₦airaland Forum

OSINBAJO HAILS COCA COLA'S PLANNED $1B INVESTMENT IN NIGERIA, CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF COMPANY IN NIGERIA

*Adds: It’s a testament to the possibilities in the Nigerian economy


Coca Cola’s plan to invest $1 billion in Nigeria in the next five years testifies to the possibilities in the economy despite challenges, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this Monday evening at the 70th anniversary gala of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC).

According to the Vice President, “your ongoing investment in the country, which I am told will be in the order of $1billion in the next five years, testifies to your faith in the possibilities of Nigeria.”


“And you can rely on the partnership of the Nigerian government, (and i dare say the Nigerian people too) as you make these great strides,” Prof. Osinbajo assured.

While narrating his personal and family stories about drinking Coke, including how he drank two bottles of Coke a day up until 2017, the Vice President reiterated that the Buhari administration’s commitment to “creating an environment that allows the private sector innovate and thrive remains active and sincere, despite the challenges.

“And we will continue to work with businesses across the broad spectrum of our dynamic economy to ensure that we do this with a clear view of the opportunities and problems of the day.”

Prof. Osinbajo further stated that in the 70 years that the company has operated in Nigeria, it has demonstrated “commitment to the Nigerian people with repeated investments, in the building of production facilities across the country, in creating thousands of jobs but also in your active support of every aspect of our national life, from health to education, from women and youth empowerment to sports. All done with conscious respect for the environment.”

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said “I think it is fair to say that the commitment has been met with the enthusiastic patronage of generations of Nigerians; families who have been supported by the stable careers of staff who have grown with the company through the years.”

He explained that “young people who have found successful careers in sports and entertainment inspired by your support; consumers from Lagos to Kano, Rivers to Plateau, linked by distributors in every region of the country, who have built enduring businesses getting Coca Cola into the hands of millions; a robust value chain that includes service providers and marketing agencies, creators of the iconic Coke adverts that have formed part of our individual and collective memories all these years.”

The high point of the event was the presentation of awards to distinguished staff and partners of the company across the country.

On his part, Board Chairman of NBC, Amb. Segun Apata recalled the company’s growth and contribution to the economy and noted that the company will continue in its 70 years tradition of investing in the economy as well as impacting its host communities through several initiatives, especially for the youths.

Nigerian Bottling Company also known as NBC was incorporated in 1951 but started production in 1953 at the basement facilities of the mainland Hotel, owned by Leventis Group, producing Coke licensed by the Coca Cola Company.

The gala night was also attended by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
November 23, 2021

Higher institutions become globally recognized because of their active engagements in research according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof Osinbajo stated this today when he received a delegation from the University of Lagos, (UNILAG) Alumni Association, led by the National President, Dr John Momoh.

He said, “we should focus on how to endow research because ultimately, research is what puts us on the world map of intellectual achievement and attainment.”

He made the call for more resources to be devoted to research, adding that universities like UNILAG, "ought to be at the frontline of scholarships and intellectual achievements. This is probably a lot cheaper sometimes than some of the major things that we do in terms of ‘brick and mortar’.”

Referencing the COVID-19 Pandemic and the place of medical research in tackling the virus, the Vice President stated that, “if you look at medical research especially in the light of public health challenges that we have had, COVID-19, and so many things going on, we need to be able to put some resources behind research, especially scientific type research where we can immediately see the benefits.”

He gave the example of the work done by the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) in diagnosing the first case of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Very few people know that the Redeemers University in Ede has an African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID). As soon as the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa, the sample of blood was sent to the centre in Ede and within 48hours, they were able to share with the international community, the first genome sequence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from Africa.

“That was a major achievement by any standard. The World Bank and World Health Organisation are contributing to that centre because they realize that this is a major centre for medical research.”

According to the VP, “we really owe a responsibility to our own time and generation to make some real progress that will redefine the university.

In his remarks, Dr Momoh who is also the Chairman of Channels TV, thanked the VP for his continued support and gave details of the association’s plan to build an iconic 500-bed space hostel to tackle the housing deficit in UNILAG as well as the launch of a webinar starting in January 2022 tagged - UnilagAlumniLive TV.

The webinar plans to feature distinguished alumni in governance and industry who would speak on different topics relevant to the nation.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
22nd of November 2021

A support group loyal to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on the aegis of Progressive Consolidation Group (PCG) has explained why it opened a campaign office to mobilise more support for the Vice President, saying Osinbajo is the one country need to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group was reacting to a report by this medium regarding the campaign office.

A statement signed Sunday evening by its publicity secretary, Barr. Emmanuel Pippa, the PCG explained that Professor Osinbajo is yet to be acquainted with its activities.

“We wish to clarify that the said office belongs to our coalition of support groups which strongly believes in Professor Osinbajo as the leader Nigeria needs in 2023, and is determined to get him to declare an interest in running for the office of President as early as possible. Solely for this purpose, our recently acquired administrative office is located in the heart of Wuse area of Abuja.

“Even though Professor Osinbajo is yet to be acquainted with our activities, we intend to operate through a new organ, The Progressive  Project (TPP) to coordinate youth, women and other groups across the federation. 

“Ours is therefore not a campaign office but a venue for coordination, handling of increasing volume of correspondence and meetings in readiness for the time when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo accedes to our request for him to run and consolidate gains made under President Muhammadu Buhari. Party chieftains will of course lead the real campaign when that time comes. 

“Being a heartbeat away from the number one job, there are countless APC members and even, non-partisan citizens across the federation who are pushing for Professor Yemi Osinbajo to succeed or highly revered President Buhari, solely in the interest of the nation. 

“We are convinced that Osinbajo’s level of familiarity with the vision, achievements and challenges being handled by President Buhari is second to none, and that such insight would enable a new APC  administration hit the ground running in 2023.

“We anticipate that various new and existing pro-Osinbajo platforms will become part of the group to which their focus appears more relevant.”


https://www.blueprint.ng/2023-we-opened-campaign-office-not-osinbajo-pcg/

VP describes Wole Olanipekun at 70, one of the Commonwealth's most influential lawyers

As a matter of urgency, the Nigerian judiciary must address the issue of delays in processing cases through the courts, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo, who had addressed the issue on previous occasions, restated his position again on Friday when he chaired a Wole Olanipekun & Co., WOC, Justice Summit on Justice Sector Reforms in celebration of the 70th birthday of Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, in Lagos.

Describing the issue of delays in the judicial process as the ‘elephant in the room’, the VP wondered what would happen to the country’s legal profession in “another 50 years given the gridlock in processing cases through the courts and the question of the integrity of the legal process, or better still, the integrity of actors in the legal process in Nigeria.”

Highlighting delays in Nigerian courts, the Vice President recalled “how the UK Court of Appeal had occasion to comment in the case of (IPCO v. NNPC [2015] EWCA Civ 1144) where a challenge to the enforcement of a Nigerian seated arbitration tribunal award came before the English Court of Appeal.”

The VP explained that “the court referred to the delays in the parallel proceedings before a Nigerian Court as catastrophic and that it could take a further 30 years to resolve.”

"Incidentally, the expert witness who testified on delays in the Nigerian Courts was a former Justice of the Supreme Court who testified that a case could take 20 to 30 years to resolve in a Nigerian Court," the VP stated.

Prof. Osinbajo urged for further engagements by stakeholders on the integrity of the legal process and its key actors, particularly judges and lawyers towards proffering solutions to the challenge of delay in court processes.

“I look forward to the conversations we will have today, and may I suggest as rules of the house, that we focus on practical, and implementable ideas, not a rehash of the problems. We are all experts at knowing the problem.”

The Vice President described the celebrant, Chief Olanipekun, “as one of the most consequential and influential lawyers in the commonwealth”, adding that beyond his accolades and achievements, he has impacted many lives through his kindness, philanthropy and faith.

Thanking God for giving the legal luminary “an ever-youthful physique and disposition, Prof. Osinbajo said, “Chief Olanipekun's great intellect, mastery of the law, its substance and its technicalities, his incredible ability to get to the heart of the matter and to let whole panels of judges see his sometimes daring points; his disarming wit and humour, his sometimes lyrical and poetic submissions, quoting from the classics and the Scriptures, make him easily one of the most outstanding minds in the legal profession in this or any other generation.

“But I am sure that what must give him as much, if not more satisfaction, as his accomplishments in the legal profession is how he has affected the lives of hundreds, who cannot repay him for his kindness, his many charities and philanthropies and his several contributions to the growth and reach of the gospel.”

On his part, the celebrant, Chief Olanipekun, SAN, said the Justice Summit organized by his law firm is among his modest contributions to the advancement of the justice delivery system in Nigeria, noting that the thorny issue of integrity and the urgent need for reforms in the sector, remain worrisome and should be of concern to stakeholders.

He urged speakers and participants at the event not to relent in their efforts in ensuring reform of the judiciary, maintaining that the progress sought by society is largely tied to justice and equity.

Panelists at the event included the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun, who delivered the keynote address on the theme “Implementing Justice Sector Reforms", the Chief Judge of Borno State, Hon. Justice Kashim Zannah who spoke on “Entrenching Integrity of Processes in Judicial Appointments”, while a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Paul Galumje spoke on “Entrenching Integrity of Processes in Judicial Reforms”.

Others were Human Rights Lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, who spoke on “Political Influence on Judicial Appointments”; former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Abubakar Mahmud, SAN, who spoke on “How to balance diversity, gender, inclusion and merit in judicial appointments”, and Mrs Funke Adekoya, SAN, spoke about “Essential collaborations for successful implementation of justice sector reforms." There was also a non-lawyer contributor at the WOC Justice Summit, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika who spoke on the “Implications of judicial reforms on public trust.”



Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
20th November 2021

My dear Gbemisola Taiwo,

Let me begin by commending your passion exhibited towards the Affairs of UNIKOSA in the past .

The fact that You and I are contesting for the Apex position ( President of UNIKOSA) at this time that very few could take such step, even though many are capable, is praiseworthy.

Without much ado, I am writing you as response to allegations levied against my person, the Association and other highly respected Alumnus some weeks ago.

I waited for you to release evidence(s) of this criminal allegation, before I issue my response to no avail.

I hope you are aware of the legal implications and consequences of such weighty but unfounded and baseless allegations on my integrity, the name my generations have built over the years and above all our dear Association.

Unfortunately, it was brought to my notice that you have refused to consider the consequences when you reiterated it in your recent facebook interview.

Had it been I wasn't mentioned by you, I would have personally investigated this allegation because of the damage it's doing to UNIKOSA as a family (it's tearing us apart). Like everyone else in the association and friends of UNIKOSA, I was taken aback when I heard. It is baseless!

The race to the Presidency of UNIKOSA is largely a call to service and a test of integrity that attracts meaningful development. It also requires capacity to rebuild both human and physical infrastructure.

It requires you submitting yourself, your time and resources for the good of the Association, not otherwise!
A sacrifice for the Alma Mata not a funfare!

It grieves me to learn that you accused I, Johnny, to have gone beneath the standard of my hard earned personality to issuing a death threat to an opposing candidate, whom I consider to be a sister!

I understand that the allegation of threat to life is criminal and must be handled by relevant security agencies.

I want to believe that you have engaged the agencies concerned to look into this matter because, I have not been invited for any interrogation on the matter besides the unfortunate announcement on Facebook and other references you make to the matter in your media engagements.

Given the aforementioned, I would like you to know that every time you mention this unproven, unfounded, untrue, false and baseless allegation in the media or anywhere, you undermine the integrity of the UNIKOSA you aspire to lead and drag her image in the mud.

As far as I am concerned, I do not know anyone whosoever, that would issue a death threat on your life in the name of supporting me. THIS CONTEST IS NOT A (DO)OR DIE!

However, for the benefit of doubt and the spirit of strengthening our brotherhood as UNIKOSANS, while I still expect this matter to be looked into by the relevant authorities, I hereby request you, to present the threat to life issued by me and the party through whom you received the threat. I REQUEST THAT YOU SUPPORT YOUR ALLEGATIONS WITH EVIDENCES, PLEASE.

This would be the first step as we try to unravel the agents of discord that want to corrupt the rebuilding process of our dear Association and alma mater.

ELECTION is part of the process engaged to bring the best candidate out of the lot. We should compete in a healthy manner, without recourse to blackmailing, intimidation or threat of any kind. These are the hallmarks of my campaign.

My tenacious zeal for the development of our Alma mata is my strategy of winning the election and achieve greatness for UNIKOSA. I would not take sides with anyone who acts contrary or tries to shortchange the standard of sportsmanship.

If there is any truth in the allegation, then, let the relevant authorities handle it or you should submit to the internal committee setup to look into it.

Dear sister, irrespective of circumstances or situations, we should always consider the future implications/ consequences of all our actions.

While I await your response accordingly, I pray you live long, be prosperous and enjoy life.

As I plead to all UNIKOSANS to vote me worthy as their President, I hope to win this election. Subsequently, I will need all hands on board.

LONG LIVE UNIKOSA!!!

Yours truly,
Akinjide Ogunwale
UNIKOSA Presidential Aspirant

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has waded into the controversy surrounding the recent allegation of christianisation levelled against Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The group related what it knows about the Vice President and insists on truth, fairness and objectivity.

MURIC’s opinion was expressed in a press statement issued by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Wednesday, 17th November, 2021.

The group said, “A certain document alleging christianisation on the part of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was circulated last week and we decided to investigate. This is what the Glorious Qur’an 49:6 recommends for Muslims in such circumstances. We should not just believe everything we hear or read in these days of fake news. We should investigate in order to get to the root of the matter before taking a stand.

“We were actually surprised when certain facts were revealed to us during our investigation. We may not belong to the VP’s camp in any way, either politically or in matters of creed, but MURIC must consistently hold on to the truth.

“Blackmail, character assassination, fake news and disinformation are not in the character of Muslims. It has never been part of us. Hurting the innocent is equally alien to our DNA. Instead of hanging their actions on the necks of their adversaries, Muslims own up when they are the culprits. They prefer to be punished in this world in order to escape from the punishment of the Hereafter.

“It is our oppressors who always make sure that they are the first to cry out when indeed they are the aggressors. No true Islamic group will engage in mischief, lies, deceit and intrigues. Genuine Islamic groups are transparent. You can read them just as you read a book.

“It is these characteristics that have been nagging at our conscience since the controversy surrounding the allegation of christianisation levelled against Vice President Osinbajo began. The great Shaykh Uthman Bin Fudi said ‘Conscience is like a wound, only truth can heal it’. Our conscience was jogged and it is only by telling the world what we know that we can have rest of mind.

“During our investigation, we stumbled on an article written by a female Muslim presidential aide in the VP’s office. The article, which surfaced recently on social media, affirmed the presence of 18 Muslim officials in Osinbajo’s office. The onus is on those who accused the VP of christianisation to prove that some or all of those Muslim names in the VP’s office were fabricated to convince Nigerian Muslims that the VP is neither a hater nor an oppressor of Muslims.

“However, an opportunity to confirm one of the claims made in the article defending the VP came our way just by chance and we feel compelled by principle to share the information since we are stakeholders. Nations are built by stakeholders who speak the truth. On the other hand, they are destroyed by those who withhold the same truth.

“The opportunity we refer to occurred way back in 2018 or 2019. It provided a concrete and undeniable evidence which we witnessed by ourselves as a group and it confirmed that Mr. Abdul Rahman Ipaye, a Muslim and a former commissioner in Lagos State who was mentioned in the article as the highest staff in the VP’s office is, indeed, a bona fide staff of Osinbajo.

“What happened was that the director of MURIC was invited to deliver a lecture at an Islamic event organized by the League of Imams, Ikeja branch. We stand to be corrected but at least it was organized by an Ikeja-based Islamic organisation. The programme was held in one of the popular hotels in Ikeja, Lagos. We also remember that Dr. Saheed Timehin, another lecturer from the Lagos State University, delivered the second lecture at the event.

“It was after we arrived at the venue that we learnt that VP Osinbajo was to be the chairman of the occasion or the special guest of honour. We felt that the organisers had committed a fatal mistake by inviting Christian and a pastor for that matter. We thought the VP would not come and if at all he would honour them, he would send a representative. But we were wrong. Yemi Osinbajo was there physically.

“He also gave the organisers so much time after the programme because we remember him inviting about six Muslim leaders to what looked like a conference room. The director of MURIC was one of them. He asked them to table whatever they wanted the Federal Government (FG) to do for their organisations.

“Each leader made his group’s requests. We remember vividly that the request made by MURIC was that FG should free the 54 innocent soldiers who were serving a ten year jail sentence. The Vice President told the director of MURIC to quickly forward a petition to his office in Abuja. The petition was forwarded within three days.

“This is our only personal experience with the VP. We never met him again since then. As usual, the director of MURIC did not attend that lecture alone. He was accompanied by about five members and they all saw the VP that day though they were not in the conference room for the private discussion.

“We can also confirm that the VP was accompanied by the most senior staff in his office, Mr. Abdul Rahman Ipaye, who was mentioned in the article written in defence of the VP. In fact it was Mr. Ipaye who called a week later to confirm that our petition on the 54 soldiers had been received by the VP. This can at least confirm that the VP has Muslim staff in his office.

“MURIC is known for raising its voice against those who oppress Muslims but we do not wish to be known for remaining silent when we see Christians who accommodate Muslims. Objectivity demands that we speak up for the good Christian who accommodates Muslims. This is what we are doing today so that our consciences can rest.

“Nigerians already know our stand regarding the politics of the land come 2023, It is a principled stand but that does not stop us from speaking up in support of the truth. Afterall we are not politicians who feel no qualms withholding facts or calling black white.

“Our position can be likened to that of a man who was present where the death of somebody occurred. He saw that the man stumbled and fell. No man was near him. But an innocent man who was standing several meters away was later accused of pushing the deceased to his death and was being tried for murder. This man has a duty to tell the jury what he witnessed or live with the heavy burden on his conscience till he dies.

“MURIC has no connection whatsoever with the VP. Therefore, we are not doing this because we are close or because we have a deal. The director of MURIC will not take a political appointment. In fact, just a few weeks ago, we had cause to publicly accuse Osinbajo of involvement in the FG’s attempt to demolish the Islamic City on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. We claimed that he was acting as proxy for the Redeemed Camp. But the VP has denied any involvement in that. We have to give him the benefit of doubt.

“We must speak up when a Christian does the right thing. That is objectivity. That is fairness. That is humanity. That is Islam. Speaking up for Muslims alone but closing our eyes when a Christian performs righteous deeds is not fairness. We reject selective activism.

“Allah will ask us yaom al-Qiyamah if we hide this testimony just because the man being accused today is a Christian. Neither should MURIC sweep the truth under the carpet and pretend that it knows nothing simply because the group does not share the same political ideology with the VP. We accused the VP a few weeks ago of being behind FG’s plan to demolish the Islamic city on Lagos –Ibadan Expressway but he has denied any knowledge of it.

“Having political differences is not a crime, neither is it a sin before Allah. But to allow an innocent man suffer the pangs of perjury when speaking the truth by those who have some facts may help in vindicating him is punishable by Allah. We prefer to tell the bitter truth and be mocked by homo sapiens in this world than to face Allah’s punishment in al-Akhirah for hiding the truth.

“Our findings are not exhaustive. Neither do they foreclose further inputs from other Islamic organisations and individual Muslims. But they are without prejudice to our stand on major issues in the political arena. We are already committed to another project. Our major concern is that political and religious differences apart, an innocent man should not be crucified simply because he is a Christian. We insist on truth, fairness and objectivity.”


Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

https://www.muricnigeria.com/osinbajo-muric-bares-its-mind/

AXA Mansard Insurance Plc, a member of the AXA Group and global leader in insurance and asset management, today announced the launch of its new “Claims Fast Track” mobile application to provide a better, faster and more convenient claiming experience for its motor customers.

The Claim Fast Track Application is a straight through mobile application designed to process motor claims within N50,000 threshold.

Speaking about the claims fast track app, Adebola Surakat, Group Head, Claims Services & Reinsurance at AXA Mansard said, “We are committed to achieving the singular goal of putting our customers first, in this instance, by building an app that incorporates their feedback on our claiming process as well as including other market-leading innovations. We urge our existing and future customers to start using Claims Fast-track app today.”

The claims fast track application will perform the following services amongst others:

Provide an automated end to end seamless claims processing for motor claims with an estimate of N50,000 and below.

Capture incoming documents in a prescribed format and information from a variety of sources.

Provide a secure, searchable archive, linked to the core software database for claims information to reside.

Send notifications to client during the claims process on stages of processing.

The “claims fast-track app” can be used with these simple steps highlighted below:
Visit www.axamansard.com and click make a claim.

Enter vehicle Plate Number on the fast track platform Enter the OTP sent to your phone number and email address

If your claim qualifies for fast track, you receive a Discharge Voucher

Sign the Discharge Voucher and upload
You receive your payment!

AXA Mansard offers a variety of motor insurance options that fit your needs as a man, woman or parent. With its flexible payment option and 24/7 contact center support, AXA Mansard gives you rest of mind of as you drive.
AXA Mansard is registered as a composite company with the National Insurance Commission of Nigeria (NAICOM).

The Company offers life and non-life insurance products and services to individuals and institutions across Nigeria whilst also offering asset/investment management services and health insurance solutions through its two subsidiaries - AXA Mansard Investments Limited and AXA Mansard Health Limited respectively.

The parent company was listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange in November 2009.

ZendayaColeman:
Pastor BDSM sabi talk trash ehn. Man of God my foot. Tueeh





The short pretender & deceits na 5 & 6

Osinbajo is greater than your entire lineage combined

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on behalf of President Buhari attends the 2021 All Nigeria Judges’ Conference in Abuja. 15th Nov, 2021. � Tolani Alli

Osinbajo is my only candidate for 2023.

Osinbajo all the way.

Nigeria’s widely-admired Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has come under fresh pressure and citizen demand to enter the race to replace his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, when his second and final term completes its course in 2023.

A support group, Nigerians Ask for Osinbajo, launched this week in Nigeria’s administrative and commercial capitals, Lagos and Abuja, with the stated mission of persuading the Vice President, who remains coy on his ambition and political future, to heed the call of Nigerians from all across the country and declare for the 2023 race which some polls suggest he is favorite to win.

The group’s convener, Engr. Kolawole Adepoju, according to a statement seen by this publication, described Prof. Osinbajo as “an individual who has been tried, tested, and has been found to possess the qualities required to accelerate the development of our Nation.”

This, alongside his qualities as a “man of peace, bridge-builder, and an individual of impeccable character”, makes him uniquely qualified to preside over the affairs of the country at “a very important phase in the life of our Nation”, Engr. Adepoju said.

The group draws its members from seasoned politicians, trade union leaders, prominent members of the private sector, youth advocates for good governance and others who believe that the emergence of Prof. Osinbajo in 2023 is crucial to “protecting the future of the country from vultures”.

The widespread support the group has enjoyed, despite only just announcing its formation, indicates favorable public sentiment towards Prof. Osinbajo making the promotion as the President of the country.

The legal professor has been at the heart of the administration’s successful moves to rebound and refloat the economy following the debilitating effects of low oil prices (as Nigeria remains an oil-based economy) and the pandemic. He has also spearheaded efforts to reduce the country’s huge population of the poor with targeted social schemes, all of which recorded positive impact while under his watch.

Prof. Osinbajo is widely perceived as a competent and disciplined leader who has managed to keep his personal integrity despite wading through the murky waters of politics in a country where many still consider public office as an avenue for personal enrichment and self-gratification. Indeed, unlike the Prof who maintains a clean record, other names considered for the office have previously held office to damning allegations of corruption or have led questionable moves that place huge question marks over their probity.

The support group, Nigerians Ask for Osinbajo, will hope to tap into this public sentiment as they dial up activities intended to get his campaign on the road and ultimately signal to the Vice President that he enjoys the backing of the country to succeed his boss.

Dr Balkisu Saidu: VP’s Office is a mini-Nigeria
Before the permeation of social media, I was one of those who believed in and re-echoed the popular saying that “the only way to win with a toxic person is not to play.” To this end, I found silence to be a very potent tool in dealing with some extremely wicked and deliberate acts of provocation exhibited through concoction and spread of falsehoods and apparently implausible stories.
I have since realised that, in this day and age of fake news and cyber propaganda, it is important that lies and misinformation, no matter the motive of the initiator, are countered and records set straight. Amongst the recipients of the falsehood could be some innocent consumers who will benefit from having true facts presented. Allowing fake news to linger may create the impression that there could be some element of truth in what was propagated.
It is for the foregoing reasons that when the write up credited to one Dr Musbau Akinbode titled “Osinbajo’s Stealth Christianization Agenda”, which has been circulating of recent in the social media, was brought to my attention, I opted to respond. Although no date was ascribed to the write up, it appears to be a rehash of several baseless allegations made in the past against the Vice President, many of whom have been debunked with apologies issued by unsuspecting media houses misled into publishing some of the concocted stories.
The new twist in Dr Akinbode’s write up is the allegation that the Vice President is implementing a “Christianization” agenda and in that wise none of the appointments made by the Vice President from persons of Yoruba extraction were given to Yoruba Muslims. This allegation reminded me of a similar baseless claim made in 2017 by one Dr. Ismaila Farouk, which Akinbode referred to, alleging that the selection of personal staff of the Vice President was skewed in favour of “his Yoruba ethnic group.” Those fuelling the orchestrated and surreptitious narrative immediately backtracked when confronted with facts and a long list of Northerners, from tribes other than Yoruba, working in the office at the time including, among others, Mrs. Maryam Uwais (Special Adviser on Social Investment, from Kano State); Ambassador Abdullahi Gwary (Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs, from Yobe State); my humble self (Senior Special Assistant on Legal, Research and Compliance Matters, from Sokoto State); Mr. Ismaeel Ahmed (Senior Special Assistant on Social Investment, from Kano State); Mr. Bege Bala (Special Assistant, BPE, from Kaduna State); Abdurahman Baffa Yola (Special Assistant on Political Matters); Mrs. Susan Chagwa (Special Assistant on Household and Social Events, from Adamawa State), etc.
Certainly, some of the listed allegations made by Dr Akinbode are objectionably and glaringly malicious and even laughable, unlikely to be believed by any discerning follower of the rise and actions of the Vice President. For example, the Office of the Vice President is like a mini-Nigeria. The level of diversity accomplished in the office reflects all segments of the society – geo-political, ethnic, religious, gender and youth representation.
It is therefore inconceivable for anyone to suggest marginalisation or, as Dr Akinbode puts it, “Christianization” in appointments and religious bigotry. To the specific point of appointment of Yoruba Muslims, Dr Akinbode may wish to know that, even amongst his personal staff, no less than ten Yoruba Muslims were appointed to work for the Vice President including his next in command and the highest-ranking officer in the Vice President’s office, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. AbdurRahman Adeola Ipaye. Other Yoruba Muslims who work, at various times, in the office include Distinguished Senator Babafemi Ojudu (Special Adviser on Political Matters); Dr Mariam Masha (Senior Special Assistant on Internally Displaced Persons); Ms Lanre Shasore (Senior Special Assistant on Planning and Coordination); Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbemi (Special Assistant on Political Matters); Yusuf Ali (Special Assistant on Power); Mr Mohammed Brimah (Special Assistant on Job Creation); Mr Mukhtar Tijani (Special Assistant on Power); Ms. Lolade Abiola; and Mr. Akanni Rahman.
A leader known to suspend meetings to enable Muslim participants perform prayers; known to rescue Muslim orphans and provide them with shelter and educational opportunities that safeguard and promote their religious practices; known to host Breaking of Ramadan Fast (Iftar) with Religious Leaders and Muslim communities from across the country; known to timeously intervene in the resolution of thorny inter-religious issues with potential for escalation can certainly not be said to be promoting any particular religion.
Also, the allegation of “Christianization” in the appointment of some named individuals to various positions in Government is indicative of a complete lack of understanding of how Government appointments are made or a deliberate attempt to distort facts and mislead unsuspecting public. Save for Mr. Kayode Pitan, who was appointed by the Vice President as the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry to take over from Mr. Waheed Olagunju, who was serving in acting capacity, all the other persons named by Dr Akinbode were appointed by the President in the exercise of his constitutional powers.
The calibre of the persons is not in question. In terms of accomplishments, these are pacesetters in their respective industries. For example, Mr. Ben Akabueze, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation served more than two terms as Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State and was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NAL Bank Plc. (now Sterling Bank Plc.). He has also served as Special Adviser to the President on National Planning.
Mr Alex Okoh, the Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, an Alumnus of Harvard Business School and former Managing Partner, Ashford & McGuire Consulting Ltd.; is a quintessential Banker and Financial Advisor who as the Managing Director/CEO of NNB International Bank led the transformation of the bank from a comatose state into a leading commercial bank in Nigeria. He has worked with various banks within and outside Nigeria including Nigeria International Bank Limited (Citibank); United Bank for Africa Plc.; Citibank New York; Fidelity Bank London; Swiss Banking Corporation, Zurich; and Grindlays Bank, Zimbabwe. His first tenure recorded tremendous transformation of the Bureau leading to his reappointment by the President.
Before the appointment by Mr. President of Mr Okey Enelamah as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment in 2015, the Harvard University graduate, Baker Scholar and Loeb Fellow has had a tremendous successful career in investment banking and with Arthur Anderson (now KPMG Professional Services), New York and London offices of Goldman Sachs, Zephyr Management. He also founded and served as CEO of the African Capital Alliance (ACA).
Clearly, even on the appointment of Mr Pitan, the author is not questioning the qualification of Mr Pitan, imaginably considering his robust academic training (including at American Graduate School of International Management, Arizona, USA; London Business School; and Haggai Institute, Singapore) as well as his decades of corporate and banking experience.
These appointments were based purely on merit. The only problem with the appointments, according to the author, was their religion. Save Dr Akinbode is suggesting that persons being considered for appointments into Government positions must denounce their religions, it is unclear why the religious leanings of the appointees should be in issue. Recall that similar allegations were made against appointments of equally deserving and competent Muslims with claims of “Islamisation” being bandied around. Such divisive rhetoric and adverse language are dangerous to Nigeria’s unified harmonious existence and should be resisted and rejected by all.
The Osinbajo I know has been nothing but absolutely and uncompromisingly loyal to his principal, earning him several public and private commendations and additional responsibilities from the President, including the management of the Economic Sustainability Plan, credited with facilitating the “unexpected exit” of Nigeria from one of the worst recession cycles to hit several nations of the world. The man, Osinbajo, seeks no accolades. It is therefore not every action taken by him in support of persons facing challenges that will end up on the pages of newspapers. Just because Dr Akinbode is unaware of these interventions should not be a basis for dehumanising the Vice President.
Additionally, it is evil and reprehensible to drag the person of Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo into whatever malicious campaign the author is mounting against the Vice President. This is a humble and compassionate woman, who has conducted her humanitarian and philanthropic activities in a well-guided and detached manner away from any Government activities. It is unacceptable to have persons of integrity be subjected to such ridiculous acts of scathing and baseless attacks. Clearly, the purpose of this is to cause annoyance, hatred, and ill will against the family of the Vice President. Luckily, Nigerians can see through these malicious, baseless, smear campaigns, mounted by dishonest and shady individuals.
While the main preoccupation of the Vice President is the discharge of the mandate resoundingly given to their ticket under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, may I remind Dr Akinbode that power is not in the hands of any individual to give or take, but in the hands of Almighty Allah; and He bestows it upon whom He wills. Please refer to the Holy Qur’an, Chapter 3 (Surah Al-Imran), Verse 26.
I sure hope and pray that a time will come when Dr Akinbode and his likes will realise that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is as authentic as he presents – he is a humane, compassionate, detribalised patriotic Nigerian, who is committed to the service of Nigeria and Nigerians in a fair, honest, transparent and accountable manner. And, while we spare time to respond to these and similar unfounded allegations, the Vice President never allows mischief-makers and peddlers of fake news to distract him from his main preoccupation: service to Nigeria.


Balkisu Saidu is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Legal, Research and Compliance Matters, Office of the Vice President. She writes from Abuja.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/233045-%E2%80%8Emost-osinbajos-aides-are-muslims-presidency-says-refutes-nepotism-allegation.html

We insist UN, EU, others support impositions of sanctions, says Osinbajo in Accra_

An ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government held yesterday in Accra, Ghana to review the political situations in Guinea and Mali, has decided to maintain the sanctions imposed on Guinea and impose similar ones against the Mali Transitional Government.

The Communique at the end of the 3rd Extraordinary Summit on Guinea and Mali attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN on behalf of the President, stated that "the Authority decides to uphold the suspension of the Republic of Guinea from all ECOWAS governing bodies as well as the travel ban and freeze on financial assets imposed on the members of the CNRD and their family members until constitutional order is restored," in the country.

Similarly, regarding Mali, the ECOWAS leaders at a meeting presided over by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority resolved that in "conformity with the decision taken on 16th September 2021, the Authority decides to impose sanctions with immediate effect against individuals and groups who have been identified, including the entire transition authorities and the other transition institutions.

"These sanctions will also be imposed on the members of their families. The sanctions include a travel ban and a freeze on their financial assets. It further instructs the President of the Commission to consider and propose additional sanctions at its next Ordinary Session on 12th December 2021, should the situation persist."

The ECOWAS Summit attended by leaders from 13 countries then called “on the African Union, the United Nations, and the bilateral and other multilateral partners to endorse and support the implementation of these sanctions."

Speaking to the media at the end of the Summit, Prof. Osinbajo noted that African countries have gone far beyond military coup as a means of changing political actors and that coups are unacceptable.

He added that ECOWAS Heads of State and Government will continue to prevail on the military juntas in Guinea and Mali to return their countries to democratic rule.

According to the VP, “one of the important points that the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government make is that coups and coups de'tat generally are just completely unacceptable....and that we cannot continue to have a situation where they are tolerated for the simple reason that in Africa, West Africa in particular, we’ve gone way beyond military coups as an answer to the question of change in political actors.”

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said, “there is a very strong feeling amongst the Heads of State that we must insist, that other international bodies: the UN, EU, and other regional groups must support the impositions of sanctions on individuals and groups that choose not to follow the democratic process of change of government and choose to go by way of coup de‘tat.”

Referring to the situations in Guinea and Mali, the Vice President said “it appears from all indications that much progress has been made in Guinea, although we are still concerned that there ought to be much more clarity on transition.

“But Mali is a much more difficult situation, there is much concern because very little progress had been made."

President of Ghana and Chair of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had earlier briefed the meeting on the outcome of a high-powered delegation led by himself to Guinea and Mali on the 17th of September and the 17th of October respectively, as part of the resolutions of the previous Summit held on the 16th of September this year.

At the end of the Extraordinary Summit, the ECOWAS communique stated that “the Authority endorsed the main recommendations contained in the memorandum on the political situation in the Republic of Guinea and the report on the political situation in the Republic of Mali.”

They decided as follows:

A. On the political transition in the Republic of Guinea
- The Authority reaffirms its demand for the unconditional release of President Alpha Condé.

- The Authority takes note of the recent developments in Guinea, particularly the adoption of the Transition Charter, the appointment of a civilian Prime Minister and the formation of the Transition Government.

It urges the Transition Authorities to urgently submit a detailed timetable of activities to be carried out under the transition towards the holding of elections, in accordance with the decisions of the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government held on 16th September 2021.

- The Authority decides to appoint H.E. Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas as Special Envoy to Guinea with a view to strengthening dialogue with the Transitional authorities towards a successful and short transition process.

B. On the political transition in the Republic of Mali
- The Authority remains concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in Mali, as a result of the heightened political uncertainties in the country. It calls on the Transition Authorities to intensify their efforts to improve the security situation, especially by ensuring effective state presence in the affected areas.

In this context, the Authority calls on the neighbouring countries to step up security presence along their borders with Mali and instructs the ECOWAS Commission to deepen the ongoing discussions with the African Union Commission with a view to enhancing the security situation in the Sahel.

- Furthermore, the Authority calls for a more robust and offensive mandate and enhance the operational capacity of MINUSMA to deal with terrorism challenges in Mali. ECOWAS will accordingly request the United Nations Security Council to make the necessary amendments to the mandate of MINUSMA.

- On the political front, the Chair of ECOWAS informed the Authority of the official notification by the transition authorities of their inability to meet the transition deadline of February 2022.

The Authority highly deplores the lack of progress made in the preparations for the elections, including the absence of a detailed timetable of activities for the conduct of elections on the agreed dates.

- The Authority reiterates the need to adhere to the transition timetable in respect of the elections scheduled for 27th February 2022 and calls on the Transition Authorities to act accordingly to ensure an expeditious return to constitutional order.

Accordingly, the Authority calls on the International Community to take the necessary measures to ensure that the transition authorities respect their commitment to an expeditious return to constitutional order.

- The Authority condemns the expulsion of the ECOWAS Permanent Representative to Mali in this critical context and calls on the transition authorities to uphold the spirit of dialogue and collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission to ensure a successful transition.

- The situation in Mali and Guinea will be reviewed at the Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on the 12th of December 2021.

The Authority reaffirms its adherence to all the ECOWAS normative frameworks, particularly the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

Besides the President of Ghana and Nigeria's VP, the Summit was attended by 4 other Presidents from Ivory Coast, Senegal, Niger and Guinea-Bissau, 1 other VP from Benin Republic, the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, 3 Foreign Affairs Ministers from Gambia, Liberia and Togo, and 2 Ambassadors from Sierra Leone and Cape Verde.

The session was also attended by Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS Mediator for Mali, Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Mahamat Saleh Annadif, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr El-Ghassim Wane, Head of MINUSMA and Mr Maman Sambo Sidikou, Special Representative for MISAHEL, representing the President of the African Union Commission.

The Vice President was accompanied to the Extraordinary Summit by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd) and the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr Adeyemi Dipeolu.

*Laolu Akande,*
*Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,*
*Office of the Vice President.*
8th November, 2021

IKOYI HIGH-RISE COLLAPSE:
OSINBAJO SADDENED, CONDOLES WITH AFFECTED FAMILIES & DEBUNKS DESPICABLE LIES IN SPONSORED ONLINE REPORT

*VP has no interest whatsoever in said property
*All his property, assets already publicly declared



Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is saddened by the events that occurred in Lagos on Monday, 1st of November 2021, where a high-rise building under construction on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, collapsed. He condoles with the families and relatives of all those who have died, were injured or affected in the collapse. Prof. Osinbajo considers this painful loss of lives a horrible tragedy.

Also, the attention of the Vice President has been drawn to an obviously sponsored falsehood regarding the recently collapsed building published by Sahara Reporters on November 4th, 2021, to the effect that:

1. The VP owns the land upon which the collapsed building in Ikoyi stood.

2. That the said land was sold to him by Chief Michael Ade. Ojo, Chairman of Elizade Motors; and

3. That the Vice President, at some point, intervened with the regulatory authorities in Lagos State to unseal the said property. 

Let it be made absolutely clear that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo does not own and has never owned the said land.

He has also never been involved, in any shape or form, in the development of this or any other land since he became Vice President.

At no time whatsoever did the VP buy this or any other piece of land from Chief Michael Ade. Ojo, or entered into any transaction for the sale of that land or any other piece of land from Chief Ade. Ojo or anyone for that matter.

All property and assets owned by the Vice President have been publicly declared.

Also, the Vice President has never spoken to the Governor of Lagos State or any other official of the State Government regarding the unsealing of the said building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, which subsequently collapsed. He has, indeed, never acted to influence any other regulatory action on the collapsed building, or any other building for that matter, in Lagos State.

The Vice President restates categorically that he has no interest whatsoever, and has never had any interest, either legally or beneficially, in the land, the building or development.

The wickedness and viciousness of a lie that seeks to utilise a tragedy where so many people have lost their lives, even as rescue efforts are ongoing, and in wanton disregard to the feelings and untold grief of their loved ones for political gain, reveals a dangerous desperation, as well as the heartlessness of the perpetrators of such despicable lies.

Sahara Reporters were undoubtedly well rewarded for their criminal and inhumane conduct. Typical of a hatchet job and deliberately irresponsible journalism, the publication was not signed by anyone.

The Vice President has referred this disgraceful publication to his lawyers for prompt legal action.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
5th November, 2021

Falsehood cannot stand the proof of truth!

After they were confronted with the fact, the alleged reports, maliciously linking the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to the collapsed Ikoyi building published by online platforms, notably SaharaReporters and NairaLand has been tampered with.

While nairaland has removed the content altogether from its blog, SaharaReporters on its part has locked its comment section on its own blog.

Fake News and Hate Speech are twin monsters, that if not checked, can ruin a nation.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is innocent!

#YemiIsInnocent

Founder, VC requests VP: You are an accomplished academic, be our mentor

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has commended the establishment of the Al-Istiqama University in Kano, saying such an endeavour has huge potential to impact people in a significant and positive way.

Prof. Osinbajo spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while receiving on a courtesy call a delegation from the new university led by the founder, Hon. Suleiman A. Kawu Sumaila, OFR, a former member of the House of Representatives and later Presidential Liaison at the National Assembly.

"This may be the most important thing you can do; you will impact a lot of people. God has given you this opportunity to do this," Prof. Osinbajo told the founder and others in the delegation, even as they requested that the VP, being an accomplished academic himself, should mentor leaders of the new institution.

Expressing excitement about the prospects of the new university (which, according to the delegation, has registered close to 500 students permissible for the school already), the VP prayed that "you make this a unique opportunity, impact the students so much that they won't just be the beneficiaries alone, but the nation too."

While noting the important assignment of (running) a university, the Vice President then urged the university management to pay attention to issues of funding, stating that “university funding is very expensive."

Prof. Osinbajo recalled his experience as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Redeemers University, Ede and also cited the establishment of Crescent University, Abeokuta, both of which are faith-based universities, emphasising the significance of funding to make the idea of a private university successful.

At the meeting the Vice President also urged Nigerians generally to continue to be respectful to each other. He added that "we must teach tolerance," avoiding situations where people take hard positions as such could be divisive.

"We need to respect each other, it's so important, " Prof. Osinbajo stressed while also admonishing that "the love of country is so important."

Earlier the founder of the faith-based Al-Istiqama University, Hon. Sumaila, told the VP that he learnt a lot from him while serving as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House).

"You are a role model. We want to benefit from your experience as an academic," he observed while disclosing that the university is located in a rural setting in Sumaila, about 80km from Kano. He added that 100 students in the University have already received scholarships from eminent philanthropists in Kano.

Among the Al-Istiqama University delegation were several academics, including the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Salisu Shehu, a Professor of Educational Psychology, who was previously with the Department of Education, Bayero University, Kano.

According to the University’s VC, "as a faith-based university, we share the world view that God is integral," adding that there is a need to bring back religious education. He also described the VP as “an accomplished academic, an accomplished leader, and we see you as a leader."

The Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila (AUSU), is a privately-owned university in Kano State, Nigeria. It is officially accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC). "The mission of the University is to encourage global study, experiential learning and research, interdisciplinary scholarship, creativity and entrepreneurial endeavours with ultimate fear of Allah," according to its website.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
4th November, 2021

My vote and family’s vote is for Osinbajo

In a speech by President Muhammadu Buhari, delivered by his deputy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Nigerian youths have been encouraged to remain resilient and keep moving whatever may be the situation.

"Wherever you are in this country, whatever you are doing,  keep moving , don’t look back, you will win eventually, keep moving ahead, whatever the situation - We move, " the President said while declaring open a three-day National Youth Conference today at the Moshod Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

In a highly inspiring speech that details some of the advances that Nigerian youths are making nationally and globally across sectors, the President assured young Nigerians that now is the time for them to engage and work assiduously to achieve personal and national objectives.

He encouraged young Nigerians to mobilise and participate in the political and national development process, noting that with them, and the Government together "it is within our power to emerge stronger," from wherever the nation is at present.

He advised the Nigerian youth not to succumb to cynicism and hopelessness, adding that they are "our reservoir of hope."
After delivering the President’s speech the VP interacted with young people at the conference and went round some of the exhibition booths mounted by some young MSMES.

Everyone with access to the internet and other forms of visual media has seen the images. They have also volunteered their opinions on them, informed or not. The wide adoption of the internet and its attendant pressure to rack up ‘engagements’ and ‘views’ have compelled ‘news reporters’ (a title many now lay claim to because they have an audience and can string sentences together) to frame events in ways that draw the most frenzied reactions from others.

You are encouraged – baited even – to offer your own ‘two cents’ or pass judgments on people and situations you have faint knowledge of. It will therefore not come as a surprise if you too have left a comment on any of the platforms that reported the event and splashed the images with ‘interesting’ captions.

For the uninitiated who feel lost and are wondering what the event and images are; I refer to the meeting between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Governor Bola Tinubu. The duo was photographed days ago in a warm embrace as the Vice President paid a visit to Asiwaju Tinubu, fresh from his London trip where he had undergone a knee surgery.

This otherwise run-of-the-mill event, in which a former Governor turned national leader of the APC received the presence and well wishes of his former Attorney General turned Vice President, gained heightened significance and became perhaps the most consequential political event of the week (some would say month) as we gradually countdown to the much talked about 2023 General elections.

It contrasted the irresponsible and baseless reporting of a face-off involving the two, stories planted in the press by those driven to hysteria by their own insecurities. Although politicians are known to be experts at concealing their true emotions, this meeting, in which the country’s second most powerful individual personally delivered his good wishes to a purported adversary, was completely avoidable and would not have happened if indeed the Vice President harbored ill-will. What does he stand to profit beyond silly accusations of a ‘surrender’ from a supposed fight he remains unaware of?

A clash of the kind they have portrayed and caused the press to circulate, requires two conscious and fully aware parties. The meeting is proof that the Vice President has no such intentions. He is at peace – with himself and others. What has become clear is that the Vice President is convinced that aspiration to leadership should not drive a wedge between allies, particularly if the alliance is built on mutual respect and the firm understanding that loyalty does not – and should not – equate subservience.

Asiwaju Tinubu is yet to announce his interest in the Presidency but should he do so, it ought not to hurt his relationship with the Vice President. And vice versa. Any candidate sure of himself and his achievements should not require others to pave the way and surrender; instead, a case should be made to the party and Nigerians who are the ultimate deciders.

Recent history has reinforced the fact that no successful campaign is built primarily on the ‘de-marketing' of others. For the voting electorate, a resort to such crude tactics is an admittance of weakness; a thinly-veiled confession of poor credentials. Strong candidates present their achievements and lay out their vision. They welcome opposition as true democrats, and rely on the superiority of their argument and gravitas to clinch victory.

Perhaps this is a lesson the overzealous foot soldiers and self-declared allies need to learn. It may provoke a reflection on the true cause of their insecurities and convince them to focus on building a sturdy ship instead of blackmailing perceived opponents into pulling out of the contest. It is a strategy doomed to fail.

Whether or not they will learn this lesson is anyone’s guess. But time will soon reveal the obvious truth that: Prof. Osinbajo is not the enemy, neither is he in a face-off. A man can be guilty of many things, but not for excelling at his job and being widely admired as a result.

ENERGY TRANSITION PLAN:
WHY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES SHOULD CHANGE DIRECTION TO FAVOUR AFRICA @ COP26 - OSINBAJO

*Gas should be a transition fuel, says Tony Blair

*VP explains Nigeria's plan

*Joins Tanzanian President, Former UK Prime Minister, UN ECA official to discuss Africa and Climate Change


A few days to the commencement of the COP26 holding in the United Kingdom, Nigeria's expectation is that more developed countries will change the direction of the conversation around energy transition in favour of Africa at the global summit, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

He stated this yesterday at a virtual panel discussion on “A Just Transition: Balancing Climate Mitigation with Africa’s Development”, organized by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.

With him on the panel were the President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, the former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair and the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Dr Vera Songwe.

The COP26 summit, scheduled to hold in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 – November 12, will bring the global community together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Talking about the expectations, Prof. Osinbajo noted that conversations at the forthcoming Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, must be tilted in favour of Africa, as “the conference will be an opportunity to engage and change the direction of the current conversation especially as it affects Africa.”

According to him, “it is an opportunity to talk, to engage, and I think that we really need to engage. I think we need to just change the direction of the conversation especially as it affects Africa and then talk in concrete terms about what the implications of net-zero emissions by 2050 or whenever, will mean for Africa and the world.”


The Vice President also explained that Nigeria already has a plan for the transition. "We drew up an energy transition plan and we are probably one of the few developing countries to have drawn up a plan and try to cost the plan. This is why we have the figure of $400 billion.

“If you look at what can work, we are looking at Nigerian Climate Change Finance Facility. There’s one which we are working on at the moment with the African Finance Corporation, AFC, and ARM Harith; we are trying to create that facility. We think that we could mobilize up to $10 billion to finance local green projects.”

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said, “the Federal Government is also on the verge of operationalizing an InfraCo, a N15 trillion Infrastructure Fund which could have a dedicated green finance component as well as projects to reduce emissions from main pollutant activities in Nigeria.”

“There are other initiatives that we are working on, and one of those is being able to exploit our gas resources for as long as it is possible because it is an important issue for us and thereafter, a diversified economy, especially around technology. That would help us a great deal in being able to secure a significant amount of money,” the Vice President added.

Earlier in his submissions, former UK Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair called for a new partnership with Africa on Climate Change, noting that “it is going to be necessary to use gas as a transitional fuel, and doing that is essential, not only for development but also for the environment.”

He said the partnership will also “help put the projects for clean energy and development in Africa on an investable footing. When people invest in Africa, the rates of returns are very good and the risks are not as great as people think they are.”

Aligning his thoughts to views expressed by Mr Blair, the VP said “it is an important forum to talk about what we really could do in concrete terms.

“I really like the idea of a new partnership with Africa on Climate Change because a lot of the conversations going on about climate change are over the heads of many of us in Africa because the issues that concern us are not on the table.”

Speaking about a plan that would work for Africa, Prof. Osinbajo said “if we say the current arrangement isn’t going to work, what practical plans do we have on the table, how will it be funded?

“Some of what has been said already, especially about investible projects and making sure that we are able to tie this to investments so that it makes business sense, and makes commercial sense. And it is not just a situation where people are being asked to make significant commitments at a time when everyone is a bit irritated by the aftermath of the pandemic and people are being asked to make commitments that they won’t live up to.”

Regarding financing for African countries to transition to cleaner energy, the President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan stated the need for developed countries to keep their commitments. According to her “we are expecting the world to come to our aid for financing so that we can implement the adaptation processes with climate change.

“Tanzania has been severely hit by effects of climate change, but then the adaptation process needs a lot of money that developed countries have not given to developing countries like ours. We have been trying to do adaptation from our own funds and with the little funds that we have been given under bilateral agreements, but there is a big gap not only for Tanzania but the whole of Africa… The developed countries have to be transparent on financing.”

While commenting on Africa’s contribution to global emissions, Executive Secretary for UN Commission for Africa, Dr Vera Songwe, observed that “Africa’s population is 17% of the global population and only 3.8% of the emissions comes from Africa; 15 times more emissions come from the United States, 7 times more emissions in China.”

She went on to say, “we do need to look at what Africa can do differently… For us to have a just, equitable and inclusive transition, I think it is important for Africa to take a seat at the table and say, yes, we deserve to have this transition space for gas.”

Dr. Songwe also noted that “if we (Africa) were to double our energy generation, which means every African will have access to electricity, we would increase global emissions by 1%. However, by increasing global emissions by 1%, we can then move to the multiplication of solar and wind investments by 38%. As we do more of the 38%, we would be doing less of gas.”

The event was moderated by Kamissa Camara, Director of External Affairs & Policy, Africa, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. There were also other virtual attendees.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
29th October, 2021

Jashub:
Osibanjo can only inspire the autistic and corrupt people in society . But let's pray his imaginary solar project will be taken seriously ,because Nigeria go collect poverty once the world enters zero emissions

And for those of you that love sucking Osibanjo's còck, Ogun and Amadioha will kill you and your family

The only difference between you and a donkey is tail. Same IQ, same mentality and stupidity

OPTIMISTIC ABOUT COUNTRY’S FUTURE, OSINBAJO SAYS YOUNG NIGERIANS WILL UNLEASH THEIR RESOURCEFULNESS ON THE WORLD

*VP adds: We only need to move few things around, invest more in the technology, creative industries & human capital development

*Cites resilience of private sector


With the energy of the youth, the resilience of the private sector combined with governments implementing the right policies, Nigeria will make the desired progress despite the challenges in the economy, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this Tuesday while rounding up his thoughts during an interaction at the closing of the 27th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja (NES #27) themed: Securing Our Future, the Fierce Urgency of Now.

According to the Vice President who also praised the strong will of the average Nigerian, “we can see that there is a will to do things, there is energy, resilience, resourcefulness. My take is that this country is one that is waiting to happen and it will happen. It will take all of our resources, and all of our effort to make it happen, and it will happen.”

He noted that “we must focus on what this country offers in terms of all the resources that we have, human, natural and everything that we have - the will, the energy, the innovativeness of the Nigerian.

“This sort of country, a country with all that we have, can simply not fail, and it is only a matter of getting things right and moving a few things around, and we will be well on the way to the kind of progress that we ought to experience as a country.”

Prof. Osinbajo explained that despite the limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic among other challenges, government was working hard to address defects in the system, and noted that recent results were indicative of recovery across different sectors of the economy.

His words: “I believe very strongly that all of the great ideas that we have, the young people waiting to unleash their energy and resourcefulness on the world, all of those are just waiting to happen.

“I believe very strongly that this country affords us the opportunity and the space to be able to achieve great things. We should keep our focus.”

He further noted that the Buhari administration was ramping up efforts in different sectors to improve development and the economy.

While urging state governments to do more, especially in the area of education, the VP stated that “we must emphasize Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM). This is an area where a curriculum is being redeveloped to accommodate that.

“It is important to note that basic education – primary and secondary education are under the control of the states. Federal Government does not handle primary or secondary education. Yes, we do have some unity schools, but these things are really the business of the states.”

Citing the work being done by the National Economic Council in developing the country’s human capital, the VP said, “at the level of the NEC, which I have the privilege of chairing, one of the things that we have tried to do with the whole human capital development space, we have a whole dashboard where we are looking at performances in the states.

“What the Federal Government tries to do is set the standards and then support in whatever way possible. But it is a huge enterprise and we are also finding a lot of entrepreneurial activities around it. We must just keep our focus on what we need to do namely, the curricular and teacher training.”

Prof. Osinbajo restated the commitment of the Buhari administration in ensuring inclusive growth through education leveraging technology, noting that the overriding theme for government was value addition.

He said, “I am a firm believer in the fact that government’s business must be to just take care of the macro issues – access to capital and good training. And we tried that with our N-Power programme where we gave tablets to beneficiaries and those tablets were loaded with material for entrepreneurial training etc. Many of them were able to benefit from this initiative. The opportunities are huge for training and getting a lot of the young people into that space.”

Prof. Osinbajo noted that the Buhari administration has prioritized investment in social amenities, social welfare, and development of the health sector.

He said that “social amenities are crucial, not just for attracting investment, but even for the standard of living of people who live there.”

The VP stated the importance of the national health insurance scheme, noting that “without compulsory health insurance, we simply cannot bring together the resources that are required to provide decent healthcare for 200 million people, growing by 5 million every year… I think the game-changer is health insurance.”

On developing the health sector and government’s ongoing reforms, the VP said, “We are at a point now with the healthcare reform committee, which I have the privilege of chairing, where we are looking at all these options. We are trying to see in what ways can we ensure that this will work.

“So, there are huge revolutionary changes that need to be made and I believe that they are entirely possible. And we are at a point where these things are accessible to us, with time we can do these things, I am certainly looking forward to some of the reforms that is possible.

Prof. Osinbajo however commended the successes so far recorded in public health in the country.

According to him “we have been able to set a standard for public health and that was seen in our COVID-19 response. Our response to the pandemic, a major public health challenge was probably one of the best anywhere in the world. Just in terms of response.”

Continuing, the VP explained that “we have had years of developing a public health system. We are familiar with how to deal with Lassa Fever, Malaria, Polio, we have done immunization on scale, so we have a lot of experienced hands in doing so. But clinical health is an area where we have deficiency.”

His words: “just a few days ago, we were opening a hospital in Lagos. What this hospital was able to show us is first of all the sheer number of doctors in the diaspora who are experts in their own fields and are coming home to work. The doctor who comes home to work is still available for work elsewhere.

“Even the way medical services are delivered today is so radically different from the way it used to be. It is possible now to get the best of help and while we were there in one theater, we were able to communicate with some other expert who was in the US and was able to talk to us. So, even telemedicine is possible, it is available, and there is a lot that we can do.”

In addition, the Vice President highlighted government’s efforts in creating the environment for the growth of technology and creative industry, noting the need for more investment in these areas.

“I spoke earlier about the Technology and Creativity Advisory Group and the creativity aspect of it is the Nollywood and entertainment and that whole industry, and there is support in terms of funding. But what I have found is (about) the infrastructure that is required.

“There is a major project that is going on at the National Theatre in Lagos, which is funded by the CBN and the banks and this is devoted entirely to creativity. This is a massive area where we certainly need a lot more investment.

The Vice President added that with regards to the 4th Industrial revolution, Nigeria “is in a good place leveraging technology and the creativity of the youth”, but noted that a lot could be done to achieve more results.

“We have the best advantage which is that we have young people, the majority of our population over 60 percent are under 25, they are energetic, creative and are ready to go. What we need to do is to see how we can support them, access to capital, training, and all of that,” he said.

Commending the contributions of the private sector, the VP noted that “the private sector in Nigeria (in terms of resilience and coping with challenges), has done very well, with what we have learned, even coping with the post-pandemic issues (business after the pandemic), the private sector has done well.”

“For example, transport went down 49%, and now they are back with 77%. The construction sector went down by almost 40%, and has returned to a much more modest positive,” Prof. Osinbajo explained.

On Climate Change, the VP said Nigeria’s position must be re-echoed at all forums of negotiations, and that the emphasis should be on fairness, justice in the transition from gas.

At the closing event of the 27th Nigerian Economic Summit, the Vice President engaged in a “Conversation” with Mr Kyari Bukar, a Director of the NESG, and Mrs Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, the Country Director of the Ford Foundation in Nigeria.



Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
27th October 2021

CALLS TO HALT GAS PROJECT DEFUNDING PLANS GATHER MOMENTUM AS AfDB, US EXPERTS BACK NIGERIA

*VP Osinbajo has inspired us, says African Devp. Bank

A continental and international rally may have begun in support of Nigeria’s advocacy to halt plans to defund gas projects, just as the global community moves towards the 2050 net-zero emissions target under the United Nations Climate Change agenda.

Nigeria has been on the forefront of an international advocacy questioning the planned defunding of gas projects as one of the moves towards achieving net-zero emissions. Now, the continent-wide Africa Development Bank, AfDB, has thrown its weight behind the clamour during a meeting last week between Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, and a delegation of the bank. So also did a team of US experts recently in a widely published article.

The Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, Mr. Kevin Kariuki, had led a delegation to pay the VP a visit on the 21st of October, and expressed the bank’s commitment and support for a just energy transition.

His words: “First thing I would like to mention is that you have inspired us a lot in the recent past, through your strong and very well-articulated position on the issue of gas as far as Nigeria and Africa is concerned.

“You clearly stated that gas must be seen to be a transitional fuel for Africa, which is a position that our bank also supports because we do understand that Africa needs to increase its energy access, and you can’t increase energy access without utilizing some of the resources and energy sources that we have. I believe that this position you have taken was also supported and stated by the Bank’s president (Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina) during the ministerial retreat.”

Prof. Osinbajo has, in recent times, advocated for a just transition to global net-zero emissions, particularly calling on multilateral agencies, and western countries to stop the planned defunding of gas projects in developing countries.

At different national and international forums, including recent meetings with a delegation of the European Union (EU), at the Africa Regional Heads of Government Commonwealth Roundtable, and also at different meetings in London at the High-Level United Nations event on the Energy Transition plan in Africa, among others, Prof. Osinbajo had maintained a firm stand against ending investments in gas projects in developing countries during the transition period.

Speaking at the meeting, Prof Osinbajo said, “we are looking at commercial options and climate finance facility is one that we are trying to pay attention to.”

On Nigeria’s energy transition plan, the VP disclosed that one of the components in the plan included “the use of renewables and bringing that into the general stream of things that we are doing. We have a #SolarPowerNaija project, where we are hoping to connect 5 million homes with solar power, which is part of our Economic Sustainability Plan.”

The Vice President welcomed AfDB’s support and stated that “we look forward to doing far more in the power sector and hope that we would be able to get your (AfDB) support going forward. We know that there are quite a few things that the bank has put resources into.

“Thank you very much for the great support we get from AfDB and also for your willingness and readiness at all times.”

Earlier on in his remarks, Mr. Kariuki mentioned that at COP26, the AfDB would “be making a strong pitch to developed countries to fulfill their promise of the $100billion per year” that ought to have started in 2020, “because the significance is that today, even if we wanted to address the climate challenge, we really cannot do so because the issue of climate finance needs to be addressed in a big way.”

In another development, a number of US-based experienced clean energy policy researchers have argued that "the blunt exclusion of all non-renewable energy projects from development finance is an inequitable and ineffective climate strategy that gaslights over 1 billion Africans."

In a recent article titled "Why banning financing for fossil fuel projects in Africa isn't a climate solution," scholars Benjamin Attia and Morgan Brazilian from the US Payne Institute submitted that "when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions, sub-Saharan Africa is collectively responsible for barely half a percent of all global emissions over time, while the US, UK, EU, Japan and Russia are responsible for more than 100 times that amount, or about 57%."

The experts referred to Prof. Osinbajo's advocacy on the issue. "Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo recently described “energy transition” as “a curious term” when applied universally, given the energy shortfalls in countries like Nigeria. He has argued for an energy transition in which Africa can develop quickly and grow."

They noted that indeed "increasing electricity in industrializing regions of sub-Saharan Africa would first power income-generating activities and public services, both drivers of economic growth."

The US experts concluded that "equitable and effective climate negotiations will require nuanced policy considerations that balance the priorities of alleviating energy poverty with urgent climate change mitigation and adaptation. A just energy transition would leave African governments to make and implement policies and deliver on their own national climate commitments under the Paris Agreement rather than shouldering the West’s."

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
27th October 2021

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has commended an integrated waste management project of Kano State government which will transform waste to power, organic fertilizer, and other uses.

Prof. Osinbajo made the commendation of the Public-Private Partnership during a visit on Monday to the Presidential Villa by a delegation led by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and officials of Capegate, a private environmental services provider.

According to the VP, “I must commend the Kano State government for the sheer breadth of the project, and Capegate limited for its audacity because of the size of the project. It is not just a sanitation project, it is obviously one that is looking at an end-to-end waste management solution but also has strong components for contributions to our NDCs, and our whole de-carbonization ambitions for climate change.”

The Kano State Governor mentioned that the State has signed a 20-year concession agreement with the company for waste collection, waste transportation, sorting, and processing to produce electricity and organic fertilizer, among others.

“The whole package is very important for us as a government which is why I thought, the idea of bringing everyone together to have this preliminary discussion is important so that you can learn as you go forward,” Prof. Osinbajo observed.

He added that it is “important for it to be seen as something that we all need to work on. I think that it is the sort of project that could be a template for other projects across the country if it is done well.”

Expressing FG’s willingness to support the project, the VP noted that “…the approach that is taken here really has great prospects and we certainly must see how we can make this happen.”

Governor Ganduje had noted that the state government was encouraged to embark on the project because of the track record of the private sector investor (Capegate Investment Company Limited) which includes over 3 decades of experience in waste management, sanitation, recycling technologies, and renewable energy.

He solicited the support of the Federal Government in the actualization of the project aimed at creating wealth and ensuring a cleaner and sustainable environment.

Also present at the meeting were Minister of Power, Mr Abubakar Aliyu; his counterpart in the Ministry of Environment, Mrs Sharon Ikeazor; Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu; the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Mr Kayode Pitan; Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad; the CEO of Capegate Limited, Alhaji Bashir Jega, and other officials of the company, among others.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
26th October 2021

Nobody doubts that sentimentalism today overrides sensibility in our polity. For the sake of posterity, some people will have to speak out.
The acts the Bandits are committing now in NW have gradually over time become tantamount to terrorism because wherever innocent people are fatal victims it's pure terrorism. Yet, innocence these days is relative. We agreed if their children and women are also killed, they are guilty by association or collateral damage, so also the bandits may think the same way. It’s right for vigilantes to lynch Fulanis herdsmen or anyone that looks like them by profiling but wrong for the herdsmen to ransack villages in retribution. They are pushed to believe it is an existential war and in war, ethics are thrown to the winds.

Yet again, the only helpful part that is against Bandits is that no other than them are attracted to join them in the NW because of its ethnic tinge and coloration. However, the moment they are termed Terrorist – Islamic for that matter, the direct foreign Jihadist movements will set in in force. And many teaming unemployed youths may find it palatable and attractive. Shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ plus AK47 against a ‘secular’ immoral society where impunity reigns are the magnet for extremists and downtrodden – the majority of our youth. Already these deadly terrorist groups are fighting for the soul of these bandits. This will give criminality a spiritual cover and remove the stigma of discrediting them with such crimes since now they are fighting a ‘Jihad’ as they will claim. In such a situation, does the larger society -as it is- has the moral high ground to fight back? This is the most probable consequence, the price of which is not worth it. Nothing stops the kinetic actions from going on without the controversy of semantics.

NE is already and is still devastated by this madness for over 12 years. If we allow, terror, to set in into these raw naïve unexposed bandits, NW will be in ruins sooner than later. Already IPOB are destroying SE, and Igboho has set the ball of confusion rolling in SW. For those who want to destroy the NW, it’s a good recipe. Turn bandits into religious zealots. Tell me, what then remains of Nigeria?

I have started to get these raw bandits out of their misadventure but unfortunately, I have few helpers and a mountain of antagonists. The psychology in fighting natives is to induce a motive for their struggle if they don’t have one already, a motive that is manageable, and it is so managed. Unfortunately, reactions to threat in our nation is always slow and incoherent.

I hope another Igbo clergy goes into the IPOB militants likewise and talk sense into them, and another Pastor of Oduduwa land talks against the Igboho secessionist tribal movement by way of sensitizing people to the values of a cohesive nationalism that will guaranty freedom, equality, and justice for all. Religious forces can permeate hardened hearts where secular forces cannot.

Regrettably, people just sit down in the comfort of their rooms or parlors and make useless passing comments that only add fuel to the inferno of ethnic jingoism and bigotry. In the 21st century, Nigeria is hijacked by semi-illiterates and half-baked tribal heroes that have nothing to offer besides promoting tribal xenophobia. Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groupings, it’s not possible to divide such a nation into tribal enclaves. Nigeria is multi-religious, even with one same religion or sect there is no harmony and understanding that can build a prosperous unified nation where tranquility and development will flourish. We are tired of these bogus destructive fruitless slogans!

Nigerians are in a daydream so long they act by Nerval impulses not by the dictates of their cerebral cortex.

May Allah protect us all. Amin

By Ishola Ba’afemi

Let us be ready and expect more serious attempts to cause disaffection between Osinbajo and Tinubu. Truly there are many who can benefit from this.

It will come mainly through social media campaigns and possibly one or two press reports raising acrimonious questions such as that the VP did not visit Tinubu while in London, and all that.

Now this is what I know being a Lagos based journalist who has followed the former Lagos State Governor since 1998 when he was campaigning to be Governor. It was in the process of his 8-year Governorship that I started noticing Prof. Yemi Osinbajo himself and the incredible chemistry between this two people. But not everyone admires the synergy.

While the VP and Tinubu didn't get a chance to meet in London, there are those who can confidently confirm last that they both had phone calls while Tinubu was in London.

It has even been reported that it was practically impossible for the VP to travel for that purpose only considering Protocol and Presidential travel guidelines. And since the former Governor is back in the country there would be expectedly, usual interactions between the VP and his recuperating benefactor. What is undesirable is the activities of what the Yorubas call "Arije-ninu-mondaru."

In deed news reports had quoted the Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola as clarifying the matter after President Buhari visited Tinubu on August 12, 2021.

A report said "It was gathered that Buhari’s earlier visitation, prevented Professor Osinbajo, Fashola and Aregbesola from going to London to visit the APC leader. 
Speaking on the matter, Mr Sola Fasure, the Media Adviser to Aregbesola, said the minister was unable to visit Tinubu in London for protocol reasons.
Fasure said: “If the President has gone, no Minister, not even the Vice President, can go. Aregbesola’s relationship with Tinubu is mutually beneficial and reinforcing."

But not only are both the VP and the former Lagos Governor in touch, their aides have also been reportedly working together. This explains why the Presidential Political Adviser Sen Babafemi Ojudu released s statement last week.

In that statement Ojudu said "Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are members of same party.  Osinbajo regards Tinubu as a respected leader of a political family to which he belongs and will therefore not for any reason endorse an endeavor that seeks to pitch them against each other.

"We are not unaware of some people who may want to foist a crack among our leaders. Such an attempt is abortive. Osinbajo and Tinubu's relationship dates way back and it shall continue to wax strong."

So before you read the next "esu ta po si" post on Social Media, be on the alert.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

*NIGERIA IS A COUNTRY WITH WORLD CLASS TALENTS & IDEAS, OSINBAJO SAYS*

_*VP commissions Reddington Hospital's new state-of-the-art health facility in Lagos_

_*Adds: Such investments can reverse trend of "doctors voting with their feet."_


Nigeria is not just a country that has world-class talent, world-class ideas and world-class execution of ideas, with more investments in its health sector, it will also make the country a destination of choice for medical tourists even from developed countries, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Friday in Lagos where he commissioned the Duchess International Hospital, a new facility under the Reddington Hospitals group. The event paraded a collection of world class medical experts and prominent Nigerians, including two State Governors: Babajide Sanwo-Olu - Lagos and Dapo Abiodun – Ogun; alongside the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the Managing Directors of the Bank of Industry - Olukayode Pitan and Access Bank - Herbert Wigwe, and Dr. Yemi Onabowale, President and CEO of Redington Hospitals, among others.

According to the Vice President, the opening of the new hospital is a cause for celebration firstly because it shows that “ we have all it takes to become the place of choice for even medical tourists from developed countries looking to jump long queues for specialized procedures at home or simply shopping for more affordable fees for first class healthcare.”

Secondly, he said  "we have by far the largest number of middle- to low-income communities and individuals in sub–Saharan Africa who require affordable, high-quality healthcare.”

Prof. Osinbajo noted that the establishment of such facilities would not only further provide more Nigerians with excellent healthcare solutions, but it would also open more opportunities to the country’s high quality medical personnel.

“With investments like this seeking high quality medical personnel, we can even reverse the trend of doctors voting with their feet. The reasons for voting with their feet are obvious: better remuneration, better facilities. But again, only serious private sector investment in high quality healthcare services offering top compensation for its personnel could possibly create an attractive proposition to reverse the trend,” the Vice President said.

As the VP officially commissioned the facility, he noted that it was comparable to the best hospitals in the world both in medical and aesthetic standards.

“This hospital has bragging rights. It comes from the Reddington family, a clinical health brand that has earned a strong reputation for high standards in healthcare, top notch personnel, including many highly reputed Nigerian doctors in diaspora and best of all, it is all Nigerian,” Prof. Osinbajo said.

He described the event as an occasion that celebrates "the convergence of so many possibilities, and such great promise. I am extremely proud to be a part of this phenomenal achievement and the great future that it portends for health care services in Nigeria.

“It is, therefore, my great pleasure and privilege to officially commission the Duchess International Hospital to the glory of God and for the benefit of Nigerians and all those who may seek excellent healthcare from anywhere in the world.”

According to the Hospital management, the mission of the hospital “is to reverse medical tourism by delivering the highest standards of care, using the most advanced technology and treatments to give you the fastest, most convenient access to the best medical expertise available anywhere in the world.”

*Laolu Akande,*
*Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,*
*Office of the Vice President*
*23rd October, 2021*

Rabi al-Awwal & Springs of Mercy - The Hadith of Abu Lahab

Urwah (ra) narrated, ’Thuwaibah (ra) was the freed slave girl of Abu Lahab whom he had freed, and then she suckled the Prophet (saw). When Abu Lahab died, one of his relatives [his brother al-’Abbas (ra)] saw him in a dream in a very bad state and asked him, “What have you encountered?” Abu Lahb said, “I have not found any rest since I left you, except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that is because of my freeing Thuwaibah (ra) (out of joy as she informed him of the birth of the Prophet (saw))“’. [Bukhari]

When the Prophet (saw) was born, Abu Lahab’s slave girl Thuwaibah came and informed him of the birth. Out of joy at the news, he freed her, and she later suckled the Prophet (saw) and even became Muslim. Because of this, even Abu Lahab, the arch-enemy of Islam, receives water to drink whilst in the Hellfire every Monday in the hand he gestured with to free Thuwaibah (ra).

Thus, what would the reward be for believers when we show our gratitude for Allah sending us the Prophet (saw) by spending our wealth for His sake?

Sayings of Scholars Concerning Types of Innovation in Islam As for the claim that there is no such thing in religion as good innovation, here are some sayings of the brilliant scholars of Islam belying this claim.

Imam Nawawi said in Sahih Muslim (6-21), “The Prophet’s (s) saying ‘every innovation’ is a general-particular and it is a reference to most innovations. The linguists say, ‘Innovation is any act done without a previous pattern, and it is of five different kinds.’” Imam Nawawi also said in Tahzeeb al Asma’ wal Sifaat,

“Innovation in religious law is to originate anything which did not exist during the time of the Prophet (s), and it is divided into good and bad.” He also said, “Al-muhdathat (pl. for muhdatha) is to originate something that has no roots in religious law.

In the tradition of religious law it is called innovation, and if it has an origin within the religious law, then it is not innovation. Innovation in religious law is disagreeable, unlike in the language where everything that has been originated without a previous pattern is called innovation regardless of whether it is good or bad.”

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani, the commentator on al-Bukhari, said, “Anything that did not exist during the Prophet’s (s) time is called innovation, but some are good while others are not.”

Abu Na’eem, narrated from Ibrahim al-Junaid, said, “I heard Ash-Shafi`i saying, ‘Innovation is of two types: praiseworthy innovation and blameworthy innovation, and anything that disagrees with the Sunnah is blameworthy.’”

Imam al Bayhaqi narrated in Manaqib Ash-Shafi`i that he said, “Innovations are of two types: that which contradicts the Qur’an, the Sunnah, or unanimous agreement of the Muslims is an innovation of deception, while a good innovation does not contradict any of these things.”

Sultan al-`ulama, Al `Izz bin Abdus Salam said, at the end of his book, Al Qawa’id, “Innovation is divided into obligatory, forbidden, recommended, disagreeable and permissible, and the way to know which is which is to match it against the religious law.”

Clearly we see from the opinions of these righteous scholars, that to define innovations in worship as wholly negative without exception is ignorant. For these pious knowers, among them Imam Nawawi and Ash-Shafi`i, declared that innovations could be divided into good and bad, based on their compliance with or deviance from religious law.

Moreover, the following Prophetic saying as stated in Sahih Muslim is known even to common Muslims, let alone scholars: “He who inaugurates a good practice (sanna fil-Islam sunnatun hasana) in Islam earns the reward of it, and of all who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least.

” Therefore, it is permissible for a Muslim to originate a good practice, even if the Prophet (s) didn’t do it, for the sake of doing good and cultivating the reward. The meaning of inaugurate a good practice is to establish a practice through personal reasoning (ijtihad) and derivation (istinbat) from the rules of religious law or its general texts.

The actions of the Prophet’s (s) Companions and the generation following them which we have stated above is the strongest evidence.

Those prejudiced against celebrating the Prophet’s (s) birthday have paved the way for their falsehood by deceiving the less-learned among the Muslims. The prejudiced ones claim that Ibn Kathir writes in his Al Bidaya wal Nihaya (11-172) that the Fatimide-Obaidite state, which descends from the Jew, Obaidillah Bin Maimoon al Kaddah, ruler of Egypt from 357-567 A.H innovated the celebration of a number of days, among them, the celebration of the Prophet’s (s) birthday. This treacherous lie is a grave insult to the scholarship of Ibn Kathir and the scholarship of all Islam.

For in truth, Ibn Kathir writes about the Prophet’s (s) birthday in al bidaya wal nihaya [13-136], “The victorious king Abu Said Kawkaburi was one of the generous, distinguished masters, and the glorious kings; he left good impressions and used to observe the honorable Mawlid by having a great celebration.

Moreover, he was chivalrous, brave, wise, a scholar, and just.” Ibn Kathir continues, “And he used to spend three hundred thousand Dinars on the Mawlid.” In support, Imam al Dhahabi writes of Abu Said Kawkaburi, in Siyar A’laam al nubala’ [22-336], “He was humble, righteous, and loved religious learned men and scholars of Prophetic saying.”

Sayings of the Rightly-Guided Imams Regarding the Mawlid Imam Al Suyuti
In Al hawi lil fatawi, Al Suyuti wrote a special chapter entitled, “The Good Intention in Commemorating the Mawlid,” at the beginning of which he said, “There is a question being asked about commemorating the Mawlid of the Prophet (s) in the month of Rabi’ al Awwal: What is the religious legal ruling in this regard? Is it good or bad? Does the one who celebrates get rewarded or not?’

The answer according to me is as follows: To commemorate the Mawlid, which is basically gathering people together, reciting parts of the Qur’an, narrating stories about the Prophet’s birth and the signs that accompanied it, then serving food, and afterwards departing is one of the good innovations; and the one who practices it gets rewarded, because it involves venerating the status of the Prophet (s) and expressing joy for his honorable birth.”

Ibn Taymiyya In his book Iqtida’ al Siratul Mustaqeem [Al hadeeth print, p. 266]. Ibn Taymiyya states, “As to what some people have innovated either to compete with Christians on the birth of `Isa u or for the love of the Prophet (s) and veneration for him, Allah might reward them for their love and ijtihad.”

As far as we are concerned, we commemorate the Mawlid for no other reason but what Ibn Taymiya said, “Out of love and veneration of the Prophet.”

May Allah (swt) reward us according to this love and effort, and may Allah (swt) bless the one who said, “Let alone what the Christians claim about their Prophet, and you may praise Muhammad (s) in any way you want and attribute to his essence all honors and to his status all greatness, for his merit has no limits that any expression by any speaker might reach.” [Imam al Busiri]

Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haythami In the same source previously mentioned, Suyuti said, “Someone asked Ibn Hajar about commemorating the Mawlid. Ibn Hajar answered, ‘Basically, commemorating the Mawlid is an innovation that has not been transmitted by the righteous Muslims of the first three centuries.

However, it involves good things and their opposites, therefore, whoever looks for the good and avoids the opposites then it is a good innovation.’ It occurred to me (Suyuti) to trace it to its established origin, which has been confirmed in the two authentic books: al Sahihain.

When the Prophet (s) arrived in Medina he found that the Jews fast the day of `ashura; when he inquired about it they said, ‘This is the day when Allah (swt) drowned the Pharaoh and saved Moses, therefore we fast it to show our gratitude to Allah (swt).’ From this we can conclude that thanks are being given to Allah on a specific day for sending bounty or preventing indignity or harm. What bounty is greater than the bounty of the coming of this Prophet(s), the Prophet of Mercy, on that day?”

“This is regarding the basis of Mawlid. As for the activities, these should consist only of things that express thankfulness to Allah (swt), such as what has been previously mentioned: reciting Qur’an, eating food, giving charity, reciting poetry, praising the Prophet (s) or on piety which moves hearts and drives them to do good and work for the Hereafter.”

These are the derivations that those opposed to Mawlid call false conclusions and invalid analogies.

Imam Mohammed bin Abu Bakr Abdullah al Qaisi al Dimashqi He wrote Jami` al athar fi mawlid, Al nabiy al mukhtar, Al lafz al ra’iq fi mawlid khayr al khala’iq, and Mawlid al sa`ada fi mawlid al hadi.

Imam Al `Iraqi
He wrote Al Mawlid al heni fi al mawlid al sani.

Mulla `Ali Al Qari He wrote Al mawlid al rawi fil mawlid al nabawi.

Imam Ibn Dahiya He wrote Al Tanweer fi mawlid al basheer al nadheer.

Imam Shamsu Din bin Nasir al Dimashqi
He wrote Mawlid al sa`ada fi mawlid al hadi. He is the one who said about the Prophet’s (s) estranged uncle, Abu Lahab, “This unbeliever who has been disparaged, ‘perish his hands’, will stay in Hell forever. Yet, every Monday his torment is being reduced because of his joy at the birth of the Prophet (s).

How much mercy can a servant expect who spends all his life joyous about the Prophet (s) and dies believing in the Oneness of Allah (swt)?”

Imam Shamsu Din Ibn Al Jazri
He wrote Al nashr fil qira’at al `ashr, `urf al ta’reef bil mawlid al shareef.

Imam Ibn al Jawzi Imam Ibn al Jawzi said about the honorable Mawlid, “It is security throughout the year, and glad tidings that all wishes and desires will be fulfilled.”

Imam Abu Shama Imam Abu Shama (Imam Nawawi’s shaykh) in his book al ba’ith ala Inkar al bida` wal hawadith (pg.23) said,

“One of the best innovations in our time is what is being done every year on the Prophet’s (s) birthday, such as giving charity, doing good deeds, displaying ornaments, and expressing joy, for that expresses the feelings of love and veneration for him in the hearts of those who are celebrating, and also, shows thankfulness to Allah (swt) for His bounty by sending His Messenger (s), the one who has been sent as a Mercy to the worlds.”

Imam al Shihab al Qastalani
Al Qastalani (al Bukhari’s commentator) in his book Al mawahib al ladunniya (1-148) said, “May Allah (swt) have mercy on the one who turns the nights of the month of the Prophet’s (s) birth into festivities in order to decrease the suffering of those whose hearts are filled with disease and sickness.”

There are others who wrote and spoke about Mawlid, such as Imam al Sakhawi, Imam Wajihu Din bin `Ali bin al Dayba’ al Shaybani al Zubaidi, and many more, which we will not mention due to the limited space available.

From these many evidences, it should be clear by now that celebrating the Mawlid is highly commendable and allowed. Surely we cannot simply shrug off as heretics the scholars and dignitaries of this nation who approved the commemoration of the Mawlid and wrote countless books on the subject.

Are all these scholars, to whom the whole world is indebted for the beneficial books they have written on Prophetic sayings, jurisprudence, commentaries, and other sorts of knowledge, among the indecent who commit sins and evil? Are they, as those opposed to Mawlid claim, imitating the Christians in celebrating the birth of Jesus? Are they claiming that the Prophet (s) did not convey to the nation what they should do? We leave answers to these questions up to you.

We must continue to examine the errors which those opposed to Mawlid utter. They say, “If celebrating the Mawlid is from the religion, then the Prophet (s) would have made it clear to the nation, or would have done it in his lifetime, or it would have been done by the Companions.” No one can say that the Prophet (s) did not do it out of his humbleness, for this is speaking evil of him, so they cannot use this argument.

Furthermore, that the Prophet (s) and his Companions did not do a certain thing does not mean they made that thing prohibited. The proof is in the Prophet’s (s) saying,

“Whoever establishes in Islam, a good practice….” cited earlier. This is the strongest evidence that gives encouragement to innovate whatever practices have foundations in religious law, even if the Prophet (s) and his Companions did not do them.

Al Shafi`i said, “Anything that has a foundation in religious law is not an innovation even if the Companions did not do it, because their refraining from doing it might have been for a certain excuse they had at the time, or they left it for something better, or perhaps not all of them knew about it.

” Therefore, whoever prohibits anything based on the concept that the Prophet (s) did not do it, his claim has no proof and must be rejected.

Thus, we say to the rejecters of Mawlid: based on the rule you have attempted to found, that is, that whoever does anything that the Prophet (s) or his Companions did not do is committing innovation, it would follow that the Prophet (s) did not complete the religion for his nation, and that the Prophet (s) did not convey to the nation what they should do. No one says this or believes this except a heretic defecting from the religion of Allah (swt). To the doubters of Mawlid we declare,

“Based on what you say, we convict you,” for you have innovated in the basics of worship a large number of things that the Prophet (s) did not do nor did his Companions, the Generation after the Companions, or the Generation after them. For instance:

Congregating people behind one Imam to pray salat al tahajjud after salat al tarawih, in the two Holy Mosques and other mosques. Reciting the prayer of completion of the Qur’an in salat al tarawih and also in salat al tahajjud.

Designating the 27th night of Ramadan to complete reading the entire Qur’an in the two Holy Mosques.

A caller saying, after Salat al-Tarawih, in the Qiyam prayer, “May Allah reward you.”

The saying: “Oneness of Allah (swt)s divided into three parts: Oneness of Godhood; Oneness of Lordship and Oneness of of the Names and Attributes.” Is this found in a hadith, the statements of the companions or the statements of the four imams?

Founding organizations which did not exist in the time of the Prophet, such as Islamic universities, societies for committing the Qur’an to memory, and offices for missionary work, and committees for enjoining good and forbidding evil.

We are not objecting to these things, since they are forms of good innovation. We merely list these innovations to point out that those who oppose Mawlid clearly contradict their own rule stating that anything that neither the Prophet (s) nor his Companions did is innovation. Since they claim that all innovation is bad, they themselves are guilty.

Yet another claim they make is to say that those who commemorate the Mawlid are mostly indecent and immoral. This is a vulgar statement and it only reflects the character of the one saying it.

Are all the distinguished scholars that we have mentioned, from the point of view of those opposed to Mawlid, indecent and immoral? We won’t be surprised if this is what they believe. This is a most serious slander. We say, as the poet said, “When Allah (swt) wants to spread a virtue that has been hidden, He would let a tongue of an envious person know about it.”

Those opposed to Mawlid, may Allah (swt) guide them, have confused some expressions, and claim that some religious scholars associate partners with Allah.

Take for example the plea of Imam al-Busiri to Prophet Muhammad (s), “Oh, most generous of creation, I have no one to resort to, save You, when the prevailing event takes place.” They must examine carefully the saying of Imam Al-Busiri: “`inda hulul al-hadith il `amami, when the prevailing event takes place.

” What is al `amam? It means that which prevails over the whole universe, and all of creation, in referring to the Day of Judgment. Imam Al-Busiri is asking intercession from the Prophet (s) on the Day of Judgment because on that day we will have no one to resort to or appeal to.

Imam Al-Busiri seeks his intercession to Allah (swt) through the Prophet (s), for when all other Messengers and Prophets will be saying, “Myself, myself,” the Prophet will be saying, “I am the one for it, I am for it [the Intercession].” It becomes even more clear now that the doubts of those opposed to Mawlid are unfounded, just as their charges of associating partners with Allah (swt) are unfounded. This is due to their blindness, both physical and spiritual.

Another similar example can be found in the well-known saying transmitted by the distinguished Imam al Kamal bin al Hammam al Hanafi, author of Fath il qadeer fi manasik al farisi, and Sharh al mukhtar min al sa`ada al ahnaf.

When Imam Abu Hanifa visited Medina, he stood in front of the honorable grave of the Prophet (s) and said, “O, most honorable of the Two Weighty Ones (humankind and jinn)! O, treasure of mankind, shower your generosity upon me and please me with your pleasure.

I am aspiring for your generosity, and there is no one for Abu Hanifa in the world but you.” Again, we must not misinterpret this entreaty, but realize its true meaning.

Yet another misconception those opposed to Mawlid hold can be seen in their statements such as these: “What occurs during Mawlid is mixing between men and women, singing and playing musical instruments, and drinking alcohol.

” I myself know this to be a lie, for I have attended many Mawlids and have not seen any mixing and never heard any musical instruments.

As for drunkenness, yes, I have seen it, but not that of worldly people. We found people intoxicated with the love of the Prophet (s), a state surpassing even the agony of death, which we know overcame our master Bilal at the time of his death. In the midst of this sweet stupor he was saying, “Tomorrow I shall meet the loved ones, Muhammad (s) and his Companions.”

To continue, those opposed to Mawlid say, “The day of the Prophet’s (s) birth is the same day of the week as his death. Therefore, joy on this day is no more appropriate than sorrow, and if religion is according to one’s opinion, then this day should be a day of mourning and sorrow.”

This kind of lame eloquence is answered by the Imam Jalal al Din al Suyuti, in Al hawi lil fatawi (pg.193), “The Prophet’s (s) birth is the greatest bounty, and his death is the greatest calamity. Religious law urges us to express thankfulness for bounties, and be patient and remain calm during calamities.

Religious law has commanded us to sacrifice an animal on the birth of a child [and distribute the meat to the needy], which is an expression of gratitude and happiness with the newborn, while it did not command us to sacrifice at the time of death. Also, it prohibited wailing and showing grief. Therefore, the rules of Divine Law indicate that it is recommended to show joy during the month of the Prophet’s birth and not to show sorrow for his death.”

Furthermore, Ibn Rajab, in his book Al lata’if, dispraising the rejecters of Mawlid based on the above argument said, “Some designated the day of `Ashura as a funeral ceremony for the murder of al-Hussein. But neither Allah (swt) nor His Prophet (s) commanded that the days of the prophets’ great trials or deaths should be declared days of mourning, let alone those with lesser rank.”

We conclude this article with a saying of the Prophet (s) which has been narrated by Abu Ya`ala, from Hudhaifa and about which Ibn Kathir said, “Its chain of transmission is good.” Abu Ya`ala said, “The Prophet (s) has said, ‘One of the things that concerns me about my nation is a man who studied the Qur’an, and when its grace started to show on him and he had the appearance of a Muslim, he detached himself from it, and threw it behind his back, and went after his neighbor with a sword and accused him of associating partners with Allah (swt)’. I then asked, ‘Oh, Prophet of Allah, which one is more guilty of associating partners with Allah, the accused or the accuser?’ The Prophet (s) said, ‘It is the accuser'

Completed, with all Praises to Allah,
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Dubai Fatwa: Should We Celebrate Mawlid – the Prophet’s (s) Birthday?

By: Dr. Isa al-Mani al-Humayri

Via: Anatomy Of Sufism TV �
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Contents

1 Question: Should We Celebrate Mawlid – the Prophet’s (s) Birthday?
1 Compiling the Qur’an
2 The Maqam of Ibrahim (as) in relation to the Ka`aba
3 Adding the first call to prayer on Friday
4 Salutations on the Prophet (s) composed and taught by our Master `Ali (r)
5 The addition to the tashahhud by Ibn Mas`ud:
6 The addition to the tashahhud by Abdullah Ibn `Umar (r):

2 Sayings of Scholars Concerning Types of Innovation in Islam
3 Sayings of the Rightly-Guided Imams Regarding the Mawlid
3.1 Imam Al Suyuti
3.2 Ibn Taymiyya
3.3 Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haythami
3.4 Imam Mohammed bin Abu Bakr Abdullah al Qaisi al Dimashqi
3.5 Imam Al `Iraqi
3.6 Mulla `Ali Al Qari
3.7 Imam Ibn Dahiya
3.8 Imam Shamsu Din bin Nasir al Dimashqi
3.9 Imam Shamsu Din Ibn Al Jazri
3.10 Imam Ibn al Jawzi
3.11 Imam Abu Shama
3.12 Imam al Shihab al Qastalani
Office of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dubai Administration of Ifta’ and Research
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Question: Should We Celebrate Mawlid – the Prophet’s (s) Birthday? Yes we should celebrate it every year and every month and every week and every hour and every moment!

Nowadays, we find publications filled with lies and deception which mislead many Muslims into thinking negatively about the honorable Mawlid of the Prophet (s). These publications claim that to celebrate the Mawlid is an act of innovation that goes against Islam.

This is far from the truth, and it is therefore necessary for those who can speak clearly to help clarify and reverse the doubts surrounding this most blessed day. It is with this humble intention that I present the following proofs in support of celebrating our beloved Prophet’s (s) birthday.

The Prophet (s) said, “He who innovates something in this matter of ours that is not of it will have it rejected.” He also said, “Beware of innovations, for every innovation (kullu bid`a) is misguidance.”

Those opposed to Mawlid cite this saying and hold that the word every (kul) is a term of generalization, including all types of innovations, with no exception, and that therefore, celebrating Mawlid is misguidance.

By daring to say that, they accuse the scholars of Islam of innovation. At the top of the list of those they have accused, then, is our Master `Umar (r). Those in opposition to Mawlid quickly reply to this, “But we did not mean the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (s) .”

It follows, then, that the meaning of “every” (kul) cannot be taken in its general sense. Therefore, although the Prophet (s) may not have said to celebrate his blessed birthday, it is nonetheless not an innovation to do so. For, as the following examples show, there were many actions and practices instituted by his close followers after his time that are not deemed innovation.

Compiling the Qur’an
In a hadith, Zaid Ibn Thabit (r) related, “The Prophet (s) passed away and the Qur’an had not been compiled anywhere.” Then `Umar (r) suggested to Abu Bakr (r) to compile the Qur’an in one book when a large number of Companions were killed in the battle of Yamama. Abu Bakr wondered, “How could we do something that the Prophet (s) did not do?” `Umar (r) said, “By Allah, it is good.” `Umar (r) persisted in asking Abu Bakr (r) until Allah (swt) expanded his chest for it (Allah made him agree and accept these suggestions) and he sent for Zaid Ibn Thabit and assigned him to compile the Qur’an. Zaid said, “By Allah (swt), they had asked me to move a mountain, it would not have been more difficult than to compile the Qur’an.”

He also said, “How could you do something that the Prophet did not do?” Abu Bakr said, “It is good, and `Umar kept coming back to me until Allah expanded my chest for the matter.” This Tradition is narrated in Sahih Al Bukhari.

The Maqam of Ibrahim (as) in relation to the Ka`aba Al Bayhaqi narrated with a strong chain of narrators from A’isha, “The Maqam during the time of the Prophet (s) and Abu Bakr (r) was attached to the House, then `Umar (r) moved it back.” Al Hafiz Ibn Hajar said in Al Fath,

“The Companions did not oppose `Umar, neither did those who came after them, thus it became unanimous agreement.” He was also the first to build the enclosure (maqsura) on it, which still exists today.

Adding the first call to prayer on Friday
In Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Sa’ib bin Yazid related, “During the time of the Prophet (s), Abu Bakr (r) and `Umar (r), the call to Friday prayer used to occur when the Imam sat on the pulpit. When it was `Uthman’st time, he added the third call (considered third in relation to the first adhan and the iqama. But it is named first because it proceeds the call to the Friday prayer.)”

Salutations on the Prophet (s) composed and taught by our Master `Ali (r)
The salutations have been mentioned by Said bin Mansoor and Ibn Jareer in Tahzeeb al-Aathar, and by Ibn Abi `Assim and Ya`qoob bin Shaiba in Akhbar `Ali and by Al Tabarani and others from Salamah Al Kindi.

The addition to the tashahhud by Ibn Mas`ud: After “wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,” and the Mercy of Allah and Blessings, Ibn Masud used to say, “assalamu `alayna min Rabbina,” peace upon us from our Lord. Narrated by Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir, and the narrators are those of the sound transmitters, as it has been mentioned in Majm`a Al Zawa’id.

The addition to the tashahhud by Abdullah Ibn `Umar (r): Abdullah Ibn `Umar (r) added the basmala at the beginning of the tashahhud. He also added to the talbia, “labbaika wa sa’daika wal khayru bi yadayka wal raghba’u ilayika wal `amalu” This is mentioned in Bukhari, Muslim, et al.

These are some of the developments instituted by the Prophet’s (s) Companions, the scholars, and the honorable members of his nation, which did not exist during the time of the Prophet (s), and which they deemed good. Are they, then, misguided and guilty of bad innovation?