₦airaland Forum

Arojah Royal Theatre Kickstarts 2022 Theatre Season With Swedish Play, 'Waiting For Her'


One of the leading performing theatre groups in Abuja and environs, Arojah Royal Theatre has kicked off the 2022 theatre season with stage performance of the play, 'Waiting For Her' written by a Swedish playwright, EliSophie Andrée.

The play with the original title 'Waiting For You' is a comedy about grief, daring to move on and friendship.

In his opening remarks at the stage performance which took place at Brazilian Embassy Abuja on Thursday, the Artistic Director Arojah Royal Theatre, and the Director 'Waiting For Her' Om'Oba Jerry Adesewo noted that the production is one of Arojah Royal Theatre's numerous activities under the Cultural Partnership Initiative (CPI), which incidentally was launched in collaboration with the Swedish Embassy in 2014.

Explaining what the play is all about, Om'Oba as he is generally known in the theatre and literary world said, "The journey to self-discovery is one we must all embark upon, either as a person, people or nation. 'Waiting For Her' is a testament to the therapeutic essence of theatre and our desire as always is to deploy the fundamentality of the art as a socio force and I think that's what we have just done here. I hope that like Elina, we all would find our path."

The artistic director explained that there are other exciting programming lined up for the year.

"Yearly, we made plans for for 3-5 plays in addition to other special projects and commissioned works that are not part of our plans from the onset but which we have the capacity to take on."

Arojah Royal Theatre is in the third season of The Arojah Students Playwriting Prize, with focus this time on elections and good governance. It is an annual playwriting competition targeted at budding writers in tertiary institutions across Nigeria and beyond.

"The 4th Abuja Children Theatre Festival is our immediate focus now. It is scheduled to hold between the 27th and 30th of April. ACTFEST is a theatre for young audience Festival and would feature performances, seminar, workshops and experience sharing talk sessions. It is an international edition with participants from Brazil, Norway, Denmark, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

"In June, we hope to join the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of the African Child with the production of a staged adaptation of the Nigerian classic, Eze Goes to School.

Apart from the 2022 theatre season, Arojah hope to bring back some of her 2021 plays like Cataclysm by Ben Tomoloju, Out At Sea by Mrozek Slawomir in addition to new plays scheduled for the season.

He stated further that The Independence Play in October is one of the highlights of his outfit's plan for the year. "We are planning something bigger this year, hopefully. And we are open to partnerships from individuals and organisations."

Arojah Royal Theatre is one-off one-off foremost theatre company in Abuja with sustained programming that has helped stimulate the art scene in Abuja.

The support base of former Governor of Zamfara State and APC national chairmanship aspirant, Dr. Abdulaziz Yari is gaining new strength as the former chairman Nigerian Governors Forum on Thursday played host to North Central Stakeholders of the party.

The party chieftains under the aegis of Vanguard for Progressives Mandate, VPM were at the Abuja home of the former Governor to pledge the support of members of the party in North Central zone in his quest to clinch the chairmanship position of the party as the February 26 convention of the party draws nearer.

The delegation led by its National Coordinator, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Adeyemi in his remarks stated that members of the party in the zone after an expanded meeting and wide consultation arrived at the choice of Dr. Yari after carefully studying his pedigree as an outstanding political master planner and experienced administrator.

Prof. Adeyemi while underlining that the Zamfara ex-governor's decision to join the race is a big plus for the party especially in its quest to retain power in 2023 added that his emergence will consolidate on the gains being made by the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Prof. Adeyemi, a professor of Mass Communication said Yari has for decades distinguished himself as an authority in the political arena in the country as a former House of Representatives member and as a State Chief Executive.

"The decision of over 80 percent of members of our great party in North Central to support Dr. Yari was reached after a careful understudy of other aspirants who are equally in the race.

"Yes, you cannot say that these men are not qualified but one candidate in the person of Dr. Yari stands giant among all. He has a deep rooted structure and appeal across the country.

"As a former chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF he still commands the respect and acceptance of his former colleagues from North, South, East and West.

"That is the kind of person we need to pilot the affairs of our party not champions of region. His Excellency Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari is a tested and trusted nationalist who puts the nation ahead of any other consideration.

"He possesses an enviable leadership dexterity and love for the people. His name still resonates in his state and gives the people joy particularly on the account of massive number of persons he empowered, including women and youths who are today employers of labour.

"His candour, patience, tolerance and innate ability to provide solutions to seemingly difficult political questions is his pillar of strength.

"I have no iota of doubt in my mind that other members of our party in other zones will join forces with us produce a chairman who is fearless, a chairman who is tested and trusted, a chairman whose presence attracts national appeal" Prof. Adeyemi stated.

Also the Deputy National Coordinator of VPM (Kogi) Dr. Omale Adaji said Dr. Yari's leadership experience as a former party manager in his ANPP days, House of Reps member and Governor is needed to reinvigorate the party now as efforts to expand the states under the control of APC continues.

The former Governor and the host, Abdulaziz Yari in his comment expressed gratitude to the APC stalwarts under the aegis of VPM for their solidarity visit and show of support.

Dr. Yari who could not hide his joy noted that he has a lot to offer the party in leadership if elected as the next chairman, expressing optimism that a vast majority of party men and women will choose him to lead the party.

By Wahab Shina Omoniyi

I have been compelled to write and express my disgust at the growing spate of internet fraud among our youth. A careful analysis of the problem indicates that the unabated love for money in our society today is no doubt the proximate cause of this menace.

However, this menace can also be traced to the following factors in the society:
First is the gradual and unabated rot in our educational system.

It is often said that if you want to destroy a society, all that is needed is to destroy the educational system. There is no gainsaying the fact that all is not well with our educational system. Or how do you explain a situation where even teachers and lecturers encourage sorting even right from primary schools. Parents are not excepted from this unwholesome act and in most cases they are the ones that put pressure on the teachers to award higher grades to their wards.

The danger in this is that these children will grow up to become adults, fathers, mothers, administrators, political leaders, religious leaders, cultural custodians etc. I read an online news few days ago where a man wrote the Joint Admission and Matriculation Boarding confessing he was involved in an examination malpractice 21 years ago. In a letter to the examination body titled “Restitution on my JAMB Result 21 Years Ago”, the candidate who claimed to be a born again Christian pleaded for forgiveness from the organization. The Examination body in its response stated categorically that they will only forgive the former candidate only if he is willing to forfeit all the certificate he had acquired using the result of the University Matriculation Examination.

What’s more, Timipade Kemepade is obviously not the only one involved in this malpractice thing, but he has been the bold one coming out to lay down his weapon of examination malpractice and requesting for amnesty. Considering the provision of the law regarding examination malpractice and the reliability of evidence for prosecution, the world is watching how the examination body will handle this matter. Notably, we should not forget the possible collaboration of even staff of the examination body and their cohorts in this unwholesome practice. This is indeed a litmus test to post examination malpractice discoveries and confessions.

However, we should not gloss over these apparent systemic weaknesses. It should be categorically stated that it is because the system is porous and creates room for it that this malpractice has continue to flourishing as a business even though we continue to feign ignorance of it simply because of caliber of people involved. We need to stem the alarming tide of examination malpractice among our youths by first admitting that it exists, secondly by sanctioning those involved in the practices including their collaborators and lastly by encouraging those that work hard to get their grades.

Consequently, it behooves on  the government and other concerned stakeholders to act quickly to forestall disaster as this trend has caused serious damage to not only the education system but also the entire society as the perpetrators do not live in isolation.

Secondly, the spate of indiscipline in our society today calls for concern. It is an understatement to say that discipline has collapsed in our society today. The most pathetic and ironical of it is that it is those that ought to enforce that are mostly involved in this insanity. Most children grow up watching their parents beating the traffic lights on the streets. They watch their parents throwing trash through the windows of their cars, and they watch their parents cutting corners by not paying the required utility bills at home. These children grow up seeing all these harmful practices as normal. It is normal for people to shunt queue today because those who supposed to ensure orderliness will be the ones to disregard it.

Recently, the executives of my community union complained that those that refuse to pay their security levy are always the paramilitary officers. Undoubtedly, these are people that ought to lead by example by educating through their actions how important security is and why every hands must be on deck to ensure everyone participate as security is everybody’s business. Regrettably, the reverse is the case. Unfortunately also, it is indiscipline that metamorphoses into impunity we see in the society today. We cannot afford to throw up our arms in despair and watch everything crumbles before our very eyes while we do nothing. Posterity will definitely not forgive us. The time has come for all of us to put our shoulders to the wheel and help solve this problem once and for all. Like the slogan goes, if you see something, say something.

Thirdly, avarice has taken over the entire sphere of our society. Be it religious, political, social and educational circle. People are offered special prayers according to how much they can contribute. People are awarded mostly according to how much they can offer financially. Chieftaincy titles are given to the highest bidders. With enough money, people believe they can buy any certificate and it doesn’t matter if such certificates are fakes as those that will verify or detect the authenticity also have their own price. The love and desire for money in our society today has gone beyond just love and desire but greed and selfishness. Some are desperately after wealth today not because of the love for it but because they have taken responsibility over and above what their meager resource could accommodate. They must deny their subordinates and contemporaries of their right for them to meet up financially.

At a function sometimes ago, I overheard some guys complaining about their boss, how he has denied them going for training programs as planned and even basic working tools in the office just because he wants to meet up with the foreign exchange rate to pay the school fees of his children schooling abroad. As it is today, even the drivers of Nigeria vehicle have no faith in the vehicles they are driving. They only remain the drivers so they can use the proceed to pay for a better vehicle to convey their family members. Most cannot allow their families to board the same vehicles they drive. This is the true state of the Nigeria state today. Of late, there has been public outcry against the ostentatious lifestyle of some of our religious, political and traditional leaders. Needless to say that most of these leaders got their wealth accumulated through the hard labor or ignorance of their followers.

It is no longer news that friends arrange for kidnap of another friend not really to harm him but just to use him to get ransom from such acts. Spouses have arranged for their own kidnap, siblings have done same recently while some even kidnap themselves for family members to raise money and they share with engaged criminals. How mothers aid one of the children to use another child of hers for rituals. The numbers are countless. With all these happenings and no adequate condemnation or rebuttal from appropriate authorities including religious circles, the youths could not but believe these things are normal.

The solutions to this menace are not far-fetched. The moral decadence in the society must be looked into. Our children must be encouraged to embrace hard work as a means to success. Miraculous wealth should not be celebrated as the societal values. Government need to also revisit the lottery policy that has encouraged unabated gambling among our youths. The National Orientation Agency should wake up and start aggressive societal reorientation.

We need to chart a new course in our quest to free ourselves from the shackles of poverty, disease and ignorance in our society and it must be done holistically. It must be stated that it is not only those boys with laptops that are into yahoo business, every Nigerian that carries out any act to defraud another Nigerian of his or her economic rights or that of the society is undeniably into yahoo business.

In conclusion, there is the urgent need to come up with appropriate policies that will sincerely address all these concerns. Possibly, government can come up with a general Amnesty policy or program that will see everyone lay down their weapon of societal destruction and reboot the system afresh. This can be in form of strictly appointing only those that have shown commitment in patronizing domestic products and services into public offices. A one year or six months’ moratorium could be given for implementation. There is absolutely no doubt, we all need amnesty.

The joy of a fulfilled father is hinged on right of chest thumbing, predicated on the number of children he has raised and those who are able to keep his dream alive long after he is gone. In Igbo land for instance, “afu nwa elota nna” is a popular hail line a true son of his father should derives pride in. Literally interpreted, “the reminder of his father’s memory” it speaks not only to a proud son who replicates his father in physical appearance but valour and uncommon traits that endear people to him whether living or gone.

Irrespective of what you think about the Lagos pillar of politics, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he stands tall in our country’s political firmament as one whose signature is bold and visible on the number of successful mentees he has churned out since his foray in public service. Like someone succinctly put it, big names as Babatunde Fashola, Akinwumi Ambode, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Muiz Banire, Rauf Aregbesola, Dabiri Erewa-Abike and many others have graduated from Asiwaju’s school of politics. Outstandingly, Lagos, Jagaban’s stronghold where the PDP throughout its 16 years in power never touched has in a way been in the lead in producing fantastic governors starting from Asiwaju in 1999 to Babajide Sanwo-Olu today. The status of Lagos as a mega commercial city of the largest black country in the world, with a burgeoning population that intimidates some African countries such as Mauritius, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Guinea-Bissau and many others is not in any way a training ground for baby governors. Little wonder the city with its peculiar challenges has remained a reference point in infrastructure and good governance.
While some believe that this is a byproduct of Asiwaju’s gift for unravelling the best for certain assignments, others see it as a perpetuation of self hegemony with a cardinal objective of sustaining a carefully mastered mind coercion and abidance to a chain of loyalty that gives Asiwaju what belongs to Asiwaju and Lagosians what belongs to Lagosians. Ambode, the only governor in Lagos since the return of democracy in 1999 to have lost out a second term bid may have sinned, falling short of the glory of Asiwaju by giving to Lagosians what belongs to Asiwaju and even seizing it entirely. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former Vice, Atiku Abubakar taught us that political sins are not easily forgiven in Nigeria and we all saw how a state chief executive could not muster the needed support that would hand him a fresh four years in office in 2019. Who wept for Ambode?

That the Lagos big landlord is on the news today did not come as a surprise to keen political observers. His recent visit to the President, Muhammadu Buhari brought to an end months of speculations on whether he would vie for the number one job in the land in 2023 when the lifespan of the current administration is expected to end. Of course what else would be commensurate enough to appreciate the master himself for being the number one marketer of the APC brand if not the Aso Villa itself? What would one probably offer a man who ceded his vice presidential slot to a godson for the sake of religious balancing in 2015 than the number one seat itself? What would one offer a man who ensured that a Buhari brand, perceived to be carrying a baggage of military ‘khaki’ without any aura of democratic civility is marketed to the Nigerian people especially the South? What else will commensurate the effort of a man whose political party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN constituted the largest population among the birds of strange fellows that later formed a special purpose vehicle (SPV) known as APC whose cardinal objective was simply to produce a Buhari Presidency or form a parallel government?
Undeniably, it falls within the fundamental rights of the former Lagos governor to seek for any office he so desires as a Nigerian citizen.

Interestingly, he may be putting his arsenal together to square it out with the man he once appointed into his cabinet as Lagos governor to serve him as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the man he willingly put forward in place of himself as candidate Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2015. Should Asiwaju not be happy that one of his political plants has germinated, grown and mature enough to face the master himself in a political tournament at the community square? In as much as VP Osinbajo has not declared that his eye is on Buhari’s seat, the same way Asiwaju did, there is nothing to suggest that he is not interested in graduating from his subordinate position to a supervisory one. Has the Professor of Law spoken on his campaign billboards springing up all over the country? Has he denied or dissociated himself from campaign offices operating in his name all across the country? Lest we forget, he is armed with the fundamental right to seek election into any office he so desires as well.
With the likes of Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Governor of Ebonyi, Dave Umahi, Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and many more from the South indicating interest to lead the country in 2023, it is too early in the day to declare with certainty who will be favoured by the masses. Again, elementary knowledge of Nigerian politics teaches that VP Yemi Osinbajo couldn’t have emerged from the blue moon to mull presidential contest without taking it to the table of his Principal the President to gauge his pulse. That would have been a capital political sin.

Whichever means the Lagos chief political tactician may want to deploy in having an upper hand to outsmart his (former) godson who appears to have garnered sufficient war chest in terms of finance, experience and national appeal remains to be seen. Expectedly, the President, Muhammadu Buhari has kept mum on who his choice of successor will likely fall on. However, one can easily read the writing on the wall that Jagaban may not be Baba’s choice of successor. The reason to arrive at this conclusion is not far-fetched. Recall that after Tinubu’s visit, the President in a rare media outing declared that he wants to conceal the identity of his preferred successor to shield him from possible elimination. Could Tinubu have been the one in this description? Who is he that has mustered enough balls to dare he who even the Lagos mafias bow to?

Jagaban without mincing words has a legion of hurdles to reach his journey to the palatial presidential villa. Even among his battalion of godsons and daughters, there are few rebels who believe Asiwaju should jettison his ambition. Sen. Babafemi Ojudu will stop at nothing in telling those interested to hear that he was not made by Tinubu and that both of them only enjoyed a political relationship that was beneficial to both parties. According to him, it is his right to pitch his political tent anywhere he chooses. Who can dispute this? There are others though silent who are in alignment with Ojudu.

How much of grip Tinubu still holds in five of six states where APC holds swear in the South West remains to be ascertained. Does he really call the shot in states like Ekiti, Osun and Ondo where the SAN governor spikes him at the slightest opportunity? Understandably, his ambition has raised litany of unanswered questions within the ranks of South-East elite who think South West should wait a while, having had its turn of the presidency in Olusegun Obasanjo. Their argument is that in the tripod arrangement called Nigeria, the Hausa and Yoruba have ruled while the Igbo since Independence is yet to produce the number one man in the land, what they call marginalisation that may have brought about the resurgence in agitation for Biafra Republic and emergence of separatist groups.

The negative connotation which the acronym, APC and the slogan ‘change’ have acquired in the past seven years of this administration is another issue to be settled with a vast majority of Nigerians. The burgeoning poverty rate in the land, the massive job loss, the insecurity, fear and apprehension in the minds of our people, the dwindling living standard, the skyrocketing cost of living, free fall in the value of Naira and loss of confidence in the government are some common unpalatable indices a vast majority of Nigerians will remember this government for. Even among those who played a vital role in installing this government, they believe the Buhari and APC leadership has not met the yearnings of the people. Will Jagaban weather the storm?
Another concern those critical of a Tinubu Presidency are raising is about what his real age is. While Jagaban goes about telling people he is just little above 70, sons and daughters of Thomas are casting doubt. Even at that, they said the Lagos strong man deserves some rest from the mucky waters of politics at his age. Even when they want him to concentrate on his divine calling of kingmaking, the only question Asiwaju has for them is, “where is it written that a kingmaker should not be a king?”

As I bring this piece to a conclusion, there is everything constitutionally and legally right with Tinubu eyeing the highest office in the land. This nobody can argue. Added to this is his experience, contact and capacity to mobilise resources, even command bullion vans. Talking about morality, should Jagaban not bury his ambition and support a South-East Presidency instead, in the spirit of enhancing the mouthed national unity and peaceful co-existence?

While the race for the 2023 gradually picks, it is pertinent to state that irrespective of who carries the day, the security and welfare of Nigerians which have been at its lowest ebb in recent times should occupy the front burner as the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended captures it. The era of seeing the people as a ladder to climb to power after which they are discarded to the oblivion is long gone. The people are wiser and more informed. Let me not remind you of the almighty #EndSARS to prove this point.
Irrespective of what happens, we will only have one President in 2023 on whose shoulder the leadership of our country shall fall. Who that person finally becomes is a collective decision of over 200 million Nigerians.

Enemanna, and Abuja-based journalist writes from Abuja

By Alex Enemanna

It was Winston Churchill considered by many to be the greatest Briton of all time and the most famous British Prime Minister who noted, "We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give".

For Folashade Joseph, the Director General of National Agricultural Insurance Corporation, NAIC she is the quintessential definition of a patriot who has given her all and wholeheartedly so in the service of her fatherland and betterment of her society. She has through her innovative and creative mind made a web of happy, confident and satisfied farmers, a situation that has in turn been of immense value in the country's quest for food security.

Little wonder the President, Muhammadu Buhari on the ground of merit, performance, hard work, dedication, commitment and service delivery in 2021 reappointed her for a fresh tenure of four years to head the federal government-owned insurance company with the mandate of providing agricultural risks insurance cover to Nigerian farmers.

Since creation on November 15, 1987, Nigerian farmers have not had it this good in terms of robust policies to give them an insurance cover over unforeseen losses on their investment. Under the leadership of the indefatigable Director General Joseph Folashade, we have seen a NAIC that is competent and committed to making agriculture an attractive venture, thereby reducing the country's burgeoning unemployment rate, reducing uncontrolled rural-urban migration, putting into useful engagement the country's vast arable farmland and ensure sufficiency of food and at an affordable rate in the market for our people.

We have seen a NAIC poised to living up to its mandate of providing financial support to farmers for losses from natural hazards in quick and prompt manner, a NAIC charting a new road map on ways to provide credit to farmers, promote employment generation through a planned agricultural production policy, minimize the need for government's intervention during disaster periods as was the case in the past.

Irrespective of what type of agriculture one is involved in, the renewed and reinvigorated NAIC leadership has created something special to give you the needed backing in terms of eventuality and ensure you bounce back bigger and better. Whether crop, poultry, livestock farming or any activity that involves food production, there is a policy action put in place to arouse your interest under the NAIC roof.

Under the subsidized crop policy for instance introduced by the Director General, the farmer is only expected to pay 50 percent premium on insurance cover of food crops while the balance of fifty percent is paid by the Federal and State Government of the location where the farm resides in a ratio of 3:1 respectively. What this implies is that the burden of premium payment for insurance is lifted from the shoulder of the farmer by half while the federal government and state government housing the farmland bear the cost by half as well.

NAIC in its wisdom has enlarged the perils under this cover to include loss or damage resulting from fire, lightning, explosion, aircraft damage, windstorm, flood and drought. Crops such as maize, rice, cassava, yam, millet, sorghum, Irish potato, soya bean, cowpea, fluted pumpkin, melon, groundnut, vegetable, sesame, wheat, sweet potato and mixture of the these crops are well covered under this policy. Can you beat that?

Also, under its subsidized livestock policy, only fifty percent of the premium is paid by the farmer while the federal government and state government where the farm is located offset the balance of fifty percent in a ratio of 3:1 respectively. Under this policy, the risks covered include death of animals/birds/fishes due to disease, accident, fire, lightning, storm and flood.

Here, cattle (Dairy and Fattening), poultry, including parent stock, layers, broilers, and cockerels are covered. Also under NAIC insurance are Turkey, including meat and breeder, ducks, pigs including fattening and breeders, sheep, ram & goats, fishery, rabbitery including its meat and breeders, grasscutters, snailery and beef keeping.

These deliberate efforts have undoubtedly protected the Nigeria farmers from the effects of natural hazards, ensuring they remain in the business of flooding out markets with food sufficient and affordable for all citizens.

In a society where there is a general apathy for insurance, the DG has not backed down in her advocacy campaign in enrolling more farmers into the insurance net of the NAIC. This is predicated on her conviction that the encumbrances against food security in Nigeria and Africa are many, and taking insurance policies and coverage for today’s farmers, no matter how small-scale, is inevitable.

Insurance mitigates against risks and this accounts to why NAIC did not only announce a 50% subsidy on agricultural insurance but has remained faithful in its implementation. Aware how risk-prone agriculture is in Nigeria, the leadership of Folashade Joseph is not oblivious that it has been compounded further by insecurity, apart from natural, biological and environmental disasters, in addition to climate change concerns. This is why the heightened campaign for large and small scale farmers to take advantage of the discounted insurance premium available in NAIC will continue. Interestingly, the redirected leadership sees the media as partner in ensuring that a larger number of our farmers in both the rural and urban centres are aware of this golden opportunity.

It is a good thing that farmers and agro-investors are enjoying a reasonable level of support from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), its offshoot, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc), but the value chain in the ago-industry cannot be fully harnessed without the input of NAIC who ensures that the large chunk of investment by the Federal Government in the sector does not go down the drain by providing insurance cover. Interestingly, the Director General has indeed done well in drumming this to the ear of everyone interested in listening.

At the discussion table for food security in the country, we are eager to talk about massive investments in irrigation infrastructure, rehabilitation of the existing ones, climate change mitigation strategies, avoidance of farming activities in flood-prone areas as holistic ways of preventing farmland devastation and food shortages, yet agricultural insurance most times do not get a mention. This is traceable to low level of awareness, a challenge the DG has frontally taken on and the result visibly seen in the number of enrollment the corporation witnesses daily.

As I bring this piece to a close, it is important to note that since inception, NAIC has given coverage to agricultural projects worth over a trillion Naira investments across the country. Talking about losses and compensation, the corporation has also paid out several billions of naira as claims to farmers of various classes from inception to date.

Even with this, the DG's commitment to churn out products to the already existing subsidised crops insurance, commercial crops insurance, subsidised livestock insurance, commercial livestock insurance, combined agricultural produce and investment policy that will further minister to the needs of our farmers in unparalleled.

She has without any scintilla of doubt sufficiently justified reason for her appointment by no less a person than the President of the Federal Republic, President Muhammadu Buhari. For coming, seeing and conquering, DG Folashade Joseph deserves our applause.

Enemanna writes from Abuja

The 2023 Presidential ambition of governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State may be a cash cow of sort to some notable officials of the government who see the quest by the leader of the Confluence State to occupy the number one office in the country as an opportunity to enhance their personal fortune.

Notable among some opportunistic figures parading as partners in Yahaya Bello's presidential project is Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole.

Hardly had the governor made clear his ambition to run for the presidency of this country did the Speaker carry the project like a major state project, abandoning his legislative, oversight and representative assignment at the House of Assembly to become a campaign mouthpiece of the governor.

Little wonder the state just like several others in the country has become an extension of the governor's empire where the state Chief Executive decides what happens at the legislative arm. Again, it points to why everything and anything that comes from the governor's table is passed without proper parliamentary scrutiny process as the law envisages.

He is a perfect definition of why the legislative arm of government is seen as a sleeping toothless bulldog that cannot exercise any check on the Executive.

Findings by our correspondent indicate that the Kogi number one lawmaker had explored his closeness to the Governor to tell him series of lies about the feedback of his consultations among his Speaker colleagues across APC states where he had gone canvassing for support for Bello.

After collecting millions of Naira from the governor, the Speaker's so called consultations have been a tour of shame without any positive feedback from his fellow Speakers.

One may assume that the Speaker Matthew Kolawole is being driven by spirit of patriotism or concern to see a GYB to PYB kind of transformation. Rather he is being pushed by his unbridled desire to succeed Gov. Bello who will vacate office late 2023.

The grand plan is to bring on board a member of the House of Representatives from Kogi East, who was a member of the state House of Assembly to be a running mate to Speaker Kolawole in his gubernatorial ambition.

Not ready to stay out of power, before his chasing his governorship ambition, the Speaker's intention is to represent the people of Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu in the House of Representatives pending the expiration of Gov. Bello's tenure.

Findings on why he is so desperate to have his way politically is because of the burden of debt he is carrying about, inflicted on him by his extravagant lifestyle. At the moment, the Speaker is owing three commercial banks, Wema, UBA and Polaris to the tune of almost a billion Naira. With his endorsement tour on the geopolitical zones which he started this year, he paid the sum of N40m to UBA after receiving funds from the governor for North Central endorsement at part payment for his pillage of debt in the old generation bank.

His fresh journey into the web of debt is not unconnected with his personal hotel constructed at an outrageously scandalous cost. All funds received from the governor in the name of endorsement is going back to debt repayment as pressure by the commercial banks mounts.

While the Speaker's tour of shame lasted across the States last year, he smiled to the bank with his pocket full of proceeds of lie and deception, misinforming the governor of his imaginary endorsement by Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly.

During the tour where he targeted APC states, in Ebonyi for instance, the Speaker was rejected on the account that his governor has performed bellow average to think of presidential office. Kogi is arguably the only state in the country that has not purchased official cars to its own officials let alone paying attention to the welfare of the people.

While the Speaker selfishly deceived the governor into believing that he (Speaker) is working for Gov. Bello's presidential bid, there is nothing to suggest that any state in the federation is aligned to the Presidential ambition of Bello after several millions of Naira has been sank with the Speaker being the sole beneficiary.

A man whose integrity has come under serious questioning, we are yet to forget how his company, Achievers Events Ltd was investigated by involvement in multiple financial impropriety by State and local government committee of the House of Representatives.

It is on record that in 2009, this same company organised an award which took place at Sheraton Hotels Abuja where he received funds from several persons for an award meant for one person which caused a lot of problems. The award was organised in collaboration with state and local government of Reps. Following this development, the House of Representatives investigated Achievers Events Ltd, found it guilty of financial offences, blacklisted it and passed a vote of no confidence on award presentation by the company. Till today, that company is resting in the dustbin where it has been dumped, being that it has been established to be a conduit for fraud. Speaker Matthew Kolawole can't deny this.

One would assume that he would by now settle down to enjoy his loots this new year. But never. He has continued to swindle the governor with imaginary endorsement this year, this time around zone by zone.

He almost set Nasarawa State House of Assembly on fire after short paying them what the governor handed to him for the lawmakers in exchange for their "enforcement". In Yobe, there were lots of complains arising from under-remittance of the actual amount he received from the governor.

In Gombe, the so called endorsement caused a lot of ripples, to the extent that the Speaker of the state Assembly, Abubakar Sadiq Ibrahim representing Yamaltu West constituency was almost removed after the governor, Inuwa Yahaya was informed about it. The Assembly quickly denied endorsement after the Speaker came to public spotlight for the negative reason.

One wonders where Speaker Matthew Kolawole will galvanise his support to become the next House of Representatives member for KBI federal constituency let alone the governor when his grassroot popularity is fading off due to extreme poor representation of the people.

While the presidential ambition of Gov. Bello Bello hangs in balance, there is no gainsaying that Speaker Matthew Kolawole is governor Bello's number one opposition, masquerading as a partner.

He suppresses the truth of his fruitless tour to the Governor, yet harvests from him as much as his greed can accommodate, neglecting his assignment as a lawmaker elected to represent a constituency.

Whatever the issues are, Speaker Matthew Kolawole is a conman who knows the truth about how the presidential bid of Gov. Yahaya Bello will end but has continued to aggressively fill his pocket while deceiving the governor.

His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello must be weary of people like Speaker Matthew Kolawole around him. Speaker Matthew Kolawole does not command the acceptance that will market a Bello brand yet he has seen the governor as a cash cow to feather his nest.