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  • APC has bright future in Enugu, says Ezea

    APC has bright future in Enugu, says Ezea

    Okey Ezea, a lawyer, was the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Enugu State during the 2015 elections. He spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU on the gale of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southeast, the challenges facing the APC in the region, the Buhari administration and other partisan issues.

    What is the situation of the All Progressives Congress in Enugu State?

    The APC is doing pretty well in Enugu State. We are consolidating on our membership drive and continuous registration exercise. A lot of very prominent politicians have joined our ranks since after the elections of 2015. They include Senator Jim Nwobodo, Senator Ken Nnamani, Orji, Dr. Mrs. Nwodo, Hon. Eugene Ogwu, former member of House of Assembly for eight years, Chief Madubuisi, Chief Collins of GNG. We have made tremendous progress, consolidating our membership. The only snag we have, the only drawback we have is Mr. Osita Okechukwu, who is fond of attacking the people who want to join the party in Enugu State. You can imagine a personality like Jim Nwobodo joining the party and they are attacking him. May be, he doesn’t like his face. A party is like stream. There is no hindrance to entry. Then, the other day, they were on national news; they said they didn’t want Ike Ekweremadu to defect. Who is Osita to determine who enters the party or who doesn’t enter the party? I was surprised. To my knowledge, Osita has never worked for the APC at any time. In 2015, he worked against me as the governorship candidate of the party. He was campaigning for PDC, the party of former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani. Our incumbent state chairman, Dr. Benjamin Nwoye,  was the senatorial candidate of Enugu Senatorial Zone. Osita led delegations to him to step down for PDC. The election was held the same day as presidential election. When we confronted him, he said he wanted Ben to step down so that people in PDC could vote for Buhari. In the polling booth where the candidate of the PDC, Chimaroke Nnamani voted, APC scored three votes. The person Osita was begging ben to step down for gave Buhari three votes. Even, Osita lost in his polling booth. Buhari had 22 votes in his polling booth. These are the people that hacked the APC down in Enugu State and we are saying enough is enough. We need to move forward. We need to build the party to win elections. It is a shame that APC did not perform well in the Southeast. But, the people who claim to be stakeholders could not win their polling booths. If they had won their polling booths, the party would have done better. He parades himself as the Southeast spokesman of the APC. It is not true. The spokesman of the APC in the Southeast is from Enugu South Local Government Area. He was a candidate for the House of Assembly election. His name is Isient Ngwu, a member of the House of Assembly on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP). He is the Zonal Publicity Secretary. What manner of a spokesman who will condemn people defecting to the party; people who will bring victory to the party?

    Now that you have many defectors, how is the party going to tackle the challenge of harmonisation?

    In a political organisation, where the vision, aim and objective of everybody is the same, there is no problem of harmonizing interests. Where people have divergent interests, aims and objectives; like somebody is working for the party to win and somebody is working for the party to lose, of course, there will be problem. I can assure you that the new people who have come to the party want the party to win. Every genuine politician wants his party to win. Thus, there will be no problem. The most important thing is the party winning elections, keeping the spirit of the party, sustaining the change mantra in word and indeed.

    How sincere are the defectors?

    With all due respect, I don’t think any man or woman at that level will leave their previous party and move to the APC for the sake of coming to the APC. They are very sincere people and they are coming for change and victory.

    What is the chance of the APC in Enugu State in 2019?

    Basically, the people of Enugu State are desirous of change. The PDP has been using federal might in Enugu State elections. The PDP has been rigging elections in Enugu State. But, I am sure the apparatus of the Federal Government this time will uphold the constitutional requirement of one man, one vote. We are also hoping that the INEC will insist on the card reader machine to avoid a situation where people vote two times, or where people who are not register even vote. For instance, in the last governorship election in Enugu State, in 2015, INEC recorded 580,000 voters. Meanwhile, the people who were really accredited to vote were less than 250,000. It is on record. That gives you the idea of the figure being recorded for the PDP in Enugu State. In 2019, I am not sure the PDP will have the apparatus of the Army, police, SSS, INEC doing their bidding. There is going to be free and fair elections. There will be one man, one vote. If that is done, there will be free and fair elections.

    Is the Federal Government courting the Southeast the right way?

    The Southeast is not waiting for anybody to court her. The Southeast knows where its bread will be buttered. The only way to be part and parcel of the mainstream politics is to be in the APC. The boat has left the shores. It is better to join the boat.

    Are you going to revive your governorship ambition in 2019?

    It is not on the table for now. We are talking of making our party a strong organisation, a strong political party in the state so that it can win elections in Enugu State.it is not a matter of Okey Ezea being a candidate or Okey Ezea not being a candidate. I want my party to be successful in my state.

    Are stakeholders in Enugu State taking congnisance of the unwritten law of power shift in the state?

    In Enugu State, it is an unwritten law that the governorship position should shift from one zone to the other. The incumbent PDP governor is from my zone; Nsukka Senatorial Zone. We expect him to join the APC. If he joins the APC, I will support him for a second term. If he does not join the APC, I will support the candidate of my party.

    Many people are complaining that the APC-led Federal Government is not living up to expectation….

    Those complaining are PDP people. They can’t see anything good in what the APC is doing. Why will it be good when they have looted everything before the APC came to power? We were not part of the people who carried bullion vans to the Central Bank to carry money. You don’t expect that kind of leadership from the APC. We are disciplined people. It must be rough before it is smooth. We are suffering because of what had happened in the past. We are suffering because they refused to plan for the rainy day. Now, the rainy day has come and we have no shelter. That’s why people are suffering. Now, they are turning around and blaming it on the APC. That’s why there is a blame game. We cannot manufacture any other thing than what is happening. The reality is that some people had ran the country aground. Some people have come to rescue the boat and keep it afloat again. We are sweating trying to make the ship of state sail again.

    Is Southeast actually marginalised by the Federal Government? If it is marginalised, how do you think the government is trying to address the marginalisation?

    The issue of marginalization of the Southeast has been on the burner for long before the APC government came to be. So, it is something that requires a fundamental solution. The government must recognize the deprivations the Southeast had suffered in the past. There should be a system in place that recognizes equity, justice and fair play in the whole gamut of governance in Nigeria. It is not essentially the making of the APC government. The Southeast has suffered a great deficit, even under the PDP. The PDP was in power for 16 years. What did the PDP do for the Southeast? When Dr. Azikiwe Jonathan was President, what did he do for the Southeast? At a time, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Minister in charge if the economy, the Senate Committee Chairman on Works were from the Southeast. The roads in the Southeast are bad. What did the Jonathan’s government do for the Southeast in terms of road? It is the APC government that is doing Enugu/Onitsha road. The road is at the heart of Igboland. There are three major roads in Igboland. The Enugu/Onitsha Expressway, which connects Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway and Onitsha/Owerri, a triangle. If nothing is done about this triangle, Igboland is no where in terms of roads. That has been the situation in the last 16 years. So, the issue of marginalisation of the Southeast is not the issue of the APC government or the Buhari administration. Those who made it under the Jonathan administration are the people now deceiving our gullible countrymen.

    What is your advice to the Enugu APC?

    The advice is that every person is a stakeholder. Go back to your polling booth. Go back to your ward. Go back to your local government. Go and deliver. If every stakeholder delivers his ward, as I did, then, the party will win. But, when you stay in Abuja and make unguarded statements and abusing people on the pages of newspapers and television, it is counter-productive. People should stop playing to the gallery.

  • Youths seek bright future in agribusiness

    Youths seek bright future in agribusiness

    The challenges of succeeding in farming and agro business are immense for young people. To address these, Young Professionals  for Agricultural Development (YPARD), an international movement, met in Lagos to share the know-how needed to build agribusiness  during the organisation’s 10th anniversary, DANIEL ESSIET was there.

    Chief Executive Officer, AgriHub Nigeria, Aderonke Aderinoye, is on the fast track to building a successful career in the food industry. She was one of the speakers during the 10th anniversary forum of Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), which was held in Lagos.

    She left her banking job to start farming business. Today, she has a thriving business, completed an entrepreneurial training programme, and led the launch of a private farm estate. The young farmer, Aderonke, is the founder of Keeko Food Hub and AgriHub Nigeria.

    “At Agrihub, the aim is to create shared values for youths, particularly in agriculture and mentor ship through partners,” she said.

    The advantage she has is her ability to adopt technology to boost her farming. These include tracking the growth of crops as well as ensuring that the farmers adopt better agricultural practices and make every crop traceable.

    She has more than 50 acres, growing different crops. With the support of technology, she got significant achievements in agriculture. Her farming is fascinating, but it requires continuous hard-work and devotion.

    With the acquired experience, she was able to study the profile of her farms, advise on the best production method, seed treatment, integrated pest management (IPM), use of raised bed and scientific cultivation.

    For her, agriculture is not merely a profitable business, it is her vision, passion and mission. This is revealed in her words, deeds and thoughts. With her success, Aderonke also motivates several farmers to adopt the scientific cultivation method.

    To further this, her organisation has established a private farm estate in Ogun State to facilitate knowledge transfer to aspiring young farmers through access to farmers with experience. This also aids in practical knowledge and will help to boost zeal in the youth to engage in agriculture.

    Aderinoye argued the case for developing youth-led agribusi-ness to shape a better future for the country. She is determined to reach out to youth food businesses with a triple bottom line vision, and is ready to contribute to the foundation of a broader community in addition to having a great food business. Agribusiness, she added, offers valuable opportunities to youths as a pathway to improving livelihoods, job creation and economic growth. “If planned properly,” she said, “it could lift thousands of youths out of poverty.”

    She added that youths could be empowered to launch small-scale agribusiness activities and a wide range of successful ventures.

    According to her, the future is certain to be bright for youths who venture into agribusiness. With her, the promise of the sector to turn around millions of lives for the better, continues to get believers and financiers.

    Another success story is that of Samuel Kalu, the young Chief  Executive Officer of Agritechnovate Solutions Enterprises. With the encouragement from government helping farmers to diversify into agriculture. He started by growing on large acres, but the profits were minimal due to labour cost. Vegetable cultivation was his main source of livelihood, however, the declining production and income were of great worries to him. He researched and learnt new production technologies for vegetable crops.

    He acquired all relevant information concerning the cultivation of his crops. Today, he is making money from farming cucumber on one plot. From one plot of land where he invested N50,000 to plant cucumber, Kalu made N150,000. The plant takes two and half months to mature and ripe after planting. His strategy is to plant crops with huge market and demand.

    The farm has an array of agronomic practices that guarantee a year-round supply of produce for commercial purposes and household consumption.Kalu is inspiring other farmers to grow vegetable crops.The challenge for him has been lack of offtakers, or the market for the quantity of cucumbers produced on his farm.

    Kalu said there was  need for capacity building, to put youths  in stronger position to run dynamic agribusinesses and help them grow.

    He said there were opportunities in agribusiness and the government needed to develop appropriate policies for it, engage and encourage the youth.

    Kalu noted, however, that unless deliberate interventions were taken to ensure that farmers, achieve higher yields and better prices for their output, the youth will not venture into the sector despite its viability.

    He noted that youths face challenges in seeking greater participation in the agricultural sector.  The main challenges, according to him, include access to knowledge, information and education. Poor and inadequate farming knowledge, he stressed, limits productivity and as well as hinder the development of entrepreneurial ventures.

    He added, however, that some diseases may affect plants on the farm; therefore, appropriate pesticides should be used.

    YPARD Nigeria Country Representative, Olawale Ojo said there were opportunities for young professionals throughout the food and supply chain.

    Creating a positive perspective for young people exploring opportunities in agriculture, Ojo said, was essential for sustainable food supply and job creation.

    Ojo said the establishment of YPARD began as young professionals to realised that they needed guidance to achieve their full potential and contribute towards innovative agricultural development.

    According to him, the group through its activities seeks to equip youths with necessary agricultural, business and social skills, which allow them to make critical and informed decisions about agriculture, to become business entrepreneurs, and decrease the inaugural challenges of building up a viable agribusiness.

    His campaign is zeroed on young farmers to ensure that they meet the quality standards, the quantity required and a constant supply is guaranteed. In return, farmers have a stable market for their produce and at a better price.

    He appealed to young people to approach farming as a business. With employment not readily available, Ojo believes that youths can create their own employment.

    The Head, Communications, YPARD Nigeria, John Agboola,  said the youth in farming are quite different from the old generation.

    He stressed the need to empower young people to find meaningful employment in modern, dynamic, productive and profitable agriculture.

    He said YPARD Nigeria was undertaking activities aimed at creating interest in and commitment to agricultural development among the youth, through information exchange, dialogue, networking and mentorship.

    Among other issues, participants agreed on the need for model farms to enhance the attractiveness of agriculture in the eyes of youth. They maintained that a strong and resilient food system can have a transformational effect on youths by creating jobs and spurring growth in rural and urbaneconomies.

    To achieve this, youths need to adopt climate-smart, sustainable agricultural practices.

  • Nigeria’s stock market has a bright future

    Nigeria’s stock market has a bright future

    A United States-based stockbroker, Mr Tayo Shebanjo, has said Nigerian stock market has a bright prospect and there are no immediate factors that could cause reoccurrence of the 2008-2009 depression.

    Shebanjo had traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) before migrating to the United States where he obtained certification and continued operation as a stockbroker. He spoke as a guest speaker at an interactive session organised by the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) and Capital Bancorp Plc.

    He said current outlook for the Nigerian stock market is bright, noting that there is no immediate potential ‘time bomb’ that could cause a major dislocation in the market.

    He however, urged capital market authorities and operators to exercise due process and caution in the creation and handling of derivatives.

    He emphasised the need for continuous professional education, pointing out that in the US, a broker has to start the certification process all over if he is out of the market for two years.

    He outlined that as part of the strong deterrent measures put in place to safeguard the US market, a broker and his supervisor as well as the stockbroking firm will be held liable if the broker gives wrong advice to his client.

    Drawing a parallel between the one-size fit all capital requirement in Nigeria and the practice in the US, Shebanjo said that in the US, minimum share capital is imposed on each firm in accordance with its operations and when a firm is appointed as market maker it has an obligation to mop up every available unit of the stock on offer.

    He outlined that a stockbroker must invest in knowledge, stay in touch with the market, ensure value proposition for clients, operate at the highest level of integrity and be personally organised in order to succeed in the competitive global market.

    Shebanjo has the distinction of being an active Stockbroker both in Nigeria and the USA. In Nigeria, he qualified in 1992 and traded for several years, rising to the position of chief executive of top-ranked firms like MBC Securities and Oasis Capital (now Primera Africa). Thereafter, he relocated to the United States of America where he earned further requisite qualifications and has so far had a very successful stockbroking career, working for big companies like JP Morgan Chase and his current firm, Nationwide Investment Services Corp.

    Commenting on the efforts of the CIS to ensure standard, one of the institute’s senior staff, Mr Chukwudi Nga said the CIS has been making serious efforts to attract young people into the securities and investment profession. He mentioned that the institute has introduced a Professional Diploma in Securities and Investment for secondary school leavers and the successful acquisition of this diploma qualifies the holder to write the final part of the institute’s professional examination.

    According to Nga, CIS, is a member of the Association of Certified International Investment Analysts (ACIIA), and CIS graduates are qualified to write the final examination of the globally recognised institute.

    Mr. Nga said the CIS has also introduced a recertification examination for the institute’s graduates who have not converted to Associate status three years after graduation.

  • ‘Ekiti has bright future’

    ‘Ekiti has bright future’

    Ekiti State Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele has unfolded his manifesto, urging the people to be hopeful for a brighter future.

    He said, if elected as the governor, the LP would build a new democratic culture in the Fountain of Knowledge, foster development and promote a charter of prosperity.

    Bamidele, who released a 68-paged blue-print titled: “My vision, my dreams, my aspirations for Ekiti’ in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, promised to develop agriculture, commerce and industry, mining and tourism.

    The flag bearer also said that his administration would accord priority to education, healthcare delivery, infrastructural development, housing, urban development, environmental sustainability and security.

    Describing himself as a change agent, the House of Representatives member said that his emotional attachment to the 130 towns and villages underscored the Labour Party’s and the Bibiire Coalition’s quest to invest governance in Ekiti State.

    Noting that he was motivated by the deep sense of patriotism to introduce the social welfare intervention programmes in Ekiti since February 2004, Bamidele assured that he would provide a credible and transparent leadership.

    He said: “I have chosen to put these ideas in the public domain with this ‘Blueprint on Ekiti Growth and Development Agenda’. It is a manifesto of change and charter of prosperity through which Ekiti will be catapulted to the next level”.

    Bamidele added: “My vision is driven by the conviction that government primarily has responsibilities to perform and must be held to account on improved conditions that meet basic standards of living; employment generation and livelihoods sustainability, rural transformation and infrastructural development, access to quality and affordable education and security of lives and property.

    “I strongly envision a responsible, responsive, constructive, inclusive, all-engaging and resourceful leadership to steer the ship of the State. With the support of the good people of Ekiti State, we will passionately commit ourselves to deploying governance to make life better for our people. I am committed to translating the limitless potentials in Ekiti State into socio-economic advancement and sustainability.”

    The LP flag bearer said that, within the his first year in office, he will embark on programmes aimed at revatalising education, agriculture, vocational training and entrepreneur development and health care services.

    Bamidele described poverty as a challenge, assuring that his government will reduce it through its intervention programmes. He said politicians cannot afford to treat it kid gloves.

    He added: “We must, most aggressively, pursue an ambitious programme to wage war against poverty, if the future must be secured in the interest of all and sundry, both rich and poor, in the society. We reckon that corruption, to a large extent, fuels poverty. Our focus therefore, is to be unequivocally committed to openness, transparency and accountability in governance. We would ensure fiscal discipline and due process in carrying out government policies. That way, we would be assured the commitment of the people to work hand-in-hand with government to create the much needed environment for wealth creation through socio-economic opportunities at household, community and societal levels.”

    Bamidele proposed an-all inclusive government, stressing that governance is a collective enterprise involving the elder statesmen who agitated for the creation of the state, the political class, the academia, the civil society, organised and informal private sector, traditional institutions, the media, and faith-based organizations.

    He said that his administration will give a sense of belonging to the stakeholders, including civil servants, so that they can meaningfully contribute to the decision making process. He also said that, apart from the emphasis on democratisation and stability, his government will develop the Ekiti economy and guarantee prosperity.

    Bamidele stressed: “In collaboration with the relevant federal agencies, organised private sector (OPS), multilateral agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), our government will address the varying needs of different categories of people, including the women, aged, widow, youths, students, special people, unemployed citizens, etc.

    “The physically challenged will equally have access to free education and other forms of sponsorships to facilitate access to equal opportunities, and the infrastructural development initiatives in the state will be handicap-friendly and inclusive, ensuring that public buildings and walkways cater for the sensitive needs like the building of ramps and provision of Braille signs, where possible; thus setting the pace for other States in the federation.

    “Mass empowerment initiatives will be deployed into harnessing the potentials of our youths and to encourage the development of specialized skills in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and other technical vocations such as welding, barbing, electrical/electronic installation and repairs, hairdressing, and fashion design.”

    On participatory governance, the federal legislator said: “Our government would embark on community roundtables that will draw participation from representatives of community”.

    Bamidele promised to set up a skill acquisition institute to coordinate learning and skill transfer in business. He said the institute will be equipped with standard training facilities and designated sites for farmland and mining activities. He added: “The institute will facilitate training in mining, piggery, horticulture and other forms of agricultural practice, handiworks, craft-works, creative designs, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as well as other technical vocations.

    “The institute will develop and review, from time to time, curriculum for socio-economic empowerment and development to sustain skill transfer. The institute will designate and coordinate business incubation clusters with appropriate and sufficient facilities within Ekiti State”.