ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE, who toured the multi-level terminals at Oshodi ahead of its opening, writes that commuters would soon begin a different level of experience in public transportation.

How would you feel, enjoying the cool breeze from the rooftop event centre, or the rooftop garden located on the fourth floor of the Oshodi multi-level terminal? How would it feel, rendezvouing above the bedlam of traffic, soaking in the multiple colours Oshodi?

How would you feel sauntering into any of the terminals and climbing on the escalator to the next floor, where your bus is waiting and you sitting down in comfortable waiting room with chillers taking off your sweat?  How would it feel, knowing that come rain or sun, you are safe, in the comfort of the terminals comparable only to what obtains at the airports?

All experiences are novel, no doubt. Just as the terminals touch lighting the Oshodi environment are. Novel in all respect! The first time such is coming up anywhere in the country and engineered from designing to execution and completion by a local contractor and a battery of engineers.

The emerging Oshodi terminals are like vaults of so many wonders. They undoubtedly would keep visitors awed. They are a perfect curtain, fittingly drawn on the old embarrassing themes and image that Oshodi evoked in the minds of not only Lagosians but also Nigerians; Oshodi where crime mingles with men, where ‘insanity’ stalks in daylight, where illicit activities are pasttimes. Oshodi evokes several passion – loved and feared at the same time. It is home to the dreaded Area Boys, where the homeless find home.

The three terminals seem to beckon on all. Welcome to the new Oshodi, a place of new possibilities.

From the old to the new

From its dim past as a farm post of the Oshodi Tapa of Lagos Island, Oshodi has grown in leaps and bounds, moving from a farmstead to a trade post and from this to major transport and commercial hub, offering shelter to generations of many who have been attracted like a bee to nectar by the sheer population it received into its many uncharted streets daily.

Because of its closeness to the international airport, Nigeria’s major gateway, Oshodi grew as a major commercial hub, becoming home to over 26 parks heading to different parts of the state as well as links to other parts of the country as well as the West African sub-region.

The impact of the huge population it attracted left a huge toll on its environment which was badly defaced, making it a sore thumb for the state and indeed the nation.

At the turn of the Millennium, successive administrations began to put in place efforts to reclaim Oshodi from the Area Boys and gangs of urchins that had made it a home. Those efforts, however, concretised by the Akinwunmi Ambode administration that started from scratch, using local engineers and contractors, a legacy project that would have the most profound impact on public sector transportation architecture not only in Lagos, but also in modern Nigeria.

Taste of the pudding

When the Ambode government swooped on old Oshodi, few hours into the New Year in 2016, demolishing and displacing about 10 markets and 16 motor parks, not a few Lagosians thought the government might have gone off the mark. Many labelled it as insensitive. They saw its engineering designed model of its dream as too ambitious and unachievable. Many thought the government, in chasing legacy has led the state into a phoney elephant project.

However, just as the government was finishing its term, in May last year, it invited President Muhammadu Buhari to open the Terminal 3, one of the three terminals that have ruptured and redefined the Oshodi skyline, and from where public transportation as envisaged by the promoters of the project was flagged off.

From that terminal alone, the contractor has accounted for 25,000 passenger traffic within one year, despite operating at about 45 per cent capacity.

The third terminal, undoubtedly, gave a foretaste of what to expect from the contractor who, as facility managers, have tried to keep the terminal in top shape.

For now, operations are still at the ground floor where passengers are boarding the seven routes of CMS, Obalende, TBS, Ikorodu, Ajah, Berger and Lekki. It operates about 40 High Capacity Vehicles (HCV) at the moment.

At the second and third floors of both the Second and Third Terminals are stacked about 100 minibuses which are expected to move into the inner roads, especially along Ajah and Lekki axis of the Lagos Island, while the holding bay and first floor of the first terminal had stacked 80 High Capacity Vehicles which would be rolled into Terminal 2, exclusively for the Abule-Egba corridor.

On the ground floor of Terminal 3 are the reception area, which welcomes you to the ticketing plaza, where you pick your tickets then move to the waiting area where you sit to await your bus and move for boarding.

Waiting to be activated on the ground floor are rows of café shops for quick shoppers. On the second and third floor are shopping arena and ticketing plaza.

At the fourth floor is a roof garden and adjacent it is the rooftop events place that can seat 1,500 people. It looks forward to having the place branded by local firms.

Conducting our correspondent round the three facilities, the Facility Manager Mr Yomi Solaja, said Terminals 2 and 3 had the same design, with a rooftop garden and event place, where you can hold an event away from the hustle and bustle and right in the skies of Oshodi.

Linking the two terminals is a 56 metres skywalk bridge with a covered steelworks that is 25 metres high. The bridge offers a scenic kaleidoscopic view of the various colours of Oshodi, with its traffic below.

While Terminal 3 services about 30 routes; Berger, Ojota, Lagos Island, Apapa Wharf, Ejigbo, Ajegunle Boundary, Lekki/Jakande/Ajah, Ijora/Costain/Obalende, Sabo/Ikorodu, Tin Can, Bariga, New Garage and Eko Hotel and other such routes, Terminal 2, services Abule-Egba, Yaba, Mushin, Ojuelegba, Opebi/Alausa, Ikeja/Ogba, Agege and Ikotun. Terminal 2 would serve only 10 routes; Ikotun, Ayobo, Yaba, Ojuelegba, Mushin, Opebi/Alausa, Igando/Egbeda, Ikeja/Ogba, Agege and Oshodi/Abule-Egba BRT route.

Terminal 1, on the other hand, had a unique design, four-floor edifice with a private VIP section fully sound-proofed to ensconce them from the world outside the steel door.

Terminal 1, Solaja said, would be partly managed by the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) with whom it has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would see a win-win partnership.

Solaja said arriving at the ground floor; passengers would approach the various ticketing booths depending on their destination. Their luggage would be collected and tagged, while they move to the first floor to wait for their route to be announced.

He said Terminal 1 would focus essentially on inter-state travels, with NURTW servicing all the Southwest states, while the logistic fleet operators operating from Oshodi and servicing the South-South and Southeast has signed on to move in once the Terminal begins operation.

He said the Terminal would be servicing about 22 states and Abuja, with the NURTW servicing Abuja and the entire Southwest, while the luxury vehicle fleet operators would be covering all the Southeast and Southsouth states.

A complement of the Terminal 1 was a vast baggage area to accommodate the logistics needs of the operators.

He said all drivers and their assistants would be taken through regular training and retraining to keep them abreast of the need for defensive driving, while all operators are to first approach the terminal from the holding bay where all vehicles would be tested regularly for their roadworthy compliance, before they approach the loading bay to pick their passengers.

The terminals have loading points on the three floors, and passengers could approach the parks through an escalator, or elevator or go through the stairways or a ramp.

On the frontage of Terminal 1 is a large outdoor space that would be taken by traders, or a relaxation and artefacts sellers.

Linking the first and second terminals is an underground tunnel, which is also access to the loading bay on terminal one.

Abutting Terminal 1 is a taxi park, which Solaja said has elicited interest from several operators, including so many car-hiring operators.

The Facility Manager said coming on stream and complementing the terminals are a shopping mall and a 30-bed hotel for anyone who wishes to refresh before proceeding on the next leg of their travel to their final destinations.

He said the entire land space has been fenced off and terminals would be able to operate with the least impact on the travel pattern on the main artery of the road.

He looked forward to the commencement of full operations in all the terminals by month end, even as he added that allotment of office spaces to interested corporate bodies would be done also before the end of the month.

Solaja believed that Oshodi would take a new turn when operations begin in all the terminals.

He said though the operators already envisaged that the Abule-Egba BRT corridor would be a heavy traffic area, projections, according to Solaja, is perhaps, for 15,000 passenger traffic, with an expected surge to 25,000 and above within the next three months of operation.

He said the interchange looks at providing a one-million passenger travel, adding that everything is in place to ensure a seamless operation with the inauguration of the Abule-Egba corridor by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Security/electricity

Solaja admitted that for passengers and office space prospects at the terminals, security has remained a major concern. He said the operator has already gone into an agreement with the State’s Special Task Force which would complement the arrangement for the plainclothes security as well as private security outfits providing cover for the terminals.

This would also be complemented by Closed Circuit Televisions (CCTV) to be fixed in and around the facility.

On the issue of power supply, he said each of the terminals has a 4,000 KVA generating plant, with a 3,000 KVA back-up and a further 150 KVA back-up even without discountenancing connecting to the national grid.

He assured all tourists, visitors, commuters and patrons or prospective partners of 24 hours power supply in all the facilities, adding that the terminals are ready to provide world-class transit services to Lagosians and Nigerians.

The Managing Director of Planet Projects Limited and contractor Mr. Biodun Otunola described the project as a worthy legacy and a fitting gift, by the government to the people.

With the Oshodi Terminals, local engineers seemed to have sent a strong message of their readiness to take on the world.

Otunola, who described the project as completely novel said nowhere in the world would such be found, adding that it was handled entirely and completely by local engineers.

He praised the Lagos State government for the confidence reposed in Planet Projects, adding that the Oshodi terminals and interchange would change the narrative of public transportation and tourism. He said adequate provisions have been made for the comfort of commuters while providing so many avenues where economic activities could take place in a comfortable ambience, without the usual exposure to harsh elements that demean public transport users.

Otunola said by providing the terminals, the Lagos State government has, in an unmistakable way, told the people at the grassroots that their lives matter, and that the government is willing to work for them, just as it has been working for other segments of society.

Otunola said Lagosians would, forever, be grateful to the government for thinking of redeveloping Oshodi and taking away its cloak of slum and replacing it with a gargantuan project worthy of a megacity.

The much-anticipated African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) seeks to integrate, diversify and industrialise African economies of about 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion. But, these possibilities are being undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic, as border closure, travel bans and other containment measures enforced by Nigeria and other African countries to curb its spread impact on economic integration and intra-African trade. To manage the uncertainties around the Agreement, experts are pushing for proper strategies and policies, including building a robust digital economy as wedge. Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA reports

 

IT is arguably, the most ambitious and strategic push to build an integrated, diversified and industrialised continent capable of holding its own in the global economy. With its promise of creating a continental trade bloc of 1.3 billion people across Africa, with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about $3.4 trillion, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is easily the world’s largest trade agreement since the creation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1994.

The AfCFTA was adopted by the 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2012. The trade liberalisation deal is expected to create a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) for goods and services in Africa, liberalise and facilitate the free movement of people, investments and businesses across the continent, while also signaling a step towards building strong regional value chains.

The Agreement was seen as an important milestone in promoting Africa’s regional integration and helping to boost intra-African trade, which is currently at 16 to 17 per cent, by more than 52 per cent, worth about $35 billion per year. And it hopes to achieve these by committing African countries to phasing out tariffs on 90 per cent of goods, with 10 per cent of “sensitive items” to be phased out incrementally.

However, these immense possibilities promised by the continental project, which has Nigeria tipped as its biggest potential beneficiary, given her nearly 200 million population and huge market for trade, are now at risk because of the crippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Containment measures such as border closure, travel bans, and in some cases, total or partial lockdowns, enforced by most African countries, including Nigeria, to curb the spread of the deadly virus have directly impacted on economic integration and intra-African trade, which are at the core of the free trade deal.

Already, the restrictive measures, which came at a time the AfCFTA was in its critical phase of implementation, have forced the scheme’s implementation originally scheduled to begin on July 1, 2020 to be moved to January 1, 2021. And the delayed implementation has thrown up a number of uncertainties around the Agreement, requiring policymakers to come up with proper strategies and policies to mitigate the risks.

For instance, the demand for essential commodities such as pharmaceutical and agricultural products is said to have weakened export in the face of measures adopted by governments to manage the spread of the virus. By implication, the demand for essential commodities is on the increase, resulting in scarcity, which ultimately, pushes up prices and unhealthy competition amongst producers and exporters.

With this, experts at professional services company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC Nigeria) expressed fears that “Rather than strengthen economic integration, economic development in Africa had been undermined.”

It is easy to see why this is so. Trade liberalisation is expected to improve economic activities with the CFTA in terms of trade and investment. But as things stand, all negotiations on tariff concessions are currently on hold due to the pandemic as countries are more focused on saving lives and preserving livelihoods.

This is said to have created uncertainties particularly for Low Developing Countries (LDCs), as tariffs form a huge percentage of their revenue. Such uncertainties, according to those knowledgeable about the deal, cannot be negotiated at a pace required to foster trade liberalisation.

This is because the pandemic has paused all forms of contact and collaborations in negotiating key aspects of Phase I of the AfCFTA (i.e. Rule of Origin {RoO} and Schedules of Tariff Concession), which are necessary for trading under the agreement to begin.

The RoO is used to determine the country of origin of a product for the purpose of international trade. It is a critical issue that requires prompt negotiations in order to determine which products can be exempted from tariffs.

Recall that the establishment of the AfCFTA is being progressed in two phases. Phase I has been completed except for two issues: RoO and Schedules of Tariff Concession. Negotiations on Phase II, which are still on-going, include protocols on competition policy, investment and intellectual properties. Such protocols are also expected to be delayed.

 

Fears over food insecurity

 

Nigeria and other African countries with low per capita income depend on agriculture for their export earnings. The dependence on extra-regional trade imports for food makes African countries vulnerable to disruptions in international logistics and distribution.

This, PwC pointed out, could result in food shortages and an increase in food prices. The COVID-19 pandemic, it also said, has created a crucial demand risk, especially within Africa’s poor population because there is no efficient manufacturing and agricultural sector to improve self-sustenance within the continent. This has increased the risk of food insecurity and exposed the continent to heavy reliance on external aids.

Also worrisome is the fact that the demand for Nigeria and other African countries’ raw materials and commodities in Asia, Europe and North America has declined. The continent’s access to industrial components and manufactured goods from these regions has also been hampered.

It was hardly unexpected. The pandemic has driven the global economy into recession, which in turn resulted in significant drop in demand for African commodities; like agricultural products (such as barley, palm oil, sugar, cocoa bean, cotton, and maize), industrial metal (such as copper, iron ore, nickel, lead, aluminum, and zinc), precious metal (such as gold), and energy (such as natural gas, coal and oil) etc.

This will also affect demand for trade and services within the aviation, financial and telecommunications sectors.

However, the effect on African economies including Nigeria is expected to worsen as supply chains remain disrupted and the value of exports from the region reduces due to drop in demand from international trade partners such as Asia and America who are worst hit by the virus.

“In addition, poor testing facilities, inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for frontline health workers and congested communal settings could worsen the effect,” PwC said, in its latest report titled “COVID-19 and the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement: Key Considerations.”

The report, which was obtained by The Nation, further noted that apart from causing further uncertainty in a continent already grappling with widespread geopolitical and economic instability, the pandemic could widen the competitive gap between African economies and further undermine the competitiveness of smaller economies that are largely mono-cultural and unable to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

 

A disrupted regional value chain

 

The CFTA seeks to improve industrial development that can benefit continental sustainability especially in the agricultural sector.

But this, according to development experts, can be possible when participating states upscale their industrial and manufacturing sectors which in turn increase the GDP from processing imported raw materials within the CFTA to semi-finished or finished goods for export either within the CFTA or outside.

Sadly, however, the COVID-19 outbreak has weakened the possibilities for a regional value chain as industrial development during the pandemic seems to be a secondary alternative for most low-income African economies based on revenue.

 

Turning crisis into opportunity

 

While the pandemic is bad news for Nigeria and other partnering countries wishing to leverage the AfCFTA to become globally competitive, the consensus of experts is that the rampaging bug could be turned into a “blessing in disguise” if proper strategies and policies are put in place by the various countries.

PwC said, for instance, that through the AfCFTA, Africa has an opportunity to reconfigure its supply chain, reduce its dependence on external partners and speed up the establishment of regional value chains that will boost intra-African trade.

“By doing this, African economies can improve their GDP by domestic value added on processed import within the CFTA that can be exported within or outside the continent,” the report said, adding that if given a chance, the regional value chain will grow African economies in Southern and Northern Africa where manufacturing activities are highest in the continent.

It however, said economies in Central, Eastern and Western Africa can plug into this value chain by upscaling their manufacturing sector while becoming competitive within the CFTA to benefit in growth potentials.

For Nigeria, the opportunity of up-scaling the manufacturing sector is more obvious and compelling. The President of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Professor Benedict Oramah, believes, for instance, that one of the benefits of the deal waiting for Nigeria to grab is the possibility of taking over from China as the world’s manufacturing hub.

Prof. Oramah, who spoke at a recent public lecture in Lagos, cited Nigeria’s rising middle class, as well as her rapid urbanisation, which, according to him, will expand demand for manufactured goods.

He said it is projected that Nigeria’s urban population will reach 264 million by 2030, which is equal to 15 per cent of the projected population in that year. “These will spur demand for critical infrastructure, housing, processed food, fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) and a host of other light manufactures,” Oramah said.

Continuing, the Afreximbank boss emphasised: “It is the manufacturing industry that will supply these items. Related to the foregoing is the gradual exit of China from labour intensive light manufacturing. Today, Nigeria and Africa respectively import $1 billion and $43 billion of light manufactures from china.

“As China shifts to more capital-intensive manufacturing due to rising labour costs, those goods have to be supplied by somebody. Nigeria and indeed, the entire African continent will have themselves to blame if this projected supply gap is filled from outside the continent.”

Speaking on the topic, “From Commodities to a Global Manufacturing Hub: The Road Ahead for Nigeria,” Oramah added that since manufactures account for about 60 per cent of total intra-African trade, intra-regional trade in manufactures can rise to more than $150 billion by 2022.

While noting that “The opportunity for African manufacturers is, therefore, phenomenal,” the Bank Chief specifically said the preferences that AfCFTA offers can make Nigerian manufactured goods more competitive in many African markets and can also make it possible for integration into regional and global supply chains.

That is not all. PwC also said maximising the potentials of the AfCFTA will be an effective shock absorber if the global economy remains depressed by the pandemic and its uncertainty, adding that it will also make Africa an attractive proposition when the global economy turns around.

In fact, where manufacturers and other stakeholders on the continent see challenges and uncertainties around the AfCFTA, PwC sees a silver line on the horizon. Listen to its team of experts led by Partner Taiwo Oyedele: “The crisis has shown the importance and opportunities for African economies in the digital economy.

“The AfCFTA initiative should not be slowed down, instead it is essential to conclude negotiations on services schedules to allow vital industries to grow, develop domestic solutions and drive regional value chains.

“A consolidated market system will be crucial to ensure that African countries have relative collective power in terms of numbers and bargaining power in the post COVID-19 global economy.”

 

Digital economy holds the ace

 

The firm recommends building a digital economy to foster production of higher quality goods and services at reduced costs. This, according to it, will open new channels for value addition and broader structural change.

PwC stated that the way to go is to develop and/or upgrade the digital infrastructure, digital financial services, digital entrepreneurship and digital skills that are thematic pillars of the Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A) to encourage trading digitally across individuals, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and governments.

The firm was emphatic that countries that can get this development requirement could compete effectively within the CFTA, noting that clearly, Information Technology (IT) support was not considered as an essential service during the lockdown.

“Each government needs to review its Information Technology plan in line with economic digitalisation before trading in the CFTA begins in 2021 as it is now clear that globalisation has gone online,” the report said.

It noted that one important question Nigeria must ask in these uncertain times is how its digital economic strategy – National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030) proposed by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and The Smart Nigeria Digital Economy Project proposed by the Nigerian Government can sustain economic interactions and development in the face of a pandemic.

Such question, according to the firm, was imperative because the CFTA will be competitive. This, The Nation learnt, is so because countries like Egypt with three active digital strategies (National E-Commerce Strategy, Strategy for Social Responsibility in ICT, and Digital Arabic Content Strategy) would have an edge over countries in the market with weak or no digital framework to support trade in goods and services within the market.

Will Nigeria rise to the challenge in the digital space? While answer to this remains in the realm of conjecture, stakeholders are optimistic that going by recent assurances by the Minister of Communications and digital economy, Dr. Isa Pantanmi and the CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbata, Nigeria may emerge strong on the digital economy space before the scheme’s January 1, 2021 new kick-off date.

Pantanmi and Danbata had last week assured that the Federal Government was on course to achieving its digital economy aspiration. That was at the virtual inauguration of Kaduna Emergency Communication Centre (ECC) built by the NCC and five information technology projects by other agencies under the ministry.

Besides, the Federal Government has taken bold steps to demonstrate its commitment to the success of the Agreement by putting different measures in place. For instance, President Muhammadu Buhari, on July 28, 2019, approved the establishment of a National Action Committee (NAC) for implementation of AfCFTA Agreement.

The NAC is comprised of representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with competent and relevant jurisdictions as well as selected stakeholder groups from the private sector and the civil society to coordinate the implementation of all the AfCFTA readiness interventions. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, is the Chairman of the Committee.

Other steps taken to position Nigeria to benefit fully from the deal include the implementation of economic policies to attract investors, promote ease of doing business in Nigeria and accelerated activities promoting economic growth and development; launch of a new visa policy where citizens of other African countries will now be issued visa upon arrival in Nigeria as against having to apply for Nigerian visa in their respective countries.

The Federal Government also moved a notch high by implementing different economic stimulus and palliative measures to cushion the effects of the pandemic, including the deferment of tax due date for filing tax returns by companies, waiver of import duty on pharmaceutical and medical supplies etc.

While the new crisis may be another challenging time for Nigeria and other partnering countries, some of the steps so far taken to mitigate the risks are pointers to the collective resolve of African people to see themselves differently and the world to consider the African continent as a partner in finding solutions to complex problems such as COVID-19.

By extension, they are also indications that after the pandemic has ended, the continent will have the chance to become more autonomous and self-reliant, having laid the foundations of economic reforms that give priority to African markets, innovation and local manufacturing.

 

It was tributes galore on Thursday following the death of Afenifere leader Pa Ayo Fasanmi at 94. House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, governors, the All Progressives Congress (APC), ex-Osun State Governor Chief Bisi Akande and many others described the deceased as a great man, report Deputy Editor Emmanuel Oladesu, SANNI ONOGU, Victor Oluwasegun, Jide Orintunsin, Toba Adedeji, Rasaq Ibrahim and Oziegbe Okoeki

 

Lawan mourns Afenifere leader

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has commiserated with the family, friends and political associates of Pa Ayorinde Fasanmi, the leader of Yoruba socio-cultural and political association.

Lawan, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola Awoniyi, also condoled with the government and people of Ekiti State and the Yoruba nation in general over the demise of a leader who throughout his life was committed to the cause of his people and Nigeria.

The Senate President said the late elder statesman made immense contributions to nation-building as a two-time parliamentarian, public office holder and political party leader.

Lawan said Nigerians would miss Pa Fasanmi’s forthrightness, consistency, wise counsel and wealth of experience.

The Senate President prayed God to grant the soul of the deceased perfect peace and grant those that he left behind the fortitude to bear his loss.

Gbajabiamila mourns Pa Fasanmi’s passing

House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila has expressed sadness over the death of the leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Fasanmi.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, the Speaker said though the demise of the late patriot would be felt by the nation, the progressives and his family, solace would be taken in the fact that his footprints have been firmly entrenched in the sand of time.

The Speaker noted that Pa Fasanmi’s passionate quest for democracy and good governance saw him leave Pharmacy to join politics and later became the leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere.

Gbajabiamila said: “As a federal lawmaker at the national level, first as a member of the House of Representatives and later a Senator, Pa Fasanmi came across as a symbol of humility, selflessness and integrity. These attributes have continued to inspire lawmakers across the country.

“It is my prayer that his soul rests in perfect peace, and may God give those he left behind the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Sanwo-Olu: Pa Fasanmi was a great nationalist, passionate leader

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed sadness over the death of an elder statesman and leader of Yoruba socio-cultural group Afenifere, Senator Ayo Fasanmi.

In a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu described the late Pa Fasanmi as a “great nationalist, passionate leader and humility personified.”

Sanwo-Olu, who also described the late Pa Fasanmi as a complete gentleman and selfless leader, said he contributed immensely to the development of the Southwest region and Nigeria.

“Pa Fasanmi was an exemplary leader who spent the greater part of his life in the service of humanity, particularly the Yoruba course where he contributed to the development of the region.

“In the old Western Nigeria, Pa Fasanmi served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Old Western Nigeria Housing Corporation.

“He was National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria in 1977, elected into the Senate in 1979, and became a member of the House of Representatives in 1983. He also served as a member of the National Constitutional Conference Commission in 1994.

“Pa Fasanmi was indeed an icon who will never be forgotten in the history of Nigeria and the Yoruba race. He will surely be missed,” the governor said.

The governor went on: “On behalf of my family, the Lagos State Government and people of the state, I want to express my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the immediate family members of the deceased; the government and people of Ekiti and Ondo States over the irreparable loss.

“May God give the departed soul eternal rest and the family the fortitude to bear the loss. Adieu, Pa Fasanmi.”

Fayemi: he was one of the heroes of democracy

Ekiti State Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi described the late Afenifere leader as one of the heroes of democracy being enjoyed in the country today.

Dr. Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode, described Pa Fasanmi as a steadfast Awoist and committed progressive who was a torchbearer for younger progressives in his lifetime.

The governor said the death of Fasanmi had robbed Nigeria of one of her most selfless politicians and patriots who demonstrated unalloyed commitment for a better country where justice and equity occupy a pride of place.

He noted that Pa Fasanmi was a politician who was consistent with the progressive ideology as demonstrated in his membership of the Action Group, Unity Party of Nigeria, Social Democratic Party, Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress, Action Congress of Nigerian and All Progressives Congress.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) said Ekiti is proud to have produced Fasanmi who served as a parliamentarian at different times in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Fayemi recalled the pivotal role played by Fasanmi as a chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) in the fight to revalidate the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

He said the late Pa Fasanmi demonstrated courage in his stand against military dictatorship at a time it was very dangerous to dare the most vicious dictatorship in the nation’s history.

The governor described Pa Fasanmi as a renowned Pharmacist who made a name in the profession leading to his emergence as the National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) in 1977.

“Our highly revered Pa Fasanmi lived a good life, ran a good race and has gone home for a well-deserved rest.

“There is no doubt we shall miss his wise counsel, but we are consoled with the fact he lived a good life and left a good legacy. Our prayer is that God will grant him eternal rest and comfort his family,” he said.

Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, described Fasanmi’s death as a colossal loss to the Progressive folds and Nigeria at large.

He described the Afenifere leader as an iconic progressive politician with a great penchant for the truthfulness and good governance during his active days.

Bamidele stated that Fasanmi’s immeasurable fondness for selfless service delivery and populist approach to governance qualified him as a true a disciple of Awolowo.

The lawmaker said Fasanmi would be remembered for being a rallying point for progressive politicians in the Southwest region, saying he had etched his name in gold as a principled individual who believed in fighting for equality and the less privileged.

“Baba had lived a worthy life. He lived and died fighting for humanity and the realisation of those lofty ideals of exemplary governance and promotion of the common good for all, regardless of race, class, clan, ethnicity and religious inclinations.

“Since the first Republic, he had been a politician of progressive extraction. The fact that he was loyal to Awolowo till the end confirmed his high level of reliability.

“He was a partner in every stride taken in the country for the formation of Nationalist movements, Political Parties and Pro-Democracy movements with a focus for humanitarian governance. He was a member of the Action Group, Unity Party of Nigeria, Social Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress where he played active and impactful roles.

“I convey my heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Ekiti State, via our governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Iye-Ekiti and the Fasanmi dynasty on the death of this priceless patriarch.”

The Southwest All Progressives Congress (APC) also mourned the passage of Fasanmi.

The zonal chapter described his demise as a huge loss to the progressive family in Nigeria.

In a statement by the Zonal Publicity Secretary, Chief Karounwi Oladapo, the party said Pa Fasanmi was a very honest and consistent Politician who never flirted from one political ideology to the other. According to the Statement “Senator Ayo Fasanmi kept faith and loyalty with the Chief Obafemi Awolowo led Progressive Parties, ( Action Group, AG and Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN ), the Social Democratic Party, SDP, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and lately, the All Progressives Congress, APC. He never deviated from his commitment to the Social Democratic Principles and Progressive ideals until he breathed his last, on Wednesday, July 29, 2020.

He championed the tenets of Afenifere Socio-Political Organization in its original form, as espoused by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Action Group of the First Republic. He never had anything to do with the conservatives and reactionary elements in the Nigeria Political Space.”

The party noted and recognized Senator Ayo Fasanmi’s presence on the campaign podium with President Muhammadu Buhari during his re-election campaign in 2019. He received, campaigned and made powerful speeches in support of President Buhari at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, Ado Ekiti, at an advanced age of 93. This was very unique and remarkable! The South West APC Leaders urged the Federal Government to name a National monument after him, in commemoration and recognition of his innumerable contributions to democracy, good governance and national development.

Pa Fasanmi’s death a big loss  to Nigeria, says Oyetola

Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has described the death of elder statesman as a big loss to not only the Yoruba race but also Nigeria as a whole.

He said the late Pa Fasammi would be greatly missed and remembered for his love for and service to Nigeria and its people.

Oyetola, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, commiserated with Pa Fasanmi’s family, the Afenifere Group, the Yoruba race and Nigerians over the loss.

The governor said Pa Fasanmi was a great man of honour, progressive politician, and strong advocate of good governance, democratic values and ideals.

He further said the late Afenifere leader was a die-hard Awoist and demonstrated this by projecting the principles and legacies of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“Baba’s death is a big loss not only to his family but also to the Yoruba race and Nigeria at large. He will be remembered for his unending love for Nigeria and selfless service to the country and its people. He was always concerned about the welfare of the masses.

“He was an astute politician and elder statesman, who was ever seeking to enrich and expand the frontiers of socio-political knowledge, encourage mass political participation, offer selfless service and replicated himself in his teeming followers.

“I knew Baba Fasanmi for many years, even before my foray into politics. I saw in him a trained pharmacist, who faithfully transferred the ideals of service to humanity, which his training entails into the larger business of politics.

“Through his noble efforts in diverse political struggles, agitation for good governance, and persistent resistance to military rule, bad governments, and administrations, Pa Fasanmi became a beacon of hope and a pillar of light and encouragement to the younger generation of politicians and public administrators,” the governor added.

Oyetola prayed to God to grant the soul of Pa Fasanmi eternal rest and give his family the strength to bear his demise.

I am now a political orphan, by Akande

Former Osun State Governor Chief Bisi Akande has said Pa Ayo Fasanmi’s death has made him a political orphan.

Chief Akande described the death of Pa Ayo Fasanmi as a great loss to the Yoruba and Nigeria as a whole.

In a statement yesterday, Chief Akande said: “I’m suddenly made a political orphan by the passing of Papa Ayo Fasanmi at this point. It is shocking and very painful to me personally because he was my political godfather since he introduced me to Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1977.

“Papa Fasanmi along with his leader Chief Obafemi Awolowo were in the Regional House of Assembly and National House of Representatives during the parliamentary system of government in the Nigerian 1st Republic and he became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the Presidential system of Government in the Second Republic.

“We were together in the National Constituent Assembly that wrote the 1979 Constitution for Nigeria. His wealth of experience as a progressive politician is mostly needed now that Nigeria is gradually taking steps towards consolidating democratic norms, hence a big vacuum has been created by his exit.

“Those Nigerians who were not born before 1956 would only have the military sense of democracy and may never know good governance unless they were fortunate to have learnt under the tutelage of people of Papa Fasanmi’s political generation. It is significant therefore that the knowledge of the contributions of Fasanmi’s generation to the development of Nigeria become useful for thinking right on how to reposition the problems of Nigeria.”

APC mourns Afenifere Leader

The All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement yesterday, also mourned the death of the Afenifere leader.

The statement by Deputy National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena reads: “The Yorubas and indeed the nation at large have lost a father to all, elder statesman, welfarist, second Republic Senator and front line politician whose indelible strides will be forever remembered.

“Pa Fasanmi was one of Nigeria’s leading voices who spoke truth to power. In death, the APC celebrates an accomplished man and leader of the front line Yoruba socio-cultural organisation who alongside championing the socio-political interests and preserving the ethnic identity of the Yorubas, was also an advocate of good governance in the country.”

Dickson mourns foremost Yoruba leader

The immediate past Governor of Bayelsa state, Chief Henry Seriake Dickson, has commiserated with the Yoruba nation, Pan Yoruba socio cultural group, Afenifere, the All Progressives Congress, (APC), over the demise of Senator Ayo Fasanmi who died on Wednesday at the age 94 in Osogbo, Osun state.

Dickson said his demise has created a big vacuum that would be difficult to fill.

According to him, “Pa Fasanmi is an astute politician. He is a notable Awoist and founding member of the defunct Unity Party of Nigera (UPN) and Alliance for Democracy, (AD).

“He played a significant role in the enthronement of democratic rule in the Country.

“It is quite unfortunate that he left when his elderly advice and service is needed in the process of rebuilding our nation.”

Despite visible benefits, many technologies are not adopted by Nigerian farmers. JULIANA AGBO writes on the need to adopt scientific and technological innovations for sustainable growth of the agricultural sector.

An aged farmer from Katsina State Alhaji Salmanu, Chairman, Nigeria Ginners Association recently stunned an audience at a debate on whether Nigerians should allow Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or not when he said that the hungry man has no choice of where the food is coming from.”

It has become obvious that Nigeria is one of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa that have the challenges of food security. It is estimated that more than 50 million Nigerians go to bed without food. This is because in the past few years, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation has predicted that there would be severe starvation due to Nigeria’s inability to produce what the citizens need.

The problem is further exacerbated by an over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture, conflicts that displace farmers and lack of technology.

The country’s population projected to hit 400 million by 2050, will make Nigeria the world’s fourth most populous country. This population is increasingly reliant on food produced by smallholder farmers mostly made up of women and children while also depending on imported food products.

Despite being the highest producer of cowpea, maize, rice and other grains in Sub-Sharan Africa, Nigeria is a net importer of food and major agricultural products.

Every year, Nigeria spends about N16 billion in importing beans from neighbouring countries such as Niger, Cameroon and Burkina Faso.

Bread, semolina, pasta and other wheat flour-based products are staples in Nigeria and the demand for the products has continued to increase.

Currently, the shares of wheat flour for bread, semolina, pasta and others, are estimated at 60 per cent, 20 per cent,10 per cent, and 10 per cent, respectively.

Some 2019 data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that Nigeria spent over N40 trillion on food imports in the last 21 years in order to meet domestic consumption.

The NBS data revealed that from 2016 to the first half of 2019, Nigeria spent N54.51 trillion importing manufactured goods, mostly food, and agricultural goods. Within the period, agricultural goods import gulped N38.24 billion while manufactured goods import gulped 19.51billion.

NBS data in June 2020, showed that Nigeria’s total foreign trade (import and export) rose marginally by 0.8 per cent year on year when compared to N8.24 trillion recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2019.

Nigeria’s wheat consumption is mostly filled by local production augmented by imports valued at about $1.5 billion in 2017 and $1.7 billion in 2018. Local wheat production remained inadequate and domestic supplies of substitute staples within Nigeria and neighbouring countries have not kept pace with demand. USDA forecasts Nigeria’s wheat consumption in MY 2019/20 at 5.26 million metric tons (MT).

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), forecasts Nigeria’s wheat production in marketing year (MY) 2019/20 (July-June) to reach 60,000 metric tons (MT), unchanged from the production figure for marketing year 2018/19. The area harvested to remain at 60,000 hectares, with yields holding steady at one metric ton per hectare, according to USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

Nigeria is Africa’s top producer of maize, followed by Tanzania, according to the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA). But the country is also a leading importer of the product as demand for animal feed grows in the country.

The country’s annual need for maize is estimated at 15 million metric tons while her local production is 10.5million tons. The balance is imported from countries such as South Africa, Argentina and other South American countries where genetically modified maize is heavily cultivated.

Peter Shema, a plant breeder with the Federal University, Lafia noted recently that “it is funny when I see our brothers argue that GMOs are deadly and bad. What are we doing with the huge volume of maize imported every year? We eat them so what is the ratio of Nigerians dying every year due to the consumption of GMOs?

Many stakeholders across the country, especially those in the agriculture value chain agree with Shema as they continued to harp on the need to adopt agricultural biotechnology to improve the country’s productivity and revive industries.

At a recent meeting, they noted that the adoption of agricultural biotechnology tool, among others is necessary to enable Nigeria to attain food security.

While noting that agricultural biotechnology may not be the only tool to attaining a food-secure Nigeria, they agreed it will play a significant role in ensuring that farmers produce quality food, rich in necessary nutrients as well as enough food to ensure that no Nigerian goes to bed without food.

“Even though we are the largest producers of maize and cowpea that we have been importing, why won’t we enhance what we have to make it better for consumption and export?” they queried.

What is biotechnology?

Biotechnology is a modern science tool used to improve agricultural productivity to eliminate hunger and ensure food security for the populace. It uses Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) as one of its components to engineer the genes of plants and animals to make them behave in ways they are intended to be.

Prof. Celestine Aguoru, President, National Biotechnology and Biosafety Consortium, has emphasised the importance of Genetic Engineering and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in achieving food security in the country.

Prof. Aguoru said the introduction will address the national cowpea demand deficit of about 500,000 tons and improve the national productivity average of 350kg/hectare.

He said: “What are the duties of the over 15 agricultural research institutes, the Federal Government-owned and funded universities of agriculture, faculties of agriculture, sciences; vet medicine if they cannot proffer scientific solution to agricultural problems?

“Their duties are simply to work on the improvement of our crops, provide scientific solutions to challenges facing farmers and ensure that crops in which the country has comparative advantage in producing thrive.”

Prof Aguoru, who is with the Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Agricultural Science, University of Agriculture, Makurdi noted that all over the world, countries that had attained appreciable heights in their development strides had relied on their universities of science and technology institutes.

What are GMOs?

GMOs, or genetically modified organisms is a term commonly used to describe crops produced through a plant breeding technique that uses a specific type of genetic engineering.

Essentially, plant breeders take the gene for a specific trait in one plant or microbe and insert it into the cells of a crop plant. The goal is to add “desirable traits” to a crop such as better nutrition; longer shelf life; resistance to pests, diseases and herbicides; faster growth.

 Are GM foods safe for consumption?

A General Practitioner, Rosemary Angah who spoke to The Nation said there is no evidence to show that GM foods are not safe for consumption.

Angah further explained that since the first widespread commercialisation of GM produce 20 years ago, there has been no evidence of ill effects linked to the consumption of any approved GM crop.

Nigeria has been eating imported food for a very long time yet, we have not seen negative cases from consumption of the foods being imported. The fact is that most of the imported processed foods contain one genetically modified ingredient or the other.

“Before any food produced using GM technology is permitted into the market, a variety of tests have to be completed. The results from these tests, including results from animal feeding trials, are considered by the authorities responsible for determining the safety of each new GM product.

“The National Biosafety Management Agency is the organisation in the country vested with the responsibilities of regulating GMOs, currently; NBMA is rated as one of the best and most competent Biosafety regulatory institutions in Africa.

“There have been studies claiming damage to human or animal health from specific foods that have been developed using GM. The claims were not about the GM method itself, but about the specific gene introduced into the crop, or about agricultural practices associated with the crop, such as herbicide treatments. The statistical analysis and methodology of these studies have been challenged. All reliable evidence produced to date shows that currently available GM food is at least as safe to eat as non-GM food,” she said.

An animal feed trial of GM tomatoes modified to produce high levels of antioxidants showed the GM tomatoes reduced the levels of cancer. This is not because the tomatoes are GM, but rather because they produce antioxidants, which are known to reduce cancer.  A nutritionist, Friday Matthew, said farmers have been genetically modifying plants for more than 9,000 years.

“In reality, much of all the foods we eat have been genetically modified. Our ancestors would select and replant the seeds from the best plants, steadily altering the genetic material of crops over time.

“Later, plant breeders started crossing related plant species to introduce more genetic diversity and make better crops. Currently, we are simply using modern tools and technology to modify crops more efficiently and precisely.

“Not a single food safety or health issue associated with GM crops use has been confirmed. That means all of the bad things you’ve seen or read about GMOs aren’t true and aren’t supported by two decades of historical evidence or by credible scientists.

“Even though a genetically modified crop is virtually identical to a non-modified crop, all GMOs nevertheless go through rigorous safety testing at every stage; from research planning to field-test to food and environment safety assessment before going on the market.

Nigerian Academy of Science, an apex body in the country that advises President Muhammadu Buhari on scientific and technological innovations were clear to tell Nigerians that GMOs are safe. Why then should we continue to limit our farmers and deny ourselves good and healthy foods?

Gabriel Ogunjobi travels to the borderland between Nigeria and Benin Republic in Ogun State where brutal attacks on farmers by marauding herdsmen have caused untold tragedies. He reports on how COVID-19 realities are worsening a situation already too painful to describe, but which is creating a new army of out of school children and young people.

At Agbon village, Abidemi Ilo is laid on a mat at the veranda. He is being encouraged to ingest a little more of pap-cake and vegetables.

He struggles because his whole body still aches badly from his hospital-dressed wound.  January 10, 2020 was the day what he had long feared finally occurred.

He became another victim in the long-running but ignored violence that cattle herders routinely inflicted on farmers across the border corridors of Ogun State.

He was attacked, along with his father, Pa Sola, who was 70 years plus, on their two-plot yam farmland. The older man was not so lucky.

He was hacked to death. Sola received machete wounds on his arm and his right wrist.

The only reason Bidemi opted for home-care after spending three months at Federal Medical Centre in Ilaro, Ogun state, is to look after three of his children who are still at primary school.

‘There is no one to take care of them. They wandered in the neighborhood. They have not been going to school because their mother stayed with me at the hospital for nights and days since I was rushed-in.’

As he spoke, Bidemi’s children were standing behind the door that leads from the inner house to the veranda. They looked on watching as their father sobbed emotionally.

Bidemi is yet to overcome the trauma from the farm attack and is very unlikely to return for cultivation anytime soon.

It also means primary education for the children will be on hold until further notice because of the lack of income to bear school needs. Maybe, they would even learn some crafts just like their elder brother, Zaccheus did learn vulcanizing.

The story bears similarities with that of 15-year old Folarin said to be in primary three at Community School, Asa, and whose father was killed on a farm in the same community.

Determinedly, Folarin returned to school after his father’s gruesome killing and has since been undertaking all sorts of manual labour to keep himself in school. But his younger brother had to halt his education and opted for motorcycle-riding business instead.

This sort of tragedy and the consequences on the education of the children of direct victims illustrate the vulnerability of children and young people on this Yoruba borderline between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

In March 2020, a newspaper reported on reduction in school enrolment in Ogun border communities due to the persistent clashes between local farmers and wandering herders.

In the prominent Ketu constituency at Yewa (Egbado) North Local Government, at least 53 of the 60 plus communities are in the frontline of violent marauding by cattle herders.

Some of the most affected communities include Ogunba-Ayetoro, Asa, Ijoun, Igan-Alade, Ibore, Iselu. The 2006 national census puts the population of the constituency at 99, 000. This is equivalent to 60% of the 181, 826 total population of the entire local government.

Apart from the continuum of community despair about safety and its telling effect on school enrolment, there is also the issue of lack of schools and the parlous state of most of those available in those communities.

Such is the situation that the number of out-of-school children in the region may be growing exponentially.

School building dates back to the 70s or earlier. Many of them are in a state of disrepair and in the most unsanitary environment to say the least.

At Ogunba-Ayetoro, for instance, the local Community School is a building of about five classrooms built of wood and iron-sheet.

At full capacity, it can house up to 70 students. However, it is lacking in all the amenities one can associate with a school.

This includes toilet facilities for the students or water for drinking. The environment is overgrown with elephant grass\weeds and severely neglected such that the building now looks the picture of a derelict storehouse.

One of the farmers cultivating on the land, Sunday Oke, informed this reporter that up to 200 children could show up in dry seasons when the herders rarely pasture and it is felt to be safe.

‘Around last year, there were barely 60 to 70 school-children because herders scared them away. This year, we have only heard of those herders in Asa. They’re not yet here and may not be until around November/December’, he adds.

More and more schools are in a sorry state…

Of the twelve villages serving the Community Primary School at Ogunba-Ayetoro, only children from the near villages of  Araromi, Ori-Oke, Agbale, Abe Isin and Saba would, by that November, be able to find their way to school, if their parents ever let them.

The sight is not different at the Community Primary School in Oke Odo, Ibore, about 10km from Ogunba-Ayetoro.

While children are subjected to learn under the perils of reptiles, the school is peculiar for yet another reason: it has two structures but neither of them meets UNICEF’s standard of the primary school of providing a significant personal and social environment in the lives of the pupils and the environment being physically safe, emotionally secure and psychologically enabling.

If it ever rains, it only means the children will be learning in swamps owing to the deplorable farmyard area.

More shocking is the 2015-built school directly behind the palace of the Oba Eselu of Iseluland. The flamboyant pillar offering direction at the express-road between Ilaro and Oja Odan is luring to assume the pupils’ learning facility would be an impressive structure to behold. But, the Community Primary School in Ilupeju, Oja Odan is yet another eyesore.

Knitted with bamboo and palm-front roof, the parallel structure is a makeshift abode for goats at night-time, lacking ventilation and proper illumination; it’s like a hut-like of a school.

The Eselu of Iseluland in Oja-Odan, in the Yewa-North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, bore his worry about the future of the children in his kingdom.

According to him: “communities here are abandoned, maybe because they are on the border and far from the attention of the government but the consequences are now evident. That’s why there’re increased rates of child labor for the girls and smuggling for the boys because they lack education.”

“It’s unfortunate.”

The killing of children, hacked to death in ambushes, in some of those clashes aggravated the fear of parents about the safety of their children on their way to or return from school.

With the state of those schools, it is a moot point to ask if they would be fit for learning purposes in the face of the COVID-19 epidemic.

‘We learn in the congregation of animals’

Ferried by a young bike-rider, Femi Folarin, I arrived at Community High School, Ebute Igbooro, some minutes past 1 pm on Wednesday, July 8, 2020.

Situated on a large expanse of land, the school is a gateless compound with a large playing field overgrown by stubborn elephant grass.

While schools are yet to resume due to COVID-19 enforced shutdown, I was met by three students, Joel Egbeleye, Solomon Shofisile and Daniel Segun, who had been drafted in by their headteacher to show me around.

They are busy with the packing of planks detached from the top of the room for the block of junior classes – a plan for renovation by the state ministry of education.

Joel claims that ‘nothing is wrong with the block of classrooms considered for renovation by the government.’

‘Our classrooms that need proper renovation were ignored.’

What baffles the trio is that the structure considered for renovation by the Ogun state ministry of education is the newest in the school while the terrible senior secondary classes are left untouched.

The headteacher, also the only mathematics teacher for the school, Mr. Jonathan Oriokoku corroborated this by saying that the school management was ignored when they tried to draw the attention of the representatives of the ministry to the rot in the senior classes.

The representatives insisted that their instructions did not include the more needy classrooms.

Although the headteacher could not accurately recollect the exact year the newer (government-constructed) structure was erected, he said it could not be further than 2012 and 2013.

The dilapidated building, on the other hand, was erected by the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) in the early 2000s

Joel and Solomon are both in the Art department of the senior secondary school 2 and Daniel is in Sciences. Arts and Commercial students share the same classroom.

The students in the two departments are 120 plus.  The class was originally expected to accommodate about 35 students.

‘Sometimes, we don’t even enjoy teaching because we are too many in the class. Look at the roof. Check the windows for yourself’, one of them advises me.

‘It is not even a matter of lie. We learn in the congregation of goats and sheep who come to pasture at times.’

On the floor of the classrooms are goat’s dungs. The desks in the room vary in their condition with some broken, some in fair state but all showing evidence of prolonged use.

The classroom ceiling are disjointed and appear to be waiting for the slightest of windstorm to push it to the ground. This picture is representative of all the classrooms from the senior school one to three.

If the school is fenced, the concern about the flock of sheep and cows polluting the classrooms will be gone. But social distancing in the time of COVID-19 is still a headache.

The school has a total of 1,125 students. In the JSS classes, there are 615 and SSS classes have 510 students. For the two classes occupied by SS2 alone, there are 90 students in the science department.

‘When COVID-19 comes, government shivers’

At Islamic High School, Oja-Odan, Yewa North, the management felt that their prayers were being answered when they received a phone call from the Ogun State ministry of education in the first week of July asking what their needs were for JSS3 and SS 3 students to resume.

The school has a total of 789 students – 524 in junior classes and 265 in senior classes – who occupy two blocks of classrooms and a makeshift extension for junior students.

Originally owned and funded by the Muslim. Society, the modest infrastructure was put in place by the parents-teachers association of the community.

At the behest of the community which was struggling at financing the school, the Ibikunle Amosun administration decided to transfer ownership of the school to the State two years ago.

The take-over process could however not be completed before Amosun left office. His successor, Dapo Abiodun, mercifully did not reverse the decision; hence it is now a full government school.

Teachers have been paid salaries since but there appears to be nothing else to show for the government ownership.

Among the infrastructure transferred to the government is an unfinished auditorium capable of sitting up to 3,000 students for general examinations such as junior and senior WAEC.  The structure remains at the roofing level unattended and surrounded by overgrown weeds.

This explains why the Principal, Lucky Imonitie, was first excited when that call came from the ministry of education.

When he heard it was about getting a fraction of the students back, his enthusiasm faded. ‘But we need more than just that. The school is completely overcrowded and infrastructures are in deficit’, he said.

Nonetheless, he remains optimistic that COVID-19 will make the government remember them.

 

‘Reopening schools in Nigeria now is a death sentence’, says education advocate

 

Hamzat Lawal, an advocate for education and founder of not-for-profit organisation, Connected Development (CODE), points out that it will be suicidal to reopen all schools at the same time when COVID-19 may still be spreading.

According to him, the level of infrastructural deficit across Nigerian public schools is too high for the right amount of safety needed to be properly put in place.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 gave recommendations for sanitation, use of face masks, and social distancing if reopening of schools would be considered.

According to Lawal, ‘COVID-19 has shown that Nigeria is very poor and under-developed. Many of the communities at the conflict-bed of the country lack portable water and other basic amenities.

The schools are also dilapidated, overcrowded and some of the children have to sit on the floor to learn.’

‘The people are so poor that many of the parents don’t even wear face masks let alone compel their children to do it. It is nearly impossible to ensure COVID-19 guidelines are adhered to if schools reopen. Don’t forget about the bigger stake of community transmission the country is battling with.

‘If it will take Nigeria till 2021 before a safe resumption can be achieved, let the children sit at home. It is a death sentence to call for reopening of schools now. And, I will never be a party to that’, he said.

Government’s negligence

In September 2019, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun facilitated the release of a N10.3 billion counterpart fund by the Federal Government to the state for the rehabilitation of 236 schools.

But most of the schools visited by this reporter have not been funded in any recent times. Both primary and secondary schools are decrepit and to abide by the World Health Organization’s guidelines on preventing the spread of COVID-19 is arduous.

It is also noteworthy that the governor who assumed office over a year ago is still to appoint a substantive commissioner of education.

Professor Sidi Osho, a senior lecturer of food technology and former Vice-Chancellor at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), who was shortlisted for the position was rejected by the state’s house of assembly over her dismissal as a lecturer among other allegations.

She was, however, retained by the governor as the Special Adviser on higher education. She refused an interview when this reporter reached her to know about the government’s preparation ahead of resumption.

 

• This report was facilitated by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its COVID-19 Reality Check project.

This year’s International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking highlighted the huge gaps that exist in the fight against the menace in the country, writes NICHOLAS KALU.

It was apparent from the contributions by key stakeholders that the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking lack serious commitment.

Speaker after speaker maintained that the shallow manner in which the menace is being handled has resulted in a large percentage of security problems that rage in the country currently. Stakeholders unanimously agree that the negative social and economic consequences of the problem is far-reaching.

A Consultant Addiction Specialist, Dr Ada Ikeako, said: “A lot of crimes being committed in Nigeria these days results from drugs influence. Whether it is kidnapping and banditry or Boko Haram and other forms of violent crimes, most of them are drug-related. So, if we control drug abuse, we can also get a handle on violent crimes within the country because they are related.”

The President of the African Council on Narcotics (ACON), Mr Rekpene Bassey, shares the same opinion.

According to Bassey, a security expert, drug abuse, which has permeated even homes and schools, fuels terrorism, violent extremism, cultism and other violent crimes, hence the need to deal with the problem urgently.

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, also posited that the influence of drugs is responsible for the upsurge in several violent crimes.

A survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse with technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and funding from the European Union last year indicated that nearly 15 per cent of the adult population in Nigeria (around 14.3 million people) reported a “considerable level” of use of psychoactive drug substances. This was a rate much higher than the 2016 global average of 5.6 per cent among adults.

It showed that the highest level of drug use was recorded among people between the ages of 25 and 39, with cannabis being the most widely used drug. Sedatives, heroin, cocaine and the non-medical use of prescription opioids were also noted. The survey excluded the use of tobacco and alcohol. Stakeholders agree that the rate is much higher these days.

The situation, it appears, may have worsened with the lockdown necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bassey said: “There is a tendency of an escalation with the lockdown. What happens when people are isolated and locked down? It is boredom and frustration. Some people would suffer from depression. Depression is a catalyst for substance abuse, just as substance abuse itself can lead to depression.”

Expressing worry over the drug problem, Col. Abdallah had raised the alarm over a “frightening dimension of drug manufacturing in Nigeria” mainly in relation to Methamphetamine.

“We are at our wit’s end to discover more Meth Labs not necessarily because they do not exist. A new version of manufacturing has reared its head, the introduction of Hydrophonic outfit where Cannabis is manipulated into the production of Hashish and Canaboil, both of which are illegal since they contravene the extant NDLEA Act. Would you believe the locations? The first in Jos run by a Chinese and the second in Victoria Island Lagos, run by a mixed nationality person – Nigeria/German,” he said.

One area every stakeholder agreed on is that the primary agency to tackle the problem is not well funded and equipped to take on the challenge to a logical conclusion.

Bassey said just talking would not achieve anything, even as he called on the government to fund the NDLEA adequately to tackle the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

Highlighting a few of the NDLEA’s challenges, Abdallah said the Agency’s Treatment and Rehabilitation component of the Drug Demand Reduction Directorate is in dire need of an upgrade.

“Medical attention given to drug-dependent persons is often the last stage of the war. These are the battles of intervention, education, sensitisation, counselling and psychotherapy which the agency is competent to perform given the in-house expertise available.

“What is lacking is the required capacity building. Time has come for competent Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres to be fully built as anticipated by the NDLEA Act where psychotherapy and medical therapy should mutually reinforce each other.

“Cannabis cultivation has continued to attract our attention because it is the most widely abused substance in Nigeria. In 2019, a total of 310.1 tons of Cannabis were seized and destroyed publicly. All together for that year, 612, 903.484 kilograms of drugs were seized. The arrest figures stand at 9,444 of drug-related offenders. A total of 1,195 convictions were recorded, while 795 drug-dependent persons were counselled,” he said.

On the way forward, Abdallah called for every part of the society to be involved in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.

Heather Merritt, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, in this special telephonic briefing with reporters, speaks on the U.S. Efforts to combat drug trafficking in Africa. Excerpts:

The threat we want to concentrate on primarily today is the threat of drugs and drug trafficking.  I happened to look last night through – the UNODC has a really useful report, the World Drug Report, which you all can find online.  And their latest one came out in June, and I was looking at the numbers, and unfortunately the numbers of sort of abuse of drugs and use of drugs around the world continue to rise.  And I want to note at the top, it’s not just around the world; it is a rising problem in Africa.  It’s a threat in many ways, not only to public health but also to security, so we’re going to just talk about that as we go through.

So look, in Africa, illicit drug production, trafficking, and consumption are linked to organized crime, illegal financial flows, corruption, and, increasingly, terrorist financing.  Porous borders, poorly patrolled coastlines, weak institutions and enforcement regimes make Africa an attractive location for traffickers, and it’s something that we all need to work together to fight this transnational crime because it endangers us all.

So Africa’s coastline on the east, from southern Somalia to South Africa, has become a primary transshipment location for Afghan-produced heroin – also sometimes Pakistan or Iranian heroin – en route to markets in Africa, Europe, and the United States.  Heroin is trafficked along what’s referred to as the “southern” or the “maritime” route from the southern coasts of Pakistan and Iran by boat through the Indian Ocean.  The product can be offloaded, primarily along the coast of Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique, sometimes in the island states, and repackaged then for onward shipment to markets, often via South Africa or countries in West Africa.

West Africa as hub for cocaine trafficking

West Africa has also been a historical hub for cocaine trafficking and reports suggest that that route is experiencing a resurgence.  Increased cocaine production in South America destined for markets in Africa, Europe, and the United States has increased trafficking – and seizures – in the region.  More cocaine was actually seized in the first three months of 2019 in just two countries – in Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde – than the whole amount seized by the entire African continent between 2013 and 2016.  Those were an astonishing three months in 2019.

And even in the Sahel, there is increasing concern that the porous borders there and the movement of groups, including illegal armed groups and transnational criminals, is enabling narcotics trafficking that may be indirectly funding some of the terrorist networks and activities, as traffickers pay for safe passage via under-governed spaces and through routes that have been exploited as well by terrorist entities.

Africa becoming a source of illicit drugs

I think it’s important at the top as well to note that while transit is our primary concern, sadly, Africa also is becoming a source of illicit drugs.  We know, for example, that some Nigerian criminal organisations have learned simplified but effective production methods to convert uncontrolled precursor chemicals – so I would call them pre-precursor chemicals – into methamphetamine, and so it’s becoming Nigeria and a few other locations a growing methamphetamine producer and supplier.  And other countries in the region are sadly at risk of following this trend.

This relatively free flow of drugs threatens African countries and the United States and strengthens Transnational Criminal Organisations, or TCOs.  There are several well-established TCOs operating in Africa and they facilitate not only illicit drugs, but I would note that we believe strongly that the TCOs in Africa are largely commodity-agnostic.  The same people who can move drugs can also move weapons, can also move people, can also move wildlife goods, and so it’s something we all need to be concerned about.

As I noted earlier in Nigeria, there have been networks who have figured out how to make methamphetamine in new ways.  I think we worry a lot that other countries in Africa are at risk of following that lead, and so it’s something we have to work on together.  I would say that increasing within countries the vigilance to those precursor chemical markets and some of the things that are sort of legal – legal entities but if they are used improperly can lead to illicit trafficking, that’s going to be an incredibly important response by our law enforcement partners.

U.S. interest in Africa in the fight against drug trafficking

The United States is interested in cooperation and sort of stopping the flows of drugs globally because it really is a global demand and supply market and we need strong links in the chain to stop that global market.  Unfortunately, anyplace that’s a weak link in the chain can be exploited by those organized criminals, by the drug trafficking organizations.  Transportation flows, passenger flows – everyplace on the globe is connected now.  It’s hard to think of a place that wouldn’t be affected if it is vulnerable to exploitation by those criminal groups, eventually those illicit products can come and affect American citizens, as well as Mauritanian citizens, as well as European citizens, and so we need to cooperate and partner together.

I would also say that it’s in the U.S. interest to partner to counter those drug trafficking organisations and other criminals because we care about having a secure, prosperous, democratic set of countries in Africa with which we can partner.  We want to have trade flows, we want to have people-to-people ties, and we are better when we have strong, capable partners on the other side.  And what we know, unfortunately, is when countries are exploited by drug trafficking organisations or by transnational criminal groups or by illegal armed groups, they’re not strong enough sometimes to withstand the corruption that comes with the finances that underpin that group.  And sometimes the violence that those groups bring can really undermine legitimate governments and bring danger to the people.

And so it’s in our interest to strengthen the criminal justice response so that we can have strong trading partners who have control over their entire territory who can enforce their rule of law, who can be safe destinations for our citizens to flow back and forth and to exchange and to partner.  And I think it’s really in our interest.  Thanks.

Becoming better together

We can become better together.  So the United States and Africa have so much in common.  We have common dreams.  We want safe, healthy environments for our people.  We want to see the rule of law prevail.  We want our country to be able to trade and become more prosperous.

We want our people to get to know one another through tourism, through academics, through different ties.  And so what I think INL is doing and what we have seen in success is we’re helping to build the capacity of civilian security officials, whether they are law enforcement, justice, corrections, border agents.  You name it.  In – in our – in our government partners, we are trying to build that capacity so that they are more responsive to their own people, they are able to uphold the rule of law, they are better able to partner with their neighbours and with international friends like the United States, and we can all work together so that criminals and terrorists don’t exploit lack of knowledge or ungoverned spaces.

I think we have made tremendous strides during the time that I’ve worked in INL.

And in Nigeria, the numbers are even worse.  I learned when I was in Nigeria last fall what a terrible problem it is and how the Buhari Administration is incredibly concerned about drug use in the Nigerian population.  And according to the UNODC, 4.7 percent of adults in Nigeria are nonmedical opioid users.  That should be of concern to us all.  We need to partner together to stop that.  I think INL and the State Department are playing a key role.  And I see our work continuing.  We are pivoting to virtual because COVID has interrupted some of our travel and our face-to-face interaction.  But I believe that our partnership is only going to strengthen and continue.  And together, we will help to improve rule of law and stop those transnational criminal organisations.  So thanks for your time.