Nigeria Federal Government has set up machinery for the privatization of the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt international airports, with the inauguration of project steering committee for their concession.
The Minister of State for Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, who inaugurated the committee today, Friday of said that the concession will be driven on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, saying that this is because government does not have the money to finance the project from start to finish.
According to him, the desire for the PPP strategy in the concession is necessitated by the situation in which the country finds itself, adding that economically, government cannot afford public spending on infrastructure.
The members of the committee include the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Taiwo Abidogun, the Director General, Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Benjamin Dikko, representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Budget Planning and Aviation. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to jet out to New York on Tuesday, September 13, to attend the 71st UN General Assembly during which time he will discuss series of issues affecting Nigeria, including straighten record on human rights observation in the country.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, who spoke to news men today, Friday, emphasized that the president would, among others, set the record straight on the issue of human rights violation and sign the Paris Agreement on Climate.
The Paris Climate Conference held in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal.
The agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to 2°C.
The agreement is due to enter into force in 2020.
Onyeama said that the president signing the agreement would send a signal to the world that Nigeria is serious with it. He said that China and the U.S. had already signed it.
He said that the UNGA conference was a unique one where Mr President had opportunity to meet world leaders and build on the country’s reputation.
“It is one unique conference where world leaders assemble and address issues pre-occupying their minds, it is a wonderful opportunity for the president to build on his reputation.
“President Buhari is well regarded by the world leaders and it will give him opportunity to reconnect and engage them on various issues.
“He needs world leaders’ support in the areas of economy, security, anti-corruption and governance. He will use the opportunity to push for Nigeria’s interest at the UN,” the minister said.
He said that the president would also use the opportunity to look for foreign markets for Nigeria’s products and garner support for the economy.
Onyeama said that the president would also use the opportunity to canvass for the repatriation of Nigeria’s stolen money in foreign banks.
“Mr President will use the opportunity to canvass for support for the recharge of Lake Chad.
“There will be a discussion on Lake Chad Basin and how to recharge the lake through Central Africa which will cost about 15 billion dollars.
“Mr President will engage and push for investors on the project. He will be looking at Public, Private Partnership to mobilise that kind of funding for Lake Chad. Such investment will have direct impact on at least five million people.”
The minister said that there will also be a discussion on one vision, one Africa where all African nations can have a voice on issues that have direct impact on the continent.
He said the EU would be putting 31 billion euros on the table to address certain issues affecting Middle East and part of Africa.
He said that Nigeria was the only one invited for the meeting to look into how to spend the money, adding that the forum would give Nigeria opportunity to access the fund.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote has again made the list of the top 51 World Richest Billionaires In 2016, according to Forbes magazine. He is rhe only one from the whole of the African continent. The Forbes magazine named Bill Gate of the United States of America as the richest man in the world, with Amancio Ortega of Spain coming second and Warren Buffett of the United States of America coming third even as the Facebook founder and owner, Mark Zuckerberg of the US came sixth. Aliko Dangote, who is African’s richest man and owner of Dangote Group came 51st in the world. [myad]
The vicar of the Church of the Resurrection, Anglican Communion, 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, Ven. Ife Okupevi, has said that Nigeria is not working and asked President Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent steps to steer the nation’s economy from recession. He reminded the President that the suffering in the land is becoming unbearable.
The Vicar, who spoke when he delivered a sermon at the funeral service for late Mrs. Elizabeth Nwogwugwu, the mother of THISDAY Newspaper Editor and Group Executive Director, Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, appealed to the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, who was in attendance to inform the president that Nigeria is not working.
“Please tell Mr president that things are not working, Nigerians’ joy has been turned to sorrow; there is too much suffering in the land and this may lead to anarchy. Go and tell all the politicians, all our leaders to serve Christ and to do God’s will. Nigeria has been blessed with heavenly blessings. We are better than the United States of America because God has blessed us with many things. We are better than United Kingdom, Japan, Paris, China, if we can harness what we have, Nigeria will be great.
“Things are not working well in this our country, the Niger Delta Avengers are here, robbers, Boko Haram and kidnappers are making life undesirable for Nigerians. Think of all other atrocities, think of all the vices, corruption in this country.”
The vicar appealed to the president to direct state governors to repair roads and fix necessary infrastructure that will make life easy for Nigerians.
He also lamented the inability of some state governors to pay salaries and urged Buhari to direct the state governors to pay workers’ salaries to alleviate the poverty in the land.
While praying for Nigeria, he said: “I pray God to heal our nation Nigeria. We will celebrate Nigeria again. Don’t wait for October 1 before you celebrate Nigeria. Celebrate, pray and do good things for Nigeria every day. There is suffering because things are not working well. Our joy is turning to death. People are dying. Things are happening the other way.
“I know you represent the head of state. Things are not working well, so talk to the House of Assembly members, governors; you were once a governor, that they should repair our roads and give us good water.
“Do good in the military and health sector and our educational sector must be done well. Those that still owe workers should pay. We can’t continue like this, our land will not crash. This country will not die.”
Addressing the children of the deceased on the need to draw closer to God, he said: “this woman had served God. She expects a good legacy from most of us that are present here this morning.”
Dignitaries at the funeral included Chairman, Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY Newspapers and Arise TV, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi; former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan; Chairman, United Bank for Africa, Mr. Tony Elumelu and Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, Others include, Former Commissioner of Information, Delta State, Chike Ogbeah; spokesman to the Senate President, Yusuf Olaniyonu, and Deputy Managing Director, THISDAY Newspaper, Mr. Kayode Komolafe. [myad]
A driver with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nasiru Isa, has been arrested for allegedly breaking into one of the sealed mansions owned by the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, retired Air Marshal Alex Badeh. Also arrested are a policeman identified as Corporal Aliyu Ismaila, Abubakar Jibrin, Abdulsalam Ado, Ibrahim Babangida, Reuben Dauda, Hassan Aliyu, Sani Yusuf and Murtala Mohammed.
In a statement, the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said that the suspect belonged to a criminal syndicate that specializes in breaking into properties sealed off by the EFCC.
The Commission had, in January, sealed off over five landed properties belonging to Badeh before arraigning him on 10-count charge bordering on money laundering and theft.
The EFCC said on August 30, 2016, the suspects, including the armed policeman, subdued the security guard at the property and attempted to break into the main building but fled on sighting some EFCC operatives.
The statement read in part: “On August 30, 2016, operatives of the EFCC, as part of monitoring activities on the sealed property, had gone to the site to execute a search.
“However, members of the syndicate took to their heels on sighting the operatives of the anti-graft agency. A carpenter, Yakubu Muhammad, who was hired by the syndicate, was left behind and was subsequently arrested by the operatives.
“The carpenter, who has been cooperating with operatives, confessed that he was not in the know of the illicit activity, as he was only brought in by the syndicate to assist with the use of his carpentry tools to break into the property.”
According to the EFCC, investigations revealed that shortly after the property was sealed, some individuals moved about 12 bags believed to contain items linked to money laundering offence, into the property.
“Investigations revealed that one of those in the know about the goods was the brains behind the scheming to steal them. The syndicate decided they would need to subdue the security man at the property, which would mean they would need to involve security personnel in the syndicate.
“Subsequently, Isa was contacted. To further beef up the security aspect of the crime, he also contacted his friend, Ismaila, who came for the ‘operation’ fully armed. In perpetrating the crime, Dauda had posed to be a senior official of the EFCC, while Jibrin posed as an Intelligence Police officer in the Inspector General’s office.
“However, on August 30, 2016, they were caught in the act of breaking into the property, having successfully overpowered the security guard at the entrance of the property.” [myad]
Here comes the preacher. What does he want to tell us? Doesn’t he know that we are hungry, and the din of hunger makes one deaf to reason?
The rumble in our tummies, as the worms compete for the little food left there, will surely be louder than what anybody can say now. True?
Not exactly.
Come, let us reason together.
Father Ejike Mbaka, that fearless priest of the Catholic church, gave an illustration recently, which I believe was not revealed to him by flesh and blood. There is hunger in the land, with people severely famished. And there is ululation, loud enough to deafen the deaf all over again, and wake the dead from his eternal sleep. The wailers are wailing so loud, as if Bob Marley had resurrected with his band, the Wailing Wailers.
But hear Fr. Mbaka: somebody came, looted your kitchen, carried away all the food. He did not even leave you crumbs to console yourself with. And then comes another person, trying to replenish your pantry, trying to restock your kitchen. And then you begin to shout; we are hungry o, we are hungry o, to the point of distracting and discouraging the new man. Who should you rather wail and rage against? The man that looted your kitchen, of course.
That is the exact similitude of the position of Nigeria.
There is hunger, lack, and deprivation in the land. But is it a death knell? Not when the kitchen is being restocked, and we will soon feed till we want no more. But what if we are dead before our kitchen gets replenished?
What if we had been knackered by hunger, before the days of plenty come? That is the purpose of this piece. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, established, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10).
Christianity is the religion I am most familiar with. But every religion must surely preach the virtue of godly patience.
“After ye have suffered a while…” Let’s look at it closely.
You give a single thing, you get four in return. What a huge return on investment. You put in suffering (patience, if you like), and you get this cocktail of blessings: perfect, established, strengthened, settled. Buy one, get four free. Hear who is preaching patience, from the cosy confines of the presidential villa. He has moved up, and from obscene comfort, he can preach. That was the insinuation my own brother, Dele Momodu, made in his Saturday column in Thisday a couple of weeks ago. He did not mention my name, but I knew he was talking of me. And I laughed.
Obscene comfort, in a Muhammadu Buhari administration? Funny. Well, I do not know about those who can hustle, and gain advantage from holding public office. But I can speak for myself. The day God was distributing the ability to hustle, I probably was not at home, so I have not been given that ability. And the Good Book says no man does anything, except it is given to him from above. The sum total?
I am on a national assignment that has cut my legitimate annual income by one third, so when there is hunger in the land, I go hungry too. Well, almost. When people talk of lack of money, I penny-pinch, too. Well, almost. Let nobody think those in government are insulated from what is happening in the country.
At least, those who have truly come to serve. But those precious promises hold true any day.
“In the days of famine, my people shall be satisfied.”
“The young lion may lack, and suffer hunger, but those that trust in the Lord shall not suffer any good thing.” (Ride on, preacher!).
In Benin on Monday, President Buhari spoke at campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He declared: “I assure you that we are going to get out of our economic problems. We are almost out of our security problem and we are going to make Nigeria great again. We are going to be very proud of our country once again.”
I believe it. Implicitly. If I don’t, I am then simply wasting time in government, when I could fare a lot better outside it. But the Daura man needs people to believe in him. Count me in the number. I had always been, and will always be a believer in integrity, probity and accountability. It is good for our country. The economy has fallen into recession, and after recession comes depression. Really?
Why are some people too eager to believe negative projections, while shunning the positive? Yes, when you have negative economic growth for two consecutive quarters, there is business contraction, and the economy falls into recession. Depression is even worse. But recession is not Armageddon. It is not a death sentence. Leading countries of the world had fallen into economic recession at one time or the other, and they came out of it, to become strong and sturdy again. Why not Nigeria? The projection is that by the end of the fourth quarter, we would be on our way out of recession. I believe it. I do not spend my days expecting a thunderstorm, and render myself unable to enjoy the rain. “After ye have suffered a while…”
Better days will come again, and under this Buhari administration. Yes, we shall soon be proud of our country again. Do we forget so easily?
No, we shouldn’t. Buhari and his party rode to power last year on the wings of three main promises, among others: security, anti-corruption, and economic restoration. The first promise is being roundly and soundly fulfilled.
You can’t administer a country you have not secured, the President keeps saying. And so, from Sambisa to Sango, in Ogun State, from the creeks of Ikorodu to those of Niger Delta, even the crocodiles are smiling, knowing that the country is being secured. From Ogbunike, to Okigwe, and to Okporoza, the security agencies are proving their mettle. In the North East, internally displaced people are returning home. Ask people from Konduga, in Borno State. Roads that had been closed for five years are reopening. Emirs, who had fled their palaces for many years, have returned. “After ye have suffered for a while…”
Corruption is being given a bloody nose! You do the crime, you serve the term. A Daniel has come to judgment. In Nigeria, not only are officials corrupt, but corruption has become official, said Shehu Musa, a former secretary to the Federal Government. Well, not anymore. Do the crime, serve the term, is the new singsong. Stealing has now become corruption, and the battle has just started.
The economy is the third promise. But just as the promise is being kept on the security and anti-corruption fronts, the economy will also be turned right side up. After ye have suffered a while… It is inevitable that we pass through this rough patch in which we currently find ourselves. Up to the end of 2014, we made an average of three billion dollars monthly from oil. We whacked everything, officially and unofficially, nothing put aside for the rainy day. It was a bazaar. Now the rain is falling, and it is beating us almost mercilessly. Monthly income from oil has dropped to as low as five hundred million dollars.
From billions to millions. We are running soaked. But after rain comes the shine. Nigeria not only has a thrifty and prudent leadership, but also one that will not steal our money. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, so goes the saying.
Some people are so rapacious that if you keep a boiled egg in their care, and knowing that a bite on the egg would be quite visible, they then lick it, so that the egg never goes scot-free. But the good news for us is that a man who did not bite our egg in his 30s, would not lick it in his 70s. Our treasury is safe, and we will beat recession. Better days are surely coming, “after ye have suffered a while…”
We trusted Buhari and gave him our votes in 2015. Let us keep the trust, the confidence, and ride the storm. In quietness and confidence shall be our strength, not in wailing and throwing of tantrums. In private, and in public, President Buhari has acknowledged the tough times in the land. But he is not throwing up his hands in helplessness. Problems are meant to be solved, and the government is doing just that. It’s a time of national emergency that calls for cooperation, goodwill, best wishes, encouragement, even prayers. But some people rejoice, thinking the government would fail.
Why do the heathens rage, and the people imagine vain things? Wasn’t the siege on Samaria so terrible that they began to boil their children to eat? And then came Prophet Elisha, who told them, “Tomorrow about this time, shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel.” Did it happen?
It did. But the scoffers, the unbelieving, did not partake of it. Things will turn in Nigeria, and it would be for our good.(I can see everything turning around, turning around, turning around for our good). If you faint in the days of adversity, your strength is small.
Good Nigerians will not faint, rather, they will trust, pray and encourage the man restocking their kitchens.
As sure as day follows the night, better things will come, and will not delay. The troubles of the present are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed, “after we have suffered for a while…” .
Adesina is Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari. [myad]
Popular Nollywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji has been left heartbroken in Milan, Italy after her Igbo fiancé reportedly cancelled their private wedding at the last minute. Unknown to many people, the pretty Nollywood single mother sparked off a secret romance with Ugochukwu Udezue, a wealthy NBA basketball agent based in Denver, Colorado last year. He reportedly proposed to her around the time she was seen flaunting a huge engagement ring on her official Instagram page. Miss Nnaji and the Mr. Udezue were supposed to get married in Milan Italy about two weeks ago but the groom cancelled the wedding at the last minute and returned to Amsterdam, dumping the actress and her guests. On why he cancelled the wedding at the last minute, Udezue reportedly told his friends that he doesn’t trust Miss Nnaji after she chose to make the wedding private. Secondly, his father has refused to give his blessing because of Genevieve Nnaji’s suspicious demand of not wanting close family members at the wedding. It was further disclosed that Ugo’s dad also refused to neither attend the event nor give his blessing. Months before the wedding, Genevieve Nnaji reportedly begged Udezue to keep the wedding ceremony a low-key one. She even went as far as not telling any member of her family nor her colleagues. She only left Nigeria with her best friend Oluchi Orlandi and few other friends. According to sources, Udezue thought Miss Nnaji has something to hide that was why she didn’t bother to invite her parents to the wedding ceremony scheduled for Milan. This and his father’s refusal forced Udezue to call off the wedding. The source said Miss Nnaji was put to shame on her wedding day and was forced to return to Nigeria without the wedding ring she’s been dreaming of. Udezue is the founder of African Basketball League. He is one of the most popular Nigerian NBA agents in the United States. According to our source, Udezue has four kids from his previous marriages. It is still unsure if Genevieve Nnaji and the wealthy Basketball agent have called off their relationship. Meanwhile, the actress is currently in Canada where she is attending the TIFF with other popular actors and producers.
On September 22, 2016, King Sunny Ade will be joining the league of the septuagenarians, 70, and it is not by an accident of fate that he will not be having a quiet party with his family alone. By virtue of his status and his monumental achievements, it is inevitable that such landmarks in life be hijacked by many who have had their lives touched by the joy and talent this Ondo Prince is blessed with. As Henry Longfellow once said “Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time.”
These words aptly encapsulate what King Sunny Ade means to the music world, not only in Nigeria but all over the world. According to the Wikipedia, he is described as “a Nigerian musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and a pioneer of modern world music. He has been classed as one of the most influential musicians of all time.”
On Wednesday the Lagos media community had a parley with the King at the Lagos Airport Hotel, where the Juju music crusader highlighted series of activities lined up to mark his70th birthday. Looking as radiant as ever, and exuding that latent energy that has captivated both young and old over five decades, he told us his 70th birthday would be different from any he had ever had. Usually, the King celebrates his birthdays over a course of one week but his coming 70th birthday, according to him, which began on September 1, 2016, will run till the end of the year, December 31, 2016, climaxing with a grand finale concert that will have African greats like Youssuf N’dour and many others on stage.
Programme for the birthday King Sunny Ade and his band. Credit: George Elijah Otumu King Sunny Ade and his band. Credit: George Elijah Otumu Having the celebration last for four whole months is not the King’s design but demands arising from his many associations over the years. “I am a member of 79 social clubs and you can imagine that each and every one of them wants to be part of the celebration by organizing something for me”, he said with a wry smile and reeled out list of activities lined up for the landmark occasion. “I started my birthday celebration with a prayer from Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye on the 1st of September.
On the 21st of September, we will be having in Ondo, the Gospel Night. Then on the 23rd of September, we will be visiting the Motherless Baby Homes and the next day will be a day where my family members will celebrate me. We will also have a special lecture in Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, with the Oni of Ife in attendance. After the lecture, we will go back to Ooni’s palace with many distinguished royalties in attendance. The celebration will also be taken to South Africa with a book launch.
There will be a concert in Ibadan. We will also have 70 children performing for KSA. PMAN, Ondo chapter, Western states and National are also coming together to organise something very fascinating but I don’t know the details now. Here, PMAN, Ondo chapter will be playing the chief host. The grand finale will also attract foreign musicians into Nigeria for this celebration. Many organisations, clubs and associations have also set aside a day to celebrate me.
All together, we plan to have a five-month celebration,” he enthused.
After the preambles of rolling out the programme for the birthday celebration, the King then fielded questions from newsmen who were itching to have a go at him. As anxious as they were, the music maestro, with his air of cordiality satisfied almost all of their curiosities.
His story and Baba Sala
It is impossible to tell the story of King Sunny Ade without having the name of Moses Olaiya, aka Baba Sala popping up.
“Let me say that Baba Sala is my boss and he will continue to be my boss for life,” he began.
“I never planned to be a band leader but he gave me the opportunity for the talent to develop. I was a little boy, playing percussion in his band. He was a musician, playing guitar, Iya Ilu (talking drum) and accordion.
At that time, we were playing I.K. Dairo kind of music and I was the youngest . When he formed the drama side he asked me to go to the drama group in order to see to the music side of it. So, I was in charge of music for his drama sector. Along the line I started playing Konga, Shekere and other instruments. After a while he transferred me back to the band. It was through Baba Sala and his friend, Chief Tunde Amuwo that I became a band leader. Chief Tunde Amuwo had some instruments in his house and invited me to come and take charge. I told him I could not come because I didn’t have any intention of becoming a band leader. To me, I saw it as biting the finger that fed me. But it was Baba Sala himself who told me ‘Sunday, this is an opportunity for you,go and try. If after nine months to a year you cannot do it, come back here, I am your father, I will take you back’. Up till now, I am yet to go back”, he joked.
“Sincerely, I never knew my music would make it to this level. “ I bought the guitar on my own and nobody thought me. I do my dancing as I know and then whatever thing I’m doing now I do it on my own. I believe it’s only God that thought me everything and that’s why up till now I still give Baba Sala that respect because for anybody to say go and try, I’ve never heard it before. I say to my members too, that if you feel like forming a band, go and try, if it doesn’t work let me know. Maybe I’m lucky on my own’, he added.
On his affair with Onyeka Onwenu KSA debunked ever having any private affair with the songstress, categorically, stating he never had a crush on her.
“Onyeka and myself came together to do a song like a campaign.
The “’If You Love Me” was a track to curb unwanted pregnancies among the youths back then. It was a campaign organised by Houston University in America where we needed a boy and a girl to sing against it. And that brought Onyeka Onwenu and KSA coming together. People became confused. However, myself and Onyeka had done some songs together before then. But many were anxious to know if we were dating each other. Onyeka Owenu is my good sister and I don’t have a crush on her. We are both musicians and thereby colleagues”, he stated.
On the new generation of singers, King Sunny Ade, Credit: George Elijah Otumu King Sunny Ade. Credit: George Elijah Otumu “I have done collaboration with Wizkid and some other young musicians. You people call it “collabo” but I don’t like using such slangs. There are many things I really need to work on. I intend working more with the young musicians. My door is open to as many who want me to work with me provided the musician knows what he wants to do with me and I also know what I want to do with him or her.
Many families at a time were not comfortable with their children listening to some music or even going into music. But that has changed over time. Today, we have parents calling on me to mentor and train their children who want to go into music. Music flows everywhere. I still perform with my bands and that doesn’t mean I can’t play with the computer (DJs). I am not against this, if it suits Nigerians. My stand is that, there is a huge difference between performing life and doing computer things. There are things the computer can’t do.
On his last tour of the US
The King said his last tour of the US lasted for two and half months, saying he embarked on the tour to prove a point. “I didn’t go on tour two years ago because we were told at the American Embassy that they had technical problems. Other bands all over the world were also affected. It was even on the Embassy’s website back then. However, we were given Visa this year and we had one big mission: to redeem our name. This was necessary because there were speculations that I was dead . But my fans were very happy seeing me alive, hale and hearty. I know I am not supposed to blow my own trumpet but at times, one needs to adjust it. I can say it categorically that every show we did was a huge success.”
On winning the lawsuit for his master tape Recently, a Federal High Court in Lagos awarded N500 million to the world beat maestro, for copyright infringement.
Recall that KSA had dragged a record manufacturing company, African Songs and its subsidiary Take Your Choice Stores, to court some years back over issues bothering on intellectual theft. The court awarded the sum against the defendants for infringing on his works, with additional N5 million for prosecuting the suit. According to the music legend, the court ordered the companies to return the master tape of the original musical works to him. He said before the master tape could be returned, the companies’ Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Chief Bolarinwa Abioro, died.
His words: “I won that case and they said I should be compensated with 505 million Naira but they are yet to do that. I won’t want to say much on that. It is either I am given more than 505million Naira or they return the master tape. My master tape is even more important to me than the money”, he said. On his energy on stage
The name ‘KSA’ is synonymous with electrifying dance steps, strong throaty vocals and high octane performances. Even when nudging 70, the maestro recently toured 36 states in the US in a space of ten weeks. One wonders where he draws the energy from, and surprisingly, the King himself seems to be dumbfounded. “I’m always so happy when I see people around. If I have to do what I want, a lot of thoughts will be running through my mind to do what I know best. I don’t smoke and I don’t drink but when I hear music, not only my music, I dance and then the energy just comes naturally.
So, I will say that the energy comes from God and I love what I do most. On his favourites among the new generation king Sunny Ade king Sunny Ade “Let me say all of them are my favourites because they have different styles. You cannot compare them to one and another. The music of Wizkid is quite different from Korede Bello’s, and same goes for others.” On new album “Yes, we are going to have another album this year to celebrate the birthday.
We are working on so many, maybe not only one, maybe two or three, we just have to do something by God’s grace.” [myad]
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has admitted that it had to postpone the governorship election in Edo State scheduled for September 10 due to security report that did not make it safe to hold it on the said date, and has therefore rescheduled it for September 28.
The National Commissioner in charge of voters Education and Publicity, Solomon Souebi, who spoke on the issue, said that the decision to postpone the election was reached at a security meeting held with security agencies on Thursday evening.
Soyebi noted that the commission has successfully implemented 12 out of 14 conditions set for a successful election, but however received official communication from the police and DSS drawing their attention on the need to postpone the election.
He said: “However at about 6pm today the commission received official communication from the police and DSS drawing it’s attention to the need to postpone the Edo governorship elections. Such postponement the communication indicates is necessary in view of threats of terrorists activities in Edo State and other states of the federation during the election and over the Sallah period.
“The deployment of security personnel country wide to secure lives and property would over stretched their capacity to at the same time provide adequate security for the election.
“Consequently the commission notes the request of the security agencies and considering the security implications of proceeding with the election the safety of Eligable voters, electoral officials, including ad-hoc staff and other stakeholders has decided to reschedule the Edo governorship elections to Wednesday 28 September 2016.
“The commission enjoins all eligible voters in Edo State, political parties, candidates and other stakeholders to be peaceful and law abiding.”
This was even as the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole dismissed allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party that the APC was agitating for the postponement of the election.
He called on members of the party in the state to be vigilant and “de-rig the opposition parties with their Permanent Voters Card.”
He alleged that governors of neighbouring Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States were preparing to bring in militants into the state to perpetrate violence during the election.
He warned persons that might be used for such act to have a rethink or face the consequences if they are caught. [myad]
The Federal Government is ready with N6.5 trillion for the 2017 fiscal year. This was contained in a budget call circular issued by the office of the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The circular was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday.
According to the circular, this was in accordance with the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper.
It said the aggregate Federal Government retained revenue for the 2017 fiscal year was projected at N4.1 billion, while the aggregate expenditure level was projected to be N6.9 billion.
The circular said: “This aggregate expenditure is made up of statutory transfers of N370.7 billion, Debt Service of N1.63 billion, Recurrent (non-debt) expenditure of N2.56 billion and Capital expenditure of N1.76 billion.
“The N1.63 billion in respect of Debt Service is made up of N1.47 billion for domestic debt; N159.6 billion for foreign debt and N177.4 billion for sinking fund to retire maturing loans.”
It said the capital expenditure would be guided strictly by the justification and critical nature of such programmes and budgets.
It also said the N1.76 billion set aside for critical capital expenditure includes N150 billion for Special Intervention Programme, N200 billion for Capital Supplementation and N1.41 billion for MDAs capital expenditure.
“Additionally, the Federal Government intends to incur recurrent expenditure of N350 billion on the Special Intervention Programmes, bringing the total to N500 billion,” it said.
The document also directed all MDAs to prepare the budget based on the 2017-2019 MTEF.
According to the circular, the budget preparation should take into consideration the policies and strategies contained in the document as it outlines the development priorities of the Federal Government.
It also noted that the annual budget would continue to be prepared using the Zero-Based Budgeting approach and in line with the government’s policy thrust.
The circular discouraged the practice of regular incremental budget adjustments, each project was to be carefully scrutinised before resources were allocated and that the ZBB process places emphasis on actual needs and not wants.
It said: “Therefore, all MDAs are to carefully scrutinise and justify their projects and programmes for which resources are to be allocated in line with the immediate needs of the country and government’s development priorities.”
The priorities were grouped into six broad pillars to reflect the 26 policy priority programmes of the Federal Government.
It listed the pillars to be economic reforms/growth, social development, critical infrastructure, states/regional development, governance, security and environment.
Regarding budget ceilings, it said MDAs were required to work within their 2016 expenditure ceilings to make their 2017 capital and overhead budget submissions.
It said that in preparing their budget estimates, the MDAs were required to adopt the approved price list for various items as published by the Bureau for Public Procurement.
The MDAs were also required to make their submissions online using the web-based budget preparation application on or beforeSeptember 16.
Bilateral budget discussions to review the received proposals for compliance with the guidelines and for consistency with the developmental priorities of the government was also scheduled to hold between September 19 and 30.
NAN reports that the Federal Executive Council on August 24 approved the 2017-2019 MTEF and FSP.
The budget call circular is in line with the 2017 budget preparation calendar signalling the commencement of MDAs’ preparation of their 2017 budgets. [myad]
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Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote has again made the list of the top 51 World Richest Billionaires In 2016, according to Forbes magazine. He is rhe only one from the whole of the African continent.
Popular Nollywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji has been left heartbroken in Milan, Italy after her Igbo fiancé reportedly cancelled their private wedding at the last minute.
After Ye Have Suffered A While…, By Femi Adesina
Here comes the preacher. What does he want to tell us? Doesn’t he know that we are hungry, and the din of hunger makes one deaf to reason?
The rumble in our tummies, as the worms compete for the little food left there, will surely be louder than what anybody can say now. True?
Not exactly.
Come, let us reason together.
Father Ejike Mbaka, that fearless priest of the Catholic church, gave an illustration recently, which I believe was not revealed to him by flesh and blood. There is hunger in the land, with people severely famished. And there is ululation, loud enough to deafen the deaf all over again, and wake the dead from his eternal sleep. The wailers are wailing so loud, as if Bob Marley had resurrected with his band, the Wailing Wailers.
But hear Fr. Mbaka: somebody came, looted your kitchen, carried away all the food. He did not even leave you crumbs to console yourself with. And then comes another person, trying to replenish your pantry, trying to restock your kitchen. And then you begin to shout; we are hungry o, we are hungry o, to the point of distracting and discouraging the new man. Who should you rather wail and rage against? The man that looted your kitchen, of course.
That is the exact similitude of the position of Nigeria.
There is hunger, lack, and deprivation in the land. But is it a death knell? Not when the kitchen is being restocked, and we will soon feed till we want no more. But what if we are dead before our kitchen gets replenished?
What if we had been knackered by hunger, before the days of plenty come? That is the purpose of this piece. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, established, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10).
Christianity is the religion I am most familiar with. But every religion must surely preach the virtue of godly patience.
“After ye have suffered a while…” Let’s look at it closely.
You give a single thing, you get four in return. What a huge return on investment. You put in suffering (patience, if you like), and you get this cocktail of blessings: perfect, established, strengthened, settled. Buy one, get four free. Hear who is preaching patience, from the cosy confines of the presidential villa. He has moved up, and from obscene comfort, he can preach. That was the insinuation my own brother, Dele Momodu, made in his Saturday column in Thisday a couple of weeks ago. He did not mention my name, but I knew he was talking of me. And I laughed.
Obscene comfort, in a Muhammadu Buhari administration? Funny. Well, I do not know about those who can hustle, and gain advantage from holding public office. But I can speak for myself. The day God was distributing the ability to hustle, I probably was not at home, so I have not been given that ability. And the Good Book says no man does anything, except it is given to him from above. The sum total?
I am on a national assignment that has cut my legitimate annual income by one third, so when there is hunger in the land, I go hungry too. Well, almost. When people talk of lack of money, I penny-pinch, too. Well, almost. Let nobody think those in government are insulated from what is happening in the country.
At least, those who have truly come to serve. But those precious promises hold true any day.
“In the days of famine, my people shall be satisfied.”
“The young lion may lack, and suffer hunger, but those that trust in the Lord shall not suffer any good thing.” (Ride on, preacher!).
In Benin on Monday, President Buhari spoke at campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He declared: “I assure you that we are going to get out of our economic problems. We are almost out of our security problem and we are going to make Nigeria great again. We are going to be very proud of our country once again.”
I believe it. Implicitly. If I don’t, I am then simply wasting time in government, when I could fare a lot better outside it. But the Daura man needs people to believe in him. Count me in the number. I had always been, and will always be a believer in integrity, probity and accountability. It is good for our country. The economy has fallen into recession, and after recession comes depression. Really?
Why are some people too eager to believe negative projections, while shunning the positive? Yes, when you have negative economic growth for two consecutive quarters, there is business contraction, and the economy falls into recession. Depression is even worse. But recession is not Armageddon. It is not a death sentence. Leading countries of the world had fallen into economic recession at one time or the other, and they came out of it, to become strong and sturdy again. Why not Nigeria? The projection is that by the end of the fourth quarter, we would be on our way out of recession. I believe it. I do not spend my days expecting a thunderstorm, and render myself unable to enjoy the rain. “After ye have suffered a while…”
Better days will come again, and under this Buhari administration. Yes, we shall soon be proud of our country again. Do we forget so easily?
No, we shouldn’t. Buhari and his party rode to power last year on the wings of three main promises, among others: security, anti-corruption, and economic restoration. The first promise is being roundly and soundly fulfilled.
You can’t administer a country you have not secured, the President keeps saying. And so, from Sambisa to Sango, in Ogun State, from the creeks of Ikorodu to those of Niger Delta, even the crocodiles are smiling, knowing that the country is being secured. From Ogbunike, to Okigwe, and to Okporoza, the security agencies are proving their mettle. In the North East, internally displaced people are returning home. Ask people from Konduga, in Borno State. Roads that had been closed for five years are reopening. Emirs, who had fled their palaces for many years, have returned. “After ye have suffered for a while…”
Corruption is being given a bloody nose! You do the crime, you serve the term. A Daniel has come to judgment. In Nigeria, not only are officials corrupt, but corruption has become official, said Shehu Musa, a former secretary to the Federal Government. Well, not anymore. Do the crime, serve the term, is the new singsong. Stealing has now become corruption, and the battle has just started.
The economy is the third promise. But just as the promise is being kept on the security and anti-corruption fronts, the economy will also be turned right side up. After ye have suffered a while… It is inevitable that we pass through this rough patch in which we currently find ourselves. Up to the end of 2014, we made an average of three billion dollars monthly from oil. We whacked everything, officially and unofficially, nothing put aside for the rainy day. It was a bazaar. Now the rain is falling, and it is beating us almost mercilessly. Monthly income from oil has dropped to as low as five hundred million dollars.
From billions to millions. We are running soaked. But after rain comes the shine. Nigeria not only has a thrifty and prudent leadership, but also one that will not steal our money. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, so goes the saying.
Some people are so rapacious that if you keep a boiled egg in their care, and knowing that a bite on the egg would be quite visible, they then lick it, so that the egg never goes scot-free. But the good news for us is that a man who did not bite our egg in his 30s, would not lick it in his 70s. Our treasury is safe, and we will beat recession. Better days are surely coming, “after ye have suffered a while…”
We trusted Buhari and gave him our votes in 2015. Let us keep the trust, the confidence, and ride the storm. In quietness and confidence shall be our strength, not in wailing and throwing of tantrums. In private, and in public, President Buhari has acknowledged the tough times in the land. But he is not throwing up his hands in helplessness. Problems are meant to be solved, and the government is doing just that. It’s a time of national emergency that calls for cooperation, goodwill, best wishes, encouragement, even prayers. But some people rejoice, thinking the government would fail.
Why do the heathens rage, and the people imagine vain things? Wasn’t the siege on Samaria so terrible that they began to boil their children to eat? And then came Prophet Elisha, who told them, “Tomorrow about this time, shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel.” Did it happen?
It did. But the scoffers, the unbelieving, did not partake of it. Things will turn in Nigeria, and it would be for our good.(I can see everything turning around, turning around, turning around for our good). If you faint in the days of adversity, your strength is small.
Good Nigerians will not faint, rather, they will trust, pray and encourage the man restocking their kitchens.
As sure as day follows the night, better things will come, and will not delay. The troubles of the present are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed, “after we have suffered for a while…” .
Adesina is Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari. [myad]