The Nation Newspaper

Category: Discourse

  • The sacrilege of veiled congregation

    The sacrilege of veiled congregation

    By Chris Okotie

    I bring you greetings and salutations.

    My name is Reverend Chris Okotie. I am the Shepherd Superintendent of the Household of God Ekklesia.

    In my last alocution, I expounded more perfectly to you, the things that pertain to the eschatological dimensions of the divine protocol and I took time, in a conversational approach that I maintained throughout the discussion, to explain what it is that is going on, with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic and I laboured to bring the mind of God to you, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

    There is a context in which I want to speak this time, and I would like you to pay attention to the things I want to say. I’m gonna make it as brief as possible, so you don’t have to labour to listen to the things I want to say.

    I said to you in that disquisition that satan chose this year particularly, because it has a reference to the number 10 and I explained to you that we are not dealing with the number 6-6-6. It’s important to understand that the number 6-6-6, refers to the designation of the antichrist. That number is a prophetic assignment appellation and it deals with his identity. But in the Bible, his operation is bracketized in the number 10. When you read in the book of 2 Thessalonians, it is written, “The mystery of iniquity doth already work”. In other words, that power has already been energised. That is, the operation of the antichrist. So, the number 10 deals with his operation, or his operational propensity or proclivity.

    That is why when you find the devil in Revelation, chapter 12, when he appears as the red dragon, he has 7 heads but he has 10 horns. When the antichrist is revealed in the same way, in the following chapter, that is, chapter thirteen, he is described there as a beast coming out of the sea and he has 7 heads, and he has 10 horns. The 7 heads there, refer to satan impersonating Almighty God, as the god of this world, and the 10 horns refer to the power in which he attempts to challenge Almighty God in His authourity upon the face of the earth, just like I said before, in The COVID – 19 Mystery.

    And if you look at that revelation in chapter 12, you will discover that the 7 heads of satan have 7 crowns, but when the antichrist is revealed in the 13th chapter, it is just said that he has 7 heads, and the crowns are on the 10 horns because, that is a reference to his power here on earth, representing satan trying to carry out the nefarious activities of the diabolical personage called Lucifer. So, please understand the difference. So, whenever you hear the word 6-6-6, it’s just an identification number. His operation comes under the number 10.

    Now, in the last disquisition, I didn’t discuss the subject of the mask, because I was waiting for the manifestation of that mask, to go from what it is as a mask, into becoming a veil. And if you look at the progression or the evolution of the mask, you would notice that it progressed from just being a mask, covering your nose or your  mouth and that area, to becoming a face shield, which is what a veil is. Now, why that is relevant, is because a veil is found in scripture, and it represents something that is very, very profound; that is what I wanna mention, very briefly.

    The veil was first introduced by Moses when he came down from the mountain, and the glory of God was upon his face, and then he covered his face with a veil because he didn’t want Israel to see that glory, but it eventually diminish, and vanish. That’s what the Bible tells us. Later on, when the law was established, we find in the temple, two veils; the one that is in the holy place and the one that is in the holy of holies. So, in the case of Moses, his face is covered by one veil, but in the case of God, in the temple; in the most holy place, He’s covered by two veils. So, if you were to approach God from the outer court, the more you went closer to Him, the darker it became because you couldn’t see His face: The first veil made it impossible and then the second veil made it absolutely impossible to see His face I’m making it very simplistic again, without being pedantic and didactic about this presentation.

    And so, we find that the veil represents that barrier between God and man. We are told in scripture that when the Old Testament is read today, the veil that was on the face of Moses has moved into the hearts of the Jewish person, who is under the law he can no longer, or he cannot understand the word of God when it is read to him because of that veil.

    Now, when Jesus went to the cross, we read in scripture that when the sacrifice took place, the first sign of the approval, and the acceptance of that sacrifice, was that the veil in the temple; that is, the second veil, was split in two, so that man has access to God now and God has access to man, so there’s a rapprochema based on the blood of the Lord Jesus. So, when a man stands in the presence of Almighty God, wearing a veil; what you might call a face shield or even a mask, what you are saying to Him is that you are denying the efficacy of the blood sacrifice, you are denying that the blood sacrifice was accepted and that the rapprochema between God and man, was empowered by the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, to make it pretty simple, you are denying the finished work of the cross.

    So, when you go to church and you stand in the presence of the Lord, as a New Testament saint, what you are saying; without saying, is that the veil between God and man is still in place, even though that veil has been removed. Most Christians do not understand that, because they think this is a medical situation, they do not understand that the enemy, satan, is trying to mock God and is challenging the efficacy of the finished work of the cross. So, not only does Bill Gates identify with Moses, because he’s the Commander of the Ten, but he must also identify with Moses, by making us wear that veil. When you stand in the presence of the Lord wearing that veil, it’s reminiscent of Moses and Bill Gates identifies with that. Remember what I told you, about him being the Commander of the Ten.

    So, the second aspect of his identification with Moses, is the wearing of this face shield or face mask, which is what the Bible calls a veil. And that is why no Born Again Christian who has that understanding, can go to church wearing a face mask, or a face shield, because that negates the finished work of the cross, and therefore, creates the pattern for Bill Gates to challenge the authourity of Almighty God, based on the finished work of the cross, because the authourity that God has on earth today concerning man, is through Jesus, because when Jesus rose from the dead, He said; “All authourity in heaven and earth has been given to Me so, you go in my name”. And that can only be, once that veil has been removed. Because as long as the veil is still present, there can never be a covenant between the two of them that brings that proximity; or the propinquity or the familiarity: It will not be possible.

    So Paul, talking to us about this subject in 2 Corinthians chapter three, talks about the glory that fades away, that was behind the veil. So, within the legalistic chambers of Moses, there is a fading glory because of the covered face. But Paul says to us that the New Testament saint is different and describes us; all of us with an open face. Now, if you look at it in the Greek, it’s not in the plural, it doesn’t say, we all with open faces. It’s not what it’s saying. Now, some translations may say that, but that’s not what it’s talking about. It’s talking about the fact that we are all one body connected to the Lord Jesus, and because we are connected to the Lord Jesus, the glory of God, upon the face of the Lord Jesus, is what we reflect.

    So, with the fact that the face of the Lord Jesus is open, and it’s not veiled, when we behold that face; which is what we see in scripture, we are translated, or transformed into that image, from glory to glory, through the Spirit, which is the Lord, Himself. So, if a believer goes before the presence of Lord with a veil, you negate what the Bible is saying, you frustrate the work of the cross, you stand in denial of the efficacy of that blood, and you take position with Bill Gates and satan, who continues to challenge what the Lord has done, and has decided to challenge Him this particular year.

    I mentioned, in my first elocution that he chose this year particularly, because the Gregorian calendar that we follow, has this year as 20-20, and it is 10 in four places; 10-10, 10-10. But it’s not just the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic calendar for this year, is 1441; 1 + 4 + 4 + 1, 10. The Jewish calendar for this year is 5, 7, 8, 0, that’s 5 + 7, 12, plus 8, that’s 20; 10-10. So, it’s a deliberate, premeditated strategy of the enemy to make sure that he challenges God, at this particular time because, it is very auspicious for him in terms of the number 10, as they relate to the power of Almighty God, both in scripture and in the creation that cannot be challenged. So, understand the seriousness of what is at stake.

    And it’s not like, we don’t wanna go to Church. David said; ‘I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord’. But the thing about it is that, you cannot provide an atmosphere for God to inhabit, in terms of worship, or as a people, if the altar is not in order. Before Elijah called fire from heaven, he had to set the altar in order.

    In the Old Testament, God took time to describe to Moses, how the altar should be set. Now, that is just a type of what is going on today, in our spirit-man, in the sense that, when we come before the presence of the Lord, there are certain things that He expects us to do, and they must be done decently and in order.

    So, before we bring our sacrifice of praise, and the fruit of our lips; giving thanks, before we offer Him all of these things, we must make sure that all of these things are in place. That is why you cannot bring a veiled face into His presence: That is a disorder. So, it’s not just the fact that we want to go to church, we cannot go to church to lift up holy hands, with veiled faces; that is sacrilegious. You’re mocking your God, it’s just that you’re not aware of it. And Bill Gates is aware of it, Lucifer is aware of it, and these are the adversaries of the church, and the adversaries of our God, and you must pay attention. That is why we cannot accept any condition, from whichever authourity, that is asking us to go to church, with veiled faces, with masks.

    Outside of the fact that it’s a mockery to our God, who has told us that He has healed us, or the efficacy of Psalm 91, and ‘By the stripes of Jesus, we are healed’. Outside of the fact that, that is diametrically opposed to the reality and the veracity of those scriptures, but the fact that you are wearing a veil, takes it to another level, where you’re actually denying the finished work of the cross. Remember what I said: Our faith is predicated on the finished work of the cross, it is vindicated by His resurrection, and it’s crystallized when we personally appropriate His blood through faith.

    So, child of Almighty God, these are things you need to pray about, and don’t be quick to run to church because we all love Lord; we do, and he wants us to come into His presence, but we cannot do so if we do not present things as enunciated in the scripture; we’ll be mocking our God and God forbid that any child of God will go in that manner before His presence. So, I wanted to clarify this, to let you know why we cannot go to church next Sunday. We will wait, and trust that the Lord will sort this thing out.

    Jesus, is the head of the body, He is the Saviour of the body, and He will take care of these things. Remember; ‘He’s the one who cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this that is glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength, I, that speaks in Righteousness; mighty to save’, saith the Lord. We must remember that He is more than able. Before these people began to propose this thing, I told you, He had already disposed of it. Fear not! He will do what He promised. The shaking has already begun, the enemies of our God will come to naught. Like Jannes and Jambres, their folly shall be made manifest. So, do not be afraid. We will wait until we are able to stand in His presence to worship Him in a manner that He has stated; and those protocols in the Bible, concerning His worship, we must follow.

    So, I know you are disappointed; I am disappointed, but I trust that the Lord, the God with whom we have to do, the Pantocrator, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the one who sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof, are as grasshoppers, has already taken cognizance of what is going on. They are building their tower of Babel. He will allow then build it to a certain altitude and then He will come down and confound their language and they shall all be scattered and confusions will set in.

    So, do not be afraid, do not worry, just continue to acknowledge Him. Remember, in your own house, like Daniel, open the window of your faith towards the heavenly Jerusalem and lift up your hands unto that God, who sits in the heavens, before whom are the seven fires of His ubiquitous Spirits, and you have the Awesome Foursome, chanting endlessly; ’Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which is, which was, which is to come’, surrounded by the rainbow of His magnanimity. That same God is present and His ears are open to the prayers of the righteous.

    So, I just want to encourage you and to help you remember, that faithful is He that has promised and will do it. We give praise to Jesus, we thank God for what He has done in Nigeria, what he’s doing and what He’s going to do.

    Blessed be our God forever in the name of Jesus.

    • Rev. Okotie is a pastor of the Household of God Church International Ministries
  • Omo-Agege: A visionary

    Omo-Agege: A visionary

    By Charles Afe Ikhaghe and Alaba Ezomo 

    The Renowned author and historian, E.H. Carr, in his book, “What is History?” sets off a controversy (which outlived him) with respect to treaties on who determines the course of history between the individual and the society. Although, he agrees that the society offers a unique platform for individuals to make maximum use of their potential, he, nevertheless, agrees that the strength of character and vision of some personalities have significantly shaped, defined and influenced their respective societies. These include, Adolf Hitler of Germany, Mikel Gorbachev of the former USSR, our own Nelson Mandela of South Africa, to mention but a few.

    Like all these great men, any writing on an eminent personality must necessarily reflect the greatness of the subject. If the exploits of his life and time are universally acclaimed as worthy of emulation and honor, then whosoever takes upon the awesome task of chronicling his history must turn in a great script.

    It is no less so with the story of incredible person in the class of lawyer Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege former Secretary to State Government (SSG)  of Delta State, a former executive assistant to Ex- Governor James Ibori. Later he was appointed as a commissioner for special duties. A successful lawyer and philanthropist, Omo-Agege ran for Senate in 2015 under the platform of the Labour Party.

    Aside his intimidating achievements, Omo-Agege has a daunting career profile which began his career with Pat Okupa & Co. in Lagos in 1987 and in 1989, he co- founded a law firm: Agege & Co. In 1990, he moved to the United States of America, where he worked as a foreign associate at Charles O Agege’ s law office in Los Angeles, California.

    A lawyer and politician per excellence, Omo-Agege currently serves as the Depute President of the Nigerian Senate, a position he has held since June 11, 2019.

    Born 23 August 1963, to the famous and illustrious Omo-Agege family in Ughelli North Local Government area of Delta State. He attended the Tulane University,  Law School.

    Just as Senator Omo-Agege has outstanding academic credentials, the record of his attainments in his public appointments speak of a patriot poised to apply his wealth of public office to serve the people selflessly.

    Thus his contributions in the Nineth Senate at the reflect the position of a cross-partisan personality. Omo-Agege is also not swayed by biased gender and sectional considerations. He is fair to all. Our politics has suffered severe setbacks as a result of the jaundiced disposition of some our leaders. It’s not so with Omo-Agege.

    The conclusion of most watchers of the political scene in Nigeria is that given these priceless qualities, Omo-Agege still has more to give to the country in the near future.

    So as we celebrate Omo-Agege at 57, we see the years to come beckoning him for more work at a higher plane for his people’

  • Intestate inheritance in Nigeria: a needless headache

    Intestate inheritance in Nigeria: a needless headache

    By Bright Ogbonna

    Chief Ekwenwoke Ubadianya, a successful importer of exotic wines in Nigeria and based in Warri, Delta owns real estate in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Calabar in addition to several distributorship outlets in South-Eastern Nigeria. He had five children – four sons and a daughter. In 2015, Chief Ubadianya suffered a massive coronary which led to his death.

    Immediately after his demise, his first son, Alex Ubadianya gathered the documents of title to the properties and promised to distribute the properties to each of his siblings after the funeral ceremonies. Chief Ubadianya did not make a will. The matter was never discussed after the funeral as he kept postponing any family meeting in which the property was to be discussed.

    In 2019, after intense pressure had been mounted on him by his uncles, Alex attended a family meeting with his siblings. At the meeting, he declared that he was not ready to hand over any of the real estate or shops to anybody since by Igbo native law and custom, he was the sole owner as the first son. It was only when Edward Ubadianya, the third son, visited their eldest brother in the dead of the night in the company of three masked men who put a gun to Alex’s head that he handed over documents to three of the properties to him. Anthony Ubadianya, the fourth son is planning a repeat of the dead-of-the-night-visit for his own share, while Michael the second son is wondering if he should go fetish. Lorraine Ubadianya, the only daughter, out of fear has abandoned the hope of any share in her father’s property, consoling herself that someday she will be married and it won’t matter anymore.

    The above narrative is but one of the instances which can result from the failure of a person to prepare a will. In order to prevent scenarios akin to the above, it is sought in this article to explore the nature of a will in order to provide insight as to how it works in the hopes that many more persons would embrace the culture of making wills and forestall the many inconveniences, problems and expenses arising from the absence thereof.

    Nature of a Will

    Many persons have tried to define or describe the nature of a will. But since a will is a legal document we shall employ a definition which incorporates the legal characteristics.

    A testamentary and revocable document, voluntarily made, executed and witnessed according to law by a testator with sound disposing mind wherein he disposes of his property subject to any limitation imposed by law and wherein he gives such other directives as he may deem fit to his personal representatives otherwise known as his executors, who administer his estate in accordance with the wishes manifested in the will.

    (1) From the above definition, certain points are highlighted. The first is that a will is testamentary.

    This means that a will has no effect until the maker (testator) dies. Consequently, a person cannot claim any benefit under a will until the maker of the will dies. A child for instance, who happens to see that he has been given a property under a will by his father cannot exercise any right of ownership until his father dies.

    Secondly, a will is revocable. This means that as long as the testator is yet alive, he can make as many changes to the will as he wants, including cancelling the entire bequests. In fact, there are circumstances which require that a person must change his or her will when they occur. For instance, if a person marries after making a will, such will, except in certain circumstances, is automatically revoked.

    (2) The revocation of a will means that if there is no other will made by the testator, the person will be said to have died intestate ( without making a will).

    Again, a will is valid only if it is made voluntarily. This requirement entails that the testator must have been on under no compulsion, duress, threat or undue influence. Once it is proven that a will or any bequest therein was procured by any means which prevented the testator to fully exercise his will, the will be discountenanced.

    (3) Of course, persuasion by a family member does not necessarily negate voluntariness on the part of the testator or constitute undue influence, provided it does not aggravate to the point of coercion. Certain relationships in which the testator is involved are usually suspicious when the testator bequeaths them with inordinate amount of gifts, for example, a lawyer/client, confessor/penitent, husband/wife. It is however the onus of the beneficiary to the will in the event of a dispute to prove that the bequest in his favour was made voluntarily by the testator.

    Our working definition above requires that a will has to be executed (signed). The requirement of the execution of a document pre supposes that such a document has to be in writing. In Africa, it is not uncommon to have oral bequests in the lifetime of the testator, even among seemingly enlightened individuals. However, disputes which arise subsequently, contending the veracity of the oral bequest necessitate that a will be made in written form. Moreover, Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837, like the Wills Laws of many states in Nigeria requires that a will be made in writing. In other words, a will which is not in writing is invalid. On the issue of execution, the will must be signed by the testator at the end of the document. There is a presumption that anything written after this signature was not made by the testator and is therefore invalid.

    (4) Thumb prints constitutes a valid form of execution.

    (5) Blind and illiterate testators must have knowledge and approval of the contents of their will. The will in this instance, may be signed by someone else in their presence and at their direction, after which the witnesses must affirm that the contents of the will has been read to them and they appeared to perfectly understand.

    Further, a will has to be attested by two witnesses. Generally the purpose of witnesses is to further assert the voluntariness and regularity of the will. For this reason, the witnesses must sign in the presence of the testator. Now, for the purposes of negating foul play, witnesses to a will are generally not allowed to benefit from the will except in certain circumstances, like where there are already two other non-benefitting witnesses or where the gift is confirmed by another will not attested to by the benefitting witness.

    The final attribute of a will within the scope of our definition is the requirement of soundness of mind of the testator.. The law presumes that the testator was of sound mind at the time the will is made, until contrary evidence is advanced See WELLESLY V VERE (1841) 2 CURT 917. The voluntariness of the will is then put to question. A sound mind requires a fulfilment of three basic co-existing conditions:

    a. The testator must understand that he is giving his property to one or more objects of his regard.
    b. He must understand and recollect the extent of his property.
    c. He must also understand the nature and extent of the claim upon him both of those whom he is including in his will and those he is excluding from his will.

    (6) It is however settled that a testator must have sound mind at the time of giving instruction for the preparation of the will and at the time of execution.

    Advantages of making a will

    Making a will entails accepting one’s mortality. As a result, the inner turmoil occasioned by planning for one’s death is something most people would rather avoid. Moreover, it is superstitiously believed in some parts of Africa that making a will brings one closer to his demise. According to a recent survey, 8 out of 10 Nigerians over the age of 45 don’t have a will and 7 out of 10 will not make one before they pass.

    (7) However, the benefits of making a will far outweighs the fears and discomfort which accompanies the disposition especially when compared with the negative consequences imminent when upon one’s demise there is no will. We shall look at a few obvious advantages of making a will.

    a. Control of your assets even after your demise.

    For many persons, the administration of their assets when they are no longer here constitutes a big part of their worry. A business owner or entrepreneur is worried if the legacies of his business will be maintained. A parent is worried if his children will actually inherit his/her properties upon their demise as against unscrupulous step parents, uncles, aunties and the like. A will ensures that the specific instructions given on how their assets, legacies and interests are to be managed and distributed when they exit the scene permanently.

    b. Appoint persons of your choice to run your affairs.

    A will enables a person to exercise the right of choice to the administrators of his estate.

    Without a will, a person’s estate is usually governed by the laws of the state who appoints an administrator according to the Administration of Estate Laws of the state for the deceased’s estate. Similarly, the estate may also be administered by the elders or family members of the deceased according to the customary law, depending on which law governs the intestate administration. But the choice of these administrators may not be the wishes of the deceased for any number of reasons. By making a will, the identity of the manager of the estate is established by the testator.

    c. Avoid unnecessary probate process.

    Probate is the authority given by the Court to a person to assume legal ownership of a property belonging to a deceased person either under a will or by the powers obtained under a grant of Letters of Administration (where there is no will). A beneficiary under a will cannot assume legal ownership of a bequest without probate. The process of transferring property from the estate of a deceased testator to a beneficiary under a will is relatively simpler and less cumbersome than where there is no will. This is because once the will is read and the relevant documents are submitted to the Probate Registry, within a relatively shorter period, probate is granted. Upon the grant of probate, the executors named in the will, can subject to any conditions stipulated in the will, assent to the bequest and hand over the property to the beneficiary. On the other hand, where there is no will, certain individuals in the order of relationship with the deceased, make application for the grant of Letters of Administration.

    (8) The processing of the application entails all the processes required for the grant of probate and a publication of the application in a National Daily Newspaper for a period of 21 days. This publication is to enable any person opposing the proposed grant, an opportunity to enter a caveat. The publication sometimes attracts opposition resulting in litigation which carries its blend of expenses, inconveniences and uncertainties.

    d. Ensures your goodwill towards your family and loved ones are executed.

    Where there is no will, the management of the deceased’s estate follows the strict regulations of the Administration of Estates Law of the state. Consequently, any intention to make a bequest on any person not recognized under Administration of Estates Law, like charities, extended relatives and friends is frustrated. A will on the other hand gives the testator the freedom to extend his good will to every one including those not related to him or her. It also enables the testator to refrain from making bequests on persons whom he chooses not to.

    e. Reduces the chances of contention over estate.

    We have recognized earlier that the publication of the application for the grant of Letters of administration can open the doors to litigation. Uncertainty among the survivors of a deceased intestate in many instances lead to litigation to determine the rightful devolution of real estate, especially when a party is already in possession. In many instances, some families resort to devolution of the estate by native law and custom which sometimes disinherit certain individuals like women. Aggrieved persons in this instance resort to litigation. Further, a deceased intestate may have sold property in his life time without informing his children. An attempt by the children to take possession of the sold property may result in litigation.

    f. Opportunity to determine funeral arrangement.

    A will affords a person the opportunity to determine the procedure, place, capacity of his funeral. This is most necessary given the extended family system run in Nigeria where the members have varied opinions on the manner of burials. Instructions made in a will could provide clarity on the wishes of the deceased.

    g. Cheaper administration of Estate.

    An application for the grant of Letters of administration entails the production of sureties and the execution of bonds which is a form of security that the applicants shall administer the estate in line with the requirements of the law for the benefit of the survivors of the deceased. The amount of the bond is determined by the size of the estate. The grant of probate on the other hand, does not require any sureties or bonds since the executors are already named in the will. This cost is avoided by making a will.

    Further, in the event of the death of the last administrator without winding up the estate, it shall be necessary to make a fresh application for Letters of Administration.

    This would entail fresh expenses in and filing administrative and solicitor’s fees. This is not the case where there is a will. As long as the last surviving executor makes a will, his responsibility as an executor devolves in his will to his own executors. Upon his death, his executors can carry on his obligations until the estate is wound up.

    Essentials parts of a will

    1. Introduction.

    This part introduces the document and declares it as the final testament of the testator, revoking any and all previous bequests, promises and declarations made by the testator on the estate and matters stated in the will.

    2. Introduction of the testator.

    This part introduces the testator stating his names, title, aliases addresses and other personal details. It must also state his marital history and status, together with the names and addresses of his wife/wives, children and other beneficiaries like parents, siblings, friends or charities.

    3. Appointment of Executors and Trustees.

    This part contains a list of persons who shall carry out all the instructions of the estate regarding the will. It is required that a minimum of 2 and a maximum of persons be appointed, taking care that they are trusted individuals likely to outlive the testator. Depending on the size of the estate and the intentions of the testator, it may be necessary state the powers of the Executors.

    4. Outstanding Obligations.

    Here, the testator discloses all his debts and obligations, especially, those which to his knowledge is likely to affect the dispositions made in the will and how these obligations should be discharged.

    5. Disposition of assets.

    This enables the testator specifically make gifts of his assets to the beneficiaries in the manner of his choosing, making instruction as to any conditions which attach to the bequest, if any.

    6. Execution and Attestation.

    As earlier stated, a will must be signed by the testator at the end of the document with each of two attesting witnesses signing the will in the presence of the testator, all with the date.

    INTESTATE SUCCESSION (INHERITANCE WITHOUT WILL)

    Where a person dies without making a will, two streams of law may govern the administration and devolution of his estate (property) – Administration of Estate Law and Customary Law. The determinant of the applicable option is largely dependent on whether the deceased contracted a Marriage under the Act (Christian Marriage) or Customary Law Marriage.

    (10) We shall briefly discuss below the entailment of the two streams.

    The Administration of Estate Laws of the State

    Regarding intestate succession, the Administration of Estates Laws of the various states govern the administration of a deceased’s estate. Apart from the deceased not making a will, intestacy may arise where the will does not cover certain properties of the deceased by omission of the testator, or where the executors appointed renounce the appointment for one reason or another. In any of the three scenarios, the state administers the estate with the Law as their guide. The spouse and children of the deceased, and in their absence, his or her parents and siblings are required to apply for the Letters of Administration which authorizes them to administer the estate and distribute the estate to statutorily qualified beneficiaries. A beneficiary under the authority of Letters of Administration acquires full legal title.

    Customary Law Inheritance

    Customary law embodies customs as practiced by the people which they regard as binding on them.

    (11) This entails the traditional practices of the indigenous people practiced over time and recognized as custom. In Nigeria, there are as many customary laws as there are a diversity of peoples. Consequently there are varied customary law regimes in Nigeria. Customary law is recognized in Nigeria as a form of preservation of the indigenous culture and traditions of the various people. It is applicable in areas wherein the statute does not cover.

    (12 ) Regarding inheritance, considering the various customary law practices in Nigeria, it is pertinent to determine which is applicable to a deceased intestate. The applicable customary law is the customary law of the deceased.
    This is usually, the law of his place of origin or personal law. In other words, an Igbo man residing in Lagos would have his estate administered by Igbo customary law if he dies intestate. This position is not however, not absolute. Where it can be shown that a person has assimilated the customs of another place, the customs of the assimilated culture can govern the administration of his estate.

    (13) The Courts have recognized certain customs in Nigeria and will apply it in the appropriate circumstances. The Igiogbe Custom of Benin which recognized the exclusive right of the first son to the fathers house has been recognized

    (14) and accorded judicial notice as well as the Idi igi method of distributing a deceased’s estate equally among the wives.

    (15) It is the deceased’s preferred personal law that is applicable. It would appear that the purpose of gleaning the lifestyle of the deceased for the purpose of determining the appropriate intestacy law is to ensure that the wishes of the deceased as much as practicable is achieved.

    Unlike the practice under the Will’s Laws wherein a person can bequeath his property to strangers, charities, churches and the like, children are the exclusive beneficiaries of their father’s estate under customary law.

    (16) Unfortunately, customary law of certain areas tend to disinherit certain class of persons sometimes unfairly. In the Igbo Custom, the primogeniture rule which confers exclusive rights to the eldest son usually disinherits wives and female children. The courts have therefore stepped in to apply the provisions of the Constitution to abrogate the application of that custom. In MOJEKWU V MOJEKWU.

    (17) The court held that a Customary Law that allows only males to exercise a right of inheritance and denied female children of a deceased the right of inheritance while conferring the right on a distant male relative is not only discriminatory, it is equally repugnant and unconstitutional as it conflicts the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

    Rights of inheritance for spouses.

    Irrespective of the form of marriage, every person has a right of inheritance from the spouse under a will.

    Further, any person married under the Marriage Act, not only has a right of inheritance upon the intestate demise of the spouse, but also has priority in the application for the letters of administration. Marriages under the Marriage Act includes Christian Marriage or Marriage at the Marriage Registry which are evidenced by a marriage certificate issued under the Marriage Act.

    Conversely, a person married under native law and custom has a right of inheritance only to the extent allowed by custom.

    Unfortunately, no custom in Nigeria allows a widow, the right of inheritance. Notwithstanding, the courts have on a case by case basis began to establish the right of a widow to a share of her husband’s property upon his demise in spite of this customary position.

    (18) How is a will preserved?

    Because of the sensitive nature of a will, it is best preserved in a neutral but secure place where the executors of the deceased can find it. The following places are appropriate:

    a. The Probate Registry of the High Court in the location wherein the deceased lived.
    b. Personal safe (provided it can be accessed)
    c. The Bank.
    d. The office of the deceased’s lawyers.
    e. A trusted friend or associate.

    Where the will is stored anywhere else apart from the Probate Registry it ought to be registered at the Probate Registry before it is proved.

    Conclusion

    Considering the hardship, uncertainties, risks and expenses associated with the absence of a will, the interest of both the testator and the beneficiaries are best served where a will is made well ahead. It can also be changed as circumstances of life change.

    References

    1 K.Abayomi, Wills: Law and Practice, Mbeyi & Associates Ltd. Lagos, 2004.

    2 Section 18 Wills Act 1837; Section 15 Wills Law of Lagos.

    3 HALL V HALL (1868) LR 1 P and D 481.

    4 K. Abayomi, Wills: Law and Practice, Mbeyi & Associates Ltd. Lagos, 2004.

    5 Estate of Randle (1962) 1 ALL NLR 132

    6 Williams on Wills 5 th Edition p. 25.

    7 M.Ojeah, “Will’s Act and the Requirements under Nigerian Law”, manifieldsolicitors.com

    8 Section 49, Administration of Estates Law of Lagos State.

    9 Order 48 Rule 32

    10 M. Onokah, ‘Family Law’ Ibadan, Nigeria, Spectrum Books, 2003.

    11 I.E. Sagay, Nigerian Law of Succession, Principles, Cases, Statutes and Commentaries, Malthouse Press Ltd. 2006, p.73.

    12 I. O. Bbih’ Customary Succession in Modern Ibo land: Judicial and Legislative Dimension in focus’ UNIBEN Seminar Paper 2008/2009.

    13 OLOWU V OLOWU &ORS (1985) 3 NWLR (PT. 13) 372

    14 B.Musa, ‘Principles and Practice of Succession under Customary Law’, Paper presented at the National Judicial Institute 22 nd March, 2017.

    15 (1997) NWLR (PT. 512) 283

    16 SUBERU V SUNMONU (1957) 2 FSC P.33

    17 DANMOLE V DAWODU (1958) 3 FSC 46

    Bright Ogbonna is a Lagos based lawyer (ogbonnabright@yahoo.com)

  • COVID-19 economic crisis: When foreign loan is detrimental to local economy

    COVID-19 economic crisis: When foreign loan is detrimental to local economy

    By Samuel. J. Samuel

    Since the outbreak of (COVID-19) in November 2019 in Wuhan, China, the virus has spread to 213 countries and territories around the world. As of 5th June, 2020, there has been 6,714,335 cases recorded with 393,408 deaths (11%). In Africa, about 4,583 deaths recorded; Asia-32,255 deaths; America -107, 029 deaths; Europe, 177 161 deaths; and Oceania, 131 deaths.

    The pandemic has continued to reshape global economies, worsening market dynamics, especially import/export trading, particularly shipping and transport of raw materials for manufacturing companies and other essential services. On daily basis, the virus is drastically reshaping the existing interdependency among countries in the world. The development has clearly shown that there is a looming economic crunch that will strike countries across the world.

    Since mid-March 2020, the USA has reportedly lost 20.6 million jobs, resulting in an unemployment rate of 14.7%, (USA Today). In the UK, around 7.6 million jobs, representing 24% of its workforce, are at risk of losing their jobs. In Africa, AU report has projected 20 million job losses in the continent, shrinking by 0.8% while up to 15% for foreign direct investment (FDI) could be withdrawn. However, World Bank has warned that the sub-Saharan Africa’s economy could contract by -2.1% to as much as -5.1% in 2020.

    Nigeria in view

    In 2019, agriculture contributed about 22.12% to the total Nigeria’s nominal GDP. It points to the fact that economic activity that increases the productivity, profitability and the life of farmers will definitely expand and stimulate socio-economic growth and development, including food security. Experts and research institutes have made different projections regarding impending acute hunger. The International Food Policy Research Institute has projected that an extra 148 million people will fall into extreme poverty if the world economy contracts by 5% in 2020. It has been estimated that 200 million across the world could be rendered unemployed while over 140 million people could fall into extreme poverty, and consequently escalate food insecurity, (ILO). In the same vein, The United Nations World Food Programme has also cautioned that a projected 265 million people could face acute food insecurity by the end of 2020. The Nigerian economy is ranked as the 27th-largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP, and the 24nd-largest in terms of purchasing power parity. This is could be better, considering the size of the population and human and natural resources at our disposal. The time has come for a substantial paradigm shift in all sectors of the economy.  Irrespective of the different projections that have been made, it is clear that food shortage would be part of the impacts of post Covid-19.

    Therefore, for Nigeria to attain food safety, it must expand its agricultural mechanisation programme. It is, therefore, imperative that government should formulate policies that will change the narrative by strengthening the private sector mechanization. This will significantly increase the country’s nominal GDP. Since 2010, the country has been on the race to develop its agriculture sector and ensure food security. Although some laudable initiatives have been achieved, there are still more to be done, particularly to close the gap in the area of agriculture mechanisation. Findings have shown that more than 62% of Nigerian agriculture is dependent on human labour, 26% on animal labour and less than 5% on mechanisation. There is no gainsaying that agriculture is the largest employer of labour in Nigeria. More than 75% of the rural population depends on agriculture as a means of livelihood. Employment in agriculture in Nigeria was reported to have reached 36.38% in 2019 (World Bank, 2020).

    Unfortunately, Covid-19 pandemic has dealt a big blow on the source of cheap labour as a result of the restriction placed on intercontinental trading and services. Migrant workers, particularly those in the agro business, are among the group of people being seriously affected by the pandemic. Consequently, different countries around the world are taking different steps and strategies with a view to curtailing the situation and thereby stabilising their economies. The country’s unemployment rate, put at an alarming 23.1%, and is being projected to reach 33.5% in 2020 (NBS, 2019).

    Government’s past and current efforts

    The $1.1B agriculture mechanisation programme

    Stakeholders agree that mechanisation is the pivot of agriculture revolution as seen in the case of India and China, and it has remained the fastest tool to pull people out of poverty. In January 2019, Nigeria and Brazil signed a US$1.1billion agricultural mechanisation programme that covers the entire agricultural value chain. The programme was designed as “a combination of service centers where technical capacity and training will occur to the local assembly of tractors and other machine and processing centres, where agro processing will be done”. “As a policy issue, we were clear that without mechanisation at the bottom of the Agric pyramid in Nigeria, we would not be able to make the quantum leap in agriculture production capacity and create high quality Agric and agro allied jobs,” (Professor Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria).

    The programme, tagged Green Imperative, according Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, was designed “to develop Nigerian agriculture based on a sustainable private business model through a food value chain approach, involving a full technology package transfer that will cover all stages, from agricultural production to industrial processing and marketing.” The project would be implemented largely by the Brazilian government.” In other words, the greater percentage of this loan would be provided through the supply of agricultural machinery and implementation in the form of Completely Knocked Down parts, CKDs. This arrangement is expected to reduce the fiduciary risk and create more employment opportunities for the youth.

    Need for a paradigm shift

    While the Covid-19 is increasingly ravaging global economies, it has also resulted in US dollar scarcity. The Naira equivalent of the loan facility at the time of negotiation was N396 billion currently, with depreciation, it could be over N495billion. This implies an additional increase of N100 billion which is more than the value being spent on the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme. It suggests that there is need to renegotiate or put the deal on hold. Nigeria cannot afford such colossal loss at present. It is also very important to note that the equipment cannot meet up with this year farming season, while the dollar may well have been stabilised by the time the equipment eventually arrives.

    It is safe to assume that the primary objective of government for going for a mechanisation loan is for the expansion of access to all farmers who are the primary source of food production for home, and raw materials for industries. It can also be assumed that one other objective of government is to expand the technological capacity of the country. If the above assumptions are logical, then the question is: “Can we achieve our objective in the long term by exporting the jobs and technological industrial growth opportunity made available by the sheer size of market?”  It should be noted that local assemblers and manufacturers that are just reviving, will be negatively impacted by the massive importation that may even lead to loss of skilled manpower. It is obvious that Nigeria needs at least 150,000 tractors to be at par with other countries. However, injecting large number of tractors all at once will not create market shocks, maintenance challenges, back-up limitations and, consequently, the challenges of capacity for management. Government must consider empowering local industries to enhance sustainable development of capacities for benefit indigenous industries.

    The need to expand local capacities

    As Nigeria strives to stimulate its economy with foreign loans, it must not be done at the expense of the growth and development of its local manufacturing. It is unfortunate that most foreign loans from China and other countries are tied to patronage foreign industries to the detriment of industrial growth at home. Quoting Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, (OECD) “Beyond the immediate response, recovery strategies should include a strong structural component to reduce dependence on external financial flows and global markets, and develop more value-adding, knowledge-intensive and industrialised economies, underpinned by a more competitive and efficient services sector. Effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the African Union’s productive transformation agenda can strengthen regional value chains, reduce vulnerability to external shocks, advance the digital transition, and build economic resilience against future crises.”  It is a fact that the economic effect of the pandemic would stay for a long time. However, Nigeria’s speedy recovery from the shock would be contingent upon its willpower to take advantage of the situation by developing, growing and strengthening its local manufacturing in every sector of the economy, particularly the agriculture sector.

    Investing in the real sector

    The Arab oil embargo of 1973 and the subsequent oil wars (gulf war) brought about major policy changes by subsequent administrations in the United States. The implementation of those changes and consistent strategy helped to limit the US dependency on foreign supply, using all tools available to stimulate production that led to the growth in the entire US energy sector, and the shale oil boom brought the US back to being an oil sufficient nation.

    Today, we need similar policy in agriculture that will stimulate production and increase profitability across board. The opportunities that lie in mechanisation are enormous. Mechanisation will, in addition to reducing drudgery, become a vital factor for sustainable growth and increase production which will in turn stimulate other sectors. The new world order demands that governments patronise local industries. This will help to catalyse growth in the real sector, in the manufacturing, create jobs and develop local capacity. As much as government is making efforts to stimulate the economy, using foreign loans, it is important to invest such loans to stimulate real production like manufacturing that will bring tremendous and sustainable growth to the economy.

    Mechanised farming

    The contributions of a private sector driven mechanization which come with a better efficiency and effectiveness can be summarized thus

    • Stimulates production: Agriculture remains one of the sectors that provides the largest employment opportunities. Hence adequate investment in mechanised farming will not only result in rapid increase in production, but also increase farming operations, jobs creation and efficiency.
    • Promotes and strengthens key sectors: Apart from being a great source of employment, agriculture provides raw materials for producing finished products in other sectors, especially the manufacturing sector. This stimulates infrastructure development.
    • Strengthens financial institutions: Banks and other financial institutions provide credit or loan facilities for farmers towards increased production that will increase overall to GDP.

    Way forward

    It is imperative that government invest heavily in its local economy, particularly in the agro and manufacturing sectors. This will not only drive productivity to meet local consumption, but also transform the sector drastically to commercial agriculture and thereby attract investors and contributes to the national GDP.  This is very important at this crucial time. The need to expand the capacity of local manufacturers and service providers cannot be overemphasised. We must aggressively promote local products or allow local businesses to supply the equipment. Various local associations in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors should be financially supported in all ramifications.

    Also, SMEs should be strengthened. They account for 96% of businesses and 84% of jobs in the country, contributing about 48% of the national GDP (Nigeria Bureau of Statistics). We must seize this opportunity to develop every aspect of our economy, particularly agriculture and manufacturing. The emphasis is for government to empower the private sector more with its ability for sustainability and efficiency.

    • Samuel. J. Samuel is a Principal Partner, Sensale Research Group

  • Technology, innovation, national development

    Text of a paper presented by Deputy Senate President Ovie-Omo-Agege at the 2019 luncheon of Government College Ughelli (GCU) Old Boys Association (OBA), Lagos Branch, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos

     

    Introduction

    It is my utmost pleasure to be here today as guest of this august assembly of eminent persons drawn from diverse walks of life. I will like to thank the organisers of this lecture – the Lagos branch of the Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association (GCU-OBA) – under the dynamic leadership of Mr. Sam Omatseye, a well-known erudite scholar, columnist and recent recipient of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award for inviting me to be the Guest Speaker at this prime occasion.

    I want to specially extend my profound compliments to the chairman of this year’s GCU-OBA, Lagos luncheon, Alhaji Ismaila Funtua, for his kind and most encouraging role in publishing and journalism.

    Of course, very well-deserving special accolade is the Special Guest of Honour and President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his invaluable contributions to our nation, especially in providing gainful employment to many of our youths and his philanthropy.

    Let me also congratulate him on his accomplishments in the field of industry across many African countries. Let me particularly thank our host, the Governor of Lagos State, Governor Olusola Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the good people of Lagos State for their hospitality.

    The organisers have requested me to speak on the subject “The role of Technology and Innovation in National Development” with emphasis on how Nigeria can leapfrog into the future through the innovative utilisation and adaptation of technology as the fulcrum of nation-building.

    Given the limited time earmarked for this presentation, I crave your indulgence to permit me to commence with some exploratory remarks that would be helpful in properly situating our conversation. Government College Ughelli, which was founded in 1945, has produced a galaxy of distinguished alumni whose contributions to nation-building have been most admirable, laudable and salutary.

    In fact, this premier institution of learning has established an enduring reputation since its establishment 74 years ago as a centre of excellence, both in character and in knowledge.

    There is no doubt that our nation has been a major beneficiary of this huge investment in education as products of Government College Ughelli have had their exemplary footprints well established in various aspects of our national life, including the real sector, science, engineering, publishing, diplomacy, law, business, public service, academia, and journalism.

    These spectacular accomplishments and prodigious feats could not have been possible without the application of technological and innovative skills, knowledge and stability.

    With technology and innovation increasingly occupying pivotal roles in our national development process, the task of effectively leveraging this special field for optimal development has become germane, and indeed imperative for all sectors of our national life.

    For example, in our current market-driven media industry with the advent of globalisation and expansion in digitisation the all-important role of technology cannot be over-emphasized. Technology has become the soul of many businesses, including small and large-scale corporations.

    Though the dialogue on the all-important setting of technology in our development process seems to resonate perfectly with the broad spectrum of our society, not many have taken time to critically examine the subject-matter and its overall implications for national development.

    Therefore, this presentation aims to provide a clearer understanding of the subject matter, and accordingly help illuminate grey areas.

    In doing so, I would examine the place of technology and innovation in our national development setting. Though, I would be speaking for a few minutes, I am hoping this conversation will ultimately provide us with some insights into the critical role of technology in nation-building. Given the fact that this event is primarily a luncheon, I would endeavour to limit myself to the allotted time.

    Technology, innovation and development: some perspectives

    Several analysts who have written extensively on technology and innovation maintain that technology has become most critical not only to national development but also to the wellbeing of humanity.

    Accordingly, most analysts believe the central nexus of political, economic, social, diplomatic, cultural, intellectual power depends largely on efficient application of technology.

    According to Emmanuel Mesthene, in his insightful book, Technological Change: Its impact on Man and Society, “technology is the organization of knowledge for the achievement of practical purposes.” (Mesthene, 1970) Apart from highlighting the power of technology as the organisation of knowledge, this definition also underlines the essential and distinct characteristic of technology as a practical phenomenon and spectacle.

    Development on the other hand, is the gradual advancement in skills to produce more effective and better products. In effect, technology and innovation which combine to enhance institutional capacity serve as the bulwark of development.

    In his well-researched conceptualization of technology, David Kaplan explained in detail what the term technology simply implies.

    He wrote, as cited in Thierer (2014): “Technologies are best seen as systems that combine technique and activities with implements and artifacts, within a social context of organization in which the technologies are developed, employed, and administered.

    They alter patterns of human activity and institutions by making worlds that shape our culture and our environment.

    If technology consists of not only tools, implements, and artifacts, but also whole networks of social relations that structure, limit, and enable social life, then we can say that a circle exists between humanity and technology, each shaping and affecting the other.

    Technologies are fashioned to reflect and extend human interests, activities, and social arrangements, which are, in turn, conditioned, structured, and transformed by technological systems.”

    Advances in technology and innovation have witnessed an exponential increase since the first industrial revolution which began in Britain in the 1770s.

    Since then, the world has gone through four industrial revolutions, with each succeeding phase expanding and innovating on the preceding one.

    The first three industrial revolutions produced the steam engine, the age of science and mass production, and the rise of digital technology significantly transformed the world.

     

    Read Also: Lagos holds technology summit

     

    Overall, the technologically-determinist school of thought argues that the fourth industrial revolution is already here. Indeed, from North America, to continental Europe, China and India, and from Asia-Pacific to Africa, talks about the fourth industrial revolution have continued to dominate global discourse.

    While some have expressed concerns about the growing impact of technology, we cannot rule out the reality that technology is inextricably linked with development and growth on the one hand, and the rise of new ways of boosting productivity or innovation on the other hand.

    As written by a member of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum, Nicholas Davis, in his imaginative work:” Navigating the Next Industrial Revolution”, the fourth industrial revolution is already here with technological advancement, digitalisation of the public space and networked computers to create a “networked society”, patterned in accordance with the concept of the “knowledge economy”.

    Permit me to quote Davis extensively: “The Fourth Industrial Revolution can be described as the advent of “cyber-physical systems” involving entirely new capabilities for people and machines.

    While these capabilities are reliant on the technologies and infrastructure of the Third Industrial Revolution, the Fourth Industrial Revolution represents entirely new ways in which technology becomes embedded within societies and even our human bodies.

    Examples include genome editing, new forms of machine intelligence, breakthrough materials and approaches to governance that rely on cryptographic methods such as the blockchain… As the novelist William Gibson famously said: “The future is already here – it’s just not very evenly distributed.”

    Indeed, in many parts of the world aspects of the Second and Third Industrial Revolutions have yet to be experienced, complicated by the fact that new technologies are in some cases able to “leapfrog” older ones. As the United Nations pointed out in 2013, more people in the world have access to a mobile phone than basic sanitation.

    In the same way, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is beginning to emerge at the same time that the third, digital revolution is spreading and maturing across countries and organizations.

    The complexity of these technologies and their emergent nature make many aspects of the Fourth Industrial Revolution feel unfamiliar and, to many, threatening. We should therefore remember that all industrial revolutions are ultimately driven by the individual and collective choices of people.

    And it is not just the choices of the researchers, inventors and designers developing the underlying technologies that matter, but even more importantly those of investors, consumers, regulators and citizens who adopt and employ these technologies in daily life.

    The Fourth Industrial Revolution may look and feel like an exogenous force with the power of a tsunami, but in reality, it is a reflection of our desires and choices.

    At the heart of discussions around emerging technologies there is a critical and central question: what do we want these technologies to deliver for us”.

    Since the emergence of this study, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of research findings to deconstruct and dissect the above critical question: what do we want these technologies to deliver for us?

    Consequently, this has prompted various perspectives on this engaging subject matter.

    Technology, innovation and national development process in Nigeria.

    Significantly, current developments in the field of technology and innovation in Nigeria show dynamics that indicate that notwithstanding existing questions about the capacity and capabilities of our technological sector to effectively catalyse our national development process, the growing awareness about the pivotal role of technology in nation-building seems to be changing the conventional, traditional narrative. This is particularly so in developing countries, that have placed very little or no priority on technology and innovation.

    The good news however is that all that is changing in Nigeria. In a determined move to change this previously held algorithm, the 9th Senate under the leadership of HE, Senator Ahmed Lawan, has conceived and developed very robust and responsible ways of maintaining its constitutional oversight role over the executive branch of government towards enhancing our nation’s technological sector.

    The Senate’s constitution of a standing committee on Science and Technology is one of the several ways it is building a sustainable partnership while maintaining its over-sight function in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s Next Level administration agenda.

    It is pertinent to note that it was in recognition of the important role of technology and innovation in leapfrogging national development that President Buhari strengthened the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology at the onset of his administration.

    The mandate and goals of the ministry, among other objectives, “is to facilitate the development and deployment of science and technology apparatus to enhance the pace of socio-economic development of the country through appropriate technological inputs into productive activities in the nation”.

    In further recognition of the role of technological in shaping modern economies, the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress Federal Government has also reorganized the Federal Ministry of Communication.

    Now known as the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the ministry has a broader and more strategic mandate “to foster a knowledge based economy” and “facilitate ICT as a key tool in the transformation agenda for Nigeria in the areas of job creation, economic growth and transparency of governance.”

    However, no serious discussion on technology and innovation in Nigeria would be viable without consciously referring to the accomplishments of our young men and women whose exceptional feats across the world have earned Nigeria deserving global accolades.

    It is therefore gratifying that Nigeria has a thriving and dynamic youth population, estimated at over 70 per cent of its about 200 million people.

    It is the goal of the Buhari administration to harness their potential for national development using technology and innovation as focal points.

    It is envisioned that this new framework if properly harnessed, would serve as a high employer of manpower drawn largely from the thriving population of our young men and women.

    Technology, they say, truly makes life easier and much more rewarding!

    The compelling story of Mr Chinedu Echeruo, the founder of Hopstop, who was born and raised in Nigeria before moving to the United States readily comes to my mind. This creative and technologically-minded young Nigerian, who took a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Syracuse University, New York and an MBA from Harvard, founded Hopstsop in 2005, and by 2011, the company was already ranked one of the top 100 fastest growing software companies in the US! Hopstop was an online transit guide, which offered transporters, commuters, etc detailed door-to-door directions and transit maps for about 600 cities across US, Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom.

    In 2013, this innovator sold Hopstop to Apple for $1billion. Gradually, technology has become the basis for wealth creation and national development, as it transcends all spheres of human endeavour including traditional economies like agriculture.

    Further, it is in this light that we will appreciate the recent gesture by the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, who, while on a recent visit to Nigeria for interactions with young innovators, offered an instant employment to an innovator and developer of a viral Twitter-based bot, which enables readers to follow replies to tweets with much ease.

    Also, it was in a bid to get a significant foothold in Nigeria’s growing technology space that Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, invested in Andela, a hub for developers located in Yaba, Lagos. In an advisory on its website, Andela says:  “… we are solving the global technical talent shortage by building distributed engineering teams with Africa’s top software developers. In four years, Andela has hired 1,000 developers out of more than 100,000 applicants and become known as the ‘Best Place to Work in Africa,’ with tech campuses in Lagos, Nairobi, Kampala and Kigali. Backed by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, GV, Spark Capital, and CRE Venture Capital, Andela is powering global engineering teams while catalyzing the growth of tech ecosystems across the African continent.”

    Having carefully presented the above narrative, I will now like to proceed to comment on the question earlier asked by Davis: what do we want these technologies to deliver for us? In other words, what do we want the technologies emerging from these inventions and innovations to deliver for us?

    The world is currently experiencing disruptions in different sectors, and these developments are equally affecting our nation in different ways.

    Yet, this is an age of the fourth industrial revolution with its attendant Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, robotics, facial recognition, paperless learning, cashless economy, etc. Happily, some sectors in Nigeria are making conscious and determined efforts to align with global best practices in technological innovation, top of which is the banking industry.

    For instance, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has made commendable efforts at encouraging banks and other financial institutions to infuse technology in their operations.

    New apps that seem to promise reliable e-wallets are springing up. With these apps, Nigerians can now pay for services from any part of the world at far lower rates than those charged by regular banks.

    Also, e-payment platforms now enable purchases without physical contact between buyers and sellers. For example, Uber, Taxify, Gokada, Maxokada, Gidicabs have broken the monopoly of traditional transport and logistics operators and introduced technology-driven cabs and ride- sharing services.

    Also, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was reported to have recently introduced a Regulatory Sandbox.

    This is a controlled environment which offers a ‘safe space’ in which start-ups and other businesses can test innovative products, services, business models and delivery mechanisms relating to the financial and capital markets in a live environment without immediately satisfying all the necessary regulatory requirements.

    Beyond this, there is still a lot of work to be done. But we have made great and tremendous progress in the right direction.

    It is work in progress.  I am quite optimistic that with innovation and positive application of technology, Nigeria will inevitably launch herself into the paper-free age.

    Innovation will also propel Nigerians to be more creative by developing apps and other technological tools that will boost e-learning, instruction and ultimately impact positively on knowledge.

    Technological innovations are needed to also expand our access to quality healthcare and other sectors.

     

    Conclusion

    Therefore, as I wrap up on this conversation, I would like to conclude with the candid view that the future of technology and innovation in Nigeria is very exciting and most encouraging.

    On reflection on how we arrived at this hair-raising and thrilling point, and what is responsible for the foregoing cheering and enlivening developments, a further deconstruction of the new technological paradigm clearly indicates that Nigeria has long been home to indigenous techniques, skills, and native expertise.

    For illustrative purposes, archeologists argue that the ancient Nok technological culture in present day communities in Plateau, Bauchi, Kano and Kaduna states dates back to about 500 BC.

    This was because the fabrication of iron tools was very helpful for catalysing historic and historical agricultural activities, hunting and associated activities.

    By leveraging on this historical background, our talented innovators have been able to develop themselves professionally.

    A recent study conducted by CcHUB on ‘Talent Gap Situational Trend Analysis,’ revealed that the technology industry in Nigeria has a distinct challenge bordering on how to find eligible employees to fill vacancies.

    A key challenge besetting the sector lies in the dearth of skilled manpower to man our technological sector. Happily, however, the recent announcement by Facebook and Google about energizing thriving young Nigeria technological hubs are clear recognition of the importance of the Nigerian technological sector.

    Nigeria’s potential as a promising technological hub, with young thriving population backed by government’s determination to catalyze the sector as a dominant player in the global environment, cannot be ignored.

    In fact, the rapid growth of dynamic start-ups and technology-based set-ups such as Interswitch, Konga, Jumia, Iroko, Andela, Paga, Flutterwave, Hotels.ng, BudgIT, Paystack, etc are evident justification that Nigeria is making commendable progress in the ICT technological sector.

    But to sustain this growth, accelerate technological and innovative advancement, there are specific dynamics that would play critical roles.  The dynamics, in my view, include the following:

    (i)            First, while the individual efforts and strides are commendable, there is need for sustained synergy between the private and public sectors.

    (ii)           Secondly, there is need to key into the Buhari-led Next Level agenda, which includes empowering the Ministries of Science and Technology and Communication and Digital Economy, as well as other relevant departments and agencies of the Federal Government to harness the huge untapped skills of our young citizens in the technological sector for national development.

    The task of ensuring availability of competent manpower to drive technology and innovation will also entail greater synergy between research and development institutes to avoid duplication.

    (iii)          Thirdly, while some of these attainments are commendable, there is the need to back some of them with appropriate legislations to protect institutional patent rights and intellectual property.

    In doing so, the Nigerian technology ecosystem will inevitably earn the support and respect of all. This will certainly provide the enabling environment for technology and innovation to thrive in today’s Nigeria in readiness for tomorrow’s expected stiffer competitive challenges.

    Thank you all for your kind attention, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Akinrinade advises Obasanjo on letter-writing

    Former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Alani Akinrinade has advised his former boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to adjust his style as a leader and statesman.

    He said the former president should desist from public letter-writing, in a bid to make a point, which is his fundamental right.

    Gen. Akinrinade, a hero of the civil war when Obasanjo was the Commander of the Third Marine Commando, said since his former boss has unfettered access to those in power, letter-writing may not be a good option.

    He also said whenever Obasanjo wrote his letters to the president, what came to his mind was how he handled similar matters when he was in the saddle.

    Acknowledging Obasanjo’s role in history, Akinrinade said statesmen should consult with those in power and offer constructive criticisms,  instead of going to the public.

    The former Army chief spoke with reporters in Lagos, ahead of his 80th birthday holding in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    Akinrinade said:”If I have an opportunity to advise him, I will say he should not write letters again. Each time he writes letter, the question I ask is: when he was there, how did he do it? He should not write letters again. He has access to them and he can give his advice, instead of writing.”

    The retired soldier lamented the pollution of the military by acts inimical to professionalism.

    He said there was no discipline in the Armed Forces,  adding that soldiers had been misused for businesses they were not trained for.

    Akinrinade urged Nigerias to stand for unity, saying that the country could be better.

    He, however, said the conditions for unity and harmony should not be ignored.

    Noting that Nigeria is a highly heterogeneous country, he said the basis for peaceful coexistence should be mutually worked out.

    Akinrinade frowned at the neglect of the 2014 National Conference report by the Buhari administration.

    He said it was curious that the administration that had ignored the report later set up an intra-party committee to discuss the possibility of true federalism.

    He said restructuring cannot be compromised again, stressing that it is the key to the resolution of the national question.

    Akinrinade, who assessed the 20 years of stable civil rule, said it could have been better.

    He said:”We have not found exactly the formula. My assessment is that we have done very poorly. We could do much better.”

  • Akinrinade, a fighter for democracy, rule of law, says Tinubu

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu extols the virtues of Gen. Alani Akinrinade, who is celebrating his 80th birthday today.

    All Progressives Congress National Stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has paid a special tribute to former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade, as he clock 80 on October 3rd, 2019, describing him a fighter for democracy, rule of law and social justice with whom he was in the trenches during the military era.

    He said General Akinrinade is a true democrat, an unrelenting fighter for rule of law and social justice and a statesman extraordinary who served and continues to serve his country with all that he has: “his intellect, energy, power, doggedness and commitment”.

    Asiwaju said in the emotional tribute: “Whether in the army or in retirement, General Alani Akinrinade deployed all he is endowed with to accomplish whatever tasks he is given or to the goals he sets for himself. He served and continues to serve his country with all that he has: his intellect, energy, power, doggedness and commitment. He served the military meritoriously and faithfully. Given his brilliance and tenacity, he rose to the pinnacle of the military profession as Chief of Army Staff and later Chief of Defence Staff, appointed to help in stabilizing the new civilian government then in 1979 during the Second Republic.  He, however, quit barely a year after, retiring from the military, as it were, at just 38.

    “The circumstance of General Akinrinade’s retirement is a testament to his impeccable character and good qualities. Sensing that some in the then President Shehu Shagari government he was left behind by the military to assist feared there could be issues of trust in his position, General Akinrinade put in his resignation letter in order not to compromise himself and the principles he stood for. This was to the discomfiture of President Shagari and some top Yoruba functionaries in that NPN government who tried to prevail on him to change his mind. That is not in his character. Once he is convinced in a course of action and makes his decision, General Akinrinade I know does not look back.

    “For close to 30 years that our paths have crossed in the field of struggle for the termination of military rule in Nigeria and political emancipation of Nigerians, General Akinrinade has not changed a bit. He is a true democrat, an unrelenting fighter for rule of law and social justice and a statesman extraordinary. He is very political, though not a politician. After the annulment of the June 12 election, General Akinrinade was among the few of us who formed NADECO to demand the de-annulment of that election. From the Egbe Ilosiwaju Yoruba which he belonged to and where he first espoused robust engagement with the military forces over the annulment, he later agreed that a bit of force was needed to actualise June 12 and correct the ills in the system. We were in the trenches together with General Akinrinade. Together, we were forced on exile from where we continued the struggle. A combatant soldier who is no stranger to battles, he provided direction and leadership for us in the push back against the annulment.

    “General Akinrinade deserves all the accolades he is getting today. He deserves our gratitude. He is one of those who sacrificed for the democracy we enjoy in the country today. For democracy, he suffered untold deprivation. He was hounded endlessly by agents of the military dictator. His house was burnt down, his business crippled. We thank God that the General bounced back and he is living well to witness the democracy he fought for and to tell his story of conviction, courage and victory to the younger generations.

    “General Akinrinade has remained who he is -humble, modest, firm and focused on changing our society for better. He lives a Spartan way of life, radiating simplicity, happiness and self-contentment. Indeed, the General has lived a good life. His patriotism, commitment to democracy, rule of law, social justice and worthy causes and his simple way of life deserves to be emulated.

    “Though he is now gradually retiring to a life in the quietude of his ancestral home, Nigeria still needs his services, his wise counsel. We need his constant intervention in national politics.  I wish General Akinriande a wonderful 80th birthday. My prayers for him is that God grant him more years, good health and renewed energy to continue to be who he is and continue to contribute to national development.”

  • Restructuring the Nigerian constitution

    A lawyer and multilateral diplomat, Dr Babafemi Badejo, in this article, argues that the 1999 Constitution is more of a continuity of the constitutional arrangements of the colonial period and calls for its restructuring.

    There is agitation for restructuring in Nigeria. It seems to me that the clamour is for a constitutionally driven devolution of responsibilities with commensurate allocation of resources to the devoluees, that is, what Chiefs Falae/Anyaoku call fiscal federalism. In search for votes, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar supports them.

    For me, these elder statesmen play the ostrich game about monumental corruption at all the current levels. Their respective and collective cries stand to make no difference to development and the fate of the poor in Nigeria until corruption is addressed seriously. However, even more fundamental is the need to restructure the economic philosophy on which the constitution itself rests. It is on this fundamental issue that I devote this contribution.

    A constitution is ab initio considered a fundamental law on which the organisation of a state revolves. Two approaches flow from this: a formal legalistic analysis of a constitution by way of a section by section or clause by clause scrutiny with respect to its legal interpretation.

    This sort of analytical approach operates under the assumption that the constitution being analysed is an abstract document that came out of the fundamental genius of a group that knew the interests of all the people in civil society.

    It is equally assumed that such highly intelligent philosophers were able to selflessly and un-interestedly collate and congeal all diverse interests in society together into one workable document that sets out all relationships in the processes of governance in society.

    A counter orientation towards an analysis of a constitution emphasises an understanding of the dominant interests in society as a way of figuring out why a particular constitution reads the way it does.

    It makes interests in society clear and sees a constitution as a natural product of the competition among contending forces in society. In the struggles for food, shelter and clothing, the positions of groups of men who as a result of identity of interests constitute classes influence their politics. The dominant interests in such struggles build the rest of society in their image.

    I would like to suggest that the second orientation operates on a clear knowledge of the fact that human beings write constitutions and in undertaking such efforts, they are guided by personal interests and experiences. My task is to lay bare the ideological position that informs the supposedly ideologically neutral 1999 constitution.

     

    Analysis on two previous constitutions

     

    For my analysis, the work of Charles Beard on an economic interpretation of the American constitution is useful. Beard laid to rest suggestions that the American constitution represented the interests of all the people of the United States. He also pointed out that the constitution was not the outcome of so called abstract compromise or state interests versus Federal interests.

    Beard undertook a detailed biographical study of a number of the principal individuals involved in the making of the US constitution. This effort was supplemented by such primary data as the private papers of the principal actors as well as their tax records.

    Beard did not leave out an analysis of the socio-economic environment within which the promulgation of the Constitution took place as well as analysis of particular Articles in the Constitution that were meant to protect property interests in realty and personality.

    Profs Segun Osoba, Akin Oyebode, and late Justice Akinola Aguda applied a similar approach to the 1979 Constitution. Osoba concluded that “a constitution is no more than a legal statement encapsulating and rendering in a formal manner the existing balance of social forces and the distribution of substantive power among the various classes and interest groups in society”. The late Justice Nikki Tobi, in midwifing the 1999 Constitution, concluded that it is based on the 1979 Constitution.

     

    Socio-economic environment of the current Nigerian constitution  

     

    The colonial incorporation of Nigeria into the capitalist system of production remains an enduring factor in all pre and post-independence Constitutions. The many constitutions chaperoned by Nigeria’s colonial power provided the fountain for subsequent constitutional efforts in Nigeria. The struggles among the governing elites and the class on behalf of whom they rule has been the procedure for sharing the little surplus value created within the country and since the 1970s, the sharing of the rent collected from the exploitation of petroleum.

    These struggles for the sharing of the ‘national cake’ have involved ethnic chieftains drawing the masses of the people into the arena of conflict under the banner of the defence of primordial rights.

    The constitutions have been for the protection of the dependent/peripheral capitalists of Nigeria as well as the civil and military bureaucratic elite that supervises state capitalist interests as they struggled for what was left by international capital.

    The military regimes that commissioned drafters and debaters of Nigeria’s Constitutions were all schooled under the British orientation of protection of private property and the capitalist mode of accumulation. They could not craft any Constitution outside of the influence or interference of the administrations that instituted them.

     

    Dependent capitalism and the Nigerian Constitution  

     

    In line with the claim that a constitution is devoid of material interests, much of the Nigerian Constitution does not contain express provisions that endorse the dependent capitalist order in which the constitution operates.

    In fact, the provisions that express clear economic objectives are part of Chapter II of the Constitution. Section 16(1), (2) and (3) of this chapter provides:  16(1) The state shall, within the context of the ideals and objectives for which provisions are made in this constitution – harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, dynamic and self-reliant economy; Control the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice, equality of status and opportunity; Without prejudice to its right to operate or participate in areas of the economy other than the major sectors of the economy, manage and operate the major sectors of the economy; Without prejudice to the rights of any person to participate in areas of the economy within the major sectors of the economy, protect the right of every citizen to engage in any economic activities outside the major sectors of the economy.

    (2) The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring (a) the promotion of a planned and balanced economic development;

    (b) that the material resources of the community are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good;

    (c) that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group; and

    (d) that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens.

    (3) A body shall be set up by an Act of the National Assembly which shall have power;

    (a) to review, from time to time, the ownership and control of business enterprises operating in Nigeria and make recommendations to the President on same; and

    (b) to administer any law for the regulation of the ownership and control of such enterprises.

    This section could be interpreted as providing adequately for the interests of all Nigerians. After all, sub-section (1) (b) clearly emphases the welfare, freedom and happiness of all citizens on the basis of social justice, equality of status and opportunity.

    Sub-section (2) (b), (c) and (d) appear to expatiate on this concern. It is clearly stated that the state is to manage the economy in such a way that the concentration of wealth in a few hands is not permitted.

    As such the wealth of the nation is to be equitably shared in such a way that the basic needs of life are provided for all citizens and support for the old as well as the infirm is equally guaranteed. Suffice it to note at this stage, however, that these sorts of arguments are futile.

    Section 6(6)(c) of the Nigerian Constitution like (the identical provisions in the 1979 and 1989 Constitutions), makes it clear that the objectives in Section 16 of the Nigerian Constitution have no legal import.

    Governments that avoid the implementation of these clauses cannot be challenged over such avoidance by any concerned citizen before any court in the land. In effect, the government of the day has a free hand in violating any of the stated objectives. The citizens at large have no recourse to any court.

    Just as the hopes on a better distribution of wealth were not realised in the second and third republics, it cannot be realised under the fourth republic. As Aguda pointed out, progressive taxation is not enough to deal with such a major social problem that has been in place for long.

    The unfair distribution of income today is traceable to unequal access to positions that allow primitive accumulation in a peripheral economy and/or inequalities in the distribution of productive assets and/or values. Authority positions have also allowed what Fela Anikulapo Kuti had described clearly as Authority Stealing.

    To redress such a problem, if that were a genuine desire, will require fundamental changes in the economic system with respect to the ownership of the means of production and deployment of the total strength of the resultant state to stamp out “Authoritative Stealing”. Otherwise, paper planning efforts towards social justice are exercises in futility.

    Fundamentally, however, the Nigerian Constitution expressly protects the status quo on the ownership of the means of production. This position is deducible from Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution which provides: (1) No movable property or any interest in an immovable property shall be taken possession of compulsorily and no right over or interest in any such property shall be acquired compulsorily in any part of Nigeria except in the manner and for the purposes prescribed by a law that, among other things – requires the prompt payment of compensation therefore [sic]; and gives to any person claiming such compensation a right of access for the determination of his interest in the property and the amount of compensation to a court of law or tribunal or body having jurisdiction in that part of  Nigeria.

    This section constitutes an adequate protection for the properties in realty and personality presently held by a few Nigerians. This provision equally gives the Nigerian Constitution away as basically a capitalist one to protect the interests of the propertied class.

    The above provision is more than protection of land which follows the dictate of the private enterprise system. The General Babangida took the logic behind land allocation further and carved out the oceans into parcels of oil blocs with which he enriched those he pleased.

     

    Concluding remarks

     

    The tendency to see constitutions as the fundamental law of a country flowing from the genius of dispassionate philosopher-sages who could perceive the interests of all and put them together in an eternal document is faulty.

    Constitutions, no doubts, are fundamental laws, but they are laws flowing from the interaction of social forces in the struggle over the allocation of the basic material needs in society.

    The dominant class in Nigeria is made up of a number of fractions that accumulate wealth through different sources and in addition there are foreign and national segments within this class.

    The Nigerian Constitution is to be understood as a document put together to protect the private enterprise system i.e. Capitalism.

    It must be noted, however, that the capitalist arrangement in Nigeria is a peripheral or dependent type. As a result, the Nigerian Constitution is more of a continuity of the constitutional arrangements of the colonial period through to the 1979 Constitution.

    The economic environment and specific provisions of the Nigerian Constitution point in one clear direction: the perpetuation of the dependent capitalist structure originally foisted on Nigerians by colonialism. Any restructuring that would be worth the while would not focus on spatial devolution that fails to touch the decadent corrupt system that is currently in place.

    A proper restructuring would radically address the inequities in how Nigeria is currently corruptly run. And I much doubt if this can happen in as much as the people at large hero-worship and vote known thieves as leaders.

  • Oil & gas product manufacturing: Understanding the importance of Oil and Gas Free Zones

    In a presentation to the 2018 Oil and Gas Forum hosted at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel in October by the Institute of Oil & Gas Research and Hydrocarbon Studies, the Managing Director/CEO of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Mr Umana Okon Umana, brought into global context with local relevance, the place of the Oil and Gas Free Zones in the diversification of the Nigerian economy

    Let me start by expressing my pleasure to the Management of the Institute for the honour of asking me, not just to be part of this distinguished meeting, but to actually address it.

    My hope is that at the end of the day we would have a great conference and learn something new about a sector of the economy that has given so much to the nation, and upon which we still look up to for much more, even as we work to depend less and less on hydrocarbons in their primary forms as the mainstay of the national economy. Such dependence can only be reduced through increase in value-added activities by way of secondary processing and manufacturing to domesticate the engineering support base for the Oil and Gas Industry.

     

    LOGISTICS SUPPORT

    That is why the conference theme, Oil and Gas Product Manufacturing: Prospects, Challenges and Progress, is topical and timely. The aspect I have been asked to lead the discussion on, which is the title of this address, speaks to the chief concern of my current national assignment.

    The Oil and Gas Free Zones, which are supervised by the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), form a very important component of the Oil and Gas Industry. They provide the logistics support base for the sector. In doing so, they serve as manufacturing, shipping, and services supply hub to the sector, creating jobs, generating revenues for government, helping to protect the environment and promoting transfer of skills and technology. In these roles, they have served as a launch pad to economic diversification.

    The Oil and Gas Free Zones have functioned as a launch pad  to the nation’s economic development, especially in attracting FDI, as shall be shown later in this presentation, partly because of the bespoke incentives that we offer to businesses that operate in the free zones. The incentives include exemption from all forms of taxation, including federal, state and local government taxes; exemption from expatriate quota policy applicable in the Customs Territory and exemption from customs duty on imports for value-added production; express processing of entry visas; the most expeditious clearance of cargoes; express processing of entry paperwork through the one-stop-shop policy and a host of other incentives. The special operating environment put in place in the Free Zones is meant to incentivize the use of the Free Zones as a manufacturing hub for economic diversification, in keeping with the global trend.

     

    DIVERSIFICATION TREND

    Many of the world hydrocarbon-based economies are diversifying and cutting their dependence on oil and gas as revenue earners, particularly, foreign earnings, mainly because of the instability of the oil commodity market. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for instance, is pursuing a vigorous national economic diversification programme to reduce its dependence on oil. The non-oil sector of the Kingdom’s economy as at 2017 accounted for 38 per cent of its GDP. The case for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is more dramatic. Diversification of the economy of the UAE started in the 1980s, and centred on trade and the creation of shipping and logistics centres in Port Rashid and the port and free zone in Jebel Ali as well as Dubai International Airport.

    From near total dependence on oil and gas as engine of growth of its economy in the 1970s, the UAE as at 2017 relied on non-hydrocarbon sources for 70 per cent of its economy, following a very successful diversification programme, through investment in infrastructure organised into free zone clusters. The UAE Ministry of Economy predicts this figure will go up to 80% of GDP by 2021.

    It can bear emphasizing that much of the diversification success in the UAE is driven by its investment in free zones. The Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, the economic hub of the UAE, is home to more than 5000 companies, creating many more thousands of jobs. The economy of the UAE is the most open in the world, with an Ease-of-Doing-Business rating of 21 in 2018. Nigerian Oil and Gas Free Zones are in the forefront of the implementation of the Federal Government policy on the Ease of Doing Business.

    The UAE model of economic diversification along specific sectors has much to learn from. Though Nigeria pioneered specificity in free zone development with the 1996 Oil and Gas Free Zones Act number 8 which created OGFZA, unnecessary ambiguity in the law has hampered the optimal development of the Oil and Gas Free Zones in the country and denied Nigeria the full benefits derivable from optimally-operated oil and gas free zones, run according to global best practices. This is why the ongoing amendment of the OGFZA principal Act at the National Assembly is very important and deserves expeditious attention.

    However, in spite of challenges, the nation’s Oil and Gas Free Zones under the administration of OGFZA have over the years made significant contributions to the national economy.

     

    POLICY REFORMS

    Policy reforms instituted by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, among which is the Ease of Doing Business, have created a better enabling environment for businesses to make more contributions to the national economy through the Oil and Gas Free Zones and restored confidence among foreign investors in Nigeria as an investment destination. The renewed confidence in the economy is evident in the report by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) under the Office of the Vice President that the nation has attracted $84 billion in Foreign Direct Investments in the last 18 months.

    The Oil and Gas Free Zones have without doubt been some of the key drivers of improved confidence in the economy. The Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), working within the new policy environment, has instituted a regime of efficiency in the Oil and Gas Free Zones through automation and a review of procedures, leading to significant cost savings and improvements in timelines for operations. The changes in the operational environment in the free zones have seen commitments in new investments valued at more than $8 billion in the coming years.

     

    FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS

    An important new project in this regard is the Notore Industrial City located in the Onne-Ikpokri Oil and Gas Free Zone in Rivers State. Notore Industrial City, granted a Free Zone Developer Licence by OGFZA in November last year, has the potential to make Nigeria a continental hub in gas processing and petrochemicals. The new free zone is to attract $5 billion in new investments and generate 15,000 new jobs.

    A number of new projects are coming up in free zone development, besides the exciting news from Notore. The most important of these is the Brass Oil and Gas City (BOG City), located on Brass Island, Bayelsa State.  The BOG City is licensed and will soon start operation. More than $3.5 billion investments are already committed to the project. BOG City is designed to evolve into a world class export-oriented and gas processing hub with the potential to generate up to 20,000 new jobs.

    Even before the ongoing reforms, the Oil and Gas Free Zones had been recognized as a smart vehicle for driving the inflow of FDI. This was the reason for enacting the OGFZA Act of 1996, which created the nation’s first Oil and Gas Free Zone (OGFZ) in Onne. The premier OGFZ turned out to be a remarkable success, spawning other Oil and Gas Free Zones in different parts of the country. From inception, the pioneer OGFZ has attracted more than $20 billion in Foreign Direct Investments, and generated more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs. The nation has also benefited from the OGFZs in the acquisition of new skills and transfer of technology.

     

    MANUFACTURING IN NIGERIA’S OIL & GAS FREE ZONES

    Among the companies contributing across the value chain—including manufacturing, skill acquisition, technology transfer and job creation—particularly in the Oil and Gas Free Zone at Onne, are the Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited; Tenaris Company Limited; and TechnipFMC Limited, to mention three.

    Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals produces bulk urea from gas in Eleme, Rivers State. The company’s production capacity is 3 million metric tons of bulk urea annually. It exports 70 per cent of the product through the company’s export terminal at the Oil and Gas Free Zone in Onne, while the difference is sold to the local market. Tenaris is engaged in oil pipe-making and coating while TechnipFMC makes and supports the Oil and Gas Industry with critically needed subsea equipment in fluid control, measurement systems, separation systems, Schilling robotics. TechnipFMC supports oil and gas operations in the free zones also with surface wellhead, loading systems, and multi-phase meters. Interestingly, TechnipFMC has helped the nation to save on foreign exchange by making the Christmas tree locally at its factory in Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone.

    As said earlier, these companies add value in a variety of ways. They contribute to the transfer of technologies and acquisition of skills. They also help to save foreign exchange by providing in-country what would have been imported if they did not meet those needs locally.

    Operations of enterprises in the free zones are mediated by the Nigerian Content Act to make sure that sight is not lost of the imperative of local content all through the value chain. In this context, OGFZA is working closely with the Nigerian Content Development and Management Board.

    The performance of the Oil and Gas Free Zones under the Buhari administration has attracted commendations locally and internationally. This year, the PEBEC Office ranked OGFZA the BEST agency of government, out of 44 MDAs, in the implementation of the policy of the Ease of Doing Business. Similarly, the FDi magazine, which is a publication of the Financial Times, named Nigeria’s pioneer Oil and Gas Free Zone in Onne as the winner of two global prizes in the FDi Global Free Zone of the Year Awards 2017. The Awards are the Global Special Award for the Oil and Industry; and the Bespoke Incentives Award.

    The overall evaluation by experts and stakeholders is that the Oil and Gas Free Zones have proven to be a veritable vehicle for the attraction and retention of Foreign Direct Investments, creation of jobs, transfer of skills and technologies as well as a source of revenue generation for government.

     

  • A case for Ekiti Parapo College

    A case for Ekiti Parapo College

    Gaining admission to Ekiti Parapo College Ido Ekiti at the commencement of the 1984/85 academic session was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry. It was an excitement that will last a lifetime. The anxiety would not even let me go check the result myself rather l sent an elderly person to help check it out.

    Ekiti Parapo College was the first community college in Ekiti division of the old Western State and the second college in Ekiti after Christ’s school having been established on the 19th of January 1954 on a hilly slope in Ido Ekiti the present headquarters of Ido/Osi Local Government of Ekiti State.

    This historical analysis will be incomplete without mentioning Chief Adepoju Akomolafe who worked assiduously to make the dream of EPC a reality. His tenure was followed by Chief Alfred Asebiomo who was a pillar of support to Chief Akomolafe in building a solid groundwork for a college that is now over 63 years old.

    Interestingly, my admission came exactly 30 years after the college came into existence. Gaining admission to the Federal University of Technology Akure few years later was also exciting but can’t be compared to gaining admission to a secondary school of such reputation and standard and at that very young age.

    The common entrance was tough and challenging and your mind is only settled when the results are out and admission offered. The conduct was by the then Ondo State Ministry of Education and the cut off mark for admissions were not just what you get on the tips of your fingers.

    Pupils ahead of us then had automatic promotions to Class 1 but the statuesque changed thereafter. I can’t just imagine a prefect and a school timekeeper repeating primary six and coming back to write same common entrance again. A lot changed during my stay in the secondary school as we became the first set to write Junior and senior secondary examinations witnessing the kick off of 6-3-3-4 educational system.

    Finding myself in Ekiti Parapo College was distinctive and exceptional. I actually did not realize how special the school was until after I graduated in 1990 seeing the calibers of old students the college had produced. Colleges like Notre Dame College Usi Ekiti was pretty close, Unity Secondary School Usi came a year later and could have changed if I so desired, Oganganmodu Grammar school was also a stone throw from Ekiti Parapo College and Christ School Ado Ekiti wasn’t a bad choice school but I just love my EPC. I later realized I could have picked a common entrance form for free and attend a Federal Government Colleges.

    However information about these opportunities was rare growing up in such communities as they were available in city centres and there was no internet to access any form of information.
    Today, I sit back to think how we coped in the 80’s without access to what happens around the world. Only the post office was a means of getting information to and from the outside world.
    Appreciation to P.O.Box 155 belonging to The Apostolic Church Ido Ekiti. The box was one of the information disseminating tools that shaped my life as I later got my admission letter into the university through there.

    The educational standard in Ekiti Parapo College then was exceptional. We had all the subjects’ teachers and were always in on-time sharing knowledge with robustness and potency.

    I remember with nostalgia Mr & Mrs Markose, two brilliant Indians I met in EPC. The wife taught us Integrated Science while the Husband taught the Senior Class Biology. Mr Mensah, a Ghanaian with startling knowledge who taught Biology as if he was present at creation. Mr Nathaniel another Indian taught the senior class Physics like Roentgen the inventor of X-rays.
    Mr. Joshua Adefidipe taught Chemistry with passion have made very good result from university of Ife then. Mr. Jokotola was posted as a Federal Government teacher and handled Mathematics with clarity and precision. Another Ghanaian called Mr. Oforiado taught fine art and would draw anything to show his skills in the field of Fine Art.

    The Nigerians working in EPC then are exceptional in their teaching skills as reflected in various WAEC result released while we were in junior school. For my Ekiti Parapo, things went on well and we had all what we needed academically, morally and infrastructure-wise.

    Old students were coming to encourage us bringing their wards from all over the country to come benefit from the quality of knowledge and standard of education they benefited from while in the college. They were very proud to bring their wards back to come drink from their cistern they drank from.

    The Boarding house system was superb and unusual. All the wards of successful old students staying outside Ondo State and other far places are always in the boarding school. Kiriji, EPU, ENA and Komolafe houses were filled to capacity.

    Today those dormitories have deteriorated completely. They had very nice time. We envied the boarding students who would just wake up and resume school unlike we that trekked about 7km daily. They look city-like compared to us who grew up in the local community.

    Fortunately we got -along very well with no issues on almost all things like sports, quizzes, debates, club memberships etc. The relationship was so cordial and many are still kept intact till today close to 30 years of leaving college. We lived and schooled together happily till we all graduated in 1990 being the first set of the Senior Secondary school students in Nigeria public schools. Many were transferred to another school during the course of our study and many had to drop out of schools for one reason or another.
    On ground as the school Principal was Chief S.V.K Bamigboye, from Efon Alaaye. A disciplinarian to the core.  A Biologist by training. Chief Faremi a Musicologist was the Vice Principal. I won’t forget in a hurry the level of discipline they invested in us. I will not quickly forget the beatings gotten from Chief Faremi the VP for coming late to the assembly ground despite my JSS1E class being right in front of the assembly ground. The beating was serious. I never tried such again.

    Interestingly, all the teachers did their job with all level of seriousness and dedication. They lived amidst us in the staff quarters. We were also very happy rendering some after school services to them by fetching water and helping in doing their farm works and partaking in bountiful harvests. We had plenty arable lands for school and individual farming. They saw us as children and were ready to give their best academically and morally.

    It is pertinent to note that the government then was also responsible in its entirety by all standards and ramifications. They made everything available including proper regulation of school terms and sessions. The old students were also doing their best but can’t be compared with the provisions made in every yearly budget to make the school befitting with up to date laboratory apparatus for our use.

    The student teachers treasured coming to Ekiti Parapo during their teaching practice. EPC had all what they needed ranging from accommodation to very conducive and productive environment. Their supervisors had also passed through Ekiti Parapo College either as HSC students or O’level students at one time or another. They all had the best time helping us academically and morally.

    All the laboratories had all the needed apparatus. The Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Agricultural science laboratories had all the needed equipment including laboratory attendants taking proper inventory and care to make those apparatus and various chemicals long lasting. Unlike many other schools around us, Ekiti Parapo College had wood and metal workshop where many furniture and metal works were fabricated and hardly will you believe the delivery came from my beloved college. The teachers were wonderful. Very good relationships with the parents at the PTA meetings and engagement.

    Spiritually, Reverend Koya Ajepe the College Chaplain was a man of unusual knowledge having just retired as the Principal of Federal Government College in Sokoto. He was always on ground admonishing us so we can be useful to ourselves and our community in the future.

    One major thing that keeps ringing in my memory till today is the zeal and seriousness with which our teachers delivered knowledge, wisdom and understandings in all our classes. Why won’t they? They believed in the system. They admired the system. They were well paid and given good recognition in the school and the society. Their take-home was taking them home. Some of our principals were conferred with chieftaincy titles because the teaching profession was seen as noble and honorable.
    They were never owed salaries and emoluments. Above all, their children were also part of us attending same class with us. Their children were not sent to private schools—not sure any existed then. We were all treated equally. Chief S.V.K Bamigboye had his children schooling with us and staying in one of the dormitories. Chief Faremi had his wards in public secondary schools in Ado Ekiti as he transits from Ado to Ido Ekiti every day in his wonderful Station Wagon Peugeot car.

    The Datsun of our Chief Bamigboye was as quiet as breeze. You won’t walk magnificently to school assembly as you won’t know when the car arrives behind you and the impact of ‘Otori’ (strong cane) will announce his arrival. Mrs Adeyinka, Mrs Kumolala, Mrs Babatunde and others had their children schooling with us and they don’t have options than deliver their best to give us a very good future.

    In retrospect, I can say it without mincing words that I had the best of time schooling at EPC. The school, the government and the society gave their best. The community and the society acted responsibly to make sure a future was created through the educational investment on a boy like me and many others. The responsibility of government in all these scenarios can’t be overemphasised and under-estimated. The government was absolutely responsible.

    They did not put our future in the hand of mediocre and charlatans. They recruited the best hands to deliver knowledge and till date I still remember the height the knowledge shared has taken many of us to places even across the Atlantic.

    We had everything in the public schools I attended and many other public schools in the then Ero Local Government area of Ondo state before Ekiti state was carved out in 1996. I’m a product of public school and I have no iota of regret about this and I hope dignity would be restored to public schools one day.

    Same experiences go for all others who attended public schools within same period and thereafter until things started nodediving. We still sit together and talk extensively remembering very good old days and the best our society gave us. Don’t get me wrong, we also have bad eggs among the students and the teachers alike; however, the good ones outnumbered the bad ones.
    Sadly and over the years too, the tide then started turning with negative consequences and implications on the students, the schools, the teachers and the society in general. The government became irresponsible and started withdrawing their support to public schools which has assumed a dangerous dimension till date.

    Precisely, the onset of the establishment of private schools has not helped matters and it kept going from bad to worse. I kept visiting Ekiti Parapo throughout my stay in the university and thereafter. Everything has changed completely for the worse. It is a very sad development until few years back when the government tried waking up from their sleep to fix some deplorable and dilapidated infrastructures in the school and many others in Ekiti state.
    Infrastructural decay has gone bad and deep and I begin to imagine the speed at which we can catch up fixing them before many infrastructure become unfixable. Reptiles and wild animals now live comfortably in those beautiful staff quarters. Some have been completely overgrown by thick bushes. No human being can live in those buildings again. The then existing and motorable roads are not there again.

    My last visit to Ekiti Parapo brought tears to my eyes. The old students are doing their very possible best but the best seems not enough to arrest the level of deterioration in EPC and many other public schools in Ekiti State. The dormitories are gone.

    Many of the roofs have collapsed. The more I try to remember the things I kept seeing the more I try to control tears running down my cheeks. The level of deterioration has affected every facet of the society. The zeal to read and excel is no more there.

    The motivation has died completely. The teachers are not even bold enough to have their wards in the schools where they work. The situation where the Vice Chancellor of a first class university in Nigeria can’t have his wards in the university he presides over is a worrisome development and very disgraceful too.

    The VC need be asked very tough  questions. They are always celebrating their wards graduations in universities outside Nigeria. Is schooling outside Nigeria bad? No, it is not. Who do we blame here? The rectors and provosts of higher colleges sap enough money from the system to send their wards to universities outside the shores of Nigeria simply because they are not proud of the job they do. They rob Peter to pay Paul.

    The government officials are worse. They caused the decay in the educational system because they have access to public money and send their kids to universities outside the country with so much capital flight. Will posterity forgive them? I do not think so.

    Fast forward, the time is now to begin re-creating our future. We can’t afford to continue to waiting allowing the future to become bleaker than what we presently see. The old students are doing their very possible best to restore the glory of many of these schools.

    The old boys of Christ’s school are exceptional in restoring their school to the glory of the past and it is yielding very positive results. Capable hands in the society should wake up and take up the responsibility of bringing EPC and other public secondary schools in Ekiti back to life. The government should wake up and come to the rescue of all the public schools. The government should stop owing the teachers and others their take home pay.Recent developments in those areas are completely worrisome.

    The government can do better.

    The time is now!!!!!!!!

    Oloniboko left Ekiti Parapo College in 1990 and presently works as a Senior Development Geologist in Lagos