₦airaland Forum

Ayo Olesin

As expected, some of those who lost out in the race to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to contest the upcoming Kogi State governorship elections have gone all out to discredit, not just the process, but also the administration and person of the incumbent Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

For any outsider looking in without being beclouded by partisan considerations, it is obvious that the emergence of Yahaya Bello as Kogi Governor in January 2016 was a simple matter of preparation meeting opportunity, which some will sum as luck.

Surely, his party leaders perceived certain qualities in Bello in handing him the ticket after the demise of Abubakar Audu. Who can fault that?

Bello, who has demonstrated, early, an uncanny ability to weld the disparate political and ethnic cleavages that hitherto existed in the state, has been accused of maintaining a totalitarian grip on the affairs of the state, something which has been mischievously termed absolutism.

For one, any student of politics knows that in a constitutional democracy, it is impossible for an elected leader, especially of a sub-national entity, to wield absolute power like some medieval ruler. But if a leader has been able to rally massive support among his constituents, dealing fairly but firmly with issues of governance, dissent is most likely to be limited.

Under our constitution, state governors are accountable to the law, not just to themselves. Yet, that does not diminish the fact that a true leader must be in control of his environment lest he be pushed around and misled into serving the interests of just a few.

The particular point of angst is the emergence of Ahmed Usman Ododo as the party’s candidate for the November polls. Some of the losers have accused Bello of handpicking him even though a party primary was conducted in the full glare of stakeholders. Anyone that emerged from that process would have been labelled as “hand-picked” anyway. Assuming but not conceding that Bello even hand-picked him from the array of other qualified aspirants, many of whom also served in his cabinet and have held high offices even in their youthful years, including a few non-indigenes, it is nothing new in these climes. A sitting governor has a right to show an interest in who succeeds him, having the benefit of a first-hand assessment of performance in their erstwhile offices.

President-elect Bola Tinubu has adopted this strategy in Lagos and ensured continuity in the implementation of government policy and programmes. However, if the primaries are deemed improperly conducted by anyone, the remedy lies with the courts.

Now the deeper argument is that Ododo is Bello’s cousin from Ebiraland, which, in fact, has never produced a governor until Bello arrived in 2016. (By the way, Gov. Bello and Ododo are not blood relations, according to painstaking findings).

These views are being championed from Igalaland by those who want power to shift to that axis but it appears the bus has left that station as even the elite, including the Attah of Igalaland, are not in that corner, judging by the huge reception and blessings given to the APC candidate during his recent visit to Igala land. To them, what matters most is the continued development of Kogi State and peace in the land.

There are also some who believe that it is their turn to be governor on account of having held a high political office but now find themselves in the winter of their careers defined by a permanent residency in Abuja and lavish “investments” in other parts of the country rather than their home states. These characters are the ones now playing the “rotational governorship” card, using their affinity with the media to push their narratives.

That Ebiraland is having another shot at the governorship seat does not in anyway preclude others, especially the Okun, who have not occupied the seat, an opportunity.

The truth, as reinforced by the outcome of the 2023 general elections, is that power is not served on a platter. As such, politicians that have lost out at this time need to return to the drawing board and retune their strategies, rally support, perhaps in preparation for the next elections.

The same elections also point to the fact that it is indeed defeatist to assume that the APC ticket is equal to the governorship seat in Kogi or elsewhere as there are other strong contenders in that race.

In repeated attempts to discredit Yahaya Bello himself, much heavy weather has been made about Kogi being sustained by civil servants and teachers and how they have been having a hard time under his watch. This curious argument conveniently neglects the immense contributions of other members of the productive workforce, including farmers, traders, transporters, artisans and solid business concerns in the hospitality and other sectors. Are we saying now that state and local governments exist just to pay salaries and wages of civil servants, many of whom cannot state their job description in clear terms?

Bello has since the inception of his administration made it clear that the era of a government bleeding from payment of ghost workers; people working multiple jobs in other states; retired and dead persons still on the payroll will end, and it did. Of course, those enjoying such freebies would not be happy.


Regardless, it seems to me that the misinformation has been deliberate all along and people would choose to believe what they want to believe. The same workers that people say are not paid are the same workers commending Yahaya Bello for prompt payment of salaries.

In his address to mark the 2023 International Workers’ Day celebration, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Kogi State, Comrade Gabriel Amari, confirmed that Governor Bello’s administration had been consistent with the regular payment of workers’ salaries. The commendation was in the papers.

Perhaps what many cannot stand is the fact that Bello has chosen to be his own man. His proven abilities as an energetic, vibrant, youthful leader may not sit well with many. His demonstrable commitment to bridging gaps within his party and the state; his loyalty as a quintessential party man; his recognition of the critical role of the youth and women in governance; his boldness in taking hard, firm decisions have been framed as exhibiting dictatorial tendencies. I disagree. These are, instead, strengths that no one should ignore.

Some have also chosen to ignore the fact that Bello took up the task to address the terrible security situation in that axis – a crucial link accounting for 80 per cent of road traffic between the southern and northern parts of the country – which, hitherto, had been overrun by highway robbers and kidnappers. By simply supplying men of the police force with hundreds of vehicles and communication equipment and other tools of the trade as well as building an internal security intelligence mechanism, relative peace returned to that state and its communities, allowing for increased economic activities and dousing social tensions.

It was under Bello’s watch that the long-standing mutual distrust, enmity even, between the three major ethnic groupings in Kogi – Okun, Igala and Ebira – was finally resolved, paving the way for closer cooperation in moving the state forward. I told a colleague during one of our heated arguments that I was sure that if Ododo had been an Igala man or from Okun, his boss would have still given him his blessings for the ticket. Having studied Gov. Bello, and judging from many of his public pronouncements, tribal affiliation will not be a determining factor in “anointing” anyone. The considerations would be deeper than that, most probably capacity to deliver and loyalty. So, those advancing ethnic theories need to relax.


Like the organisers of a recent Governor of the Year award said while conferring the honour on Bello, the commissioning of first-of-their-kind landmark projects in the state by the President was an eye opener that the public had been fed the opposite of what is happening in Kogi State for long. I went to that state recently and was quite taken aback at how some people had misrepresented certain facts over the years.

One must concede that Bello made grave errors in communicating many of his policies in his first tenure in office and has suffered a negative backlash as a result. But it would be unfair to continue to peddle the “usual falsehoods” against his administration. The good he had done should be acknowledged just for fairness sake even if you don’t like him. Everyone so concerned should hone their political skills and address issues rather than sentiments. If we list politicians with capacity to hold their own in Nigeria, Yahaya Bello will be in the top 10 category.

With now less than a year to leave office, the November poll is an opportunity to weigh Bello’s politics and the impact of his performance in office. After all, it is the electorate that will determine if his man wins or not.

Ayo Olesin is a senior journalist, publisher and member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors

Attributes feat to sound agricultural policies, purposeful leadership

The Kogi State Government said on Friday that the state had maintained a clear lead in the production of Cashew in Nigeria, linking the feat to sound agricultural policies.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, Kingsley Fanwo, who disclosed this to journalists in Lokoja, added that efforts were ongoing to make Kogi the cashew hub of Africa.

He said, “Today, Kogi State is the biggest producer of Cashew in Nigeria because of our sound agricultural policies geared towards empowering farmers with improved seedlings, mechanisation, agro chemicals as well as creating an enabling environment for the private sector to invest in Cashew production.

“Kogi has retained this position for many years and our ambition is to push Nigeria’s production level above that of Ivory Coast, which is the leading Cashew producer in the world.

“The administration of Alh Yahaya Bello is scaling up the gear to improving the value chain in cashew production in the state. We can only get value for money when we can add some value to our Cashew before selling to the major buyers.”

Fanwo said the State was also doing very well in the area of Cassava production, adding that the emergence of some A-List Industries in the area of Cassava processing had enhanced the production and fortunes of the farmers.

He said the issue of herder-farmer clashes in the state had drastically reduced as a result of the “collaborative security architecture that has evolved strategies to ensure peace and security”.

“Governor Yahaya Bello has and is still paying a great attention to agriculture as a result of the edaphic advantages of the state to use that sector to address poverty and hunger,” he noted.

Access Bank partners with Konga to provide instalment payments to customers through Pay with QuickBucks


Access Bank has announced its partnership with Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce platform, to offer instalment payments to customers through Pay with QuickBucks.

This innovative payment solution will enable Access Bank customers to purchase products on Konga and make payments in flexible instalments.

This partnership reinforces Access Bank’s commitment to providing its customers with convenient and affordable financing solutions. By partnering with Konga, the bank is now able to extend its credit facilities to a wider audience.

“We are excited to partner with Konga to bring our innovative financing solutions to Access Bank customers,” said Robert Giles, Senior Retail Advisory, Access Bank. “Our goal is to make it easier for people to access credit and purchase the products they need, and we believe that our partnership with Konga will help us achieve that.”

With Pay with QuickBucks, customers who have their salary with Access Bank, meet the bank’s risk acceptance criteria, and are eligible will be able to select the instalment payment option when checking out on Konga. They will then be directed to a QuickBucks page, where they can complete the application process and receive an approval decision within minutes.

Also commenting on the partnership, Dave Omoriege, Chief Operating Officer at Konga, expressed delight at the additional convenience it would afford shoppers on the platform. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Access Bank to provide our customers with a convenient and affordable way to pay for their purchases. With this development, customers will now have access to flexible payment options, which will make it easier for them to shop on Konga.”

This partnership between Access Bank and Konga is a significant step towards making credit more accessible to Nigerians. The companies are committed to delivering innovative financial solutions that will improve the lives of their customers and help them achieve their financial goals.

To know more about QuickBucks, FAQs, and how to get started, please click HERE.

At this time, it is reasonable to assume that Adron Homes and its promoter, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking, have nowhere to hide.

It has just recently come to light that Adron Homes is another company with comparable business practises to Revolution Plus, the Nigerian real estate firm for whose clients have been vocal about their negative interactions.

Customers who have purchased land from Adron Homes for years without receiving their plots of land flocked to the microblogging website, Twitter, as if on cue, to relate their experiences.

Amongst several allegations, Adron Homes was accused of extorting and exploiting its customers after they purchase property from them.

The conversation on Twitter began when a Twitter user OGWaheedi asked if anyone had been able to buy, build and live in any property acquired through Adron Home.

He tweeted: “Anyone on my TL ever actually bought land from Adron Homes and actually BUILT IT and LIVED THERE?

The tweet left several comments with many people sharing their sad and scary experiences in the hands of Adron Homes.

Some of the reactions include that of Engr_ Series who wrote on Twitter: “Adron Homes is a fraudulent company. They allocated a piece of land in Shimawa, near the RCCG area, and gave a complimentary bag of rice and a keg of groundnut oil. Shimawa had experienced a developmental boost due to the presence of the Redeemed church.

“However, years after almost completing the payment, Adron Homes reallocated the land to an entirely different area, a proper tropical rainforest. This action seemed like a breach of agreement, so we decided to back out and requested a refund.

“Unfortunately, their terms and conditions booklet is heavily loaded in their favor, which protected them. They charged a huge percentage of the money as a default fee and even demanded we return the bag of rice and keg of groundnut oil we received before they refunded a ridiculous amount.

“If you want to buy your land, go to ọmọ onílẹ̀ jẹjẹ” he concluded.

On her part, Olufunke Lawson wrote “Are you ready for us to talk about how they treat their workers? Dress neatly (designers if possible), come to work promptly & return. No salary at month end. If you like, waka waka and find buyers; If you like, don’t. Body go tell you soon. We’ve heard a lot from there.”

Another Twitter user Aziz Bakare wrote, “Myself & few of my friends attempted one time but the due diligence and several complaints from people who had previously purchased and never got allocated or got their allocation changed overnight made us back out. I’ve barely heard any good story about them,” Bakare said.

Summing up the conversation he started after several engagements, OGWaheedi wrote thus: “Don’t buy land from Adron Homes or Revolution Plus – if you must; make you get a lawyer who specializes in stuff like this & go through every line of every agreement with a fine-toothed comb. Also, ask extensive questions about what hidden fees and “dive” etc.

KOGI STATE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

BEWARE OF FAKE AND INCITING NEWS AHEAD OF KOGI GUBER ELECTION

1. The Kogi State Government wishes to draw the attention of the general public to the antics of mischief makers and ethnic bigots to stoke the flames of ethnic resentment, division and hate by agents of political desperation who are bent on destroying the unity and peace enjoyed by the State.

2. Their unintelligent approach has been to push ethnically divisive words and attribute same to Governor Yahaya Bello in order to incite certain ethnic groups against his person and his administration. These statements are not only false, but also an ignominy of dragging our state back to the conquered era of ethnic chauvinism.
Governor Yahaya Bello through his actions, projects, appointments and unifying leadership credentials, has succeeded in building the state into what politics cannot balkanize. We remain a united and prosperous state.

3. We urge members of the public to look out for, and ignore those inciting falsehoods as well as report those who circulate them to law enforcement agencies. It is clearly the handiwork of politicians who do not have the interest of the state at heart.

4. Until his last day in office, Governor Yahaya Bello will continue to work hard to improve livelihood in the state, keep the people united and continue to serve all Kogites irrespective of their religion, ethnicity and political beliefs. What binds us together is stronger than the desperate wishes of the enemies of the state.

Signed: Kingsley Fanwo

Hon. Commissioner for Information and Communications

07/05/2023

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), has asked Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, to provide details of the procurement process for the N24.2 billion internet facility project.

In March 2023, the federal executive council (FEC) approved the sum of N24.20 billion for the provision of broadband infrastructure in airports, higher institutions, and markets across Nigeria.

Seeking information on the project, Olanrewaju Suraju, chairman of HEDA, in a statement on Sunday, said the minister needs to provide clarification on the procurement process that led to the approval of the allocation of N24.2 billion.

Citing sections 2, 3, and 4 of the freedom of information (FoI) act of 2011, the organisation requested detailed information on how the project would be implemented and the contractors involved.

“The organisation sought to understand whether the project was covered in the approved 2023 budget and the specific budget line it falls under,” the statement reads.

“It also requested information on the approved contractors responsible for implementing the contracts, including their identities and the terms of the contract.”

The civil society organisation said a response to its request should be given within seven days from the receipt of the letter.

The CSO also expressed its willingness to provide further clarification if necessary.

“As a leading anti-corruption organisation in Nigeria, HEDA has consistently advocated for transparency, accountability, and good governance in public spending,” the group added.

“Its demand for an explanation on the procurement process of the N24.2 billion internet facility project highlights its commitment to ensuring that public funds are used judiciously and in accordance with due process.”

…commends Governor Bello over hitch-free primaries


The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has thrown her weight behind the candidature of the All Progressives Congress Governorship candidate in the State, Usman Ododo, saying his emergence was a reflection of the “excellent leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello”.

The minister, who said this on Monday while receiving the Governorship candidate of the party and his entourage in Abuja, expressed confidence that the APC would win the November 11 governorship election “resoundingly”.

She said, “Let me congratulate you on your emergence as the candidate of our party. Your success at the primary is a triumph of loyalty. Never stop being who you are.

“I was initially worried about the number of aspirants in the race. But the manner the Governor went about providing excellent leadership made the primary hitch-free and successful.

“For me, party is supreme and no matter our contentions, the moment the party makes a choice, I will ordinarily follow. I was the first National Woman Leader of our great party. I understand the supremacy of party decision. We will support Alh. Ododo to win and also support him to do well.”

The FCT Minister of State called on all aspirants to continue to support the choice of the party, insisting that Kogi is very important to the APC.

According to her, it is important that the Governor is succeeded by a visionary leader who will consolidate on his achievements.

Ododo thanked the Minister for her support to the party at the last general elections, assuring her that his candidacy was to deepen the gains of the GYB years.

Ododo told the Minister that if elected, his administration would focus on the thematic areas of the present administration in the state.

In his remarks, the former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs who also contested for the ticket of the party in the Governorship primary, Deedat Ozigi, thanked the Minister for her support, saying majority of the aspirants were behind Ododo to take Kogi State forward.

In the entourage were the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo; Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Bashir Gegu; Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Haddi Ametuo; Rector , Kogi State Polytechnic, Usman Ogbo; Isah Usman, as well as House of Representatives and House of Assembly Members-elect on the platform of the APC from Kogi State and other chieftains of the party.

The Kogi APC governorship candidate has intensified consultations with stakeholders from the state ahead of the off-season governorship election slated for November 11, 2023.

Pay-TV customers in Nigeria are looking for quality entertainment at an affordable price, especially in the face of rising costs. There was widespread displeasure last week as customers heard of another price hike by a pay-TV operator from May 1, 2023.

Meanwhile, StarTimes has been offering a better and more affordable alternative, in addition to a streaming app that allows customers to watch most channels, in addition to tons of video-on-demand content. In a nutshell, StarTimes-ON is a blend of TV channels and video-on-demand content, a tool of self-service, a back-up option for subscribers of StarTimes decoder and etc.

Having discovered StarTimes-ON recently, I realized it’s a hidden gem yet to be discovered by many. Here are some of the benefits:

Price: StarTimes-ON streaming app is a much affordable choice, as it offers access to most StarTimes channels, video-on-demand & replay option for N2,000 monthly, or all series and movies on the app for N 6,200 a year. StarTimes-ON streaming app also offers daily and weekly options for its subscribers, so they can pay as they use. For instance, MOVIES VIP is just fifty naira daily and comes with thousands of juicy movies and series. Which other major player has daily or weekly subscription? Moreover, subscribers of StarTimes decoders can renew their subscription via the app. This saves customers ’ money and time that they can use for other things. Also, if you not used to self-service subscription, StarTimes dealer outlet can help out, offering 50% discounts on subscriptions. Subscription can also be done via the O-pay app , which offers new users an N1,200 welcome package.

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StarTimes-ON streaming app is transforming the lives of pay-TV customers in Nigeria by providing quality entertainment at an affordable price, with more mobility, content and self-service options than GOtv. Customers who want to enjoy the best value-for-money should switch to StarTimes-ON streaming app today and experience the difference.

By Emmanuel Aziken

As the Muhammadu Buhari administration enters its last days, many key stakeholders in the incoming Bola Tinubu administration have commenced diverse schemes to position themselves in positions of reckoning in the next dispensation.

Especially involved in these schemes to bag government appointments are those who were not elected into statutory offices in the legislature or executive branches of government at the state and federal levels.

Nothing unusual. With hundreds of government parastatals, agencies, and departments offering plush positions on their respective boards, there is a lot to go around.

After all, Buhari emphasised that many of the political appointments he made were from the ranks of people he knew so the thinking is that they should be packing their bags as well since Tinubu knows quite a bunch of people as well.

For some strange reasons, perhaps owing to a particular lack of knowledge, Nigeria’s ambassadors and high commissioners serving abroad, especially the so-called non-career ambassadors, have been classified among those that should escort Buhari out of Aso Rock Villa on May 29.

Indeed, some of the All Progressives Congress’ big wigs have demanded that such ambassadors be recalled pronto, ostensibly to create space for those from their ranks to bag such appointments with all the prestige that comes with it even if many have complained of underfunding of our foreign missions for decades.

While it is true that the president has the prerogative to appoint ambassadors and high commissioners, such appointments must be confirmed by the Senate, which means that their appointments are not tied strictly to Buhari’s tenure in office.

If we recall, the last non-career ambassadorial appointments made by Buhari were in July 2020, when 41 distinguished Nigerians were accorded such honours. Foreign Service regulations clearly provide that ambassadorial postings are for a four-year tenure, though this does not preclude the President from recalling any ambassador for sundry reasons.

The problem really is the perception that those suggesting now that ambassadors appointed by President Buhari should be recalled appear not to have studied constitutional provisions guiding presidential appointments.

The provision of the Constitution on Presidential Appointments under Chapter 6, Part I, Section 171 clearly spells out the powers of the President to appoint and remove the persons so appointed under this section.

For clarity, the provision of the constitution as outlined under Chapter 6, Part I, Section 171 on Presidential Appointments is as follows:

171(1) Power to appoint persons to hold or act in the offices to which this section applies and to remove persons so appointed from any such office shall vest in the President.

(2) The offices to which this section applies are namely:
(a) Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
(b) Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
(c) Ambassador, High Commissioner or other Principal Representative of Nigeria abroad;
(d) Permanent Secretary in any Ministry or Head of any Extra-Ministerial Department of the Government of the Federation howsoever designated; and
(e) any office on the personal staff of the President.

(3) An appointment to the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation shall not be made except from among Permanent Secretaries or equivalent rank in the civil service of the Federation or of a State.

(4) An appointment to the office of Ambassador, High Commissioner or other Principal Representative of Nigeria abroad shall not have effect unless the appointment is confirmed by the Senate.

(5) In exercising his powers of appointment under this section, the President shall have regard to the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity.

(6) Any appointment made pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (e) of subsection (2) of this section shall be at the pleasure of the President and shall cease when the President ceases to hold office; Provided that where a person has been appointed from a public service of the Federation or a State, he shall be entitled to return to the public service of the Federation or of the State when the President ceases to hold office.

Under Section 171 (6) of the constitution, it is clearly stated that the appointment of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and any office on the personal staff of the president are the appointments where the recall of such officers is at the pleasure of the president because they cease to exist when the President is no longer in office.

Ambassadors clearly do not fall within the category of those holding office at the pleasure of Mr. President and one can only imagine how ridiculous it would be for Nigeria to start recalling ambassadors, less than two years after they were posted, and simply because Buhari is going.


Another point is that the categorisation of “non-career ambassadors” and “career ambassadors” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not found in any law or regulation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore cannot determine which “type” of ambassador should be subject to recall. Appointment of ambassadors is premised on the same constitutional provisions, hence their recall must also follow suit.

The Constitution does not discriminate concerning designation of ambassadors and it is trite knowledge that this recent categorisation was invented by civil servants in the foreign affairs ministry and the National Intelligence Agency to protect their turf from invasion by politicians.

The four-year tenure as provided in the Official Gazette of the Foreign Service Regulations of Nigeria should be accorded to all ambassadors and Nigeria should stop making a fool of herself at every turn of the political clock.

What many do not know is that a premature ambassadorial recall can be damaging to our national interests abroad, which is why an ambassador must be replaced by another ambassador officially designated as an accredited principal representative of the country. That is the norm in diplomatic postings all over the world.

Nigeria has lost out on many occasions by failing to follow her own rules governing ambassadorial postings and by allowing officials below the rank of ambassadors serve as principal representatives of Nigeria abroad. The import of the anomalous practice is that such representatives are not accorded due privileges of ambassadors by the foreign countries. Indeed, it has stripped Nigeria of the leadership of the diplomatic corps in many foreign countries in the past.

As a country, we should desist from certain actions that are not in concert with the spirit of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties guiding diplomatic service. Ambassadors in a “Career” or “Non-Career” designation are not appointees classified as personal staff of the president in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended, and as such, not holding their positions at the pleasure of the President.

President Buhari should just keep to his promise and retire to his farm by the end of the month and not allow himself to be goaded into some last-minute blunders, which the same people whispering to him now will use to haunt him later.

The Tinubu administration should be allowed to make its own choices at the appropriate time but should be guided against familiar blunders of recalling, prematurely, diplomats appointed by the same political party. Those fighting selfishly to create juicy ambassadorial positions can do the nation a lot of good by waiting patiently for another two years.

Emmanuel Aziken is publisher of GWG.NG

Tributes are pouring in as Dr. Mike Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola Adenuga, GCON celebrates his 70th. 

But most have focused on the indelible footprints he has left on the sands of Nigeria’s corporate landscape. This is a more personal tribute that will riff on the little-known aspects of this giant of a man.

The gushing tributes are without a doubt fitting for a man who has impacted millions across the world. Admirers may call him the Spirit of Africa but he is indeed a Spirit of the World, a global icon courted and feted by captains of industry and kings and presidents.

Like millions of Nigerians, I knew of Mike Adenuga; a billionaire, serial entrepreneur, quiet philanthropist, captain of industry, and one of the richest men in the world. (Forget Forbes Africa rich list.)

But I finally got to KNOW Mike Adenuga when I went to work for him in February 2022. The year had started off well. I had just turned 50 and had bought myself a car I had dreamt of since I was eight years old. I had also moved into a lovely house on Victoria Island. I had, as they say in Nigeria, arrived. By the middle of January 2022, I could say, without equivocation, that the year was already good.

Little did I know that it was going to get better!

Mike Adenuga offered me a job and suddenly I was not just singing empty words when I sang Timi Dakolo’s lines – “Adenuga go be my guy!”

What does it mean for Adenuga to be your guy? It is a heady and almost intoxicating feeling. It is to bask in the aura of a highly cerebral, deeply intelligent, large-hearted bon vivant and very funny raconteur.

It is to be paid well and to enjoy and experience fine dining, choice liquor, and lavish gifts in cash and kind.

Mike Adenuga is one of the most generous people in Nigeria.

He is also a very funny man, full of stories and imbued with an infinite capacity for yabis, what Igbo people call njakiri. He will yab you and yab himself without blinking.

Sit with Mike Adenuga to an intimate dinner and you will be regaled with tales of hilarious escapades that usually begin in Ibadan, extend to Lagos, make landfall in New Orleans and the smoky bars of New York, continue in Owerri, and unravel in other exciting and exotic locales around the world.

As people read this tribute and the abundance of others penned by those who have felt the Adenuga magic, many would scoff and accuse us of hagiography. They will call us ass lickers or hacks for hire.

But even in their skepticism, they will nonetheless agree that Mike Adenuga is one of the most generous wealthy men in the world and you have to believe me because I have worked with many wealthy men and women.

Many of the skeptics will also quickly point out that he is a hard taskmaster who drives his staff hard.
Those who call Mike Adenuga a taskmaster, especially those who have worked at close proximity with him, are right but they tell only half the truth. They are right in the sense that to work with Mike Adenuga you have to learn how to borrow one extra hour per day. You don’t work 24/7. You work 25/7.

This would be terrible if you worked for a man who spent his time attending parties and gallivanting around the world. Mike Adenuga works like his staff; 25/7. He is not a member of the “do as I say” gang. No sir! He is a “do as I do” kinda guy, one who leads by example, sleeves rolled, eye perpetually on the ball.

Igbo people say the disease that gives you a warning will not kill you. When you come to work with Mike Adenuga three things are made clear from the day you meet him; he demands loyalty, he wants you to work hard and he will pay you far better than the competition.

So, if you know the terms of engagement why turn around and call him a taskmaster?

Mike Adenuga is a workaholic who has a finger in different corporate pies baked with ingredients from banking to hospitality, telecoms to aviation, and oil and gas.

Working with Mike Adenuga is to marvel at his prodigious power of recall, it is to be enthralled daily by a man who is fully plugged in with a finger on the pulse of the zeitgeist.

He knows the current hit songs, box office movies, and trending celebrities. He is at home when it comes to discussing geopolitics, youthe money and capital markets, advances in telecoms and technology, and the latest developments in the oil and gas ecosystem.

How does a seventy-year-old man  remember the names of the top management staff of his companies without missing a beat? And he doesn’t just remember names; he remembers your designation and JD as well as your provenance. He will take his time, before meetings, to greet everyone in their own native language from Igbo to Hausa, Yoruba to Edo, Swahili to Xhosa, and Urdu to Arabic.

As he turns 70, those who know him well do not expect that he will take his foot off the gas pedal. Mike Adenuga does not know how to go slow; he is like a Formula One driver, speed and precision are his hallmarks, and full throttle is the name of the game.

As one who has worked with him and enjoyed his kindness and generosity, I want to make a toast to the business maverick and corporate genius – “Baba as you turn 70, here is a toast to lost shirts and fond memories. God bless you and give you many more years.” Signed – Bad Boy Toni!

Toni Kan is a former Head of PR and Communications at Globacom.

Kogi APC guber candidate, Ododo, receives President-elect, Tinubu's blessings, set for victory



The President-elect of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Saturday, gave the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State, Usman Ododo, his blessings, ahead of the November 2023 elections in the state.

Ododo, who emerged the Kogi APC governorship candidate through a direct primary election on April 14 and was ratified through a special Congress of the party on April 15, was presented to Tinubu by Governor Yahaya Bello in Abuja.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Chairman, Kogi APC, Abdullahi Bello; were among the party stakeholders who interracted with Ododo, the party's flagbearer in Kogi State, during his visit to the President-elect.

Tinubu, while congratulating the candidate, lifted his hand up as a show of acceptance and affirmation of his candidacy and expressed absolute confidence in the capacity of APC to win the November governorship election, landslide, in Kogi State.

Recall that Ododo had, on Friday, also received President Muhammadu Buhari's blessings as the party's flagbearer in the November election.

While briefing State House Correspondents after he was presented to the President by Governor Yahaya Bello, he said he was committed to building on the unparalleled developmental strides of the Governor, which were achieved through inclusive governance, if elected in the forthcoming polls.

The Governorship Candidate said, with his wealth of experience in the private and public financial sectors, as well as the opportunity of learning from Bello, who he described as a great leader to Kogites, he was well equipped to steer the ship of the confluence state in the desired direction.

He said specifically that he was confident of APC's victory in the November governorship election.

Governor Yahaya Bello had also expressed delight in the capacity of the APC candidate to deliver even more wins for the party in the state and  assured kogi residents of continuity in the infrastructure renewal master-plan, which his administration had embarked upon for more than seven years.

He reiterated that the APC in Kogi State was one united family, noting that the party was very well positioned to win the next governorship election, landslide.

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State and the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Kingsley Fanwo has described Sen. Smart Adeyemi’s assessment of the last Governorship Primary of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State as “vituperation of a desperately dangerous bad loser”.

Fanwo stated this in Lokoja while fielding questions from journalists, Saturday, saying the APC Governorship Primary remains one of the most transparent in the history of the State.

“It is right for the media to give space to all to air their views. When we have such platforms, we must be responsible enough not to abuse it and dangerously misinform the general public.

“The world saw the primary on television and on other media platforms. The primary didn’t only hold, it was free, fair and credible.

“We have always been here with Senator Smart Adeyemi and with all due respect, his own definition of credible election is one won by him. Any other election not won by him is not credible as far as he is concerned.

“Yes I watched him saying all sort of things after filing his case. He said Alh. Ahmed Ododo is from the same family, ward and clan as the Governor. He said fielding him was the height of injustice. He dwelled so much on those fallacies and didn’t even remember to tell the world why he is in court.

“To set the record straight, Alh. Usman Ododo is doesn’t share the same family with the Governor. They are not from the same Ward and they even belong to different state constituencies. Assuming but not conceding to the fact that he shares the same Ward with the Governor, does that render him legally incapable of vying for the ticket of the party?

“What Senator Smart Adeyemi is trying to do is to incite the Kogi West people against the Governor and the APC leadership after reaping what others sowed into the party. He is an unfair leader pretending to fighting for equity and justice. Okun is a sophisticated society that can’t be hoodwinked into his crocodile tears.

“The same Smart Adeyemi had told the world the laudable projects of the Governor in Kogi West. Why is he turning around now to accuse the Governor of ethnic bias”.

Fanwo said the party is not losing sleep over the “frivolous petition before the court”, insisting that the party moving on to consolidate ahead of the November 11 poll.

“Our party has a constitution and it was followed in the entire process,” he said.

He called on APC members to continue to work hard to maintain its political dominance in the state.

JUST IN: Court bars FG from concessioning Ajaokuta Steel, Itakpe Iron Ore mining coys


A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja, the state capital, has ordered the Federal Government to desist from proceeding with the concession of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL) and the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) at Itakpe.

The court also barred the government from conducting its planned virtual pre-qualification conference interview slated for May 4, 2023, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

The Federal Government had commenced concession process for the two companies which are located in Kogi State, and had placed an advertisement to that effect.

However, the Attorney General of Kogi State, on behalf of the government and people of the state, approached the court with a suit marked HCL/211M/2023 and sought for enrolment order of the court stopping the government from continuing with the concession process.

While the Attorney General of Kogi State is the Claimant/Applicant, the Attorney General of the Federation, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL) and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) are the Defendants/Respondents in the motion numbered 211M/2003 and brought pursuant to Order 11, Rules 7 of the Kogi State High Court (Civil Procedure Rules) 2006.

Leading seven other lawyers, M. Y. Abdullahi, SAN, Applicant’s Counsel, drew the attention of the court to the affidavit of urgency deposed to in the application while seeking the enrolment order.

The two orders prayed by the Kogi State Attorney General included: “An order for interim injunction restraining the Defendants/Respondents, their agents, representatives, officials and whosoever acting for them, or through them, or on their behalf, from proceeding with the concession of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL) and the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) and or from doing anything whatsoever connected or incidental thereto, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

“An order for interim injunction restraining the Defendants/Respondents from carrying out any of the itemized functions/activities as contained in their publication, ‘Request for the Qualification for the Concession of the National Iron Ore Mining Company Solicited PPP Process’ and ‘Request for Qualification for the Concession of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited Solicited PPP Process’ published on Friday, 21st April, 2023 in the Daily Trust Newspaper of Friday, 21st April, 2023” to wit: Submission of Request for Qualification (RFQ), Submission of Request for Proposal (RFP), virtual pre-application conference interview slated for May 4th, 2023; pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

Delivering his ruling, Hon. Justice Josiah Majebi, the Chief Judge of the state and presiding judge of the High Court 1, found substance in the motion and granted the two prayers of the applicant.

He said the affidavit of urgency deposed to by the claimant clearly established that he “has a prima facie case on a claim of right to the 5th and 6th defendants (ASCL and NIOMCO) and that except the court intervenes at this stage to prevent the defendants from proceeding with their plan on concession of the companies, their action will foist a state of helplessness and hopelessness.”

He said it would also lead to the “loss of his (Applicant’s) cause of action leading to his right and interest extinguished completely (and) that the defendants would have completed the process of the concession in less than 30 days which is before the period of 30 days allowed by the rule of court for the defendants to file their defence.”

Consequently, Majebi ruled: “In the circumstance, I hold that the grant of order of interim injunction is appropriate and necessary to preserve the rest in this case as a matter of urgency and to prevent a situation of irreparable damage to the applicant as one having interest in the 5th and 6th defendants pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

The orders given by Majebi on Thursday, April 27, 2023, against the six defendants read in full, “It is ordered as follows: The Defendants/Respondents, their agents, representatives, officials and whosoever acting for them, or through them, or on their behalf, are hereby restrained from proceeding with the concession of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL) and the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) and or from doing anything whatsoever connected or incidental thereto, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

“The Defendants/Respondents are hereby restrained from carrying out any of the itemized functions/activities as contained in their publication, ‘Request for the Qualification for the Concession of the National Iron Ore Mining Company Solicited PPP Process’ and ‘Request for Qualification for the Concession of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited Solicited PPP Process’ published on Friday, 21st April, 2023 in the Daily Trust Newspaper of Friday, 21st April, 2023′ to wit: Submission of Request for Qualification (RFQ), Submission of Request for Proposal (RFP), virtual pre-application conference interview slated for May 4th, 2023; pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice. The Motion on Notice shall be heard on 4th day of May, 2023.”

Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution released its 2022 Audited Financial Statements on the Nigerian bourse Thursday.

The results showed a 34.4% growth in Gross Earnings YoY to N337.1bn, driven by 45.2% growth in interest and similar income to N295.6bn.

The increase in Interest Income was led by a combination of improved yield on earning assets and 19.1% YoY expansion in earnings base to N2.64trn.

This led to a Profit Before Tax of N53.7 billion representing 112.9% annual growth.

Commenting on the Bank’s impressive performance, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, MD/CEO of Fidelity Bank Plc said, “We are happy to report another year of impressive double-digit growth across key income and balance sheet lines. This validates our growth strategy and capacity to deliver superior returns to shareholders.”

Further review showed that Net Interest Income increased by 60.9% YoY to N152.7bn.

The high yield environment had a positive impact on Net Interest Margin, which increased to 6.4% from 4.7% in 2021FY while average funding cost inched up slightly to 4.6% from 4.2%.

Similarly, Total Deposits increased by 27.4% to N2.58trn from N2.02trn in 2021FY, in line with the Bank’s guidance for 2022FY published in its investor relations presentation.


The increase was driven by 43.1% growth in low-cost deposits (Demand | Savings | Domiciliary), which resulted in improved margins.

Speaking on the contribution of Foreign Currency (FCY) deposits to its financial performance, Onyeali-Ikpe noted, “FCY deposits increased by $597m (63.4% YoY) to $1.5bn and now accounts for 27.5% of total deposits from 19.7% in 2021FY, as we continue to harness the benefits of our renewed drive in the export business and the diaspora banking space.”

Historically, Fidelity Bank has maintained high asset quality and a healthy balance sheet with its Regulatory Ratios well above the minimum regulatory thresholds.

It reported a Liquidity Ratio of 39.6% and Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) at 18.1% compared to the minimum regulatory requirement of 30.0% and 15.0% respectively.

Its Non-Performing Loans (NPL) ratio remained unchanged at 2.9% for the year.

“In 2023, we are committed to our strategic plan of expanding our service touchpoints beyond the Nigerian market and providing straight-through services that meet and exceed the needs of our growing clientele”, explained Onyeali-Ikpe.

On the back of the impressive performance, the bank has declared a final dividend of 40kobo per share which brings its total dividend for FY 2022 to 50kobo per share.

Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged customer commercial bank operating in Nigeria with over 7.5 million customers serviced across its 250 business offices and digital banking channels.

The bank was recognized as the Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023 and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards.

The bank has also won awards for the “Fastest Growing Bank” and “MSME & Entrepreneurship Financing Bank of the Year” at the 2021 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

…dismisses Interim Order


A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Wednesday, struck out an interim order of forfeiture obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, seeking to seize 14 properties allegedly linked to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo struck out the suit on the ground that Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution prevents the institution of any criminal or civil case against a sitting governor or the President.

The judge had, on February 22, granted the temporary forfeiture order, following an exparte motion filed by the anti-graft agency seeking to seize 14 properties located in Lagos, Abuja and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Court also directed EFCC to make publication in two national dailies for any interested parties to show cause why the order should not be made absolute.

However, consequent upon the publication of the preservative order, Governor Bello had filed Notice of Intention to oppose, and an application seeking the vacation of the interim forfeiture order.

The Governor premised his application on the ground that the property listed were not proceeds of unlawful act, as they were acquired long before he was elected as Kogi State Governor and could not have been acquired from Kogi State funds.

He further stated that by Section 308 of the Constitution, the EFCC is prevented from instituting any civil or criminal suit against him.

He also protested the illegality in the filing of the suit by the EFCC on the ground that the case was in flagrant disobedience to a state high court order, which restrained the EFCC from investigating any account of the Kogi State Government pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.

He stated that the interim forfeiture order was obtained by either suppression or misrepresentation of facts by the Commission.

The Governor also said that the Proceeds of Crime Act could not take effect in retrospect as the properties in dispute were acquired before he became Kogi State Governor.

He said the validity of the Proceeds of Crime Act, 2022 was being challenged at the Supreme Court.

Regarding jurisdiction, the Governor stated that the properties listed were in Abuja, Kogi and UAE, and the personality involved is based in Lokoja, adding that the suit ought to have been instituted either in Abuja or in Kogi State. He, therefore, asked the court to vacate the case for lack of jurisdiction.

In his response, EFCCs lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo SAN said that the applicant had brought nothing before the court to convince the court to vacate the order.

He said, contrary to the submissions of the Applicant, Kogi State High Court or any other court in Nigeria had not stopped the EFCC from carrying out its constitutional duties.

In his ruling, Justice Nicholas Oweibo held that, given Section 308 of the Constitution, which provides immunity to a sitting governor from any civil/criminal prosecution, the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

Consequently, the court struck out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.

Coalition of Arewa CSOs fault judgement reinstating Ararume as non-executive chairman of NNPCL


The Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Groups has in strong terms, faulted a court judgement that restored Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as non-Executive Chairman of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

Expressing its displeasure over the ruling, the group said the Federal High Court’s pronouncement was viewed as usurpation of the duties of the Office of the President and an affront on the powers of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group made this known in a statement released on Wednesday and signed by its publicity secretary, Mallam Sanni Mohammed.

It could be recalled that on Tuesday, April 18, Justice Inyang Ekwo, of the Federal High Court Abuja, declared the sack of Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume, as non-Executive Chairman of NNPCL, illegal and unconstitutional, as such restored him back.

Reacting to the development, the coalition said it was ridiculous that the court sees the sacking of Ifeanyi Ararume as illegal, adding that the President acted within the confines of the law.

The statement said “The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) is unambiguous as Section 14 is clear on the president’s power to suspend or remove members of the NNPCL board and the conditions that could result in such removal or suspension. President Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum heads the industry with a wide range of powers to formulate, monitor, and administer government policies. Indeed, those who call Buhar’s sacking of Ararume illegal should read in between the lines.”

The coalition urged the nation to grow past petty sentiments and avoid using the judiciary to cause chaos, setting the country backward by damaging its image before the eyes of the international community.

It praised the performance of Sen. Margery Cuba Okadigbo as chairman of the board and her unprecedented achievements since her appointment as the Chairman of the NNPCL board.

The statement reads; “The essence of any judicial intervention is to ensure orderliness and good conduct in government’s affairs. When a judicial pronouncement seeks to usurp the powers of another branch of government, it is a recipe for anarchy and breakdown of the rule of law. It is in this regard that we in the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society groups note with great displeasure and consider as an aberration the judgement by the Federal High Court in Abuja, restoring Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as non-Executive Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

“The Coalition views as usurpation of the duties of the Office of the President and an affront on the powers of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“For a start, the 1999 Constitution provides that “5(1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the executive powers of the Federation — (a) shall be vested in the President and may, subject as aforesaid and to the provisions of any law made by the National Assembly, be exercised by him either directly or through the Vice-President and Ministers of the Government of the Federation or officers in the Public Service of the Federation.”

“Also, the cabinet and the larger administrative team, except where specifically established by the constitution, hold their appointments at the pleasure of Mr. President.”

It added that section 147 provides that “(1) There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President.”

“Sub-section (2) restates the exclusivity of the president’s power to hire minister (and other appointees) by stating that “any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President.” Naturally, whoever can hire can also fire.”

The coalition opined that it is, “ridiculous to claim that the sack of Sen. Ararume is illegal. How can it be illegal when the president acted within the confines of the law? The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) is unambiguous as Section 14 is clear on the president’s power to suspend or remove members of the NNPCL board and the conditions that could result in such removal or suspension. President Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum heads the industry with a wide range of powers to formulate, monitor, and administer government policies. Indeed, those who call Buhar’s sacking of Ararume illegal should read in between the lines”.

According to them, “Nigeria cannot continue like this! The oil sector is already suffering huge setbacks as a result of oil bunkering, theft, vandalism and gas flaring. As a mainstay of the economy, we cannot neglect this sector, we need the best of brains to act fast in order to salvage this sector”.

They believe that Sen. Margery Cuba Okadigbo has not failed in her endeavor as chairman of the board and “has brought unprecedented achievements since her appointment as the Chairman of the NNPCL board.

“Sen Okadigbo is a fine lawyer with a wealth of experience (over 40years) of leadership, and has been exceptional in discharge of her duties. Her focus and vision has turned things around giving the NNPCL a new face of hope both nationally and internationally.

“We are pleased that the Presidency has given indication that it is appealing the obnoxious judgment. We urge President Muhammadu Buhari not to be distracted to distract the present Chairman (Sen. Margery Cuba Okadigbo) from placing the NNPCL on the world map of record. And to continue in his quest to finish strong which started with the passage of the PIA after several failed attempts by various administrations.

“We use this opportunity to enjoin the judiciary not operate within its powers and not take on the authority of the President and Presidency by delivering judgments that are embarrassing.”

Kogi APC primaries: NUJ warns 'disgruntled' politicians against misrepresentation of facts

...Says ‘our members monitored exercise across the state, didn’t manufacture stories’‘

...Allegations that no election held false, shows disrespect for journalists’


The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi State chapter, has cautioned aggrieved aspirants in the Kogi State Governorship primary elections against misrepresentation of facts regarding the conduct of the elections, saying that, as journalists, who covered the exercise, they were in a better position to give account of events around the process.

The Chairman, NUJ, Kogi chapter, Comrade Adeiza Momohjimoh, said reports by certain politicians that the primary elections did not hold anywhere were not just far from the truth but also showed disrespect for journalists who covered the elections widely and reported their findings accordingly.

He spoke during a press briefing held on Sunday, after an emergency council meeting of the Union, at the NUJ Secretariat in Lokoja, the state capital.

The NUJ Chairman stated, “Our attention has been drawn to some reports in the media by politicians since the conduct of the APC governorship primary in Kogi State, trying to condemn the exercise and in a way impugning on the integrity of journalists and our various media houses.

“They claimed no election held anywhere, that results were cooked and announcement made.

“I want to put it on record that our members (journalists) went to the field on the election day and monitored the process across the state.

“Audio, videos and pictorial evidence of the exercise were gotten from the field by journalists while monitoring the process and reports were sent to various media houses, based on their observations on the field.

“Our members were fair enough to report places where voting started early and some other places where there were delay in arrival of electoral materials and officials as it is typical of Nigerian elections.

“Having monitored and reported the process in our media outlets, journalists converged at the collation center at the State APC secretariat in Lokoja and stayed up till 3am in the morning of Saturday to also cover the collation and declaration of results.

“For any aggrieved politician to now assert that all these sacrifices done by journalists amounted to colluding to declare concocted results, is not just far from the truth but showing disrespect for journalists and their media organisations.

“For us at the Kogi NUJ, we stand by the reports of journalists as published in their various media outlets on the conduct of the election.

“We want to use this medium to advise our politicians to use the prescribed ways of seeking redress whenever the outcome of elections are not favourable to them rather than resorting to blackmail and attempting to pull everything down.

“I wish to also urge all journalists in the state to continue to uphold the ethical standards of the profession throughout this election season and beyond.”

“To the aspirants who lost at the primaries, let them know that journalists are not and will never be their problems as they go in search of solution to their problems,” he admonished.

By Isaac Imoni

As the President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration winds down in glorious departure, mischief makers have rolled up their sleeves to drag in the mud the hard-earned credibility of Mr. Mele Kyari, the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), alongside Mr. Umar Ajiya, the company’s group executive director, Finance and Accounting.

No plot can be more mischievous than the desperation to tarnish one’s image by concocting lies to mislead the public. Mischief makers working for God-knows paymaster(s), have continued to cast aspersions on Mr. Kyari, an indefatigable trailblazer par excellence and other senior officials of the NNPC Limited.

They have continued to promote mischievous write ups, obviously tailored to pull down Mr. Kyari because of the streams of accolades he has received in recent times for his contribution to the growth and development of Nigeria’s energy sector.

This is because there is either a seeming lack of understanding or sheer mischief by a section of the media on the operations of the NNPC over the past few days.

To set the record straight, oil and gas entities across the globe operate with partnerships, subsidiaries and Joint Ventures. Saudi ARAMCO for instance has over eight subsidiaries; Aramco Americas, Aramco Shared Benefits Company (ASBCO), Saudi Petroleum International, Inc. (SPII), Saudi Refining, Inc. (SRI), Aramco Training Services Company (ATSC) and Motiva Enterprises LLC which owns and operates North America’s largest refinery in Port Arthur, Texas with a crude capacity of more than 600,000 barrels a day. The company also operates the country’s largest base oil plant and a network of 25 distribution terminals that support delivery of gasoline and diesel to more than 5,200 retail outlets under the Shell and 76® brands.

Just like Saudi Aramco, the NNPCL has 8 functional joint ventures and partnerships with Sahara Group that predates Mele Kyari as GMD of the defunct NNPC and now NNPCL.

Owing to the sensitive nature of the NNPCL operations and as a global brand, there are situations of urgency and security warranting the company to maintain aircraft charter service of which an affiliate of Sahara Group operates. The charter service has never been shrouded in secrecy, therefore for a discredited news outlet to suggest anything to the contrary fits into the hire-for-writing history of such an outlet.

As far back as 2011, and for strategic operations reasons, the NNPC reduced its stake in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project to 30 percent, from 49 percent, to secure much-needed investment. At that time, the NNPC offered 4 percent of its stake to LNG Japan, which is jointly owned by trading firms Sumitomo and Sojitz; 3 percent to Itochu, and a further 2 percent to a joint venture between Sahara Energy and U.S.-based Sempra Energy.

In keeping to the tradition of excellence owing to verifiable deliverables of the partnerships and JVs, the NNPC through one of its JVCs, West Africa Gas Ltd (WAGL), Sahara Energy unveiled two LPG vessels in Ulsan, South Korea in 2017 and have executed other JVs on OML 18, Operator of a PSC block, FTSA partner for OML 11. Also, both companies own some assets as Production Sharing Contract specifically on OmL 284, 286, and 18, 148 as well as 228.

A tainted story cannot undermine the fact that Sahara Energy is in over 27 countries, with 16 in Africa, and has an integrated value chain where they have crude assets, refineries and storage and distribution expertise.

In 2022, the NNPC Limited and Sahara Group Joint Venture took delivery of two 23,000 CBM Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessels at the Hyundai MIPO Shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea.


The new vessels, MT BARUMK and MT SAPET, increased the NNPC and Sahara Group’s investment to over $300 million, approaching the JV’s $1 billion gas infrastructure commitment by 2026.

The vessels are part of the federal government’s commitment to the domestication of gas in Nigeria through several initiatives and increasing seamless supply under the LPG Penetration Framework and LPG Expansion Plan.

Both groups have further through the West Africa Gas Limited (WAGL) reiterated their commitment to develop and construct jetties across West African countries to boost Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supply and penetration as part of several efforts to take advantage of opportunities in the energy transition space.

The partnership has seen immense transformation of Africa’s largest thermal plant, Egbin Power Plc and has as one of its entities the Ikeja Electric (one of the largest private distribution companies in sub-Saharan Africa) and First Independent Power Limited (FIPL).’

The President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also not in a hurry to ‘sack’ political office holders neither is he running against deadline to change the leadership of NNPC Limited that is tenure-based governed by the CAMA law and will most likely abide by as one of the pillars of democracy governed by law, with him as a follower of same law.

It is apparent that the media can do better by fact-checking and not yield to some amorphous “source” just to gain traction with fake news.

Kyari’s achievements as NNPC boss have been recognized both locally and internationally. His achievement has been described as unrivaled in the history of the National Oil Company.

He was responsible for the Open Government Initiative that ushered in an era of transparency and accountability in the NNPC’s operations. He has also kept his promise to the NNPC and Nigeria by increasing the nation’s oil reserves to 40 billion barrels, from 37 billion barrels.

The NNPC boss has also assisted in resolving disputes around deep offshore bloc to further boost the nation’s oil production, and ensuring the successful flag-off of the construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline project.

The NNPC Group which became a CAMA Company in 2021 following the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, grew its profit from N287bn in 2020 to N674bn in 2021 under Kyari’s leadership.

The N674bn profit posted by the NNPC Group in the 2021 financial period represents an increase of N387bn or 134.8 per cent when compared to the N287bn recorded in 2020. The 2021 financial year made it the fourth consecutive year that the NNPC will be making its Audited Financial Statement public.

This was one of the innovations made by Kyari when he took over the helm of affairs of the National Oil Company.

Since he assumed office, Kyari has pursued his Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE) agenda, a five-step strategic roadmap for NNPC’s attainment of efficiency and global excellence.

– Imoni wrote from Lagos, Nigeria

The candidature of Ahmed Usman Ododo as the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress in the Kogi State governorship election, scheduled for November 11, has been ratified by a special Congress of the party, as stipulated in the guidelines for the primary election, which held on Friday.

The special congress, presided over by the Chairman of the Kogi APC Primary Election Committee, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, was held on Saturday at the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Center, in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

This follows the emergence of Ododo, a former Auditor-General for Local Governments, as the APC candidate at the party’s governorship direct primaries held across all the 239 wards of the state.

Announcing the results for ratification, the Secretary to the committee, who represented the Zamfara Governor, Patrick Obahiagbon, said, “After the carefully conducted primaries, devoid of rancour and with no violence recorded anywhere in the state, and having scored 78,704 votes, Alhaji Usman Ododo has been returned as the governorship candidate that will fly the party’s flag in the November 11 Governorship Election in the state.”

In his acceptance speech, the newly elected candidate promised to continue to improve on the security template laid down by the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello, among many other life-changing legacies of the current administration.

The Kogi State Governor, who also spoke at the event, said that he was sure that Ododo would not disappoint kogites, adding that the crowd at the Congress was a pointer to his acceptability across the length and breadth of the state, without consideration for ethnic or religious bias.

“Today’s event shows that there is no opposition in Kogi State. We are one big family; we have won everything winable in the state. We won presidential election, we won the available three senatorial seats; six out of nine House of Representatives seats; and 23 out of 25 state assembly seats. This is a pass mark by any standard,” Bello noted.

The Nigeria Police Force has declared businessman and CEO of Chinmark Group, Ijiomah Marksman Chinedu, wanted over alleged N480 million investment fraud.

The embattled businessman is expected to appear before the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Interpol, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

A special police gazette bulletin disclosed that a warrant of arrest/bench warrant was issued by the Magistrate Court of Lagos.

Ijiomah Marksman is wanted for cyber fraud and obtaining money by false pretences and money laundering to the tune of N480,013 million.

The declaration also follows a petition by Chive GPS, a dispute resolution company which provides debt recovery solutions and other strategic services in Nigeria on behalf of a client who had sent N480,013,000 into multiple bank accounts controlled by a marksman.

Some part of the petition, which was seen by this medium, reads:

”We are retained by and others “Our Clients” and on whose express instruction we write to lay a criminal complaint of a well-orchestrated theft, fraud, and obtaining money by false pretences against the trio of Ijiomah Marksman, Marksman Uhunoma Trinity, and Chinmark Group herein referred to as “MARKSMAN.”

“Sometime in 2020 and 2021, MARKSMAN invaded the social media space and other mediums advertising for investment and posed as investment moguls that can manage the public’s funds for investments in real estate, hospitality, trading, and financial loans, in exchange for fixed return at a predetermined rate and duration.”

The police statement further disclosed that at different points, Chinmark’s clients transferred over N400 million to different bank accounts owned by Marksman with the expectation of fixed interest.

“Oblivious of the large-scale fraud ahead, our clients transferred, at various times the sum of Four Hundred and Eighty Million Thirteen Thousand Naira (N480,013,000) into the following multiple bank accounts controlled by Marksman.

“The proposed transaction was packaged and designed to yield fixed interests. However, upon expiration of the investment, the chief masterminds, Ijiomah Marksman and Purity Marksman, are rumoured to have fled the country to the UAE or the South Pacific Island of Vanuatu and severed stopped any form of communications with our clients.

”Marksman may have coordinated this fraud alongside a well-financed cyber-actor namely; Amanda Chisom, Peter Awuzie, Happiness Awuzie, Linda Chinemelum Paul, Ada Ujaligwa, Timothy Benedict, and Harrison Gwamnishu who promoted the following as CHINMARK GROUP’s assets all over the country,” the statement explained.

To prevent Markman from fleeing the country to South Africa, the petition sought to have him placed on a global red notice.

I have deliberately decided not to talk about the unfolding political senerio in our dear state as the governorship election draws near, especially this week that various political parties will be having their primaries to elect the candidates that will fly the flags of their parties during the November 11, 2023 election.

However, one cannot but add his voice as events unfold. Of course, there had been agitation for power rotation or power shift when the Igalas of the East Senatorial district held sway in Lugard House for 16 years before the divine intervention that installed the current administration of Governor Yahaya Bello from the Central district.

The agitation would not be out of place, but it must be achieved through means established by law not by issuing provocative press statements that can heat up the polity at this crucial time.

While I believe that it is left to James Faleke to express his personal opinion and convictions, I would also say that he should be implored not to over heat the polity with his uninformed position on the forthcoming APC primary.

I want to believe that he is a democrat who has benefited so much since he became a politician in Lagos, hence he should allow the process to run without any interference or influence that may jeopardize the outcome, as whoever emerges at the end of the party’s primary this weekend, will be the candidate of the APC, not minding whichever senatorial district he or she may come from.

I am of the opinion that rotation, shifting, or zoning could be best sorted out by the coming together of stakeholders who will reach an agreement, and such agreement will go through state legislation as a state law. Calls from his likes to the state legislature could have done the best in the realization of a long-term dream of a secure and prosperous state with its diverse demographic peaceful coexistence as mentioned by him.

Without much ado, James Faleke should be reminded of how he played many home-based Okun politicians shortly after his return to Lagos in 2015 by influencing appointments only for his Okun Lagos proteges.

His sectional influence of appointments, mainly for Kabba, Bunu, Ijumu extractions, leaving Yagba empty, is well noticed.

Most recent is his loud attitude of not considering many appointees of Kogi APC government in the PCC. Those he considered were numerously from Ijumu, Kabba and Bunu extraction, leaving Yagba with nothing, thus invalidating his claims of equity, fairness and justice.

Hon. James Faleke should know that the role he played in the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly Elections, where he used his office as PCC Secretary to deploy resources meant for Tinubu/Shettima and other APC candidates to sponsor ADC, an opposition party in the state, is now an open secret. This his singular action has made him a double-faced politician – APC in Lagos/Abuja, ADC in Kogi State. He can be perfectly called a member of APDC.

We already know the party he is supporting for the governorship in the state, hence he should keep his advice and thoughts to himself and continue with his ADC party where his boy, Leke, is the only person that procured the governorship ticket.

I would want to advise him to either resign from Lagos politics and come back to join Kogi rather than remain in Lagos and be throwing stones that are capable of damaging the rooftop. Whoever lives in a glass house should not throw stones.

It is quite interesting that Hon. Faleke is calling for fairness, equity and justice. What now happens in Ikeja Federal Constituency where he has remained in office in the last 12 years and yet he has secured another four-year-term, making it 16 years straight? Does it mean there are no other zones within his constituency that he should also allow to replace him at this time?

It is glaringly known and on record that many developmental projects were initiated and handed over to those Okun aspirants from inception of APC government to their respective communities and none of the projects has been completed till date, thereby leaving APC government in the state with a low score card from the zone.

While we appeal that he should maintain his Lagos citizenship and legislative responsibilities, we would want to make it known emphatically that his inability to participate in the contest was as a result of the slim time frame he had to transfer his PVC from Lagos to Kogi before the screening exercise, thus he is not permitted by law as against other beliefs.

Ajigba, an APC stalwart writes from Isanlu in Kogi State

In a bid to support Go digital drive and encourage customers to save and transact digitally, leading retail bank in Nigeria, Access Bank has announced to reward customers who open their DiamondXtra Digital accounts with cash prizes.

According to the Bank, the campaign is designed to deliver on its promise to continually reward Nigerians for their loyalty and continued savings with the largest financial institution in Nigeria. The campaign will run from April 3 – April 30, 2023.

Speaking to newsmen recently at the bank’s head office, Njideka Esomeju, Group Head, Consumer Banking said “At Access Bank, we are all about providing customer focused solutions to serve the needs of our customers in real time, encouraging our customers to imbibe the savings culture to be able to achieve their dreams while putting away something for the future. We have also continued to evolve and offer various digital services and propositions that our customers would need and find most useful at this time; hence the DiamondXtra Digital.

The DiamondXtra Digital campaign is designed for new and existing account holders and takes only two minutes to open. Customers are expected to fund the account with a minimum of N2000 or more and perform a minimum of 5 transactions or more using the AccessMore app, the USSD code *901# or their debit cards.

The first 200 customers to open an account will receive N1000 instant cashback in 24 hours and the first 10 customers by the number of their digital transactions will be profiled for N100,000 business grant each and other exciting cash prizes.

The DiamondXtra Digital is one of the innovative solutions to serve the needs of the Nigerian consumers currently and reward loyalty. In this digital era, customers need value added propositions to save them time, cost, guarantee security of transactions as well as empower transact conveniently from anywhere and anytime.

To open the DiamondXtra Digital account in 2 minutes, simply click HERE or dial *901*5#. The more you save, the more you earn points in the DiamondXtra Digital campaign.” Esomeju concluded. T &Cs apply.

...reiterates its commitment to boosting cross-border business opportunities in Africa and beyond


First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier financial services institution, has announced a phased corporate name change of its subsidiaries in the United Kingdom and Sub-Saharan Africa. FBNBank UK, FBNBank Sierra Leone, FBNBank Gambia and FBNBank DRC are the first set of subsidiaries effecting the name alignment.

They are now known and addressed as FirstBank UK, FirstBank Sierra Leone, FirstBank Gambia and FirstBank DRC. The Ghana, Senegal and Guinea subsidiaries will be next in the phased name change implementation.

The name change is being implemented to align the subsidiaries with the parent brand and to enjoy the strong heritage and brand equity built by FirstBank Nigeria in its 129 years of banking leadership. This will further enhance the quality-of-service delivery resulting in better brand clarity, uniformity and consistency across all the markets where the Bank operates.

A leading financial inclusion services provider, FirstBank Group is committed to its nation-building goal. It has taken giant performance strides on its unique growth trajectory as it continues to build distinctive capabilities through partnerships and the constant drive to reinvent itself. This performance is evidenced in the numerous awards and recognitions bestowed on the institution.

These awards include Best Private Bank for Sustainable Investing in Africa 2023 by Global Finance Awards; Best Corporate Bank in Western Africa 2022 by Global Banking & Finance; Best CSR Bank Africa by International Business Magazine in 2022; and ranked as number one in Nigeria in terms of Overall Performance; Profitability; Efficiency and Return on Risk by the Top 100 African Bank Rankings 2022 released by The Banker Magazine from the stables of Financial Times.

In addition, in Euromoney Market Leaders, an independent global assessment of the leading financial service providers conducted by Euromoney Institutional Investor Plc., the Bank was crowned: Market Leader in Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR); Market Leader in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG); Highly Regarded in Corporate Banking and Digital Solutions and Notable: in SME Banking.

Speaking on the name change, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, CEO of FirstBank Group, said: “The name change which coincides with FirstBank’s 129th founding anniversary (March 31st, 2023) is indeed a milestone reflective of our resolve to continuously provide the gold standard of excellence and value as we put our customers First.

“The new identity of the subsidiaries contributes to an enhanced brand presence. It helps our customers and stakeholders better appreciate the value of the diversified products suites, competitive pricing and extensive business networks the FirstBank Group offers.

“These include our commitment to boosting cross-border businesses including trade and investment opportunities essential to enhancing trade relations amongst countries, thereby strengthening the economies of host communities and reducing poverty,” he concluded.

The Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA) Trust has unveiled its plans and programmes for developing arts and culture in West Africa as work progresses on constructing the Pavilion in Benin City, Edo State.

The Pavilion, which will be the first building within EMOWAA’s Creative District, was designed by the renowned architect David Adjaye in collaboration with Nigerian architects. It will house a materials and digital lab, archaeology centre and research and archives facility.

Speaking at a media parley in Lagos on Thursday March 30, 2023, executive chairman of EMOWAA Trust, Philip Ihenacho said the Pavilion is meant to support museums across West Africa.

“EMOWAA’s initial focus will be on creating an ecosystem for research education and career opportunities for young creatives and professionals in cultural heritage management. The Pavilion is planned as an archives and research centre, providing space for learning and exchange, and archival space for works of art from West Africa and the Diaspora both contemporary and heritage.

“It will also be a space that will help catalyse the art and culture ecosystem by providing infrastructure for training, residencies, digital production, and growing a pipeline of future artists and researchers. In short it is about building platforms for the study, creation and display of art,” Iheanacho said.

EMOWAA’s mission, according to its corporate profile, is to support West African heritage and culture as well as to empower contemporary creatives. EMOWAA intends to do this by providing infrastructure, research and education as well as capacity building opportunities for scholars and creative professionals across West Africa.

This first building under construction will provide modern research facilities for artists and academics from across West Africa, and Archaeological and Material Lab. This 4000sqm facility will provide the digital equipment and facilities to support the storage and study of West Africa’s unique cultural knowledge base and bring to life our imagined futures into 2D/3d reality for global access and engagement.

With a major focus on learning and artistic and academic engagement, the Pavilion will house a visitor centre for engaging the local stakeholders through ongoing initiatives and programming. At the heart of these initiatives is a commitment to redefine how research, archives and collections are engaged with, challenging notions of expertise and exclusivity.
An example of one of these programmes launched recently is the Open Learning initiative developed in partnership with the Open Society Foundation in Africa.

The initiative has engaged over 520 students in Benin City, Edo State discussing with them about the rich cultural history of West Africa as well as potential career opportunities within the heritage management and arts.

As well as building the Pavilion, the EMOWAA Trust will serve as facilitator and platform- supporting and maintaining part of a planned cultural district in the heart of Benin City. The creative district will collaborate with, and boost the success of all existing and planned cultural institutions in Benin City including the future Royal Benin Museum and the existing NCMM museum by facilitating a thriving creative hub and tourism destination in Edo State.

By working in collaboration with other museums, educational and cultural institutions and foundations across the world, EMOWAA intends to foster long term partnerships that foster a supportive platform for the creative sector and enhance the vibrant contemporary arts scene in West Africa. “It is incredibly important that our work supports young creatives, hence our focus also on contemporary and modern art and the recent appointments in this area,” concluded Ihenacho.

Iheanacho stated that EMOWAA is independent in its operations it does not own rights to artefacts. He noted that the museum simply wishes to partner with the Edo State Government, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments of Nigeria, and the Benin Kingdom.

Leading financial organisation, First Bank of Nigeria has responded to unfounded claims spreading online.

The bank assured his many customers in a statement made accessible to THEMOMENTNG that it upholds the highest standards of ethical conduct and will never partake in any illegal activity.

Statement in full:

“Our attention has been drawn to a sponsored sensational report by some online publications on a charge brought against the Bank.

“While we will not be able to offer further comments as the matter is sub-judice, suffice it to say that the basis of the charge is a spurious allegation made by a delinquent debtor with the intention of embarrassing the Bank and tainting the Bank’s loan recovery efforts and legal enforcement of its security collateral interest in accordance with the terms thereof.

“We wish to assure our numerous customers, stakeholders and the general public that FirstBank operates by the highest standards of ethical conduct and will under no circumstances involve itself in any act of illegality just as it will take necessary legal steps to check any attempt by recalcitrant debtors to fritter away depositors’ funds under its custody.

“Furthermore, FirstBank remains focused on its mission of providing the best financial services to its numerous customers.”

In a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s financial ecosystem, Access Bank has partnered with AfriGOpay, a financial services business affiliated with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) to launch the first Nigerian national domestic card designed to meet the needs of the Nigerian payment industry.

The scheme championed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) will provide innovative solutions to users of financial services in Nigeria, Africa, and across the global markets.

Speaking on the partnership, Deputy Managing Director, Retail Banking, Access Bank, Victor Etuokwu said, “It is with excitement that we announce that Access Bank, Nigeria’s largest retail bank with over 60million customers is the first financial institution in Nigeria to successfully issue the first live card of the Nigeria’s National card scheme- AfriGO.

“The launch of AfriGO is another milestone in the development of a vibrant and rapidly expanding payments industry. Consumers demand value in real time, not just transactions. With AfriGO, we can provide valuable card benefits, robust loyalty rewards, and a compelling incentive to utilize electronic payments rather than cash.

“The AfriGO Card has additional benefits because it is designed to facilitate the growth of Nigeria’s payment ecosystem, thereby supporting more tailored payment services. It will strengthen payment security, expand financial participation, guarantee data sovereignty, eliminate FX dependency, and provide Nigerians with several other benefits. Cardholders will enjoy increased affordability and more flexible payment options,” Victor concluded.

Speaking on the product launch, Robert Giles, Senior Retail Advisor, Access Bank said, “The National card scheme operates locally, and it is tailored to the specific needs of the country. We have also recorded successful purchases on POS and ATMs which began on March 14, 2023. Domestic ownership of a local card scheme eliminates demand on foreign exchange and reduces cost of transacting. It will also help us partner with local fintechs and payment companies to build solutions on the AfriGO scheme that solve customers’ pain points.

This comes at a crucial time for the national payments’ infrastructure where demand for convenient alternatives to cash is at a peak. We believe that the AfriGO scheme is a new building block that will support continued progress in the payments system, building on Nigeria’s position as the 6th most developed real-time payments market in the world.

According to Premier Oiwoh, the MD/CEO of NIBSS, “The payments landscape in Nigeria has continued to evolve via seamless and convenient real-time electronic payment solutions driven by innovation and advancement in technology. The launch of our national domestic card scheme AfriGO is very timely; AfriGO will drive our financial inclusion goals amongst many benefits, and we are thrilled that Access Bank is the first bank in Nigeria to issue AfriGO cards to its customers. Access Bank has demonstrated the much-needed commitment to enhancing financial inclusion, and we urge other financial institutions to commence issuing AfriGO for more accessible and convenient payments for all Nigerians, regardless of their location or financial status.”

Aminu Maida, Executive Director, NIBSS, added: “With technological advancements, there are more options for payments and the recently launched national domestic card scheme, AfriGO gives us assured comfort on all financial transactions. We are excited that Access Bank is the first to key into our belief of AfriGO’s immense value to the Nigerian financial ecosystem.

Prominent indigenes of Egbaland have intervened in the suspension of the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Alhaji Saad Bamgbola.

The community leaders on Wednesday appealed to the entire Egba Muslim community to sheathe their sword on the consequent suspension of the Egba Chiefs who took part in the suspension.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and also the Secretary-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Professor Ishaq Oloyede, and Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, who is also the Baba Adeen of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Ishola, are among those who urged the Muslim faithful to embrace peace and unity of the religion at this point in time.

Ambassador Ishola who spoke online from the United Kingdom to newsmen in Abeokuta in an effort to douse the tension, disclosed that he and Professor Oloyede, as high stakeholders, had fully engaged all those involved in the dispute in serious peace talks and urged them to ceasefire immediately.

The Ambassador further disclosed that they had persuaded all those involved to maintain the peace and not to take any further action that might aggravate the already tense situation.

He added that all those involved had accepted a ceasefire pending further action to resolve all the issues.

He revealed more that steps were being taken at the level of the Alake of Egbaland for an enduring resolution that would promote peace, mutual respect and understanding among the Muslim leadership and followership within the Egba Muslim community.

The High Commissioner, therefore, enjoined all Muslim leaders involved in the crisis not to issue or make further press statements concerning the matter until further notice.

He added that it was in the best interest of Islamic peace, progress and prosperity that Islamic schism must be avoided at all costs in Egbaland, Ogun State and elsewhere in Nigeria.

There was confusion in Abeokuta on Tuesday when the news of the suspension of the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Alhaji Saad Bamgbola was announced.

It was reported that some notable Muslims in Egbaland had, on Monday, announced the suspension of Bamgbola, over allegations of “high-handedness, administrative exclusivity, mishandling of funds and conflicting of interest between his position as the Chief Imam and membership of another association”.

It was further gathered that aggrieved Egba Muslim chiefs, led by the former Military Administrator of Bauchi State, Navy Captain Rasheed Raji (retd.) had on Monday announced the suspension of the Chief Imam and appointed a second-in-commamd.

Reacting to the suspension, the Imams and Alfas in the Egba community rejected the suspension of the grand Chief Imam by the Chiefs.

They described the suspension of their leader as an “embarrassment to the Islamic religion and an act capable of causing religious war in the town”.

Addressing newsmen in Abeokuta on Tuesday, three principal Chief Imams who make up the other three sections of Egbaland, condemned the purported suspension of the grand Chief Imam of Egbaland.

They said only the council of Islamic clerics in the town had the power to appoint or suspend the Chief Imam.

The Imams are: the Imams of Owu, Gbagura and Oke-Ona Egba, Alhaji Kehinde Sulaimon; Professor Kamaldeen Balogun and Alhaji Muslimudeen Nasirudeen, respectively.

Speaking on behalf of the Muslim community after a meeting at Kobiti Central Mosque in Abeokuta on Tuesday, the Chief Imam said the suspension of the grand Chief Imam was null and void.

He said the suspension did not follow the stipulated process of appointment and removal of Imams in the land.

Balogun said the suspension was ill conceived and capable of causing a religious war in the town, insisting that the four sections that make up Egbaland must be carried along in the appointment or suspension of the Chief Imam.

“We, the Chief Imam of Oke Ona, Alhaji Muslimudeen Nasirudeen, Chief Imam of Gbagura, Prof Kamarudeen Balogun and the Chief Imam of Owu, Alhaji Kehinde Suliamon, on behalf of all Egba Muslims hereby pass a vote of confidence on the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Alhaji Alade Bamgbola as the only custodian of Islamic religion in Egbaland.

“We unequivocally condemn the action of the selected Chiefs in Egbaland to suspend the Chief Imam of Egbaland without proper consultations with all the Imams in all the sections of Egbaland.

“The selected Egba chiefs, led by Navy Captain Rasheed Raji have no power to suspend the grand Chief Imam of Egbaland who was unanimously appointed by all custodians of Islamic religion in Egbaland.

“The Chief Imam of Egbaland, Alhaji Bamgbola should by virtue of all the principal Imams in Egbaland and by virtue of the position that you have taken here, the Imams and Alfas, continue to carry out all the spiritual functions of the Islamic region without any hindrance,” the Islamic leaders stated.

The clerics therefore announced the suspension of the Egba Chiefs who took part in the suspension.

“We hereby affirm and confirm that those who have suspended the Chief Imam are hereby suspended themselves.

“They are: Baba Adinni, Navy Captain Rasheed Raji; Chief Abdulquadri Orunsolu, Seriki Egba; Chief Ibrahim Abudulateef Ayoola, Baba Isale Egba, Alhaji Usman Akanbi and Bada Egbaland, Chief Sherifdeen Ogunrinola, the Olori Ratibi, Durojaiye Afuape.

“Because they have done this without taking us along, that is why we are dissociating ourselves from their decision and they are hereby suspended until further notice,” the clerics had said.

The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has remanded a banker and former official of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Fasiku Olusegun Rapheal, in a correctional centre for alleged stealing and currency counterfeiting to the tune of N23.5 million.

The former FCMB official was arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the anti-graft agency received a petition against him for allegedly stealing N23.5 million meant for fixed deposit which he converted.

He was however arraigned by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the EFCC on Monday, March 27, 2023, on a 6-count charge.

One of the counts read: “That you, Fasiku Olusegun Raphael on or about the 11th of June, 2021, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst you were staff of First City Monument Bank Plc stole the sum of Ten Million, Forty, Thousand Naira (N10, 040, 000, 00) only property of Esther Imade Ehire and thereby committed an Offence punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004 read together with Section 1 (1) (b) of the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Bank Act Cap B3 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004.”

Another count read: “That you, Fasiku Olusegun Raphael on or about the 13th of December, 2021, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst you were staff of First City Monument Bank Plc stole the sum of Eight Million Naira (N8, 000, 000, 00) only property of Okoye Peter Ikechukwu’ and thereby committed an Offence punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004 read together with Section 1(1) (b) of the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Bank Act Cap. B3 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004.”

The defendant, however, pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges.

In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, E. K. Bakam asked for a date for the commencement of trial and prayed that the defendant be remanded.

The defence counsel, V. U. Uzorchukwu, did not oppose the prayers by the prosecution.

The presiding judge, Justice P. I. Ajoku, therefore, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the prosecution and adjourned the matter till July 13, 2023, for commencement of trial.

The EMOWAA (Edo Museum of West African Art) Trust is delighted to announce the appointments of Professor Chika Okeke-Agulu, Nigerian art historian and Professor of African and African Diaspora Art at and Director of the Program of African Studies at Princeton University and Slade Professor of Fine Arts at Oxford University, as Senior Advisor, Modern and Contemporary Art and Nigerian-British curator Aindrea Emelife as the new Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Speaking on the need to support West African contemporary art as well as cultural heritage, EMOWAA Executive Director Phillip Ihenacho said, “One of the key challenges for museums and heritage institutions in Africa is relevancy to contemporary African society. We need to build infrastructure and programming to celebrate the rich traditions of the past, but also connect to the present arts scene and invest in the skills and knowledge that enable opportunities for contemporary creatives and heritage professionals.”

The appointments of Emelife and Professor Okeke-Agulu support EMOWAA’s goal of creating a world-class museum, research, and education complex connecting West Africa’s ancient heritage to its thriving contemporary culture.

As EMOWAA’s Modern and Contemporary team, Professor Okeke-Agulu and Emelife will focus on advancing the field of academic research in contemporary and modern West African Art, developing the collection strategy for EMOWAA, building the curatorial framework for the creative district EMOWAA is developing in the heart of Benin City,and generating new, multi-faceted narratives and interpretations of West African art and history.

Professor Chika Okeke-Agulu is an artist, critic and art historian who specialises in indigenous, modern, and contemporary African and African Diaspora art history and theory. Born in Umuahia, Nigeria, Professor Okeke-Agulu earned an MFA (Painting) from the University of Nigeria and a PhD (Art History) from Emory University. He has spent much of his career working at several institutions around the world and currently serves as the Robert Schirmer Professor of Art and Archaeology and African American Studies as well as the Director, Program in African Studies and Director, Africa World Initiative at Princeton University. He is also the current Slade Professor of Fine Arts at Oxford University 2022/23.

Professor Okeke-Agulu has co-organised a number of exhibitions, such as Samuel Fosso: Affirmative Acts at the Princeton University Art Museum (2022) and (with Okwui Enwezor) the travelling survey El Anatsui: Triumphant Scale at the Haus der Kunst, Munich (2019). His many other exhibitions include Who Knows Tomorrow (Nationalgalerie, Berlin, 2010); the Fifth Gwangju Biennale (2004); The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa, 1945–1994 (Museum Villa Stuck, Munich, 2001); Seven Stories About Modern Art in Africa (Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, 1995); and the Nigerian section of the First Johannesburg Biennale (1995). He is on the curatorial team of the Sharjah Biennial (2023).

Speaking on his appointment, Chika Okeke-Agulu said, “A project like EMOWAA is long overdue. It has become imperative that we find a way to study, appreciate and celebrate contemporary and modern art from the African continent, on the African continent. It is exciting to join EMOWAA and play a part advising on how we can develop new institutional infrastructure to support advanced knowledge and appreciation of the role of art and artists in connecting our rich cultural histories to who and where we are today.”

Emelife, prior to joining EMOWAA, studied History of Art to post-graduate level at The Courtauld Institute of Art, London. As a curator and art historian, she has led a number of high-profile projects with a focus on modern and contemporary art, dedicating her focus to questions around colonial and decolonial histories in Africa, transnationalism and the politics of representation. Recent exhibitions include Black Venus, a survey of the legacy of the Black woman in visual culture, which opened at Fotografiska NY in 2022 and will tour to MOAD (San Francisco, USA) in early April and Somerset House (London, UK) this July.

Emelife’s first book, A Brief History of Protest Art, was published by Tate in March 2022 and she is currently working on her second book with Thames & Hudson, which debuts in 2024. She has contributed essays to several publications, most recently Revisiting Modern British Art (Lund Humphries, 2022). In 2021, Emelife was appointed to the Mayor of London’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm. Emelife is a Trustee of New Curators.

Aindrea Emelife said, “One of my principal goals as EMOWAA’s newly appointed Curator, Modern and Contemporary is to build on the efforts to tell our stories and the intricate connections and links that exists – starting with Nigerian Modernism and boldly reaching to the many corners of West African Modern and Contemporary Art history, yet to be developed and yet to discover. I am honoured to be part of building the legacy of Modern and Contemporary African Art.”

The EMOWAA Trust, the not-for-profit foundation behind the EMOWAA Pavilion and Museum, was established in 2019 to support the preservation of West African arts, culture, and heritage. The Pavilion is its first building and will house a materials research lab, learning and exchange facilities, and archives.

Executive members of the All Progressives Congress, Ajaka Ward 1, Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State have suspended a member of the National Working Committee of the party, Hon. Murtala Yakubu for alleged anti-party activities among other offences.

A suspension letter dated March 20, 2023, addressed to Yakubu and entitled: “Suspension of Your Membership From Ajaka Ward 1,” was signed by 27 members of the executive team of the ward, including the ex-officios.


In the letter, the APC National Chairman, North Central Vice Chairman, Kogi State Chairman, Kogi East Zonal Chairman and the Party Chairman, Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of the state were copied and urged to endorse Yakubu’s suspension.

The Chairman of Ajaka Ward 1, Omale Danladi and Secretary, Suleiman Abubakar who specifically signed the letter, disclosed that the decision to suspend Yakubu was arrived at during a meeting of the whole executive team, which held on March 17 in Ajaka.

They further accused Yakubu of insubordination, gross misconduct, unguided statement, running parallel party structure and encouraging factionalism in the party, among other allegations, while noting that the suspension was with immediate effect.


While addressing the suspended NWC member in the letter, the ward executive members said, “Following the resolution of Ajaka Ward 1 Exco members held on 17th March in Ajaka, Ajaka-Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area, you (Yakubu) are hereby suspended from the membership of party in the Ward on the ground of insubordination, gross misconduct, unguided statement demeaning the personalities of the founder of the party, Late Prince Abubakar Audu and the Leader of the Party in the State, His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya Bello at different occasions;

“Running parallel party structure and encouraging factionalism capable of creating division and racour among party loyalists since 2020; Anti-party activities too numerous to be mentioned, particularly, on the 23rd day of February, 2023 that you organised a parallel rally against the Presidential Campaign Council directive in Ajaka Ward 1 which embarrassed and demeaned the Party.

“The suspension is with immediate effect while we urge the state Secretariat and National Secretariat to endorse our resolution with the necessary action.”

First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider has announced the call for participation in the third season of its FirstBank Management Associate Programme (FMAP).

Interested participants are required to submit their application via the official website

The application is extended to the general public as it closes by 24 March 2023.

The FirstBank Management Associate Programme (FMAP) is a 24-month fast-track comprehensive programme targeted at young, dynamic and highly driven individuals that are passionate about making a difference in the financial services industry. The programme is designed to build the next generation of leaders to drive the Bank’s vision of being Africa’s Bank of First choice.

FMAP equips participants with an extensive wealth of experience comprised of both classroom and real-life work that affords an insightful and balanced insight into the world of work. The programme is targeted at hi-potential young professionals who possess acute thinking skills, financial and methodical skills, and a distinctive ability to communicate effectively and synthesize ideas, information, and data to aid decision-making.

Speaking on the FMAP Season III, Olumuyiwa Olulaja, Group Head, Human Capital Management and Development, said “since its inauguration in half a decade, we are delighted with the giant strides and impact the initiative has had in promoting the career development of emerging talents in the financial services industry as they are instilled with the tenets and ethics of the banking industry in line with global best practice.

The FMAP initiative is amongst the many ways we reinvest in our human capital as we build the next generation of leaders through their exposure to various opportunities essential to preparing their readiness for the future.

Since its launch in 2018, FirstBank has successfully trained and onboarded up to fifty talented individuals in 2 editions (2020 and 2022), who have all been deployed into strategic roles in the Bank and making a difference in the organization, while we continue to support their leadership growth and development.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a branch manager of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Kichime Gomwalk, and two others before the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on a five-count charge bordering on stealing, cheating, and obtaining by false pretense to the tune of N55 million.

The two others arraigned before Justice P. S. on Tuesday, March 21 were Michael Damkas Buayam of Tan Global Energy Limited and Abbas Andrew Dayilim of Castlegate International Limited.

Gomwalk, while serving as branch manager of FCMB in Murtala Mohammed Way, Jos, the Plateau State capital, was alleged to have forged “COCIN Gratuity Certificate of Pledge/Letter of Set-Off dated 30th December 2019, purportedly co-signed by Mrs. Monica Bitrus Tang and Rev Amos Musa Mohzo, Directors, which he used to secure overdraft facility from FCMB Plc to the tune of N55,000.000.00 (Fifty-Five Million Naira) with COCIN Gratuity account N0. 100GOMWALK379 domiciled with FCMB Plc.”

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charge was read to them.

The prosecution counsel, Uwaise Yusuf, urged the court to remand the defendants and fix a date for trial.

The presiding judge, therefore, adjourned the case till May 18, 2023, and ordered the remand of the defendants at the Jos Correctional Centre pending the hearing of their bail applications.