What Is The Big Deal If President Buhari Is Sick? By Ishaq Akintola

March 6, 2017

The continued absence of Nigeria’s No. 1 citizen, President Muhammadu Buhari, is causing apprehension in the country. It has also given room for speculations about the condition of his heath.
I don’t agree with the Federal Government’s grandstanding on the health of the President, even as I equally denounce the diabolical speculations and death wishes flying around the length and breadth of the country. It is all much ado about nothing. It is an act of bad faith.
I refuse to accept the Federal Government’s claim that the president is hale and hearty. That sounds more like tales by moonlight. Neither shall I give credit to advocatus diaboli who wish him dead or enemies of peace who claim that Buhari had died.
As for those who assume that the president was poisoned, they are simply playing a game of chance. I will not jump to conclusions until I see palpable proof. To what end is the whole furore anyway? What is the big deal if a president is sick? Haven’t presidents of other countries been sick before? Are presidents not human beings?
I can cite examples from the world’s biggest democracy.
US presidents have been sick while in office. Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) suffered a severe stroke that left him incapacitated throughout his presidency. Yet He remained in office till the end of his term in 1921.Diagnosed with polio in 1921 at the age of 39, Franklin D Roosevelt (1933-1945) still served for twelve good years though he could not stand or walk without support. Using a wheelchair in private, he never disclosed the full extent of his health condition.
Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961) suffered heart attack in 1955 as a result of which he was hospitalized for several weeks. He also did a surgery some months later to treat Crohn’s disease and in late 1957 suffered another stroke that made him temporarily unable to speak. Yet he went ahead to win a second term after that.
John F Kennedy (1961 – 1963) had a chronic bone disease and was hospitalized nine times in his short two and a half year presidency but this was never revealed to the American public. George Bush (1989 – 1993) vomited and then fainted in front of cameras in 1992 while on a visit in Japan and heaven did not fall in America.
Now if about five of American presidents have been sick in office, what is wrong if Nigeria’s current president is also sick? Is he made of iron? We are also tempted to ask, if Buhari dies, will it be the first time that a president will die? Yaradua died here in Nigeria. Murtala Muhammad died. Tafawa Balewa died.
Eight American presidents have died in office. Fourdied of natural causes: William Henry Harrison (1841), Zachary Taylor (1850), Warren Harding (1923) and Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1945). Four others were assassinated: Abraham Lincoln (1865), James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901) and John F. Kennedy (1963).
The truth is that if Buhari dies today, his name will be written in letters of gold. It is the death of a hero primus inter pareil and the death of a reformer nulli secundus. Buhari is a dogged corruption fighter who came to rescue Nigerians from yam thieves. If he dies today he will leave an indelible record, an achievement difficult to match by his successor and a standard that is bound to create a yawning lacuna.
As for the fear that his death may lead to ethnic or religious war and over which some religious leaders are allegedly inciting their followership, I think it is due to wrong perception. Some people ask curious questions. They want to know why is it that only Muslim presidents die while in office: Tafawa Balewa (15thJanuary,1966), Muritala Muhammad (13th February, 1976) , General Sani Abacha (9th June, 1998) and Umaru Yaradua (5thMay, 2010).
But there is a historical inexactitude in this thinking because it has left out one Christian leader, General Aguiyi Ironsi, who died while in office on 29th July, 1966. So it is not only Muslim leaders who have died while in office.
I also do not want to join issues with authors of conspiracy theories, particularly those who assume that Buhari had been poisoned. It is sheer guess work and I think we should leave that to the security agencies and medical experts handling Buhari’s medical tests. Those who did death-wish advertorials during the 2015 electioneering campaigns may also have questions to answer concerning the conspiracy theory. They may want to explain to Nigerians how much walk they gave their talk.
What should Nigerians do in the present circumstance? Nigerians need to relax on this whole issue. We also need to widen our horizon of knowledge. We need to know that what is happening to Buhari now has happened to many leaders in other countries before and it did not lead to any crisis. Buhari handed over properly and constitutionally before leaving the country and the Acting president is doing well. So there is no cause for alarm. Unless there is malice, the National Assembly has no choice but to key into the arrangement.
Nigerians also need to show sympathy and understanding as their president battles with a poor health condition. They should not allow people whose hearts are filled with hate to brainwash and indoctrinate them.
For the avoidance of doubts, I, speaking on behalf of MURIC, declare our stand with Buhari not because he is a Muslim. Abacha was a Muslim yet we rose in rebellion against him for the actualization of June 12. Babangida is a Muslim but we mobilized activists against him to debilitate military dictatorship. Obasanjo is a Christian yet we supported his war against corruption. The records are there for all to see.
By extension, we are today supporting the Osinbajo presidency even though he is not a Muslim as long as he keeps up the pressure on looters and remains incorruptible like his boss. The issue should be good governance, not religion, not ethnicity.
MURIC stands with Buhari because he is rescuing poor Nigerians from the claws of a tiny cabal which has unjustly enriched itself from the sweat of the poor masses. This is the same tiny cabal which sentenced Nigerians to an epileptic power supply, sudden and painful deaths due to bad roads and poor public heath system, all occasioned by reckless corruption.
The same cabal subjected millions of Nigerians to a life of ignorance and illiteracy due to corruption-driven neglect of the education sector. Millions of Nigerians are starving today because the same cabal has arrogated our common wealth to itself. So why should any sensible Nigerian join this heartless class of people when the only man who had the liver to challenge them has a health problem?
To round up, we regard those who are comparing Osinbajo’s performance to that of Buhari as sheer idle gossipers and professional rumour mongers. Buhari knew the stuff Osinbajo was made of and that was why he picked him as his running mate in the first place. The presidency is a joint ticket and we wonder why anybody should be interested in disparaging and unreasonable comparisons. In any case, could there have been an Osinbajo without a Buhari?

Professor Ishaq Akintola is
Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). [myad]

Sojourn Of Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo On This Earth

Greenbarge Reporters

March 6, 2017

Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba was born on March 9, 1960 in Oboroke-Ihima, Okehi LGA of Kogi State to the family of Mallam Shuaibu Onukaba and Hajia Aisha Onukaba. He obtained his first degree in 1982 in Theatre Arts from University of Ibadan. He served his national service at Radio Nigeria, Ikoyi –Lagos in 1982/83. He joined The Guardian newspaper as one of its pioneer reporters in 1983. He rose to the position of News Editor before travelling out in 1989 for graduate studies. He bagged Master of Arts degree in Journalism from New York University, New York, USA. He worked as a Research Officer at the African Leadership Forum, New York. Onukaba also served as the Information officer, Division of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) between 1994 and 1995. He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1996 from New York University.
Dr. Onukaba became Adjunct Professor of Mass Communication at the School of New Resources. College of New Rochelle, New York in 1997. Between 1997 and 1998, he worked as Press Officer, Department of Public Information, United Nations (New York). In June 1998, he was sent to Iraq as an Information Officer, United Nations Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator. Upon his return to Nigeria in 1999 to participate in the present democratic dispensation, his sterling qualities and ability to succeed caught the attention of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who appointed him as Special Assistant on Media Relations. He had known and related closely with both Atiku and Olusegun Obasanjo since 1984.
Onukaba got to the peak of his journalistic career in August 1999 when he was appointed Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the then ailing Daily Times of Nigeria PLC. He worked tirelessly to reposition the Daily Times and made it attractive to investors. The company was privatized in 2004. Onukaba returned to the presidency as Senior Special Assistant to the former Vice president Atiku Abubakar on Public Communications between July 2003 and April 2005. Beyond Onukaba’s humble exterior lies impenetrable armour of principle and dedication to duty. In December 2005, the Okun Youth Solidarity Forum (OYSF) led by Hon. Adeniyi Sunday Bello, honoured him with the “Pillar of Youth Award” in recognitioin of his services to the State. Earlier in 2001, the then Governor Abubakar Audu of Kogi State honoured him as one of the distinguished citizens of the state. Onukaba has received numerous other awards for his decency, integrity, creativity and kindness.
Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba, a seasoned journalist, playwright and publisher of high repute, has published so many books and journals including: “In the Eye of Time”- a biography of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. “Atiku Abubakar”- a biography of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. “Born to Run” – a biography of Late Dele Giwa, co-authored by him and Dele Olojede. Some of his plays include, Her Majesty’s Visit, A Resting Place, Tower of Burden, The Virginity Flee, The Lone Ranger, Bargain Hunting, and Soommalliyya. His play, “The Killing Swamp” was one of the three finalists for the 2010 NLNG Literature Award.

Rest in peace. [myad]

Central Bank, Again, Offers $367 Million For Forex Forwards

Greenbarge Reporters

March 6, 2017

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has again, carried out another round of retail interventions in the inter-bank FOREX market by providing a total sum of $367,134,329.93 to meet the forwards requests of customers.
A breakdown of the forwards shows that the sum of $144,073,753.07 was for 45 days forwards, while $223,060,576.86 was for 60 days.
The CBN Acting Director in charge of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, confirmed the release in a statement today, Monday.
According to him, the move was in line with the Bank’s determination to ease the foreign exchange pressure on various sectors through forward sales under the new flexible Foreign Exchange regime to keep the market liquidity. [myad]

Osinbajo, March Conspiracy And Ekiti Women, By Ariyo-Dare Atoye

Greenbarge Reporters

March 6, 2017

Sometimes when you do some introspection of how dates and circumstances bind people together or give effects to situation, you cannot but describe the entire universe as the conspiracy of the Almighty God. God is awesome: yes, He is the beginning and the end of creation. I am convinced that every human being must have experienced the conspiracy of God at one point or the other: experiences that trigger fear and confirm His supremacy. This conspiracy is the mystery of God and no man can fathom it except what is revealed.
These occurrences are not fixed scenarios. They are not influenced by personal motive. They are not self-induced, humanly circumscribed nor scientifically enforced. It is not about those who fix memories like ensuring your wedding happens on a special birthday or an important date of interest is specifically arranged to suit time like the United Nations Observances or a development is scientifically induced to celebrate fame like cloning. Not the human created weird formula.
I purposely set out to celebrate Ekiti women and commend how Governor Ayodele Fayose has galvanized them to celebrate the 2017 World Women’s Day. My mother who lives in Ekiti had told me over 25, 000 women would be converging on Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, in a unique “ankara attire” to celebrate the day. Fortunately as someone who had priortised celebrating March 8 right from my days in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the Ekiti arrangement availed me a good opportunity to rekindle my special way of celebrating women.

But the strict focus of my piece would soon change when a friend, who I had hinted about it, was quick to remind me that the man of the moment, who is gradually returning our national thinking to an ideal democratic order, Pof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Acting President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, also has his birthday on March 8, 2017. Immediately, the task of striking two birds with one purposeful stone was dawned on me: to celebrate a man who has, in a few weeks, demonstrated the capacity to lead Nigeria out of despondency and the other sentiment of celebrating my mothers and the unique women of Ekiti State-my sweet home.

But in between thinking of how to balance the literature equation of this piece and the tight exigency of delivering it to the stable of the Nigerian media who– have consistently given our glorious women a pride of place like no other, I have found something interesting about Osinbajo, at the time of his three scores on planet earth. Believe me, if as a student, you are given an English comprehension to write a summary about the man Osinbajo on his birthday, you would be perfectly justified to answer in one word that Osinbajo is “March.”

I do not know if anyone has attempted this conspiracy of dates and events on Osinbajo before; I also do not know of any Nigerian leader, living or dead, that the significance of one month has extensively conspired to favour like Osinbajo. This revelation is quite interesting, and as I dug dipper beyond what my memory initially picked about this conspiracy of destiny, more other events unfolded. I would not be surprised if other hitherto unknown developments about Osinbajo and the conspiracy of March have started coming out. But to me, Osinbajo is the real March personified.

Now, let us unravel some interesting scenarios that the month of March has foisted on Osinbajo which no Machiavellian could have plotted, except the fate of man: Osinbajo was birthed by March; Osinbajo is married to the household of March, Osinbajo was pushed by March to be a Vice Presidential candidate; Osinbajo consulted in March before aspiring with Buhari; Osinbajo was ordained by March to contest; Osinbajo won in March. To this extent, Osinbajo is the

Mystery of March. And as I said earlier, there could be some other March things about him.
Let me unbundle the puzzle: by birth – Osinbajo was born on March 8, 1957, a very significant month that birthed several great leaders like Olusegun Obasanjo and others named in this puzzle. By marriage – Osinbajo is married to Dolapo from the Awolowo family, whose patriarch the greatest ever leader of the Yoruba race, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was born in March (06/03/1909). That name was dropped during the election and it influenced things for Osinbajo. The push – Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos State who unarguably pushed Osinbajo into the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket was born in March (29/03/1952).
Consultation – Osinbajo consulted Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeem Christian Church of God, who was born in March (02/03/1942), as expected of a Christian, before accepting to run with General Muhammed Buhari. Ordination – Osinbajo was ordained by God, before he was born that he would be in this position, and God by His own divine arrangement is Trinity (God in three persons) – and the month of March is number 3. To cap the March puzzle, Osinbajo won the Presidential election with Buhari in March (28/03/2015). The likely conspiracy of 2 before 8 (Osinbajo’s birthday) in March confirms his number two on that presidential ticket when they won.

More than all these interesting puzzles, I wish our dear Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo Happy Birthday. May God bless your days on earth and grant you the grace and wisdom to successfully execute the tasks before you. “Igba odun odun kan ni sir.” But before other conspiracies about March in the world of Osinbajo are unraveled, let me quickly add mine, to let you know that the young man who has written this piece was also born in March. And on March 24, 2017, I will be celebrating the goodness of God like Osinbajo did on March 8. But equally important are the women that would gather in Ado-Ekiti to celebrate this year’s world women’s day.
The drums would be beating in Ekiti and the voice would be loud in every nation on earth celebrating this important day. As a matter of enjoying March 8 to the fullest, the best place for Osinbajo to be is Ekiti. The State is very unique for women and Fayose never jokes with them; they ensured his overwhelming victory in 2014. To appreciate their undiminished support base, the governor would be rolling out several loan schemes for them and they too have been planning it big to receive their dividends of democracy. Ekiti is the real place for women on March 8.
Unarguably, politicians would lead the charge of celebrations across the country, and as usual are expected to exploit and take advantage of the day to consolidate support from women. So while Fayose may likely be sneaking in the new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slogan – Change the Change …maybe to prepare the women for another change in 2019, Osinbajo would be encouraging Nigerians to keep hope alive in the APC change. And more over, is hope not rising? But in line with the United Nations theme for the 2017 World’s Women Day, all the leaders, irrespective of the political divide, would be spurring our women to “Be Bold for Change.”

Ariyo-Dare Atoye, Executive Director, Adopt a Goal for Development Initiative, sent this piece via aristotle001us@yahoo.com. [myad]

For Onukaba, By Taiwo Obe

Greenbarge Reporters

March 6, 2017

The Story of Atiku Abubakar, has the author’s name as Ojo Adinoyi. Unless, of course, you were familiar with the author or, and, knew that he was a special aide to the former Nigerian vice-president, you would have thought that it is not the same person as Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo. But then, when he joined The Guardian as a reporter in June 1983 immediately after his National Youth Service Corps primary assignment at Radio Nigeria, Ikoyi, his name was simply Shaibu Ojo. Till date, one of our colleagues at The Guardian still calls him, perhaps jokingly, Shaibu. He had written an article celebrating Nigeria’s rich culture, including taking pride in our traditional lines, signing it with: “Shaibu Adinoyi-Ojo.” A reader responded wondering why he was bearing an Arabic name, Shuaib (that’s the correct spelling and it means “stream”), advising him to live by example. Trust Shaibu, a principled person, he quickly dropped that name. His father’s name was Shaibu Onukaba. His own middle name was Adinoyi. So, he became Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo. He likes now to be identified as Adinoyi Onukaba Ojo. As that is mouthful, we shall agree here to call him simply Onukaba, which is what I call him. He calls me Taye, which most people who knew me from childhood still call me. Taye, of course, is the abridgment of To aye wo – (I came to) “taste” the world for my twin, Kehinde, who the Yoruba lore says, sent me – which, for convenience, has also been clipped to Taiwo. By the way, Onukaba means hard work and Adinoyi is “father of the multitude.” Seest thou a man who is diligent in his work, that’s Onukaba. Anyone who is familiar with this wonderful guy – and this is not patronising him – knows that he gives his all to any project he commits to, and, yes, he’s truly someone who bears the burden of many, particularly his kin, some of whom won’t think twice before abusing the privilege.

Onukaba and I bonded almost immediately when we met. He had studied theatre arts at the University of Ibadan and had been taught playwriting by Prof Femi Osofisan, who was the one who influenced his admission to The Guardian. He was a quintessential reporter. He shunned unethical practices like a plague. A little digression, please: the other day a visitor in my office overheard a telephone conversation where I was vouching for Onukaba’s incorruptibility. The visitor wondered if he was a Nigerian. Yes, he is and a proud one at that.

Add to that, we lived in the same neighbourhood of Ipaja in the local government area now known as Alimoso, and the largest LGA in Nigeria’s commercial capital with 1.28m inhabitants.

Onukaba had a Datsun 120Y Coupe jalopy, so he had no choice but to give me a ride home, most evenings. Yes, that ubiquitous green jalopy. We rocked town together with it; bachelors who were also journalists of the Guardian; what else do you want to know?

He left The Guardian for further studies in journalism (master’s) and performance studies (doctorate) in the USA. I inherited his Volkswagen Jetta car, yet another jalopy, but it got us from place to place. I had actually bought off him a Peugeot 504 saloon car (LA 8053 KE) the car he replaced the Jetta with. On the night that he travelled to the US, after he had unpacked his light luggage, he simply handed over the key of the Jetta to me; no ceremonies. He had felt guilty that he unknowingly sold me a lemon (the 504; which, by the way, I also sold on 30 July 1992 for a “staggering” N32,500:00), although I never made an issue of it. While in the US, we called each other and exchanged letters regularly. There was once I wrote him – in my beautiful handwriting– a 21-pager of sense and nonsense – no, let me quote him: ‘Your letter was as interesting as it was bloated with irrelevances. I laughed, laughed and laughed my heart out.’” I was his caretaker. If some monies needed to be distributed to his relations, I was the one who carried out the assignment. When he needed Mrs Remi Obasanjo, the first wife of President Olusegun Obasanjo, to go through the manuscript of his biography of the President, In the Eyes of Time (African Legacy Pr Inc,1997), I was the one who went and met the lady at her home in the Government Reserved Area of Ikeja, capital of Lagos State. I combed through Obasanjo’s library (the General, as Onukaba called Obasanjo has always loved libraries) at his home in Abeokuta, for pictures and more pictures for his book. In fact, my first meeting with the former president at his Ota farm, was because of In the Eyes of Time. It was a funny meeting. Not minding my presence, Obasanjo then doing more with his African Leadership Forum, dressed in an adire buba and sokoto, grabbed a cob of roast corn from one of his staff he met by the entrance of his office, cut it into two, and said in Yoruba, ki nse iwo nikan lo ma je – you won’t be the only one to eat it. For all he cared, I was not in that room. He munched on, without even asking me, even if as a symbolic gesture as tradition demands, to come join me o. I had persuaded him to allow Diamond Publications Limited to publish the book but, somehow, that couldn’t be. While I was in the US, we, of course, found time to hang out together – Onukaba and I, that is.

In one of his letters to me (10 December 1989), he concluded thus: “I love you more than a brother. It’s a confession.”

He never tired of being genuinely concerned about my welfare and that of my kith and kin. I repeat that, and even put it in bold: genuinely. In that same letter, he had written: “Nigeria will be 30 next Oct. The govt is likely to spend huge sums on advertisement. Propose a supplement on Nigeria to Newsweek Magazine. Contact Gen Nwachukwu to help you push it. You could also begin working on Tony Momoh and everyone who will be useful.

“This is a chance to make millions. I am ready to render any assistance. There is no reason why (name withheld) should continue to eat the money alone. It will be a big breakthrough. Be serious. And keep to the two of us. I can contact Gen (Obasanjo) to help me talk to some people in govt. You just draw up the plan. Let me hear from you about this in your next letter.”

In registering a company, you are required to have at least two subscribers to the Memorandum and Articles of Association. Who else would I have chosen for a company that has to do with communication but the man called Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo?

I called him in the US and informed him; I was not seeking his approval, really. It was just a “FYI Only” matter. These are his recollections of that fateful afternoon: “Yes I was in New York as a doctoral candidate at New York University when you called to invite me to co-found the company. I was naturally very happy that you, me and other friends were thinking of creating an enterprise in which we could work for ourselves rather spend our entire lives slaving for others. I was happy that you had decided to lead the effort that would see us take control of our future. I was asked to purchase some PR and Advertising and Communication books and send home to the fledging company as part of my equity contribution. I got some of the books and that was it.” (Onukaba had noted in one of his letters which he wrote in his usual scraggy-lettering-camouflaged-as-cursive, thus: “I pray never to return to the spectre of poverty that drove me away from home. I wish you all the best for the decade there has to be some action”).

That was not it, Mr Adinoyi-Ojo: the company had to have a name.

I can imagine that some readers actually ignored the beginning parts of this book to get here quickly: to find out The Revelation. Oh well, let’s hope that this would enter The Encyclopaedia of Meanings of Company Names.

In my days as a library assistant (if you have not read Chapter II: The Discoveries, you won’t grasp this), I had too much money for a lad. It was the era when commercial jazz was the music. It was the era when cartridges and chrome dioxide cassettes were the fad. You were not trendy if you didn’t log those cassettes, BASF, SONY, etc. I collected all the works of Barry White, and I mean all the works; the music of Grover Washington, Jr, Eric Gale, Johnny Guitar Watson, Stanley Turrentine, George Benson and that Japanese alto saxophonist, Sadao Watanabe. It was a good time to be a lad, earning money that I didn’t need.

That afternoon, when I sat to christen this company that I had told Onukaba about, the uppermost thing on my mind was to come up with a name that won’t be returned by the Corporate Affairs Commission: an uncommon name; without a double.

So I juggled the two names of the two promoters, as if I was in a chemistry lab, and while doing the mixing, Sadao Watanabe kept fleeting by. And so was born TaijoWonukabe & Associates Limited. It was incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Decree 1990, on the 3rd day of September …1-9-9-1 with Registration Number 166724. The authorised share capital was N1,000,000 at 1.00 per share. We increased the authorised shareholding to N20,000,000 on 17 October 2003.

We have had immeasurable fun with this name. Perhaps, right now, you are even juggling the letters like tiles in a game of Scrabble; go ahead and have your fun.

Postscript:

This morning, the one we called CBN (real name: Chido Nwakanma) me to find out if I had heard about Onukaba. When a message goes like that, be sure, it is some awful thing that has happened. What happened to Onukaba? He told me someone wrote that he’s dead….No. I called Onukaba’s number and it was a brother of his who picked it and confirmed that indeed, my friend and brother, had died. He was talking about what happened, but I barely heard the details. He was driving the car en route to Abuja. Bla, bla, bla.

I cried like I didn’t even when the death of my own older brother was broken to me.

I cried….I who have always counselled people to remember the good times they shared with their loved ones who passed away.

What is there to cry for now?

OnuK is gone. To meet His creator. I am sure his soul will find peace, because he was (was?) a genuinely good man. He would have been 57 on 9 March, 2017.

So, in remembering the good times we shared together, I have excerpted from a book that I have been writing almost forever. I now must finish the book. For Onukaba. [myad]

That Report Of Hembe’s Committee And Confused House Of Reps Members

Greenbarge Reporters

March 6, 2017

The public hearing conducted by the House of Representatives Committee, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on the Centenary City project has ended its assignment and produced a report that actually confused the entire Reps. This is back grounded on the selfish interest which the committee
Chairman, Hon. Herman Hembe has shown right from the beginning of the committee’s work.
The report is seen essentially as its conclusions were not derived from the information made available to the Committee.
The recommendations have been described as outlandish by embarrassed lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly, some of whom have since declared that Herman Hembe must have either written his report before the public hearing, or in spite of it.
It would be recalled that the controversial two-day public hearing was a complete fiasco. It was also publicly reported as one. The first day of the hearing saw former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, openly accusing the Chairman, Hon. Herman Hembe, of not following National Assembly procedures and protocols in determining stakeholders to be invited. Hembe was also accused of personal bias against the former SGF because of his refusal to use his office at the time to facilitate the sack of Arunma Oteh, the then Director-General of Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), who accused Hembe of demanding bribes from her. Hembe did not deny any the allegations, nor did he deny the further allegation that the purported hearing was consequent upon his failure to extort money from the management of Centenary City Plc (CCPLC), after repeated attempts.
Also on the first day of the hearing, former Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed frowned at Hembe’s heckling of the audience and his colleagues, wondering why he would not allow most Committee members and invited stakeholders to speak. The former Minister, who eventually lost his temper and threatened to walk out on the rowdy committee hearing, described Hembe as “childish” and called his seating as a farce.
It emerged that Committee members had not been briefed by the Chairman. The members had also not received the written submissions of invited organizations like CCPLC and NEPZA, as well as relevant documentation from the FCTA, the Presidency and the Office of the SGF.
Matters got worse on the second day of the hearing, when an aggrieved Committee member whose name was arbitrarily and summarily removed from the list of Committee members by the Chairman held up proceedings and heckled Hembe for nearly an hour. The latter was forced to suspend proceedings and go into a one-and-half hour closed door meeting with other members, after which the shortchanged colleague was readmitted. It turned out that Hembe had unilaterally excluded the said colleague because he felt that the latter might scuttle his plans.
The resumption of proceedings after the fracas saw an even more fiery and high handed Hembe. The lawyer of CCPLC who tried to raise an objection was walked out of the Committee room, escorted by security men.
Most of Committee members, who tried to make contributions, asked for clarifications or requested that all the invited stakeholders be allowed to make their presentations, were overruled.
In the end, Chairman of the House Committee, Hon Herman Hembe, concluded his hearing without the benefit of the information that would lead to rational outcomes. He relied on a dated and gazetted land swap agreement that had been overtaken by a subsequent order of Mr. President in whom all FCT land inheres; and who may determine and direct on its use at any time. Based on a premeditated disregard of a lawful directive of Mr. President, which placed CCPLC under NEPZA, in a newly created Economic Free Zone within the FCT, Hembe has given Nigerians a report that serves no purpose whatsoever.
For reasons that may well verge on the swirling allegations of his serially demanding for bribes at every opportunity since he became a member of the National Assembly, Hembe may yet scandalize his fellow committee members and embarrass the National Assembly. His report even alleges, falsely, that duly paid compensations were not paid; notwithstanding the fact that all relevant documents on the matter were made available to the Committee.
It is instructive that the findings of the Senate Committee of FCT on the same issue, which took due recognizance of all the material facts, is completely at variance with Hembe’s disjointed and misleading report. Considering that Hembe was reported to have boasted to his associates just before the kangaroo hearing that “it is left for the Centenary City people to sink or swim after my report, since nobody wants to play ball,” it means that he is not bothered that his action is not in the national interest. He is also not bothered about putting both chambers of the National Assembly on the war path. But how long his grandstanding will last , remains to be seen. [myad]

Ex Daily Times MD, Adinoyi Ojo, Dies In Encounter With Armed Robbers

Greenbarge Reporters

March 6, 2017

Former Managing Director of the famous Daily Times, Dr. Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo has been reported dead during an encounter with armed robbers on his way from Abeokuta, Ogun state where he attended the 80^th birthday of his former boss, ex President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Onukaba Ojo,who was 57 at the time of his death, also a governorship aspirant in the last Kogi Primary election under the All Progressives Congress (APC), was reported to have died at about 6 pm on Sunday at a village near Akure , Ondo State capital. The spot is said to be about ten minutes to Akure.

One of his relations, Yusuf Itopa, who broke the news today, Monday said that Onukaba Ojo, the late veteran journalist was knocked down by an oncoming vehicle while running into a nearby bush to escape an armed robbery attack. Itopa said that three of them, including his driver, were travelling when they ran into a blockade mounted by the armed robbers.

He said Onukaba’s corpse was later deposited at a mortuary in Akure from where it would be brought for burial today in his hometown, Ihima , Okehi Local Government area of Kogi State.

The late Onukaba, who was Senior Special Assistant on media to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had earlier lost his first wife, Rachael about five years ago. He, however, remarried in 2015 to Memunat

Onukaba is survived by three children: two girls and a boy.

The Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, described Onukaba as a brilliant and incorruptible journalist.

“He stood out among his colleagues then as aviation correspondent for The Guardian where he met and struck friendship Obasanjo,” Ojudu wrote on his Facebook page, adding that he would be buried later today.

Ojudu in his tribute, described Onukaba, who was also a playwright, as a man of noble ideas and ideals.

“Onukaba was a good man. He brimmed with great vision for his people which he could not bring to reality,” he added. [myad]

CBN Gives Banks Marching Order On FOREX

Greenbarge Reporters

March 5, 2017

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed banks to henceforth ensure that all applications for Basic and Personal Travel Allowance are processed within 24 hours, while Medical and tuitions should be concluded within 48 hours of such applications.

The CBN further directed banks to open foreign exchange outlets in all leadership locations warning that any breach of this directive would be visited with severe sanctions.

In a circular issued over the weekend, the apex Bank further directed all banks and authorized dealers to put up electronic display boards in all their branches, showing the rates of all traded currencies.

The circular, signed by the Director, Financial Markets Department, Dr. AlvanIkoku further urged customers to insist on processing FX transactions based on the displayed rates.

Meanwhile, the CBN warned that it would sanction any authorized dealer that fails to comply with its directive by barring any erring bank or dealer from all future CBN foreign exchange interventions, among other sanctions. [myad]

Buhari To Obasanjo: You Are A True Citizen Of The World

Greenbarge Reporters

March 5, 2017

President Muhammadu Buhari has described former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as a true citizen of the world as he marks his 80th birthday.

Special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, quoted Buhari as having told Obasanjo in a phone call from London, where he is convalescing, that he is “a true citizen of the world.”

According to Buhari, a time like this provides opportunity to reflect on Obasanjo’s invaluable roles and contributions to the unity and cohesion of Nigeria, the brotherhood of all Africans, as well as peace and amity over the globe.

The President who recalled their days in the military, said: “those of us who served under you in various capacities recall a man with boundless energy, with razor sharp mind, and one who does not suffer fools gladly. Working with you was a school in itself, and the lessons learnt are worth their weight in gold.”

In response, Obasanjo who ruled Nigeria as military Head of State between 1976 and as democratically elected President between 1999 and 2007 wished President Buhari good health.

Obasanjo assured the President that he stands together with him in prayers, so that he can return soon to continue the good work he is doing for the country. [myad]

Stakeholders Encourage NNPC Boss To Sustain Transformation

Greenbarge Reporters

March 5, 2017

Stakeholders have encouraged the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, to sustain the transformation programme in the Corporation for the benefit of the Nigerian people.

Maikanti Baru had, since assuming office, undertaken far reaching measures designed to sanitize the Corporation by instilling discipline, ensuring probity and accountability and zero tolerance to corruption among others. His vision of empowering the NNPC organs, particularly the NNPC retail, PPMC and Trading was aimed at ensuring that the Corporation returns to the path of profitability and excellence in service delivery.

However, the NNPC boss appears to be stepping on some powerful toes with the ongoing reform hence, the move by those who prefer to maintain the status quo to petition the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to call Baru to order.

“NNPC boss was given express directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to cleanse NNPC and its subsidiaries of inefficiency and corrupt practices.

“And judging from his action so far, it is very clear that Baru is determined to carry out that mandate to the letter,” a source at the NNPC Towers said.

Despite the enormous challenges, NNPC has for long been the sole importer of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). Since September 2016, its trading arm, particularly Duke Oil, has been keeping the country wet with products, particularly Jet A1 (Aviation Fuel), and Automated Gas Oil (AGO-Kerosene) and these Duke will continue to do in order to sustain the momentum.

Baru has mandated Pipeline Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and Marine Division to put a robust mechanism in place to ensure steady and uninterrupted distribution of the products. It is a marching order to which every organ of NNPC must comply with as directed by the NNPC boss.

It is the effective and transparent manner by which the Corporation now trades Naphtha and fuel oil that the conservative elements who were benefiting from the free allocation in the past are determined to break the system and revert to the old ways of doing business.

It is for this reason that many of these individuals and companies are writing petitions and even in some instance asking for the redeployment of the managing director of NNPC retail, PPMC and Duke Oil.

But, major industry players who align with the Change Agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration posit that the success so far recorded in the NNPC transformation program should be sustained, calling on the GMD, Dr. Maikanti Baru, to forge ahead. [myad]

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