The Nation Newspaper

Tag: drama

  • Music, drama and dance for young artistes

    Itah Hozaife is a Theatre Arts graduate of the University of Jos and the founder of Ink Marks.  This is a social enterprise established to develop children in different aspects of the art.  The children range from 9 to 18years and the concept is to teach them how to write plays, prose, songs; also how to direct, how to write scripts and develop their own innate talents through exposure to the rudiments of the art.  She had a chat with Edozie Udeze on these and more

    So what is the whole essence of Ink Marks and Reel kids?

    Since 2009, we discovered that there had been mass failures among the kids in the area of English Language and that innate ability to develop their God-given talents. We therefore felt that we could do our best to turn the situation around for good. We thought also we would be one of those to resolve that and show the kids the way forward in terms of how to speak and learn English to help them be the best in their chosen profession.

    Now, we have two projects coming up this August. It is to coincide with the long holidays. One is called REEL kids. This has to do with teaching children English Language and Literature in English, using music, drama and dance. We did this last year and so this is the second time. Last year’s was encouraging.

    What we do after we’ve taught them the English Language is to give them the task of creating their own songs. In this wise, we use musical or home video films to demonstrate and see if they’ve learnt what we’ve taught them. This is so because kids have to be allowed to be who they are.

    What’s the age range for this…?

    This is open to kids between 8 to 16years. And we have fifteen days to do this and then allow them to practice on their own. This year we are lucky we got a lot of support from Diamond Bank and others. The second part of it will also come up towards the end of August. In it, we will host the first winner of Idols dance competition. He will also come around to help the kids write their music and develop their dance patterns more. Also part of the show is what I have tagged I have a speech. This is the first time we’ll be doing that. And it entails the inspiration of Martin Luther King. What we do here is to allow the kids to write a speech to see how they can handle that aspect of the art. The challenge will be there too.

    That’s the question they have to answer: What makes for a good leadership? The core essence of the speech is to talk about this leadership issue as it concerns us here in Nigeria mainly. So, the young ones have to write the speech answering that question of who qualifies to be a good leader and so on.

    The theme here is really centred on leadership. If they have to write this speech, they have to understand leadership, true leadership that will help to make a better tomorrow.

    The programme which is being supported by the Lagos State first lady will be read by her sometimes before the end of the year. However, this aspect of the show will be used as part of the October 1 independence anniversary of the country.

    Right now, we are calling for entries from children between 8 – 18 years. After that, all we do is select top 20 kids and then we will work with the children on leadership and speech writing workshop. This will last for 10 days. We have already got our panel of judges who will now select the number one speech out of the whole lot. The winner’s speech will then be presented to Mrs. Fashola to be read in September and aired on television come October 1.

    Why are you involving the First Lady in this?

    Emm… In the first place, we feel she loves the kids. She loves children a lot and you can always see that in her. She is very keen on children. She attends a lot of functions involving children and you could see how she relates with them. It is so amazing, you know. Now we feel the children will benefit more from her motherly love and attention. By interacting with her, they will also learn a lot about her and what she stands for. This is one way the children will also be much more involved even at this level of creativity and all. She really shows her deep love for children and her presence will equally inspire our kids to be like her in terms of leadership; in terms of motherly care and comportment.

    So, when I pushed the project to her, oh, she said she loved it and would be part of it. And it didn’t surprise me even though she didn’t know me, she agreed to be part of it.

    There’s too much of the English Language in the kids. Are you trying to do some of these experiments in our local languages?

    No, I am not doing that and I must be honest with you. And now I will tell you why. Currently, I am looking at the exams they are going for. If you look at NECO, WAEC and JAMB, they do not do well in English Language, English Literature, Biology and so on. If you look at the scores in the subjects I have mentioned, they failed all round. My focus now is to get them to be passionate about learning. If you teach them to be passionate about learning, the likely hood of their thinking well is there.

    You see, the reason why kids fail is that they are no longer interested in education. This is why the approach to education now has to be different. We have to get them interested first and then other issues will follow. This is why we use issues that they love; issues that appeal to them most to get education closer to them. What is in it for them is to go to school. It is not good enough to say to them to go to school. You have to explain to them why and this has to be through good examples of the things they are familiar with.

    So, it is left for us to discover the areas they are gifted. Some are gifted in the art while some in the sciences. So, ours is to teach them which way to go. So after this, we help them to polish this talent and then take it further in order to make them the best they can be. When they finish, they don’t need to beg for a job because they have their talents well developed to be on their own.

  • Drama, intrigues as Bayelsa hosts, wins MBGN

    Drama, intrigues as Bayelsa hosts, wins MBGN

    In a show characterised by drama and intrigue, the fair-skin, average-height 18-year-old Anna Ebiere Banner from Bayelsa State emerged the winner of the 26th edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (2013).

    Banner, one of the youngest winners since inception, will represent Nigeria at the Miss World pageant in Jakarta, Indonesia, later this year.

    She was crowned by the outgoing winner, Isabella Ayuk, in the presence of an excited Governor Seriake Dickson.

    Dickson immediately appointed her Special Assistant on Culture and Tourism and made her the state’s Culture and Tourism Ambassador.

    Banner clinched the crown after beating 31 other contestants to the admiration of the rapturous crowd, who were mostly residents.

    While some believed that her victory was based on the home support she enjoyed from the crowd who gave her a standing ovation each time she appeared on the stage, others said her composure, beauty and mien endeared her to the judges.

    But the entertaining event started unfolding with much drama when Dickson was asked to present an award to the screen diva and musician, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde. Jalade-Ekehinde was on the panel of judges.

    The governor, in his brief remarks, forced most spectators to roll with laughter.

    After looking closely at the actress, Dickson said: “Having seen you closely, I can see why they call you, Omosexy.”

    But Jalade-Ekehinde, who thanked the Silverbird Group for the award, changed the mood of the event from excitement to sober reflection.

    In a prepared speech, she lamented the hopelessness of the Nigerian child, citing the inability of the Senate to protect the rights of children.

    She was angry that the Senate refused to abolish child marriage.

    “If the Senate with members perceived to be fathers could show nonchalant attitude to sensitive issues affecting children, who protects the child in Nigeria?” Omotola queried.

    “A very alarming number of children are hawking on the streets. Let us say no to the Senate Bill endorsing child marriage,” she said.

    But the audience’s attention was later focused on each of the radiant contestant who looked ready to go home with the crown.

    The contestants showcased their endowments, curves and talents in their swim wears, traditional outfits and dance steps.

    Performances from KC and Timi Dakolo added colour to the event.

    Despite their efforts, the number was reduced to 15 with accompanying tragi-comedy.

    Miss Kwara featured twice in the list of the top 15 while Miss Abia was later withdrawn from the list and replaced with Miss Imo in what the duo of Chris Okenwa and Chioma Agunon, who acted as compere, described as a typographical error.

    But Miss Imo, Stephanie Okwu, cleared the doubts that arose from the development. She made it to the top five and was viewed by some persons as the potential winner.

    She later emerged as the first runner up to represent Nigeria in the Miss Universe Pageant.

    Miss Adamawa, Powede Lawrence, was the second runner-up, Miss Kaduna (Enoma Agboniko) third runner-up and Miss Abuja (Melissa Devidal) fourth runner-up.

    The host governor described the show as a vehicle for tourism promotion in the country.

    He said his administration supported the pageant to underscore its seriousness in diversifying the economy from oil and gas.

    Dickson said the government would continue to host events of international interests to bring people to the state, adding that his administration wished to make MBGN a yearly event in the state.

    “The new Bayelsa is safe”, he declared, adding that the state will soon host other big celebrations.

    The Minister of Culture, Edem Duke, said the country must embrace tourism to become one of the top 20 economies in the world in 2020.

    “If we want to become one of the 20 economies in 2020, we better start doing what Bayelsa is doing right now,” he said.

    Duke said over 7,000 persons from across the world will gather in Bayelsa for the Africa-Caribbean Festival of Arts and Culture.

    He said the state had been selected to host the event from September 15 to 25.

    The minister also announced that the state had been chosen to host 70 “world best” in underwater imaging programme organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

    Ben Murray-Bruce, Chairman of Silverbird Group, organisers of the pageant, said the essence of the competition is to bring about unity among ladies from various cultural and social backgrounds.

    “In over 25 years, we have produced beautiful ambassadors who have represented Nigeria at various international events.”

  • Emerald TV drama brags content, directing

    Emerald TV drama brags content, directing

    A new drama series, Emerald has been touted as a work that will redefine Nigeria’s TV drama landscape. Unveiled at the BheerHugz, Ikeja Shopping Mall last Wednesday, cast and crew of the play were on hand to add their voice to the new soap.

    Directed by John Njamah, the drama stars, Kunle Bamtefa, Carol King, Joseph Benjamin, Lillian Esoro, Bayray McWizu, David Ogbue, Sumbo Oladipo, Femi Branch, Judith Audu and Felix Jnr Omokhodion among others.

    Shot on full HD format, Emerald which enters its Season One, airing on two television networks in Nigeria; NTA and AIT beginning from this month, is said to be typically Nigerian with a mix of all the issues that affects the people in their daily interactions.

    Executive Producer of the series, Dapo Ojo is optimistic that viewer will be inspired by the different characters as they identify with them through their pains, suffering and joyful moments.

    “It took us six months to audition, and we picked a cast of about 100 for the drama. Our job is to create content that people would yearn for. You may have seen these actors in other dramas, but the difference here is the story and directing.” He said at the unveil ceremony.

    According to Ojo, the story explores the age-long truth that when it comes to emotions, the barrier of status, whether rich, middle class or poor, is broken down.

    Most dramas in Nigeria are character-based, but Jude Chukwuka, a cast of Emerald says, this one is ‘character match story’.

    Emerald Drama Series is the first to be produced by Ojo’s SevenSeries Limited, a TV Content Production and Distribution Company, in conjunction with FirsTV Studios, a complete, fully equipped one-stop TV production facility.

  • Drama as Amaechi, Jang greet, sit side-by-side

    Drama as Amaechi, Jang greet, sit side-by-side

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and his Plateau State counterpart Jonah Jang were seated together during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting yesterday. Governors were made to sit alphabetically, according to their States’ names.

    The sitting arrangement was unlike those of the NEC meetings before the acrimonious Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) election. Amaechi used to sit close to the Chairman of the NEC meeting, Vice President Namadi Sambo. Amaechi always spoke for the NGF.

    Since Amaechi won re-election in May by beating Jang 19 votes to 16, Jang has led a faction of the NGF.

    Besides, opening a parallel NGF office in Abuja, Jang has declared himself chairman of the forum, His proof: he was the consensus candidate of 19 governors before the election.

    The NEC meeting was the first opportunity for the two governors to sit at a round table.

    Amaechi, who arrived at the meeting before Jang, on getting to his seat, said: “So, we are sitting together; authentic and the fake chairman.”

    Amaechi and Jang only greeted and shook hands with each other when Jang arrived a few minutes later.

    When Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole arrived, he said jokingly while facing television cameras and pointing to Amaechi: “This is my Chairman.” Pointing to Jang, he said: “This is PDP extension faction chairman.”

    Noticing the sitting arrangement for Rivers and Plateau governors, Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu said: “This is nice o. Somebody is trying to be diplomatic here.”

    The meeting began as soon as the Vice President arrived.

  • Drama as Senate confirms Okiro chairman of police commission

    Drama as Senate confirms Okiro chairman of police commission

    There was drama in the Senate yesterday as the upper chamber confirmed former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, as Chairman, Police Service Commission.

    The lawmakers rejected the nomination of former Action Aide boss, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, despite effort by Senator Babafemi Ojudu to ensure that Igbuzor was confirmed.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Paulinus Igwe, presented the report of the screening of those nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan to serve in the commission.

    They included, Mr. Mike Okiro, Chairman, Mr. Yakubu Mohammed (DIG rtd,) (Katsina State) to represent Northwest, Hon. Justice Olufunke Adekeye (rtd) (Ogun State) to represent Southwest, Aisha Larai Tukur (Taraba State) to represent Northeast, Mrs. Comfort Obi (Imo State) to represent Southeast, Chief Torngee Gem Toranyiin (Benue State) to represent Northcentral) and Dr. Otive Igbuzor (Delta State) to represent Southsouth zone.

    Although some senators applauded the report, Senate President David Mark wondered why there was no representation for the youth among the nominees.

    Mark noted that the Act of the commission specified that the youth should be represented in the commission.

    Senator Ayogu Eze said Igbuzor, who was to serve his second term in the commission, represented the youth when he was first nominated in the Sixth Senate.

    Mark also wanted to know what new thing Okiro, whom the screening committee rated high, would do that he did not do when he was Inspector- General of Police.

    He wanted to know how Okiro would improve the police force as the committee claimed in its report.

    Igwe said the committee believed that Okiro’s position as a former IGP has equipped him to serve better as Chairman of the commission.

    Senator Zainab Kure observed that the dates some of the nominees obtained their qualifications were not captured in the report.

    Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said Toranyiin was referred to as a doctor in the report when there was nothing in the report to show that he is actually a doctor.

    Igwe said Toranyiin is not a PhD holder, the title was only an award to him.

    Senator Awuse Kuta wondered whether the practice of asking senators from states where nominations were made for their input had been jettisoned.

    Senator Ahmed Lawan reiterated the need for the youth to be represented in the commission.

    He noted that although the Peoples Democratic Party has a youth leader, who is 58 years old, the youth should have their representation in the commission.

    Mark, however, cut the Yobe State lawmaker short by reminding him that the PDP youth leader is an internal affair of the party and should be left to the party.

    On the Northcentral’s nominee, Mark explained that the letter from President Jonathan did not refer to him as a doctor.

    He wondered where Igwe and his committee got the title.

    Mark proceeded to call the nominee one by one for confirmation.

    Okiro was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.

    When the name of Igbuzor was called, the opposition for his nomination was overwhelming.

    Again, Mark put the question for Igbuzor’s confirmation, the lawmakers rejected his nomination. For the third time, Mark put the question and Igbuzor was rejected.

    Ojudu fought hard to ensure the confirmation of Igbuzor by calling for a division through a point of Order.

    He said: “If we are serious about having a Police Force of our dream, we should not reject Igbuzor because he is a man of integrity.”

    The Ekiti State-born lawmaker reminded the Senate that Igbuzor as a member of the civil society is qualified to serve in the commission.

    But Mark ruled him out of order on the basis that his Point of Order was belated.

     

  • Drama in court as APGA factions quarrel over lawyer

    It was a stormy session yesterday at the Federal High Court, Awka, the Anambra State capital, following arguments by two camps of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on who should present a lawyer to represent the party in a suit filed by Charles Nwazojie.

    The politician had filed the matter for himself and on behalf of the ward, local governments and state executive committees of APGA, praying the court to recognise Chief Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of the party.

    The Umeh camp as well as that of Chief Maxi Okwu, who represents the Governor Peter Obi camp, argued on who the party’s lawyer should be.

    Also joined in the matter are: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Anambra State Police Commissioner, Maxi Okwu and Egwuoyibo Okoye.

    The court, presided over by Justice M. T. Salihu, on April 15, granted an interim order restraining Okwu and other key officers in his group from further parading themselves as APGA executives.

    But at the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, two lead counsel – Kingsley Awuka and Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) – fought on who between them should represent APGA.

    The party is the fourth respondent in the judicial review application brought by Charles Nwazojie.

    Ikpeazu told the court that he was representing APGA based on the mandate he got from Okwu, the disqualified National Chairman of the party.

    Awuka objected to Ikpeazu’s representation, saying Umeh had briefed him to represent APGA in the matter.

    Both lawyers reeled out the principles of law and facts to support their positions.

    Ikpeazu, who was making his first appearance, said Okwu had briefed him on the matter and that he should, therefore, be allowed to represent the party.

    But Awuka said the change of counsel, which Ikpeazu canvassed, did not arise because Umeh never briefed the lawyer who was being replaced by Ikpeazu.

    Awuka said the legal representation for APGA was a fair hearing matter which should be resolved in favour of the party. He added that his application was for the court to allow proper representation for APGA.

    The court reviewed the submissions of the both counsel and Justice Salihu adjourned the matter till April 30 April to enable the parties sort out the problem arising from the party’s legal representation.

    Both counsel are expected to settle with their clients before the next adjourned date when hearing on the three pending applications on the matter.

    The first application is the main issue while the other two are interlocutory, dealing with the abridgement of time and the motion on notice arising from the ex parte order.

     

  • Drama at FGGC, Ipetumodu PTA meeting

    Drama at FGGC, Ipetumodu PTA meeting

    The dinning hall of the Federal Government Girls College, Ipetumodu, Osun State was filled with parents, teachers, family and friends who came to see their daughters.

    There had been the usual banters and handshakes among parents until the principal, Mrs O.S Sallam walked in and the atmosphere changed.

    It was the first PTA meeting of the school this year. The last one was held in February 2012 though it is supposed to hold quarterly. Some parents attributed the excesses of the school management to the epileptic PTA meetings.

    It was obvious many of the parents had an axe to grind with Mrs Sallam. Ahead of the PTA meeting, some of them had invited journalists (including this reporter), to pose as parents at the forum to observe the interactions between the parents and the school management.

    The parents’ complaints ranged from poor power and water supply, food, poor kitchen environment, or good medical attention to concerns about the bushy environment their children are exposed to. They also complained about the alleged autocratic style of the principal, and not being allowed to see the state of facilities of the school.

    “If you are walking towards the kitchen or hostel they would run after you and tell you that you are not allowed in, why can’t we see where they cook children’s foods, or where they lay their heads,” a parent told this reporter.

    True to their claims, this reporter was stopped halfway as she walked towards the classrooms located near the kitchen.

    “Hello, you can’t go there; that place is restricted,” said a middle aged woman.

    From a distance however, the classrooms were in a sorry state with many having no windows. Their walls could use a new coat of paint. The dining hall, where the forum was held, was no better. When the principal got to the hall at exactly 11.37am, she thanked the parents for paying the salaries of 25 teaching and 10 non-teaching staff employed to fill gaps lacking in the school.

    She said the PTA teachers’ salaries had been increased from N277,000 to N627,670 per month. Some parents questioned why the PTA had to be burdened with workers’ salaries when they should be employed by the Federal Ministry of Education.

    “Make request for more teachers from the government. I wonder how many teachers you have from the government if PTA is paying 25 teachers,” said a parent, MrAdedokun.

    But Mrs Sallam responded that the teachers were teaching their children. She added that her request to the ministry for more teachers is yet to be honoured.

    Mrs Sallam, however, stirred the hornet’s nest when she warned the parents to stop bringing cooked meals for their wards on visiting days as some girls were in the habit of preserving the leftovers to be eaten later. The parents protested vehemently.

    A parent told the principal to find out whether the food the girls were served was good enough. “They wouldn’t have relied on food brought by parents if the food the school gives them is reliable. Why don’t you find out why they eat leftovers?” he asked.

    Responding, the Principal said: “They (pupils) should take whatever we give them. It is the food of the locality. Their problem is that their parents give them whatever they want at home and they also want the same thing here,” she said.

    She argued that the school is even giving the students food worth more than the N5,000 the parents pay per term.

    “They pay N5, 000 per term and eat three times daily. If you calculate the number of times they eat which makes up for 12 weeks in a term that is N13 per meal. But we give them meals worth more than that. My daughter also attended a boarding school and when she complained about the beans in her school being too watery, I told her to add garri to it,” she said.

    A parent asked why the principal restricted access to the facilities.

    Responding, the principal said any concerned parent need not bother about the facilities, but could assist the school through the PTA.

    Another pronouncement that attracted their protests was when Mrs Sallam said an election for the new executives of the PTA would be conducted same day. Father of Agbere Peace Otiowe, a pupil, said due process must be followed for an election to hold. Moreover, he said what the parents came for was the PTA meeting.

    However, not all parents were against the principal. One of them, praised the principal for doing a ‘marvelous job’ in terms of infrastructure.

    “You are a magician when it comes to light. My daughter will prefer to stay here than come home,” he said.

    But the pupils are complaining. A pupil told The Nation they were served spoilt food.

    She said: “Let me not lie to you madam, our academics here is excellent but the food is not good at all. Last week, we were served spoilt meat and when we started complaining, they told us that they would not serve meat again, but fish.”

    When asked to comment on the issues raised by parents, the PTA Chairman, Mr B.O. Akande told this reporter on phone that what happened in the PTA meeting was not her business.

    “What is your business at the meeting? Who invited you? If you want any information, come to the next PTA meeting, I don’t want to clear any thing on phone? You were not supposed to be there because you are not a parent,” he said.

     

  • Drama as student wears wrapper to class

    WAS the dressing appropriate or not? No matter how it is classified, the student succeeded in drawing attention to himself. He was the cynosure of all eyes as he strolled into a classroom at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State. Some students, hooted, others just burst into laughter as the male pre-degree student, clad in an Ankara wrapper and a shortsleeve shirt, entered the class.

    The security did not find his dressing funny. His entry disrupted the class. Rather than pay attention to the lecture, his colleagues resorted to hailing him. The security wasted no time in restoring order. They flogged the student out of the class.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the student had earlier had a bet with some friends that he could wear a wrapper to school. Some of his colleagues were said to have promised him N20,000 if he did. The student surprised his colleagues when he appeared in wrapper.

    The security officials’ action almost sparked a riot as students deplored it. The security operatives hit the student with sticks.

    Students argued that anybody could wear whatever catches his fancy to school, if such attires are not indecent.

  • 2012: Moments of rows, drama in Senate

    2012: Moments of rows, drama in Senate

     There were many dramatic moments in the Senate in 2012. Correspondent SANNI ONOGU revists the high and low moments in the Upper Chamber.

    The Seventh Senate is made up of seasoned technocrats, prominent politicians, retired Generals, and other professionals. These diverse backgrounds and perspectives shaped proceedings in the Upper Chamber last year.

    Senators who dominated debates included Senate President David Mark, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Abdul Ningi, George Akume. Others are Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Ganiyu Solomon, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Hayatu Gwarzo, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Ita Enang, and Uche Chukwumerije.

    Also, Senators Smart Adeyemi, Ayogu Eze, Awaisu Kuta, Zainab Kure, Olubummi Adetunbi, Sola Adeyeye, Ahmad Lawan, Hope Uzodinma, James Manager, Oluremi Tinubu, Esther Nenadi Usman, Helen Esuene, Nkechi Nwoagu, Ifeanyi Okowa, George Sekibo, Benedict Ayaade, Emmanuel Paulker made waves.

    In their absence, the chamber was usually dull. In the senate, an innocuous motion or bill listed for consideration can ignite passion and verbal fireworks. Also, a seemingly harmless contribution can lead to a long debate.

     

    Exhilarating ritual

     

    Senator Mark often lit up the stage during his procession into the chambers. As soon as his arrival is announced, senators quickly move from their seats to line the aisle. Handshakes, banters and chitchats would follow. Senators across parties would want to make sure that their House Leaders have taken their seats. Then, the Senate President opens the proceedings with invocations and holler: “The Chief Whip of the Senate!”

    From that moment, the Chief Whip Senator Hayatu Gwarzo, moves swiftly to assist Mark in calling the House to order.

    Gwarzo was associated with refrains such as: “Senator Smart Adeyemi, take your seat. Senator Ayogu Eze, take your seat. The Senate is called to order. Senator Nkechi, go back to your seat. Senator Uche Chukumerije, stop talking to Senator Nenadi Usman, go back to your seat. Ayogu Eze, go back to your seat. Senator Smart, the Senate is hereby called to order. Senator Heineken, please go back to your seat. The Senate is called to order please. Mr President, the Senate is set.”

    However, hilarious atmosphere would vanish. Some moments evoke smiles, others provoke anger. There were predictable, dull and boring sessions. There were critical moments when weighty issues were debated on the floor and in committee rooms.

     

    Pension reform drama

     

    One event which was full of drama in the Senate in 2012 was the invitation of the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina. He was invited by the Senate Joint Committee on Establishment and Public Service, States and Local Government probing the mismanagement of pension funds in the country. But Maina failed to honour the invitation. The committee issued a warrant of arrest and mandated the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to arrest Maina and bring him to the venue of the public hearing.

    However, the warrant never left the the precincts of the National Assembly. At 11.00 am, on the day the committee was to reconvene, Maina was nowhere to be found. The other invitees waited patiently for over three hours.

    Suddenly, the chairman of the committee, Senator Aloysius Etok and Senator Kabiru Gaya walked into the venue at exactly 2pm. Etok proceded to announce another round of adjournment. Just then, Maina walked briskly into the hall. He was flanked by a horde of heavily armed policemen and some operatives of the State Security Service (SSS). To the surprise of all, the committee adjourned after reading a signed warrant of arrest on Maina to his hearing but failed to arrest him.

    Soon, Maina accused the committee of demanding N2 billion bribe. In apparent effort to defend the integrity of the committee, Etok offered to be shot if the allegation was proved to be true. Etok swore that members of the investigative panel did not seek N2 billion bribe from the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT). He described the allegation as a decoy to draw attention from the mismanagement of the pension funds by his team. He declared that the committee could not ignore the “foul alarm and cheap blackmail as a mere ranting since such is orchestrated to divert attention from the bare facts and incontrovertible evidences of fraud, misapplication, mismanagement and outright stealing of pension funds by the Pension Reform Task Team.”

    The Maina episode was not the only one that was fraught with controversies. The process that led to the passage of the 2013 budget was another. Shortly after President Goodluck Jonathan presented the N4.92 trillion proposal to a joint sitting of the National Assembly in October, intense lobby from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) began with countless meetings between heads of the MDAs and chairmen of standing committees.

    For the record, a major point of disagreement between the National Assembly and Presidency was the benchmark of crude oil pegged at $75 per barrel. But after much debate, the National Assembly pegged it at $79. Essentially, it was historic that the National Assembly passed the budget in December in the hope that it would pave the way for a faithful implementation.

    Again, for the first time in the history of budget defence, the Senate President personally appeared in two sessions. Mark, whose visit was unusual, said he was uncomfortable with the poor level of budget implementation across the MDAs. He described as a contravention of the agreement between the Executive and the Legislature. The Senate President noted that implementation figures claimed by most MDAs were “mere statistics” as they “do not reflect realities on ground.” He accused the heads of the MDAs of complicity for the low budget performance, adding: “There is no justifiable cause for such; we would not take it any longer.”

    Mark insisted further: “People believe that budget is a mere document; if you like it, you implement, if you don’t like it, you reject it. Finance Ministry is a problem. People are not concerned about implementation. That is not a correct attitude to budget. Once a budget is signed, it becomes law and it is binding on all of us. Statistics given by percentage never gives any real figure or perception or what is practically on ground.”

    Another high point in the Senate in 2012 was the way the lawmakers reacted to the planned introduction of N5000 banknote by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The lawmakers, who were on annual vacation when Sanusi dropped the idea for the project, vowed to stop the move. And they made good their threat.

    On their first day of resumption, the senators unanimously resolved “to urge President Goodluck Jonathan and the CBN to stop issuance of N5000 note and all issues connected therewith”. The decision was as a result of the unanimous adoption of a motion entitled: “Introduction of N5000 notes by the CBN.” It was sponsored by Senate Chairman, Rules and Business Committee, Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East). The lawmakers described the CBN boss as exhibiting “arrogance, high-handedness and claim of monopoly of knowledge.”

    Mark fumed that the argument for the introduction of the N5000 note “is not convincing”. He literally sealed the fate of the proposed banknote when he summed up the mood of the Senate thus: “The disadvantages of the N5000 note, at the moment, far outweigh not introducing it, and, on balance, we should not go for it. I also heard it from the news the way you heard it. I was not briefed. The only briefing I had about this issue was in the national dailies.

    “The important thing is that if Nigerians say they don’t want a particular policy at any given moment, there is no harm in government retracing its steps on the issue and I think that is the situation that we find ourselves.

    “I have listened to the arguments from those who support it, but those arguments are simply not convincing. There is no ambiguity in our stand on the issue. I am not sure that Sanusi is aware of the Constitution. If he was, he would make reference to us before addressing the issue.”

     

    Criticisms

     

    The Senate and indeed the whole National Assembly came under heavy criticism by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the course of the year. The lawmakers were so infuriated by his comments that they immediately challenged him to name lawmakers he had alleged to be corrupt. Had it not been that Obasanjo had spurned previous invitations, perhaps, they would have asked him to appear before its committee on Ethics and Privileges to explain himself.

    Obasanjo had declared at the Fourth Annual Conference of the Academy for Entrepreneur Studies Nigeria (AES) held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos that important institutions in the country are corrupt, including the National Assembly.

    “Integrity is necessary for systems and institutions to be strong,” Obasanjo said, adding: “Today, rogues, armed robbers are in the State Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly. What sort of laws will they make?”

    But in a quick reaction, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, challenged Obasanjo to name the rogues and criminals in the spirit of transparency. He lamented that the Senate had been inundated with calls over the statement credited to Obasanjo.

    As the senators settle down to business of lawmaking, more of these developments are likely to feature this year. But the desire of Nigerians would be that such actions will deepen democracy in the country.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Cement armada? No, just drama

    Cement armada? No, just drama

    The theatrical-minded may well dub the trade tiff between Ibeto Cement Limited and the Dangote Group a play called Cement Armada.

    It is a grim drama all right, being a real-life trade scuffle between an entrenched interest and a competitor that wants to break in but feels illegitimately blocked.

    But there is certainly no armada, for if there were, cement prices could have come crashing. They have not. That therefore locates the trigger of this grim drama beyond the two corporate gladiators; and right in the other-things-being-unequal extant business atmosphere which, if not corrected, is fated to cripple everyone in the long run.

    That is the correct interpretation of this drama, which the powers-that-be must address. But first, the claims and counter-claims.

    The Dangote Group, heavy player and clear market leader in essential consumables like cement, sugar, salt, flour and pasta, fired the first salvo on 6 December 2012, when it announced it had shut down its Gboko, Benue State, cement plant; on alleged glut resulting from “dumping” of cheap cement imports, contrary to the Federal Government’s policy of complete local manufacture of cement.

    Lafarge WAPCO Cement, a co-player and once-upon-a-time market leader, has weighed in on Dangote’s side, affirming indeed imported cement was hurtful to the local manufacturers; and therefore to Nigeria’s long-term economic survival. Is this the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob?

    Lanre Opakunle, Lafarge’s plant manager for its Ewekoro II, Ogun State, plant, certainly does not think so. He said 60, 000 tonnes of cement remain unused in the plant’s silos while 220, 000 metric tonnes of clinker, an intermediary cement product, literally chokes its factory, just like Dangote Cement’s woes of a glut of 38, 000 tonnes of cement, and lots and lots of clinker.

    Like Dangote Cement, Mr. Opakunle lamented the high energy costs, with low pour fuel oil, which has jumped from N25 a litre in 2009 to N107.76 a litre by November 2012; making a 331 per cent leap. High haulage costs, in the absence of efficient rail to truck the cement bulk, add another 20 to 25 per cent, to the price of cement, therefore pricing the product out of the reach of most.

    The dire situation could well threaten no less than 46, 000 jobs from the Dangote end alone, if Joseph Makoju, ex-WAPCO, special adviser to Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group and president, Cement Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CMAN), is to be believed. That would be horrible indeed, were it to happen, in a country already crippled by mass joblessness.

    Musibau Lawal, Lafarge WAPCO’s production manager, not unfairly links the current local cement challenges, vis-a-vis imported cement, to the comatose Nigerian local textile industry, perennially at the mercy of imported fabrics.

    With alleged cement glut in China finding a haven in the Nigerian market, he argued, a “paltry” duty of 20 per cent and a levy of 15 per cent make imported cement not only very cheap, but also an open tomb for local cement manufacturers. So? The government, he clearly suggested, must jerk up these duties.

    Fine and legitimate argument – until, of course, you ask the question: how much of cement is imported? Ibeto Cement, on whose neck the local cement manufacturing lobby is about hanging a charge of cement-import Judas, has provided an answer: 1.5 metric tonnes yearly; which it claims is less than five per cent of the Nigerian cement market.

    Again, if cement is a regional business because of its bulk, can sole importation into the South-East/South-South market, where Ibeto plays, lead to a “glut” in the whole of the country? That is doubtful, by the very illogicality of the argument. Ibeto’s import could not therefore have caused it, even if rival local manufacturers in the South-South, and to some extent, the South East, would feel short-changed by its “cheap” imports.

    So, what did? Cement is most probably over-priced because the industry is an oligopoly; and the local producing cartel is, at worst, blaring a business nationalism orchestra to keep prices up; or at best, reeling from the inclement local production weather.

    If the problem is the first, then it is most regrettable and unpatriotic, even if ironically, the cartel plays on a high-pitch patriotic orchestra. If it is however the second, that is for the government to sort out: radically improving on those key indices – power, rail, policy inconsistency, financial infrastructure – that make local production sheer hell.

    It is certainly not by goading the government to go back on its commitment to Ibeto, to rectify the 2005 unjust closure of its Bundu Ama, Rivers State factory, canonised by a judgement order of court, after free and unfettered negotiations.

    That is what WAPCO’s Mr. Lawal seems to suggest. But changing the cement-import template, from the Ibeto agreement, would do no one no good. Hiking the import duties would push up prices, and make cement even more unaffordable, with disastrous consequences for local cement. Besides, it would put the Federal Government in hot legal waters.

    Dangote and Ibeto, in the trade tiff, have stacked cards on each other to win an argument. Dangote tried to paint Ibeto as the import Judas standing between Nigeria and self-sufficiency in cement production. It also threw in the scarecrow of factory shut-downs and loss of jobs. Ibeto counters by painting Dangote as a monopolist leading a local cement cabal of oligopolists to elbow out legitimate competition. All is fair in a trade war, as Dangote is no devil any more than Ibeto is a saint.

    Ripples’ interest is strictly for upholding the right of law-abiding citizens to legitimate business opportunities in a republic erected on law. Much too long, this Federal Republic has been captive to business lobbies, and would appear quite adept at conspiring with powerful interests against the legitimate interests of other citizens who, though less powerful and influential, the government, by its oath of office, is sworn to protect.

    That would explain the Obasanjo Presidency’s reckless shutdown of the Ibeto factory in 2005 and the concerted current campaign against redressing that injustice. But at least Ibeto spoke out and decided to fight.

    Not so the late Captain Israel Ademola Haastrup, patriot and sundry investor, who quietly bore his own scars to the grave, when he died late 2012. His Haastrup Jetty in Port Harcourt, got shut down only after two years of operation in 1982 and his interests in Omega Bank got lost in a troubled Spring Bank after consolidation – because the captain believed, according to his biography Captain in the Storm of Life, authored by yours truly, that the government wanted to get at specific powerful interests which it was not man enough to face. Also his Spaceworld Airline business collapsed in the hysteria of dropping planes, while Eagle Cement, in which he had substantial interest, was also clobbered by the local cement cartel.

    Now what is a Federal Republic if it cannot guarantee its citizens equal and equitable opportunities under the law? That is the crux of this cement drama.