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  • Makinde urges men of integrity to join politics

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has urged men and women of integrity to participate in politics to sanitise the system.

    The governor said the involvement of people of integrity in politics would enhance good governance.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Taiwo Adisa, said the governor gave the charge at The Cathedral Church of St David, Ijomu Street, Akure, during a thanksgiving service organised by members of the Omorege dynasty, his maternal family, to celebrate his electoral victory.

    According to the statement, Makinde admonished Christians and people of honesty and integrity to get involved in politics. He said the journey would not be easy, but God would take them to where He intended.

    Makinde said: “When I started the journey into politics, the two mother’s close to me [referring to his mum and his aunt] woke me up at 12 a.m., one spoke in Ibadan dialect while the other spoke in Akure dialect and all they said was that I should be wary of what I collect from politicians. Ordinarily, they knew the son they had but at that point, they doubted me, because the general perception was that politics is dirty.

    “The general perception is that a child of God cannot be in politics. My mothers doubted me, and so if people who are not close to me doubt me, I will understand. What matters is to serve the people honestly and serve God through service to humanity.”

    The governor added: “Today, I have the testimony of being a politician that attained the governorship without a godfather apart from God the Father. I am telling you that participating in politics cannot stop our going to heaven. We need to participate. Things may not be easy, but God will take you to the top. It was not easy for Joseph but God made him prime minister in Egypt, the most powerful country on earth at that time. Even David that was anointed, it was not easy for him.

    “I have come to thank God, because I came to this church and I said that if God does what I want, I would come to give thanks. I thank the church and the people for your help. I thank the clergy for their prayers. Continue to pray for us, because what is ahead is more than where we are coming from.”

    A priest, Venerable C.O. Osinyemi, who spoke on the topic: “Indices of acceptable service,” charged Makinde to add value to the lives of the people.

    The clergyman admonished the governor to focus on developing the nooks and cranny of the state, empowering the youth and women, and defending the rights of those who are weak. He urged him to revive the farm settlements built by Pa Obafemi Awolowo, because according to him, there is no way government can employ everyone but that a lot of people could be reached through agriculture.

    Osinyemi charged the governor to pay attention to payment of salaries and pensions.

    The governor was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Tamunominini Makinde, Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin some members of the House of Assembly; Chairman of the State Advisory Council, Senator Hosea Agboola; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters Funmi Orisadeyi; Commissioner for Environment Kehinde Ayoola; Chairman of SUBEB, Dr Nureni Adeniran; Chairman of BCOS Prince Dotun Oyelade and other party chieftains.

  • Investors fly to safety as mutual funds rise by 22.8% to N798.04b

    Investors are seeking safety of principal investment and guaranteed returns as collective investment schemes grow, Capital Market Editor, Taofik Salako reports.

    Total net asset value of all registered mutual funds in Nigeria rose over a one-year period by 22.8 per cent as investors showed preference for less risky fixed-income funds.

    Mutual funds, otherwise known as collective investment schemes (CIS), are joint investment vehicles through which investors can pool funds and invest in chosen basket of securities with a view to optimising returns and reduce risks.

    Latest official data obtained from Nigeria’s apex capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) yesterday indicated that total net asset value (NAV) of all registered mutual funds rose from N649.775 billion on August 3, 2018 to close at N798.04 billion on August 2, 2019, representing an increase of N148.265 billion or 22.822 per cent.

    NAV is determined by subtracting total liabilities of a fund from its total assets. The NAV can further be divided by the total number of units of the fund to determine the unit price.

    A mutual fund is usually categorised by the class of assets that forms the primary focus of its investments. Thus, there are equity funds, money market funds, bond funds, real estate funds, ethical funds and balanced funds among others.

    The reports showed that the increase in NAV was driven by increase in number of mutual funds as well as appreciation in some segments. Total number of mutual funds rose 7.9 per cent from 76 mutual funds by August 03, 2018 to 82 mutual funds by August 02, 2019.

    A breakdown of the funds showed strong preference for portfolios that invest generally in fixed-income securities, especially short-term securities. While the number of equities-based funds increased by two as against one addition to money market funds, the value and percentage of money market funds rose considerably over the period while the value of equities-funds declined during the period.

    Money market funds, which invest mainly in money market instruments such as treasury bills, remained the largest group of mutual funds, underlining the paradigm shift since the stock market crash displaced equities as most-preferred portfolio. The NAV of money market funds rose from N494.92 billion to N602.64 billion while the number of money market funds increased from 18 funds to 19 funds.

    Conversely, the NAV of equities-based funds dropped from N13.467 billion to N10.613 billion despite increase in number of equities-based funds from 10 funds to 12 funds. Mixed funds-which include allocations of some funds to equities alongside other fixed-income assets, also showed a similar pattern, dropping from N25.70 billion in 2018 to N23.51 billion in 2019. Ethical funds-which include funds that do not invest in alcohols, cigarette, firearms and sometimes, in the case of Islamic ethical funds, in interest-based businesses, also dropped from N5.48 billion to N4.716 billion.

    Other non-equities funds largely followed the pattern of money market funds. Fixed income funds-which invest in fixed-income assets, rose from N51.737 billion to N86.497 billion. Bonds funds- named because they invest solely on sovereign and other approved bonds, doubled from N11.209 billion to N24.533 billion. This underlined the significant flight to government’s sovereign bonds, by several fund managers.  Real estate funds- which invest in real estate assets, declined from N47.26 billion to N45.53 billion, reflecting the slowdown in the real estate industry.

    Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited (SIAML) remains the largest investment management firm in Nigeria with its funds dominating major segments of the market. Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund remains the largest CIS rising from N244.34 billion to N277.65 billion. FBN Money Market Fund, being managed by FBN Capital Asset Management Limited, also retains its second position, growing from N136.93 billion to N165.4 billion. ARM Money Market Fund, being managed by Asset & Resources Management Company Limited, also retains its ranking as the third largest CIS, rising from N48.49 billion to N66.43 billion. In further illustration of the flight to safety and depreciation in the value of equities, Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund, Nigeria’s largest equities-based fund, also being managed by Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited (SIAML), dropped from N6.526 billion by August 03, 2018 to N4.806 billion by August 02, 2019, a decrease of N1.72 billion over the 12-month period.

    With a drop of 17.81 per cent in 2018, the continuing decline at the equities market had implied average decline of 29.62 per cent over the19-month period ended July 31, 2019. This implied that average investors who had invested over the period had lost almost a third of their portfolios, altogether implying a loss of about N4 trillion for the entire market.

    Investors in Nigerian equities had lost N1.38 trillion over the past seven months of 2019 as the onset of the first half earnings season failed to sustain expected recovery at the stock market. Nigerian equities suffered their worst depreciation so far this year in July 2019, dropping by an average of 7.50 per cent, valued at about N990.45 billion.

    The steep decline in July worsened the average year-to-date return, which had closed first half at -4.66 per cent, to -11.81 per cent, equivalent to net capital depreciation of N1.38 trillion for the seven-month period ended July 31, 2019.

    Nigerian equities had traded mostly on the negative this year, declining in five out of the seven past months. The market also closed both the first and second quarters on the downside and most analysts remained cautious about the outlook for the third quarter.

    The All Share Index (ASI) – the main value-based index that tracks share prices at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), closed July at 27,718.26 points as against its month’s opening index of 29,966.87 points, June’s closing index. The ASI had opened 2019 at 31,430.50 points, 17.81 per cent down from its 2018’s opening index of 38,243.19 points. It had however rallied a world-leading gain of 42.30 per cent in 2017.

    The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) recently launched its new trading platform for mutual fund as part of efforts to boost investors’ participation in CIS. About five per cent of investors in the Nigerian capital market engage in mutual funds, a paltry fraction that underlines the tendency of most retail investors to invest in the market directly.

    Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Oscar Onyema, said the launch of the NSE distribution and trading platform for mutual funds would not only provide an opportunity for the 256 brokers in the market to distribute to existing 13.9 million investors’ accounts in CSCS but also attract new investors that may be interested in gaining exposure to the capital markets through mutual funds.

    He said the new platform will enhance visibility for listed funds and promote financial inclusion, while stimulating retail investor participation in the market.

    “This distribution platform is a new channel for accessing mutual funds which are listed on the NSE. This restates our commitment to provide market operators, issuers, fund managers and investors with a reliable, efficient and an adaptable platform to create a more transparent, liquid and accessible market in line with global best practices,” Onyema said.

    According to him, the platform will facilitate electronic transactions with seamless connection between NSE, CSCS, fund managers and brokers as investors have the benefit of a single view of their mutual fund investment while being able to invest with multiple fund managers through a single broker.

    He noted that in recent years, there has been significant increase in the number of mutual funds in Nigeria, an indication of the growing interest in collective investment schemes.

    Managing Director, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri, said the new platform marked another milestone for the Nigerian capital market as it will serve as a step towards improving the level of financial inclusion in Nigeria by giving investors varieties of investment products.

    According to him, as part of its commitment to providing far-reaching benefits to the capital market, CSCS has proactively invested in technology that would enable us provides seamless post-trade services to a wide range of financial instruments including collective investment schemes.

    “Additionally, fund managers can now augment their product distribution strength using the brokerage communities’ network. We believe this will also contribute towards increasing secondary market participation whilst growing funds under management for Asset managers”, Jalo-Waziri said.

    President, Fund Managers Association of Nigeria (FMAN), Mr. Dayo Obisan, noted that one of the initiatives in the FMAN five-year road map was to develop and implement a nationwide distribution and trading platform for mutual funds.

    Chairman, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Chief Patrick Ezeagu, said stockbroking firms were delighted to have been a part of the development and emergence of the new trading platform.

    According to him, the new platform was directed at reawakening the small savers in order to take advantage of investing through mutual fund and to have the synergistic benefit of a better return in the market.

    “The memorandum trading platform will facilitate the ease of doing business in trading and distribution of mutual funds, it will inspire small savers thereby promoting financial inclusion which is an important focus of our members. We congratulate everyone that contributed to the success of this initiative and encourage all operators to embrace this new aspect of deepening of our market which is a formidable incursion into an erstwhile grey sector,” Ezeagu said.

  • Unequal trade

    • We need a radical new thinking to make the most of exports

    Nothing better describes the continuing imbalance in our trade relations than the first quarter trade statistics showing Nigeria’s non-oil imports by sea surpassing exports by a staggering 463 per cent. According to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data, whereas the value of non-oil exports for Q1 was N604.4bn, value of non-oil imports for the same period stood at N3.4tn.

    When broken down, the figures are certainly revealing. Between January and March, of the total N322.3bn trade in agricultural goods, exports accounted for N86.1bn while imports took a higher chunk of N236.3bn. Same with raw materials totalling N366.5bn; whereas Nigeria exported N36.4bn in value, it brought in a much higher value N330.08bn in imports; for solid minerals, the story is the same: of the total trade valued at N26.8bn, exports accounted for N8.99bn while imports took N17.8bn); same for energy goods valued at N10.7bn; exports came to N10.6bn and imports N32.1m. For manufactured goods, the difference is stark clear; of the outlay of N3.3tn, the value of exports was a mere N462.3bn in contrast with N2.7tn imports.

    In other words, much as the Buhari administration is wont to showcase what is increasingly an aggressive push in the area of economic diversification, including an unrelenting curb through forex restrictions on so-called frivolous imports of which the country is said to possess the capacity to produce, tangible progress remains a tall dream both in the competitive arena of international trade and on the domestic front.

    That we are not entirely surprised at this latest finding by the NBS is merely stating the obvious. The development, if anything, is merely an explication of the inherently flawed trade policies under which the country has been reduced to a dumping ground for all manner of manufactures with terrible consequence in the killing of local manufacturing efforts – and expectedly – jobs. It is certainly a reflection of the adverse infrastructural situation and how this continues to present formidable challenge to local entrepreneurial efforts with correlates in the multi-layered capacity issues of standards and competitiveness.

    Whereas the identified problems are fairly well known, the indication is that ongoing therapies are either ineffectual or that the strategies need to be fine-tuned for better results. For, even if we concede that the Buhari administration has done quite a lot, albeit with far less resources in the area of infrastructure delivery, the scale of the problem  is such that requires radical new thinking and initiatives, perhaps far beyond what the administration has conceived, or shown readiness to undertake. The starting point would naturally be to move more swiftly in the area of infrastructure delivery – of power and transportation – in particular.

    Secondly, we need a deliberate redirection of our existing trade policies to ensure that the country not only derives optimal value from exports but also to ensure that our trade partners are not allowed to short-change our country.

    A lot, no doubt, could be said of a few indigenous players making a foray into the global market; however, the preponderance of our exports is still done with nary value addition. A composite trade policy anchored on a solid industrial base is what is needed at this time – and urgently too – to buck the trend, as this is the only guarantee of optimal values for our poorly priced exports and long-term goal of reciprocity in trade.  Without the twin policies in place, we guarantee that the current restrictions placed on access to forex for some categories of imports to boost their local production, and the ongoing interventions by the apex bank to give muscle to local producers, will ultimately be undone in the chaotic environment.

  • Irukera: My disqualification is in bad faith

    Tunde Irukera, a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, was disqualified by the Screening Committee. In this interview, the Director-General, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, speaks on his ordeal, his mission in politics and the agitation for power shift in the Northcentral State. EMMANUEL OLADESU reports.

    What is your reaction to your disqualification from the Kogi APC governorship primary?

    We were ambushed. It is in bad faith. Suddenly, we were asked to come to Abuja. We were directed to the Appeal Committee. The disqualification is without justification. We are going to resist it.

    Why do you want to be governor of Kogi?

    There is a short and long answer to that question. The first answer to that question is that there is a need in Kogi and we must answer to that call. The long answer is that Kogi is lagging behind in most indices of governance and development; in governance, health, lifestyle, and standard of living, our state is ranked at the lower rung of the ladder.

    When you compare the resources and the possibility in the potential of the state with the declared results, then it will not be difficult to concede that Kogi State is performing the worst in the country from the comparative standpoint. It then behooves on the citizen of Kogi to make sure that whatever they can do to change that narrative to the path of prosperity, they should do it. This is not just ambition but a call, a responsibility and an obligation that has been placed on some of us to consider whether we have the courage to confront or not. I am in the race in part because of the pressure and ultimately because I truly have a clear vision for the development of the state.

    My vision for the state is encapsulated under the acronym, “HELP”, which entails Healthcare and human security; Employments, Learning opportunities and Prosperity for all. Kogi is a state where you can find in large quantity any mineral resources that could be found elsewhere in Nigeria. Not to mention the closeness to Abuja; Kogi is also significantly endowed with arable farmland and good irrigation; the confluence itself is a tourist attraction if truly and fully maximised. Mount Patti is one of the highest points where you have a significant flat top that can be truly exploited for tourism.

    Don’t you think that call may likely ruffle feathers since you are heeding it on the platform of the APC which also has a sitting governor looking to answer the same call for a second term?

    I think the way the democratic and electoral system work already defined what is expressible and what is not expressible. In reality, this whole thing is about service to the people. The election system as stipulated in the constitution says there is a potential to change every four years.

    The parties have also adopted that constitutional principle of saying that though a governor has a right to two-terms, they created a system of primaries to ensure that space is open every four years and return to the delegates of the parties for assessment.

    You contested the 2015 APC governorship primary in Kogi State, but eventually step down for the late Abubakar Audu. What actually informed the withdrawal and how confident are you that delegates will vote for you?

    I think what I did then was a demonstration of what my real intentions were and still are. I offered myself to serve and not pursue personal ambition. If it was a personal ambition to rule Kogi State, the discussion about moving away from the race is not going to happen in that manner.

    My ambition has always been to a successful lawyer not to be governor in Kogi but getting into that race means a complete commitment and sacrifice to serve the people and change the narrative of the state. With that message, the delegates will connect. Delegates, over the past four years, they will look up and see what I have done with the very limited resources that have been entrusted to me.

    I started about two years as the Director-General of the Consumer Protection Council, a rather small agency that is relatively unknown in this country with a relatively small budget. I have spent over two and half years now without a significant increase in that budget, the Consumer Protection Council is now a well-known location where people can go when they believe that they have been poorly treated by companies. Not only that, in that same period of time, I fought hard to ensure that Nigeria now has legislation that promotes the rights of consumers and also prohibits exploitative means. If the delegates look at my record, then they can know whether they can entrust their joint destiny and faith of their people in me.

    Delegates by their very nature are delegates of the people. The single vote they have doesn’t belong to them but those they are representing unlike in the general election. In the general election, people have their votes and they cast it at will. But delegates’ election means that delegates are trustees and what they should be doing is to vote the aggregated aspiration of the people that they represent from the communities.

    I believe that the valid proposition that I present is something that the communities are interested in. That is why I am confident that the APC delegates will come out and vote for me at the primaries. I firmly believe that I understand exactly how to accomplish that vision and lead the right team to accomplish those objectives and finally because Kogi, as it is today, is not optimising its potential.

    I believe that given the opportunity to lead a strong team of very committed and bright people, we can truly transform the state and put it on the map of very progressive locations not just in Nigeria, but on the continent. Kogi has all it takes. So, I think there is an intersection between what I desire for the state and what the people of the state desire for themselves.

    If you become the flagbearer of the APC, can you beat the PDP candidate?

    I am very confident of winning the election if I emerge as the candidate of our party because we present better value for that position. What the APC has to offer Kogi State is far better than what any other party, including the PDP, has. For the first time in the existence of Nigeria, we have this massive Social Protection Programs which were fundamental issues APC committed itself to in its roadmap.

    This social program of the federal government has now become world acclaimed in many countries and organisations. So, the two things that are important to leadership selection are character and record. Our party has the record already of intervening socially to promote and bringing people out of poverty through the provision of jobs. And I have the character and the records also of intervening in corporate issues that concern citizens. I’m fully certain that for a state like Kogi that required a fresh emergence, that state is safe in the hands of the APC. I believe that if I emerge as the representative of the APC and with my background as a commercial lawyer and litigator with vast experience around the world, I believe I have the network to harness the potential of the state for common growth and development.

    What is your take on calls for power shift to Kogi West, which has not produced a governor in the history of the state?

    There are two things I am going to say to that. The shift that citizens are looking up to in Kogi State is a shift to good governance. But this doesn’t mean that those individuals and regional proclivities don’t exist anymore, they do. But they are far more diminished in gain now than then.

    Secondly, Kogi is a mini-Nigeria; very complex, multi-cultural and multiple languages. There are even minorities who live in the minority. The interesting thing in Kogi is that in all the three senatorial districts there are at least two local governments that have minorities in them.

    So, that is exactly the way Nigeria is. If the numbers are the only way to emerge, the leadership of the country would have come from one part of the country. But in the quest for justice, fairness, and equity, Nigeria formulated a system of rotating power. Kogi State is at that crossroad now.

    Would you consider offers from other political parties?

    Absolutely not. Its not an option.

  • Nigeria and the followership question

    There are two sides to every issue and that includes the problems confronting Nigeria. Over the years, the leadership factor has been consistently blamed for the seemingly insurmountable obstacles to the expected steady development of the country. Leaders of various governments also formed the habit of harping on the failures and inadequacies of predecessors akin to the “bring him down” syndrome of rival military juntas.

    Nigerians generally welcome leaders with euphoria and high expectations but rarely consider themselves as essential factors in the success or failure of governments, impatiently turning into “wailers”, even though their attitudes and conduct too often militate against the desired national progress and development. The prevailing situation in the country whereby undeniably strenuous efforts of the federal government are seen to be yielding positive outcomes, especially in the anti-corruption fight and the critical sectors of infrastructural development, agricultural development, economic diversification, youth empowerment and poverty alleviation, contrasts sharply with the public pre-occupation with crisis-mongering and armchair criticism. The notoriously unpatriotic “Nigerian Factor” is obviously alive and kicking!

    It was US President John F. Kennedy who famously took the citizenry to task over their presumption of entitlement to the benefits of citizenship from government without responsibility, when he counselled “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”. This exhortation is even more warranted in Nigeria where the tendency is for citizens to look up to government for their every need without the slightest consideration for their own contribution in support of government’s omnibus duty. Not even tax!

    President Muhammadu Buhari was even more forthright when, in his first emergence as military Head of State, he identified indiscipline as the national malady against which he launched a highly impactful corrective War Against Indiscipline (WAI) targeting social maladjustment and rampant corruption with emphasis on engendering personal and moral discipline to check indolence and corrupt practices. It is instructive that in his second coming, three decades later, President Buhari had to start from where he was stopped by the IBB palace coup in 1985, this time going all out against corruption in government which was threatening to “kill Nigeria”.

    President Buhari has marvellously demonstrated the critical role of responsible and patriotic leadership in charting a course of moral and institutional integrity as a necessary pre-requisite for political and economic progress. However, it is disheartening that the generality of Nigerians are quick to “hail” his exemplary record but reluctant to play their own part in support of his national crusade which they purport to endorse. Yet they know that without their buy-in and self-motivated adoption of the Buhari corrective crusade against corruption in government and indiscipline in the society, they are merely paying lip-service to the legacy. Ask not what more Buhari can do; ask what you can do in support of his crusade against personal and social indiscipline.

    Among the trending acts of gross indiscipline that Nigerians, especially urban elite, brazenly indulge in is ignoring traffic lights. This malady was rightly diagnosed as psychiatric by the FRSC which appropriately introduced compulsory psychiatric examination for culprits but it seems to be spreading like an epidemic across the nation today. Such a life-endangering act of indiscipline is perpetrated in broad daylight by supposedly civilized urban elite!

    Another outrageous case of indiscipline frequently unleashed on innocent road users with reckless abandon hit the headlines recently when irate commercial drivers deliberately blocked the ever-busy Kaduna-Abuja highway for more than 12 hours in a protest against the killing of a bus driver by a  policeman   on the road after he allegedly refused to part with a N2,000 bribe. The Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai who eventually pacified the protesting drivers did not spare them for such misguided protest.  ”However, grief and a sense of loss do not justify imposing such pains on other citizens as the protesting drivers have done by blocking a very busy highway. They have left many people stranded for several hours and caused considerable distress.”

    These two incidents capture the negative attitudinal and behavioural traits that Nigerians exhibit frequently that not only underscore the inherent character challenges that have to be overcome but also demonstrate the impact that such undesirable tendencies have on the prospects for developing a supportive mind-set among citizens for success of good governance policies and programmes. Such behavioural patterns indicate high potential for citizens to deliberately act in conflict with laws and policies intended for the overall interest of the nation. This calls for vigorous sensitization on the need for citizens to contribute their quota to the success of meaningful public policies towards national progress by regarding the task of governance as the joint responsibility of citizen and government.

    So indeed there are two sides to the problem with Nigeria. The leadership aspect has been identified and is being subjected to corrective measures by the democratic opportunities for periodic review, recall and replacement. But the followership fiasco is getting worse on virtually all fronts. Gross indiscipline is complicated by orchestrated incitement against democratic institutions and processes, exploiting the widespread political ignorance of the masses.

    Now that we have a purposeful president with a mass followership and a corrective agenda, the next four years could be our best chance to bring the masses back from the wailing wall. If only our crisis-mongering, blame –gaming and empire-building political elite would put long-term national interest above all else and stop running down the best efforts of a principled and patriotic leader to stop the rot.

    • Akanbi, politician, wrote from Ibadan.

  • Re: Can I tell my fiancé my father deflowered me?

    FUNKE whose parents were separated was raped and deflowered by her father when she was 16. She had never known a rosy life until Kunle appeared in her life in her early 20s. Kunle has asked for her hand in marriage and plans to have her relocate to Germany where he’s based. However, she’s very worried any of her family members could tell him about her painful secret, i.e. how her father defiled her in the past. She sought my advice on whether to tell him herself and a good number of Nigerians sent in their suggestions and advice.

    Dear Funke,

    Every intending couple wants to know about their past. Past is past; it is behind us, we should never allow it to hurt the present and future so for two reasons you must tell your fiancé.

    1. For this abnormality, there must be an antidote to cleanse you.
    2. He must not be told by a 3rd party; there will be addition and multiplication. Pray then, go ahead and tell him. God is in control.

    Anonymous

    Dear Funke,

    Please, never divulge the story. You will not believe the outcome. That should remain a permanent secret. However, you should relate well with your family and your in-laws. Nothing will happen. I suffered the same setback growing up. Someone that my mother couldn’t believe could ever do such, did it to me. The man also later deflowered his biological daughter. I am well over 50 now and I have never told an outsider. You must put it behind you. This is exactly how many young girls are tortured and end up paying emotionally for what wasn’t their fault. The current noise in the news daily about rape and child sexual abuse is just a tip of the iceberg. Too many victims prefer to be mute so they can have peace. To tell your husband-to-be is to create an everlasting agony in your life.

    Read Also: ‘My fiance got married to another woman the same day he engaged me’

    Anonymous

    Dear Funke,

    Please, be the first to tell him so haters don’t outsmart you. It may even increase his love and protection for you. However, pray before you tell him.

    Anonymous

    Dear Funke,

    Please, don’t tell him because the act is devilish and shameful. If he happens to discover later, you can apologise to him.

    Anonymous

    Dear Funke,

    Often times in life, we offer information when not required or asked. If Kunle asks you, then you should be honest about it but if he doesn’t, just keep quiet about it. Meanwhile, you should go to God in prayer to handle the matter in His way.

    H.E.

    Dear Funke,

    You should seek prophetic directives, then fast and pray before dropping the bombshell if the man of God is so led in the spirit that you should tell your fiancé. Otherwise, take solace in the fact that a failed dating is better than a dead marriage. If the man calls it quits because your irresponsible father forcefully deflowered you perhaps under a threat to your life, what a pity!

    K.A. Adebisi Esq.

    Dear Funke,

    I am really sorry about your predicament as I imagine the turmoil in your heart. I’d like to address some issues that would free you from this emotional and spiritual quagmire.

    1. At the moment, you are very weak emotionally and not strong because you’ve never really enjoyed parental care. You grew up in a loveless home, your father defiled you and your mother never cared enough to protect you because she remarried and never wanted to jeopardise her marriage. More so, she has two children in her new marriage she would rather care for. If your parents could let you down, who can you trust? Kunle might be your angel as he’s been expressing; at the same time, he might not be! You would regard any man who is generous to you even in the least form as a God-sent because you are extremely vulnerable. There’s nothing wrong in being appreciative of whoever has made life beautiful for you, however, you have to be very careful with your feelings and be strong, very strong. You need the strength of God so your vulnerability won’t lead you to a hell of emotional blackmail which a lot of men unleash on vulnerable women. If you are strong enough, especially spiritually, you’ll be able to decipher whether Kunle is indeed your angel from God or someone sent by the devil to further torment your destiny. You never can tell what is waiting for you in Germany. So many unsuspecting women who were married and taken abroad by their fiancés have very sour tales to tell.
    2. During our discussion, you never told me you’ve ever been through any deliverance session to get rid of the fatal effects of incest. Biblically, incestuous relationships carry curses which can alter the course of one’s destiny. I am quite sure, in your ancestry, there must be a curse attached to incest. No doubt, your father’s act has opened up your life to demonic invasion and that’s probably why you faced a lot of ill-luck and disfavour in your former work-place(s). How are we so sure you are free from this curse and what do we know awaits you in the nearest future? This is a very serious matter and not one to be taken lightly. You need to be sure your life is free from every curse that could make your destiny vulnerable to attacks before you follow Kunle to Germany, otherwise may he not label you a witch and a destiny destroyer if anything goes wrong with him because he decided to cleave with you!

    If these two issues are addressed to start with, the answer to your question would be easily established. Let’s keep talking. May the mighty power of God rest upon your life and give you victory within the shortest period.

    Your sister,

    Pastor Temilolu

  • Physically challenged seeks prayers, more fund

    Miss Ijachi Blessing Maria, the 17-year-old girl with severe bowing of both limbs, whose story was first published in Life Magazine section of this paper last month (July 3), seeking N2.5 million for the correction of her deformities at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, was scheduled for surgery yesterday. Though she is yet to fully realise the total cost needed for the operation, she is very hopeful.

    As the Benue State-born girl moved into hospital last Monday, preparatory to the surgery, she thanked donors, who have so far responded to her appeal for the N2.5million  required for the operation, adding that she has so far realised N2,030,000. She is, therefore, pleading for more financial support and prayers from the public, corporate organisations, religious houses and leaders, governments and non-governmental organisations.

    Blessing specially thanked the media for taking up her case and restoring her hope for life, stating: “But without you, there is nothing I could have done. In fact, I have already lost hope in life, but you and other good spirited Nigerians have restored my hope. Please, help me to appeal for public understanding and pardon as I return again to plead for more financial support as I have no other option, but to do so.

    “On arriving the hospital on Monday, I was told that the cost of the operation I was given early last year had risen by over N800, 000. I sincerely appeal for this sum N800, 000 and it shouldn’t be what would stop me from going ahead with this operation.  I know with your support, those of Nigerians and the Almighty father, I will get this money and I will be relieved of this predicament once and for all. Thank them all for me, God will bless you all and grant you His grace and glory. My account details remain John Blessing Maria, GT Bank Account No. 0468466784. Donors should please make their contributions to the account and help me with prayers for the success of the operation. By His grace, I will return alive, hail and healthier to your joy and glory.”

    Blessing has experienced 12 years of unbaiting harsh pains from severe bowing of both limbs and dropped out of school in Senior Secondary School (SSS) 1 in 2016 from the excruciating pains and inability to walk to and from school. She will remain in hospital for four weeks after the operation to fully recover from the surgery before she would be discharged.

    She started having problems with her legs from age two and half and was taken to the General Hospital, Ikeja, from where she was referred to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi (NOHIL), Lagos.

    “Igbobi prescribed a surgery for me at that age, my dad was required to donate blood for me for the operation, but he was sick at the time and died. We couldn’t raise the money after my dad’s death, so, it was impossible for us to go back to Igbobi for the operation,” Blessing said, adding that her mother told her of the harrowing experiences the family went through since then.

    She managed to go through elementary school and then Junior Secondary School (JSS) at the Ikeja Junior Secondary School, Oshodi, Lagos. But, with the pains and level of deformity worsening as she grew older, it became impossible for her to walk to school daily, sit all through in the class and walk back home.

    Described by her teachers as exceptionally brilliant, Blessing painfully dropped out of school in Form 1 at the Ikeja Senior Secondary School in 2016.

    “It was a very painful end to the education of a most academically promising child,” one of her teachers then, remarked of Blessing, who remains committed to returning to school once she is through with the surgery and certified okay.

    The hope-raising medical report for Blessing signed by Dr. Izuagba Emeka B., Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Padiatric Orthopaedics and Limb Reconstruction Unit, NOHIL, dated March 26, 2019 and entitled: Re: Medical Report on Ijachi Blessing Maria/ Female/17years, Hospital No. 639273, reads: “The above named patient of our hospital was first seen on 17/09/2018 with complaints of severe bowing of both limbs of 12years duration. There is associated knee pain, difficulty in walking or running.

    “She initially presented to the hospital 7 years ago for treatment, but defaulted as she could not afford the cost of the required surgery. The deformities have since progressively worsened up to the present state.

    “On presentation, she was thoroughly re-examined and a diagnosis of severe Bilateral Infantile Blount disease to rule out skeletal dysplasia was made following clinical assessment and X-ray imaging studies.

    “She requires a surgical treatment of gradual correction of lower limb deformities using Ring Fixator/Taylor Spatial Frame due to the grotesque nature of the deformities.”

  • Clarion call for people-oriented roads

    Research reports have revealed that a high percentage of road traffic deaths are pedestrians. Surprisingly, a large number of the pedestrians were knocked down near pedestrian overhead bridges.

    Looking at the general pattern of road construction, it can be confidently said that the roads and furniture are not pedestrian – friendly. It is obvious that most of the roads constructed were patterned after those in the developed countries without taking into consideration the attitudes of Nigerians.

    So many roads were constructed without Pedestrian walkways. Where walkways were constructed, measures were not put in place to prevent the infiltration of the walkways by vehicles, traders and other obstructions. Traffic officers are daily working to keep motorists safe without any provision of traffic officers dedicated to keep the walkways and pedestrians safe.

    Virtually all the pedestrian overhead bridges are very risky to use from 7pm because of pick pockets, armed robbers, rapists and kidnappers. So many pedestrians, particularly women have fallen victims thereby forcing them to abandon the footbridges from late evening, risking their lives to cross the roads. In this case, the lack of provision of security for the foot bridges is not making it to fulfil the designed purpose.

    In Lagos, Abuja and some other places, the governments have spent billions of naira to construct barricades near pedestrian overhead bridges as a measure to compel pedestrians to use the foot bridges. Research has revealed that this measure has failed and will continue to fail thereby resulting to massive wastage of money. The new costly barricades recently installed by the Lagos State government have been destroyed by desperate pedestrians and stray vehicles. I can’t remember the number of times this has been done by previous governments without achieving the desired results. There is a need to change the approach and get it right once and for all.

    Pedestrian overhead bridges were mostly constructed without taking into consideration the aged, sick, weak and the physically challenged people. With these and the fact that the number of pedestrians that do cross the roads daily are more than the number of vehicles that pass the roads, I hereby submit that the governments ( Federal and State) should experiment a pedestrian – oriented interface with vehicles.

    Black spots where more pedestrians are being knocked down should be identified and marked for restructuring. At those busy black spots, overhead bridges should be constructed for vehicles while pedestrian walkways should be marked under the overhead bridges. This suggestion will make it easy for all classes of pedestrians, the healthy and the weak,  to cross the roads with ease.

    The suggested restructuring may be costly but in the long run, it will be cheaper and more effectively promote safety at the target locations. There is a need for the Federal and State governments to embark on road audit with special focus on pedestrian safety. Very busy bus stops, school environments and market areas should be given priority in the suggested overhead bridges restructuring where they already exist and construction where necessary none yet. In every country, every life must count.

  • Community leader seeks govt’s intervention on flood

    The Baale of Ogombo community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State Alhaji Abiodun Ogunbo has urged government to assist in the perennial flood affecting the residents of the area. He said each time it rains the people are often worried about the consequences.

    He spoke to reporters during the Eid el Kabir Muslim festival in Ogombo, where he was honoured by Cityherald Magazine for his outstanding contributions to the development of the area in particular and enhancement of people’s well-being in general.

    He said Ogombo was not only contributing to the development of Lagos State, but also ensuring that its civic responsibilities were duly carried out. He urged government to put the necessary infrastructure in place to further enhance residents’ living condition.

    The Baale said his main focus was to ensure that all parts of Ogombo were adequately developed in line with government’s plans to make Lagos the best city in Nigeria.

    He added that if government intervenes in the flood that is ravaging the area, it would go a long way in ameliorating the sufferings of the people, even as he said it would also enhance the well-being and peaceful co-existence among the residents.

    Ogunbo further said the award bestowed on him by Cityherald Magazine would further challenge his resolve to serve the people better, stressing that his promotion of love and unity among the indigenes and non-indigenes was borne out of love to serve humanity.

    The Baale said the award came to him as a surprise because he never knew the media were taking note of his activities in Ogombo. He called on other well-meaning individuals to support the efforts to make the community better.

    He said the annual Muslim festival provided the opportunity for the people to reflect and see what they could do to impact on Ogombo community.

    Addressing the people, he said: “I appreciate everybody, especially members of the Community Development Association (CDA) who attended the programme despite the short notice. Today marked the beginning of a new dawn in Ogombo community.

    “This annual festival and celebration had been in existence for long but was relegated to the background in the past. But we are reviving it and placing it back to where it belongs. It is a festival that follows Allah’s instruction.

    “Therefore, the purpose of the season should be beyond the festivities. It is not about sharing of meat or blood of animals, but to encourage self-discipline and sacrifice. This programme will continue to be held and we will improve on it.”

    The publisher of Cityherald Mr. Oguntuase Adegboyega commended the traditional ruler for championing the development of Ogombo community.

  • Oyo Speaker: Politics should be a vocation

    The Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Edward Ogundoyin, has urged the youths to perceive politics as a vocation and not an occupation.

    He said: “It is not advisable to go straight into politics without first working. It is good to have a second address.”

    Ogundoyin urged youths to emulate Governor Seyi Makinde, who he described as a dynamic governor with a new orientation.

    He said the governor worked hard to earn a living before venturing into politics.

    The speaker spoke in Lagos, shortly before the commencement of the conference of 36 Houses of Assembly Speakers organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies.

    He said: “Youths should know that the time is ripe for us to get involved in politics. But, politics should not be seen as a means of enrichment, but sacrifice and public service.

    “The perception that people go to politics to get money and become rich is wrong. That is why some people, after their tenure, become poor. Youths in politics should not focus on financial reward. They should be interested in solving the  problems of their communities. They should fight the infrastructure battle. They should empower people. The more you empower, the more those being empowered will empower others.

    “We should join politics, not for financial gain, but for the empowerment of the people.”

    Ogundoyin maintained that it is not good for youths to join politics without first establishing themselves in occupations of meaningful value.

    He said politicians who lacked second addresses exposed themselves to future risks.

    The Speaker said his expereince as a farmer has further enriched his public service experience, adding that he has utilised it to offer constructive advice to the governor on agriculture.

    He added: “I went to the Republic of Benin with the governor to study agric-business. We want to transform Oyo to African business hub. We need people with expertise and ideas.

    “I have given some input from the perspective of youths in agriculture. We should encourage youths to embrace agriculture to boost our GDP and IGR.”