The Nation Newspaper

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  • ‘Don’t deregister political parties’

    The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP) in the last presidential election, Dr. Johnson Edosomwan, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to stop threatening political parties with deregistration.

    The international development consultant said that it is unfair and insensitive for the INEC to be wielding such a huge stick when political parties are struggling through an electoral process.

    Edosomwan said that the law is clear on the process and procedure of the deregistration of political parties.

    He emphasized that it is wrong for the INEC to bully parties into deregistration since the election process has not been finalized.

    He went further to state that “it is this same law that empowers the INEC to deregister political parties that will also stop the INEC from deregistering political parties because firstly, litigations are all over the place which will take time to resolve and we are going to be faced with the inability of some governors to conduct local government elections which is required by the amended constitution before the INEC can decide to deregister any party that did not win a local government election or a councillorship seat or score some percentage in the local government election”.

    Read also: Delta NDCP complains about poll irregularities

    Edosomwan said that it is undemocratic for the INEC to target parties for deregistering at this time.

    “Targeting political parties for deregistration is hasty and confusing. That shouldn’t be the INEC’s immediate focus at this time. It is unproductive for our democracy and will limit and reduce the vibrancy of our democracy and our democratic values.

    “In the interest of our nascent democracy, my advice to the INEC is to focus on all the complaints that are being made and correct the anomalies in its processes in order to build our political process,” Edosomwan.

  • ‘Young people need to harness the power of technology to their advantage’

    Moses Oruaze Dickson is one of the voices in the Nigerian legal service industry as much as he has built a reputation for himself as a philanthropist. His goal is to build one of Nigeria’s leading niche expertise commercial law firms . In this interview with Omolara Akintoye, Dickson, the Managing Solicitor, Triax Solicitors, talks about how he is supporting the disadvantaged through free pro-bono services through his commitment to philanthropy, how youths can harness the power of technology, his plans on job creation, among others. Excerpts:

    Based on your experience as an entrepreneur, what advice would you give to a startup?

    I have learned a lot from my mistakes as an entrepreneur and if I am to advise other young entrepreneurs, the five most critical bits of advice I would like to give are: first, there is no silver bullet ever! (And if someone tells you there is, be very cautious). Second is having unwavering confidence in yourself and your business. Third is to ensure your product answers/replaces people’s core problems or frustration points (the more niche the harder for user penetration). Fourth, if you cannot explain it in fewer than 20 words, your product is too complicated. The fifth is, asking for help is not wrong or a crime! Go get help and never be scared to find people to help

    What social responsibility projects have your firm executed or plans to execute?

    Over the years, we have partnered with nonprofit organisation like the Goldcoast Developmental Foundation to support disadvantaged individuals through our pro-bono services. We have also partnered with the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Bayelsa State chapter to fight violence against the girl child through the #ProtectTheGirlChild Challenge. This campaign was in response to the increasing cases of sexual violence on young girls across the country, which we feel that something must be done to address it. We plan to formally launch the #ProtectTheGirldChild campaign, providing legal services as well as financial support to ensure that victims of such violence are protected and given adequate access to justice.

    How do you think youths can harness digital platform to empower themselves?

    I always encourage youth to know that technology and social media can help the insurance industry connect more in the area of market. I was particularly interested in this topic because Insurance is one of the niche areas for our practice at Triax Solicitors. Not only are we interested in the industry, but we are also interested in dealing with issues around claims management, which is one of the major challenges of the insurance industry. Insurance companies need to do some things to connect with the youth market. They need to use social media to not only try to sell their services but educate people on ‘why they need insurance.’ One of my major arguments was that the major problem of the insurance industry is about perception. The perception of the industry by a vast majority of Nigerians is negative, as a lot of people do not trust the insurance companies to deliver on their promise of paying claims. In fact, I made clear the fact that Nigerians are even religious about it. They would rather commit their properties to God instead of getting insurance. If this is addressed through education and the setting up of a reliable claims management company, that would be one major problem solved by the industry.

    Second is on how technology through freelancing platforms would change the very nature of jobs as we know it. Young people need to acquire marketable skills that can be offered through digital platforms. Skills like programming, design, website development, and related skills can be offered from the comfort of any location.  The government cannot and will not be able to provide jobs for everyone. Therefore, it is the responsibility of young people to harness the power of technology and digital platforms to create jobs for themselves.

    Today, anyone can provide services from anywhere, with just a click of a button. It is the realisation of this job and skill transfer dynamic that informed the decision of one of our companies to venture into the creation of a freelancing digital platform for skilled individuals and employers who will need their services. I can boldly say now that the social media and technology is changing business, society, and culture on the continent and the world positively.

    What is the motivation for your commitment to philanthropy?

    Having stared at the face of poverty and refusing to bow throughout my upbringing, I have always felt a deep responsibility to give back to my community. I credit my parents, particularly my late mother, Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson for instilling the ethos of philanthropy, particularly my responsibility as a Christian to give and care for the less fortunate in our society. I believe our role as citizens of this world is to truly support the betterment of our society so that future generations and their offspring grow up to live even better lives and strive for even more than they think is possible today.

    Philanthropy is the ‘new green’ in the continent, yet, it seems to be an exclusive preserve of the rich; how do you think more people can be encouraged to commit to philanthropy, so as to contribute to solving some of the continent’s major problems, one among which is poverty?

    I truly believe that charity and philanthropy don’t necessarily mean you have to spend money. There are several avenues available to almost everyone in society on how to give back. I often tell people, consider donating your time, talents and belongings for the greater good. I think once people are aware that these non-financial avenues are equally as important and impactful as donating money –there can be greater collective efforts to helping the less fortunate.

    You have been very active recently on social media, what is your motivation for this?

    Well, over the years, I have acquired a lot of experience as an entrepreneur; having built a successful law practice, I feel obligated to share my knowledge and experience with other people, especially young people like me, who otherwise will not have the opportunity to learn from a mentor or someone who has experienced business first hand. People reach out to me privately asking for business advice and I have tried to respond to as many as I can, however, with social media, I can reach a lot of people at once. With social media, I can mentor a lot of people at once, while still having time to run my business. I believe social media is a blessing to our generation and any business or career individual who wants to get their message out there must learn to leverage on this tool to reach their target audience.

    Your law firm, Triax Solicitors, has been handling major commercial cases in the Niger-Delta…

    Triax Solicitors was founded with the vision to become one of the leading law firms in the country that is focused on niche practice, particularly in commercial law. So far, we have been able to successfully complete high profile projects worth over $100 million for a couple of clients. This we have achieved within our short existence of three years. Also, we have been able to expand our operations from Bayelsa State to Abuja and about to open a new office in Lagos State. We have a network of about 20 staff members for now and still growing.

    As a law firm, we are committed to supporting the communities where we do business by widening access to justice, education and finance. We collaborate with clients, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and charities to deliver these community outreaches and pro bono services, with partner-led, client-focused teams.

    Our community outreach and pro bono strategy focus on providing the best possible support to our NGO and charity clients, whilst at the same time expanding the capabilities of our people and strengthening relationships, partnership and collaboration. Our initiatives provide all of our people, at all levels, with opportunities to practice and enhance the skills that are key to their development, making them more effective and well-rounded.

    One way we measure the impact of this commitment is by setting ourselves an annual target of helping 5,000 people a year. We have a varied programme of community and pro bono activities, which focus on access to justice, access to education and access to finance.

     

  • Obasanjo and the PDP 2023 agenda

    DESPITE the fairly strong showing of the opposition at the last polls, former president Olusegun Obasanjo remains sceptical about the cohesiveness and resoluteness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to win subsequent polls, particularly the presidential election. If the opposition is to dominate the next election cycle, he suggests in a speech last Sunday, they will have to embark on internal reforms and purges. Arguing that he knew they would lose the 2015 presidential poll, but reluctant to say whether he sensed the disconcerting outcome of February’s presidential election, the former president advocates for radical changes in the opposition if they are to make a huge impression next time. Chief Obasanjo may be right about the PDP’s dire situation, particularly their indolence in facing up to the rigours of the last election, but it is doubtful whether even he understands the many-sidedness of the problems the party is contending with and why they lost the last poll by such a significant, though not destructive or irrecoverable, margin.

    If the former president’s self-righteousness is deemphasised or ignored, it should not be too difficult to accept his diagnosis of the ailment that continues to afflict the PDP and has now twice barred the opposition party from regaining Aso Villa. “I am not a perfect person. I have my shortcomings,” said the former president with disguised self-satisfaction. “If I deny my shortcomings, it means I am not being truthful to myself.” In the very next sentence, however, Chief Obasanjo betrays his true feelings: “…My shortcomings have nothing to do with my love for Nigeria. It has nothing to do with being greedy or selfishness.” Really? Is he so optimistic as to think his shortcomings do not either indicate or betray his contempt for Nigeria? And does his conscience not smite him over what many analysts think are his principle vices of greed and selfishness, two powerful shortcomings that in combination indicate a terrible flaw in a man?

    However, despite his self-confessed limitations, Chief Obasanjo is right to warn the PDP to watch their politics if they are to make significant inroads in 2023. He recommends that the opposition should assemble a critical mass of committed leaders and followers to strengthen the party for the huge task ahead in the next election cycle. It perhaps needs to be restated for the umpteenth time that the main opposition party cannot continue with their conservative approach to the business of politics if they are not to come to grief a third time. Twice they have been put to shame, in 2015 and 2019. A third time would mark them down as both incorrigible and uneducable. The country needs them, despite the excoriating attacks on their integrity masterminded by the ruling party and a sometimes hostile electorate. Yes, the country needs them, but nevertheless in a different shape and course. They must prove capable of the changes both Chief Obasanjo and the country are asking of them.

    Before the 2019 polls, this column more than three times fiercely admonished the PDP to embark on reform and purges in order to recreate and align themselves to the changing and radical needs of the country, particularly to sate the increasingly fickle and demanding needs of a less discriminating and less inquisitive electorate. Instead, the PDP, obviously unaccustomed to opposition politics and environment, desperately turned to the former Borno State governor Ali Modu Sheriff for succour. Yes, Mr Sheriff was as hard as they come: temperamental but pertinacious, domineering but courageous and combative, and contemptuous of his opponents but rich and accommodating. Such a man, on the surface, seemed very suited to the period needs of a party that had just received a merciless drubbing at the polls. However, the PDP later found out to their eternal regret that despite all of Mr Sheriff’s enticing gifts, nothing in his attitude or disposition makes him amenable to the long term needs of the party or even make him relevant to the development of its fundamental character.

    And just as the party emerged from a bruising legal and psychological battle with their interim chairman, they launched furiously into a bitter fratricidal nomination war that left them depleted and angry. Having burnt their fingers once while romancing  the obtruding Mr Sheriff, the party was reluctant to sleepwalk its way into the fatal embrace of moneybag governors who had attempted to hijack the party’s body and soul. In the end, they had had to settle for a new defector as their presidential candidate, and needed a coterie of other defectors in order to even be in a position to record some significant milestones in the last elections. They severely left alone the fundamental things that needed to be done, such as purging their ranks of the divisive and tainted characters whom the public regarded as emblematising and stigmatising the party. They also saw nothing wrong in sustaining their amorphous ideological character simply because the ruling Al Progressives Congress (APC) is also ideologically impure and imprecise.

    Chief Obasanjo has appeared to call them to arms. They will do well to hearken to his voice and consider whether the next few years should not invite them to take the risks they have been wary of contemplating since 2015

    The PDP also had the peculiar problem of contending with, and helplessly relying on, many of their controversial leaders without whom, it seemed, they could not hope to survive. The party needed the money and standing and name recognition of those controversial figures. And given the ossification of Nigerian politics, particularly its mercantilist leanings and traditions, the PDP rank and file feared that if they were completely denied the experience and courage of the old brigade, they were courting disaster. It’s a double edged sword. Either they now summon the courage to change direction and embrace new forces and ideas, or they stay in their comfort zone and face the risk of being transfixed to death. Chief Obasanjo has appeared to call them to arms. They will do well to hearken to his voice and consider whether the next few years should not invite them to take the risks they have been wary of contemplating since 2015.

    Indeed, far more than the former president has sensitised them to the political and existential dangers they face, the PDP faces the equally major and urgent issue of fixing their fixation with the next election cycle, in this case, the 2023 polls. When Chief Obasanjo spoke in the presence of the PDP leaders that visited him last Sunday, he harped on the urgency of fixing the party ahead of the 2023 elections. But are the party’s problems not worth fixing regardless of the next elections and their hypothetical outcomes? As a matter of fact, had the party looked beyond 2019 in their pre-election politics, it is unlikely they would have performed more poorly than they did in February and March. They were desperate in 2015, and so glossed over the deep reforms they should have made in the party. They were equally desperate in 2019, and again glossed over the indispensable and fundamental reforms that should be their political elixir. Ignoring or deemphasising radical changes that would stand them in good stead in the near future in their short-term desperation to regain the presidential villa is counterproductive.

    Chief Obasanjo may be unqualified to serve as the party’s moralist and lodestar, but his counsel is not altogether worthless. If the PDP is to thrive and retain relevance now and in the future, and especially if they are to make a far more aggressive impact in the coming elections, they must look inwards, reform their methods, refine their philosophical and ideological platforms, purge their ranks of the jaded and mercantilist politicians that degrade their purpose and vision, and rediscover the altruism that ennobles their desire to reshape Nigeria and even Africa. They have shown some hunger for public office; they have however not shown nobility of purpose. They have become desperate to win elections; they must be much more desperate to be ideologically relevant. They have been more clearly conservative than the ruling party is progressive; they should stick to their conservatism and even make it sexy.

  • APC’s growing ideological clarity

    Are there any fundamental differences in ideological orientation or philosophical outlook between Nigeria’s two hegemonic parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? Many Nigerians would say no. Both are essentially two sides of the same coin. Their leading members jump from one to the other with amazing ease. Many of them are more preoccupied with the acquisition of power more for material accumulation than any transcendental purpose. But is this perception of the two behemoths as organizational Siamese twins in terms of underlying motivating beliefs, values, assumptions and policy or articulations true? I don’t think so. What the just concluded elections have shown is the gradual crystallization of both parties along distinct ideological polarities.

    Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), in particular has, at various forums during the campaigns and after, incisively and painstakingly enunciated details of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s policy initiatives that reveal the APC’s emergent progressive ideological character. Under the APC in the last four years, there has been a massive channeling of public resources not just towards public infrastructure but also to succor the most vulnerable segments of the citizenry.

    Professor Osinbajo has constantly pungently reiterated the fact that, although the PMB administration has since 2015 earned far less from oil than the preceding PDP administrations did, the APC has done more in terms of investment in infrastructure and poverty alleviation in four years than the PDP recorded in 16 years. The PDP has found this irritating, annoying and no more than a mantra of excuses for failure to deliver on the APC’s electoral promises. But Osinbajo’s facts seem incontrovertible.

    In the VP’s words, “…lack of integrity in leadership and corruption, in particular, was the reason why we were finding it difficult to make progress. I explained that that’s why we earned $383 billion in four years, 2010-2014, the highest ever in the history of our country, and yet Lagos – Ibadan Expressway was not done. Lagos-Kano railway and all that is being done today were not done then. We cannot point to a single major infrastructure project that was completed in the 10-year period despite the high earnings including power”. On the contrary he reels out verifiable facts about the accomplishments of the PMB administration in infrastructure in its first term in diverse sectors including roads, rail transportation, bridges and power across the country’s geo-political zones.

    The scale of the APC’s investment in its Social Investment Programme (SIP) in the last four years is particularly remarkable. Through the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), for instance, loans ranging from N50,000 to N350,000 each were disbursed to more than 300,000 market women, traders, artisans and farmers across the country. This resulted in 349,000 beneficiaries opening new bank accounts/wallets thereby being drawn into the formal economy.

    Over two million petty traders gained access to micro-credit ranging from N50,000 to N150,000 through the Trader-Moni scheme administered by the Bank of Industry (BOI). Another 500, 000 traders operating through cooperatives benefitted from the Market-Moni micro credit scheme. And no less ambitious is the administration’s school feeding programme, which has provided a balanced meal for 9,300,892 pupils in 43,837 public primary schools in 26 states across Nigeria.

    Breaking this down, Osinbajo reveals that “the programme employs 95,422 cooks and over 100,000 smallholder farmers linked to the scheme” resulting in the “procurement, preparation and distribution of 594 cattle, 138,000 chickens, 6.8 million eggs and 83 metric tonnes of fish each week.” The positive implications of this kind of deliberate and unprecedented conditional cash transfer of resources towards those on the lowest rungs of society’s economic ladder cannot be overemphasized.

    It is of course obvious that with this massive infrastructure and social investment expenditure by the PMB administration, it is impossible for the grand larceny witnessed under the PDP, with a few individuals stealing humongous amounts of now recovered funds from state coffers, to take place under the APC. It is not that corruption has ceased to exist. But it cannot be practiced on a scale as injurious to the polity’s collective well being as witnessed during the GEJ administration.

    There is no doubt then that the APC is gaining in ideological clarity and organizational self definition. The party certainly does not derive intellectual inspiration from such extremist free market, neo-liberal economists such as Milton Friedman, Fredrick Hayek, W.W. Rostow  and his ‘non-communist manifesto’ or their political apostles such as Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher or Donald Trump. For these, society is made up of atomistic individuals involved in a Darwinian ‘survival of the fittest’ struggle. Free market fetishism, like electricity, permits of no feelings. Efficiency as epitomized by corporate profits is its guiding angel. State welfare to cater for the weak is not only indulgent; it breeds inefficiency, hurts business and hobbles progress. The state is an indispensable evil that must only be tolerated and its debilitating expansive proclivity curbed through aggressive privatization, deregulation, public sector downsizing and drastic curtailment of social subsidies. Rather, economically virile individuals and organizations must be given maximum opportunity to thrive and make profit so that wealth can trickle down for the benefit of the less able specie of the free market jungle.

    The APC’s Social Investment Programme would appear to draw intellectual inspiration from progressive economists like Dudley Seers or the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economics winner, Amartya Sen. It was Seer who posited the three questions: ‘What has been happening to poverty? What has been happening to unemployment? And what has been happening to inequality?’ as the most critical in determining a society’s level of development. According to Seers, “If one of two of these central problems have been growing worse, especially if all three have, it would be strange to call the result ‘development’ even if per capita income doubled”.

    Sen contends that inevitable components of any meaningful economic development must include freedom of opportunity, freedom to access credit as well as economic protection from abject poverty for the vast majority. As Professor Osinbajo never tires of pointing out, the APC’s massive social investment scheme would not even be on the cards at all but for PMB’s personal integrity and commitment to prudence, fiscal discipline and transparency in governance. That is why the resources are now available to be channeled for the benefit of the poor.

    Even then, Buhari’s inexplicable ambivalence, even indulgence, towards trusted members of his inner caucus who abuse his trust and taint his administration’s image must have been a factor in the PDP’s surprisingly impressive showing in the 2019 polls. If putting a check on such aberrant aides who constitute an albatross to his government is one of the promised ‘tough decisions’ to expect from Buhari in his second term, he may yet lay the foundation for a long stay in power by the progressives.

    The APC national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, a veteran labour activist and leader as well as brilliant progressive polemicist is no doubt best placed to give ideological direction to the APC. The more dynamic and result-oriented of the APC progressive governors obviously take their bearing from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s theory and praxis of governance as paradigm- setting helmsman of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.

    It is certainly for his commitment to the best interest of the party as well as his organizational, strategic and bargaining skills that party members defer to Tinubu honorifically as ‘National Leader’. Even more important and critical, in my view, is his role as intellectual torch bearer who seeks to constantly interrogate and make explicit what should be the ideological framework within which the APC’s vision and policies as a progressive party are grounded. This he did again during his 67th birthday colloquium when he stated clearly his perception of the right ideological course for the party to chart.

    In his words, “People the world over more than ever are questioning the centre-right conservative model that has, with few exceptions, governed the world for the last half century…Our pursuit of the Next Level cannot be achieved by blindly following the economic path of other nations. That would be tantamount to racing to live in a building just as its long term occupants were frantically rushing out, screaming that the edifice was crumbling. We dare not enter”.

    Continuing, Tinubu avers, “Our economy must be redefined to be an efficient yet moral social construct with the primary goal of optimizing the long-term welfare of the people through the sustained, productive and full employment of labour, land, capital and natural resources… To pull the nation from poverty, government must play a decisive role. It must at times direct and even develop markets and opportunities. This is nothing novel. I am only restating what the established economies did when they were young and assumed their trajectories toward growth”.

    This is certainly food for thought for the APC as the party strives to achieve greater ideological clarity even as Nigerians look forward to a better deal under Buhari’s Next Level agenda. It is instructive that as military head of state between 1983 and 1985 and even now, Buhari has continued to evince an instinctual mistrust for the free market orthodoxies of the Breton Woods Institutions.

     

    • Next week: Ideology and PDP’s Electoral Resurgence

  • Bauchi governor to initiate bill for creation of new districts   

    Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar says his administration will soon initiate a bill to the Bauchi State House of Assembly for the creation of new districts and village areas.

    The governor posited that the bill would increase the involvement of the traditional institution in governance, especially in the area of security.

    In a statement signed by the press secretary to the governor, Abubakar Al-Sadique, and made available to newsmen, the governor stated this while receiving reports of the committee instituted to review the creation of districts and village areas by the preceding administration.

    Governor Abubakar who maintained that the committee was given a free hand to carry out the assignment recalled that the government had to constitute the committee to review the exercise following abuse and infractions that led the State House of Assembly to dissolve the new districts early in 2015.

    Abubakar commended the committee for a job well done as he assured the traditional institution of continued respect and involvement in bringing government close the common man.

    The Chairman of the committee, retired Justice Dahiru Saleh added that after carefully examining the issue, the committee has recommended the creation of 50 new districts and 225 new village areas.

    Justice Saleh said the committee had also recommended the creation of 17 new districts and 90 new village areas for Bauchi emirate council which has 17 districts and 90 village areas.

    According to him, Katagum emirate council with 12 districts and 72 village areas is recommended to have 12 new districts and 72 village areas, while Misau with 5 districts and 21 village areas with have 5 additional districts and 21 village areas.

  • Uche Jombo, Femi Branch speak on high rate of gun violence

    NOLLYWOOD actress Uche Jombo has waded into the issue of increase of gun violence across the world. She shared her thoughts in a recent post

    “Can we discuss gun violence and control please,” she said.

    “The world lost a lot to gun violence starting from Nigerian #SARS shooting and killing innocent citizen #KoladeJohnson to America Rapper #nipseyhussle who was gunned down. In fact one of his quotes about the value of life is just running through my head as I write this which brings me back to the fact that I can’t believe its 2019 and we are still writing #ENDSARS like seriously calling on @muhammadubuhari. Time to act is NOW. Police reform is needed ASAP.”

    Read also: How I got a big scar on my hand –NOLLYWOOD DIVA UCHE JOMBO

    Actor Femi Branch also added his opinion “Is it really that hard to put a leash on these killers in uniform? Is it? They are paramilitary personnel, bound to follow orders, are they being given unlawful orders or none at all? Is the police high command so weak? Isn’t there no longer a minister or ministry for police affairs even if the i.g. and his subordinates are clueless? What exactly is going on here? #endsars #endsacs are these things actually working? Do they even care? Especially now that elections are over… God save us and our loved ones.”

    The #ENDSARS campaign came up in 2017, having Nigerians trooped out to protest the brutality, intimidation, extortion and killings of innocent citizens by the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), calling for its immediate scrapping.

    The campaign is reopened after the death of Kolade Johnson on Sunday following wounds sustained from bullets fired by police officers during a raid at his neighborhood in Lagos.

    The 36-year-old was shot at a viewing center, watching a football match between Liverpool and Tottenham at approximately 4:30pm when he was gunned down.

    Following his death, Nigerians on social media have responded to the news, bringing back the hashtag, #EndSARS.

  • Boko Haram: Japan donates $1.5 million relief to Northeast Nigeria

    The Government of Japan has released USD 1,500,000 to fund community stabilization activities in Nigeria’s North-East region.

    These funds will be utilized through an ongoing programme launched in 2016, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria.

    The UNDP announced this in a press statement in Abuja on Tuesday, April 02, 2019.

    The interventions being implemented in the region are aimed at supporting victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the three most affected States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

    This builds on ongoing activities that the Government of Japan has been supporting which have facilitated the rehabilitation of 20 public infrastructures and provided emergency employment to more than 2,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and returnees.

    In addition, more than 4,000 farmers and over 1,000 small businesses were supported with inputs and capital that helped improve and expand their sources of livelihood. The Government of Japan has already invested USD6.5 million in North-East Nigeria stabilization activities.

    The funding from the Government of Japan will be utilized within the framework of Integrated Community Stabilization Programme which UNDP has been implementing in the region intended to directly benefit 125,000 people in the three States. An additional one million people will indirectly benefit from interventions under the project.

    Implemented through an integrated approach, the project’s goal is to support over 2,200 farmers, 500 small businesses, 5 community public infrastructures and provide emergency employment to over 850 community members.

    “Stabilization efforts in North-East are helping families and communities begin to rely less on humanitarian aid and more on themselves,” said Khardiata Lo Ndiaye, acting UNDP Resident Representative.

    “This support from the Government of Japan will go a long way in laying a foundation for development to take place again in the region.”

    Ms. Khardiata added that meeting urgent early recovery needs of the crisis affected communities remained a huge challenge requiring more partners and investment.

    Mr. Shigeru Umetsu, Chargé d’affaires ad interim of Japan to Nigeria, reassured that the Government of Japan will continue to support Nigerian people’s efforts aimed at restoring stability and livelihoods for the communities in in the North-East region.

  • FG, Agric companies launch scheme to develop 500,000 hectares

    The Nigerian Agricultural Mechanization and Equipment Leasing Company (NAMEL), with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development, is partnering with Mantrac Nigeria Limited to launch an Integrated Nationwide Agricultural Land development Scheme (INALDS) to open 500,000 hectares of land for agricultural usage.

    INALDS is a private sector initiative of NAMEL in collaboration with Mantrac, the sole authorized dealer of Caterpillar Products in Nigeria, aimed at developing 500,000 hectares of unused arable land for farmers using the appropriate agricultural land development technology while the payment is structured on a flexible deferred system over a period of 1-3 years.

    The project also incorporates global best practices along agricultural value chain to optimize the use of the developed lands.

    The scheme was launched during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NAMEL and Mantrac which took place in Abuja on Thursday, April 4th.

    Victor Omayomi, representing the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, in a goodwill message, said that the launching of INALDS is a significant step towards accelerating the pace of agricultural mechanization in Nigeria.

    “The need to mechanize agriculture is compelling giving our current population crisis,” he stated, “the imperative of achieving national food sufficiency and security as quickly as possible.

    “It is crystal clear that we must quickly embrace and deploy technological innovations for enhancing agricultural productivity along the value chains.

    “Also, we have to focus on generating additional streams of income through agricultural exports, for offsetting the effects of the volatility of oil prices in the national economy cannot be overemphasized.”

    Also speaking at the occasion, the Chief Executive of NAMEL, Dr. Ahmed Adekunle, said that the project is structured to compliment and optimize government efforts in land development.

    INALDS uses a cost-split mechanism to support small holder farmers and youth empowerment programs while creating a flexible investment window for medium and large-scale primary production investor to open more land with less initial cost.

    According to him, NAMEL’s partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to deploy 10,000 units of tractors in the next five years cannot sustainably drive mechanization without looking at the challenges in agricultural land development, hence its need to partner with Mantrac.

    The INALD specific target is to open at least 13,000 hectares of land in each state in collaboration with Federal, state, and local government and private sector investors.

    The resources of these stakeholders will thereby be converted into a certain percentage as equity while the balance is spread over 2-3 years.

    The Chief Executive also assured that the groups will provide further consultancy services on the implementation of value chain activities that will guarantee return on investment to ensure repayment of the project cost.

  • Onnoghen’s resignation: Buhari is vindicated, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Friday that the resignation of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen has vindicated the action of the President and the stand of the party who earlier called for his resignation.

    Justice Onnoghen’s resignation is coming few hours after the National Judicial Council reportedly recommended to the President Muhammadu Buhari to retire him with full benefits.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu told newsmen in his office that the resignation of the suspended CJN would have been the first step for him to take when it became obvious that he made a mistake of not properly declaring his assets as required by law.

    He said with the CJN standing trial for none declaration of assets and the previous trial of the Senate President for the same purpose, it is gradually becoming clear to public office holders that there is nobody above the law in the country.

    Onilu said a time is coming when a President who misbehaves will also be docked for wrong doing, stressing that all those who criticised the President for obeying the ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal will now realise that their action was not in their interest of the country.

    Onilu said: “The issue we have in this country is that, many people, especially those who have been part of the impunity of the past are struggling badly to adjust to the reality of rule of law. That is the major issue we are facing in this country.

    “There are so many struggles to allow the past. It is not good enough for us as a country to allow it go. All of us must rise and face the future; a future of promise and a future of change, so that we can move to the ‘Next Level’.

    “When this happened, the PDP and some of their allies in the Civil Societies read the barometer of politics and we do know that, until we rise above sentiments, no matter what part of the divide you find yourself, we must realise that this as an issue that has to do with our country. That is the only way we can progress.

    “We knew right from the beginning that what the allegations against the former Chief Justice of Nigeria were too serious to be swept under the carpet and we know that the President does not act on frivolities.

    “He must have done his background checks and must have gotten good information to have taken the action he took especially when there was basis for the action that can be legally proven.

    “Those lawyers, so-called Senior Advocate of Nigeria who had over the years dip their hands along with some of these judicial officers into the till of this country, continued to lampoon the President, lampoon the APC and blaming this government that is doing its best to right several of the wrongs that we have been used to.

    “We were actually the one trying to deepen democracy and this party rose in the defense of the President because we understand what the President was doing and that he meant well, and we know the real purpose that drives his actions.

    “Now, events have proven the President right. Events have proven the party, APC right. Events have proven those Nigerians who believe Nigeria first and any other things after – events have proven them right.

    “We all can only be hiding behind one finger, otherwise we knew Nigerians, reasonable Nigerians knew from the word go that those allegations were not cooked up and if they were real, the next thing for the CJN to have done was to have stepped aside. If he had done that, the question of, he wouldn’t be the only one, why he should not have arisen? There is nowhere in the world where judgment is passed on every sinner at once.

    “It is not every armed robber you can catch the same day. And even some you know, the slow pace of justice may not catch up with them immediately, but we must continue to see evidence that we are moving towards that sanity and that we are making progressive efforts and sending strong signals to people who think this country must continue as long as they are comfortable and the rest of Nigerians are suffering. We must send that signal to them that it is not going to be business as usual.

    Read Also: Suspended CJN, Onnoghen resigns

    “Now, you have seen the head of National Assembly, Senate President in the dock. Now, you have seen the CJN in the dock. So, one day, we will see a President that will also misbehaves, in the dock which now shows that nobody is above the law and that we are all equal before the law.

    “So, anybody who finds himself in any position should now begin to look closely at his own actions knowing fully well that today may protect him but tomorrow may expose him.”

    Also reacting to the development, the Buhari Media organisation the failure of Justice Walter Onnoghen (suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN) to declare his assets and thus breaching the Code of Conduct expected from Judicial Officers, among several other malfeasances and breach of the Money Laundering Act, are too grave to be treated with kids gloves.

    In statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Madueke, its Coordinator and Secretary respectively, noted that the offences that are being prosecuted and that have been petitioned against Justice Walter Onnoghen have tainted the sanctity of the judiciary and are not matters to be played with or treated with levity.

    “Justice Walter Onnoghen is alleged to have out rightly failed to

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  • Cannes Lions will appreciate us better if we tell our stories- FAB

    Media and Lifestyle entrepreneur, Familusi Akin Babajide popularly known as Mr. FAB has stressed on the need for Nigerian creatives to focus more on telling the Nigerian stories through their campaigns, if they hope to get more recognition from the organisers of the annual Cannes Lions International Festival of creativity.

    FAB’s comment came against the backdrop of the continued failure of Nigerian agencies to get honours at Cannes. In the over 60 years of the Cannes Lion award show, no Nigerian agency has yet been able to win a Lion, even though some of them have consistently made entries, especially in the last two decades.

    “The more we tell our stories, the more they will appreciate the context of our work and maybe then they will take note and we may begin to win the coveted Cannes Lions Awards,” Fab said.

    FAB who first featured on the Cannes Lions stage in 2016, played a prominent role at the 2018 Cannes Lions, following his appointment as the first and only African Festival MC at the iconic festival and award show. During the event, he was tasked with running the second biggest stage at the festival – the Debussy Theatre, where he hosted a total of 30 sessions over five days.

    FAB runs the FAB Group, comprising Media, Fashion and Hospitality interests and has often been described as a premium host having hosted FAB Radio, a syndicated lifestyle radio show for over 5 years and for 3 years has hosted Under 40 CEOs, a television series which has featured young African business leaders from across the continent. He has also hosted numerous high-profile events across the country and globally.

    His performance at the 2018 Cannes Lions drew commendation from top executives of Cannes Lions, that subsequently opened the doors for other Africans to play major roles at the 2019 Cannes.

    In this year’s Cannes Lion Festival, FAB as the appointed curator of African content to the festival will be leading a delegation of Nigerians to the event. The delegation includes Steve Babaeko, CEO X3M Ideas, who will be making his speaking debut at the global event. Others are Tiwa Savage, Femi Kuti and eLDee the Don, Anant Singh of the Mandelas Long Walk to Freedom fame and Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde

    FAB, will be playing a dual role of MC and also Cannes Lions TV host at the glamorous event, while the other Nigerians have been called upon to speak on various topics intended to inject the African flavor into the event.

    The 2019 Cannes Lions will evidently be the biggest thus far for Africa, because besides having African celebs and creatives speak at the renowned event, FAB in conjunction with the organisers will also be holding the first what has been called the AfriCannes Party into the event. This party is intended to give the world a taste of Africa.