Lagos State University (LASU) Vice Chancellor Prof Lanre Fagbohun, whose father, the Alakesan of Akesan Kingdom, Oba Tajudeen Abayomi Alabi Fagbohun (Gbadewolu 1), died on Wednesday, was buried yesterday.
Despite the funeral, the VC did not cancel the inauguration of a 500-seater lecture theatre, which was held yesterday.
The theatre was endowed by Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola, the chairman, Calverton Offshore Support Group Plc.
The remains of the late Maj.-Gen. Idris Alkali, which were found by a team of Nigerian Army on Search and Rescue Operation, were buried at Gudu Cemetery in Abuja, yesterday.
At the burial were the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, former Military Administrator of Lagos, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) and former Minister of Works and Housing, Alhaji Sunusi Dagash, among others.
The funeral prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Abuja National Mosque, Dr Kabir Mohammad.
The Imam lauded the Nigerian Army for ensuring thorough search which led to the recovery of the body of the deceased, described as a “national hero.”
He described the situation surrounding the demise of Alkali as “very unfortunate: it is very unfortunate that Alkali died this way. However, we thank Allah that his body had been recovered,” he said.
“Even though it took weeks to trace the whereabouts of late Alkali’s corpse, we thank Allah, we thank the Federal Government and we thank the army for the dedication to find his body, so that he can be buried according to Islamic rites.”
He asked the Federal Government to look into the security situation in the country, stressing that “every Nigerian has the right to live or pass through any part of the country without being harassed or intimidated by anybody or group of people.
“This is a fundamental human and constitutional right of everybody, irrespective of tribe or religious affiliation.”
He noted that Allah did not create one particular tribe or religion to live or claim ownership of any part of the country, adding that tribe or religious differences should never be a reason for crisis in the country.
The late senior army officer was declared missing since Sept. 3, 2018
The Military directed the Garrison Commander, 3 Division, Rukuba Barrack in Plateau to find the missing General and bring him dead or alive and if anything had happened to him, the garrison should find those responsible for it.
On Sept. 29, 2018, the Nigerian Army recovered Akali’s vehicle and his personal effects were seen and after further investigation, a shallow grave was discovered in which the General was initially buried.
Eventually, the remains of the officer was found in an abandoned well in a bush at Guchwet village in Shen Du District of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018.
It was an admixture of tears and tributes as Dr Ifedayo Daramola, a journalism teacher was laid to rest yesterday at his Ajipowo community in Akure, Ondo State.
Daramola, until his death, was the acting Head of Mass Communication Department, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA), Ondo State.
At a well- attended lying in state and funeral service held in Ajipowo, family members, colleagues and well- wishers paid him their last respects.
Daramola had published several books which are now being used in Mass Communication and Journalism Departments in several Nigerian institutions.
Daramola died on May 19 during a brief illness at age 60 and is survived by a wife and three children.
In his sermon, Assembly Pastor of St. Williams Christ Apostolic Church, Pastor Moses Adeoye, urged Nigerians to live an exemplary life and touch the lives of others.
“Above all, be of good character, desist from evil ways as we will all end up in the grave where termites will consume us,” he said.
Adeoye described the deceased as a man who had deep passion for education and helped many to achieve their academic pursuits.
His colleague, Prof. Akinsola Agofi, who described the deceased as a hardworking, pleasant and loving scholar, said he had impacted greatly on his generation.
One of his students, who identified herself as Ronke Adetola, said the deceased was a jovial lecturer who made classes interesting with comic relief.
“He is one of the lecturers who had a large heart and made classes interesting through his jovial means of teaching.
“He built academic excellence in us, ” she said.
The deceased began his career as newscaster at Radio Lagos in 1983 and later joined Punch newspapers as a sub-editor.
He was also a lecturer at the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Lagos, Lagos State Polytechnic and AAUA.
Until his death, Daramola had a Ph.D. in Mass Communication from Babcock University as well as BSC and MSc in Mass communication from the University of Lagos.
Tears flowed yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital as Governor Abiola Ajimobi led top government officials, politicians, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains, professional groups, religious leaders, students, friends and others to pay their last respects to the late Speaker, Mr. Michael Adeyemo.
The deceased, who represented Ibarapa East State Constituency on APC’s platform, died last Friday at Jericho Specialist Hospital, Ibadan.
He was 47.
A source said a preliminary autopsy report attributed the death to severe heart attack.
A service of songs was held in honour of Adeyemo on Wednesday at Oke Ado Baptist Church, Ibadan, followed by a special plenary yesterday at the House of Assembly.
An open air funeral service, organised by Oke Ado Baptist Church, Ibadan and First Baptist Church, Lanlate, held at New Park, Lanlate, was attended by people from all walks of life.
The President, Ibadan Baptist Conference, Dr. S. Adekunle, said everybody would experience death.
Quoting from Exodus 1: 6-8 and Acts of Apostle 13:36, he cited Joseph and David, stressing the importance of a good name.
The cleric said a person’s name, words and work were the three most important things that would not die.
He said the Speaker left a good name, urging people, especially politicians, to preserve their names, work and assist the society.
“These are the things that will speak for you after death.”
A special prayer was held for the deceased’s wife, children, extended family, Oyo State and Nigeria.
Adeyemo was interred at his Lanlate house.
At the plenary, Ajimobi described the Speaker’s death as unexpected, saying it had left a wound that would take time to heal.
The governor, who was in tears, said Adeyemo was a patriot who was passionate about the state’s development.
He said his death was a great loss to the state and APC.
The Nigerian Conference of Speakers described Adeyemo’s death as a calamity not only to Oyo State, but also Nigeria.
The conference’s Deputy Speaker, who is also the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Mr. Edward Ubosi, said the deceased was a bridge builder, who united Nigerians.
Describing Adeyemo as a defender of the defenceless, Ubosi said his death had only strengthened their resolve to work in harmony for the progress of their states, in order to crown the deceased’s efforts.
Oyo House of Assembly Deputy Speaker Mr. Musa Abdulwasi described the late lawmaker as a dedicated legislator, who contributed to the passage of quality bills.
He described Adeyemo as a patriot, who prioritised the state’s progress.
“Hon. Adeyemo placed Oyo State above party interests and politicking.”
Mr. Solomon Ajanaku (APC/Ibadan South-West II) said the deceased was a gentle, noble and an astute politician, who was never found wanting in his responsibilities as a Speaker.
Mr. Gbenga Oyekola (LP/Atiba) said Adeyemo was a man of integrity and a highly refined lawmaker, who rose above party interests.
Personalities at the event included ex-Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Speakers of Lagos, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Osun, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Niger, Delta, Kwara, Enugu, Ondo and Ogun houses of assembly.
Others were Oyo State Chief Judge Justice Abimbola Munta, Mr. Niyi Akintola (SAN) and representatives of lawmakers in the 7th Assembly, who served with Adeyemo in his first term as a lawmaker.
•His last moments, by widow
Many could not control their emotions last Friday when the remains of Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) ex-councillor, the late Solomon Adewale Awokoya, were interred at his Pakuro, Mowe, Ogun State home.
Those who gathered to pay their last respect to the departed councillor were in tears.
The late Awokoya, represented Ward ‘C’ in the Bariga LCDA Legislative House, died on Saturday 7.
He was survived by his mother, wife, Ibukun, 50, and two children Ayomide, 22, a student of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State and Olajide, 20, Kwara State University student.
The church service was held at The First African Church Mission (Ebenezer Parish), Popoola Street, Bariga.
The officiating ministers were led by Revd Adewale Adekunle. He advised the congregation to always be God-conscious.
Mrs Awokoya said she was devastated by her husband’s death.
According to her, the late Awokoya’s priority was to assist the people in his ward.
“He always told me to be patient and even asked my friends to plead with me to exercise patience because he wanted to give back to the community,” he said.
Recounting his last moments, Mrs Awokoya said: “On Friday night, he went round to play with some people and returned home with some empowerment materials he wanted to distribute to the people in his ward on Sunday. He met some guests outside the house, played with them and saw them off to the Bus-Stop. He returned home and by 11pm; he told me to wake him around 6am that he wanted to meet the council chairman at the secretariat for a council event. He took his bath and sat on the chair.
“I went to sleep around 11:30pm. Around 1:30am, I went to the restroom and saw him working on his phone. I said ‘you should be sleeping by now because of your early morning event at the council’ and he said ‘okay.’ I returned to bed. Not quite long, I heard him coughing continuously and quickly rushed out, asking what happened! My daughter also came out, he couldn’t say anything. I thought he was having cold; I quickly switched off the fan; got a bottle of Robb and anointing oil to rub his body. I called his younger sister, neighbours and some friends. We quickly rushed him to a hospital but the doctor said he needed oxygen and some other things. He advised we take him to Gbagada General Hospital. We got an ambulance and headed to the hospital. It was at Gbagada General Hospital that another doctor told us that he was dead. We have not even brought him out of the ambulance. I couldn’t believe what I heard. Just like that!”
According to Mrs Awokoya, her husband dream was to send the children abroad for further studies.
“He wanted to erect a borehole for people to enjoy potable water, empower the widows and youths,” she said.
She thanked the council Chairman, Kolade Alabi, and her late husband’s friends for staying by the family.
The remains of the late Col. Joseph Achuzia, “a.k.a ‘Hannibal”, Nigerian civil war veteran, will be buried at midnight according to Asaba tradition on Saturday in his family compound at No. 2 Idumojei Quarters, Asaba.
Mr Onyeka Achuzia, the son of the deceased, said his father was Ikemba of Asaba and would be buried according to the tradition of Asaba.
The funeral ceremonies began on Thursday with a Day of Tributes.
The ceremonies continued on Friday with a funeral service conducted by the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star at Achuzia’s residence.
The preacher at the service, Chukwuma Dike, cautioned against material acquisition, which he described as vanity.
“Everything is vanity in this life. Your children cannot use your PhD to earn income when you are gone.
“They cannot access your bank accounts unless they follow the processes to change the signatory,” he said.
Dike described the name, ‘Achuzia’, as a key that could open doors because of the legacies he left behind.
He urged his children to remain united to sustain the values Achuzia represented.
At a reception held at St. Patrick’s College, Asaba, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa was represented by his Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Fidelis Tilije.
The family received condolences from the governors of the five South-Eastern states, while the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo, led executives of the socio-cultural organisation to the ceremonies.
Achuzia was a secretary-general of Ohaneze Ndigbo, where he further propagated the ideas of Igbo nation which he stood for till his death.
In a condolence message published in the burial brochure, Okowa, in a statement signed by Mr Ovie Agas, the Secretary to the State Government, described Achuzia as an epitome of virtues.
“A veteran of the Nigeria civil war, a leader of thought, inspirational community leader, bridge builder, elder statesman and above all, selfless leader whose life time achievements transcended community and national boundary.
“I recall that despite being a Deltan, Col. Achuzia rose to become the secretary-general of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, a platform from where he fought relentlessly for the advancement of his people,” Okowa said.
Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo Governor, in a message, said Achuzia was a combatant and seasoned soldier whose precision in the discharge of his military duties was second to none.
“His contributions toward a united and indivisible post-war Nigeria was unrivalled. This was evident in his pontifications on poignant contemporary political issues.
“His rare sense of diligence, organisational prowess, indefatigable and intrepidness during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war earned him the name, ‘Hannibal’, from his friends and foes.
“In his capacity as a commander on the Biafran side, Hannibal displayed his administrative ingenuity and laid foundation for the prosecution of the 30 months war.
“However, he surrendered and joined hands in the building of one Nigeria.
“He was indeed a great patriot and worthy statesman,” Okorocha said.
Achuzia, aged 90, died on Monday, Feb. 26, about 8.a.m. at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba.
RENOWNED matriarch, Mrs. Helen Emenike Uwagbama, who died in December, will be buried on Saturday, April 7, at Umukabia in Abia State.
She was 85.
Mrs. Uwagbama was the mother of Chief Ikechi Emenike, leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State.
Family and friends are grieving over the passing on of a mother, whose maternal care gave meaning and purpose to their lives,but taking solace in the promise of a resurrection morning when the dead in Christ shall rise again.
A statement by the family said activities leading to the final burial rites would begin on April 6, with a service of songs and vigil at her compound.
The funeral service will be conducted the next day by the Methodist Church, Nigeria, at the Umukabia Central School, Umukabia-Okpuala.
An exceptional woman Chief Uwagbama lived a simple life dedicated to the service of God and humanity.
She wielded influence as a community leader and contributed to the growth of her local parish of the Methodist Church.
Her home was open to all; she was indeed a mother to many.
A supportive wife to her late husband, she played a key role in raising well placed children.
•Sad tales from sacked textile workers
Sacked and unpaid workers of closed Nigeria textile firms are no better than the depressed sector. Like the industry, they say they feel ‘dead and buried, TAIWO ALIMI found some of them in Kaduna and Kano, the former ‘economic nerve centre of the north’ and chronicles their pains and struggles to survive and revive the once bubbling industry.
THE periodical convergences of former workers of closed textile companies under the auspices of the Coalition of Closed Unpaid Textile Workers Association, (CCUTWA) Kaduna, and The Association of Retired Textile Workers Welfare (TARTWW), are not for the lily-livered.
They are assemblage of tearful widows, broken men and steely eyed youths.
They often gather in front of Kaduna Textile Limited (KTL). The same place they found and lost their happiness. “Other times, we congregate at Arewa Textiles Plc (ATP), United Nigerian Textile Plc (UNTP), Nortex Nigerian Ltd (NNL), Finetex Nigerian Ltd (FNL), Supertex Ltd, Unitex Nig Ltd (UNL) or other textile mills that we have worked,” leader of the coalition, Comrade Wordam Simdik, explained.
On this particular cold February morning, the ramshackle factory of KTL, or what remains of it, hosted them. With the giant skeleton of KTL engulfing them, unpleasant memories flooded their minds.
KTL is the first modern textile factory in Nigeria, founded and financed by the 19 Northern states in 1957. It provided work for thousands of people directly and indirectly until 2002 when it shut down. The workers were sent packing without their benefits.
It was a blow below the belt for them and many did not survive the onslaught. For those that are alive, 16 years after, they say they feel ‘dead and buried.’
Simdik was employed by KTL on October 13, 1979. He worked as a mechanic for 23 years, up to December 15, 2002 when the foremost modern textile industry in West Africa, shut its doors. “All my benefits; from my gratuity to pension and other welfare packages, were not paid and it was the same for my colleagues. A lot of workers died as a result of this problem.”
He continued: “Since the closure, we have been crying to the management, and the Northern Governors Forum but none has come to our aid. We have suffered alongside our family members, greatly, because of this injustice. I also lost my son on July 2, 2006 when he was stabbed by some of his friends because I could not afford to send him to school. My boy was about 19 at the time and he died in the hospital as I could not pay for proper treatment.”
Mama Asabe Audu Jaba bears her grief on her wrinkled face. She has been crying for 15 years, since her husband and bread winner lost his job due to the closure of KTL. Sadly, she is still in tears.
Narrating her ordeal, the 65-year old widow, looking 10 years older, said her family has suffered a lot since KTL sacked her late husband, Mallam Audu. And because she does not have formal education, she expressed herself in Hausa while Simdik served as the translator.
According to her, “My husband was a strong, hard working man. He joined KTL in 1958, a year after it opened for business. He was one of the first set of workers there and worked for 44 years until KTL closed in 2002. He died in 2009 unable to get a kobo of his entitlements. All the years my husband put into KTL, he could not build his own house as we live in a rented apartment. Indirectly, I used to work in the textile sector too as a traditional weaver. From it, I make some money, but I am too old to work now.”
Mallam Jaba died a sad man unable to take care of his family when alive and, even in death.
Mama Jaba was not done. When she found her voice again, she added with tremor in it. “I have eleven children and lost two of them after my husband died. They got sick and because I did not have money to take them to hospital, they died at home. We are finding it difficult to eat and I cannot send my children to school too.”
In essence, Mallam Jaba was one of 8,000 KTL workers that lost out in 2002. Twenty-two thousand direct workers had been shown the way out in the late 90s during the massive downsizing in the company.
Regretfully, billions of naira in emolument money is still hanging on the neck of KTL management.
Simdik put the combined unpaid emoluments at N12.9 billion. “KTL, Nortex, ATP and many others have not paid any kobo in gratuity since they closed down. They owe us a combined N12.9 billion based on the number of years that workers put in. Some workers spent more than 40 years in these companies.”
He added that 1500 workers and family members have also died.
Another widow, Esther Audu, shed her own tears during her narration, an emotion that was not in short supply, given that more than a quarter of the congregation, are widows.
“My husband was retired at KTL in 2002 after 25 years of service. We have six children and when he was alive we were able to cope with sending them to school but since his demise I have been through hell with the children. I can’t afford to send them to school and there is no one to help me. We have been living from hand to mouth. I go into the bush to fetch firewood and sell every day for us to have a meal on the table. I do not want my children constituting nuisance in the society. We need my husband’s entitlement.”
Like Simdik, Mallam Umaru Bello is alive to tell his own story. He served for 12 years at Unitex Nig Ltd. “Unitex has not paid me anything. We have been talking to the management and organising rallies so that people would see what we are going through, but nobody is listening to us. I have four children and they have resorted to hawking so they can go to school. I make some money in small- time photography too, but if they don’t hawk, what I make is not sufficient to feed and send them to school. I don’t know what the future holds for them.”
Musa Bello, 60, has similar fear for his offspring. “I was retired prematurely in 2004 by ATP. I have not received a kobo from the company. I beg friends and family members to feed my family. I used to take care of all needs of my family, now it is my wife that is helping me to stay on my feet. I feel worthless as a man. I don’t even know what my children are doing because I cannot stop them from fending for themselves. Can I?” He asked looking hard at the reporter expecting a reply. None came.
ATP shut down 14 years ago
For others like Bello, who are alive to tell their anecdotes, Simdik disclosed that they are like zombies. “Some of our colleagues have survived the years of neglect but cannot solve the problems of their families. “Their wives, sons and daughters have now become social nuisance. We cannot afford to send our children to school or for proper medication when they fall sick. Our children have resorted to odd jobs to make ends meet. God knows other things they do that their parents don’t even know about. Life is difficult,” he submitted.
Senior research fellow, Nigeria Institute for Social Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan, Agaba Adah agreed with Simdik. He said, “Social malaise is the order of the day when there is massive job loss. These textile companies were sources of income to many fathers, mothers and youths right from the 60s to the 90s. As soon as the cheques stop coming, resilient youths will look for other things to do. Most of the time, they get into shady ventures. They are vulnerable to fundamental sects or groups who can take advantage of weakness to harm others. The rise in Boko Haram activities in northern Nigeria around the late 90s, when massive industrial slump was experienced, is a big pointer to this fact.”
Comrade Ismail Bello, Deputy General Secretary, Nigeria Textile Workers Union (NTWU), agreed with Adah’s view. “We know the struggles of our people. They have to provide for their families, and send their children to school. The harsh reality of daily survival: housing, feeding and clothing is there. But no matter how the Union tries to improve the overall well-being of our people, it is like a tsunami, a torrent that is beyond the power of the Union. Yet, if we don’t find solution, we are inviting social disorder and malaise, chaos, crime and anarchy.”
According to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report, direct employment generation in the textile sector declined from over 140,000 jobs in 1996 to 25,000 in 2008 and further dropped to about 17,000 in 2010.
In like manner, NISER, in a yet to be released study, found that out of the over 200 Nigerian textile firms in the 80s, 128 firms survived till the early 90s. By 2008, more than half of them had disappeared and by 2015, only 33 were functional. Presently, less than 25 modern textile firms are in operation.
Realistically, it is worse today as only few companies produce optimally.
Naturally, the rapid downsizing and closure in the textile industry cannot be ignored as connected to the dearth of more companies in the north’s commercial nerve cities of Kaduna and Kano, leaving youths in the region vulnerable to the bloody antics of Boko Haram and other sadistic insurgence.
Where we were
To comprehend the current tragedy these textile workers are facing it is imperative to know where they used to be. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Nigerian textile industry was the second largest in Africa after Egypt in the late 80s and going into the 90s.
Bello, who is in charge of education and research at NTWU, claimed that in the 80s, direct employment in the industry was well over 500, 000. “If you look at the multiplier effects, in terms of supplier and other people engaged in textile, well over three million Nigerians were living off the Nigeria textile industry, directly and indirectly.”
The NISER study titled: ‘Competitiveness of the Nigerian Textile Industry’ supported Bello’s argument. It reads in part, “In the 1980s textile was the biggest manufacturing industry in Nigeria and the third largest in the whole of Africa, after Egypt and South Africa. It was the largest employer of labour and accounted for 25% of the manufacturing employment between 1980 and 1991.”
Furthermore, its contribution to the GDP in the 80s was second to the food, beverages and tobacco sector and according to the Nigeria apex bank, CBN, its contribution to manufacturing output averaged 21.8% in 2008.
In employment, Prof Adesoji Adesanya, head of the NISER team, said that, “If you put together the expanded opportunities for cotton growers, ginneries, spinning, weavers, colouring and patterning of clothing, the figure may be even more than three million.
“This is not forgetting that there are smaller traditional textile firms where more people are involved in hand weaving, and dyeing. It also cuts across the six geo-political regions of the country, which include: Aso-Oke/Adire (Yoruba), Akwete (Igbo), Anger/Ashiasha (Tiv), Uba/Ipele (Ibira-Okene). If you look at these indices, you can put the number of workforces in excess of three million.”
NISER Research fellow, Wahab Adelowo, informed that textile experienced huge boom in the 80s and early 90s. “KTL was the first modern textile mill, not just in Nigeria, but in West Africa. By the 80s public and private groups joined the industry, notably Arewa Textile PLC, Nortex Nigeria Limited, Finetex Limited, and United Nigeria Textile PLC, all located in Kaduna. By the 1980s, Nigeria had over 200 functional factories traversing the Northern parts of the country, Eastern and Western parts. With Nigeria’s gigantic population, textile was big and up till the 80s, Nigeria generated $2 billion dollars annually from textiles. And, between 1985 and 1991, the industry grew by an average of 65 percent annually. The textile subsector was responsible for 25 percent of the entire manufacturing sector in Nigeria.”
Bello equally pointed out the gains. “Textile Mills were all over the place. In those days, you have the youth gainfully engaged in many states of the federation because of the buoyant textile industry. From Kano, Kaduna, Funtua, Asaba, Jos, Aba, Lagos, Ibadan, to Gusau. These are places that textile industries were doing well and the people also experienced prosperity. Indirectly, you see millions of Nigerians earning living from textile and their families benefiting too. From cotton farming to spinning, to the weaving mill, to printing mill, to the supply to the market, there were people working and doing business and smiling home.”
Adah looked closer at the social effects. He pronounced that an average family fared better in those places in the 80s. “With over 200 textile firms spread across the six geo-political areas of the country, they brought prosperity to the areas and attracted more companies. Families fared better, confectionery companies and schools sprang up to cater for people’s needs. Generally, life was worth living. People had money to spend and the multiplier effect was enormous. Family values were high because children were well provided for and they attended good schools.”
How we got here
To address the current textile industry problem, the NISER team identified a combination of factors responsible for the downward trend. Chief among them are government policy and implementation, poor infrastructure, obsolete technology, and importation liberalisation.
Others are faking and counterfeiting, smuggling and sharp practices among government agencies and operators.
According to the analysis of Abur Clement, another NISER research fellow, “Nigeria textile began to face recession in the early 90s when the country’s infrastructure was also facing enormous crisis. There was problem of electricity, the machinery was aging and foreign exchange was escalating. At a time you opened up the market, the local industry was experiencing problems so you can imagine the immediate impact of that. Production went down and foreign textile makers saw a huge market to be fed. By the end of the 80s and the early 90s employment was already shrinking. But it was still fairly stable. By 1997 when the Sani Abacha military government signed on to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) liberalisation policy, it means that we have to compete with others. Before then textile import was largely protected. But things took a turn for the worse by 1997 when textile import was liberalised and since then it was down the hill.”
Bello added that smuggling, faking and counterfeiting are the hydra-headed devils destroying the soul of the industry, today.
“Faking and counterfeiting have become a huge problem. We know it takes a lot of effort to come up with designs and for some faceless people to steal the design, take them toAsia and bring back same design, cheaper, though inferior and dump them in the local market is tantamount to killing the local firms. Even if you want to compete with them it is not easy because they beat our customs and just dump the goods on us.”
He said Nigerian businessmen are also culprits.
“It is not only foreigners, especially the Chinese doing it. It is also about Nigerian collaborators. Around Kano areas a lot of smuggling is going on”
In other words, Chinese smugglers couldn’t have done a good job without Nigerians leading the way.
The scenario is thus that 90 per cent of fabrics with ‘Made in Nigeria’ logo are printed somewhere in Asia. And more than 150 million Nigerians put their monies into the hand of Chinese investors and in extension, China economy.
NISER’s Abideen Alamu explained further. “Let me put it like this. Once a design of ankara or brocade gets to the Nigerian market, in less than a week, an inferior and cheaper design comes in from Asia, through our porous borders to flood the markets from Ibadan to Lagos and the far north. While our factories are complaining of poor sales, the Chinese companies and Nigerian collaborators are smiling to banks.”
The core of the matter is that China is, today, benefiting more from trade liberalisation and other trade MOUs signed with Nigeria.
China’s earning from textile import to Nigeria is growing astronomically while Nigeria’s export to China is going down.
The number of Chinese textile industries has also grown significantly, while Nigerian textile firms have slumped into oblivion.
The figures are, in truth, scandalous.
NBS figured that China’s export value for textile to Nigeria is approximately $210 billion annually. “Nigeria has a demand of about N300 billion worth of textiles per annum. We produce N40 million worth of these, while China, Turkey and European countries are helping us with the rest.”
Another report showed that textile and clothing industry is the largest manufacturing industry in China with about 24,000 companies and 10 million employees. Out of this figure, two-and-a-half million workers service the Nigerian market.
Meanwhile, the local industry employs less than 17,000 nationwide.
In spite of these sentiments, Prof. Adesanya believes Nigeria’s textile is not doing enough to compete globally. “It is a free world and for us to compete we have to up our game too. The Asian Tigers are big in R&D (Research and Development). They are already researching beyond cotton to make cloth. The government and textile firms should spend money in these areas so as to come out with innovative technique that would make their product unique and better. That would make us compete at home and other West African countries.
Still, Bello is of the opinion that the government must do more to protect the industry. “We talk about intervention funds that are no more than stabilization fund. They are not growth fund. We need to grow. So what do we need to grow? We need electricity, gas, and deal with smugglers.”
Another area of importance is patronage, he says. “There has been all kind of policy pronouncements but we are more concerned about policy implementation. The government have all sorts of uniform agencies; Army, Police, Custom, Immigration, and other paramilitary agencies, NYSC, nurses, and even the schools to mention but a few.
“So, why should textile industry have problems? The truth is that these agencies don’t print their uniforms here. At a point many elite schools even print and sew their uniforms abroad. It is that bad. The Nigeria Army go abroad to sew uniform when we have tailors all over the country who can do it even better. We have garment factories that can produce these uniforms and tailors that can sew them. If truly the government see through its own policy to patronise local content and be in the lead, others will follow.”
Sadly, we are not in this problem because there are no policies; the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan which was put in place by the Goodluck Jonathan administration is there. Realistically, the problem is implementation.
Bello added, “Industry is strategic to job creation. You cannot solve the problem of youth unemployment without having industries. It is the bedrock of economic reliance and development.”
Closed down
While tinkering with the economic solution, he urged the Buhari administration to address problems of unpaid textile workers quickly. “It is a lot of problems for the Union. We have KTL that closed down for over 10 years. We have Arewa that closed down 10 years ago. The Finetex problem was resolved two years ago through the Union intervention and the help of the chairman Ahlaji Dantata. He personally had to dip hands into his own resources to offset the benefit of workers worth N250million.
“We had gone to court on the case of KTL several times and it is yet to be resolved. It is a sore point for the Union. There was even a case of a company; KTP in Kano, we had to sell the company property through a court order to ensure that our members get their benefits. We are fighting over the closure of Gaskiya Textile in Kano. We have the case and they have been mandated to pay their workers but there have been all kinds of efforts to sell the company’s properties and pay off the workers. These are struggle of not one year but many years and resources and we are not relenting. We are engaging lawyers to go to court and fight for us.
“When workers lose their jobs and are not able to transit and do something worthwhile for themselves, life can be extremely difficult. We know how much Nigerian workers have suffered under the liberal economic agenda. We need a mass of resistance from our people to see through the failures of some of these policies. We are where we are because of poor economic policies of our leaders.”
Aside the Union efforts, The Nation on Sunday investigation reveals that the affected workers have done practically everything to get their money. They have gone cap in hands to beg managers and owners, they have threatened, petitioned government, organised protests and press conferences and issued press statements, and the latest is to organise prayers.
“We started this method last year and we are continuing this year. We will continue to call on Almighty God to touch the hearts of these people or take them out, so that people that would help us would come in.”
This reporter encountered them in one of their prayer sessions, which turned out to be a weeping session. These are tears over departed lovers and family members, and of unfulfilled dreams and hopeless hope.
When will their tears dry up?
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, his Ogun state counterpart Ibikunle Amosun and wife of Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo yesterday led thousands of friends, family members, colleagues and well-wishers to pay last respect to the late Deji Tinubu who passed on last Thursday.
At a well-attended lying-in-state and funeral service held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Victoria Island, Lagos, tributes, eulogies and tears poured in freely for Tinubu, who until his demise was the Special Adviser to Governor Ambode on Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives.
Deji had slumped while playing a novelty football match with some members of the State Executive Council at the Jubilee Chalets in Epe.
Lagos State Government in a tribute in memory of Tinubu published in the funeral service brochure and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, described him as a great professional, who devoted time to the service of humanity.
“He was an engineer, but he was also an engineer of sports. He was both sports man and sports lover. But he was unforgettable as a sports administrator. Those who followed him knew him as a symbol of service to humanity.
“We had seen him enliven us on television screens and through radio waves. He was an enthusiast and an analyst. He probed the game and predicted. He pointed out weaknesses and strengths. He saw flair, he saw style, the celebrated goals. He delighted in them and infected all who listened or watched him with his full vigour and vitality about living,” the Lagos State Government said.
Speaking at the service, Amosun described the late Deji as a man who had a deep passion for football and sports in general.
“The last time I saw Deji was when he came to identify with Segun Odegbami’s 10th anniversary of his sports academy. Little did I know that Deji will answer the final call on January 25 which happened to be my birthday. Deji was full of life and had a deep passion for football,” Amosun said.
He commiserated with Governor Ambode and the State Government, adding that Deji’s call to glory was an act of God.
“God’s ways are not our ways, when it happens like this, we have to thank Him. With all what has been said about him clearly shows that we have to be thankful to God for his life in the 54 years he spent with us,”Amosun said.
Mrs. Osinbajo, who prayed for the family of the deceased, urged them to take comfort in God, while praying that God will sustain his wife and children.
In his sermon, Pastor in Charge of RCCG, City of David, Idowu Iluyomade said Deji was a quintessential gentleman and a pillar, who contributed in no small way in building the house of God.
“I have known Deji for 22 years. He was a giver and a lover of football. To the family, I want you to take solace in the fact that everyone of us will die or be raptured. Today we celebrate Deji because we know he’s in a better place. Nobody took his life, he died at the appointed time,” he said.
Taking his sermon from Isaiah 43 verse 2, Iluyomade urged the congregation to see Deji’s death as a reminder of the futility of life and the need to submit their lives to the almighty God.
Among the dignitaries present at the service include President, Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Peter Obi, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, Ovation publisher Chief Dele Momodu, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, members of the Lagos State Executive Council, Body of Permanent Secretaries, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, sports aficionados, among others.
Justice Bashir Sukola of the Kaduna State High Court 10 is dead. He was 57.
Officials of the Ministry of Justice and family sources said he died at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, on Tuesday night, after a brief illness.
The deceased is survived by his wife and children.
Thousands of sympathisers thronged his family home at Bayajida/Kano Road, where Janaiza prayer was held for him.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai was among the early callers.
The deceased was buried yesterday at Bachama cemetery, Tudun Wada, after the prayer.