially if the
problem was caused by someone.
This makes it easier to keep emotions out of the problem. The problem loses some of its complexity,
making it more manageable. If a
problem appears insurmountable,
parents are always available to help.
Bad vibes
[Intro: Ayra Starr]
No dey throw bad vibes
Where the money dey, that is
where I'm at
Anyhow e be, I dey play my part
Igi gogoro magun mi l'oju, mi o fo
( MystroSugar)
The Right Size Of Friendship
A
Lyrics
By Ayra Starr
STORY
lone elephant wandered
the forest, looking for
friends. She approached
a monkey and asked,
"Will you be my friend, monkey?"
"You are too big and cannot
swing from trees like I do. So I
cannot be your friend," explained
the monkey.
The elephant then approached
a rabbit and asked if she could
be his friend. "You are too big to
fit in my burrow. "You cannot be
my friend," the rabbit responded.
The elephant then met a frog
and asked her to be her friend.
The frog said, "You are too big
and heavy." You cannot jump like
me. I am sorry, but you cannot be
my friend.”
AUNTY OYIN
kansomandy@gmail.com
+2348034597202
takes, I am considering making a
few more."
5. "Remember what you excel at."
Success means something different to each individual. Create
your own personal success story
by identifying your strengths, areas
for improvement, and areas where
you believe you should excel! Above
all, you excel at a variety of tasks. If
you ever have any doubts, do not be
afraid to ask your parents.
6. "You are unique. Yes, there is just one
of you.”
Do you realise how awesome
that is? Despite the fact that there
are billions of people in the world,
you stand out as one of a kind. You
are not your parents. Do not try to
be them. You do not need to be them.
Parents will try to be positive role
models for their children, but we are
not perfect either. This is your life;
please live it fully, joyfully, and in the
best way possible, celebrating everything that is wonderful about you.
7. "Make your voice heard, but in the
right way."
The power of language can heal,
harm, uplift, and inspire. I could go
on and on, but it all boils down to
this: let your voice be heard, but
in the appropriate way. Say what
needs to be said, but do so tactfully, considerately, and never maliciously. There are numerous ways
to communicate and express your
thoughts and feelings. Choose wisely, my child.
8. "Sex and relationships: there is a
distinction."
I understand you may not be
ready to discuss this right now, but
I will anyway. I hope it means more
to you when you get to this point in
time. Yes, there is a distinction between sex and relationship. Sex is
simply the physical manifestation
of an expression, which is not always love or carried out in a loving
manner. To enter into a relationship
with someone, there should be mutual respect, healthy interest, patience, love, consideration, and the
intention to keep the relationship
exclusive and to yourselves. I hope
this makes sense and prevents you
from being seriously injured or injuring another person.
[Verse 2: Seyi Vibez]
And I go dance for you, Michael
Jackson
Mama always say, "Son, have
mercy on me"
The angels never forsake me
Halleluyah, morenikeji
Promise to play my part
Sometimes I pray and fast
Seven days and night
Forever the light
Son of Amdallah (Hold on)
Girl, you know I was a rasta
Play dem Kigawa
O'mologo dia
Olorun l'oba wa
See my flows fire
[Chorus: Ayra Starr & Choir, Ayra
Starr, Seyi Vibez, Ayra Starr, Seyi
Vibez & Choir]
No dey throw bad vibes
Where the money dey, that is
where I'm at (That is where I'm at)
Anyhow e be, I dey play my part
(I dey play my part)
Igi gogoro magun mi l'oju, mi o
fo ( fo oh)
No dey throw bad vibes
Where the money dey, that is
where I'm at (That is where I'm at)
Anyhow e be, I dey play my part
(I dey play my part)
Igi gogoro magun mi l'oju, mi o fo
( Ma gun mi loju fo oh)
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
With
YEMI ADEBISI
pastoryemiadebisi@gmail.com
0803 - 947 - 2715
/Independentngr
@independentngr
@independentngr
www.independent.ng
17
Arts | Culture | Reviews
Adeniji Kazeem Unveils Book
On Electronic Transaction June 11
F
ormer Lagos State
Attorney General
and Commissioner
for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, SAN is set to
unveil a new book titled “The
Nigerian Law of Electronic
Transactions” on June 11 in
Lagos.
In a statement by Adeniji
Poet Anote Ajeluorou Calls For Revival Of
Libraries, Rethinking Traditions In Ozoro
On May 24, Ozoro,
Delta State, came
alive with a powerful evening of
poetry and reflection at Berkley's
Lounge. Journalist and writer
Anote Ajeluorou
read from his acclaimed collection
‘Libations for Africa’, prompting
discussions about
Africa's rich cultural heritage and
the challenges it Ajeluorou, (left) presenting copies of his books to
the President-General of Ozoro Progress Union
faces.
(OPU), Chief Berkley Asiafa at the event
Ajeluorou's readings highlighted the dire state itively, pledging to collaborate
of local libraries in the region, with educational partners to
urging for their revitalisation rebuild and revitalize the Ozoand stocking. He shared his own ro library. He mentioned plans
experiences with the defunct to include library rebuilding in
libraries in Oleh and Ozoro, next year's state budget.
emphasising their importance
Ajeluorou's poetry collection,
for fostering a love of learning. ‘Libations for Africa’, explores
He donated three of his books themes of African identity,
to the Oleh library and called leadership, and cultural preseron the Delta State Government vation. He expressed concern
and the Ozoro Progress Union about the erosion of Africa's
to collaborate on building a new rich heritage and the lack of
library in Ozoro.
lasting monuments being built
Turning to the newly elected by the current generation. He
President-General of the Ozoro urged the audience to reflect on
Progress Union, Chief Berkley the achievements of past leadAsiafa, Ajeluorou stressed the ers and strive to emulate their
need to prioritise rebuilding the greatness.
Ozoro branch of the Delta State
He also addressed the fadLibrary Board. He pointed out ing tradition of storytelling in
the irony of a town hosting a Isoko communities, lamenting
university lacking a proper li- the loss of this valuable cultural
brary facility.
practice.
Ajeluorou also addressed the
Ajeluorou further challenged
issue of ‘school-is-a-scam’ cyni- the audience to critically examcism among some Isoko youths, ine the Eseemo tradition, a local
attributing it partly to the lack practice used to police infidelity.
of accessible learning resources He argued for its modification to
like libraries. He emphasised the protect men from being targeted
importance of making libraries for their wives' actions.
available to counter this negativThe event attracted a signifity and equip young people with icant audience both physicalknowledge. He suggested incor- ly and virtually, and the poet
porating an e-library component donated copies of his books to
to cater to modern preferences. local schools before the event
Chief Asiafa responded pos- concluded.
Kazeem & Co. on Friday, the
Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister
of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, will chair the public
presentation of the book. At
the same time, former Federal Commissioner of Works,
Alhaji Femi Okunnu, SAN,
will be the Special Guest of
Honour.
The book examines the
predominance of electronic
transactions in the 21st century and the need to understand the legal framework
that governs it.
Kazeem, as noted in its
preface, said: “In today's
digital age, electronic transactions have revolutionized
the way we conduct business
and manage our financial
lives.
“From online banking and
mobile payments to cryptocurrencies and blockchain
technology, the landscape
of electronic transactions is
constantly evolving.
“As we navigate the digital economy landscape, it is
essential to understand the
legal framework that governs
electronic transactions,” Kazeem said.
He further described
the book as a gateway and
guide to the world of electronic transactions, which
according to him, would enable readers to navigate this
complex and rapidly evolving
field with confidence.
He explained that the book
“shows that the digital economy and the huge financial
transactions it generates is
made up of a complex but
exciting web of laws and
regulations that sometimes
defy regular understanding.
“Any country including
Nigeria wishing to prosper
and benefit from the wealth
of the global village must
continue to create an enabling environment and enact laws for Electronic transitions to thrive.
“Nigeria appears to be
moving in the right direction
with the various levels of activity occurring in its digital
space, but there is clearly
room for improvement and
this work aims to catalyse
that process further,” the senior advocate explained.
The book, in essence, covers electronic contract formation, evidence and electronic contracts, legislating
for electronic transactions,
cybercrimes and electronic
transactions and resolution
of electronic contract disputes.
The book delves into the
laws and regulations that
guide electronic transactions, including but not limited to the Companies and
Allied Matters Act, Nigerian
Evidence Act, Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, Uniform
Electronic Transactions
Act, ECOWAS Electronic
Transaction Act, Payment
Card Industry Data Security
Standard, General Data Protection Regulation, Nigerian
Data Protection Regulation,
Nigerian Data Protection
Act, Nigerian Data Protection Commission, National
Information Technology
Development Agency and
Cybercrimes Act.
The Zone 6 Roundabout: The Hullabaloo About The Monolith
Versus Good Shepherd Design In Calabar Zone Six Roundabout
EFFIONG BASSEY
Permit me to have a say, hoping and praying that I can
convince my few friends and
Colleagues (names withheld)
who are fixed on one viewpoint against the decision of
Governor Bassey Otu to redesign the Zone Six roundabout
with a different sculpture.
The new design is that
of a Good Shepherd, which
has replaced the sculpture
of Monoliths. Both are mere
designs that portray different
appeals and concepts to various persons;
Whichever divide you belong to, you cannot dispute
the fact that everyone has the
right to personal opinion and
belief.
The Cross River State government believes in tourism
as one of the natural endowments, just like agriculture,
in which the State is well
endowed, and the present
administration has also repositioned.
Past administrations in the
state, from former Governor Donald Duke in 1999 to 2007 to former
Governor Liyel Imoke from 2007
to 2015 and the immediate past
Governor Ben Ayade from 2015 to
2023, have all preserved our tourism potential and endowment.
Governor Bassey Otu is doing the same and even aiming to
raise the bar in his commitment
to achieving a tourism economy
that contributes to the recently
improved internal revenue profile of the state. Know that under
one year of Governor Bassey
Otu’s administration, the state
IGR has grown by over 60.5%,
and the state has been rated as
being only second to Lagos State
in the prospective advancement
index as measured independently.
My submissions here also ap-
peal to those who have descended
into the arena of spewing unfounded sentiments and insinuations to drag highly placed public
figures into the arena simply because the Good Shepard design
resonates with their faith.
Governor Otu is also a devoted
Christian, and the buck stops on
his table to decide what is best for
the state at any point in time.
I dare say that it is possible that
in twenty years to come, long after
Prince Otu’s possible eight-year
tenure as Governor had elapsed,
the Governor at that time may
exercise his discretions in favour
of another concept.
Hear my submissions:
Symbolism: The Good Shepherd design is a powerful symbol
of care, protection, and guidance.
It represents the government’s
commitment to the well-being
of its citizens and guides them
towards a better future. This symbolism can resonate with the people of Cross River State and foster
a sense of unity and community.
Cultural relevance: The Good
Shepherd design has deep cultural and religious significance for
many people, just like the monolith, if not more.
By incorporating this design
into public spaces in Cross River
State, the government still respects the cultural heritage and
beliefs of its citizens.
It does not depict religious
intolerance but promotes intentional commitment to give proper guidance to the diversity of the
state’s population.
Aesthetics: The Good Shepherd design is visually appealing
and equally enhances the beauty
of public spaces. Its intricate details and symbolic imagery can
serve as a focal point
and create a sense of
pride and identity for
the people of Cross
River State. This can
create a more vibrant
and attractive environment for residents and
visitors.
Tourism and economic benefits: A
unique and meaningful design like the Good
Shepherd can attract
tourists and visitors to
Cross River State. This
can boost the local economy through increased
tourism revenue, job
opportunities, and
business growth. By
investing in distinctive
and culturally relevant
public art, the government can help promote
the state as a destination for cultural and
artistic experiences.
Moreover,
the
tourism impact of
monoliths in Cross River State
is best preserved and even more
attractive in its natural habitat,
which the government has not
destroyed, which is the case!
The state tourism bureau still
markets the monolith as one of
the state’s rich tourism endowments.
In conclusion, the decision to
replace a monolith design with a
Good Shepherd design in Cross
River State has the potential to
bring about positive social, cultural, and economic impacts.
By embracing this change, the
government can demonstrate its
commitment to the well-being and
identity of its citizens while also
enhancing the beauty and appeal
of public spaces in the state.
The writer, Effiong Bassey is SA Culture
and Heritage to the Governor of Cross
River State
18
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
News Feature
From Agriculture To Food Security
LEWIS CHUKWUMA
I
t’s a given that powerful visions attract ideas, people
and other relevant resources. They create the momentum and will to actualise changes. They inspire individuals,
complementary organisations
and institutions to commit, to
persist and to give their best.
Keying into this enduring philosophical template, unassuming
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
has deployed impeccable savoirfaire, discipline and persistence
to trigger a change in the traditional narrative of governance
in Nigeria.
Just a year in the saddle, President Tinubu’s deployment of a
laser-like focus on his eight-point
agenda has significantly impacted his challenging governance
trajectory and shaped his accomplishments in the past year. This
is vintage Tinubu.
It would be pertinent to recall
the President’s sweeping 8-Point
Renewed Hope Agenda with
which he set sail, to enable a fair
assessment of his governance
impact. This includes: Reforming the Economy for Inclusive
Growth; Strengthening National
Security; Boosting Agriculture
for Food Security; Unlocking
Energy and Natural Resources;
Enhancing Infrastructure and
Transportation; Focusing on
Education, Health, and Social
Investment; Accelerating Diversification through Industrialisation, Digitisation, Creative Arts,
Manufacturing, and Innovation;
and Improving Governance for
Effective Service Delivery.
Of interest here is his agenda
for agriculture. In his agricultural agenda, President Tinubu is
in good company with the thinking of America’s third president,
diplomat and philosopher, Thomas Jefferson. According to Jefferson, “Agriculture is our wisest
pursuit because it will in the end
contribute most to real wealth,
good morals and happiness.”
It is of course needless to
stress further that agriculture is
a critical enabler of the development of any society. Despite the
palpable challenges, President
Tinubu brings vision, knowledge and courage to sustain the
imperative cutting-edge leadership which has headed off chaos
in this crucial sector.
As it were, activities in the
agricultural sector by the Tinubu-led federal government, particularly in the harvest of crops
led to the injection of N309bn
into the Nigerian economy in the
past year. This is huge. Going for
broke, Nigeria is currently working in partnership with Brazil to
provide agriculture mechanisation hubs across the federation,
with about ₦1.6bn (€995,000) being used for this.
This insight was provided by
the inimitable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, at the ministerial
briefing in Abuja while speaking
on the grounds covered in the agriculture sector since President
Tinubu assumed office on May
29, 2024. According to Kyari, the
federal government launched the
dry season farming programme
Tinubu
with the cultivation of 118,657
hectares of wheat in 15 states to
accelerate all-year-round farming. His words: “The ministry
supported 107,429 wheat farmers with inputs resulting in
output of 474,628 metric tonnes.
The estimated value of N309bn
was injected into the economy.
The support that was given, as
we all know, was a 50 per cent
subsidy on all inputs including
fertilisers, agrochemicals, that
is herbicides and insecticides, as
well as seeds, and this was free
of charge.”
He also revealed that the federal administration also imported 6,750 seeds, tonnes of wheat
from Mexico, and also got about
5,500 seeds procured and sourced
locally. The minister then made
the most important revelation
that the harvest realised would
have an estimated value of about
N309bn that is injected into the
economy.
Following a presidential directive, the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and Food Security
released 42,000 metric tonnes of
assorted food commodities from
the federal government’s strategic grain reserves to the National
Emergency Management Agency,
NEMA, for distribution to Nigerians who were in distress.
His words: “We procured and
distributed to all states and the
Federal Capital Territory 58,500
metric tonnes of milled rice to
dampen escalating prices. There
is the fortification of crops with
Vitamin A micro-nutrient to enrich nutrition content and health
value of food commodities.”
Turning his gunsights on the
persistent food inflation, President Tinubu deployed specific
measures to boost production
and cage the unsettling situation.
According to the agriculture
minister, some of these inter-
We procured and
distributed to all
states and the Federal
Capital Territory
58,500 metric tonnes
of milled rice to
dampen escalating
prices. There is the
fortification of crops
with Vitamin A micronutrient to enrich
nutrition content and
health value of food
commodities
ventionist measures included
the - Distribution of 60,432MT of
improved seeds, 887,255MT seedlings, 138 value kits, 501,726 litres
of agrochemicals, 62,328.5MT of
inorganic fertilizers, 1,000kg fungicide, and 33,200 equipment to
farmers across different value
chains to enhance production.
The ministry also received 2.15
million bags of fertilizer from
the Central Bank of Nigeria for
distribution to farmers free of
charge. There was an improvement in farmland security with
the provision of additional resources to Agro Rangers and
other security agencies.
The other crucial dimension
of food security is livestock
production and animal health,
which the minister said his ministry procured and distributed
14,056,467 doses of anthrax spore,
foot and mouth diseases vaccines for risk-based vaccination
exercises in 22 high-risk states
located in the North-Central,
North-West, North-East, SouthWest and South-South zones of
the country.
His words: “In the pilot phase,
we handed over to 15 state governments 760 tonnes of poultry feed
and 70 tonnes of ruminant feed
for distribution to smallholder
farmers and the implementation
of National Livestock Development Plan on the promotion of
grazing reserves and ranching
nationwide.”
As agricultural mechanisation
is at the heart of the modern ap-
proach to upscaling production,
the minister revealed that the
federal government had signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with John Deere and Tata
Africa to assemble in-country
and supply 10,000 tractors with
implements and accessories at
2,000 units yearly, as well as 100
units of combine harvesters to
support agriculture production.
According to him, “We have a
partnership with the Brazilian
government with the sum of
995,000 Euros to provide mechanisation hubs across the federation. There is also the facilitation of supply of 2,000 Belarus
tractors and the Greener Hope
Mechanisation Services are also
on course.”
It could be recalled that speaking at the opening of the 6th Africa-Wide Agricultural Extension
Week (AAEW), themed: “Harnessing Agricultural Extension
and Advisory Services in Scaling Regenerative Agriculture
and Nature-Based Solutions for
Food System Transformation in
Africa,” President Tinubu promised a new era in the country’s
agricultural sector.
He firmly vowed that it would
no longer be business as usual as
his administration seeks to boost
food security as well as diversify
the economy from over-reliance
on petroleum. According to the
president, going forward, agriculture must now be market-oriented, and move away from the
subsistence farming culture currently practiced by smallholder
farmers. For development-hungry Nigerians, this is sweet
music as they are witnessing a
change from rhetoric to action.
Within the period under review, the federal government has
also come up with programmes
including the National Agriculture Growth Scheme-Agro-pocket, where millions of farmers
are supported through training
on Good Agricultural Practices
(GAP), certified inputs such as
improved seeds and organic and
inorganic fertilizers and irrigation equipment at highly subsidised prices to enhance their
production, increase productivity and ultimately higher incomes
to farmers.
What’s more, the president
confirmed that agricultural extension plays a critical role in
bringing relevant and improved
technologies developed by National Agricultural Research Institutions (NARIs), inputs suppliers and marketers to farmers.
To strengthen agro-extension
delivery services in the country,
the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has put
together the first-ever Harmonised Extension Manual in Nigeria and the National Agricultural
Extension Policy.
The icing on the cake is that
as the administration’s considerable investments in enhancing
security across the nation begin
to post concrete yields, this will
positively impact agricultural
productivity far more going into
the President’s second year in
office.
Chukwuma is an Enugu-based investment banker
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
/Independentngr
@independentngr
@independentngr
www.independent.ng
19
Highflyer
Renewed Hope Agenda Has Inspired Confidence, Trust
Among Nigerians — Ex-Osun Lawmaker, Oyintiloye
Honourable Olatunbosun
Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the
All Progressives Congress
(APC) in Osun and former
state legislator, in this
interview with KAZEEM
AWOJOODU, talked about
how masses are currently
battling the issue of inflation,
Oyetola led-administration,
Nigeria’s
insecurity
challenges, President Bola
Tinubu’s administration,
among other sundry issues.
Excerpts
In addition to that, the party, under
the leadership of Alhaji Adegboyega
Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and
Blue Economy, is not leaving any stone
unturned through engagements and
consultations.
Just recently, there was a state-wide
tour led by the party Chairman in the
state, Alhaji Tajudeen Lawal to review,
appraise, and evaluate the strength of
the party and to know its challenges
across the local government with the
aim of repositioning it through critical
analysis of areas of strength and weakness to improve and implement the
recommendations of the reconciliation
committee, for the APC to remain a formidable party in Osun State.
Additional step taken by the state
leadership of the party is to constitute
three committees, namely; reconciliation, appeal and disciplinary committees
in order to address critical issues affecting the party. With the reconciliatory
steps put in place, which is ongoing, all
members of the party will see reasons to
be united in the pursuit of progress and
oneness of the APC in the state.
What is your assessment of the current administration under President
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, most especially
as he celebrates a year in office?
Firstly let me congratulate President
Bola Tinubu, on his one year anniversary of Renewed Hope Agenda. It is
a journey with a lot of turbulent and
challenges for Nigerians through some
unavoidable policies that were initiated
to uplift our dear country from the dungeon of economy quagmire.
With all sense of humility and modesty, we must appreciate the people of
this country for their endurance, perseverance and unflinching support as we
pass through the dark tunnel but one
thing that is certain is that after this
temporary pains, we shall all leave in
abundance.
However, there is a need for us to understand that government is continuous.
The present administration acquired
both assets and liabilities from the past
administration and it will not be easy to
right the wrong within the space of one
year. In lieu of this, it will be too early
to begin to assess the administration of
four years in just one year.
But with all these challenges, let us
look critically on the strategy initiated
by this government in transforming the
various sectors of the economy which
is encapsulated in the 8-Point Renewed
Hope Agenda to inspire confidence, trust
among Nigerians, promising a new era
of hope and transformation.
With the introduction of two major
reforms in the economy by the president,
that is the removal of fuel subsidy and
merger of foreign exchange rates, it is
a good intention of redirecting funds to
critical sectors like healthcare, education, infrastructure, among others.
With all sense of responsibility, these
reforms have started yielding good results already. The importation of petroleum has reduced by 50 per cent and has
also boosted investor confidence, making
the Nigerian Stock Exchange the top-performing bourse globally.
Although these policies brought
about some inconveniences to Nigerians,
but the president, who is compassionate
about the welfare of Nigerians, is working tirelessly to bring up initiatives and
programmes that will cushion the effects
How will you describe the tenure of
former Gov. Adegboyega Oyetola?
The administration of former governor Gboyega Oyetola witnessed tremendous advancement in terms of good governance that impacted in the social and
economic lives of the people of the state.
During His Excellency's four years in
office, there was unprecedented transformation in the health, education,
agriculture, infrastructure and rural
community development etc.
Despite the fact that the federal allocation at that time was meagre, Oyetola, due to his rich experience from both
private and public sectors, was able to
utilise the meagre resources in such a
way that every sector was touched which
affected the lives of the masses in the
state positively.
The former governor also ran an
open and participatory government
through creation of Civil Engagement
and I was appointed as a Special Adviser to run that office. The idea was
to bridge the gaps between the people
and the government's policies and programmes. The civic engagement created
a window where all citizens are regarded
as stakeholders in decisions making and
execution.
The policies and programmes of
government had human face, well appreciated and embraced by the people
of the state and that is why till today, the
achievements of the immediate past
administration is still standing tall for
all to see.
In a nutshell, the administration of
former Gov. Oyetola was eventful, impactful and witnessed a total transformation of all sectors of the economy for
the benefits of the masses.
The landmark achievements in the
ministry of Marine and Blue Economy
in testaments of his performance from
state level to federal, having increase
revenue generation to the level of 92%
within the first quarter, the seaport infrastructure also upgraded, there are
promotion inland of dry ports, among
others.
Oyintiloye
of those policies.
Can you say the President is on the
right path of achieving his Renewed
Hope Agenda?
Absolutely, the Renewed Hope Agenda have inspired confidence and trust
among Nigerians, with a promise of a
new era of hope and transformation in
the area of economic rebirth, improved
national security, significant investments in modernising and equipping the
nation’s security forces, with over 4,600
hostages freed, more than 9,300 hostiles
neutralised, and over 7,000 terrorists and
bandits arrested, all to ensure a safer
Nigeria.
In fulfilling the Renewed Hope Agenda in agriculture, a state of emergency
was declared on food security with National Agricultural Development Fund
with N100 billion launched. Dry Season
Farming Initiative as well as the Green
Imperative Programme aim to promote
year-round farming and provide farmers
with access to modern equipment and
low-interest loans were put in place to
ensure food abundance.
Also, the Renewed Hope Agenda Infrastructure Development Fund was put
in place with aim of raising N20 trillion
to deliver critical projects such as modernise ports, aviation facilities, thereby
creating an enabling environment for
businesses.
The present administration is also
expanding primary health centres and
upgrading tertiary hospitals, to ensure
better access to healthcare.
In the area of education, the student
loans Act 2024 and the establishment of
the Nigerian Education Loan Fund highlight a commitment to broadening access to quality and affordable education
was put in place. Social welfare schemes,
such as cash transfer and microcredit
programmes, aimed to uplift vulnerable households and support small
businesses, accelerated diversification
through youth-driven Industrialisation,
digitisation, Innovation and improved
governance for effective service delivery
was also put in place. With the aforementioned policies, there is no doubt that the
administration is realising it's Renewed
Hope Agenda gradually.
With his policies and governance
style, how optimistic are you that
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will
meet aspirations of Nigerians after
his four years in office?
I am highly optimistic in the sense
that the policies and programmes of
this administration are in short and
long-term towards revitalising, and revamping of the economy towards meeting the aspirations of Nigerians before
the second anniversary of the present
administration.
Ahead of the subsequent elections
in Osun State, what are the parameters your party has put in place to
reclaim the party in 2026?
The All Progressives Congress in
Osun State is currently embarking on
accommodating new members, and to
reconcile existing ones in view of building a stronger team that will give us
victory in the next election.
The results of this pragmatic efforts
of the leadership of the party in bringing all the aggrieved members together
through conflict resolution and mediation is now yielding positive results.
Recently the BOT Chairman of the
PDP, Alhaji Suaibu Oyedokun and Dr.
Dotun Babayemi were welcomed with
their large number of defectors into
APC in the state and many are still coming.
You were a lawmaker, who represented Obokun Constituency in
the Osun State House of Assembly.
Could you recall the relationship
between the legislature and the then
executive arm of the government?
As the Chairman, House Committee
on Information and Strategy, working
with other liberal, productive and experienced legislators in the 6th Osun State
House of Assembly, I can say unequivocally that the parliament had harmonious relationship with the executive.
Although we used to have strong disagreements based on principle, the situations were managed by mature elected
stakeholders who knew their onions.
They did not allow our disagreements
to get noticed by the public. Being a
high-performing assembly, issues were
rather resolved through dialogues and
negotiations. We reconciled all differences that existed between the executive and
the legislature.
Such disagreements were necessary
for the development of our dear state. As
a representative from my constituency
in the 6th assembly, I contributed my
own quota in the areas of good representation, lawmaking, and community
development. I made myself abundantly available to my people, awoken hope
among the youths, ameliorated poverty,
created opportunities, built confidence,
empowered rural farmers, and inspired
change, which up till now I am still sustaining.
As a former member of the defunct
APC PCC, do you think Nigerians are
getting the dividend of democracy
they voted for?
With utmost sense of humility, dignity and modesty, I wish to thank all Nigerians who freely gave us their mandate
to govern this country.
Although, the task is herculean but
we are gradually navigating through
the storm and challenges the country
is passing through.
In the real sense of it, this present government is working tirelessly on how to
stabilise the economy, foreign exchange
rates, inflation and price control.
With the initiatives and programme
designs for good governance by the president, we are getting to the coast of self
sufficiency and economic stability.
Our people should believe in the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and the
Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration. In due course we shall laugh last.
What do you think the government
at all levels should give priority to
now, when Nigerians are lamenting
‘hardship’?
The government at all levels must
look inward in the area of agriculture,
industry and services to contribute more
to the Gross Domestic Product at the national level.
In revamping the economy, we must
invest more into Agriculture by encouraging the use of modern machinery and
equipment, such as tractors, harvesters,
and irrigation systems to significantly
boost agricultural productivity. The
government can provide subsidies or
loans to farmers to facilitate the adoption of mechanisation and promotion of
efficient farming practices, draw up policies and programmes, make regulations
for those concerned with agricultural
development, create finance research,
establish farm settlements and supply
vaccine and quarantine services.
READ FULL ARTICLE ON www.independent.
ng ¢
20
/Independentngr
@independentngr
@independentngr
JukeBox
S
elf-styled investgative
journalist, Kemi Olunloyo has fingered late
singer, Mohbad’s wife,
Wunmi Cynthia Adebanjo
as the main suspect in his
death. Mohbad, she said, was
murdered in an elaborate
conspiracy coverup involving politicians, monarchs,
and powerful businessmen
shielding the main suspect
from prosecution.
According to her, she
pieced together an investigation, speaking to five eyewitnesses, and concluded that
the suspect likely killed him
in an accidental fit of rage
after an argument broke out
in the car over the paternity
of her son Liam.
In a lengthy post on her
X handle, Olunloyo gave details of the outcome of her
investigation, noting that
the Nigerian Police and state
government has botched the
entire case.
“After Mohbad punched
Primeboy and the punch into
the window and metal components of the vehicle coming back from the concert,
he had a bad hand injury.
They were heading straight
www.independent.ng
Stories by:
Ovwe Medeme
+0807-566-0491;
mattdemeng@gmail.com
Mohbad Was Murdered In Elaborate
Conspiracy Coverup — Kemi Olunloyo
to the house instead of a hospital. The argument involved
Mohbad questioning the paternity of the child, a fivemonth-old taken to a concert.
Mohbad was drunk and tipsy
so the conversation seemed
odd at the wrong time.
“My eyewitness source
said the argument got fierce
that Wunmi picked a piece
of glass from the damaged
car in a fit of rage attacking
Mohbad…
“According to the eyewitness Mohbad was stabbed
with the piece of glass by
his partner Wunmi and
started bleeding profusely
in the neck area. Wunmi has
not been able to explain her
bruised forehead as Iyabo
Ojo has been shielding her
as a grieving widow,” Olunloyo wrote.
Among other things, the
investigative journalist alleged that the police failed to
invite all the 15 people living
in Mohbad’s house. She also
notes that the late singer
confirmed that the 15 were
his new industry “team” at
Imolenization records.
“I obtained documents
about the label from the CAC
and the only signatories on
the company records were
Mohbad and his manager
Seyi. Wunmi was not listed
and that angered her as she
had no access to Mohbad’s
music assets money. She has
always had a plan to eliminate
him and keep borrowing
money from him for her family which they never paid back
said a source,” she added.
Other things highlighted by Olunloyo include the
absence of toxicology tests,
a very bloody blanket used
to soak the singer’s blood, a
missing close footage, which
she said is backed up to
Mohbad’s iPhone, a missing
suspect known as Ade West,
a fake audio to incriminate
Sam Larry among others
things.
Weeks after squashing their 12year rift, famous singer, D’banj
presented his colleague and
friend, Don Jazzy at his 20th anniversary dinner. He also declared
that his 20-year journey in the Nigerian music industry would not
be complete without Don Jazzy.
“My 20-year journey cannot
be complete without Don Jazzy.
Giving him the invite to my anniversary dinner was a moment
filled with nostalgia. As we both
celebrate 20 years in the industry,
I'm reminded of the countless
memories and milestones we've
shared together. Here's to two decades of brotherhood, entertainment, and unwavering support.
Love you always, Brother,” he
wrote on his Instagram page.
In the video, D’banj said to
Don Jazzy; “You know, I started
this 20-year journey with you. 20
years ago, we came back from
London together. And I remember vividly in 2004 when we start-
ed, you were the first person that
believed in D’banj. And you were
there throughout. I just want to
say that the story is not complete
without you.”
The Koko Master, as D’banj
is known, also presented the
CEO of Mavin Music with a custom-made harmonica, his signature instrument that defined his
sound in his early music.
Meanwhile, the singer has
released another single, ‘Koko’
ahead his album release.
“What does the Koko mean
to you since ’04 and right now in
2024? 'Koko' from my upcoming
album out now! Big shoutout to
my brother, Olamide for blessing
me with this jam and to the amazing producer Eskeez on d Beat.
You can call this ‘The new KoKo
anthem’,” he wrote.
The new release is coming
about a month after the release
of ‘Since 04’ which chronicles his
musical journey over the years.
Abi Jenaé Drops Afrobeats
Anthem, Para
Abi Jenaé
Mohbad
My Journey Cannot Be Complete Chude Jideonwo Appointed
Creative-In-Residence At London
Without Don Jazzy — D'banj
School Of Economics
Don Jazzy with Dbanj
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
Nigerian media personality,
Chude Jideonwo has been appointed as a Creative-in-Residence at the London School of
Economics. According to him,
the appointment is coming after he made the decision not
to apply for any fellowships or
residencies but to let his work
speak for him years ago.
He wrote; “I have just been
appointed Creative-in-Residence at the London School of
Economics. The kind of unexpected news that blows your
mind. Many years ago I made
a decision that changed my life:
Focus on the work, never hustle,
and let the universe do the rest.
“After Yale and Oxford and all
of that, I decided I would no longer apply for any fellowships or
residencies. I wanted only to be
invited - based on the impact of
our work. I was almost certain
it would take about 10 years for
any of that to happen (I mean,
who do you think you are?) and
I was comfortable with that con-
sequence. I would focus on the
work I had chosen.
“And then, in the midst of
inevitable doubt, the universe
always sends a big message of
affirmation. I am honoured
and thankful. I look forward to
collaborating with the school’s
faculty, students and networks to
accelerate the growth of the creative economy across Africa.”
Chude Jideonwo is host and
director of ‘With Chude’, a talk
show and podcast speaking to
Africa’s most compelling celebrities and leaders about the
mind, the heart, and the spirit.
He is also host and director
of ‘Chude Explains’, which
takes African stories off the
headlines and goes in-depth to
explore hidden truths – with
a focus on social justice and
culture. His first film ‘Awaiting
Trial’ has been honoured for
‘Best Documentary’ at the Africa International Film Festival
and the Africa Magic Viewer’s
Choice Awards.
Chude Jideonwo
British-Nigerian artist Abi Jenaé
is set to release her new single
‘Para’. The song, according to
the artiste, is a celebration of her
heritage and individuality, with a
blend of Afrobeats and contemporary influences.
“‘Para’ is more than just music; it's a message of empowerment, self-belief, and embracing
your true self. It is a confident
statement that leaves listeners
with the feeling: that this is just
the beginning for me,” she said.
Abi Jenaé's powerful vocals
weave through the infectious beat
of "Para", effortlessly blending
English, Yoruba, and West African Pidgin English. The song is
a testament to her unique style
and her determination to make
a mark in the music industry.
By blending traditional African sounds with contemporary
influences, Abi Jenaé creates a
soundscape that is both familiar
and refreshingly new.
‘Para’ is imbued with a tone
of conviction that reflects Abi
Jenaé's unwavering self-belief.
She proudly declares that her
"mama didn’t raise no fool,"
emphasising the strength and
wisdom instilled in her from a
young age. This message of empowerment is a central theme in
her music, encouraging listeners
to recognize their abilities and
self-worth.
Abi Jenaé, who hails from
Brixton in South London is a
multi-talented artist who resides
in both London and Lekki, Lagos.
Growing up listening to a wide
variety of genres from Rap, HipHop, Grime, R&B, and Afrobeat,
before the transition into Afrobeats, Abi took a particular liking to
artists including Aaliyah, Tiwa
Savage, Mr Eazi, Burna Boy, Nicki Minaj, Slick Rick, Jay-Z, and
many more.
Kim Kardashian Updates Fans On
Law School Journey
Reality star, Kim Kardashian has
been vocal about her passion for
criminal justice reform over the
years and has now updated fans
on her progress with becoming
a lawyer.
The ‘Kardashians’ star gave
fans an update on her progress
with law school as she studies
to take the bar exam. In a post
shared to her Instagram Stories,
Kardashian snapped a photo of
her test prep material and dished
on her least favourite subject in
law.
"I can't deal with all these
hearsay exceptions!" she wrote.
"My least favourite subject in law
school."
The picture featured a shot of
an energy drink she was using
to fuel her studies in the background and some handwritten
notes.
Over the years, the SKIMS
founder has given frequent updates about her journey into
becoming a lawyer. In May 2023,
Kardashian revealed she got
straight As on her latest law
school midterms.
"I'm still studying. I'm actually
in constitutional law 1 and 2 right
now. It's my toughest; not the
biggest fan of it, I've been sharing my struggle," she told host
Savannah Guthrie at the time.
"But with that said, I took a mid-
Kim Kardashian
term yesterday. I got 100 percent
and then I got a 95 percent on my
other midterm. So I feel — that
gives me that boost of confidence
again just to push through."
With her good grades and fingers crossed, Kardashian said
she hoped to take the bar exam
"in the next year or so" and be
"done" with her studies.
Since 2019, Kardashian has
been vocal about her passion for
law and her private schooling
journey. The reality star consistently advocates for wrongfully
convicted inmates or those with
unfair sentences. Her first legal
success came when Kardashian
successfully campaigned for
the clemency of grandmother
Alice Marie Johnson, who was
sentenced to life in prison for a
nonviolent offence.
/Independentngr
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
With Tomi Falade, @onaolatomirin
+0706 - 734 - 1484;
kiyesola2002@yahoo.com
T
rendupp Africa, organisers of Nigeria's
award for influencers
and content creators,
has unveiled the nominees for
the fourth edition of her awards
initiative, Trendupp Awards.
Under the theme “The Force
of Influence”, the 2024 awards
edition will honour 17 winners
during the main ceremony
this year. These winners will
be selected from a pool of 102
audacious nominees across 17
categories by a Judging Council
consisting of renowned media
personalities and thought leaders across Africa, including
Busola Tejumola, Do2DTun,
Denrele Edun, Yinka Adebayo,
Aisha Augie amongst others.
The winner's selection process
will be based on three key criteria: creativity, engagement, and
consistency.
This year’s awards introduced two exciting new categories: “Force of The Pod” and
“Force of Influence (International)”. The Force of The Pod
category aims to recognise influencers and content creators who
effectively use podcasts as a medium for education, engagement,
and impact. While the Force of
Influence (International) category will recognise creators who
command the highest influence
@independentngr
@independentngr
21
On Social Media
2024 Trendupp Awards: Tunde Onakoya,
Kie Kie, Others Make Nominees List
in the international social media
space.
Commenting on the quality
of nominees who made the list
this year, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade,
a judging council member and
Communications and Public
Affairs Manager, West Africa
at Google, said “The calibre of
influencers and content creators
that were nominated this year
truly showcases the dynamic
www.independent.ng
and ever-evolving nature of
digital media. Their innovative
content and groundbreaking collaborations continue to enrich
the digital landscape. Excited to
work with my fellow jurors in
this honour of those who demonstrate outstanding creativity,
consistency, and engagement.”
The full nominees list:
Force of Instagram: @to-
Joeboy Set To Electrify Ibadan At
Premier BlockParty
mike_a, @its.priscy, @opeyemifamakin, @kie_kie__, @enioluwaofficial, @neo_akpofure
Force of Virality: @timiagbaje, @unusualphyna, @symply_
tacha, @iamnasboi, @liquorose
X @sagadeolu, @tolanibaj
Force of X (Twitter): @
aproko_doctor, @arojinle1, @
jon_d_doe, @bod_republic, @
DanielRegha, @_AsiwajuLerry
Force of Lifestyle Content: @
bellaokagbue, @veekee_james,
@apet_modella, @yhemo_lee,
@beautytukura, @larryhector_
[Endowed by Tramango]
Force of Collaboration
(Brands): @aquafinanigeria,
@1xbet.nigeria, @goldberg_ng,
@tecnomobileng, @flyingfishng,
@vivaplusdetergent [Endowed
by DottsMediaHouse]
Force of Social Good: @
tunde_onakoya (chessintheslum), @verydarkblackman, @
aproko_doctor, @seyi_oluyole
(dreamcatchersda), @ositapopcorn, @kokunfoundation
Force of Tech Content: @
fisayofosudo, @kagantech, @
eric_gugua, @valorreviews, @
misstechy, @iamcypher
Force of The Pod: @thehonestbunchpodcast, @isaidwhatisaidpod, @isbae_u (Curiosity
Made Me Ask), @menismspod,
@bahdandboujeepod, @survivinglagospod
Force of YouTube: @SamSpedy, @Sirbalostudios, @
TayoAinaFilms, @BrainJotterComedian, @bimboademoyetv,
@MrMacaroni
Force of Comedy Skits: @
woliagba x @deleomowoli_, @
josh2funny, @gilmooree, @layiwasabi, @bimboademoye, @
sydneytalker
Force of Online Sensation:
@yhemo_lee, @officialdoyin_,
@nons_miraj, @shankcomics,
@_ola_of_lagos_, @jayonair
Force of TikTok: @khloes_
gram, @agentoflaughter, @crispdal, @realjadrolita, @iphie._a, @
beeautygoddess
Emerging Force: @_omo.oba_
, @asherkine, @justkingphoebe___, @thepastorpikin, @
king__mitchy, @peller089
Force of Creative Arts: @
willy_kanga, @h_a_u_w_a, @stevenndukwu, @iamedemvictor,
@jude.oc, @ibquake [Endowed
by MTV Base]
Force of Food Content: @
hildabaci, @diaryofakitchenlover, @omoyecooks, @opeyemifamakin, @thekitchenmuse, @
ifys.kitchen
Force of Influence (Nigeria):
@taaooma, @aproko_doctor, @
tunde_onakoya, @enioluwaofficial, @kie_kie__, @iyaboojofespris [Endowed by Pepsi]
Force of Influence (International): @blessednjugush (Kenya), @fatboykenya (Kenya), @
ghettokids_tfug (Uganda), @endurancegrand (Ghana), @yessjamal (Tanzania), @majimb.o
(Kenya)
Mdundo Hosts Experience Cocktails
For Music Industry Stakeholders
lAs Organisers Announce Return of
‘Next BlockParty Performer’
After thrilling fans at the recent edition of the Mainland
BlockParty, dubbed ‘Joeboy’s
Land’, Joeboy is set to rock
the Premier BlockParty stage.
Billed for Saturday, 15 June, fun
lovers can expect an electrifying event as Joeboy brings his
infectious energy and performs
his chart-topping hits at the
heart of Ibadan. After all, Oyo
is ‘Joeboy’s Land Too’.
Also set to captivate attendees will be the BlockParty
Radio – an exceptional lineup
of DJs and hype men, all celebrated figures in the music
and entertainment ecosystem.
The BlockParty Radio features
budding disc jockeys – DJ Titanium, Maze x Mxtreme, and
SmallztheDJ – who are sure to
keep the dance floor alive and
kicking all night long. Complementing them, the trio of hype
men – Livewire, MIA, and Tolu
Daniels – will engage the crowd,
creating a charged atmosphere
and ensuring every moment is
filled with exhilaration and enthusiasm.
‘Joeboy’s Land Too’ will
feature the return of ‘Next
BlockParty Performer’ (NBP),
a platform that has served as a
springboard for global talents
like BNXN and Victony. The
now-viral video of BNXN singing 'Commander' on a canoe
was his winning NBP entry
a few years ago, highlighting
the platform's impact on rising
artists.
After a transparent selec-
tion process, which was driven
on social media, this edition’s
NBP winner is Muiswrld. In addition to earning a BlockParty
performance slot, Muiswrld
will receive a cash reward of
N500,000, five sessions at BlackBoxx Studio, a month’s supply
of Pepsi, and a plug-in on the
leading youth entertainment
TV station, MTV Base.
Fun lovers are invited to
come and experience the vibrancy and party with their
favorite celebrities as Africa's
biggest monthly youth festival
makes its return to Ibadan. ‘Joeboy’s Land Too’ promises to be
an exhilarating event filled with
unforgettable performances,
energetic music, and opportunities for new talents.
Mdundo, a music streaming service in Africa on June 6, hosted
its highly exclusive event, Experience Cocktails with Mdundo, at The House in Lagos. The
event brought together key
stakeholders from the music
and telecommunications industries for a night of networking,
insightful discussions, and celebration.
The highlight of the evening
was a distinguished panel session, expertly moderated by
Joey Akan. This session, featuring industry veterans like
Princess Okereugo, Akachi
Igboko, Luckyln Audu, Excel
Joab, Honour Aghedo, and
renowned artiste Praiz, was a
treasure trove of insights on
the ever-evolving topic of 'The
Commercialisation of African
Music Genres and Opportunities for Brands and Artistes.' It
was a truly enlightening experience for all attendees, providing
a deeper understanding of the
industry's current landscape
and prospects.
This exclusive event served as
a platform to foster collaboration
and knowledge sharing between
music industry stakeholders and
telecommunications partners.
Mdundo, with its groundbreaking work, aims to bridge the gap
between these sectors by [specific actions or initiatives], unlocking new opportunities for brands
and artists alike.
The evening also witnessed
a prestigious award ceremony recognising outstanding
achievements in the African music scene. For their exceptional
contributions, the following artistes were celebrated: Highest
Downloaded Male Artiste, Kizz
Daniel; Highest Downloaded
Female Artiste, Mercy Chinwo;
Highest Growing Artiste, Boy
Sean; Highest Downloaded Hyperlocal Artiste, Nura M Inuwa;
Best Alternative Creative Content, Bola Lawal.
"With the global development
of Afrobeats, we have seen a rising interest in genres coming out
of Africa," said Amanda Uzoagba, Head of Licensing, West Africa. "This is an exciting time for
all stakeholders in the industry.
The opportunities are immense
and ever-evolving, and Mdundo,
as a leading music service provider, is at the forefront of these
conversations."
"The success we've achieved
with Telcos across Africa is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering value for
all our partners," stated Sowari
Akwosionu, Head of Marketing
and Partnerships, Africa. "We
are more than just a music service provider; we are a trusted
value provider for our partners
across the continent."
Akosionu further emphasised the mixer's importance:
“This event is an opportunity
to create a platform for knowledge sharing and relationship
building between the music and
telecommunications industries.
We are committed to fostering
collaboration and building upon
our progress across Africa. With
a staggering 35 million monthly
active users on the continent, we
are just getting started in activating the African music consumer.
The potential is immense, and
we are excited about the future
of our industry.”
Uzoagba proudly highlighted
Mdundo's unwavering commitment to artist compensation:
“Earlier this year, we were
thrilled to distribute over $1.5
million in royalties to artists
and our content partners. This
significant payout is a testament
to the successful collaboration
between brands and the music
industry, a journey we are all a
part of. It's a clear demonstration
of our dedication to supporting
and valuing the artists who
make our industry thrive.”
22
/Independentngr
@independentngr
@independentngr
www.independent.ng
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
Dr. Sunny Oby Maduka (DSM)
The Youths
& The Future
The Biafra Spirit And Its May 30th Renaissance
{B.Sc, M.Sc, MBA, AMNIM, CNA, FCCM, Ph.D.}
Tel: 08033307702; Email: sunnymaduka@outlook.com;
Facebook: Sunny Oby Maduka; Twitter: MadukaSunnyOby;
Website: www.drsunnymaduka.com
"A people overwhelmed by
mediocrity condemns itself to
failure and misery when they
know more about football than
their own rights, when they
scream louder for a goal than
for an injustice and when they
demand more from a player
than from their leaders."
— Valerie Piolet.
F
oremost, let me congratulate all Nigerians, who have been
able to survive the
traumatic experience of
PBAT's one year disastrous
stewardship. You deserved
the highest honour of the
country, and indeed, you're
the heroes of our time.
"Biafra is like an unending
storyline about a system or a
people, and you can stop such
a story only when the story tellers are liars, and probably don't
have interested audience. Biafra
is a 'chi' (spirit) and though the
physical can be assaulted, but
definitely not the spirit, hence,
the spirit controls the physical.
To destroy the chi (spirit) of Biafra is impossible because chi
(spirit) is immortal." - DSM.
The quest to shutdown
the agitation of Biafra under
brute force will only open the
old wound of what prompted
the 1967 - 1970 civil war. It's like
there's an underlying war still
ongoing between the federal
government and the Igbos.
Since the supposedly declaration of, 'No Victor No Vanquish',
nothing seems to showcase the
slightest idea that Igbos are not
a conquered people. A security
situation that needs to be thoroughly investigated had ended
up in certain circumstances,
the total annihilation of a community with so much venom.
Meanwhile, if such attack happens in any part of the North,
the military response won't be
to destroy the community to
which such dastardly act emanated from. In fact, we have
seen situations where those
who committed such state act
of terrorism are pardoned simply because they came up with
their hands raised up, claiming to be repentant terrorists.
They're treated as heroes and
equally given the opportunity to
integrate into the society. That
doesn't mean that any part of
the country should attack any
security architecture, and go
scot free. I suggest that any
measure used by the security
agencies to fish out those who
committed such heinous crime
should not be discriminatory.
Few days ago, precisely on
the 4th June, 2024, I was traveling from Isuikwuato to Okigwe.
Right at Ihube junction, a security roadblock was mounted by
men of 'operation crush' with
operational vehicles numbers,
0030 and 0160. The traffic caused
by this unnecessary roadblock
was disheartening, and to worsen the situation, everyone in
any commercial vehicle must
come down with hands raised
up. We were meant to file as captured soldiers as we walk past
the roadblock. It was a pathetic
sight seeing old people being
treated with disdain as if we
are being paraded as armed robbers. A humiliation of citizens
dignity in one's own ancestral
home and country.
Traveling from Aba to Enugu, ordinarily a journey of two
hours will take you almost five
hours, and this is because, there
are no less than 50 security roadblocks on the highway. They're
not only distorting the flow of
traffic, but commercial vehicle
drivers are mostly subjected to
various harassments and extortions. Despite all these security roadblocks, kidnapping and
robberies are still prevailing.
This treatment of the South
East residents is part of the reason why Igbos are feeling that
they're still under the bondage
of federal government's strategy initiative to intimidate them.
A situation of using security
agencies in an unconventional
approach to SE insecurity gamblings. Security Agencies need
not block the roads for them to
tackle the problem of insecurity
in Nigeria presently, especially
with the in-road of various
security gadgets and vehicles.
The modern communication
apparatus is enough to tackle
whatsoever insecurity gamblings that we are experiencing.
It's insane for any government
agency to block highways with
logs of wood, disrupting the
flow of traffic, simply because
such agency felt that it's only at
highways that criminals operate. It's even worse when you notice the brute and raw manners
being exhibited by these security agents when dealing with Nigerians. Sadly, this manner-less
approach to insecurity in South
East has become a nightmare
and people are becoming more
apprehensive about the security
intimidations and extortions.
Igbos must not be treated as
slaves in their country. The war
ended with a solemn promise
of 3Rs, (Reconstruction, Rehabilitations and Reintegration),
nothing else was tangibly executed since then except the second Niger bridge.
Igbos picked up themselves
with £20 palliative, and started a new lifeline, and till date,
most states, outside SE region,
are targeting the businesses and
residential abodes of the Igbos.
Yet, Nigeria wants the Biafra
‘chi’ to be forgotten. Even a mad
man understands when he is
not wanted in a market square.
A lot of government propaganda has been unleashed, and
each time, such propaganda has
ended with more intimidating
ploys. It's only an imbecile that
won't fight back when pushed
to the wall. Biafra is not just a
phenomenon, but it's a spiritual sphere, and the only way to
stop its agitation should be by
a peaceful spiritual handshake.
Brute force will escalate the agitation and it won't work, and
will never work.
History doesn't forget events,
and for everyone, especially
those in Southern Nigeria, who
fought or was told of the Biafra
- Nigeria civil war, May 30th
1967 has become a sacred date.
It represents the beginning of
a determination of a people to
self emancipation. This is a people who perceived that they're
not fully wanted as full fledged
citizens of Nigeria. 30th May
represents the end of all dialogues. The slaughtering of the
Igbos and the collapse of Aburi
concessionary agreement must
be abated. No father will fold up
his hands and watched his chil-
dren being killed ingloriously.
Many people may have accused
Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu of declaring the secession of Biafra
on the 30th May, 1967, but what
exactly would he have done?
To play to the gallery while
his people are being accused of
being the masterminders of the
15th January 1966 coup d'etat,
an excuse for singling out only
the igbos to be convicted and
slaughtered? Or to allow the
mayhem festival of bloodshed
and internal wrangling to explode within the SE?
Although many other tribes
from the West and North tried
to create a sacarcism of the May
30th Biafraism, and with some
directly accusing the South East
Governors of supporting the
memorial event of May 30, 2024.
Governor Alex Otti was tactical
when he exonerated his administration by unequivocally stating
that, it's not interested in going
into unnecessary confrontation
with the promoters of the May
30 sit- at- home, especially the
peaceful citizens who are genuinely mourning and honouring
those killed during the Nigeria
civil war. Impliedly, the entire
Governors of South East were
united, and with such 'Ofu Obi'. I
must commend their support for
our heroes past to be honoured
just as the federal government's
15th January remembrance day
has become sacrosanct.
This year's Biafra Day celebration was marked with less
casualties, except for the sad
report from Aba. Hopefully, I
perceived that the security agencies will fish out those agents of
death, and teach them the bitter
lessons of their lives. Attacking
and killing soldiers on duty was
like declaring a war against Nigeria, and it must be condemned
by all peace loving Nigerians.
May 30th is a reminder of
the agonies faced before, during
and after the civil war by the
Igbos. To this end, I won't blame
anyone who sees the date as a
confrontation clause, and the
reasons being that, most of these
other ethnic nationalists didn't
experience the tragedies before,
during and after the civil war.
They didn't directly suffer the
World Caring Day
June 7th is World Caring Day.
Every human being needs
care. There are three major
things that spice up human
life. Care can be defined as
the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare,
maintenance, and protection
of someone or something.
Care means showing love
for others. A caring man is a
generous man!
A caregiver is a person
who gives care to people
who need help; especially
those that cannot take care of
themselves, such as the sick,
the elderly ones children,
patients who have chronic
illnesses, the disabled.
Caregivers may be family members, house helpers,
friends, social workers, religious brothers and sisters
and even members of the
clergy. Above all, care givers
include health professionals,
such as doctors, nurses, mid-
wives, etc.
The first assignment God
gave to the first human beings he created was to care
for the creation. Before creation of Man, God said in
Genesis 1:26 “Let Us make
man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them
have dominion over the fish
of the sea, over the birds of
the air, and over the cattle,
over ]all the earth and over
every creeping thing that
creeps on the earth.” 27 So
God created man in His own
image; in the image of God
He created him; male and
female He created them.
28 Then God blessed them,
and God said to them, “Be
fruitful and multiply; fill the
earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the
sea, over the birds of the air,
and over every living thing
that moves on the earth.”
Man was to take care of all
that God created, including
his fellow human beings.
When Cain killed his
brother, Abel, God did not
take it lightly with him. The
Lord said to Cain, “Where
is Abel your brother?” He
said, “I do not know. Am I
my brother’s keeper?” Cain
denied being his brother’s
keeper; whereas God wanted
us to be one another’s keeper.
He wants us to care and cater
for one other.
God did not take it
light with Cain. He said to
traumatic experience of the war. tially, it succeeded as most Igbos
They didn't loose their par- have denied their ancestral orients or siblings? They didn't gin. The only way to remember
know how many times we have who we are rests right now on
to run into the bush just to stay the May 30th Renaissance of the
Igbo spirit.
alive even for a second.
They didn't come back home
Biafra Spirit as being witfrom the bush only to discover nessed by the present crops of
that their houses and all that youths can never be crushed
their parents have laboured for by any sort of brutality. There's
in their lives have been burnt nothing wrong in calling all
down?
the ethnic nationalities in NiThey have never stayed geria for a national dialogue
awake, crying for a meal that on which way Nigeria should
never came?
be governed. As at today, many
They didn't see their broth- Nigerians are still advocating
ers or sisters being killed Inglou- for the 1963 Republic Constiriously or watched them die of
tution that gave every region
kwashiorkor?
certain autonomous power of
They're didn't experience the governance structure.
agony of staying in a queue for
Nigeria is not working bea meal ration that didn't get to cause Nigerians were not inthem due to the insufficiency volved in the instrumentality
of the communal food rationing of their collective governance
remedy.
system. A conjecture of miliWhen some youths from tary decree 24 can never be the
other tribes, especially the instrument of a true patriotic
Yoruba and Hausa/Fulanis constitution. It's time for Niare babbling about the Biafra gerians to come together and
agitation, they are doing so be- with the concept of equal rights,
cause they never had any clue privileges and representation,
of what the Igbos went through, and discuss the best way for a
and are still going through right new Nigeria. A system where
now. I would advise that other some region(s) is feeling that it's
tribes should stick to their an- the owner of others will only
cestral evolutionary histories, galvanise anarchy and hatred,
and probably, don't just dabble and the continuation of more
into any history that they don't ethnic nationalists agitations.
know the difference between There's no better time to do this
what was written and what was restructuring agenda than now,
the reality.
especially with the President
The 2014 National Confer- and NASS members zealous
ence recognised the marginal- passage to change our Nationisation of the South East, and al Anthem. If we must appreunanimously, recommend that ciate and respect the grandiose
an addiassent to
tional state Read full story online @ this Nationbe creat- www.independent.ng
al Anthem
ed for the
change, the
Zone, so as
old regionto give equity share of what al governance structure must
was in the other zones, except equally change to reflect how
North West region with seven Nigeria was birthed.
states. Till date, no president
or NASS member has ever rekindled this injustice against Dr. Sunny Oby Maduka
(DSM), is an Author,
the South East region, and we Re s o u rc e
Pe rs o n a l i t y,
are talking about the cessation Management Consultant/
of Biafra agitation. The federal Trainer, Chartered/Certified
government tried to disinte- - A u d i t o r / A c c o u n t a n t ,
grate the oneness of igbos, and Financial Compliance Expert,
trickishly scattered all sons and Economic/Political Analyst
daughters of Igbo extraction to Strategist, Marine Expert and
other various nationalities. Par- Motivationist)
him,“What have you done?
The voice of your brother’s
blood cries out to Me from
the ground. 11 So now you are
cursed from the earth, which
has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood
from your hand. 12 When you
till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you.
A fugitive and a vagabond
you shall be on the earth.”
This punishment awaits
anyone that fails to act as a
keeper of caregiver to his
fellow human being.
St James presents care
for the widows and orphan
as the essence of genuine
religion According to him,
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and
faultless is this: to look after
orphans and widows in their
distress and to keep oneself
from being polluted by the
world.” What purify our religion are not our titles or our
ability to perform miracles
but our care for one another
especially the widows and the
orphans.
In his First letter to Timothy 5:4 St. Paul wrote, “If
a widow has children or
grandchildren, these should
learn first of all to put their
religion into practice by caring for their own family and
so repaying their parents
and grandparents, for this is
pleasing to God.”
The best way to put your
religion into practice according to this passage is to take
proper care of your family
members and those around
you who need help. As you do
so, it shall be well with you in
Jesus Amen– Amen!
/Independentngr
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
@independentngr
With
Roland Ogbonnaya
0803 - 308 - 3228;
obioma.ogbonnaya@yahoo.com
T
he formation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue
Economy at the start of
President Bola Tinubu's
administration provided a ray of
hope for industry players, who saw
the new baby as a more hands-on
approach to water economy and
marine activities, including marine
transport.
Adegboyega Oyetola heads the
ministry, which includes complementary agencies such as the National Inland Waterways Authority
(NIWA).
When it came before the relevant
committee of the National Assembly to present its N10.9 billion speciality budgetary provisions, many
expected a better performance this
time from a ministry that had previously failed to deliver much.
It suffices to say that it has taken over as superintendent of the
country's unsafe inland waterways,
resulting in numerous but preventable disasters involving Nigerians
who use this transportation corridor. And the recent death of Nollywood star Junior Pope and four
others in a boat accident on the River Niger on April 10, 2024, exposed
major gaps in the ministry's jurisdiction.
Focusing on boat transport, a
speciality of the ministry's affiliate agency (NIMASA), Mr. Adakole
Ejegbudu, an Associate Member of
the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and author of Best Selling
"Catamarans To The Rescue" published in 2017, expressed disappointment that "only a tiny fraction of
boat operators provide life jackets.
"The celebrity who died, Junior
Pope, died with four other people.
Similar incidents have occurred before, but it was only made a national
issue because of his status."
He said it is important to note
that Nigeria is a maritime country
with 10,000 km of inland waterways,
of which 4,000 km are navigable.
While 28% of inland waterways are
equivalent to the total length of federal highways, navigable channels
account for 12% of our highways.
If this is true, the question is
why the country has spent so many
years focusing solely on highway
construction, despite billions of
Naira being allocated annually for
highway maintenance through
FERMA and new highways.
According to the International
Centre for Investigative Reporting,
17 people die each month on Nigerian inland waterways, owing primarily to the nature of the boats
themselves.
Ejegbudu explained boats behave
similarly to aeroplanes because air
and water are both fluids. However, designing a boat is more difficult than designing an aeroplane
because it must move through both
water and air. This makes it a water-air interface, which necessitates
extensive engineering calculations
and analysis to ensure stability.
"Unfortunately, many of the
boats on our waterways are unregulated and do not adhere to proper
design, construction, and operation
protocols," he emphasised.
The National Inland Waterways
Authority (NIWA) is statutorily responsible for surveying and approving every design before it is built,
as well as licencing every boat and
captain before they operate on the
waterways. However, the majority
of boats on the waterways are unregulated, which is a significant
problem.
Overloading is frequently men-
@independentngr
www.independent.ng 23
Perspectives
Despite NIWA's N10.9bn Budget, No Fewer Than 17 People
Die On Waterways Every Month — Report
Faced with staggering statistics, a harsh reality emerges: "Despite NIWA's N10.9 billion budget, no fewer than 17
people die on Nigeria's waterways every month." This alarming reality highlights the critical need for increased
vigilance and comprehensive reforms to ensure the safety and security of those who navigate Nigeria's waters.
KINGSLEY BENNETH spoke with an expert who delves into the critical issues, challenges, and potential solutions
to this sobering statistic, to make the aquatic environment safer and more secure for all.
Adakole Ejegbudu
tioned as a problem, but without
boat data sheets indicating their designed payload, establishing a baseline is impossible. As a result, "we
must return to first principles and
recognise the importance of following proper protocol for boat design,
construction, and operation to avoid
boat mishaps and ensure safety on
our waterways. The NIWA Act requires every vessel to go through a
survey process that includes design,
construction, and operations.
"Every design requires approval
from the NIWA. The Development
Control in Abuja is a good example
of this situation. Before building a
house, you must submit your design
to Development Control for review
of the architectural, electrical,
structural, and mechanical plans.
They will approve your design before you begin construction and will
be involved throughout the entire
process.
"They will inspect and approve
your layout work, foundation, suspended slabs, and all other stages
of the process. The NIWA ACT codifies the same process, requiring all
boats to go through design approval,
construction monitoring, and approval from NIWA. Even operators
must have a licence."
Nevertheless, he said that these
procedures are not always followed
as NIWA lacks the necessary manpower for this work, and they claim
they do not have the financial resources to cover the whole country.
"But it all starts with manpower, and NIWA does not even have a
single naval architect. Naval architects have the necessary skill set to
design vessels and evaluate designs.
"Wind heel, or the degree to
which a boat heel when exposed
to wind, is an important factor in
determining stability. Wind should
not cause the boat to heel more than
one-fourth to half of the freeboard,
which is the vertical distance between the waterline and the sheer
of the boat.
"Another example is passenger
heel, which happens when passengers move to one side of the boat. It
should not be more than one-quarter to one-half of the freeboard.
"Most boats lack reserve stability
and are prone to capsize when there
is a disturbance and passengers
shift to one side. This is because
many boats on waterways have an
extremely high beam (width) to the
length of a boat (1:10), whereas the
normal ratio for a monohull boat is
1:2.5 to 1:5.”
To build the capacity for safe
power boating on waterways, organisations like NIWA must establish a baseline of standards and
codes that can be applied consistently to all designs. There are several
ways to stabilise the boat beyond a
certain point.
Unfortunately, boat and canoe
builders, as well as NIWA, lack the
necessary expertise. As a result,
many boats on our waterways are
unsafe, resulting in frequent boating accidents.
The boats are typically too long
about their beam, making them unstable and prone to capsizing with
even minor disturbances.
For example, the recent mishap
involving Nigerian celebrity Ju-
nior Pope was caused by the boat
colliding with the stern of another
canoe. The boat capsised following
the impact and was unable to right
itself due to poor reserve stability.
A more stable boat would have
easily righted itself, or it could have
capsised but been easily righted
with some force. Unfortunately, across the country, boats lack
enough beams for initial stability
and freeboard for reserve/ultimate
stability.
Given this, it is time to convene
a stakeholder conference so that
those with knowledge and expertise can contribute to changing the
sector's narrative.
This should include, among other things, the establishment of a
training platform to teach existing
boat builders how to build correctly.
The call is for NIMASA and relevant agencies to collaborate with
Ejegbudu, Eric Holohan, and others
on the proposed Westlawn Institute
of Marine Technology, which focuses on developing maritime capacity
in Africa and Asia.
When the institute is fully operational, it will have a centre in Calabar, South-South Nigeria, where
students will be trained in boat
design.
Because the country only has
navigable waterways, the capital-intensive project for dredging
the Niger River should not be the
only one. Instead, the focus should
be on making water transportation
safer for those who use it.
Efforts should also be focused
on ensuring the safety of our waterways and expanding their use;
this should be followed by acquiring
better boats and skilled labour on
our waterways, as well as empowering NIWA to carry out its regulatory responsibilities. Once this is
accomplished, Nigeria can focus on
dredging the waterways.
The current high cost of food
in the country is primarily due to
logistical costs. Food is expensive
due to inefficient logistics.
Water transport is the most
cost-effective mode of transportation because it allows for the movement of large amounts of material
at a low price. Making our waterways busy, functional, and effective
will lower the cost of logistics, haulage, and transportation, resulting in
broad-based benefits.
A look at the United States reveals how inland waterways transportation was critical to the cotton
economy, which helped the country
develop. Similarly, China is now a
global industrial powerhouse,
thanks in large part to its inland
waters.
While people frequently talk
about cheap labour in China, the
cost of goods coming out of China remains low due to logistics,
which is dependent on inland waterways. By shipping goods across
the country via inland waterways
before transporting them to a ship
for transoceanic voyages, they can
keep logistics costs low.
The government can transform
the economy by transforming inland water transport, which will
generate significant revenue and
job opportunities. Furthermore,
we are discussing human lives,
as the International Centre for Investigative Reporting reports that
Nigeria loses 17 people per month
to preventable causes. This is a significant loss of life, and the government must prioritise the protection
of people and property.
To summarise, equipping the
country's inland waterways with
proper boats can reduce logistics
costs, transform the economy, generate revenue, create job opportunities, and, most importantly, save
lives.
Unfortunately, people are dying
on our inland waterways regularly, particularly between June and
November when there is a greater
volume of water. Unfortunately, because these deaths take place in the
country's backwaters, they rarely
make headlines.
The outrage over the deaths on
the country's waterways should
have lasted years because these
deaths have been occurring for at
least the last 20 years, as evidenced
by data. It is not too late to take action to make water transport safer
for passengers.
"To prevent these avoidable incidents, the federal government
should collaborate with the private
sector, host communities, and civil
society organisations," Ejegbudu
emphasised.
/Independentngr
24
@independentngr
@independentngr
www.independent.ng
In My Frame
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
Kunle Ajayi
0802 - 375 - 5213
Kunleaj2003@yahoo.co.uk
Do you want your event pictures published on this page? Contact Kunle Ajayi on the above info
Hi-Five: Daughter of Ikenna Stephen of Ranger International FC shows a hi-five sign after the goalless draw of the Nigeria Premier Football League match between Sporting Lagos FC and Rangers
played at Onikan in Lagos, on Sunday.
PHOTO: KUNLE AJAYI
Odd News
South African Father And Son
Congressman's 6-Year-Old
Create World's Fastest Drone
Steals The Show On House Floor
Compiled By Oyinkan Somorin
A
congressman delivering
remarks on the House
floor was upstaged by
his own 6-year-old son,
who decided to show off his funny faces for the cameras.
The clip, broadcast on CSPAN
and shared to the network's so-
cial media channels,
shows Rep. John Rose,
R-Tenn., delivering
remarks about former President Donald Trump's recent
conviction while his
son, Guy, sits behind
him.
Guy appears to
spot the CSPAN camera and first smiles
before launching
into a series of funny
expressions, including sticking out his
tongue, rolling his
eyes and shaking his
head.
"This is what I get
for telling my son Guy to smile at
the camera for his little brother,"
the congressman wrote on social
media.
A father-and-son
duo from South
Africa created
the world's fastest drone, with
an average top
speed of 298.47
mph.
Mike Bell and
his son Luke
bell, of Western
Cape, dubbed
the quadcopter
Peregreen 2 after an earlier model that reach 247 mph, Guinness
World Records reported.
The drone is 3D-printed carbon fiber, battery operated and
remote controlled. The duo
tapped aerothermal engineer
Chris Rosser for help controlling
it. To nab the record, they flew
the drone in two runs in opposite
directions, demonstrating its
ability to navigate tail or head
winds. They clocked an actual
top speed of 317 mph and an av-
erage of 298.47 mph.
The Bells created the device
over a period of months, troubleshooting problems, including
electrical fires caused by overheating wires and batteries.
Mike Bell is an architect who
designed the Mbombela Stadium,
where the 2010 FIFA World Cup
took place. His son is a content
creator and ambassador to Sony,
specializing in reviewing drones
and cameras on YouTube and Instagram.
/Independentngr
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
PETER EDEMA
+234 - 805 - 049 - 8540;
peter.edema@independentnig.com
25
AYO B A DA
LAGOS
W
e probably still
shouldn't believe it
until we see him attempting to juggle a
commemorative soccer ball in
front of the media and fans at the
Santiago Bernabeu, but it seems
like it finally happened. Kylian
Mbappé has signed with Real
Madrid, the club announced on
Monday, June 3.
Thus ends nearly a half-decade
of coy will-he-won't-he between
Mbappe, Real Madrid president
Florentino Perez, a succession
of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
managers, every French player
on Real Madrid, PSG president
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and even the
French prime minister, Emmanuel Macron.
While it's normal to feel worn
down by this saga -- as well as a
resignation at the inevitability
of Real Madrid signing the best
soccer player in the world -- this
is still quite rare. The best soccer
player in the world rarely changes
teams because whatever team is
employing the best soccer player
in the world (A) wants to keep said
player, and (B) likely has enough
money to continue employing the
said player.
The last time the best player
in the world changed teams was
maybe Lionel Messi, who moved
from FC Barcelona to Paris
Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer of 2021, thanks to Barca's incredible financial incompetence.
But Messi was already 34 years
old at that point.
The last time the best player in
the world changed teams in his
prime arguably was when Cristiano Ronaldo went from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009,
or more likely when the Brazilian
Ronaldo changed from Inter Milan to Real Madrid in 2002.
Sensing a theme here? On
the rare occasion a young, established, worldwide superstar
in person of Mbappe switches
teams, he tends to join Real Madrid.
Although he's taking a relatively substantial pay cut to leave
Paris for Madrid, he might finally
win the Ballon d'Or.
We don't really ever see a time
where PSG exists at the center
of European soccer. They have
such a massive financial advantage over the rest of the French
league that it renders individual
and team performance essentially meaningless amid the grander
annual narrative of world soccer.
Of course PSG wins Ligue 1 -- look
at all their money! And of course
PSG's attackers score and assist
all of those goals -- look at all of
their teammates!
In other words, the only way to
have a truly meaningful season
as a PSG player is to win a FIFA
World Cup -- see: 2022 -- or to win
the UEFA Champions League
(UCL). If you play for Real Madrid or you play in the Premier
League, though, your domestic
achievements actually take on
some weight.
@independentngr
@independentngr
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Sports
What Prospect Lies Ahead
For Mbappe At Real?
Mbappe
To be clear, domestic league
performance should matter -- the
UEFA Champions League (UCL)
is a pretty random set of no
more than 13 games, where
nobody plays the same schedule.
The club season has the same
schedule for everybody, and
there's no luck of the draw. The
best teams and best players after
38 games are the best teams and
best players.
Now, for all of the farmer's
league critics out there: We
shouldn't have any doubt that
Mbappe will light up LaLiga. One
way that we might like to look at
player performance is to combine
goals with expected assists. If you
score a goal, you're getting on the
end of the chance and you're converting it, but expected assists
award you solely for the quality
of your pass, without worrying
over whether your teammate converted it.
So, is it as simple as that? The
best player in the world is joining
what's already the best team in
the world? A side that's already
filled with other stars currently
in their mid-to-early-20s? A team
that's only really missing a go-to
goal scorer?
This shouldn't be complicated
... right?
While we do think we tend to
unnecessarily complicate this
and every other sport -- the best
players win games, and you win
more games by acquiring better players -- there is a kind of
diminishing returns here. Bear
with us for second: If you could
clone prime Lionel Messi, you'd
win more games, but how many
times would you want to clone
him? Would a team of 11 Messis be better than a team of, say,
three Messis, supported by other
players who cover up the weaknesses and deficiencies of their
trio of superstar clones? While
we would pay money to see the
former function, our instinct is
that the latter would be the more
effective team.
So, will Real Madrid be able
to find the right balance with
Mbappe in the team? The most
similar player to Mbappe is
Vinícius Júnior; the second-most
similar is Rodrygo. Or: the two
players he'll be sharing a front
line with at Real Madrid.
This isn't a bad thing, necessarily. Ian Graham, former head
of research at Liverpool and one
of the masterminds behind the
signings of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané,
has said that the team purposefully targeted attacking players
with diverse and overlapping skill
sets. This made Liverpool's attacking movements more fluid and
unpredictable -- all three players
could execute any fundamental
decision (dribble, pass, shoot) in
any situation.
In Mbappe, Vinicius Junior
and Rodrygo, all three players are
fantastic dribblers and shot-getters. None of them are world-class
passers, but they've all shown the
capacity to create quality shots for
their teammates because of how
good they all are at getting into
dangerous areas. Amid the loose
positional guidelines implement-
ed by Real Madrid coach Carlo
Ancelotti -- he more or less trusts
his attackers to figure it out -- this
could and probably should be a
devastating trio.
From an attacking perspective, the concern would be that
Mbappe and Vinicius tend to favor the same areas of the field.
In the past, Mbappe has expressed a preference for playing
off of a target striker, but there
aren't many target strikers at the
top level of the sport these days
-- and there certainly aren't any
who are more effective players
than Rodrygo and Vinicius. So,
they'll have to figure it out.
The real question: how this
will work without the ball? Although he's only 25, Mbappe
has already stopped defending.
This usually doesn't happen until an attacker's later years, but
he almost never pressures the
ball. Among all forwards who
have played at least 900 minutes
across Europe's Big Five leagues
this season, Mbappe ranks 318th
in combined tackles plus interceptions per every 1,000 opponent
touches. Rodrygo ranks 212th,
and Vinicius sits at 185th.
And it's not like being an effective attacker means you can't defend. The likes of Lamine Yamal,
Bradley Barcola, Jamal Musiala,
Jérémy Doku, Bukayo Saka, Diogo Jota, Gabriel Jesus, Goncalo
Ramos, Raphinha, Cody Gakpo
and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia all
rank in the top 40 for adjusted
tackles+interceptions.
Real Madrid were able to survive the lack of resistance pro-
vided by their forward line this
season because it was typically
backed up by four midfielders.
Jude Bellingham basically
played as a No. 10 with license
to break into the box at will, and
while his defensive contribution
is somewhat light for a traditional midfielder in a midfield three,
it's quite strong for an attacking
midfielder.
Madrid were able to survive
the second-highest opponent
pass completion in LaLiga because they frequently had eight
players behind the attackers who
could defend.
Now, you're swapping arguably the least active defender
in the world for one of Real Madrid's midfielders. It won't be
Bellingham, so it'll likely be for
the retiring Toni Kroos, who
was the least active of Madrid's
midfielders. Perhaps Mbappefor-Kroos doesn't make much of
a difference.
However, most of Madrid's
defenders will be another year
deeper into their 30s in a season
where they'll likely have to do
even more defending than they
did this season.
I'd bet on Madrid figuring it out
-- Ancelotti found a way to play
James Rodríguez with Cristiano
Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale -- but they're certainly
pushing the limits of talent concentration.
The world awaits how Mbappe
will change or influence the
chances of Real Madrid from being a great club to a greater club
within the next five years.
/Independentngr
26
@independentngr
@independentngr
www.independent.ng
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
Sports
Barton Faces New Trial Over Wife Assault
Barton was manager of Bristol Rovers at the time of the alleged assault
F
ormer footballer Joey
Barton faces a new
criminal trial over an
allegation he assaulted his wife, judges at the High
Court have ruled.
Barton was accused of assaulting Georgia Barton in
a drunken row outside their
home in Kew, south-west London, in June 2021, which he
denied.
He was due to face trial at a
magistrates' court in 2022 however the case was adjourned after Mrs. Barton retracted her
allegations.
In a judgment on Friday,
two senior judges said Barton
should face a trial over the allegations in front of a different
judge.
After the case was adjourned, a judge ordered that
proceedings be paused over
concerns a trial would be unfair to Barton as prosecutors
said they did not plan to ask
Mrs. Barton to give evidence
in court.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Stephen Parkinson, appealed against the
decision at the High Court in
London, with barristers claiming at a hearing last month that
a fair trial could go ahead.
On Friday two senior judges
Chelsea have signed Fulham
defender Tosin Adarabioyo on
a free transfer with the 26-yearold joining the Blues on a fouryear deal.
Adarabioyo, who will join
when his contract expires at the
end of the month, is understood
to be making the move in order
to play in Europe with Chelsea
having qualified for next season's Europa Conference League
(ECL).
Former Manchester City
academy centre-back Adarabioyo rejected an offer to become
one of the highest-paid players at
Fulham in April.
"Chelsea is a huge club and
this is a full-circle moment for
me. I was born three miles away
from Stamford Bridge and made
my professional debut there,"
Adarabioyo said.
"I'm very excited and looking
forward to helping push the club
in the direction we want to go."
Chelsea hope he can help
improve their record in both attacking and defensive set-pieces,
as coach Bernardo Cueva joins
them in a £750,000 deal from
Brentford to establish a set-piece
department.
Adarabioyo's arrival could
accelerate the departure of Chelsea academy defender Trevoh
Chalobah, who is available for
sale this summer with reported
interest from Manchester United.
Thiago Silva, 39, will also
leave Chelsea to rejoin Brazilian
club Fluminense.
Cubarsi
FC Barcelona's 17-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi has been
left out of Spain's final squad for
Euro 2024.
Midfielders Marcos Llorente
and Aleix Garcia of Atletico
Madrid and Girona respectively
also miss out on a place after Luis
de la Fuente cut his provisional
squad down to 26.
Former Newcastle and Leicester City forward Ayoze Perez,
who scored on his international
debut on Wednesday, will travel
to Germany.
The Premier League players
are Manchester City midfielder
Rodri, Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella and Arsenal goalkeeper
David Raya.
Spain will face Northern
Ireland today in a final friendly
match before they start their
Euro 2024 campaign on Saturday, June 15 against Croatia. They
will also face Italy and Albania in
Group B.
The full squad includes:
Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao),
Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad),
David Raya (Arsenal - on loan
from Brentford) – goalkeepers;
Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid),
Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Aymeric
Laporte (Al-Nassr), Nacho Fernandez (Real Madrid), Robin Le
Normand (Real Sociedad), Dani
Vivian (Athletic Bilbao), Alex
Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen),
Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) – defenders.
Midfielders are Rodri (Manchester City), Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad), Fabian Ruiz
(Paris St-Germain), Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad), Pedri (FC Barcelona), Alex Baena (Villarreal),
Fermin Lopez (FC Barcelona)
while the strikers are Alvaro
Morata (Atletico Madrid), Joselu (Real Madrid), Dani Olmo
(RB Leipzig), Nico Williams
(Athletic Bilbao), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ayoze Perez
(Real Betis), Ferran Torres (FC
Barcelona), Lamine Yamal (FC
Barcelona)
Keane Leaves Role As
Maccabi Tel Aviv Manager
Chelsea Sign Fulham Defender Adarabioyo
Soccer&
&Soul
with
John Ikemefuna
08039194546
(sms only)
cnimagazineinfo@gmail.com
T
ruled in the DPP's favour. In a
20-page ruling, Dame Victoria
Sharp said the previous judge's
decision "was wrong in principle".
Barton, who was Bristol
Rovers' manager at the time
of the alleged incident, was accused of grabbing his wife by
the throat and kicking her in
the head during a row outside
their home, where they had
been with two other couples.
He denied a charge of assault by beating after he was
arrested by police at his home.
Mrs. Barton was said to
have been left with a golf ballsized bruise on her forehead
and a bleeding nose.
But Wimbledon Magistrates' Court heard in March
2022 that Mrs Barton wrote to
prosecutors a month before
the scheduled trial to claim
she was injured accidentally
when friends intervened in
an argument between the pair,
having both drunk "four or five
bottles of wine".
Mrs. Barton did not support
the prosecution and was not
due to be called as a prosecution witness during the trial
over fears she would give an
untruthful account.
Lawyers for Barton said
this would leave him at a disadvantage as it meant she could
not be questioned over inconsistencies in her evidence.
However, Dame Victoria
said the prosecution was only
obliged to call witnesses who
had provided witness statements they planned to rely on
and it was not "an abuse of process" to not call Mrs. Barton.
The judge, sitting with Mr.
Justice Saini, added that Mrs.
Barton had never provided a
witness statement and had
also "expressed an unwillingness from the outset to
give evidence against her
husband".
Dame Victoria concluded:
"No prejudice could conceivably have been caused to Mr.
Barton if Mrs. Barton had
been called by the defence, or
by the court for that matter."
Teenager Cubarsi Left Out Of
Spain's Euros Squad
he Super Eagles of Nigeria,
coached by Finidi George,
will face their first litmus test
against the South African national team, Bafana - Bafana, on Friday,
June 7, 2024, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, following
two friendly matches against Ghana's
Black Stars and Mali's Eagles in Mar-
Adarabioyo signed for Fulham from Manchester City in 2020
Former Republic of Ireland striker
Robbie Keane has left his role as
Maccabi Tel Aviv manager after a
year in charge.
The former Tottenham and Liverpool forward guided the club to
the Israeli Premier League title in
May having also reached the last-16
of the Europa Conference League
(ECL).
Keane came under scrutiny for
working in the country during the
Israel-Gaza war.
When he was appointed on
a two-year deal in June 2023, the
43-year-old Dubliner said he did not
want to "get into politics" and that
he was there as "a football man".
In a statement published on
Maccabi Tel Aviv's website, Keane
said his decision to leave the club
was "difficult".
"I want to thank the owners,
all the players, the coaches, and
the fans for making this season
unforgettable," said Keane.
"I am very proud of everything
we achieved together as a team
and especially proud of the hard
work and the dedication that led
to winning the championship and
the Toto Cup.
"I wish everyone involved in the
club the best of luck in the UEFA
Champions League (UCL) and the
upcoming season."
Finidi Faces Baptisim Of Fire Against Bafana-Bafana
rakech, Morocco.
Finidi, who was widely criticised
by football pundits after winning one
and losing the other of two friendlies
in Morocco, is sure to face his true
baptism of fire when he faces Bafana
Bafana with his crop of Eagles following the departure of his predecessor, Coach Jose Peseiro. This will be
Finidi's most important match as he
leads his team through a competitive
FIFA World Cup qualifying series since
returning to the Abuja Glasshouse as
national team coach.
Nigeria's performance in qualifying
matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe
under Peseiro, a Portuguese-born coach,
has been disappointing. Nigeria drew
with Lesotho in the aforementioned
matches, as did Zimbabwe, and is now
third in Group "C" behind Rwanda,
which leads the group. As a result, Nigeria faces a difficult battle against South
Africa, as well as the Squirrels of Republic of Benin in Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire,
immediately following the game against
South Africa in Uyo.
So, it is expected that Coach Finidi
will instil new ideas in the team he inherited from Peseiro, giving him the motivation to complete this onerous task
on Friday. I say this because Nigerians
are waiting to see how far he will go to
demolish the South Africans, whom we
have repeatedly defeated based on the
statistics of our previous clashes, which
have been relatively predictable against
Nigeria. Undoubtedly, Nigeria is trailing
Rwanda and South Africa in the group
table.
Coach Finidi and his coaching staff
have adequately replaced the absence of
star player Victor Osimhen and others in
the Eagles lineup, according to reports
from all nooks and crannies of the
country's media houses. In light of this,
the Eagles are expected to come out on
top in the match in Uyo, securing their
second appearance in Abidjan against
the Squirrels. Notably, Nigeria has never been seen as prey to South Africa, so
Finidi must finish strong!
The Wasps of Rwanda, who are currently leading the table, are also proving
unstoppable; thus, the Eagles must be
on top of their game to qualify for the
upcoming FIFA Mundial, which will be
hosted in the United States of America,
Mexico, and Canada for the first time in
FIFA history. Following Japan/Korea
2000, the World Football Federation is
conducting another experiment. Although Nigeria was in Japan/Korea in
2000, it made no significant impact under
Coach Festus Onigbinde and his coaching consortium!
Nigerians eagerly await a new brand
of Eagles under Finidi on Friday in Uyo
and are praying that the Finidi Eagles
deliver to them Bayana Bayana of South
Africa by beating them hands down, as
gaining three maximum points on the
day will keep Nigerians' hopes high, allowing them to qualify for the next World
Cup. If this task is completed, Finidi and
his Eagles will be good to go! As you read
this piece today, the match had already
been played, won, lost, or drawn. Thank
God for a world without end, Amen.
Good Morning!
/Independentngr
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
@independentngr
@independentngr
CHIBUIKE CHUKWU
+234 - 803 - 218 - 4600;
silikaonline@gmail.com
We’re Strategising Against
Enyimba — Ilechukwu
Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu of
Rangers International of Enugu has said t he Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL)
table toppers are already strategizing ahead of their clash
with the reigning champions.
He said their Oriental
brothers, Enyimba, must fall
on Sunday in Enugu for the
team to achieve its primary objective of winning the league
title.
Speaking on the backdrop
of the pulsating draw against
Sporting Lagos last Sunday,
the former Plateau United
coach disclosed that the team
was going to Enugu to strategize for the epic clash.
"I must first of all thank our
fans in Lagos who came out
in their numbers to support
good football. My players also
displayed a good understanding of what we came to Lagos
to do. But for the agility of the
Sporting goalkeeper, we could
have been talking of a better
result.
"We are going back to Enugu to strategise for our next
game which is against Enyimba and we expect to be at
our best to get the result we
desire,” Ilechukwu stated.
With the result, Rangers
maintain its stay at the top
of the NPFL/StarTimes 20team log with 61 points from
34 matches with Enyimba and
Remo Stars following closely
in second and third positions
with 59 points from the same
number of matches.
The match against Enyimba will hold at the Nnamdi
Azikiwe Stadium on Sunday
in Enugu.
Former Rivers Utd Coach Unveiled
By Benin Republic Club
27
Sports
Enyimba Coach Talks Tough Ahead Rangers Clash
W
Coach Ilechukwu of
Rangers
www.independent.ng
ith just four games
to the end of the
2023/24 NPFL season, Coach Yemi
Olarenwaju Daniel of Enyimba
has insisted the team would compete for their title till the end.
Reacting to journalists after
the People’s Elephants’ resounding victory against perennial rivals, Rivers United, in the match
day 34 encounter and ahead of
this weekend’s clash with table
toppers, Rangers International of Enugu, Coach Yema said
though his team is not the favourites for the league, they would
keep fighting till the end and
enjoy themselves.
“You know like i said, we are
taking every game one at a time,
we are not the favourites for the
league, Rangers and Remo are
but we will compete till the end
even though we don’t win it, it
won’t be because we didn’t give
our best but because it wasn’t
our season.
“We won’t back down, we will
go to Enugu, we respect them, we
play our game, we want to enjoy
our game either home or away.
You can see the way the boys
enjoyed the game today, we have
to dominate and enjoy. Whatever
ever comes out we take it”.
When asked why he subbed
top scorer, Chijioke Obaoma,
who was on for a hattrick, Coach
Yema said;
“The team’s interest is what
we are after, he had two goals and
Coach Yemi of Enyimba
I saw he wasn’t running again
and making it easy for the center
back to pick the second balls. So I
had to sub him and put someone
who can run because I wanted
pressure on Rivers United.
“You could see while we were
leading 4-1, I was still shouting
at Joseph Atule and Bernard
Ovoke, everybody has to do their
job, we have to keep to our tactics
of the game to the end.”
On Ani Ozoemena playing
out from the back and the formation at the back, Coach Yema
exonerated Ani of the goal Enyimba conceeded but refused to
reveal his tactical discipline.
He praised the team’s general
performance, noting there was
room for improvement.
“I didn’t play three from the
back but let me start from Ani,
he had a good game, the goal they
scored wasn’t his fault, and we
would not rate him with that.
“I think because he wanted
to pass at the back, he made one
or two mistakes which for me is
one of those things but he had
a good game and it can only get
better.
“I didn’t play three at the
back, I don’t want to say much
about that, you know I don’t want
to reveal my plans but while we
are building up, there is a way
we twist and that’s why it looks
like that.
“If you have seen every team
I have handled nothing changes,
you would see I like playing good
football.
The young coach who just
returned from Scotland for his
EUFA License B Certificate,
however, shared his experience
with the press saying part of it
was what they saw in the game
against Rivers United.
The People’s Elephant’ will
next travel to Enugu on Sunday
for a date with Rangers FC (the
table toppers) for the match day
35 encounter.
The league defending champions are currently second on
the log behind their next opponent with two points separating
both Oriental teams.
Akwa United’s Ubong Sure Of Good Outing Against Sunshine Stars
Coach Osho (middle) during his unveiling
ASVO FC of Benin Republic have
unveiled Fatai Osho as their new
head coach. The team, led by its
majority shareholder, Dele David, father of Nigeria Under-23
striker Promise David welcomed
Osho to his new role.
Coach Osho, who previously
led the club brings a wealth of
experience and success from his
tenure with Rivers United and
Enyimba FC of Nigeria.
During his time with Enyimba FC, Osho secured the Nigerian
league title and guided the team
to the quarterfinal of the CAF
Confederation Cup.
Benin Republic side ASVO
Football Club is on the verge of
history with the management
pushing the club to greatness.
Dele David, father of professional
footballer, Promise David, is the
largest shareholder of ASVO,
driven by his deep passion for
football; a sport his son plays
professionally in Estonia.
Coach Osho’s return to ASVO
is marked by a two-year contract,
underscoring the club’s commitment to long-term growth
and success. His unveiling was
a grand event, attended by Dele
David, who traveled from across
the Atlantic to support this significant milestone.
During the ceremony, Osho
was presented with an official
SUV car, symbolising the club’s
support and high expectations for
his tenure.
David expressed his optimism
for ASVO’s future, stating, “I am
passionate about football and
excited to contribute to ASVO’s
success. With Coach Osho at
the helm, I am confident we will
achieve great things together.
“I know what it means to be at
a professional football club. My
son plays this sport and I am taking my responsibilities for this
club as seriously as a father will
take care of his son. I do this for
the passion I have.”
Osho shared his enthusiasm,
saying, “I am honored to return
to ASVO and lead this talented
team. With the support of the
club’s management, players and
fans, we are poised for a successful journey ahead.”
ASVO looks forward to an
era of growth, success and unity under the new leadership and
ownership, aiming to make a
significant impact in the football world.
Akwa United winger, Ubong
Friday, is cocksure that the
Promise Keepers will maintain
their momentum when they
visit Sunshine Stars of Akure
in match-day 35 of the Nigeria
Premier Football League/StarTimes league this weekend.
His optimism is buoyed by
two impressive results in the
NPFL/StarTimes over Lobi
Stars in Lafia and Heartland
in Uyo which lifted the former
champion to 14th on the log.
Ubong was instrumental
to Akwa United’s victory over
Heartland. He scored the opening goal and his low cross was
deflected into the net by Heartland defender in the match-day
34 played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on
Monday.
Akwa United began the
match in the drop zone and needed a win to boost their chances
of getting out of the relegation
zone. After a goalless first half,
Friday Ubong, Akwa United winger
the Promise Keepers continued
their attacking threat and got
their reward when Ubong Friday
turned smartly inside the box before hitting a superb shot beyond
the goalkeeper into the net to give
his team a deserved lead.
Moments later, the Prom-
ise Keepers doubled their lead
when Heartland defender Chinedu Ozor in an attempt to clear
Ubong Friday's low cross inside
the six-yard box accidentally
tucked the ball into his own net.
Coach Muhammed Baba
Ganaru's team dominated their
visitors and could have scored
more goals but efforts by Sani
Suleiman, Osoba Kabir and Seyi
Oguntayo were unsuccessful but
they were able to see off the game
and secure their 12th victory of
the season.
Speaking after the match,
Ubong disclosed that the team
would continue to maintain
their momentum till the end of
the season.
"Two straight victory in the
NPFL/StarTimes has given us
confidence. We just need to keeps
on believing, focus and maintain
momentum in the remaining
matches,” he stated.
With the win, Akwa United
who won their last away match
in Lafia over Lobi Stars improved their standing on the log
to 14th position with 43 points
and will be aiming to continue
their upward movement in the
table when they travel to Akure
to engage Sunshine Stars on
match-day 35 this weekend.
Logistical Issues Force Change Of Date For Katsina Utd, Gombe Match
Katsina United FC
Katsina United Football
Club’s match-day 35 in
the ongoing NPFL SEASON 2023/2024 against
Gombe United has been
rearrange.
This was contained
in a later signed by the
Chief Operating Officer
(COO) of the league, Davidson Owumi, and send
to the club chairman,
which was obtained by
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT.
The match-day 35 earlier schedule to hold on
Sunday, June 9, is now
moved back to Saturday,
June 8, 2024.
According to Mr. Owumi, the match is been rearrange due to logistics
constraints involving
the two premier league
teams.
28
/Independentngr
@independentngr
@independentngr
www.independent.ng
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
Sports
StarTimes/NPFL: Ojo Olorunleke
2026 W’Cup Qualifier: S’Eagles Escape Bafana Onslaught To
Miss Enugu Rangers Match
AYO B A DA
LAGOS
Super Eagles' Fisayo Dele-Bashiru being marked by Teboho Mokoena of Bafana Bafana in their 2026 World Cup qualifier in
Uyo on Friday.
PETER EDEMA
N
igeria Super Eagles
on Friday in Uyo escaped Bafana Bafana of South Africa
onslaught in their 2026 World
Cup qualifier in Uyo following
their 1-1 game to gift the visitors a valuable one point in
the qualifying race.
In a game the Super Eagles
needed to win so as to brighten their chances of going top
of the group C, the Nigerians
allowed the visitors to dictate
the pace and went ahead in
the 29th minute of the game
with South Africans walking
through the Super Eagles defence with ease and Themba
Zwane simply placed the ball
to the far post with goalkeeper
Stanley Nwabali left sprawling on the turf.
After several misses the
first half ended with South
Africa leading 1-0. But 46
seconds into the second half,
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru equalized for Nigeria after displacing a defender and took
a right footer that sailed into
the net.
After three games, Lesotho
top the group with five points
following their 2-0 defeat of
Zimbabwe away while Rwanda are second with four points.
Benin Republic are third with
four points while South Africa
also on four points are fourth
due to inferior goals difference. Nigeria who have drawn
all their three games are fifth
in the group with three points
with Zimbabwe placing sixth
with two points.
Nigeria will be guest of Benin on Tuesday.
With seven matches left to
play, Super Eagles chances of
qualifying for the World Cup
now depends on their winning their remaining games,
a herculean task it is.
… Lesotho Stun Zimbabwe, Mozambique Edge Past Somalia
AYO B A DA
LAGOS
Lesotho secured an important 2-0 away victory over
Zimbabwe on Friday afternoon to go top of Group C of
Africa's 2026 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers.
Mozambique and Kenya
were also in action in Friday's
early group of Matchday 3
games with the sides keen
on bolstering their chances
of qualifying for the global
tournament.
But it was in Group C
where Lesotho pulled off the
stunning victory over ZimFiston Mayele equalised five
minutes from fulltime as the
Democratic Republic of Congo
held hosts Senegal to a 1-1 draw
in a World Cup Group B qualifier in Diamniadio on Thursday.
Senegal, without injured talisman Sadio Mané, have taken
five points from a possible nine
in a shaky start to their bid to
reach the finals with only the
top team in the pool guaranteed
a place in the United States,
Mexico and Canada.
The west African side led
through Pape Matar Sarr but
dropped more points having
also drawn with Togo in November.
Sudan top the standings
with seven points as they
sprung a surprise with a 2-0 win
in Mauritania in Nouakchott
following a 15th-minute opener
babwe at the Johannesburg
Stadium in South Africa.
Rethabile Rasethuntsa
opened the scoring for Lesotho in the 21st minute, giving
them an early lead. Jane Thaba Ntso then doubled their
advantage just ten minutes
later, putting the game beyond
Zimbabwe's reach.
With this impressive win,
Lesotho now sit atop Group
C with five points from three
matches, while Zimbabwe
languish at the bottom with
just two points.
Benin Republic beat Rwanda 1-0 to brighten their group
C chances. With the win, Be-
nin now have four points to
place third in group C.
Meanwhile, in Group G,
Mozambique secured a hardfought 2-1 win over Somalia
in Maputo. Alfons Amade put
the hosts ahead in the 14th
minute, and Stanley Ratifo
extended their lead in the 29th
minute.
Somalia managed to pull
one back through Ismail
Shirwa in the 66th minute,
but it proved to be a mere
consolation as Mozambique
held on for the victory.
This result sees Mozambique move level on six points
with group leaders Algeria
and Guinea, who have also
played three matches.
Somalia, on the other
hand, remain at the foot of
the table with no points.
In Group F, Kenya and Burundi played out a 1-1 draw in
a closely contested match held
in Lilongwe, Malawi.
Duke Abuya gave Kenya
the lead in the 72nd minute,
but their joy was short-lived
as Abdallah Sudi equalized
for Burundi just 13 minutes
later.
The draw leaves Kenya in
third place with four points,
just ahead of Burundi on goal
difference.
Also Senegal Stumble At Home
from Saifeldin Bakhit and an
own goal by home defender Aly
Abeid.
Algeria won their first two
qualifiers but were beaten 2-1 at
home by Guinea on Thursday
in another shock result.
Morlaye Sylla gave Guinea
the lead but Algeria equalised
following an own goal from
Yasser Balde before the visitors hit the front again through
Aguibou Camara.
A quick-fire brace from
Trézéguet put Egypt 2-0 up at
home to Burkina Faso in Cairo, but they were made to sweat
when Lassina Traoré pulled
one back just before the hour
mark.
The Pharaohs held on, how-
ever, to maintain their 100%
start to the qualifiers as they
lead Group A by four points
after three rounds.
Second-placed Guinea-Bissau were held to a 0-0 home
draw by Ethiopia.
Jordan Ayew scored a
94th-minute winner for Ghana
to earn what could be a precious away win in Bamako following a 2-1 victory over Mali.
Kamory Doumbia had given the home side the lead, but
Ernest Nuamah equalised and
Ayew came off the bench to
claim all three points.
Libya moved top of Group D
with a 2-1 home win over Mauritius, with all the goals coming
in the first half in Benghazi.
Faisal Al Badri converted
a penalty for Libya but they
were pegged back when Kevin
Bru equalised. Ahmed Ekrawa
scored the winner for the hosts
five minutes before the break.
Malawi picked up a second
win in three games as they
eased to a 3-1 victory over Sao
Tome and Principe in Lilongwe, while Benin beat Rwanda
1-0 in neutral Abidjan.
Congo's fixture with Niger
was not played after local media
reported the former had failed
to arrive in neutral Kinshasa
for what was their home game.
FIFA did not respond to
a Reuters request for comment about the status of the
match.
The duo of Enyimba captain and
goalkeeper, Ojo Olorunleke will
miss the crucial Nigeria Premier
Football League (NPFL) match
against Enugu Rangers at the
Cathedral Stadium, Enugu this
Sunday, June 9.
The reliable player is on
national assignments with the
senior national team, the Super
Eagles at the ongoing FIFA World
Cup qualifiers.
The match will air live on Beta
Sports channel 244 on StarTimes
this Sunday at 5 pm.
The first leg match was a
testament to the intense rivalry
between these two powerhouses. In the game's dying seconds,
Enugu Rangers' Joel Odoh found
himself with a golden opportunity to secure a victory. A perfectly timed through pass from the
midfield sent Odoh one-on-one
with the keeper, but Olorunleke's
lightning-fast reflexes denied him
the winning goal.
But for the last-minute save by
Olorunleke Ojo, Enugu Rangers
would have clinched the maximum three points against The
People’s Elephant.
This Sunday, Enyimba will
travel to The Cathedral Stadium
in Enugu to challenge league
leaders Enugu Rangers in the reverse fixture. This crucial showdown between 2022/23 league
winners Enyimba, who are currently sitting second on the table,
and Enugu Rangers could very
well determine the fate of the
NPFL title race.
And with the absence of
Kenneth Igboke, Enugu Rangers Coach will have to rack his
brain on how to keep goal-scoring monster, Chijioke Mbaoma at
bay. Mbaoma currently leads the
Golden Boot chart with 15 goals.
The absence of Olorunleke
and Igboke will undoubtedly impact the dynamics of the match.
Enugu Rangers will be playing on
their home turf, which could give
them an edge.
Meanwhile, third-placed
Remo Stars will be away at Lobi
Stars in their Matchday 35 encounter. The match will air live
on StarTimes’ Beta Sports channel 244 at 3 pm on Sunday.
With their title aspirations
still alive, Remo Stars head coach
Daniel Ogunmodede has urged
his players to maintain focus and
determination as they enter this
crucial match. Remo Stars are
level on 59 points with Enyimba
and just two points behind Enugu
Rangers.
10th Nigeria Pitch Awards
Hold Today In Uyo
AYO B A DA
LAGOS
There will be real pomp and pageantry in Uyo today as the 10th
edition of Nigeria Pitch Awards
(NPA) comes to town with the
Ibom Hotel and Golf Resorts as
the venue.
Shina Phillips, chief organizer of the awards, said that all is
set for a ceremony that would be
full of panache, glitz and glamour.
“As I said a couple of weeks
ago, we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure a memorable
10th edition of the awards. All is
set, and we are in Uyo to put up a
super-show. As an organization,
we will continue to genuinely
appreciate the NFF, the Super Eagles, all our friends, enablers, affiliates and commercial partners,
for their support over the past 10
years, and to promise that the values of transparency, integrity and
credibility will never depart from
the Nigeria Pitch Awards.”
Nominees have been picked
in all 18 award categories, with
the winners to be unveiled today.
The award categories include
Goalkeeper of the Year, Defender of the Year, Midfielder of the
Year, Striker of the Year, Queen
of the Pitch, King of the Pitch,
Sam Okwaraji Award, Football
Pitch, Football-Friendly Governor, Corporate Sponsor, alongside
several honours for media representatives.
Nominees for Goalkeeper of
the Year include Kayode Bankole
(Remo Stars); Amas Obasogie
(Bendel Insurance) and Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC) while
nominees for Defender of the
Year are Calvin Bassey (Fulham
FC); Ola Aina (Nottingham For-
est); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK).
Nominees for Midfielder of
the Year are Alhassan Yusuf
(Royal Antwerp); Wilfred Ndidi
(Leicester City) and Alex Iwobi
(Fulham FC) while for Striker of
the Year are Robert Mizo (Bayelsa
United); Victor Osimhen (Napoli
SC) and Victor Boniface (Bayer
Leverkusen).
To do battle for the Queen of
the Pitch are Rasheedat Ajibade
(Atletico de Madrid Femenino);
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC)
and Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC)
while nominees for the King of
the Pitch are Victor Osimhen
(Napoli SC); Emeka Obioma
(Enyimba FC) and Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen).
Super Falcons; Enyimba FC
and Remo Stars are nominees for
the Team of the Year while Coach
of the Year nominees are Daniel
Ogunmodede (Remo Stars); Finidi George (Enyimba FC) and Randy Waldrum (Super Falcons).
Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC);
Ahmed Musa and Kunle Soname
(Proprietor, Remo Stars) would
battle for the Sam Okwaraji
Award while Edo; Delta; and
Lagos States would contend for
the State with the best grassroots football development programme.
Football Pitch of the Year
nominees are Mobolaji Johnson
Arena, Lagos; Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne and Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.
His Excellency Umo Eno of
Akwa Ibom State; His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos
State; and His Excellency Godwin
Obaseki of Edo State would fight
for the Football-Friendly Governor of the Year award.
/Independentngr
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
+2348-280-61597
celestineamoke@yahoo.com
TITILOPE JOSEPH
J OSEP H
The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) has denied the allegations made by a
former Pastor of the Church in a
viral video, describing his story
as false, mischievous, misleading and cruel one.
The church said Jimoh while
working with the ministry had
serially got himself involved in
one offense or the other at every
branch he was posted to serve,
before he was redeployed back
to the headquarters for internal
discipline believing he would
change but he never.
The Ministry made this clarification on Friday while addressing journalists at the Church’s
headquarters in Lagos.
While setting the record
straight, MFM through its Chief
Legal Adviser, Mr. Davidson
Adejuwon noted that some of
the lies being told to the public
on this issue has created a number of misconceptions among a
section of the public.
Among the lies he is spreading around is that the church
and the General Overseer kept
him and his co-conspirator One
Mr. Caleb in jail for nine years
despite the plea and beg from
his mother.
Adejuwon maintained that
judgement of the court on the
criminal trial stated clearly that
he was granted bail but they refused to perfect their bail condition.
“Clearly, all that was expected of Mr. Jimoh, his mother and
relatives as well as Caleb and
his relatives was to get credible
sureties to meet the bail condition which does not include
payment of any sum as being
misunderstood by majority of
people who are not lawyers. Is it
not curious to push a narrative
that Dr. Olukoya, the General
Overseer locked them up when
all members of their family refused to get the two individuals
for 9 years to stand as their sureties for them to be released?.
Automobile Dealer Johnson Solanke
Assures His Investors Payment Of
N1.5b Debt By December
K A Z E E M AW O J O O D U
I BADAN
An Automobile dealer and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of "Plan
for Tomorrow Investment Company", Comrade Johnson Solanke has appealed to investors
of the company to give him till
24th, December 2024 to settle
debt owing all the investors of
his company.
Johnson Solanke while addressing journalists in Ibadan,
the Capital City of Oyo State on
Friday over the issues that affected his company noted that
his working tirelessly to ensure
that he pays all the debt owing his
investors before 25th, December
2024.
'Plan for Tomorrow Investment Company' according to
Solanke is a subsidiary of Ogo
Osupa Media Concept, stressing
that the cause of debt incurred by
by his company is as a result of
fluctuation of Naira/Dollars rate,
noting that his company also had
series of issues with some of the
vehicles owned by investors.
He, however, appealed to investors to believe him, assuring them
that he is ready to refund all the
money invested in his Company.
He appealed to investors to
stop threatening staff of the
company, saying the company is
working towards paying money
owed all the investors before December 25th of this year.
He said, "I know I'm owing our
investors, we have no fewer than
806 investors that we are owing
nothing less than N1.5b, but I'm
using this medium to appeal to all
our investors to give me time, let
me use the few money on ground
to do business, all payment will
be sorted out before Christmas
this year."
"This is a challenge time for
me and my company, I want all
my investors to believe in me that
I'm not running away with their
money."
Sanwo-Olu Commissions Paediatric
Sickle Cell Centre In LASUTH
VICTORIA OJUGBANA
LAGOS
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on
Friday commissioned the Paediatric Sickle Cell Centre at the Lagos
State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to cater to the health
needs of children with sickle cell
disease.
Speaking at commissioning and
handing over of the center in Lagos,
Governor Sanwo-Olu said that the
edifice, which was facilitated by the
Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), would
transform the state's healthcare
landscape.
Governor Sanwo-Olu commended President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu's visionary leadership in
the health sector and for approving
a project of the magnitude in Lagos
and other parts of the country.
He also said the centre would
increase infrastructure dedicated
to children in the state and nurture
an environment where they can receive care.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the center would also add to the number
of health care facilities and improve
infant and maternal mortality in
the state.
While calling for collaboration
among the three-tiers of government, Sanwo-Olu said that the synergy would produce great results, as
it would help the people to achieve
more, even as he commended the
synergy among LASUTH officials.
He urged management of LASUTH to use the sickle cell center
judiciously to save lives of children
and for the benefit of mankind.
@independentngr
www.independent.ng 29
Crime Tracker
Celestine Amoke
Femi Jimoh’s Allegations, False,
Mischievous, Cruel — MFM
@independentngr
ITODE AKARI
PORT HARCOURT
T
ragedy struck on
Wednesday at a popular
bar located at Gas Turbine Road, Rumuekini,
Obio/Akpor Local Government
Area of Rivers State when an
electrician was electrocuted
while carrying out electrical
maintenance inside the ceiling
of the bar.
Saturday INDEPENDENT
gathered that the bar staff were
thrown into confusion as the elec-
Tragedy As Man Is Electrocuted
In Popular Rivers Pub
trician identified as Austine, said
to hail from Kogi State suddenly
started convulsing after he was
electrocuted.
Our correspondent learnt that
it took the intervention of some
concerned neighbours to raise
the alarm after they learnt about
the incident which prompted the
management to immediately
alert the Choba Police Division.
It was gathered that shortly
afterwards, some officers were
drafted to the scene to retrieve
the corpse of the electrician, as
well as carry out a preliminary
investigation at the scene.
When contacted, the Public
Relations Officer for the Rivers
State Police Command, SP Grace
Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident.
She said, "Yes I can confirm
the incident. Police officers from
Choba Police visited the scene for
preliminary investigation, while
further investigation is still on.
“The corpse of the deceased
has been deposited in the mortuary."
R A J I A D E B AYO
I BADAN
The Ibadan Zonal Command of the
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, has secured
the conviction and sentence of 36
Internet fraudsters to various jail
terms before Justices Uche Agomoh and E.U. Akpan of the Federal
High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State; and
Ladiran Akintola, K.B. Olawoyin,
Bayo Taiwo and O.S. Adeyemi of
the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan.
Those convicted are Ayodele
Victor Ayodeji, Adebayo Kazeem
Akanbi, Ajayi Charles Temitayo,
Rokeeb Olamide Taiwo, Olaleye
Adedolapo Emmanuel, Emiade
Azeez Ayotunde, Azeez Ademola, Afolabi Mayowa Akinbobola,
Shittu Waheed Adeleke, Franklyn
Ibeh Kelechi, Olanrewaju Olaitan
Quadri, Olawale Elijah Seyi Awofolaju, Samuel Olayemi Ademeso,
Akindele Timothy Olatunde, Sholeye Gideon Olamilekan, Waheed
Olamide Ahmod, Lawal Paul Jelili,
Asaju Muhammad Numan and
Badejo Adefemi Emmanuel.
Others are Gomina Dennis Ozaveshe, Adio Hassan Taiwo, Adio
Kehinde Hozaine, Adewunmi Adeboye Gabriel, John Oluwatimilehin
Moses, Odeniyi Faruk Idowu, Owodunni Monsuru Abiodun, Sanwiyu
Niyi Owonifari, Adeyinka Adewale
Olujobi, Ogunbiyi Segun Joseph,
Ayomide Oniyitan Oluwatosin,
Badmus Faruk Kayode, Jimoh
Sylvester Enahoro, Azeta Sunday
Osaremeh, Lukuman Olatemo, Emmanuel Ebgiri Ogah and Ayomide
Ibrahim Ishola.
The charge against Ayomide
Ibrahim Ishola reads: “That you,
Ayomide Ibrahim Ishola on or about
October 2018 in Ibadan within the
jurisdiction of this Honourable
Court, falsely represented yourself
as a female from the United States of
America with the name Lawrence
Maj.-Gen Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations (right); Zakari Mijinyawa, Special Adviser, Strategic Communication, Office of the National Security Adviser (second right),
and other spokespersons of security, defence and response agencies, during a joint briefing by
the Strategic Communication Inter-Agency Policy Committee on Abuja, on Thursday.
Courts Jail 36 Internet Fraudsters In Ibadan
Janet to one Ralph Wells via your
Google Chat account, which representation you knew to be false and
thereby committed an offence of
impersonation contrary to Section
484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap
38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
They were jailed after pleading
guilty to one-count separate charges
bordering on obtaining by false
pretence, possession of fraudulent
documents, impersonation and
aiding in committing an offence
upon arraignment by the Ibadan
Zonal Command of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, between April 24 and May 29,
2024.
All the defendants pleaded guilty
to their respective charges when
they were read to them in court as
prosecution counsel, Oluwatoyin
Owodunni, Modupe Akinkoye, Oyelakin Oyediran, Sanusi Galadanchi,
Lanre Suleiman, Mabas Mabur,
Shamsuddeen, Umar Abiso, Abiddeen Muhammad, Adamu Sahabi,
Fatima Baba, David Olubode and
Favour Adewunmi, prayed the
court to convict and sentence them
accordingly.
Consequently, Justice Agomoh
convicted and sentenced Joseph,
Oluwatosin and Kayode to one-year
imprisonment each without an option of fine, Enahoro to ten months
imprisonment, while Osaremeh
bagged six months imprisonment
and Olatemo to four months imprisonment without an option of fine.
Also, Justice Akpan convicted
and sentenced Owonifari to one
and a half years imprisonment and
Abiodun to one-year imprisonment
or a fine of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira).
Furthermore, Justice Olawoyin
convicted and sentenced Ishola to
one and a half years imprisonment
or a fine of N1, 500, 000.00 (One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira)
and Olujobi bagged six months imprisonment or a fine of N400, 000.00
(Four Hundred Thousand Naira).
Justice Adeyemi convicted and
sentenced Hozaine, Gabriel, Idowu
and Ogah to six months of community service each without an option
of fine, as Idowu forfeited a silver coloured Toyota Camry car with registration number: GBE – 334 – AE to
the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Moreso, Justice Taiwo convicted and sentenced Ozaveshe to four
months community service or a fine
of N150, 000.00 (One hundred and
Fifty Thousand Naira) and Taiwo to
five months community service or
a fine of N150, 000.00 (One Hundred
and Fifty Thousand Naira).
Justice Akintola convicted and
sentenced Adedolapo Emmanuel, Ayotunde, Ademola, Kelechi,
Quadri and Moses to one year
imprisonment each or fines of
N50,000. 00 (Fifty Thousand Naira),
N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira), N20, 000. 00 (Twenty
Thousand Naira), N30, 000.00 (Thirty Thousand Naira), N150, 000.00
(One Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Naira) and N120, 000.00 (One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira)
respectively.
Katsina: Bandits Kill 40, Injure Several Others
S E G U N O L A N I YA N
KATSI NA
No fewer than 40 people have lost
their lives, with several others
injured as a result of bandits' attack in villages on the fringes of
Dutsinma and Safana local government areas of Katsina State.
The attacks occurred barely
24 hours before the visit to Katsina State of the Nigeria Minister
of Defence, Muhammad Badaru
Abubakar to military formations
under his ministry.
Checks revealed that the
minister was on tour to the 17
Brigade Headquarters and Barracks to boost the morale of offi-
cers and soldiers to rid the state
of the menace of the miscreants.
A source said on Tuesday,
June 4, 2024, about 150 armed
bandits on motorcycles unleashed mayhem on the villages
killing over 4O people, injuring
several others and looting their
property.
Some of the villages targeted
by the hoodlums include Kawai
Mai Zurfi, Sabon Gari Unguwar
Banza, Dogon Ruwa, Sanawar
Kurecen Dutsi, Unguwar Bera,
Kuricin Kulawa, Larabar Tashar
Mangoro, Sabaru, Ashata,
among several other villages in
Safana Local Government Area.
Similarly, on Wednesday
night and early Thursday
morning, they also attacked
Dogon Ruwa, 'Yar Kuka, Rimi,
Lezumawa, and other villages
near Safana on the border with
Dutsinma.
At present, a source told the
Saturday INDEPENDENT that
residents from over 15 villages
have fled their homes, with some
seeking refuge in Dutsinma town
and others in Turare village to
escape the bandits' onslaught.
Information filtering out,
further revealed that the affected
injured victims were receiving
medical treatment at the Federal
Teaching Hospital in Katsina.
Efforts made by our reporter
to get the state Police Public Relations Officer's reactions to the
unfortunate incident, however,
proved abortive.
It would be recalled that bandit
attacks had been escalating in various parts of Katsina State, with
recent incidents reported in Batsari, Kankara and Faskari LGAs.
This is also coming after the
state Governor, Malam Dikko
Umaru Radda, while reeling out
his administration's achievements during his first anniversary in office recently, told journalists that significant progress had
been made in combating banditry, which according to him, has
attained 70% success in the state.
/Independentngr
30
@independentngr
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
News Feature
David Ogudu’s 30 Years In The Lord’s Vineyard: Prophecy is Power of the Church
sages as foundation for the cross.
Now, I came from Africa, some 30
years after that was done. I was
marveled. Of course, there are
numerous other miracles.
TONY ELUEMUNOR
T
he late American folk music super star, John Denver, sang memorably in
his Rocky Mountain High
monster hit - “He was born in the
summer of his 27th year, Coming
home to a place he'd never been
before, He left yesterday behind
him, you might say he was born
again”.
Something like that happened
to Bishop David Nwachukwu Ogudu from Abia state, who oversees
the Christos International Worship Centre, headquartered in
Abuja on June 11, 1994. Most importantly, like John Denver sang,
“You might say (Ogudu) found the
“key” to every door” – miraculous
powers which flows from prophecy.
That was 30 years ago. He was
19 years old. A first-year student
of Chemical Engineering at Bida
Polytechnic. He heard the voice
from on High and everything
changed.
Hear him: “The Fellowship of
Christian Students (FCS) invited
a man of God for a revival in the
school. But before that time, I had
been having some divine revelations, but when the man came, a
friend invited me to the revival,
kept troubling me to attend. Clearly, I heard a voice say “you must
attend”, so I went and I got arrested by God. It was so gradual, because that voice kept on talking to
me and I surrendered my life and
I even received Holy Ghost baptism during that revival. Ogudu
explained Holy Ghost baptism as
“the in-filling of the Holy Spirit,
evidenced in one’s speaking in
tongues; that happens when you
surrender to Jesus and they pray
for you. It is just like water baptism which is immersion in water.
In Holy Ghost baptism you are immersed in the Holy Spirt”
Ogudu continued: “And then
the prophetic started as I began
prophesying to some people there
and then, to the extent that Rev.
S.O Academy, when he finished
ministering and consultations,
came and sat beside me and began
to talk to me. It was a wonderful
experience and it has remained
so. This is my 30th year!”
Ogudu embraced full-time ministry in 1998, after attending the
All Nations Bible Institute under
the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa, and after going for further
studies. What he remembers the
most about Idahosa: “Faith, rugged faith. Solid faith. Authority.”
In 30 years since you answered the
call, any regrets?
Not at all. I was called. I had no
choice in the matter. No regrets at
all. The journey has been wonderful, challenging, too, but I’m enjoying it. I don’t have any regrets at
all in serving God.
I’ll go general a little bit. Why is
Nigeria going downhill despite our
quantum of churches?
It is not really the church that
will change the nation. It is the
leadership. If you look at China,
they don’t know our Christian
God. So, too, Japan. Dubai does
not know the Christian God. So,
it is the leadership …and the system. The church is to work on
our spirit man and on our character but the leadership, the gov-
Bishop David Nwachukwu Ogudu
ernment, the system, is the key.
If the system is strong, even if a
Babalawo is President, he will not
go against the system because the
system will judge him and correct
itself. Even if you put somebody
who knows nothing, the system
will correct him or oppose him.
The churches are not Nigeria’s
problem because the churches are
thriving, so the problem of Nigeria is the problem of leadership.
It could even have been worse if
the churches are not there to render certain services. That is why
I refrain from prophesying about
the nation, presidency, leaders,
general public because the Bible
says that the world has been given
to the sons of men. So, it comes
down to choice and attitude.
Now, to go personal…when you say
during a service, “I see Angels everywhere”, what do they look like?
Angels actually don’t come
with wings. They appear normal or people will be scared. In
the spirit realm, you can’t actually describe the person you are
seeing. It is a perception. For instance, you can be in the house,
and your wife is around, you are
not seeing her but you know she
is around. Or, to put it differently,
you may even be seeing your wife,
and know she is your wife without
trying to ensure she is your wife
in every detail; you just know she
is the one. That kind of seeing is
the gift of perception, of awareness and discernment.
When you call people out in church
to tell them personal details, say
problems, how do you do it? How do
you know? Do you know everything
about the person’s problem in one
instant?
You know, you are talking about
the prophetic. If it is a vision, you
will be seeing it just like you are
watching a television but it is not
really TV; you will just be seeing
things with your inner eyes, and
you will be knowing what you are
seeing and so you keep declaring
it. Remember that in Mark Chapter One, Jesus was teaching in the
Synagogue and He saw a man with
an unclean spirit. He didn’t say
the man was unclean but he was
with an unclean spirit. So, Jesus
had the power of discernment.
The man could have been wearing
the best of suits. The man wasn’t
dirty, so it is discernment. So, the
person that will be called out in
the church is already seated in the
hall, and so through discernment,
I’ll call him out to pray for him or
give me the needed message.
And if you see but you are ending
your service, must you give the
message to that person? Does the
Holy Spirit say, I have shown you a
message, and so you MUST transmit
it to that person even if the time for
the church service is over?
No. That is why they say that
spirit of the Prophet is subject to
the Prophet, but if there is time it
is good for you to minister to that
person, especially if it is something very drastic. And if God
really wants you to speak to that
person, He is God, so He will delay
you. But the Spirit of the Prophet
is subject to the Prophet because
it is not everything you see that
you must go bellowing from the
rooftop. Sometimes you will see
something, but you have the right
to choose the best way to deliver it
and when, too, and sometimes you
will just pray and move on without speaking about it. You must be
careful because you must handle
that gift with the utmost care.
Within the past 30 years, could you
pinpoint something that gave you
great joy?
I have seen God doing His
wonders, His miracles, but the
one that shocked me was when I
preached in a church I was invited
to, I was ministering and the Lord
spoke to me and I picked one woman and God told me what He told
that woman in June 1975. Jesus
told me that He appeared to this
woman and I gave the date. It was
a Saturday, and she was a Pastor’s
wife. I gave the date and told her
what Jesus said in June 1975. The
woman is from Delta state but I’m
from Ebonyi state and I was born
January 1975. So, 30-something
years after. So, when I got home,
I couldn’t get it off my mind but
I was startled and shedding tears
and the Lord said to me “this is
how Moses wrote the Book of
Genesis. So, Moses was not there,
but he received the message, like
it was dictated to him. The women
fell on the floor, was rolling and
shouting that she remembered
the dream very clearly and the
prophecy was spot on. I remember another one; I was in Texas,
USA, that church pastored by a
white man had a big cross, very
tall cross, in front of the church.
But the man who put the cross
in place was dead and his son
stepped into his shoes. The wife
of the dead pastor is still alive;
she is 80-something now. I now
pointed at the cross, and I now
saw the scripture quotes that the
woman’s husband buried as part
of the foundation on which the
cross rested. One is about faith;
one is “if I am lifted up I will draw
men to myself ”- about two or
three scripture passages. I quoted
them word by word. The only person that knows about the buried
scripture passages was the man’s
wife. Even the son did not know,
so the woman broke down and was
shouting that she joined the husband to bury those scripture pas-
How do you deal with disappointments, say you gave someone, friend
or family member a prophecy and
the person disdained it and died as a
result? How do you live with that?
It is very disheartening. I have
been saying to Christians that
nothing is as powerful as prophecy. Also, there is nothing as slippery as prophecy. There is nothing
as delicate as prophecy. Prophecy
is powerful. How did people know
Jesus? It was by prophecy. So, it is
very unfortunate that the church
is losing the power of prophecy.
The power of the church is in
prophecy. The Apostles of old
lived by prophecy. So, when prophecy is given and the receiver plays
with it, it is very painful. You are
seeing the danger threatening the
person but that person concerned
cannot see it and may not even be
paying attention. And there is
nothing you can do about it. It is
painful. It is a great load.
Prophets don’t prophecy by
compassion but by empathy. Compassion is I feel for you while empathy is I’m feeling it with you.
That is why, if you are prophesying and you are having headache,
it shows that there is someone in
the hall that is having headache.
And if you pray and your headache is healed, that person will
be healed. So, God carries that
person’s burden and places it on
you. So, it is a big burden. That
is why God says that you are my
battle axe. Real prophetic gift is a
great burden.
So, when you now tell a person
that danger is coming but God
wants to avert it, tell him what to
do or prayers to say or just to stay
indoors for a day and the person
disobeys God, it is very demoralizing. There is nothing you can do
because the Bible says that God
sent His word and His word delivered them.
What message do you have for the
church?
The Church should stay with
the truth. Christians must crosscheck what the Pastors preach to
be sure it is in line with the Bible
because this is the latter time and
the seducing spirits are everywhere, with people bringing doctrines of the devil, saying things
that are not scriptural, so the
church is at the crossroads now.
The Bible says that in the last days
people will pay heed to seducing
spirits. There are false prophets,
false teachers, false everything.
So, whatever you hear, you must
crosscheck it with the Bible. And
if you are with the Pastor that you
trust, please stay with that Pastor.
How do friends and family members
see you? Fellow students regard you
at Bida, too?
In school, even though I answered the call at that time, I was
still one leg in one leg out. But
my schoolmates knew that my
prophetic words always came to
pass. It came to a point where the
Christians in my department fasted jointly for me. My family; some
members doubted at first, which
is natural…then they began to
come around gradually.
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
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31
News Feature
Kumuyi At 83: Beyond The Preacher’s Cassock
B A N J I O J E WA L E
T
here comes a time when one
must take a position that is
neither safe nor polite, not popular, but he must take it because
conscience tells him he is right.—Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) American
churchman and civil liberties defender.
In his book, An Outline of the History of the World, Herbert Abraham
Davies relates the epic story of how a
cleric put himself in the path of potential backlash to deliver ancient Rome
from annihilation at the hands of an
all-conquering army of barbarians. The
predators were already in the regions of
the Roman Empire; all the soldiers needed was an order from their leader, Attila
the Hun, to move in and overrun Rome.
From this she was saved, (so it was said),
‘’by the earnest entreaties of Leo, Bishop
of Rome, who entered Attila’s camp and
warned him not to risk the vengeance
of heaven by plundering the city, and
the Hun leader was so impressed with
the bishop’s sincerity and intensity of
purpose that he withdrew his troops.“
This event has gone into history as
one of the rare demonstrations of the
intervention of religious leaders during
times of crisis in the state. Although God
establishes His Church strategically to
prepare His people for Heaven, He expects them to first live here on earth
righteously, ethically and honorably
so their intercessory prayers would receive attention before His Throne. The
Church and its leaders then are to produce faithful representatives who would
plead for Heaven to step in when the people face dreadful consequences for their
wrongdoings. The marauder was moved
by the bishop’s translucent candor, not
his sacerdotal gear, to concede to him.
Heaven won’t attend to people simply
on account of their hood or cassock. God
looks for men and women of incontestable integrity, humility and credibility
who wouldn’t deceive the world by an
exhibitionist and pietistic profession of
salvation. Of such was the man whose
‘’sincerity and intensity of purpose’’
God honoured to rescue Rome.
Of such also, by the reckoning of
many here in Africa and beyond, is Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, General Superintendent of Deeper Christian
Life Ministry, DCLM, and convener of
the international Gospel brand, Global
Crusade with Kumuyi, GCK. He has
stood on the unpopular ground that
one’s Christianity (salvation) would
CONTINUED FROM P29 ¢
surance in Nigeria has not delivered
the expected dividends since its establishment many years ago.
"Unlike less developed countries
like Rwanda and Ghana, which have
better universal health coverage,
Nigeria's level of health insurance
coverage remains less than 7%. The
government must prioritise achieving
universal health coverage through a
high-quality, effective, efficient, robust,
and comprehensive health insurance
programme. A lot of progressive and
surgical measures will be required in
this regard," he said.
The Chief Consultant Family Physician lamented that Nigeria has not
done well in terms of health funding
and budgeting. Unfortunately, he
stated that Nigeria has yet to make a
significant commitment to achieving
a minimum of 15% budgetary allocation to its health sector, as outlined in
the 2001 Abuja Declaration.
"The 2024 Federal budget has performed poorly in this regard, falling
short of expectations. The same is true
for the budgets of most Nigerian state
Kumuyi
remain inchoate, incomplete and insular, until its only identity feature blazes
holiness through and through. The pastor takes God’s demands on holiness at
face value. You can’t try to run circles
around God on this condition. You’re
not to resort to a ‘white lie’ to save your
life or to escape an embarrassing twist
of events. You must not also aim at replaying Uzzah’s fatal heroics in the Bible
by breaking God’s laws in order to ‘help’
His work.
For Kumuyi, the strength of a man
and his society lies in their God-inspired
integrity. Mankind needs it more than
his physical food. Take it away, and all
you have remaining is a hollow vessel,
vain, vulnerable and valueless. He once
spoke of holiness in terms of being gifted a car without its engine. He said: “If
you say you love me and you give me
a car, but you take away its engine, the
gift is useless. So is Christianity without
holiness.’’
That is the state of all men and
women alienated from the laws of their
Creator.
These are the principles Kumuyi has
taught and practiced since he got the
new birth of salvation on April 5, 1964,
six decades ago this year. Like Samuel,
the kingmaker centuries ago in Israel,
Kumuyi isn’t troubled that he might be
ambushed for some dark deeds to knock
him down from his high horse. Samuel challenged his compatriots to bring
forth evidence of any abuse of office or
inappropriate act of his, if they had one.
Last week, a video recorded years
ago surfaced in the social media suggesting that Pastor Kumuyi and his
wife had ‘fled’ to the UK, after he had
reportedly counseled Nigerians to pray
for Nigeria and the government and
to patiently bear with the authorities’
attempts to fix the polity. Those who
viraled the spent clip sought to deflate
the large image of the revered Deeper
Life Bible Church leader and move Nigerians to conclude that Kumuyi, after
all, is a man who could easily abandon
his holiness pursuit and surrender to
the urge of the flesh. They asked, ‘’What
kind of preacher is this Church leaderwho would forsake his challenged flock
and seek refuge in the cloying luxury
of Europe?’’ But, Kumuyi’s stay in London at the time of the interview in the
footage was short-lived. He has been resident in Nigeria since. There’s been no
relocation. Indeed, when the story was
hitting the phones the man of God was
in neighbouring Cameroon for the May
edition of his GCK. It held in the city of
Douala for six days.
But as Pastor Kumuyi turns 83 on
June 6 2024, a look at his life brings up
a man whose plea is that we are free to
strip him of his ecclesiastical trappings
and assess him on the basis of what
we find. In other words, he’s saying,
‘don’t spare me because am a pastor or
denominational founder; don’t also go
cultural by being awed by my age.’ If we
accept the challenge, what do we get? We
would be facing a man feeding on a credo
that his relationship with Jesus Christ
has taught him that a leader in society
must be so disciplined and committed
to selfless service that he must seek the
comfort and welfare of the led above
his own person or family. He can’t go to
sleep until his subjects have first gone
to bed. must
He teaches us to disregard those who
mask their villainy with their position
in religion and politics. They believe
they are above the law once they’re
cloaked in authority. They remind us of
a job-seeker who had his pastors as his
guarantors. His prospective employers
told him that they wanted assessment
from those who knew him outside the
Church. They wanted to know his character without religious props.
There are lessons from Kumuyi.
Our land will come out of the woods
when leaders take to the way of integrity not derived from shallow religion
(cant cassock, hollow hood) but from
God, Who reciprocates with answers to
their prayers for healing for the nation.
In this wise, Kumuyi’s ministry has recorded spectacular marvels. Inveterate
sinners have been saved; the dead have
been brought back to life; a child born
without genitals had these vital members created by Heaven following the
prayers of Kumuyi at the just-concluded
Douala GCK. There’s more: a watchful
followership gets the message of their
mentor and bond with their leaders to
deliver a godly and prosperous society.
That’s what’s been happening in
the Church Kumuyi pastors. Years ago
when he visited the fledgling Deeper Life
Bible Church in Ghana, Kumuyi sold his
car to support the assembly. He recalls:
‘’...because of the sacrifices I made in
those early days, our pastors and other
workers also followed suit and made sacrifices…sometimes when a leader does
something, and even without compelling others… they just do it.’’
Happy Birthday, beloved Pastor Kumuyi!
Ojewale is an author and journalist at Ota,
Ogun State, Nigeria
Rising Cost Of Medication: We Are Dying, Nigerians Groan
governments.
Dr. AbdulMuminu Isah, Coordinator, of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists
of Nigeria, stated, "The devaluation
of the naira has undeniably impacted
drug prices in Nigeria. As manufacturers struggle to afford raw materials
and equipment due to rising foreign
exchange rates, production costs rise,
resulting in higher medication prices.
This development is concerning because it has a direct impact on Nigerians' access and affordability to essential medicines. The government must
intervene with economic policies that
stabilise the naira and, more importantly, support local manufacturing to
keep medication costs manageable for
the average Nigerian."
Isah lamented, "The exit of major
pharmaceutical companies from Nigeria due to high forex rates is alarming." This exit exacerbates the drug
supply crisis by reducing the availability of quality medications. To address
this issue, a comprehensive strategy
should include economic stabilisa-
tion, incentives for local production,
and creating a favourable business
environment to retain and attract
pharmaceutical companies.
He stated that to help drug importers and manufacturers who rely
on imported active pharmaceutical
ingredients (APIs), the government
must provide supportive measures
such as favourable forex allocations
and import rebates.
However, the Senior Lecturer, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and
Pharmacy Management, University
of Nigeria, stated that "the long-term
solution lies in encouraging local
API production through investments
in infrastructure and technology."
This is critical in reducing reliance
on imports. Nigeria has capable and
experienced chemists who are eager
to help achieve this goal by ensuring
that locally produced APIs meet the
highest levels of quality and efficacy.
Dr. Isah, like the former NMA,
believes that offering import rebates
and special forex allocations to drug
importers and manufacturers would
help to stabilise drug prices. "These
measures would reduce the financial
burden on manufacturers while ensuring a consistent supply of essential
medications. With the patient-focused
ambition of the Clinical Pharmacists
Association of Nigeria (CPAN), the
desired hands-on skills that would
optimise the outcomes of the available drugs would have an impact on
Clinical Pharmacists;
through their expertise in medication management, they can help optimise the distribution and use of these
imported and locally produced medicines to maximise patient benefits."
Regarding investment in alternative medicines, Isah stated that "the
World Health Organisation has been
advocating the integration of indigenous medical practice into the 'conventional' system." That is the best
solution for our country. Most people
continue to rely on our extensive system of traditional medicine. The government must invest in standardising
training and regulating practices.
"Investing in alternative medicines
can supplement conventional treatments, but such practices must be evidence-based and regulated to ensure
safety and efficacy." The federal government should fund research into alternative medicine while ensuring that
drug experts participate in the evaluation and implementation of these
treatments into the healthcare system.
He advocated improved healthcare
infrastructure, including power and
logistics systems. "Health Insurance:
Strengthen health insurance plans
to reduce patients' out-of-pocket expenses. Research and Regulation: Encourage research into both traditional
and alternative medicines, and ensure
strong regulatory frameworks for safety and efficacy.
"Public-Private Partnerships:
Encourage collaboration among
the government, private sector, and
healthcare professionals to drive innovation and improve healthcare delivery," Isah said.
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SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, JUNE 8, 2024
SATURDAY
INDEPENDENT
THE MOST READ NEWSPAPER AMONG THE POLITICAL AND BUSINESS ELITE
“If you are working on something that
you really care about, you don’t have
to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”
— Steve Jobs
Peter Edema
peteredema2002@yahoo.co.uk, 08050498540
W
ith the opening of the transfer window fast approaching, clubs will be well underway with their plans to
improve their squads before the Premier League season rolls around again.
Telegraph Sport’s experts break
down what each club needs to do this
summer to enhance their chances.
Arsenal
Arsenal want to add another forward to their attacking options, with
RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko a serious target. A left-sided defender is also
on the agenda, with the club holding
a long-term interest in Ajax teenager
Jorrel Hato. With uncertainty over the
future of Thomas Partey, a new midfielder could also be required. Arsenal’s
financial firepower will depend, to an
extent, on the amount of money they
can generate for the likes of Aaron
Ramsdale, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah.
Aston Villa
The Champions League awaits Aston Villa, but also a summer of shrewd
trading as the club complies with tough
PSR rules. Unai Emery will target a
new right back, two midfielders and
a forward. The future of Douglas Luiz
is uncertain. Ross Barkley will join in
July when Villa activates his £5 million
release clause at Luton Town.
Bournemouth
With Lloyd Kelly running down
his contract and in talks over a move
to Newcastle, Andoni Iraola will be in
the market for a left-sided defender. The
ex-Bournemouth captain played at left
back and centre back during his five
years at the Vitality Stadium. A backup goalkeeper is also needed with New
Zealander Alex Paulsen arriving from
Wellington Phoenix. Forwards Enes
Unal and Luis Sinisterra have turned
their loans into permanent deals. They
could do with a central striker as they
are solely reliant on Dominic Solanke.
Brentford
Brentford have already committed
around £30 million on the signing of
Igor Thiago, a striker, from Club Bruges. He will join the club in July and is
regarded as the replacement for Ivan
Toney, who is expected to leave this
summer. Brentford have long been trying to find a high-class winger to add to
their frontline, without success. Could
this be the window in which they finally land a top target in that position?
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton completed their first big
deal of the window in February, when
they finalised a £16 million move for
Nordsjalland winger Ibrahim Osman.
He will join the club this summer. Central midfield is an area in which they
are short of options and they have previ-
What Premier League Club Needs To Do In
This Summer’s Transfer Window
ously shown interest in Leicester City’s
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. A more pressing priority is finding a new manager,
following Roberto de Zerbi’s departure.
Chelsea
The amount of incoming business
Chelsea do is likely to depend on how
successful they are in selling players.
Defender Tosin Adarabioyo is already
joining on a free transfer from Fulham
and Chelsea would like to add at least
one more forward to their squad. Chelsea are among the teams chasing RB
Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko and retain
an interest in Michael Olise.
Crystal Palace
Much will depend on the futures of
Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze. How many of those three will
leave and how much will the club generate in transfer fees? Guehi is certainly
expected to depart and Palace are close
to signing Real Betis defender Chadi
Riad for £14 million. They have been
strongly linked with a move for Japan
midfielder Daichi Kamada on a free
transfer.
Everton
The smart money is that Sean
Dyche would be delighted if young
Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana
shone at Euro 2024, allowing Everton
to pretend he is not for sale while secretly encouraging significant bids.
Dyche would then need a replacement
centre-midfielder, although Andre
Gomes’ departure means he needs
one anyway. Everton will be genuinely
desperate to resist efforts to take Jarrad
Branthwaite from Goodison. If he goes,
a replacement centre-back will be top of
the agenda. Dyche has also had to rely
too much on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
He caught fire at the end of the season,
but more attackers are needed given
Arnault Danjuma left at the end of his
loan spell. Most of all, Everton need
stable and wealthy new owners.
Fulham
Marco Silva is keen to boost his attacking options this summer and Fulham are interested in signing Emile
Smith Rowe from Arsenal, amid uncertainty over the future of Willian.
Fulham may look to strengthen at
centre-back following the departure
of Tosin Adarabioyo on a free contract
(he is close to joining Chelsea). Can
Fulham continue to keep hold of Joao
Palhinha? He is of interest to other Premier League clubs.
Ipswich
Ipswich have secured their most
important signing with Kieran McKenna’s new contract. First port of call
is looking at whether the loans from
their Championship promotion campaign can return to Portman Road.
Chelsea midfielder Omari Hutchinson
is ready for the Premier League, Bournemouth’s Kieffer Moore suits the way
McKenna plays and Jeremy Sarmiento
from Brighton is an exciting prospect.
They want a goalkeeper to back up Vaclav Hladky and would look for shrewd
Premier League loans or permanent
deals for those wanting regular football,
like Eddie Nketiah.
Leicester City
Leicester are walking into the unknown after returning to the Premier
League, with a potentially hefty points
deduction likely. Signings will be restricted and Leicester will look to raise
money before June 30 by selling players
to avoid future financial breaches. Jamie Vardy will sign a new contract in
a major boost for the new head coach.
Liverpool
If Saudi Arabia’s fixation with
packing their league with Liverpool
legends continues, Arne Slot’s needs
in mid-June may seem radically different by late July/ early August. For the
time being, the balance of the squad
requires only a few additions. Although
Wataru Endo performed admirably at
times during the season, Liverpool do
not possess a defensive midfielder of
Rodri and Declan Rice’s class. An upgraded back-up left back would be useful, too, and Joel Matip’s summer exit
will surely guarantee centre-backs are
being heavily scouted – if not for summer 2024, certainly for 2025. Virgil van
Dijk can’t carry the back four forever.
the market for a centre-back. They want
a Premier League-experienced striker
to provide competition and support for
Rasmus Hojlund up front, and should
Casemiro depart they will look at a
central midfielder. Left-back cover is
needed for Luke Shaw, likely a young
one. Diogo Dalot’s fine season has eased
the pressure on finding a right-back.
They will be limited by profit-and-sustainability rules.
Newcastle United
Newcastle are prioritising the signing of a right winger and a goalkeeper
but manager Eddie Howe also wants a
right-sided centre-back and a new centre forward if Callum Wilson leaves. A
midfielder is also a possibility if Sean
Longstaff is sold.
which he started his career and helped
win two promotions.
Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou has made it clear
that he wants to make major changes to
his Spurs squad, but it may take more
than the summer transfer window. A
forward, a midfielder and a defender
are the priorities for this summer.
Conor Gallagher remains a target, but
he is being tracked by a number of
clubs, while Eberechi Eze is also being
looked at.
Nottingham Forest
Forest are keen to continue lowering
the average age of the squad and will
look to repeat signings such as Murillo,
Danilo and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Murillo is a target for a number of clubs
across England and Europe, but Forest
will demand at least £60 million. Forest will look to sign a new goalkeeper,
creative midfielder, right-back and forward.
West Ham United
Julen Lopetegui is keen to make
signings across the squad, with West
Ham expecting a busy summer. The
plan is to transition towards a more
progressive style of play and they will
need players capable of doing that.
Palmeiras winger Luis Guilherme is
on their radar, while they also want a
new forward, midfielder, centre-back
and right-back. The future of Lucas
Paqueta remains uncertain after he
was charged by the FA with spot-fixing – West Ham had expected to receive
£85 million for him this summer. There
could be interest from elsewhere in Mohammed Kudus.
Southampton
A lack of goals was Southampton’s
big problem when they were relegated
in 2023 and the jury is very much still
out on whether Adam Armstrong,
their play-off final hero, can transfer
his prolific Championship record to
the top flight. He deserves his chance
but added quality will be required in
attack. Adam Lallana has also been
in talks about returning to the club at
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Gary O’Neil will prioritise a new
No 9 this summer after missing out in
previous windows. Finances will be
tight and though there is no pressure
to raise cash, Wolves could look to make
one major sale to bring in finance. Pedro Neto is admired by Manchester
City and Newcastle, and Wolves will
demand £60 million despite his injury
problems last season.
Manchester City
The Premier League champions
hardly need a revamp after another title
in the Pep Guardiola era. Their arrivals
will be determined by which players
leave City this summer. There was
an interest in Lucas Paqueta but that
is over after his FA charge for betting
offences. Pedro Neto is another they
have looked at but these are replacements if Bernardo Silva goes. Similarly Bruno Guimaraes is on their radar
should Kevin de Bruyne get tempted by
the Saudi Pro League. Ederson is also
wanted in the Middle East, and would
need to be replaced with a strong No 1.
Manchester United
The departure of Raphael Varane at
Manchester United means they are in
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