Category: The NewsMaker

The late Otunba Subomi Balogun bestrode the nation’s banking ecosystem as a colossus, where he ruled the roost for several decades.

Born into a prominent family in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, by Alhaji Abudu Odutola Ashiru Balogun, the younger Balogun worked his way to the top relying on his entrepreneurial spirit and exceptional acumen to build an extraordinary legacy.

The younger Balogun who had a short stint at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School would later leave for Igbobi College. He would later attend London School of Economics in the United Kingdom, where he went for a course in Law. After his call to the Bar, he was sent by the Western Regional Government to the British Parliament, to learn how to draft Laws, for one year and thereafter, I was sent to the City of London to learn how to draft Agreements.

At the age of 28, he was offered the job of Assistant Parliamentary Counsel by the Federal Ministry of Justice. He would later serve as the first Secretary and Principal Counsel of the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB).

From Law, he veered into Finance, and subsequently became Chief Executive Stockbroking and Capital Issues at the subsidiary of NIDB, ICON Limited.  But following boardroom politics, he resigned at 42. But providence had other things in store for him as meeting with the then Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, who was his close friend, helped to facilitate his banking license, a move which saw him becoming the first Nigerian who single-handedly set up a merchant bank.

As the founder of FCMB, he literally set stores for the ideas and ideals of professionalism in banking blazing the trail all the way.

Throughout his illustrious career, Otunba Subomi Balogun demonstrated his commitment to excellence, innovation, and community development. Under his visionary leadership, FCMB grew from humble beginnings to become one of Nigeria’s leading financial institutions. His contributions to the country’s economy, as well as his philanthropic endeavors, have left an indelible mark on society.

As news of his passing spreads, tributes and condolences have poured in from various quarters. Colleagues, associates, and admirers have taken to social media platforms to express their grief and pay their respects to the late business magnate. Many have shared personal anecdotes, recounting his profound impact and highlighting his generosity and mentorship.

The void left by Otunba Subomi Balogun’s departure will undoubtedly be felt throughout the business community, but his enduring legacy will continue to inspire future generations. His pioneering spirit, unwavering dedication, and exceptional leadership qualities will serve as a guiding light for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders for years to come.

Sadly, there is an eclipse in God’s vineyard. A shadow has been cast on the Christian community as former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and emeritus Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Sunday Mbang, has bowed to the cold hands of death.

Mbang reportedly died in his sleep at the ripe age of 86 after running an impactful earthly ministry for 44 years. He was the longest-serving Head of the Methodist Church, in Nigeria, until his death.

Mbang’s demise was announced in a statement by Babatunde Taiwo, a Bishop and Secretary of the Conference of the Methodist Church Nigeria. “He will be sorely missed by his beloved Church, Methodist Church, to which he gave his spiritual, intellectual and servant-leadership for more than two decades and the entire Body of Christ in Nigeria and Diaspora, Taiwo said.

Since his demise, prominent personalities within and outside the Christian community, at home and abroad, have paid glowing tribute to the cleric, whose death has been variously described as a great loss to the country.

There is no gainsaying Mbang’s death pierced the heart of the Christain community. But while it is difficult for many to come to terms with the reality of his death, what is, however, soothing is that Mbang passed away at a ripe age, after earning the love of those whose lives he touched directly or indirectly while he was alive.

Mbang’s trajectory from birth to his demise shows that he didn’t stumble on acclaim, but intricately sketched his way to the top. Mbang was born in Idua Eket, Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom on August 26, 1936.

He studied at the Effoi Group School, Salvation Army School, Akai-Ubium, Government School, Eket, Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron, Teacher’s College, Uzuakoli, Trinity Theological College, Umuahia, University of Ibadan, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel and Harvard University, United States of America (USA).

 Mbang was eventually ordained as a minister in 1961 after he underwent theological training in Nigeria and overseas. Throughout his life as a religious leader, he made inestimable contributions to the betterment of the country, of which many clearly stood out as testimonies of his divine calling.

Guided by his effective evangelism, the Christian community has experienced monumental growth’ Mbang’s ministry transcended spirituality and fostered unrestrained service to mankind.

 He became a Pastor and Minister of Religion in 1962 at the Methodist Church, where he rose through the ranks to attain the Episcopal title: Bishop of Tinubu, Lagos State, in 1979. Subsequently, he was elevated to the position of the Patriarch/Prelate, the administrative and pastoral head and leader of the entire Methodist Church family in Nigeria in 1984, a position he held for 22 years.

 During his active service as a teacher, evangelist and pastor, he held a number of positions outside that of the Methodist Church Nigeria, namely: the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, the co-chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, and the Vice and Chairperson of the World Methodist Council.

 Alive, Mbang’s sincerity of purpose, passion for holiness, integrity and commitment to excellence clearly distinguished him among his peers. In death, the late cleric remains a role model to many.

Again, Nigeria grapples with another corruption scandal as former Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, has been detained over an alleged N22bn fraud.

Mamman, who was once saddled with the responsibility of ensuring stable electricity in the country, was recently arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

His arrest further affirms the seemingly innocuous yet utterly disturbing nature of corruption in the federal ministries. Mamman served as the Minister of Power from August 2019 to September 2021, when he was unceremoniously ousted from office by President Muhammadu Buhari. He was fired alongside Sabo Nanono, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu was immediately appointed to rescue the power ministry.

Mamman holds a higher national diploma in electrical electronics from Kaduna Polytechnic, graduating in 1988. He also holds an MBA in business administration from Bayero University Kano, graduating in 2015.

The Taraba-born public officer had been under the radar of the anti-graft agency since his removal. His arrest comes about 20 months after he was booted from office and a few weeks before the end of Buhari’s tenure.

Mamman was reportedly grilled by operatives at the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja over the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects.

In the past few weeks, the anti-graft agency has been investigating the alleged corruption in the execution of some power projects across the country, and Mamman has been fingered and alleged to have conspired with staff of his former Ministry in charge of the accounts of the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects. They reportedly diverted N22 billion and shared it among themselves.

The power projects — Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric — have the potential to hugely enhance the nation’s power supply, but sadly, they have been hampered by policy inconsistency and administrative shortcomings.

Before Mamman’s sack, he had promised that the project would be completed by 2030 to add 1,525 megawatts of power to the installed generating capacity.

The Mambilla Power project comprises four dams and two underground powerhouses with 12 turbine generator units in total, and is expected to be the largest in the country, and one of the largest hydroelectric power stations in Africa upon completion. Based on its design, the hydroelectric facility is on the Dongo River near Baruf, in Kakara Village of Taraba State.

While the 700-megawatt (MW) Zungeru hydropower plant is estimated to generate 2.64 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity a year, which will meet close to 10 per cent of Nigeria’s total domestic energy needs. It is expected to provide power generation, flood protection, and water for mitigation.

These power projects have been too long in the making, suffering twists and turns and costing the taxpayer valuable money with no visible returns.  To this end, observers have expressed concern that there is clearly no reason why the nation should not accord top priority to their completion.

The alleged diversion of the N22 billion meant to fund the project certainly triggers justifiable worry about the feasibility of attaining Nigeria’s power goals.

It may be said that Mamman enjoyed a priceless opportunity as power minister to resolve Nigeria’s electricity woes but his tenure was fraught with controversy and poor power supply. Internal crisis plagued agencies in the power sector culminating in the removal of the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Usman Gur Mohammed, in May 2020 — a move that was reportedly frowned upon by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, and generated ripples among labour unions in the power sector.

And while power system collapse was quite frequent during Mamman’s tenure, controversies erupted over power tariff hikes forcing the government to dialogue with organised labour and reverse the tariff hike in some instances.

The biggest worry is the systemic nature of corruption in the Ministry of Power, as it has been established in several ministries across the country. It is like a terminal disease.

The alleged fund diversion has not only worsened issues, but the ripple effect is also that the deplorable power supply in the country will be further compounded.

Observers are also worried that amid constant media attention given to Mamman’s arrest, like previous arrests and trials, it may go poorly, and without the conviction of errant parties.

These are certainly not the best of times for former President of the United States of America, Donald Trump.

He is passing through a critical moment as his past hurls him in the whirl of a vicious storm. This year has heralded a string of negativity about him, even as he rallies his political base for another shot at the American presidency.

Trump who is seen as a politician with a ‘barrage of controversies’ — a trademark he seems to have acquired for himself — is a combination of many contrasting traits. Some appreciate his tenacity and audacity in the face of challenges, while others dislike him for his perceived brashness and insensitivity.

This time around, Trump is at the epicentre of a rape scandal. It is the first time a former US president has been accused of rape in a court of law. At the heart of this case also, is a woman, Elizabeth Jean Carroll, a journalist who claims she was raped and has gone to court in pursuit of legal redress.

The point in contention, in this instance, is not whether there is a ring of truth to this whole rape scandal, but that Trump’s reputation is at stake, especially denting his 2024 presidential ambition.

Trump has been held liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. A Manhattan federal jury consisting of six men and three women found that Trump sexually abused Carroll in a luxury department store dressing room in the spring of 1996 and awarded her $5 million for battery and defamation.

Last year, Trump was sued by the former Elle magazine columnist for defamation and battery. This was after the New York State Adult Survivors Act, took effect and gave victims of sexual assault a one-year window to sue their alleged abusers decades after attacks may have occurred.

In New York state, sexual battery is any sex act performed without one party’s consent, while rape is sexual intercourse performed under “forcible compulsion.” This is not a criminal trial. In a civil suit like Carroll’s, the jury had to determine whether Carroll’s legal team proved that Trump committed battery against Carroll by a preponderance of the evidence.

Carroll alleged Trump raped her in the Bergdorf Goodman department store and then defamed her when he denied her claim, claiming she wasn’t his type; Trump reportedly suggested Carroll made up the story to boost sales of her book. Trump denied all wrongdoing, but he does not face any jail time as a result of the civil verdict.

While the jury found that Trump sexually abused Carroll — sufficient to hold him liable for battery, the jury did not find that she proved he raped her. However, many believe the verdict is slightly ambiguous, and thus gives a more confusing position.

For Trump, he had vehemently refuted the allegations, tagging the suit a “scam” and Carroll a “nut job.” Trump maintained his claim that he does not know who Carroll is, and called the trial “very unfair.”

“Somehow we’re going to have to fight this stuff. We cannot let our country go into this abyss. This is disgraceful.” Trump said.

Although, Trump said he would appeal the verdict, the former president opted not to testify in the trial and not put on a defence. The charges and legal battles before him will certainly cost him time and money, and this may impact negatively his bid to win his party’s support and emerge as its presidential candidate for the upcoming polls.

If this rape scandal does not consume him, it may likely diminish his reputation. Pundits aver that the consequences of the rape scandal may wreak havoc on his political journey.

Trump, has left no one in doubt respecting his probable primacy of place in the murky waters of American politics. Smart, sharp, fierce, and some would say, malevolent; he is the roforofo fighter of contemporary American politics.

Although he has survived a couple of scandals, the jury is still out on his ability to survive his current dilemma.

It is no longer news that the President of the United States of America (USA), Joe Biden, and his Vice-President, Kamala Harris have made a case for the 2024 presidency.

The next U.S. presidential election will be the 60th quadrennial presidential election, scheduled for November 5, 2024.

The two leading candidates for the presidential polls — Donald Trump and Biden — flaunt contradictory characters. In 2020, Biden pulled off a stunning victory to unseat then-incumbent President, Trump, to become the 46th president of the United States.

Biden crossed the winning threshold of 270 Electoral College votes with a win in Pennsylvania. His victory came after more than three days of uncertainty as election officials sorted through a surge of mail-in votes that delayed processing.

Trump refused to concede, threatening further legal action on ballot counting. But Biden used his acceptance speech then as an olive branch to those who did not vote for him, telling Trump voters that he understood their disappointment but emphasising that “Let’s give each other a chance.”

Biden may once again go head-to-head with Trump in the 2024 polls. Trump is projected to win the Republican Party’s presidential ticket. Despite the impressive preparations and massive support in the last poll, Biden is certain not to have it smooth in his re-election bid. And the reason is not far-fetched; Trump’s grassroots popularity is a major headache for the Democratic Party candidate cum incumbent president.

The upcoming electoral competition is expected to be fierce. Trump is determined to best Biden at the polls even as the latter count on the goodwill of the electorate to return him to the oval office and enable him “finish the good work” he supposedly began during his first term in office.

Against this background, pundits ask: How far has the Biden administration justified its electoral victory and redeemed Americans’ disillusionment with the political class?

Biden is 80 years old — at age 78, he became the oldest person to assume the presidency in U.S. history. By the end of his term, he would be 82. Now that Biden has officially confirmed that he is running for re-election, that means he would be 86 by the end of his second term – if he wins his reelection bid.

The best shot the opposition has fired against Biden has been about his “age” but none has challenged his competence to efficiently govern America.

Biden is certainly not new to election campaigns. He had sought the presidency thrice; after two unsuccessful bids, he won on his third attempt. His 2024 reelection bid would be his fourth attempt, and the onus is on him to justify his record in office in the last three years.

Observers believe this will not be an easy task since Biden made very lofty promises in 2020; as the campaigns commence, he plans to run on his first term record.

Recall that he spent his first two years as president combating the coronavirus pandemic and pushing through major bills such as the bipartisan infrastructure package and legislation to promote high-tech manufacturing and climate measures.

Biden is set to run again on the same themes that buoyed his party last fall, particularly on preserving access to abortion. However, few things have unified Democratic voters like the prospect of Trump returning to power.

Issues such as the president’s age, health status and style of governance are also expected to feature prominently in the upcoming campaign.

For now, 76-year-old Trump is the favourite to emerge as the Republican nominee, creating the potential of a historic sequel to the bitterly fought 2020 campaign. But Trump faces significant hurdles of his own, particularly being the first former president to face criminal charges.

The challenge for the opposition candidates, however, is to demonstrate to the American electorate that the promise of a better America lies elsewhere.

Popular English poet and playwright, Williams Shakespeare, once opined that the world is a stage and each person plays his part and leave. The demise of veteran journalist, Peter Enahoro, has reinforced this belief. Enahoro has joined the saints triumphant, at 88, leaving in his wake indelible imprints on the sands of time.

Popularly known by his pen name, Peter Pan, Enahoro has played his part and quit the worldly stage. Since his demise, a lot of tributes have been written about him.

The surfeit of tributes that have trailed his demise, substantiates Shakespeare’s contemplation and summation of death in its nuances. The glowing tributes, however, highlight how Enahoro meant different things to different people, at different points in time.

To some persons, Enahoro was a builder of talents, who groomed so many proteges. He simply wanted all his disciples to succeed. He was always mentoring people in his main constituency — the newsroom. The deceased is also remembered for lending his voice to advance the cause of the voiceless.

Some also remember him as the hero, whose historic exploits enrich the narrative about journalism, even in his wake. His works have covered most of Africa’s major events of the last four decades. Not only did he travel extensively across Africa; but his career also took him all over the world. Enahoro undoubtedly earned a special place in the hearts of many members of the fourth estate of the realm.

Born January 21, 1935, to the political family of Enahoro in Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria, as one of ten siblings, his Esan parents were Asuelimen Okotako Enahoro and Princess Inibokun (née Okojie). His maternal grandfather was the Onogie of Uromi, Ogbidi Okojie. His eldest brother was a statesman and politician, Chief Anthony Enahoro. 

The deceased schooled at St. Stephens Elementary School, Akure (Ondo State); CMS Primary School, Ado-Ekiti (Ondo State); Government School, Ekpoma (Edo State), St. David’s School, Akure (Ondo State), Government School, Warri (Delta State), before graduating from Government College, Ughelli (Delta State) in 1948.

He started his media career as an Assistant Publicity Officer (now called Federal Ministry of Information) in 1954. He later joined the Daily Times as a sub-editor in 1955, at the age of 20, before moving on to serve as the Assistant District Manager at Rediffusion Services, Ibadan, in 1957.

In what appears to be a record-breaking feat, Enahoro became the Editor of the Nigerian Sunday Times in 1958 at the age of 23, and Features Editor of the Daily Times in 1958, then the paper’s Editor in 1962, going on to become the Daily Times Group Editorial Adviser in 1965, and in 1966, he became Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Times.

Enahoro was Contributing Editor of Radio Deutsche Welle in Cologne, Germany, from 1966 to 1976, and was Africa Editor of National Zeitung, in Basel, Switzerland, becoming Editorial Director of New African magazine in London in 1978.

Recounting his transit into self-exile, Enahoro acknowledged fleeing Nigeria as a 31-year-old in the 1960s. He embarked on a self-imposed exile that would last for 13 years. This was unconnected to the 1966 Civil War. He first returned in 1979 before leaving, again, in 1990. His books — How To Be A Nigerian and The Complete Nigerian — were written when he returned to Nigeria.

In his heyday, his “Peter Pan” column that he began writing in 1959 was a delight to read. He wrote on topical issues. He established himself as one of the best columnists in the country. Frank Barton in his book, The Press of Africa, described Enahoro as “arguably Africa’s best journalist writing in the English language”.

Thousands of readers who encountered him through his literature have retained him in their memories. They eulogised his style of writing. His stance on issues, according to readers, was quite diverse thus triggering different perceptions of his persona. Enahoro was not just a writer, he was equally gifted with a loud voice that commanded international attention.

A lecturer at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Dr Dele Omojuyigbe in his tribute, recalled how Enahoro had three personalities lodged in one body in his newspaper journey in Daily Times – Peter Enahoro, Peter Pan, and George Sharp, and how he wrote separately under the three names in the Sunday Times in the late fifties.

Enahoro clearly established an inspiring legacy in journalism hence observers wonder why he was not given any national honour in his lifetime. Perhaps a posthumous award would be considered in his wake.