₦airaland Forum

Last week’s verbal attack on the Igbo by a Roman Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. James Anelu, from Edo State, brought the issue of Igbophobia to the fore once more in Nigeria. As if on cue, the next day, a deputy commissioner of police, Mr Ibrahim Babazango, from Adamawa State, was reported to have threatened the life of one Igbo man, Mr. Vincent Umeh, for buying the property next to his residence in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State.

For Rev. Fr. Anelu, the Priest-in-Charge of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Enu-Owa, Ikorodu, Lagos State, the trigger was that the choir was singing “too many” Igbo choruses. It was reported that he stopped the choir midway and outlawed the singing of Igbo songs in the church. That was not all. He went into the usual ethnic tirade of how Igbo people liked to dominate everywhere, citing the example of an Igbo person being the bishop of his home diocese (Benin Diocese), and other stereotypical statements.

From his speech, captured on camera, it was obvious the singing of Igbo songs was not his main problem. The Igbo were his problem. Even though that parish was highly populated by Igbo people, for the sake of integration and inclusiveness, songs sung at such a church should reflect the ethnic diversity of Nigeria. A Roman Catholic head of a parish wields enormous power. He can sack the entire choir. If Anelu’s concern was truly the need for inclusiveness, he could have invited the leaders of the choir to a private meeting and explained to them the need to sing more songs from other ethnic groups and English. After that, if the problem persisted, he could apply punitive measures to the leadership of the choir or the lead vocalists with the sole aim of correcting the problem.

He could also take other practical measures to change the situation like encouraging more non-Igbo people to join the choir. He could also encourage non-Igbo to teach the choir more non-Igbo songs to deepen their repertoire. But the words of Fr. Anelu showed that his primary concern was not to promote inclusiveness but to express his views about the Igbo. The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos quickly intervened by suspending him.

In the case of Babazango, Sahara Reporters had reported that he was caught in an audio warning Umeh to reverse the land purchase deal or face some consequences, including no guarantee of his personal safety.

“We’re a homogeneous community, I don’t want you; you can’t be my next-door neighbour, I swear. What sort of insult is this? Can any northerner move now to the South-East, say Onitsha, and just bump into any neighbourhood to buy a property just like that?” the senior police officer had allegedly said to Umeh. Sahara Reporters reported that when it contacted Babazango, he maintained his stand on the issue.

A follow-up news story by Sahara Reporters noted that the Nigeria Police Force described the accusation as false, stating that Umeh never reported such a case to them as he claimed. However, Sahara Reporters confirmed that Umeh reported the matter to Zone 3 Police Command, Yola and also the office of the Department of State Services in December 2021.

These cases only became points of interest because of the status of those involved and because they were brought to the media space. But they are not unusual. They are only part of a bigger and deeper problem. In the recent past, some prominent Nigerians like the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu; Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, etc, have been caught on camera displaying Igbophobia. However, most non-Igbo, who don’t experience Igbophobia, would easily dismiss any claim that Igbophobia is systemic in Nigeria. But that should not be surprising because they are not involved. It is said that whoever feels it knows it.

There are two types of Igbophobia in Nigeria: the brazen and the subtle. The brazenness is what usually attracts national attention. Subtle Igbophobia usually goes unnoticed. It is so deep in the system that it is taken as normal. In fact, those who engage in it do not realise that they have such a problem. It manifests in different ways like giving the Igbo a different standard or condition that is not given to other ethnicities or always believing that there is “something” wrong with the Igbo.

Many nice, urbane, educated, supposedly detribalised, open-minded Nigerians don’t even know that they have Igbophobic tendencies. They will swear with conviction that they are not Igbophobes. But once you hear someone say: “Igbos are great people but…;” “I have many Igbo friends. I have nothing against Igbos but…;” “The problem with Igbos is…,” you see a subtle Igbophobe.

If you discuss the issue further with such people, their next line is that they are speaking the truth and that one problem with “you people” is that you don’t like the truth.” Then you hear something like: “You people are too emotional.” To such people, they are merchants of truth and rationality, while the problem is with “you people.”

Whichever way the Igbo act, such people find something wrong with it. For example, if the Igbo vote for their kinsman, the accusation is: “You people are clannish.” If people from the North or South-West or South-South do the same, the music changes to: “They are politically strategic.” If the Igbo vote for non-Igbo people, the same people say: “Igbo people don’t speak with one voice. They don’t love one another.” If people from the North or South-West or South-South do the same, the narrative changes to: “They are politically sophisticated.” Then, if the Igbo vote massively for one candidate, the accusation becomes: “Igbo put their eggs in one basket.” If the Igbo spread their votes between two candidates, the accusation changes to: “Igbo scatter their votes unwisely. They are not politically sophisticated.” Head or tail, there is something wrong with the Igbo people.

Without knowing it, these nice people who harbour unconscious Igbophobic feelings regularly set different standards for the Igbo, standards they don’t set for their own folks or other ethnic groups: “You guys must come together and present one presidential candidate with integrity.” If you ask them which ethnic group has ever done that, they bring up another blackmailing line about “you people ‘’ not liking to hear the truth and then jump to another topic.

The biggest challenge facing the Igbo is their large numbers in other parts of Nigeria. They are usually the second largest population after the indigenous people. They usually control the retail business wherever they are. Therefore, if the indigenous people want to buy a malaria drug, it is an Igbo person they go to. If they need a spare part for their motorcycle or motor vehicle, it is an Igbo person that sells it to them. If they need a shirt, an electric bulb, a tin of milk, a loaf of bread, a bowl of rice or a mobile phone, it is an Igbo person that sells it to them. Consequently, the Igbo unconsciously assume the image of an army of occupation, which attracts resentment towards them. This is compounded by the aggressiveness with which the Igbo buy parcels of land and erect houses wherever they are. It creates a convincing narrative that the Igbo have a long-term agenda of taking over the communities where they reside, which worsens the resentment towards them. Being a loud and proud people does not help the case of the Igbo. Therefore, if the economy tanks and prices of goods go up, the Igbo get the blame for that because they sell most of the goods the indigenous people use. If there is a riot, their goods and investments become easy targets.

The Igbo are not saints or angels. They have weaknesses and strengths like any other ethnic group. But the problem lies in always concentrating on their weaknesses or using the bad acts of individuals to judge the entire ethnic group or setting an impossible standard for them. Nigerians have an Igbo problem, which they do not realise, but which they need to solve, if the claim of national cohesion and unity has any sincerity in it.

Twitter: @BrandAzuka

https://punchng.com/igbophobia-runs-deeper-than-we-think/

Many law firms were established in the pre-independence and post-independence Nigeria, but only a handful survived till this day. These surviving chambers are a testament to the resilience of Nigeria’s corporate culture.

Like the country’s oldest accounting firm established by Akintola Williams in 1952, these law chambers have lived to three generations: Fredrick Rotimi Williams, Chuba Ikpeazu, Chike Idigbe, Richard Akinjide, Arthur Nylander, Bola Ige, Babatunde Dalley, Olaniwun Ajayi, Chike Ofordile and Orok Ironbar.


There were dozens of pioneer law firms, which status this single report could not ascertain. Some of them include: Nebo Graham Douglas, Obafemi Awolowo, Babaremilekun Fani Kayode, Teslim Elias, Bankole Oki, E.A. Molajo, Gabriel Coker, Kehinde Sofala, Dr Nwakanma Okoro, Patrick Balonwu and Ben Nwabueze.

Others are Augustine Nnamani, Gabriel Onyiuke, Babatunji Olowofoyeku, H.A. Lardner, Professor A.B. Kasumu, F.O. Akinrele, Adebayo Ogunsanya, Okoi Arikpo, G.R.I Egonu, Bayo Kehinde, Mudiaga Odje and Olisa Chukwura.



By
Our Reporters

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 01:41:26 GMT

Many law firms were established in the pre-independence and post-independence Nigeria, but only a handful survived till this day. These surviving chambers are a testament to the resilience of Nigeria’s corporate culture.

Like the country’s oldest accounting firm established by Akintola Williams in 1952, these law chambers have lived to three generations: Fredrick Rotimi Williams, Chuba Ikpeazu, Chike Idigbe, Richard Akinjide, Arthur Nylander, Bola Ige, Babatunde Dalley, Olaniwun Ajayi, Chike Ofordile and Orok Ironbar.

2023: Senators scheming for governorship seats
Convention: APC governors schedule make or mar meeting after Buhari’s warning

There were dozens of pioneer law firms, which status this single report could not ascertain. Some of them include: Nebo Graham Douglas, Obafemi Awolowo, Babaremilekun Fani Kayode, Teslim Elias, Bankole Oki, E.A. Molajo, Gabriel Coker, Kehinde Sofala, Dr Nwakanma Okoro, Patrick Balonwu and Ben Nwabueze.

Others are Augustine Nnamani, Gabriel Onyiuke, Babatunji Olowofoyeku, H.A. Lardner and Professor A.B. Kasumu, F.O. Akinrele, Adebayo Ogunsanya, Okoi Arikpo, G.R.I Egonu and Bayo Kehinde, Mudiaga Odje and Olisa Chukwura.

The Chief Fredrick Rotimi Williams Chambers (CRWC)

The CRWC was founded in Lagos in the 1940s by Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams (FRA), a member of the Queens Chamber (QC), as well as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The legal luminary (1920-2005) was a major constitutional law advocate. Following his death in 2005, his two sons—Ladi Williams (SAN), and Folarin Williams—managed the firm until the death of the former this year.

FRA and his son, Ladi, became the first father and son to be made Senior Advocates of Nigeria.



By
Our Reporters

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 01:41:26 GMT

Many law firms were established in the pre-independence and post-independence Nigeria, but only a handful survived till this day. These surviving chambers are a testament to the resilience of Nigeria’s corporate culture.

Like the country’s oldest accounting firm established by Akintola Williams in 1952, these law chambers have lived to three generations: Fredrick Rotimi Williams, Chuba Ikpeazu, Chike Idigbe, Richard Akinjide, Arthur Nylander, Bola Ige, Babatunde Dalley, Olaniwun Ajayi, Chike Ofordile and Orok Ironbar.

2023: Senators scheming for governorship seats
Convention: APC governors schedule make or mar meeting after Buhari’s warning

There were dozens of pioneer law firms, which status this single report could not ascertain. Some of them include: Nebo Graham Douglas, Obafemi Awolowo, Babaremilekun Fani Kayode, Teslim Elias, Bankole Oki, E.A. Molajo, Gabriel Coker, Kehinde Sofala, Dr Nwakanma Okoro, Patrick Balonwu and Ben Nwabueze.

Others are Augustine Nnamani, Gabriel Onyiuke, Babatunji Olowofoyeku, H.A. Lardner and Professor A.B. Kasumu, F.O. Akinrele, Adebayo Ogunsanya, Okoi Arikpo, G.R.I Egonu and Bayo Kehinde, Mudiaga Odje and Olisa Chukwura.

The Chief Fredrick Rotimi Williams Chambers (CRWC)

The CRWC was founded in Lagos in the 1940s by Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams (FRA), a member of the Queens Chamber (QC), as well as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The legal luminary (1920-2005) was a major constitutional law advocate. Following his death in 2005, his two sons—Ladi Williams (SAN), and Folarin Williams—managed the firm until the death of the former this year.

FRA and his son, Ladi, became the first father and son to be made Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

Some of FRA’s grandchildren, Alade and Kunle Williams, are partners in the law firm.

Speaking on the journey of the firm so far, Abimbola Akinjide-Williams, one of the grandchildren of the late legal luminary, recalled that it has gone through various challenges, but they have continued in the practice, with a new chambers founded out of the former Rotimi Williams Chambers, known as Black Table.

She said, “We have continued with the practice. The chambers had constitutional lawyers. My father did election petitions, my grandfather sat on the committee that drafted the 1979 Constitution, which was amended, as well as the 1999 Constitution amendment.

“There has always been a smooth handover to the next generation of lawyers. There is a lot more competition today than when my father and grandfather started the practice. The company is bigger and there is a lot more people in Lagos.

“Our major challenge has been the same as in every Nigerian —power and corruption. And when you ask foreigners to come into the country, it is extremely difficult because it is a hostile environment with uncertainty in government policies.”

She said the law firm had been sustained all these years because of a lot of hard work and specialisation, adding, “The lesson for Nigerian lawyers is that partnerships are relationships between people. It can start as a one man show but later develop into a partnership so that they can have more fund and other benefits. A partnership is a stronger model.”

The firm’s practice covers multinational oil corporations, manufacturing, telecommunications, pharmaceutical, information and communication technology, finance, maritime and intellectual property.

Ikpeazu Chambers

This firm was established in 1946, with headquarters in Onitsha, now Anambra State, by the late jurist, Chuba Ikpeazu (QC), who later joined the bench.

Ikpeazu was appointed to the bench between 1964 and 1983. He died in 2003 and his son, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) inherited the firm, so are some of his grand-children, such as Amaka Ikpeazu, a lawyer.

With 29 partners, the firm works for clients in litigation, commercial transactions, telecommunication, banking, corporate law, property law, arbitration and legal drafting.

Punuka Attorneys and Solicitors

The firm was established in 1947 in Lagos. The name was derived from the Igbo word ‘punuka,’ meaning “get out of dispute.”

It was founded by Chukwunweike Chike Idigbe, a renowned community leader and jurist in Asaba, Delta State, who also served on the bench, becoming a justice of the Supreme Court in 1964.

He died in 1983, aged 60 years, and the firm was inherited by his son, Anthony Idigbe (SAN) and his grandchildren, including, Isioma Idigbe, a lawyer.

The 74-year-old-firm is fully integrated and multi-dimensional, providing legal services to a highly diversified client base, with many partners and associates.

Akinjide and Company

Akinjide and Company was established by a renowned diplomat, educationist and journalist, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) in 1955 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) between 1970 and 1973, served as minister of education in the First Republic and was the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in the Second republic.

He died on April 21, 2020 and the company was inherited by Abayomi Akinjide and Jumoke Akinjide, while other children and grandchildren either practise in the chambers or have passed through it.

Arthur Nylander Chambers

This was established in Lagos by Dr Arthur V. Nylander in 1958 following his call to bar in 1958.

He was an academic and diplomat, having risen from a senior lecturer to sub-dean of the Faculty of Law in the University of Lagos. He died on July 13, 2017, aged 89.

The firm specialises in commercial law, finance, arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, immigration and intellectual property law.

His son, Leslie Olutayo Nylander, is a senior partner in the firm, while one of his grandchildren, Dideolu is warming up to join the practice.

Asked to speak on the challenges of the law firm, Olutayo said that like every other business in Nigeria, Arthur Nylander Chambers had its challenges.

He said, “The law firm is also finding it difficult with the cost of running the business from day to day. For instance, the cost of electricity has gone up while the supply has reduced. But we are looking forward with optimism in the new year.”

Chike Ofodile & Company

It was established by a prominent community leader, Chief Chike Ofodile, in Onitsha, Anambra State in 1959.

The firm is currently managed by his son, Emeka Ofodile (SAN). His grand-daughter, Netochukwu Ndukwe Ofodile, is also in the legal practice.

Bola Ige and Company

Chief Abimbola Ige (SAN) established the Bola Ige and Company in 1961.

He was the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, as well as Minister of Mines and Power between 1999 and 2000.

He was assassinated on December 23, 2001, aged 71.

The late legal luminary, fondly called Cicero because of his oratory power and his ability to speak Nigeria’s three main languages, was also known for several controversial political and legal quotes.

The law chamber is being managed by his associate, Kolawole Esan, while his grandchild and lawyer, Kayode, son of his daughter, Funsho Adegbola, draws inspiration from the firm.

GRF Dalley and Partners

The Babatunde Ganiyu Rasheed Dalley and Partners was established in Lagos in 1962. It has since grown into one of the oldest and largest legal service providers in Nigeria.

The founder, Babatunde Dalley (SAN), is one of Nigeria’s most renowned legal scholars. Under his leadership, the firm has overcome decades of challenges to provide legal solutions for both local and international clients, from aviation to intellectual property.

Partners in the firm are Aderemi and Fatai Ajibola Dalley. Some of the grand-children of the founder are warming up to join the practice.

Olaniwun Ajayi LP

This firm was established in 1962 by Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, who was also a barrister of the Inns Court of England, as well as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

He was a community leader, legal and political scholar and author of the books: The House of Oduduwa Must not Fall (2005); Lady Adunola Ajayi in Retrospect (2008); Nigeria, Africa’s Failed Asset (2009); Lest We Forget (A Memoire, (2011); Isara, Afotamodi, My Jerusalem (2011); and Nigeria, Political Power Imbalance: The Bane and Chain Down of Nigeria’s Progress and Development (2015).

He died in 2016, aged 91.

The law firm has evolved into a limited partnership under his son, Professor Konyinsola Ajayi (SAN). Also, his grandchild, Folarinwa Ajayi practises in the firm.

Orok Ironbar and Associates

Orok Ironbar and Associates started in 1966 as Orok Ita Orok & Co by the late Chief Orok Ita Orok in Calabar, Cross River State.

Orok was a community leader and opinion leader in the former southeastern state, which was later divided into Cross River State and Akwa Ibom states.

In 1981, the name of the chambers was changed to Orok Ironbar & Associates following the graduation of Orok Ita Orok’s two children, Grace Ukpong (nee Grace Ironbar) and Orok Inang Ironbar, as lawyers.

The grandchildren—Orok Orok Ironbar, Effiom Orok Ironbar and Nkoyo Ironbar (nee Nya)—are legal practitioners in the chambers.

The firm specialises in litigations, maritime, aviation, banking and finance, commercial etc.

Why some law firms fail – Lawyers

A lawyer, Obinna Onya, stated that good corporate practice and social responsibility with pro bono services are important to the survival of law firms.

“We have had cases entered by individuals for over 30 years; and even after the death of the individuals, the law firm pursued and concluded the cases on behalf of their families, free of charge,” he said.

Emeka Nwadioke, a lawyer, told our reporter that the problem with Nigerian law firms is that they are not structured like businesses, so they find it difficult to grow organically. “The effect is that once the principal dies, the firm folds up,” he added.

In his view, the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest Law (SPIDER), Onyekachi Ubani, said the absence of strong foundations and enduring partnership is the cause of the failure of law firms in Nigeria.

Another renowned lawyer, E.M.D. Umukoro, identified the mindset of the founder of a law firm; management or administration of the firm (where the firm is run as a personal venture); lack of planning; no transitional tools or system in place; no career plan for employees; poor financial plan and lack of financial discipline for staff, including the founder; business climate in Nigeria; wrong mindset of most employees and the society as being responsible for the demise of some pioneer law firms in the country.

Also speaking, Paul Erokoro (SAN) expressed disenchantment with Nigeria’s over reliance on service-driven economy, which includes legal services instead of technology-driven industrialisation that can accelerate national development.

“If we are not serious with science and technology we cannot develop as a country. Every year, Nigeria produces thousands of lawyers, but they don’t produce scientists in the same numbers,” he said, adding that it does not matter if a law practice was handed over as a legacy or not.

John Chuks Azu (Abuja), Jeremiah Oke (Ibadan) & Adelanwa Bamgboye (Lagos)

https://dailytrust.com/inside-nigerias-generational-pioneer-law-chambers?fbclid=IwAR0UA5wwFxc5P_yTUqP4RaDU9392O6zHXP8nAUhDzM5sZcucRgeZRG0oHPs

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, has warned that the judiciary will resist future attacks on its officials.

The CJN made the assertion during the special court session to mark the 2021/2022 New Legal Year and the inauguration of 72 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday.

There was nationwide outrage when armed men, believed to be security operatives invaded the Abuja residence of the second most senior justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili, on Friday October 29, 2021.

The breach was similar to the October 2016 raids on residences of judges of courts across the country by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of corruption.

Justice Muhammad said the judiciary has now had enough of “such dosage of invasions” and would no longer take “such shenanigans”.

“By the nature of our work, we are conservative but not conquered species and should not be pushed further than this by the government,” he said.

“With time, those taking the judiciary as mere weakling, will soon realise that it is from the calmest seas we often experience the fiercest storms. The time to oppress, suppress and intimidate judicial officers is gone.

“No one, irrespective of his or her status or position in the country should test our will because the consequences of such unwarranted provocation will be too dire to bear.

“We shall begin to resist any clandestine attempt to silence or ridicule us to oblivion. Nigeria, to the best of my knowledge, is not a lawless society. We should begin to do things that will project us favourably and rightly, too, to the international community. No law permits anyone to invade, subdue or overawe any Nigerian citizen in his or her residence with a flimsy, fraudulently obtained search warrant.”

The CJN informed that the new direction on search warrants now requires their approval by the chief judge of the state.

Also in their speeches, the chairman of Body of Benchers, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), and President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, called for the prosecution of suspects arrested in connection with the invasion of Justice Odili’s residence.

“It is not enough that some people have be arrested; Nigerians must know who they are,” Awomolo said.

Akpata said the bar could not fold its hands and watch the desecration of the Bench.

https://dailytrust.com/odili-home-invasion-judiciary-draws-battle-line-with-fg-vows-to-resist-future-attacks

These young female wigs were among the 4,350 lawyers that were called to bar recently after the successful completion of the examination of the Nigerian Law School. They displayed leadership in the course of heir study and overcame daunting challenges to become solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Here, they share their experiences at school and their aspirations in law practice:

Winifred Nkiru Moneme, senior nun

How was the training experience like in the faculty and law school?

The experience was not easy at the beginning because I studied law in the original language which is Latin. As time goes by, I came to like law. Lectures at the law school were very intensive and squeezed because of the COVID protocols.

What motivated you to read law?

I had been a nun for 20 years before studying law. As a Catholic nun, law was chosen for me to study because of the need in the congregation. We don’t choose the area of professionalisation for ourselves but the congregation does through the help of the superior and her counsel.

How ready are you for the rigours of law practice?

I am ready to combine it with mission work.

Hafsat Ahmed Shereef, 24 Experience at faculty and law school?

I made a Second Class Upper from the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. The final Bar examination was quite challenging because I was seriously ill during the time. I was diagnosed with malaria and typhoid fever. Anytime I went to the exam hall, I spend like 10 to 15 minutes without writing anything. But when the result came out, I still made it.

I was a group leader while in the Nigerian Law School with over 100 plus. It was not easy because there were a lot of people who didn’t know about my health but were still calling me to make inquiries. It could be about exams, class attendance, or group meetings.

How prepared are you for practice?

I want to be in criminal law (prosecution and defence). I am currently serving at the Federal Ministry of Justice and I am open to learning. I am open to learning law at the back of my palm. I am practising because I believe that most Arewa graduates shy away from practice. I want to really know it and be a force to reckon with. And I have my father to guide me and I am very much privileged.

Michelle Eke, 23 How was the training experience like in the faculty and law school?

We were already warned that law school is not really easy, especially at the Lagos campus. The teachers are extra hard on you but that is because they want to see you succeed. So, my friends and the lessons I was taking, definitely pushed me the extra mile. We were also hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. So it resulted in a lot of self-study. That is what happened.

What inspired you to study law?

Law was definitely an immediate attraction for me because, from a young age, I hated injustice. And that was the baseline of everything. And when you think of it, what is the opposite of injustice? It is justice and how do you normally get justice? It is through the law and the court system. Naturally, many people have actually told me, you could be a lawyer because I like to write, I like to speak. So, law seemed to be a natural choice.

But I would definitely say at this point in my life, law is just a stepping stone to what I want to achieve; it is not necessarily just law, but having that law background is helpful. I am thinking about international development to achieve person-to-person work. Not corporate, because I don’t have a passion for that.

How prepared are you for the challenges of the profession?

One thing life has thought me is to take one day at a time. So, I would just say that my life skills and the things I have learnt through studies and through going to the university (University of Exeter), going through law school have definitely given me the necessary skills – personal, professional and otherwise. I can only say when the problem or situation arises, I would say that I feel like I am equipped and if I am equipped, I will come equipped to my situation.

Hope Olajumoke Fajana, 24 Experience at faculty and law school?

I give glory to God that I am today a maker of history. I had a long walk to this profession. Indeed, I am eternally grateful to my parents, particularly my dad, who had a brief training in law. His desire to see me as a lawyer aroused his compulsion as he forced me to drop my degree in French. We faced odds like industrial strikes, COVID-19.

What inspired you to study law?

Law is everything to my family. I am proud to tell you that the numero uno Aare Afe Babalola is doing his best to draw me nearer for better training and pupillage in one of his chambers. My dad is currently the CEO Special Duties to him at ABUAD.

Baba deserves more than a mere passing mention in my life, of course, a very good friend of my late grandpa.

How prepared are you for the challenges of the profession?

I have a conviction that with God on my side, I will make my impact as a female lawyer.

https://dailytrust.com/were-ready-for-rigours-of-law-practice-new-female-wigs

His Majesty, Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu IV, the Enachioken of Abiriba Kingdom and deputy chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, was called to the Nigerian Bar on Wednesday, July 28, 2021. In this interview, he spoke on his motivation to read Law and his plans for the profession among other issues.

You were pursuing a master’s degree before you read Law, how do you feel about your accomplishment?

It is a very wonderful day for me, and I am indeed very happy and grateful to God for his grace.

How did you combine your functions on the royal stool and academic studies?

It was not an easy task; it was very hectic. I had to work extra hard to do whatever I had to do. I want to thank my wife, my council and lieutenants in Abiriba – His Highness, Eze Uche Banjamin Agu IV of Agboji and Eze Amogudu, His Highness, Eze Eme Uguru Ikpoka and Eze Ukiwo Otisi Ukiwo – as well as the 17 village heads. They stood by me when I was not in the kingdom. They are wonderful.

Were you able to bag the master’s degree you were pursuing before reading Law?

I have a first degree in Government and Public Administration, then I commenced my master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy at the Abia State University, but I had to switch to Law. I have been admitted again for a master’s degree in Law.

How do you intend to use this qualification in your functions as a traditional ruler?

It is an added impetus to the work we are already doing in Abiriba. In fact, the position is one of the inspirations to do the programme because I started seeing some areas of deficiency. Our traditional laws are beautiful, but you cannot use customary law in this century because there are several other issues that prop up in the course of adjudication. So it became very necessary for me to go back to school.

And I was always threatened by some lawyers who kept writing to the palace to do this or that. So I decided to go and read Law to also reply them when they write.

At the time we had an issue at the palace, a lawyer was brought in and he was busy making his argument without knowing that I was almost a lawyer. When I took him on some arguments, he was shocked. I floored him because the arguments he was bringing were so hollow and intended to intimidate us. After my reply, he calmed down and we became friends.

Besides, I love education because I believe that a man cannot live or act above his knowledge. You can always be constrained by the level of knowledge you have, so I needed to expand my scope to fit now and the future.

Do you intend to open a chamber and practise one day?

After doing all these, one cannot just lock it up. I want to focus on human rights, assisting people. Beyond that, I want to make Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) the focus of my practice.

How would you juggle law practice with the traditional stool?

As a matter of fact, you know the ADR is more traditional than formal. So it is like I am already at home with some of the practices. I will key it up with formal education. Having 24 hours a day, how you create and prioritise your time is based on the way you want it.

My chambers will be in Abiriba, from where I can go to anywhere. In other words, I want to bring law practice home because, among all our lawyers, none has found it necessary to put up a chamber in Abiriba. Like I said, my interest is mostly pro bono, human rights and ADR.

What about land disputes and others?

My expertise will also be necessary in a lot of land matters, which are common with every growing community. We have already started having land challenges in Abiriba. I think it may also be necessary in issues of inheritance because it is very important. I am writing a book now on inheritance, which will come out soon. It covers inheritance in Igbo land, with focus on Abiriba because it is unique, being matrilineal. There is a lot of misunderstanding of inheritance in Igbo land.

The Supreme Court verdict delivered by Justice Rhodes Vivour (retd) presented female inheritance custom in Igbo land as unconstitutional; what is your take on this?

That is based on their perception that the custom is contrary to natural law and equity. But actually, the customary law of Abiriba is equity personified. It is not about being against anybody; what happens is that when greed sets in, it causes social dysfunction. When we return to what it is from the beginning, it is equity, balanced and fair.

As a lawyer interested in ADR, are you concerned that this is not well developed in Nigeria, especially looking at continuing congestion in the courts?

To a large extent, ADR is not well developed in Nigeria, and perhaps Africa, but a lot of strides that have been made in multi-door courts system in Lagos and Abuja and the Rules of Professional Conduct in Section 15(3)(d) has made it mandatory that every lawyer make the client know about ADR in resolving disputes before going to litigation. In fact, it is the in-thing now and where practice is going because you discover that if you still want to live in peace with your neighbour, you don’t need to go to litigation, you would rather go for ADR, whereby you will work together and arrive at a consensus. It is always a win-win rather than a zero-sum game.

Students of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) just got admitted for remedial studies before the Nigerian Law School proper, what is your view on the belief that the quality of law graduates in Nigeria is declining?

I think it is exaggerated; if you had gone through the system you would know. It is not easy. But if you say that the quality of general education in Nigeria is falling, yes. And the Nigerian Law School is fed from the society. Generally, law standard has not fallen.

Talking historically, what is your view on the moves to return looted artefacts to Nigeria, your kingdom being one of the ancient iron-working centres?

From historical accounts, a foremost anthropologist, Elizabeth Isichei reported that in 1752, the Abiriba iron-smith was already at an advanced stage. They were manufacturing a lot of metal implements for farming and warfare. Then a lot of things got missing, which were developed by our ancestors. But if you go to that place you still find few things like original hoes, the machete used by war dancers and others. Also, there are these wooden artefacts found in the hall of every traditional ruler in Abiriba, who is of the stock – those with blood lineage to the founders of the community.

You see some at Ameke, which represents Ndiogogo, some at Umuachukwu, Amaelunta, and stuffs like that. While some of them are still there, some were found in a museum in New York recently and they were marked to be gotten from Abiriba.

Are there efforts to recover these artefacts?

The curator of the museum in New York has already contacted me through Dr Eke Anya, and we are still discussing. At the time being, we are only working on the artefacts in New York; that is the one I am sure of.

I am discussing with Agboha people, where our forebears first settled in Abiriba when they came in, so that we can construct a small museum there where everything about our people would be displayed – artefacts, folktales, cuisines, and all that, so that visitors would go there when they visit Abiriba. I don’t know how soon they will listen to me.

There appears to be sustainable peace in Abiriba, is it because of your ADR skills?

I think it is God because people have fought on several fronts. Few years back, we did our Itu-Eye (annual calendar of programmes) on July 6, but some people fixed a different date. After that, they realised that what they were doing was wrong. This year, some people came from Aba and went to some kings to tell them not to participate in the Itu-Eye, but they told them to stop causing problems. So people are becoming wiser. But it is still God.

What is your advice for Abia and Nigeria?

In Abia, people are trying to make things difficult for the governor, but I know he is a wise guy. My message is equity. We started with that and we must continue. There should be no politics of prebendalism.

For Nigeria, there is the need to use dialogue to resolve the problems of the country. What people are agitating for needs to be addressed. One thing I know is that our president was not elected to superintend over the dissolution of this country.

https://dailytrust.com/how-i-moved-from-royal-stool-to-study-law-monarch

From 2012 to 2020, Chinese cities saved 45.3 billion cubic meters of water, which was five times the quantity transferred annually through the middle route of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project, according to statistics released by the country’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD).

In China, urban water consumption only accounts for around 10 percent of the total volume consumed, but it suppors 60 percent of the country’s population and contributing to over 70 percent of its GDP.

China is making reclaimed water a “second source” for urban water consumption. Last year, 14.6 billion cubic meters of reclaimed water was consumed in the country’s urban areas, growing fourfold from that in 2012 and accounting for 23.2 percent of total urban water supply.

In recent years, water conservation has been taken as a priority by Chinese cities in their work related to water consumption, as they strived to build an urban water system in which water supply, water environment treatment and water security are interconnected.

From a stinky ditch to a beautifully clear channel, Liangmahe River in Chaoyang district of Beijing has taken on a new look.

The clear water comes from a nearby water reclamation plant, said Zhao Tan, director of Beijing’s water conservation office, adding that the water for the irrigation on the two banks of the river is also reclaimed.

An official from the MOHURD introduced that local authorities across China has been accelerating the upgrading of battered water supply networks and improving management capabilities. As a result, the leakage rate of urban water supply pipelines has been on a stable decline, the official said.

In the plant of a cement company in Yichang, central China’s Hubei province, there is a huge pond. “Rainfall and rinse water stored in the pond are turned into clear water after recycling, and sent to the mixing plant for production through pipelines,” said an executive of the company. Around 80 percent of the company’s water consumption is recycled, which cuts cost by more than 400,000 yuan ($62,183) each year, he said.

In recent years, the concept of sponge city has been gradually instilled into the urban planning, construction and management of many cities in China, as a way to improve their capability in utilizing, regulating and absorbing rainfall. For instance, hardened roads are replaced by permeable pavers, while grassed canals and sunken grassbelts are built to store rainfall for irrigation of treelawns.

As of the end of 2020, over 40,000 projects of sponge city construction had been completed, which can utilize 350 million tonnes of rainfall on an annual basis.

Besides, China is also actively building water-conserving cities and promoting water conservancy methods and ideas in communities to shape a green development model and lifestyle. So far, 130 cities in the country have been rated as water-conserving cities. Accounting for 58.5 percent of total urban water consumption, these cities will forcefully advancing water conservation in China’s urban areas.

When addressing the opening ceremony of the 73rd World Health Assembly on May 18, 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced five major proposals of China to advance global anti-pandemic cooperation, calling on the global community to come together and work as one to build a global community of health for all.

His remarks reinforced the confidence of the world in achieving a final victory over the virus and exerted important positive impacts on advancing global anti-pandemic cooperation.

Over the past year, China has stayed committed to its philosophy of building a community with a shared future for mankind, actively implemented relevant initiatives, and been determined to work with the rest of the world to fight the pandemic.

Practices prove that to enhance solidarity and cooperation, and build a global community of health for all is the right path that leads to a victory over COVID-19.

It's still remembered that it was at a critical moment for mankind's fight against the virus that the 73rd World Health Assembly was convened.

At that time, a few western countries were politicizing the virus and stigmatizing other countries. They put irresponsible blames on the World Health Organization (WHO) and undermined international cooperation in the fight against COVID-19.

At invitation, President Xi delivered a speech at the conference, and proposed to do everything possible for COVID-19 control and treatment.

He said the WHO should lead the global response, and greater support must be provided for Africa. He also stressed to strengthen global governance in the area of public health, restore economic and social development, and strengthen international cooperation.

Sharing its epidemic control experiences at the conference, China has build joint strength and charted the course in global pandemic response, which fully showcased the country's sense of responsibility.

A year on, the philosophy of building a global community of health for all is even more impressive, and has become a volunteer choice for a number of countries.

The Chinese proposal to build a global community of health for all has demonstrated its value in the global fight against COVID-19, said Egyptian virologist Magdy Badran.

China's good faith is injecting strong confidence into the world in overcoming the virus. China is the first country to promise that COVID-19 vaccine would be made a global public product and make it a reality. It has worked actively with other G20 members to implement the Debt Service Suspension Initiative for the poorest countries. The Africa CDC headquarters aided by China has also started construction.

China's actions have effectively assisted global efforts in pandemic control and won positive evaluation from parties concerned. The country is providing vaccines for over 100 countries and international organizations, and conducting technology transfer and production cooperation with more than 10 developing countries including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Recently, China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine has been validated for emergency use by the WHO, and will soon join the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, or COVAX. "For many countries, Chinese vaccines were the only accessible ones," said Nature magazine in an recent article.

As the pandemic is still rampant around the world, solidarity and cooperation remain the most urgent task. So far, there have been 160 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 3.36 million deaths globally, and some countries are even trapped in "protracted wars."

Still, a few countries are worshipping vaccine nationalism and hoarding vaccines, which has posed severe threats against international cooperation on pandemic control. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently stressed again the global cooperation is the only choice to end the pandemic.

"Mankind is a community with a shared future. Solidarity and cooperation is our most powerful weapon for defeating the virus," said President Xi.

As the 74th World Health Assembly approaches, all parties concerned shall join global cooperation and work together to protect the lives and health of the people of all countries. China, as it always has, will sincerely work with other countries and make new contributions to the building of a global community of health for all.

Digital technologies are vibrantly facilitating China's high-quality economic progress as a wave of digitalization is arriving at a faster pace.

The country is currently the second largest digital economy in the world, and has established the second largest fiber-optic and 4G networks. By the end of the last year, the GDP portion of the added value of core digital economy industries had hit 7.8 percent.

The prospering digital economy in China was mirrored by the 4th Digital China Summit, held at the end of April in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian province, where a series of digital products were exhibited, including an AI-driven education robot that is able to interact with teachers and students on classes, a prototype smart plant that can help increase productivity, and an autonomous aerial vehicle that is able to carry passengers. Besides, a light show was staged at the event by 1,500 unmanned aerial vehicles which "lit" the sky. They all envisioned a new prospect of China's digital economy.

Digital economy is regarded as the future of global development, and high-quality development calls for sci-tech innovation and digital transformation to generate new development impetus.

For instance, vein pattern recognition technology allows people to pay and confirm their identities by a simple scan of their palms, and windows of vehicles could be turned into giant touch screens that display all kinds of information when equipped with AI, Internet of Things and 5G technologies. Besides, mobile communication stations that integrate core network, base station and dispatch system functions are playing a vital role in ensuring stable communication for disaster relief missions.

As general-purpose technologies, digital technologies have seeped into various aspects of the economy and society, powering livelihood improvement, social governance and economic progress.

Digital technologies have forcefully pushed economic transformation and upgrading, and made high-quality development more effective.

Driven by digitalization, new business models have constantly emerged in recent years, generating massive new jobs and industries.

In the fight against poverty, Chinese farmers have sold their agricultural products to every corner of the country, and today, mobile phones are a new "farming tool" for them to increase their income.

China's digital economy registered 39.2 trillion yuan ($6.1 trillion) last year, which made up 38.6 percent of the country's GDP, according to a report on the country's digital economy development. Digital economy exceeded one trillion yuan in 13 provinces and municipalities of the country, the report said.

When expanding, digital economy is also releasing huge dividends to benefit the people.

At present, local governments across China are pacing up to digitalize their services. Twenty-one provincial-level and 122 prefecture-level regions across the country have established digital platforms, opening over 98,000 datasets to the public. Amid the COVID-19 epidemic, the Chinese government rolled out a digital health code system that worked as e-passport reporting the real-time health condition of individuals, which realized targeted epidemic prevention and control for around 1.4 billion Chinese. Besides, 24/7 online service platforms that support the handling of all kinds of administrative affairs have been launched by Chinese local governments, connecting and synergizing different government divisions and making possible information sharing among them.

Embracing the digital era, China will unleash the potential of digital production factors, and speed up building a digital economy, society and government, according to the country's latest economic and social development blueprint, the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035.

By taking the pulse of the ever-changing trends of big data, sticking to the national big data strategy, developing digital infrastructure, and promoting the integration and sharing of data resources, China will better serve economic and social development and livelihood improvement with digital construction.

By Li Hongxing, People's Daily

By relocating local fishermen who lived on boats to a hospitable living environment on the shore, Xiaqi village in southeast China's Fujian province has ushered in opportunities for development and embarked upon a distinctive path of rural vitalization.

The once little-known village nestled near the sea in Xiabaishi township, Fu'an city of Fujian, is now famous for helping residents move ashore.

With well-arranged rows of houses and straight roads extending in all directions, residents in Xiaqi village who had long been plagued by poverty see great improvements in their life.

Over 20 years ago, however, Xiaqi village seemed nothing like an ordinary village. By tradition, villagers stayed on boats and fished for a living against the winds and waves all the year round.

For these boat dwellers, a small wooden boat could be the home of several generations of a local family.

"My family, which had six members, lived on a boat that was less than 14 square meters in area. The cargo hold was filled with fish we caught and daily necessities. At night, we would curl up on the deck." recalled Jiang Chengcai, a resident in Xiaqi village.

The interior of the boat was always wet in windy and rainy days, according to Jiang, who added that they were often faced with the risk of losing their lives as the boat could be turned over when typhoons came.

"I remember that my parents used to tie me to our boat with a rope when I was little for fear that I might accidentally fall into the sea, as they needed to go fishing and couldn't take care of me," said Zheng Yue'e, the Party chief and also a native of Xiaqi village.

All the fishermen in the village had eagerly wished that one day they could move into new houses on the shore, sleep well at night, gain access to electricity and have enough food.

Their dream for a new life became possible in 1997, when relocating local fishermen ashore was listed as an important task of the poverty alleviation policy in Fujian, and the first batch of resettlement projects were initiated in Xiaqi village.

"It felt strange when I first started to sleep on a stable bed board instead of a jolting boat. Seeing the bright lights and feeling the walls in my new house, I realized that my over 30 years of life on the boat was finally behind me," Jiang said. He was so excited that he lost sleep the first night he lived in his new house on the shore.

From 1997 to 1999, Xiaqi village built 339 houses and relocated 2,310 fishermen in batches. So far, all 3,571 local fishermen who lived on boats have settled on the shore, and bid farewell to their old life, while Xiaqi village has also started to glow with new vigor.

Fu'an city not only resettled local fishermen, but has taken efforts to increase their income. By rolling out 22 favorable policies, the local government has encouraged former boat dwellers to vigorously explore aquaculture, fishing, marine transportation, commerce, tourism, and other industries to shake off poverty and march toward prosperity.

After moving ashore, Jiang has participated in training organized by the village on razor clam raising, and later signed contracts with local government to use about 6.7 hectares of mudflats for the business together with over 20 fellow villagers. They earned an average annual income of 70,000 to 80,000 yuan ($10,860 to 12,412) from raising razor clams.

Later, Jiang led more than 30 villagers to setting up a construction and engineering team, which undertook pile foundation projects in Xiabaishi township and its neighboring areas. These efforts have made Jiang one of the front-runners in the village in pursuing a better life.

Zheng was elected the chief of Xiaqi village in 2012. Since then, she has made it an important task of her work to create wealth for villagers by developing sea-based industries.

Taking advantage of local resources, she guided villagers to large yellow croaker cage farming, seafood wholesale and processing, among other industries.

Meanwhile, Xiaqi village has continuously improved infrastructure and beautified the living environment. With its brand new look and distinctive history, it has attracted many tourists who come for sightseeing and recreation.

In 2019, nine registered poverty-stricken households in Xiaqi village were lifted out of poverty. Today, the per capita income of the village has surged to over 23,000 yuan from less than 1,000 yuan in 1997.

With the implementation of projects, including those launched to build cold stores of a seafood distribution station and a street featuring seafood in the future, Xiaqi village is expected to take an even wider path of rural vitalization through developing marine industries, while local people will continue to take big steps toward a better life.


By Li Yan, People's Daily

Recently, a video clip of a self-driving test for a vehicle backed by Huawei solution went viral on the internet. In the video, a car is cruising on the roads of Shanghai’s Pudong New District, switching lanes, turning and giving way to pedestrians without any intervention from the safety supervisor sitting in it.

The vehicle is the Polar Fox Alpha S Huawei HI (Huawei Inside) Edition, which is equipped with Huawei’s autopilot system. It officially debuted on April 21, a few days ahead of the 19th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2021). The model was ordered by over 1,000 customers in just four days after it hit the market.

At the Auto Shanghai 2021, smart electric vehicles were not exhibited in concept models. Almost all participating foreign and Chinese automakers have launched production smart vehicles at the event.

Given this trend, the sales volume of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China might exceed two million, and even 2.5 million units, said an expert at the Auto Shanghai 2021.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), a total of 515,000 NEVs were sold in China in the first quarter of this year, including 433,000 pure electric vehicles, 2.8 times and 3.1 times of those from a year ago, respectively.

“The outstanding Q1 figure well explains that the Chinese electric vehicle industry has preliminarily transited from policy-driven to market-driven,” said Lei Xin, chief brand officer of Voyah, a premium electric vehicle brand launched by Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor. This has laid a user base foundation for the development of smart electric vehicles, he added.

“It’s a vast blue ocean market,” said Yang Xiaodong, vice president of Chinese auto giant SAIC Motor and general manager of SAIC Motor’s passenger vehicle branch.

“Five to six million passenger vehicles priced between 200,000 yuan ($31,008) and 500,000 yuan are sold in China each year, most of which are traditional vehicles. Many of them will be gradually replaced by smart electric vehicles,” Yang said.

Apart from market acceptance, core technologies and maturity of industrial chain also have an influence over the development of smart vehicles.

“Augmented reality head-up display, laser radars, 4D millimeter wave radars and chips of more than 400TOPS were usually concepts. But now, they are in mass production,” Liu Changdong, executive president of Dongfeng Sokon Motor. Intelligent network technologies, such as smart voice control, smart cabin and driver-assistance systems have become standard option for smart electric vehicles.

As of the end of 2022, at least 30 models around the world will have been equipped with laser radars, half of which will be
from China, said Hu Xiaobo, chairman of board and chief executive officer of Leishen Intelligent System, a global leading provider in LiDAR and application solutions based in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province. The process is three years ahead of what was expected, he added. Along with the market expansion is a drop of laser radar price, which will hit $500 per unit or even lower, Hu noted.

“Emerging technologies in the auto industry, as well as the changes in the use of energy, are renewing auto technologies, and will also give rise to new models and new brands,” said Wang Jun, president of Changan Automobile.

According to him, the company will invest 150 billion yuan in building three major platforms for pure electric vehicles, and roll out 26 brand-new smart electric cars in the following five years.

Leading enterprises in consumer electronics, information communication, internet, and even real estate industries are now joining a new wave of auto making in China.

On March 30, Chinese multinational electronics company Xiaomi declared to invest $10 billion in the next 10 years to build a wholly-owned electric car brand. The firm will initially invest 10 billion yuan.

Prior to that, automaker Geely and tech giant Baidu also started cooperation to plough 50 billion yuan into producing smart cars over the next five years.

Huawei is working with Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd., Changan and Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. to build three subsidiary brands with its "Huawei Inside" system.

Real estate titan Evergrande also started its automotive business. Investing 40 billion yuan and cooperating with 15 top designers, it has developed nine models, which were all exhibited at the Auto Shanghai 2021.

Policy support, industrial evolution, and users’ acceptance further reinforced the resolution and confidence of market players to join the sector, said Xia Yiping, chief executive officer of Jidu Auto, a joint venture between Geely and Baidu.
People’s Daily

There is no problem here at all. That Innoson chose to visit the Ezendigbo without Obong of Calabar can be corrected by requesting the businessman to visit when next he is in the city. The Efiks and Igbo are one. Correct this if wrong. The Efik can never deny their original homeland in Ibom community of Arochukwu. That is why the Obong of Calabar throne cannot be coronated without involvement of all the filial groups from Ibom (Arochukwu) to Oron to Odukpani, and the entire Eburutu. Though tongues differ, the origins are same. Remain blessed.

Masterito:
I know you enjoy this type of story but try to educate yourself before you make comment. I got to understand the meaning of Ezendigbo last few years. The title is just almost nothing. It is just just like Seriki. It is king title without a kingdom.

Anthony Agbonlahor Esq practices law in Nigeria, and has taught law at the University of Abuja. In this interview during the International Women’s Day, he says marital rape does not exist under the Nigerian laws. He also speaks on property, and gender affirmative action. Excerpts:

What is your position on the moves to reintroduce marital rape in the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP Act)?

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No, a man cannot rape his wife. Once a man is legally married to a woman – that is there is mutual matrimonial contract between husband and wife, it implies consent and it is irrevocable. Therefore, you cannot bring the issue of rape.

But in the UK since the 1990s, marital rape may be established where there is no consent at the material time and with proof of violence?

Why should the man resort to force and violence if he is not possessed? Outside marriage, where consent is gotten by deception or where the person is stupefied by injection or alcoholic beverage or force, it is rape; but a man cannot rape his wife. If there is a marriage certificate from the Registry, it means that a man and his wife are one. If they are one, then no one rapes himself or herself. This applies to even church marriage under the Act and Islamic marriage under Islamic Law. Those who marry underaged commit statutory rape since a girl below 16 cannot give consent, but have you heard them taken to court? This is Nigeria; under Nigerian jurisprudence today, a man cannot rape his wife.

Is this from a religious or cultural interpretation?

Even in law, a man and his wife are one. That is why it is difficult for a wife to testify against her husband in court, unless it has to do with an offence relating to property or sexual assault or rape of a minor. A man cannot even be charged for the destruction of the wife’s property unless it was acquired before the marriage. While they are together, her things belong to the man.

Several civil society organisations are fighting against such paternalistic practices?

This is about the law. They can only make noise in the social media. Why don’t they test it in court first? Let there be a judicial pronouncement on these.

The Supreme Court has pronounced in favour of female property inheritance, for instance. Do you still insist that a man can claim the wife’s property?

In law, there is individual responsibility, or proprietary rights. That is a man and woman can own their respective properties. But where there is joint ownership, how then do you distinguish which part belongs to the man and which to the woman? It is a legal logjam. You do not buy joint property with Mr and Mrs because the Registrar at the Land Registry will not accept names with such joint titles of Mr and Mrs; it is either in the husband’s or wife’s name or if they don’t trust each other, they may use that of any of the children. This is because assuming the man dies before the woman or vice versa, and the family wants to inherit what was left, what happens to the woman? It creates difficult problems. If they have a registered company where both have shares, they can buy the property in the name of the company and have the property registered under the company, it gives them security.

Assuming the man dies and the woman remarries, or they don’t have a child, how do they share their properties? It creates problems. But I still repeat that if a man is angry and destroys his wife’s property like gold, jewelleries and trinkets, it is still his own, so when his anger calms down, he will pay.

What is your take on the growing cases of rape of young girls?

How can you kidnap for the purpose of sexual gratification? That is why I like what the NDLEA is saying that without drugs, there can be no crime. Some people can do anything under the influence of drugs. Nowadays, some young boys sleep with their mothers to make money, or the men sleeping with their daughters. In those days, people who commit these offences blamed the devil, but not anymore, the devil has been acquitted; drugs are responsible.

Woman are agitating for more positions in government. What is your take?

Women are their own greatest problem. Do you know that the highest number of voters in any country are women? The day women in this country unite, go under the umbrella of women like Aisha Yesufu or Oby Ezekwesili, they will take power. But I support that some positions should be conceded to women as an affirmation. They are good administrators and are less likely to be involved in corruption.

Do you agree with some people who say women are not essentially weak, so we should be talking about equal opportunity, not affirmative action?

The fact that women are clamouring for equal rights, they need unity more than affirmative action. If a woman becomes the president of this country today, the National Assembly will pass some of these laws. First of all, make all political nomination forms free and let the candidates go and campaign on their popularity.

The government said it is empowering women in the rural areas. What is your take?

When you set up cottage industries in rural areas where the households can benefit, if you have a grinding or milling machine bought for a community either for casava, millet, sorghum etc and people go and use it for free, it will be more beneficial to rural women than sharing the cash to them. In the present economic situation in this country, how many women have actually been empowered?

https://dailytrust.com/why-marital-rape-is-not-recognized-in-nigerian-laws-agbonlahor

…Nigeria sitting on time bomb with rising population, fewer jobs

…Enyimba Economic city ‘ll employ 600,000 youths

By Clifford Ndujihe Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu wants all hands on deck to create jobs for Nigeria’s youths. With Nigeria’s population projected to double in 2030, he said the recent #EndSARS protests would be a child’s play without employment opportunities for the youths.

This is the reason he said efforts must be made to make the Enyimba Economic City a success. He also, in this interview, spoke on the state of the nation, the challenges he is facing in Abia, his achievements and why he has not constructed the road leading to his community.

You were part of the Nigerian delegation at the Africa Investment Forum, AIF, in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2019, where you made a presentation on the Enyimba Economic City. How far has the project gone?

Nigeria went to South Africa then with two projects- the Lagos Cable Car and the Enyimba Economic City. As the chief promoter of Enyimba Economic City, I delivered a speech to convince investors on the need to come and invest in the project. I must say that the Enyimba Economic City is a project I am emotional about and I want it to be the icing on my cake or the crown on my head. The project is my response to our dilemma in this country.

Our population will double by 2030 and our population is a youthful one. What would happen after 2030 if we remain the way we are without doing anything dramatic about job creation will certainly make the #EndSARS protest a child’s play. We will get to a point where man will start eating man because of hunger. So, you can imagine what will happen if our population doubles by 2030 and we have not created enough jobs for our youths.

So, we said, what is it that we can do to double-step job creation? And for us, who have thrived in manufacturing, we decided to promote the Enyimba Economic City, which is conceptualized around the vision of Dubai of ‘come, work and play.’

We will present a platform for you to come, work and live there and we have carefully chosen a site from where if you do 150 kilometres in any direction, you have covered all the states in the South-East and South-South. We chose a site that is close to the economy of Aba and Port Harcourt.

Between the two cities, we have 9,200 hectares of land and we said, let everybody come together so that we can develop the place and for the first time in the history of this country, the Federal Government has graciously granted an export free zone to the Enyimba Economic City and we have acquired the land and started mapping it out.

Of course, everything in that city would be world-class. Luckily, we have got some companies that have agreed to partner with us. We have also got someone from China, who has taken up about 200 hectares of land for the purpose of manufacturing of textile materials. This means that Aba tailors will no longer be going to China to source for materials.

We also needed to talk about the issue of power and luckily we have Geometrics, and we are hopeful that all issues around its take-off have been resolved as Afreximbank has provided the resources to do their turbines. So, everything we needed to do, we have done as agreements have been signed and we have set up a secretariat. The only issue we had was the outbreak of COVID-19, which is an act of God that nobody has control over. But we are hopeful that 2021 will see more visible progress on that project.

So, I implore all Nigerians to invest their emotions and prayers in that project because it will create over 600,000 jobs and we don’t have up to that figure in Abia State. This means that Nigerians from across the various regions would be accommodated.

It will interest you to know that the person who is managing our automated shoe factory is from the South-West because we are running it as a business. And from a selfish point of view, we want to hear the machines sing and see how our boys will not copy what the big industries are doing. That was what the Chinese did that took them to where they are today.

It is said that you have not been able to do the road that leads to your community close to six years that you have been in power. When are you going to do that road?

I will do that road, but as I said earlier, as a person, I do things that give me joy. I want to say that from 2015 up to 2020, that road was not a priority, but in 2021, it will be a priority. I am conscious that I still have more than two years to go and I am not in any court with anybody, so I am not afraid that I would be unseated.

Your administration came up with an airport project, which some elders in the state objected to on the ground that it is not a priority for now. Is the airport a priority project for Abia State given the distance between the Owerri Airport and Umuahia as well as Aba and are you still going ahead with it?

I still think that we need an airport in Abia State because assess is key if you want to grow commerce and industry. Secondly, without deriding anybody, most of the airports we have in Nigeria are not ideal airports. An airport is not a park; it is not a place where you rush to board a flight.

My ideal airport is Dubai Airport. If you go to that airport with $200,000; believe me, you are bound to spend everything there because you will see a lot of things to buy. You and I know that people fly into Dubai just to hold meetings at the airport. So, I was looking at an airport that will have a hotel, not an airport that will close by 7.pm; an airport you can say ‘I am travelling to Lagos by 7.am, so let me go there, dance at the club, have my dinner and next day I am off.’

All we wanted to do is to create an environment where money will change hands because that is how to grow the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Those who pass through the airports have money, and most times, they are looking for what to spend the money on but they hardly find any. What we wanted to do with the airport project was to create an economic hub; an airport with conference centres, where people can have meetings and pay, but my people said I needed to do other things. Because I am a good listener, I have decided to retain the airport as a priority project, while going back to do other things. But God willing, I will deliver that airport.

How do you intend to crystalize some of your ideas to make positive impacts on the people of Abia State?

This is a moment of frustration for any leader, so it is more far more challenging than say 16 years ago and it is the reality of the time.

However,I will say that I have done a few things that my people will always remember me for. There are things that I will not want to say but we built the first flyover in Abia State though it is not good enough that we had no flyover up till now. My people will remember that at that time there was Ogunpa flood in Oyo State; there was Ndiegoro flood and they will also remember that this government is spending N27 billion dealing with flood issue in Ndiegoro, Ngwa road, Ohanku and Obohia.

For the first time in 60 years, my administration is doing three roads with street lights in that area. The day I went to that place, I shed tears because I saw houses blocked by channels. You cannot open the ventilation because they have been blocked by the drainage system.

But I thank God that help has come as we have mobilized contractors and they are on the various sites. Waste management could not happen in those areas because the 10-ton trucks cannot go in. The day I opened Port Harcourt road in Aba; we excavated 450 trips of refuse, and in that process, we discovered a transformer. Before then, you cannot send a waste truck to the area. That is why waste management, stormwater management and road infrastructure are interwoven.

My people will also remember that in the first four years of my administration, Abia State was first in the West African Examination Council (WAEC) back-to-back and this did not just happen. We had to engage a nongovernmental organization from Australia to retrain our teachers.

We had to set up a teachers’ retraining institute that had Australians and Indians to retrain our teachers. It will also interest you to know that I have concluded plans to take 40 teachers in Abia State to Australia so that they can interact with teachers there and for them to know that a teacher here can be a teacher anywhere in the world.

By the next academic year; we will start a digital library and we have included entrepreneurial studies in our school curriculum to teach subjects like shirt-making to our students. I am not going to talk about 450 classroom blocks; I am not going to talk about four model schools, but retooling education involves the classroom environment, the teacher and the content. You must address the three.

My greatest challenge is not the classrooms; my greatest challenge is the moral of the teachers; the mindset of the teacher. If you put down money for training; most teachers are likely to opt for money rather than training. That is the thought process of most teachers in the state, which is mercantile and shouldn’t be.

My frustration as a teacher was that I couldn’t go to training anymore. Then, I said to myself, if I can’t go to Kenya here for training and listen to what others are saying; how am I sure that the formula for water is H2o. I felt that I was dying gradually and that goes back to what somebody said about perception and how Abia State has been painted in a bad light. The character of most politicians we have in Abia State is everything but patriotic. If you go to the media to demarket your state by bringing up old pictures and claim that it is how the state is, what do you really intend to achieve.

No governor comes to office to say he will do everything. I am not a dullard and I will tell you things I will do as well as the ones I am unable to do. This is even as I don’t have all the resources I require as well as the time. So, we have a bunch of people, who spend millions to demarket Abia and I will tell you why they are doing so.

They are doing so for two reasons. First, they think they will distract me. Secondly, they think I will be under pressure. But I have learnt how to turn these to my advantage because I’ve learnt to benchmark myself beyond the criticisms. The more you criticize me, the more I get fired to do more things. It is practically impossible to distract me if I set my eyes on something.

I am a system person and I brand properly and for someone whose background is the Applied Sciences, my response to issues must be precise. For instance, why will I do a road without drainage? The case of Abia is the same thing with Nigeria; social mobilization is lacking.

Our leaders have been unable to mobilize the people socially and we are like the head of a speed train, racing to a particular destination without carrying anything. You will arrive at your destination, no doubt, but what are you conveying? The difference between a good team and a bad one is the ability to synergize and work together.

In Abia, we have not been able to successfully mobilize the people because we have a critical, educated, greedy and vociferous elite, who want to hang on to power, and who believe that if they are not the ones in the saddle, everything should crumble. Those who are demarketing Abia; what will their children claim as state of origin? Somebody posted on the social media that I went to India to take an oath to mortgage Abia State when I have never been to India all my life.

And when I asked my lawyer to take him to court, so that he can prove the claim, he started pleading, saying all he did was to forward the post. Sincerely, I never took the matter seriously until my little daughter asked me if it was true that I took an oath. I felt so bad because if my own daughter cannot trust me, who else will do. So, I feel kidnapped. Sincerely speaking, I feel kidnapped but I know the intentions of those who are doing these things.

At the heat of our politicking, I challenged those who were flying in and out of Abia State to mention where they know in the state but they could not. When my people heard me mentioned their respective neighbourhoods, they believed that I know what the issues are. Some of them don’t even know about the relationship between Omuma and Osusu roads in Aba, and that if you are going to do any job on Omuma road, you must calibrate it against what you have done on Osusu road.

What they would have done is to come to Abia and start talking about what their predecessor didn’t do. Why should I talk about what my predecessor didn’t do? If he had done everything; why should I come? But because I saw some gaps when I came on board in 2015, I said: Let me get busy as I have four years and if I get re-elected, it will be eight years. So, my concern is to do things right, so that I can have my sleep because if you do something wrong and people still clap for you, it is unlikely that you will get your sleep.

In the face of dwindling allocation; how do you intend to source for funds in order to realize the dream you have for Abia State?

If I say that I had not expected dwindling allocation right from 2015, I will not be saying the truth but every government has its strategies to raise funds. You can do something about Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); you can also do something about borrowing and grants. We are doing well in terms of relationship with the World Bank and other donor agencies because I reported myself to the World Bank within the first six months of my becoming the governor of Abia State. I said to them that I know that there certain things that we are not doing right but ‘come and review our books, so that our books can be bankable.’

They came and reviewed our processes and what we are doing. So, when you hear me talk about N27 billion for Ndiegoro flood, don’t think that we broke the bank to raise the money. It was what we got from the World Bank. But of course, you have to pay your counterpart funding and send the returns they want you to send if you want them to continue to cooperate with you.

Again, I rely on God to provide the resources I need for all the great plans I have for Abia State. So, what I do is to keep planning and strategizing because I don’t want God to meet me without a plan. For me, success is opportunity meeting preparation; if the opportunity comes and you are not prepared, you would be caught unawares.

One of the major talking points ahead of 2023 general election is which of the geopolitical zones should produce the next president though many believe that in the spirit of fairness, justice and equity; it should be the South-East. What is your take on that?

Honestly, it would be unfair to ask me about 2023 because I have only spent one and a half years out of the four years I have in my second term as governor of Abia State. Since it is not possible to abridge the tenure halfway, I am fully concentrated on the governance of the state and I don’t care so much about 2023.

How are you partnering with the Federal Government to address the poor state of federal roads in the Abia State?

I don’t spend time on political propaganda otherwise I would have said that there is a conspiracy against Abia State. You can’t assess Umuahia from Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State; you can’t assess Aba from Port Harcourt or Ikot Ekpene, using federal roads except the roads that I did. But I gave a marching order that if the federal contractors fail to fix the roads, I was going to mobilize contractors because when you cut off access into a trading hub like Aba; what you have done is to remove oxygen for the people so that they can perish.

I do not want to say that there is a conspiracy in that line but I thank God that Arab Contractors have returned to the Aba Port Harcourt expressway. It baffles me why and how Nigeria has failed to realize the economic importance and significance of Aba and Abia State viz a vis the Port Harcourt and Aba channel as well as the Umuahia and Ikot Ekpene channel; if not, why will take up to six years to do a 30-kilometre road despite the fact that there is oil in Abia and Rivers states.

As it is, I have mobilized a contractor to commence work on the Aba-Ikot Ekpene axis from the Abia end because I understand that there is a contractor working from the Akwa Ibom end. Some people tell me that I have two and a half years left in my administration, but in reality, I have only two dry seasons left and if I throw away one, it will be a major loss for me.

They’ve told me that if I don’t have the necessary papers, nobody is going to refund the funds I am spending on the federal roads. But whether they refund or not, I am going to source for funds to save my people from the hardship they experience on that road.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/01/why-im-yet-to-construct-the-road-to-my-village-ikpeazu/

So much hate speech being spewed by a so-called elder statesman. So hate and prejudice in one country. If you are not going to allow them occupy the office, better keep it to yourself and spare them this misinformation and misrepresentation. Rubbish!

The Chinese are some of the best humans you can meet on earth. They are very warm, friendly and respectful. The country is very functional with basic adherence to rule of law. The Chinese are interested in building friendship and economic cooperation. Differences in systems and levels of adherence to laws can lead these kinds of cases. It is necessary to bridge the gaps in systems and approaches between Nigeria and China because we stand to gain more from each other. Without the Chinese firms, even the Nigerians who complain of maltreatment won’t find work to do because many elites in Nigeria have no confidence to invest in their own country. They prefer to launder the funds abroad. China should continue to cooperate with Nigeria despite the present challenges.

The Federal Government (FG) has reiterated commitment to strengthen China-Nigeria trade through a new brand known as “Made in Nigeria with China”.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, disclosed this while receiving donation of medical equipment from a delegation of the China General Chamber of Commerce in his office in Abuja as part of the chamber’s support for Nigeria’s fight against COVID-19.

The items comprised surgical masks, disposable medical protective suits and an infrared thermal imaging thermometer from the Chinese delegation.

The minister said when he met with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, he reminded him that the country should encourage the new Made in Nigeria with China initiative, saying “that is a programme we should work hard on.”

Adebayo said, “We are happy with what Chinese companies are doing in Nigeria. I had an interview on NTA…and I had the privilege to mention that our ministry and the Chinese embassy have a very good relationship.

“And that our ministry is very supportive of Chinese industries in Nigeria and we will continue to support it. In fact, I used a phrase that the ambassador said we should encourage: ‘Made in Nigeria with China’. I mentioned it yesterday, and that is a programme we are going to work hard on.”

He told the Chinese ambassador that: “Whatever we can do as a ministry to support what you are doing, we will. We have to encourage more Chinese companies to invest in Nigeria.”

The Managing Director (MD) of China Harbour Engineering Company and Vice President of China General Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria (CGCCN), Zhang Wen Feng, said the donation, which was made on behalf of 160 member companies and staff, was to save humanity from COVID-19.

Mr. Feng said similar donations had been made in the FCT, Lagos, Ogun, Nasarawa, Kogi, Ondo and Edo states, adding that more states would be reached to enable them overcome the pandemic.

He further said: “With the government’s high efficiency, medical staff professionalism and the people’s unity, we have felt the determination of the FG in doing its best to protect the livelihood of the people in the country, and the people’s life will return to normal in the near future. “By then, we believe Nigeria will attract more investment and trade with its excellent business environment.”

Earlier, the Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy, Li Yuan, said the office would continue to support the cooperation between China and Nigeria in the fight against COVID-19.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/well-promote-made-in-nigeria-with-china-brand-fg.html

Nigerian student who was in Wuhan, China at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, narrates her experience.

Evelyn John

January 2020 changed the world as we use to know it, daily; people ask when will the world return to normal? The question that agitates the mind is what will the new normal be? I have come to the conclusion that until there is a vaccine for COVID-19, the world might not return to ‘normal’. My tale of three cities traverses through Wuhan, Guangzhou and Abuja

WUHAN

With the goal of publishing a paper in mind, I had stayed back in Wuhan during the Winter holiday and that was going well up until, the first news of the Coronavirus spreading within the City hit me, I panicked and decided to get back home, immediately but I never made it out of Wuhan, before its lockdown; an unprecedented move in the opinion of many.

Wuhan is a city of over 11million people located in the Central of China, a major transport hub for about 9 Provinces. The beloved city of Wuhan is home to numerous universities and higher institutions of learning with over 1million students. What is there not to love about Wuhan! The bustling city life, street food, the sheer number of students (foreign and local), the cool air around the East Lake or a ferry ride across the Yangtse River? A city that never sleeps!

I woke up on the 23rd January, 2020 and the city that never sleeps had been put on a lockdown to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. There were so many information online, from mainstream media to social media, some unconfirmed news while others were pure speculations. You do need a discerning mind to decide on what’s true and what’s not.

Like the rest of the numerous residents of Wuhan, I panicked. No one saw this coming. As a student, living on campus, I was scared of being cut off from the outside world as no one had an idea of when the lockdown would be lifted. The coming weeks saw different Countries evacuating their citizens from Wuhan. As the reality of my situation became clearer, I began to adjust to the reality on ground.

The International Student Office of my university was exceptional, they ensured free meals were delivered at my doorstep, daily. For over 80 days, breakfast, lunch and dinner were served. Groceries were also arranged to be delivered at our apartment. I didn’t lack for anything. They also ensured proper information dissemination, with constant updates, I eventually had to stay off the news in other to protect my mental health.

After over 70 days alone in my room, not to forget the outpouring of love, prayers and monetary gifts, we were overjoyed to receive the news of the Lockdown being lifted, finally and we saw the city of Wuhan gradually crawl back to life, all thanks to the sacrifices of thousands of health workers- our heroes!

By this time, school has resumed the Spring Semester howbeit, everything had been moved online and running smoothly – the power of technology.

Wuhan has now tested over 9 million of its residents within less than 2 weeks, a measure said to ensure that the City is truly free – I would say only the Chinese Government can embark on these sort of projects – just like the construction of the 2 makeshifts hospitals in Wuhan at the height of the Pandemic.

GUANGZHOU: OF DISCRIMINATION AND HOSPITALITY

Seeing as my semester was almost ending and I do love to spend the summer holiday with my family while writing my doctoral thesis proposal, I decided to join the flight evacuating Nigerians from Guangzhou City to Abuja.

Guangzhou is the most populous city in Southern China, home to the largest community of Africans in China, a destination for most Africans coming to China for one form of business or the other. I had to travel by fast train to Guangzhou to join the flight to Nigeria, I was a little uncomfortable with the negative news that had gone viral on the maltreatment of Nigerians in that city

Around mid-April, while China was already getting a hang of the control of the pandemic, the news of discrimination against blacks/Africans in Guangzhou was all over the news. Based on media reportage of the discrimination, I was not looking forward to the journey as it was my first time in Guangzhou.

Imagine my relief on arrival at the Southern Train Station, Guangzhou, where Taxi people were very nice and helpful, helping with my boxes as I was struggling. The taxi ride down to my hotel was the most pleasant as the driver kept asking questions about Nigeria as we rode for almost an hour to Tianhe District. The staff of the hotel, a friend had recommended, were courteous as well.

While it became clear that my flight to Nigeria will be delayed for a week or more, along with 3 other Nigerian professors, who had arrived from other Cities for the same flight, I began exploring the City of Guangzhou.

On the 3rd day, some health workers arrived at the hotel to inform me that I would need to take the COVID-19 test as I had traveled out of Wuhan before I could get tested. We agreed on a set time for the next day. The sample was taken at the agreed time and my result was delivered to my room, seamlessly.

While I enjoyed the hospitality at the hotel, going shopping at the Mall and eating at different restaurants, the question then become, does my one single experience invalidate the experiences of the other Africans in Guangzhou? The answer is No.

THIS IS ABUJA

Must have been over 14-hour flight, but I arrived in Nigeria and was extremely glad to be back home, except that the mandatory quarantine made my joy short-lived. I was on the same flight with over 250 Nigerians who had been stranded in Guangzhou at the height of the reported discrimination and pandemic.

Some are also in the same hotel with me; a few days back, an older man, who had been on a business trip to Guangzhou mentioned how grateful he was to the Chinese Government during his stay in Guangzhou, one of the Professors then asked why he would say that considering the numerous news about discrimination and maltreatment.

He went on to narrate how he was put in a hotel and fed by both the Chinese and Nigerian Consulate in Guangzhou, after his mandatory quarantine on arrival in March. I didn’t ask any questions, I just enjoyed his short story and moved on.

The night before I put down this piece, another young man decided to also tell us lessons learnt in Guangzhou as this was his first business trip.

HIS STORY

He arrived Guangzhou sometimes in March with other Nigerians/Africans, they were all put under mandatory quarantine for 14-days, on completion, a COVID-19 test was administered and their results were handed over to them and they were let go.

Surprisingly, they couldn’t find any hotels that would take them in, the more they searched, the more they were rejected. While the Police did all that they could to ensure they stayed off the streets, they were just trying to find a space to lay their heads.

After about 2-3 nights on the streets, they found a hotel who took them in and fed them, free of charge. At first, it was just him and 3 of his friends but once they saw how hospitable, they were. They immediately sent a message to their friends in the other parts of the City to join them.

“Till that night we come Airport, we stay for this hotel and dem dey bring breakfast, lunch and dinner, we go even go market and come back, they only say make we register when we dey comot and when we come back”

He concluded with “the thing still dey shock me say they no collect one naira from us oh, their government too try”

WHAT WENT WRONG?

After listening to these 2 stories and based on my experience, I have some questions that I might never get answers to. Like, why did the hotels refuse to take them in after their mandatory quarantine with a test result showing they were COVID-19 free?

Did a lack of communication between both sides escalate the matter? From my experience, I know some nuances and meanings are usually lost when we are speaking to each other with the aid of a translating App.

We also need to discuss the role of the media in the escalation and de-escalation of the matter. What role did the media play?

In any case, both Nigeria and China continue to build a strong relationship, although there will be similar challenges along the way, we hope that both Countries will also continue to find common grounds and resolve these differences and challenges while also ensuring mutual respects.

Conclusively, I know a lot of Nations across the earth are still struggling to control the Pandemic, including mine, I hope we can all take some lessons from China, we should take into cognizance the peculiarities of each Nation while applying these lessons.

Peace and light!

Evelyn John is a Nigerian doctoral student in China

https://pandanet.ng/covid-19-my-tale-of-3-cities/

UK asks about Kanu's whereabouts

https://www-africanews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.africanews.com/amp/2017/10/03/uk-seeks-status-of-missing-biafra-leader-from-nigeria-govt/?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#aoh=15781240283910&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanews.com%2F2017%2F10%2F03%2Fuk-seeks-status-of-missing-biafra-leader-from-nigeria-govt%2F

https://www-icirnigeria-org.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.icirnigeria.org/nnamdi-kanu-uk-asks-fg/amp/?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#aoh=15781244528952&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.icirnigeria.org%2Fnnamdi-kanu-uk-asks-fg%2F

itsme01:



shatap there biafra kor frabra nii.... Nigeria has being striking Biafra since Ojuckwus time and the only thing you guys are good at is running off like Lamidi Kanu did

Just Imagine as US Senators came together to fight for Sowore, with US diplomats coming to court to observe his hearing.. did any US citizen even say anything when python dance was going on, or to the continous detention of Kanu and his friend(who are still being detained) even after tagging them on twitter , facebook and all socialmedia



..

richie240:
Siddon look!
Is it not the ppl I know well? They won't forget ds betlayal of d SS to d (phantom) SE/SS cause. Won't be surprised if they pass ds 'information' down to their future generations yet unborn of how d SS ''betlayed us'' by forming alliance with "islamic tellolist, gwolo-chewing, almajilis"

What kind of hate are you young people filled with and always promoting ethnic bigotry and divisions? Did Okorocha not win a second term as governor of Imo State from the APC? Did Makinde not win as governor in Oyo as PDP?

Anambralstson:
Igbos have no problem with any political party,
Save my post, before 2023 general election most of you from West will aboundon APC

Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo are already strong PDP states in a free and fair election anyday

Our correspondent was in China recently and visited Bijie, a town witnessed rapid changes in the living conditions of the people over the last three years and reports on how the transformation happened within such a short period.

A well-paved road leads to Bijie, a town tucked into the mountainous Wumeng part of Dafang County, about 190 kilometres from Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province. It was once the symbol of poverty in China, but in the last three years, it has undergone stunning transformations that has changed its reputation and the lives of its people.

In that period, slums and shanty neighbourhoods have given way to modern duplexes and terraced apartments. The traditional farming community has seen an influx of modern household equipments that have changed lives and boosted work opportunities. Neighbourhoods are also fitted with hospitals, schools and playgrounds.

Zheng Ying Zhang, 84, witnessed the transformation of her hometown and her own apartment, which she now shares with her grandson.

“You can look around the house and see that I have items I never had before. There is washing machine, cookers, television set and furniture,” she said proudly.

But how did this change come to Bijie?

Private company to the rescue

The transformation of Bijie from a former poverty-stricken backwater town to a modern architectural beauty began when the government signed an agreement with real estate giant, Evergrande Group on December 1, 2015.

Evergrande Group’s project, which was funded by ¥11 billion, (about N558 billion) investment out of which ¥7 billion (about N355 billion), is in place, is targeted at 9,275,200 residents in seven counties and three districts of Guizhou Province. Before the programme, Bijie had a population of 1,154,500 impoverished persons, whose living conditions have largely been improved.

The company has successfully relocated about 585, 900 poor residents to 17 resettlement communities in Dafang and Qianxi Counties, with additional 444, 100 set to be relocated in 2020. Evergrande Group, China’s second largest real estate company, started in 1996 under the name Hengda Group. Since 2017, the company experienced a surge in its stocks, shares and revenue in other investments.

Productive resettlement

Apart from the relocations to better-planned neighbourhoods, the group set up productive activities such as farming, craft and local industries in each of the settlements.

To coordinate these activities in Dafang County, the company recruited a poverty alleviation team made up of 2,108 members comprising bachelor’s degree holders, 321 elite cadres, and 287 team members.

One of the task they set for themselves is improving the agricultural yield of the populace. Lu Ye, who is a member of the team, said each farm has about 28,000 square meters where plants like strawberries, peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, pumpkins are cultivated.

According to Xiao Yi, a Big Data analyst with Evergrande, this staff are designated to assist every county, town and village dwellers involved in tailored activities like fruit and vegetables production and cattle breeding.

The company has built 60, 980 vegetable greenhouses and imported or bred close to 100, 000 Angus and Simmental cows and helped in planting thousands of economic fruit trees and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) bases.

The projects integrate the value chains in cattle production with grass planting, valued at ¥90m, and slaughterhouse, processing, logistics and sales. He said the overall aim is that the households have continued increase in income from sale of the products in big cities adding that many earn ¥3, 000, about N165, 000, a month.

However, the managers of the resettlement farms remit ¥20m, (about N110m) annually which is used for new settlements. For those not absorbed in the farms, according to Zheng Xiaobiao, assistant manager of the company, the company organizes vocational training programmes and creates jobs.

“So long as one family member gets employed, the whole family can get rid of poverty,” she said.

The company, she said, sees the work as part of its corporate social responsibility. For a country that cut the number of people living in impoverished rural areas in 1978 from 770 million to 16.6 million in 2018, with poverty rate crashing from 97.5 percent in 1978 to 1.7 percent currently, China’s model appears to be working.

With a population of 1.4 billion people, China has an unemployment rate of just 3.6 percent and a GDP of over $14 trillion. Partnerships like this between the government and private companies have seen between 12.3 percent and 16.5 percent of the population lifted out of poverty between 2013 and 2018.

Rapid economic growth

Xinye Zheng, Professor and Dean at Renmin University, Beijing, identified massive acquisition of capital, skilled labour and technology as major factors in the country’s rapid economic growth in the past three decades making it the second largest economy in the world behind the USA.

Xinye, who admitted that China is still a developing country, gave kudos to the concerted focus on the rural poor, which is helping to address the problems of lack of education, poverty, inequality and pollution.

“One of the ways [of] addressing that is by getting many rural women to work in factories and subsidizing their salaries. That way, we empower them to help their families,” he said.

“It will be an era of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and of moving on to all-out efforts to build a great modern country,” he added.

For beneficiaries like Zheng Ying Zhang, the model has changed her life and that of her family. She is now proud of the life she lives and she will continue to open her door to visitors, even foreigners, with a smile on her face.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-little-chinese-town-transformed-overnight.html

The way Atiku is keeping fit and trim with swimming pools and massage machines in Dubai, I guess he will be ready to have another go in 2023. But God knows best

House I need your help please to resolve hanging of the customised additions like Home, Resources, About us on my Page from Menu on the dashboard

Its stuck there and can't load. How do I resolve it? I will send images if necessary.

Add my line: 08064768413

Why should a principal officer of an independent arm of govt be kneeling down for another? This is an official visit, and not a social visit. God of Israel save your people.

farem:
(South south) Omo Agege has political clout, maturity, usefulness and experience more than those being put forward by the South East

South South, despite loosing the first political position (presidency) since 2015 has remained calm, calculating even without any major political position.

Use your brain, there is nothing like a collective or homogenous South South. All politicians chase individual ambitions

ChristianNorth:
Don't be stupid. Does Eze Chima sound Edoid to you? I am sorry, but you guys are just clueless revisionist.

Ezechima was one of the Aro slaves to Benin. Like Jaja of Opobo, he was hardworking and earned his place in the palace. But during the scuffle, he and his people began the long movement eastward. They founded the Umuezechima towns of present Delta State, he died in Onitsha around the 17th Century. Truth is he brought a lot of ancient Benin influences on the great city.

hammer6F:
THIS ONI MUST BE VERY SPECIAL TO DRAG EZE ERI OUT OF HIS PALACE.


EZE ERI IS THE NUMBER ONE IN IGBO LAND.


VISITING LIKE THIS ARE USUALLY FOR OBI OF ONITSHA AND CO.


WAT IS GOING ON SEF?

It is surprising that Eze Eri could go to Ife. He is the custodian of the cradle of Igbo civilisation. That axis -Eri/Nri/Igboukwu is where it all began some 4000 years ago before the migrations and differentiation.

By the 9th Century AD, Igboukwu monarchy ran a well structured system with bronze and art working capabilities. This and areas in Nsukka are the oldest environmental settlements in Igboland.
I guess the Ooni will pay a return visit to Eri Kingdom.

hardeycute:
Which model of Xiaomi did you use?

Note 4x