The Nation Newspaper

Category: Special Report

  • Activist shuns Cape Town 

    ENVIRONMENTAL rights activist Nnimmo Bassey has cancelled a speaking engagement at a conference tagged Financing the Future, which was scheduled to hold September 10 to 11 in Cape Town.

    He is the Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation.

    His decision is in solidarity with victims of the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

    Bassey, who was invited as a speaker and as one of the Global Ambassadors, in a statement, said:“The hate and the resultant violence against  others reminds us of the dark apartheid days and appears to underscore the deep disruptions that swirl under the surface of a deeply unequal society.”

    Bassey had obtained a visa and received the international air ticket for his participation.

    The activist said the violence against Nigerians in South Africa should agitate the entire continent, adding that the African Union (AU) should realign the mindset of all Africans.

    Bassey urged Nigerians at home not  to vent their anger  on South African businesses, stating that two wrongs never make a right.

  • From South African media

    SOUTH African newspapers and online media on Wednesday devoted ample spaces in their publications to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration over the handling of attacks against foreigners.

    An analyst with the country’s Mail & Guardian, Simon Allison, wrote in an article titled: ‘The shame of being a South African in the rest of Africa’.

    He wrote: “These days, when I get into a taxi in Lagos, or Addis Ababa, or Blantyre, or Hargeisa, the first question I get asked is: “Where are you from?” The second question is: “Why do you hate us?” The news of attacks on foreigners in South Africa will spread along migrant routes even before it appears on news sites. Every time, a Zimbabwean is assaulted in central Johannesburg, or a Somali-owned shop is looted in Tembisa, or a senior government official bemoans the “foreign criminals” that are taking everyone else’s jobs, the shock reverberates across borders — through WhatsApp groups and social media and long-distance phone calls — and leaves scars that may never disappear.

    The Daily Maverick, in a story titled, “Xenophobic attacks shame South Africa as regional leaders meet, stated that “South Africa has been hit by an outbreak of xenophobic violence in its biggest city, attracting criticisms from other African nations in the weekly political and business leaders from at least 28 countries gather in Cape Town”.

    The Daily Maverick also added: “A spate of violence that broke out in suburbs south of Johannesburg’s city centre on Sunday and spread to the central business district on Monday saw the destruction of more than 50 mainly foreign-owned shops and business premises. Cars and properties were torched and widespread looting took place.”

    The medium added: “Violence echoes sporadic outbreaks of attacks mainly targeting migrants from other African countries in some of South Africa’s poorest areas. In 2008, about 60 people were killed and over 50,000 forced from their homes and in 2015 seven people died in the violence. Migrants are seen as competition for scarce jobs and government services.

    It also quoted Zambia as warning its truck drivers, many of whom drive goods to the South African port of Durban, to stay out of the country.

    “South African politicians condemned the violence, in which one person was shot dead, according to eNCA, a local television station. At least 41 people were arrested.

    “Still, politicians from the ruling African National Congress have in the past made anti-immigrant comments and Johannesburg’s mayor, Herman Mashaba, has attracted criticism from human rights groups for his frequent attacks on undocumented migrants. Mashaba is a member of the opposition Democratic Alliance.

    The violence is “unacceptable,” Ace Magashule, the secretary-general of the ANC, said in remarks broadcast on television.

    “We condemn this violence which is taking place, irrespective of whatever reasons people want to give,” he said.

    The South African, in a report, “Xenophobia: These artists will no longer be performing in South Africa”, reported that the widespread xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals living in South Africa have resulted in artists cancelling their performances in the country.

    “The recent attacks — influenced by xenophobia — targeted at foreign nationals, in South Africa, have garnered international condemnation. As a result, some artists who were scheduled for gigs in the country have revealed that they will no longer be performing.

    “It seems, for now at least, that the widespread xenophobic attacks and looting targeted at foreign-owned shops around Gauteng have come to an end.”

    In another report, the South African in a headline, “International community speaks out against xenophobic attacks, wrote: “The events that have gripped foreign nationals, living in South Africa, in fear, have garnered widespread international condemnation.

    “Jidenna, an American musician of Nigerian origin, took to Twitter to react to the xenophobic violence that has been perpetrated by South Africans over the past week.

    In a headline, “EFF accuses the government of waging war on foreign nationals”, the paper wrote: “The EFF has accused the government of sponsoring a “war” on foreign nationals from other African countries.

    “This after Soweto residents looted shops owned by foreigners on Wednesday night.

    “The red berets said that government was to blame because of its rhetoric following a police operation to clamp down on counterfeit goods in the Joburg CDB.”

     

  • Lagos govt, fed govt condemn attack on Shoprite

    THE Lagos State government and Information, Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed last night condemned the attacks on Shoprite outlets in the state.

    The Lagos government, in a statement by Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso, said the attacks “are against the Nigerian spirit of accommodation and benevolence that the country”.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Lagos State Government has been drawn to the attacks on Shoprite Complexes at Jakande and Sangotedo Area of Ajah by some unidentified people claiming to be acting in retaliation against the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

    “These attacks are condemned as they are against the Nigerian spirit of accommodation and benevolence that the country in general and Lagos State in particular is noted for”.

    “The Federal Government is in dialogue with South African Authorities to stop this obnoxious act.  We appeal to our compatriots to eschew violence and any unlawful acts. The Lagos State Government wishes to reiterate its commitment to providing a conducive atmosphere where businesses are conducted without hindrances.

    Read Also: VIDEO: Looters invade Shoprite Lekki

    “The security agencies have been directed to ensure that law and order prevail in all parts of the State, even as Lagosians are advised to go about their activities without any fear.”

    Mohammed said the attacks on South African businesses in Nigeria would be to the detriment of the country.

    In a statement, Mohammed described as deeply disturbing the reports that some Nigerians, angered by the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, have started attacking South African companies in Nigeria.

    He said: “Targeting South African companies in Nigeria for attack is, for Nigerians, a classic case of cutting off your nose to spite your face, because the investors in such companies, especially MTN and Shoprite, are Nigerians.”

  • Police clash with service commission over recruitment of 10,000 constables

    There are indications that all is not well between the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force.

    The disagreement may not be unconnected with the recruitment of 10,000 Nigerians as constables into the Nigeria Police Force.

    The Commission on Friday issued a statement signed by its spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, to announce the suspension of the recruitment exercise which it started last year.

    The statement reads: “The Police Service Commission has enjoined applicants for recruitment into the Constable cadre of the Nigeria Police Force to exercise some patience as it finalises the remaining stage of the recruitment exercise.

    “The Commission also wishes to advise all the candidates who participated in the recruitment exercise up to the aptitude test to ignore any list or information on the exercise emanating from outside the Commission.

    “It is the constitutional responsibility of the Commission to recruit Nigerians into the Police Force whether as Constables, Cadet Inspectors or Cadet ASPs, and the Commission is not ready to abdicate this very important mandate.

    “The Commission will resist any attempt to ambush the ongoing recruitment exercise or dilute its content. It notes that such attempt will be an affront on the Constitution and a waste of national resources.

    “Meanwhile the Commission wishes to put the ongoing exercise on hold in order to finalise the remaining stage of the exercise. Candidates are to wait for further directives from the Commission.”

    Mutual suspicion

    A source close to the latest development explained to The Nation that the suspension was announced following indications that the Nigeria Police Force may tamper with the process and list submitted to it.

    According to the source, the Nigeria Police Force decided to hijack the whole process of recruitment after the Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith refused to do the bidding of the police leadership.

    Narrating the circumstances that led to the suspension, the source who is privy to the whole recruitment process said: “On Tuesday, the Inspector-General of Police came with his management team to the Police service commission but before then, he had written a letter to the commission saying that the recruitment is the responsibility of the Nigeria Police Force, quoting the Nigeria Police Act.

    “He said that it is after recruitment that the PSC will be given the material or the list to place, which is the appointment. That, to the commission, appeared like a rubber stamp approach to things.

    “They came and met with PSC, at the meeting, there were argument back and forth about what recruitment was and what appointment was.

    “Recruitment is a process of appointment and even in the public service, recruitment is filling of vacancy. Appointment is filling of vacancy too.

    “The commission told them that appointment is recruitment and that there can be no appointment without recruitment.

    “The IG also came with a letter written by the former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, where he described recruitment as a screening while appointment was placing.

    “The Commission told them there was an earlier legal opinion by Kanu Agabi where he described recruitment as a process of appointment.

    “Ben Nwabueze also had similar opinion with Kanu Agabi.  The letter by Adoke that the IG quoted was written in 2010, and even when he wrote that, it was not and has not been in operation.

    “The commission told the team that we are in 2019 and that what it was quoting was nine years ago letter.

    “At the end of the day, the commission told the team that there was no time to argue the letter as Nigerians were eager to be employed to fill vacant positions in the Force.

    “The recruitment started since 2018 with advert placement which was followed by short-listing those who showed interest, followed by screening and exams.

    “Aptitude tests have just been concluded. It is now that the commission is about to start aptitude test that the Nigeria Police Force realised that it is their responsibility to recruit.”

    He continued: “To me, it is an ambush. Rather than allow it to collapse, the Commission now suggested that we jointly do it together.

    “To be honest, the whole process had seen the involvement of personnel from the Force Headquarters.

    “CP in charge of recruitment from Force headquarters were posted alongside others to other states for the joint exercise.

    “We told them that we should go ahead with this and then go for judicial interpretation after the completion of this process. The management team agreed and said henceforth, whatever we do must be done from the Force Headquarters and the commission agreed.

    “A team consisting of a commissioner from the commission agreed to co-chair the committee with the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of training. The commissioner came low to the rank of the DIG who is an employee of the commission.

    “A commissioner was confirmed by the National Assembly after he was screened just like the ministers and their tenure is five years. Despite all these, he still agreed to work with the DIG.

    “Despite all these, a date between 28 and 29 August was fixed to meet at the Force Headquarters for them to jointly look at the list from exams conducted and also to check the work of the consultant and come up with a list of candidates who would be invited for medicals.

    “The day came and the Director of police recruitment from the commission started calling the DIG designated as agreed but he did not pick his call all through the day.

    “About four of them left for the force headquarters but there was no place arranged for the meeting and those they went there to meet could not be located. The DIG refused to pick his call. With that, it was obvious their visit to the commission was just to sell a dummy.”

    Crux of the matter

    He said further: “The truth is that when the result from the exam conducted was released by the consultant, we submitted the soft and hard copy to them. Now, the team is supposed to work together but since they have a copy, it appears they want to hijack it from us.

    “We got information that they locked themselves up in a place and were inserting names of unqualified candidates and those who did not even take part in the screening process.

    “The main crux of the disagreement is because the Police Force came up with lots of names of those that did not apply and asked that the chairman insert their names, but the chairman being a man of integrity refused to put those names because they did not undergo screening.

    “They just want to input names of those who we are not sure have met the requirement. Who knows whether some of those they brought their names are dwarfs and have other forms of disability? So it appears they want to put names of those who did not apply.”

    When The Nation contacted Ani to know why the exercise was suspended, he said: “The commission is interested in making a success of the recruitment of 10,000 Nigerians as constables into the Force.

    “We will however resist any attempt to dilute merit in the process of the recruitment. The Commission and the Force had jointly handled the exercise.

    “Even it is the exclusive responsibility of the commission but we felt we should carry the police along since we are recruiting for them.

    “The commission will not in any circumstance abdicate the mandate given to it by the Nigerian constitution.”

    Section 153 (m) of the 1999 Constitution empowers the PSC to recruit for the Nigeria Police Force.

    It reads: “The commission is one of the federal executive bodies established under section 153(m) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. By virtue of paragraph 30, part I of the Third  Schedule to the constitution and clause 6(1) of the Police Service  Commission (establishment), Act 2001, the commission is charged with the responsibilities of appointment, promotion, dismissal, and disciplinary control of members of the Nigeria Police force (except the Inspector-General of Police).”

    The constitution also says that the commission shall not be subject to the direction, control or supervision of any other authority or person in performance of its function other than as is prescribed in the Act.

    Another source who didn’t want his name mentioned told The Nation that actions taken so far by the Commission shows that it wants peace and amicable resolution.

    According to him, “We are interested in peace because a lot of manpower has gone into this process since we started last year.

    “It will amount to waste of national resources if the Force jeopardizes this whole process. Also, the candidates whose hopes have risen might end up unemployed thereby increasing the unemployment rate in the country.”

    On the next action the commission is likely to take and when it would resume the process, he said: “The Commission is likely to sit next week because of this development.”

  • Submerged Adamawa bridge rekindles pains of Boko Haram insurgency

    Residents of Michika community in Adamawa State were reminded at the weekend of the pains that Boko Haram insurgents inflicted on them when they destroyed an all-important bridge in the area about five years ago. The makeshift alternative was washed away by flood last weekend, leaving stranded travellers to lament the ugly fate that befell them, ONIMISI ALAO reports

     

    MATTHEW Yohana, a native of Michika town who lives in Yola, had just arrived Dilchim, a community some six kilometres to his hometown. He had departed Yola, the Adamawa State capital in a commercial vehicle last Saturday on a weekend visit to his native community, not knowing that a downpour that began in the night of penultimate Friday had continued to the early hours of the next day, causing a major river in Dilchim to overflow its bounds and cover the bridge that he and his fellow travellers would have crossed to Michika.

    Standing on the edge of the submerged bridge with his travelling bag hanging over his left shoulder, Yohana said: “I came from my workplace in Yola this morning to spend the weekend with my extended family. But now I will probably have to return to Yola after travelling hundreds of kilometres, because everywhere around the link bridge here is flooded and I can’t go further.”

    Michika town is 223 kilometres from away from Yola, meaning that Yohana had already travelled about 217 kilometres. He found it frustrating that he could not make the remaining six kilometres for the reunion he had anticipated with his people.

    And while the flood at Dilchim had eased considerably by Monday, the people were still far from being able to travel because their journey would be hampered by a damaged bridge. The destruction of the bridge was a confirmation of the fear the residents of Michika and others in neighbouring Madagali Local Government Area had nursed since 2014 that any serious flood incident around the bridge could cut them off from other parts of the state.

    Around Michika Local Government Area, the rain had poured heavily for hours, causing rivers to overflow their banks and turning the lowlands in the communities into seas of swirling floods. The impact of the floods was felt the most in the area over which a long bridge was built in Dilchim. Travellers from Madagali to Michika and others seeking to travel from communities in the two local government areas to other parts of the state were stranded for close to 48 hours.

    Until 2014, the Dilchim Bridge had dutifully linked Michika and Madagali, the two local government at the northern end of Adamawa State, with the remaining parts of the state southwards. The all-important bridge also links Adamawa with neighbouring Borno State and the Republic of Cameroon. Then in 2014, the rampaging Boko Haram sect seized seven local government areas mostly in the northern part of Adamawa, including Michika and Madagali, destroying many strategic institutions and infrastructure including Dilchim Bridge.

    The deadly sect had destroyed the bridge midstream, making travelling on it impossible and forcing travellers to use a makeshift passage that was usable in the dry season but impossible to use when it rains with some intensity, such as the people witnessed between Saturday and Sunday, when flood washed off the makeshift alternative.

    The flood of last Saturday which in effect cut off the people of Michika and Madagali LGAs from the other 19 LGAs of Adamawa State, reminded Michika people of the harm that Boko Haram had done to them.

    While the Boko Haram elements had in their destructive craving blown off a huge chunk of the long Dilchim Bridge in 2014, the military, which was deployed to contain their excesses, had blown off the nearby Kudzum Bridge on the same trunk A road leading to Michika, to prevent the Boko Haram elements from advancing to other parts of the state.

    In 2014, the Boko Haram sect had seized Michika, Madagali and five other LGAs in Adamawa State, namely Mubi North, Mubi South, Maiha, Gombi and Hong, in a bid to carve out a territory of their own. They carried out extensive destruction during the period, rendering the Dilchim Bridge useless to vehicles, among other things that were destroyed.

    The deadly sect held sway in those areas from September 2014 when they ‘conquered’ the seven Adamawa LGAs to January 29, 2015 when the military succeeded in liberating the LGAs. Today, the people of Michika and Madagali and other concerned individuals and groups are lamenting that five years down the line, two major bridges destroyed by or because of Boko Haram are yet to be reconstructed.

    The Federal Government had in 2016 awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the bridges, but work got to a very slow start, and the senator representing Northern Adamawa Zone at the time, Binta Masi Garba, had to urge patience. She had said on a visit to the sites: “I am pleading with the members of Mubi, Madagali and Michika communities to be patient as we are working round the clock to see that this road and the collapsed bridges are fixed. These two destroyed bridges, in particular, are the greatest problem of our people. I’m happy that they are captured in the 2017 budget.”

    Read Also: Air Force hits another Boko Haram tactical base in Borno

    Two years later, in 2018, Binta found herself asking for the revocation of the contract for the bridges. Binta, who was reacting to the request of a group of people protesting the slow pace of work, asked the Federal Government to revoke the N20 billion contract over the allegation of incompetence levelled by the people against the contractor.

    The contractor, Gertz Zheradin of RHAS Nigeria Ltd, had shot back, attributing the snail speed of contract execution to delays in mobilisation and progress-inhibiting rains.

    More recently, Binta’s successor, Sen Ishaku Abbo, was furious when he visited the sites of the bridges, shortly before the Saturday flood, and saw things that were entirely different from what he said he was told.

    Abbo said: “Meeting with the contractors in Abuja, they assured me that work was already ongoing; that Kudzum Bridge was under construction and that the problem they are having is the rainfall which stopped them from erecting the full bridge. They said that their machines are here on site.

    “On reaching here today, I could only see a single crane. We are saying that we don’t see even a single person on site working. It should be noted that there was a budget provision for this work, and so far, based on record available to me, contractors received nearly N2 billion to do this work. If they received N2 billion, and this is what we see on the site, and this is the level of work, something needs to be done.”

    Adamawa State governor, Rt Hon Ahmadu Fintiri, who visited the Dilchim Bridge site after the flood of last Saturday, called for accelerated efforts on the part of the Federal Government in fixing the bad bridges.

    “The delay in the execution of the project has crippled business in the area and brought untold hardship to the people of Michika and Madagali who also have been cut off from other parts of the country,” Fintiri said.

    He pleaded that in the meantime, palliative steps should be taken to enable fairly dependable passage.

  • What to expect from water resource, women affairs, others

    Water Resources

    Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu on Wednesday urged workers of the ministry to brace up for President Muhammadu Buhari’s Next Level agenda.

    The minister said it was not a mistake that he was re-assigned to the ministry, having overseen its operation for close to four years.

    The minister spoke when he resumed office at the headquarters of the ministry yesterday in Abuja.

    He arrived at the ministry at about 3pm, about an hour after he was sworn in as a minister for a second term.

    He was received by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Comfort Ekaro, some heads of agencies under the ministry and some Directors and top management of staff amidst jubilation.

    He addressed top management staff of the ministry at the ministry’s conference room briefly, before returning to his office.

    The minister urged staff of the ministry to work hard in order to move the country forward.

     

    Women Affairs

    Minister of Women Affairs Paulen Tallen has said Nigerian women will enjoy enormous support and cooperation from President Muhammadu Buhari.

    She spoke on resumption at the ministry on Wednesday.

    Tallen said: “This is a holistic ministry as the woman takes care of the home, children and husband. I am giving you all a charge that things will be done different henceforth.

    “We must set out targets and work towards achieving it. We must make history and make undelible mark on the sands of history. You have severally bombarded Mr President about the role women played in his political career. He is not unmindful of that and I want to assure you that Mr President has a very good reason of sending me to this ministry. You will see the enormous support and corporation we are going to enjoy from him.

    “We all resolved to work as a team from our recent retreat. This ministry is multi facet and has a lot of responsibility To touch the lives of the vulnerable. We have an uphill task to meet up with mandate of the ministry and demand of the president. Women do not go without the children neither can they go without the men. This is the time to give back to the society. Women are the engine of the economy and must be carried along to improve the economy. Once women are empowered, the economy changes. We will make impact if we are able to improve on the life of the vulnerable woman. Support them with income generating activities, there will be peace and development.

    “Most of the security problem is because we have out of school children. If we look for ways to engage these children meaningfully, the security situation will change. Then we will have peace. The key word I want to dwell with is the girl child education.”

     

     Budget and National Planning

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive for the submission of the 2020 national budget proposals to the National Assembly before the end of September will be actualised, Minister of State, Budget and National Planning Mr. Clement Agba has said.

    Speaking after being welcomed to the boardroom of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Agba said: “There is lot of work to be done and I like hard working people who can do smart work. Mr. President has made it very clear to is that there is a lot to be done and that he needs the national budget proposals to be before the National Assembly in September.

    “That means that this ministry has a lot of work to do; the only way we can succeed is for us to work together and I believe in team spirit as together, everybody achieves much.”

    Education

    Minister of Education Adamu Adamu and Minister of State for Education Emeka Nwajuiba on Wednesday resumed briefly at the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja.

    The ministers arrived at about 2:45pm after they were inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

    The duo was welcomed by excited staff of the ministry led by the Permanent Secretary, Sonny Echono and some directors in the ministry.

    Adamu hailed Echono and directors of the ministry for their support during his first term.

    He noted that Nwajiuba abandoned his doctorate programme to serve in the cabinet of President Buhari, adding that his appointment as minister of state would be helpful.

    Nwajuiba was Chairman, Board of the Tertiary Education Trustfund (TETFund) until his appointment as the minister of state for education.

    He said: “I am comfortable that I do not have to go to another ministry but here with my senior brother at the ministry of education I can be tutored and well directed,” he said.

     

    Petroleum Resources

    Minister of State for Petroleum Timipre Silva on Wednesday said he would see President Muhammadu Buhari for briefing on his mandate.

    He spoke on assumption of office at the ministry in Abuja, where the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan ; the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board, Engr. Simbi Wabote, other heads of agencies and in the ministry.

    Silva said: “I will like to familiarise with what is happening in the ministry and it is only after that we will sit down again and reposition the ministry and then we chat a way forward.”

     

  • Tillers, fishing gears for farmers, fishermen in Cross River

    The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has donated tilling machines to 80 farmers and fishing gears to 90 fishermen from Akpabuyo, Bakassi and Calabar-South local government areas of Cross River State.

    Deputy Director, Department of Economic Empowerment of the ministry in Abuja, Mr. Philip Ndiomu said as part of the economic plans of the Federal Government, they were not only reaching out to business owners, but also to farmers and fishermen.

    Speaking while handing over the items to beneficiaries in Calabar, he explained that the tilling machines, which were simple to use, would take over the jobs hoes and cutlasses do in the farms, and would enhance productivity.

    He said the fishing gears, including nets, hooks, floaters, sinkers and twines were demand-driven, and most of the beneficiaries were displaced people of Bakassi, who are predominately fishermen.

    Ndiomu said the only cost attached to the tilling machines, which were simple to use and maintain, is the petrol to power them. He further said for a litre of fuel put into the machine could till about two hectares or even more depending on the terrain.

    “We hope it would also boost production because farmers would be able to work on a larger scale, produce more, take care of their families and contribute to the food security of the country.

    “For the fishing gears, they are demand-driven facilities. They were things that were requested for specifically by the people. For now, we are also concentrating on the Bakassi returnees. There was a time we conducted a needs assessment in Bakassi and this was one of the things they said they required.

    “So, it is based on their needs that the government wants to meet. For the fishing gear, we have 90 beneficiaries. For the tillers we have 80 of them,” he said.

    The member representing Calabar-South, Akpabuyo and Bakassi Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Apostle Essien Ayi, said the programme from the Niger Delta Ministry, was his constituency projects embedded in  last year’s budget.

    Ayi, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Niger Delta, said empowering the people in such manner was better than putting up projects which deteriorate over time due to lack of maintenance.

    “This is part of the 2018 budget which I was able to put for the constituency which I represent which is Calabar South, Akpabuyo and Bakassi. You are conversant with the history of the displaced people of Bakassi and predominantly, the people are fishermen.

    “So, I felt whatever I can do to cushion the effect of their suffering, I should be able to do for them. I had to, within my project; include fishing gears which would aid them in their profession. I also looked for fishermen in Akpabuyo and Calabar South. I had to spread it for the three local government areas and I made sure that the people who are real fishermen are nominated.

    “By the grace of God, I was reappointed Chairman, House Committee on Niger Delta. So, for the next four years, you will see more of this. I also had these tillers, which are farm equipment to aid the farmers. You know we are trying to diversify from oil economy to an agrarian economy. So, those items would aid the farmers in tilling their farms and have a good harvest. It would help them to have a good yield,” he said.

    Ayi said the fishing gears cost N50 million, while the tilling machines cost N150 million, but the budget had not been 100 per cent implemented yet.

    He said at the moment he could not ascertain the level of percentage of implementation until he goes for oversight function to the ministry, even as he said he was not sure the implementation was up to 50 per cent.

    Elder David Bassey Effiong, a farmer from Akpabuyo, who received a tilling machine said: “I was given this machine to enable me to till my farm. Before now, I was using hoes to till my farm. I am sure this tilling machine will help me to do my farm better. I appreciate this gesture and I hope they will do more for us.”

    Also Sunday Omini Ibiang of Calabar-South expressed gratitude to the ministry for the gesture, saying, “I am happy and glad for having this. Before, I was using cutlass to do the farm work. Now, I will be using the tiller for my farm work. It will make me work faster and the productivity would be very high.”

  • Waiting for Dangote refinery

    Many are waiting to see the effect the massive Dangote refinery will have on the economy and job creation. But they have to wait until the end of next year, according to this report by Reuters and Our Reporter.

     

    AFRICA’s largest oil refinery will not be finished until the end of 2020 due to problems importing steel and other equipment, executives at Dangote, which is building the facility in the Nigerian commercial hub of Lagos, told Reuters.

    Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, imports virtually all its fuel due to sclerotic and underutilised refineries, and even the state oil company is looking to the 650,000 barrel per day (bpd) Dangote refinery to help address this.

    Price caps force NNPC to import nearly all its gasoline at a significant cost and periodic fuel shortages are common.

    Despite the delays at the congested Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports in Lagos, a Dangote executive said the company could start using the refinery’s tank farms as a depot to warm-up operations.

    “We will be able to complete the (refinery) project by the end of next year – mechanical completion,” said Dangote Group Executive Director Devakumar Edwin, who oversees the project.

    The company expects fuel production within two months of completion of the refinery, which could transform Africa’s biggest crude producer from a fuel importer into a net exporter, upending global trade patterns.

    Billionaire Aliko Dangote, who built his fortune on cement, first announced a smaller refinery in 2013, to be finished in 2016. Dangote then moved the site to Lekki, in Lagos, upgraded the size and said production would start in early 2020.

    Industry sources told Reuters last year that fuel output was unlikely before 2022.

    Trading plan

    Edwin also said during an interview at his office in Lagos that Dangote is setting up its trading desk, with a senior team of three people and a staff of roughly 30 who will monitor international commodity prices.

    “We are setting up a complete trading desk here with us. In the next three months the full desk will be set up,” he said.

    Giuseppe Surace, the refinery’s chief operations officer, said the refinery’s tank farms will be finished this year and could be used as a warm-up for operations.

    The tanks will be connected to five “single point mooring buoys” (SPMs), which will allow the refinery complex to pump crude straight into tanks from large ships at sea and pump products back out onto boats of any size.

    The SPMs will be the primary method of supplying oil products from the refinery, Surace said, adding that the team were considering using the tanks as training or as a depot before the refinery’s production starts.

    “We might do that. We will be ready to do that,” he said, though he added that no decision had been taken yet.

    The team is in talks with NNPC, two other international oil companies and two large oil traders, all of whom are interested in supplying crude and buying products, Edwin said.

    Edwin said the crude unit for the refinery, which set sail from China last month, would arrive by the end of October.

    The trains at a fertilizer plant on the same site will start up by the end of this year, the executives said.

    The planned products to be produced at the refinery

    The planned annual products of the refinery include 10.4 million tonnes of gasoline, 4.6 million tonnes of diesel and 4 million tonnes of jet fuel. Others to be produced annually are 0.6 million tonnes of polypropylene, 0.5 million tonnes of carbon black feed, 0.24 million tonnes of propane and 32,000 tonnes of sulphur.

    According to the owner of the refinery, Aliko Dangote, the enormous project will cost between Us $12m and Us $14m. Facilities at the Refinery Complex, the building and shipment of the atmospheric tower are indeed considered a major and significant feat; yet there are other units of the refinery left to be sourced. Among the units to occupy the refinery and petrochemical complex are mild hydrocracking (MHC) unit, residual fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC), naphtha hydrotreater, RFCC gasoline hydrodesulfurisation (HDS) unit and alkylation units, and others.

    The refinery complex will also possess infrastructural facilities like access roads, administrative building, pipeline system and tank storage facilities, among others. Importantly, the facility will have a fertiliser plant to be served by the refinery by-products as raw materials. Conclusion The atmospheric tower is supposed to be a piece of major equipment at the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex. It is expected to process crude oil into fuels including gasoline and diesel.

    World’s largest atmospheric tower

    On July 29, the atmospheric tower, a piece of equipment that will process crude oil for the refinery set sail from Sinopec Corporation’s factory in China.

    “On July 29, the world’s largest atmospheric tower built by Sinopec slowly left a wharf in Ningbo. Following the Maritime #SilkRoad, it will travel to #Nigeria and be installed at the world’s biggest single-train facility – Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery,” Sinopec said in a tweet.

    The atmospheric tower has a diameter of 12 meters, a length of 112.56 meters and a unit weight of 2252 tons.

    “It is the largest diameter, longest length and the heaviest single-unit equipment in domestic export equipment. It will be installed in the world’s largest single-series refinery – the 32.5 million tonnes/year Dangote refinery in Nigeria,” the Chinese firm said in a statement on its website.

    The atmospheric tower is the primary unit processing crude oil into fuels, according to a Citac analyst, Jeremy Parker.

    “This is a major milestone, but there is still much work to be done, both in terms of sourcing the other units and interconnection at the site,” Parker said of the atmospheric tower shipment.

    Dangote Industries has awarded not less than $368m worth of contracts to 120 local contractors for the refinery and petrochemical project to help local content development initiative.

    Edwin noted that the refinery would lead to significant skills transfer and technology acquisition opportunities in the country, adding that the refinery could meet the country’s requirement of all liquid products, such as petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel, and would have a surplus of each of the products for export.

    Read Also: Dangote Refinery gets key component

    NNPC-Dangote deal

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Dangote refinery are partnering to make the refinery a success.

    NNPC MD Mele Kolo Kyari said the refinery would be a win-win for entrepreneur and country.

    “Ultimately, it will be a contract to supply crude,” Kyari said. The NNPC boss added that the state oil firm intends to be a “supplier of first resort” for the Dangote refinery.

    Speaking during a visit to the NNPC headquarters, Dangote said there would be no competition between his refinery and NNPC’s.

    A statement issued by the corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ndu Ughamadu, quoted Dangote as saying there would be cooperation.

    Dangote Refinery can refine 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day. NNPC’s four refineries, according to the corporation’s latest operations report, is 445,000 barrels per day.

    Dangote said: “The most important thing for us is to see how we can partner with the NNPC; it is not to see how we can compete with the NNPC. We would like the NNPC to be part of us and we also want to be part of the NNPC. I think that is the only way we can achieve a win-win situation.”

    Kyari said the national oil firm was not in the contest for market share with the forthcoming Dangote Refinery, adding that the corporation would support it to boost in-country refining capacity.

    Transforming the economy

    Addressing guests at the Dangote Special Day at the 40th Kaduna International Trade Fair, the foremost industrialist said his other businesses- Dangote cement, salt, sugar refineries as well as food products would ensure food security and improve lives for decades to come.

    Dangote, who was represented by the Group Executive Director, Strategy and Government Relations, Mansur Ahmed, noted that the gains of the huge investments in the different sectors by Dangote have moved the nation’s economy forward and complemented government’s effort in no small measure.

    According to Dangote, the Group continues to be the largest employer of labour in Nigeria, with over 50,000 direct and hundreds of thousands of indirect employment opportunities.

    “The Rice Mills established in some states, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Enugu, Zamfara, Kano and Niger states would also ensure self-sufficient in rice production. We are doing everything possible to ensure Nigeria moves from an importing country to an exporting country.

    “We have succeeded in making Nigeria exporter of cement, earning hard currencies for the country and contributing to lifting the country from recession.

    “The feat is achievable because of the three Dangote Cement factories at Obajana in Kogi State, Gboko Cement factory in Benue and Ogun states because they are not only producing enough cement for local consumption but also export,” he said

    President of Kaduna Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) Dr Farida Muheeba Dankaka, lauded Dangote Group for its contribution to economic growth.

    Dr Farida said the huge investment by the conglomerate is responsible for over 10 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP). “KADCCIMA is proud to be associated with the conglomerate,” she stated.

    The refinery, analysts believe, will assist Nigeria to achieve the 1.095 million barrels per day (bpd) domestic refining target that will make it self-sufficient in refined petroleum products.

    In his capacity as NNPC Chief Operating Officer, Upstream in April this year, Bello Rabiu explained how this would be achieved at the Nigeria Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    Speaking on ‘Upstream Opportunity in the Oil and Gas Sector’, Rabiu commended Dangote for his commitment to the downstream sector.

    According to him, the coming on stream of the Dangote 650,000 bpd Refinery and efforts by the NNPC to revamp the country’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri with a total capacity of 445,000 bpd, would help to achieve zero importation of refined petroleum products. Speaking during a technical session on “Infrastructure as a key enabler for opportunities in the oil and gas sector,” the Executive Director, Dangote Group, Ahmed Mansur, said private sector investment and execution capacity in the gas sector needed to complement government’s efforts in the industry.

    Mansur said the Dangote Group catalyses private investment to supplement the Federal Government’s onshore gas development agenda. He added that the company is building pipeline infrastructure that would augment the natural domestic gas supply and add an estimated 12,000 megawatts (Mw) of electricity to the power generation capacity.

    Mansur said the first phase of the project is expected to deliver gas for use by Dangote Industries including the proposed fertilizer plant in the refinery complex and other identified industrial and power plant users.

    “The pipeline infrastructure will create a corridor for evacuation of trapped gas from offshore platforms in Nigeria for utilisation and monetisation.

    “The project is expected to improve gas supply security for use by power plants, fertiliser production and other industrial factories. It will complement the existing gas supply system in the country and also complement the Nigerian Gas Master Plan,” he added.

    With works on the refinery being intensified to meet the completion deadline, Mansur said: “We have bought 1026 trucks and tippers to improve the capacity of the local logistics. We have set up the world largest ready-mix concrete capacity at any given location to produce ready mix concrete including 72 concrete pumps and 141 transit mixers since the annual concrete manufacturing capacity in the country is inadequate.”

    He said the company is currently training 200 artisans selected from the Ibeju Lekki host communities in the areas of masonry, carpentry, air condition electricians, plumbing, welders, iron-benders and auto mechanics in collaboration with the Nigerian Directorate of Employment and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.

    Delay is not denial

    Though the take-off of the project has been delayed, analysts are still convinced that the country’s economy would gain a lot from this gigantic project, which is expected to generate 9,500 direct and 25,000 indirect jobs for Nigerians and foreign experts. Dangote believes it will rake in $26.2 billion for Nigeria annually.

  • States activate plans against floods

    The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) on Wednesday warned Nigerians to be prepared for more floods due to high rainfall intensity of long duration in the country. Many states are activating their plans to mitigate the damages.

    Lafia residents seek immediate assistance

    Some residents of Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, have appealed for federal and state government’s immediate assistance in ensuring effective flood control at Umar-Katako bridge on the Lafia-Akwanga highway.

    They spoke with reporters in Lafia yesterday.

    Since Monday, Lafia had witnessed downpour which submerged a bridge in Shabu community.

    The flood had resulted in gridlock, disrupting vehicular movement from Lafia to Akwanga Local Government Area and other parts of the state.

    Many motorists, who were affected by the flooding around the bridge, were forced to wait for hours to have clear visibility of the bridge before passing through it.

    Superintendent of Police (SP) and Officer in Charge of Medicals at the Nasarawa State Police Command, Dr Ndukwe Chidozie, said the recent flooding was enough signal for the federal and state governments to take immediate precaution to avert impending havoc.

    “There are so many motorists plying that route to different destinations. So you can imagine a motorist who has little knowledge of flood route, especially at night, the outcome can be catastrophic,” he said.

    Chidozie appealed for a bigger bridge to be constructed to accommodate more water and allow motorists pass over it even during heavy rainfall.

    “Everybody should be mindful anytime it rains. So I appeal to the masses, especially motorists plying that route to be patient while government finds solution to the issue.

    “It is not easy but I am confident that a solution will be found to avoid disaster,” he said.

    Mallam Usman Bala, a motorist also appealed for immediate assistance so that Nigerians travelling for the Sallah holidays to other parts of the country through Lafia did not have to encounter flood on the way.

    “The bridge is small and heavy water passes through it to a major river. So whenever there is heavy rainfall, the small bridge is easily submerged.

    “I just hope a palliative measure will be put in place so that our Muslim brothers and sisters travelling for the Sallah holiday will reach their destinations safely,” he said.

    Mr Yusuf Otos, another resident called on the government to direct relevant agencies to place safety officials at every flooding flash point across the state to ensure that residents were guided to safety during downpour.

    “Officials of the emergency agencies both at the federal and state levels and road safety officials should be close to flood flash points, so that they can guide motorists on appropriate steps to take to avoid any unfortunate incident.

    “These officials are professionals and know what best to do. So in a situation whereby government is taking its time in finding lasting solution to the problem, our officials should be the temporary palliative to save lives,’’ he said.

    Due to the flooding on the bridge and other parts of the state, Nasarawa State House of Assembly passed a resolution on Tuesday asking the state government to direct its relevant agencies to sensitise the public on the impending dangers of flooding.

    The Assembly has cautioned residents against building on water ways and river banks to prevent flood in the state.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Speaker of the House, made the appeal while adopting a resolution under matters of public interest at plenary on Tuesday in Lafia.

    The resolution followed a motion raised by Mr Daniel Ogazi (APC-Kokona East).

    Abdullahi said that flooding had claimed many lives and property, hence the need for people of the state to take precautionary measures against the menace.

    “I want to appreciate Mr Daniel Oga Ogazi for coming up with the matter of flooding in Shabu and other places across the state.

    “I also want to commend other members for contributing positively on the issue.

    “It is in view of this that the House passed the resolution urging the state government to take proactive measures by directing the relevant agencies to sensitise the people on the dangers of dumping of refuse along water channels.

    “To avoid building on water ways and river banks in their interest and for the overall development of the state and the country at large.

    “When these measures are taken, it will go a long way in addressing the issue of flooding as well as save lives,” he said.

    The speaker therefore directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Ego Maikeffi, to communicate the resolution to the governor for further necessary action.

    Delta govt assures on proactive measures to curb flooding

    The Delta government has advised residents of flood- prone areas in the state to relocate temporarily to upper lands for safety of lives and property as government tackles flood.

    Commissioner for Environment Chris Onogba made the remark on Tuesday in Igbodo, Ika North East LGA of the state, while  on an inspection tour of the community.

    Onogba led the Permanent Secretary, Mr Precious Anuku, and other officials of the Ministry to Igbodo to asses some flooded areas in the community,

    He reiterated the government’s commitment to tackling flooding in the state by adopting proactive measures.

    He maintained that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration would not relent in ensuring that incidences of flooding in the state were tackled abruptly.

    Onogba said reported incidences of flooding had been a major problem to various communities in the state and the nation in general.

    He said flooding usually occurred whenever the rivers overflew their banks.

    The commissioner, therefore, called on residents of riverine areas not to build on natural waterways so as to ensure free flow of water in the drainage systems.

    The commissioner, during the inspection tour, visited the royal father of the community, Ikechukwu Osedume, the Obi of Igbodo.

    The Obi informed the commissioner of the pain his people had endured over losses occasioned by flooding.

    He posited that the pains of his people had become the pains of the government, whose responsibility it was to protect lives and property of the citizens.

    The royal father disclosed that he had in his own measure, sought the intervention of rainmakers to help hold down downpour over the past one week.

    He appealed to the state government to help restore calmness and peace in the affected areas.

    FCTA distributes N150m agro-inputs to Abuja farmers

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Tuesday commenced distribution of agro-inputs worth N150 million to farmers affected by the 2018 flooding and erosion in the FCT.

    The FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Chinyeaka Ohaa, at a ceremony to commence the distribution exercise, at Kuje Area Council, warned farmers against engaging in agricultural activities without recourse to proper environmental assessment.

    Ohaa said that the arbitrary erection of structures by farmers has, in most cases, impeded free flow of water resulting in overflow of natural water channels and river banks.

    He stressed the need for farmers to observe some basic practices that could help minimise the effect of flooding especially on river banks.

    The permanent secretary also enjoined farmers to avoid any form of construction that would impede the flow of water.

    “These include planting of cover crops such as legumes or vertiva grasses and allowing crops residues to remain on the soil instead of removing them after harvest.

    “This year, we have provided funding worth N150 million for the procurement of a variety of Agricultural inputs to help the farmers across the six Area Councils in rebuilding their lost investment.

    “Rice, cowpea, cashew, teak and oil palm seedlings have been procured, while we will also be distributing poultry inputs such as chicks and feeds to the farmers.

    Ohaa expressed optimism that the intervention would go a long way in alleviating the plights of farmers, improve their skills and enable them prepare against flooding.

    He assured the commitment of the FCTA to implement innovative strategies to support the growth of agricultural sector in line with the policy thrust of the federal government to revitalise agriculture in the country.

    He commended the extension workers of the FCT for their efforts in extending training to rural farmers on the adoption of good agricultural practices particularly as it relates to flood and erosion control in farmlands.

    “Their efforts have paid off as the incidences in this regard have reduced,’’ He said.

    Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, Mr James Samaila, commended FCTA for the intervention which, he said, would go a long way to facilitate quick return to farms and boost farm production in the FCT.

    Samaila assured that FCT farmers would do everything possible to avoid engaging in any activity that would trigger flooding in the territory.

    Imo flood victims rise to 6,000, says lawmaker

    A member of the House of Representatives representing Oguta Ohaji/Egbema Oru West Federal Constituency, Kingsley Uju, said the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the recent flooding in the area had risen to 6,000.

    Uju spoke when he visited the affected communities, where he told officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) that some of the displaced people were still trapped in the bush.

    About 60 houses in 15 communities in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Local Government Area were flooded on Thursday, after a heavy downpour.

    It will be recalled that the Head of Imo/Abia Operations Office of NEMA had during an on-the-spot assessment on Friday put the number of IDPs at 2,000.

    The lawmaker further said that property worth over N100 million were destroyed by the flood.

    He said: “We are calling on NEMA and other donor agencies to come to the aid of my people because what we have here is near crisis situation.

    “Economic and social wealth have been lost, my people have taken refuge in nearby communities, they need urgent intervention now.”

    Uju attributed the disaster to unusual rise in the sea level, adding that the affected communities were flood prone.

    He said that the communities had decided to embark on premature harvest of their farm crops, fearing that the development could lead to food shortage later in the year.

    Mr Evans Ugoh, Head, Imo/Abia Operations Office of NEMA, assured the victims of the agency’s imminent intervention.

    “I have seen the level of damage caused by the flood. I assure all of you that NEMA will assist you.

    “I will finish my assessment soon and forward the report to the head office and be hopeful that your plight will get to the appropriate authorities,” Ugoh said.

    NANS mourns ATBU students

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has commiserated with immediate families of the students of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, who lost their lives in a flood that collapsed a bridge at the university on Monday.

    The President of NANS, Mr Danielson Akpan, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, commiserated with management of the university.

    Akpan called on ATBU management and other school managements to take seriously, the safety of students on and off Nigerian campuses to avoid such tragedies and unnecessary loss of lives.

    He said the association had sent a delegation to the school immediately the incident occurred to commiserate with the university community.

    He added that the delegation would equally see how lasting solutions could be proffered and prevent future untimely death of students.

  • Super Eagles… Egypt 2019 post-mortem

    The Super Eagles finished third at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt with some heart-wrenching displays which left many wondering if there could be a return of the good old days when the Eagles rose to the fifth position in the world before the 1994 World Cup in the US. However, with some players standing out in a team made up of debutants in Egypt, ADEYINKA ADEDIPE examines the performance of each player and what to expect shortly.

     

    What is in a bronze medal especially if a team has won it eight times at one of football’s elite competitions? It may mean a lot to those who were winning it for the first time in the team, while it would serve as consolation for senior members of the team who had won gold in the past.

    And that is the story of the Super Eagles’ team that finished third at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt recently. Three players – Mikel Obi, the skipper who retired at the end of the championship, wing wizard Ahmed Musa and resurgent central defender Kenneth Omeruo – were all members of the gold-winning 2013 squad in South Africa under the guidance of another Super Eagles great, Late Stephen Keshi.

    While not condemning the team for picking up bronze considering that over 90 per cent of the squad made their Nation Cup debut in Egypt, the brand of football played under Coach Gernot Rohr, which put the fans on the edge throughout the tournament, was heart-wrenching to watch. It was difficult to identify the Eagles with a particular style of play and the loss to Madagascar in the final group game was a huge wake-up call, which must have propelled the Eagles to another uninspiring their place finish.

    Despite the disjointed performance, the second half effort of the Eagles in the 3-2 win over defending champions, Lions of Cameroon in the second round will rank as the team’s best. After going down 2-1 in the first half, two quick goals from Odion Ighalo and Alex Iwobi in the 63rd and 66th minute respectively settled the match in favour of the Nigerian team, the come-back win, a big morale-booster for a stuttering team.

    With Mikel and Ighalo retired (though there are still doubts over Ighalo’s), and Rohr looking for a replacement for the duo of ‘calamity’ Leon Balogun and ineffective John Ogu, here is a looks at the performance of the players in Egypt what the future hold for the team. Each of the players made almost $60, 000 for their third-place finish, a figure not0too-bad considering that the Senegalese got $34, 000 dollars each for finishing second.

    GOALKEEPERS:

    Francis Uzoho (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus) – The former number one shot-stopper who lost his place due to erratic performances in qualifiers and his inability to feature regularly for his team in Europe was demoted to the third choice and only featured in the third-place 1-0 win over Tunisia.

    Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Katsina United, Nigeria) – Ezenwa, the only home-based player in the team, was in goal in the shocking 2-0 defeat to Madagascar in the last group game. The agile goalkeeper, who could be strikers’ nightmare on his good day, was beaten twice thanks to a Leon Balogun jejune defensive mistake and a free-kick which ricochet off a Super Eagles’ player into the net. The goals were not his fault but a result of poor team performance.

    Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa) – Despite his years of experience, Akpeyi still does not exude confidence as his shaky performances could be a nightmare for his teammates. However, with two clean sheets in the competition, he was Rohr best option in goal. He was in inspiring form in the first game Burundi. He rescued Eagles on a couple of occasions with point-blank saves as the Burundian has six shots on target, while he also kept out the Guineans forays in the second game.  He also put in a good shift against the Cameroonians and made a point-blank save in the second when the Eagles were leading, while also punching the ball to safety in the dying moments of the game. However, an attempt to stop a harmless shot with his feet almost back-fired, a pointer to his erratic performance. He capped off his performance with a good save and poor positioning, which led to Algeria’s winning goal in the 95th minute in the semifinal.

    DEFENDERS

    Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy) – Apart from his impressive defensive solidity, Aina his playing more like a modern-day wing-back who joins the attack at a blistering pace and recovering on time to perform his defensive duties. He featured most of the games and emerged as of the stand-out performers in an average Eagles’ team. He provided the assist in the 1-0 win over Burundi with a no-look backheel pass. A mazy run by Aina in the closing stages of the second half should have resulted in a goal.

    Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey) – Injury reduced the participation of Shehu who was stretchered out in the first game against Burundi. He is a good player when he is fit but he had to endure a torrid time at the competition as he failed to recover from his injury.

    Chidozie Awaziem (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey) –Since he got into the national team, his performance in Egypt would rank as the best for the Eagles. He has endured heavy criticism in the past but he has churned out good performances since taking over the right-back position after Shehu’s injury. Awaziem, who can also play as a centre back, should become more confident if he continues with this fine form after AFCON.

    William Troost-Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy) – Troost-Ekong had a fairly good performance in the games he has featured in. scoring the decisive goal in the 2-1 win over South Africa in the quarter-final.  He partnered Leon Balogun and Kenneth Omeruo in the heart of Eagles’ defence but his defensive partnership with Kenneth Omeruo fared better. His quality is not in doubt but he will have to raise his game to become super regular in the team.

    Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion, England) – Balogun horrendous mistake which gifted Madagascar their opening game in the 2-0 defeat of the Eagles will hunt the defender for a long time. Balogun misjudged a pass and what should have been a routine clearance by the defender was wrongly executed giving the Madagascar striker the chance to bury the Eagles. That mistake may have caused him in the team as the coach is already looking for his replacement.

    Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain) – He was the mainstay of the Eagles’ defence since the competition began. Once touted as the floundering defender, his move to Leganes seems to have revived Omeruo’s confidence and performed beyond expectation.  He read opposition moves better, while his link-up play with the midfield has been fantastic. He also crowned his effort with the only goal against Guinea, while whoscored.com rated him the second-best (8.09) after the group games.

    But against Cameroon, his two defensive lapses led to goals against Nigeria. However, he returned to his best against South Africa and should become a major force in the Eagles.

    Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany) – He featured at the later stages of the championship after shaking off a nagging injury he copped in the build-up to the championship. He gave his best in those games, but he is a player for the future.

    MIDFIELDERS

    Mikel John Obi (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey) – The best news for Mikel is his transfer to Trabzonspor FC, Turkey while playing for the Eagles in Egypt. The midfield maestro, who would be remembered for his success with Chelsea, failed to boss any of the two games he featured in and he had to be substituted against Burundi. The 2013 winning-midfielder should move to Turkey to begin a fresh challenge in what appear to be the closing stages of his career.

    Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England) – Ndidi’s performance in the defensive midfield position bring grit to the Eagles defence. He reads and intercept passes quite well and also can deliver passes to the striker. He may not have the fancy footwork of the likes of Iwobi or Ighalo but he is never found wanting when playing for the Eagles just like he did against Cameroon and the other games he played.

    Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City FC, England) – The former Warri Wolves player was the shining light of the team in Egypt.  His robust approach earned him plaudits in the competition and he has played every minute in the championship. He may lack the dribbling skill of Okocha but he makes up for it with his all-round display. He doesn’t shy away from taking on combative opponents and was crucial to Nigeria’s third place in Egypt.

    John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel) – he made an appearance at the AFCON against Madagascar. One would have thought that the injury to Mikel would have been in his favour, but Iwobi stepped up to take the No 10 role perfectly well to deny Ogu a run in the team. He made a second-half appearance against Madagascar.

    FORWARDS

    Ahmed Musa (Al Nassar FC, Saudi Arabia) – Pace is Musa’s biggest asset though he dribbles so well leaving his markers biting the dust. He has assisted some goals but he never got on the scorers’ sheet. He changed the game when he came in for a struggling Mikel against Burundi. He provided the assist for Ighalo’s second goal against Cameroun and could have scored a goal but was denied by Onana.

    Victor Osimhen  (Royal Charleroi SC, Belgium) – The young striker featured in few games at the tournament but he is a player of the feature if he stays in form and injury-free.

    Moses Simon (Levante FC, Spain) – Played a few games, showed flashes of what he can do in the three games.  His dribble runs are vital but his last passes have let him down a couple of times. However, against Cameroun, he wasn’t able to dribble his way around the defence and was withdrawn for Samuel Chukwueze. He also played in other games but failed to score.

    Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray SK, Turkey) – He has proved overtime with club sides that he is a fantastic player but had one substitute appearance in the semi-final against Algeria. His lie-on-the-floor defensive antics went viral and made him a sensation on the internet. The inspiring attacker will have to wait for a little no longer to become a mainstay in the team.

    Odion Ighalo (Shanghai Shenhua, China) – He emerged the highest goalscorer in the AFCON with five goals. The main striker of the team scored once in the group stage against Burundi and two against Cameroon in the second round and provided one assist for Iwobi. He was not fit to start the opening game but once he got in for Paul Onuachu, he latched onto a backheel pass from Ola Aina to score a beautiful goal. He was also the top scorer in the AFCON qualify and his retirement (?) means Rohr, if he stays on the job, looks for another lethal attacker.

    Alexander Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England) – Iwobi rose to deliver his best performance against Cameroon after a lethargic start to the competition. He marshalled the Eagles midfield perfectly against Cameroon linking up with Ighalo, Musa and Chukwueze in the attack. He also got the winning goal from an Ighalo assist to crown his efforts. He also did well in the later stages of the competition especially against South Africa and Tunisia.

    Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France) – When he collapsed in training a few days to the beginning of the tournament, it was not clear whether he would take part in the championship. However, he was cleared by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and he has shown flashes in a few games he has played. He also forced the Tunisian goalkeeper to make a save after he came on as a substitute in the third-place game.

    Paul Onuachu (FC Midtjyland, Denmark) – Despite scoring on his debut against Egypt in Warri in the build-up the 2019 AFCON, Onuachu found the going tough in Egypt. He started the opening match against Burundi and was substituted for Ighalo, who made the number nine position his own. He made substitute appearances but will have to polish his game if he hopes to become the main striker in the Eagles in the coming year.

    Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain) -The prodigy showed the stuff he was made off when he was introduced against Cameroon in the second half. His beautiful runs down the right flank caused the Cameroonians lots of problems. Before then, he had made a couple of appearances, but his never-say-die attitude was visible against the Cameroonians where he also helped in defence. He should have an assist against Cameroun but Ighalo fluffed the beautiful pass from Chukwueze. He finally crowned his effort with the opening goal against South Africa in the quarter-final. He is surely a player for the future.

    With the draws of the Qatar 2022 coming up on Monday in Cairo, the shape of the Nigerian team will emerge from the early stages of the qualifiers with young and energetic players expected to play a major role in taking Nigeria to the oil-rich country for another shot at the trophy, which has continued to elude Africa.