nigeria now magazine first edition

AATrfnurdimcap TheTBhuEehyeaPsrrieOIsnsf Dare BabarinsaPatrick WilmotNIGERIA NOWVol.1 No.1 December 2017 Edition N800TheRTooadUSA....$8.00 UK £5.00 Le 20.000 Dr. Obadiah Mailafia Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim Monima Daminabo Kayode Are 2536- 6777



NIGERIA NOWFrom the NIGERIA NOW Published by United Newspapers (NIG)News Room LTD, IGERIA is still work in progress. Registered in 1999 by the Corporate Affairs To get to where we desire to be, every citizen has to play his/her Commission (RC: 370069). part. PublisherAt NIGERIA NOW, we commit to stepping M. Sani Zorro, FNUJ, MHRup our engagement with Nigeria through anunbiased, development-targeted and fact- (On Leave of Absence)based journalism, propelled by the spirit ofpatriotism and knack for professionalism. Enterprise Editor Akanimo SampsonNIGERIA NOW shall serve as an alternateanalytical and research-oriented news Chair, Editorial Advisory Boardmagazine covering health, science and Dr. Obadiah Mailafiatechnology, suppressed news, energy,conspiracy, the environment, history and Associate Editorcultural traditions, paranormal and the Ahmed Idrisunexplained. It is not affiliated with anypolitical, religious or spiritual groups or Researcher/Reporterorganisations whatsoever, and is also Abdulsalam Mahmudpublished on line, at www.nigerianow.co Advert ExecutiveOur Mission: Evelyn AdikwuTo serve the public interest by deliveringgood content while upholding public Web Masteraccountability and responsible citizenry as a Muhammad Ademuvalue-added news provider.Our Vision Copyright ©To stay the course of editorial independence Nigeria Nowpowered by journalistic integrity thereby ISSN 2536-6777proving our leadership as the most reliable © All rights reservednews provider about Nigeria. Corporate office: 4, Agatu Street, Area 11, Abuja — Nigerianow.co twitter— @nigerianowinfo Email: [email protected] Tel: 09095555994, 09096999961 Editorial: [email protected] Website: www.nigerianow.co Advertising: 09095555994, 09096999961

contents14 Economy: Challenges FEATURES And Prospects For 2017 16 Buhari In The Eyes OfNIGERIA NOW The Press 21 Diagnosing Nigeria's Healthcare System 17 Securing The Federation 19 National Assembly's Unconquered frontiers 28 A President's Reluctance To Govern(?) 39 Enters Takaful Insurance

07Nation 31 Nollywood Shoots Ahead 09Foreign 23Society 37Business/ Economy 40Sports 42Art EVERY ISSUE37 Explosive Oil FieldsNIGERIA NOW

''My heart bleeds a lot echoes when I hear these kinds of allegations and counter allegations, especially when it involves people that aresupposed to be role models. It's sadand sickening when you hear or readabout allegations against Judges.''Balarabe Musa, former Kaduna StateGovernor on alleged corruption scandal inNigerian judiciary. ‘'We can't pay Super Professor Pat Utomi, founder of Centre for Value in Leadership (CVL) on why he Falcons because we cannot fathom the paradox of corruption, religiosity and happiness linked to Nigerians. didn't expect them to win.'' ''Padding is an unconstitutional infraction when the estimates are increased on the floor Solomon Dalung, of the House. The infraction becomes Nigeria's Sports Minister on criminal when the Appropriation Bill is why the victorious Super altered by a few legislators after it had beenFalcons didn't receive their bonuses after the passed by both chambers of the National10th African Women Championship Assembly.''(AWC). ''I don't know which Femi Falana, SAN, and human rights activist while leading a cross-section of party my wife belongs prominent groups and individuals who gave the Speaker of the House of to, but she belongs to Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, knocks for claiming that budget padding is not an my kitchen and my offence under any law. living room and the other room.'' ''The moment they announce his (Trump's) victory, I will cut my green card myself and President Muhammadu start packing up.''Buhari, during a press conference withGerman Chancellor, Angela Merkel, Professor Wole Soyinka, a 82 year-old 1986 Nobleresponding to criticism from his wife. Literature prize recipient on Donald Trump's emergence as US President-elect. ''Nigerians were said ‘'It is easier to win an election than to right the to be the most wrongs of a badly fouled situation. When you religious people in the are outside, what you see and know are world. Just about the nothing compared with the reality. And yet same time, the once you are on seat, you have to clear the transparency index mess and put the nation on the path of found Nigeria to be rectitude, development and progress leaving the most corrupt no group or section out of your plan,people in the world, and another programme, policy and efforts. The longer it takes, the morestudy found Nigerians to be the intractable the problem may become.''happiest people in the world. I don'tknow how many people can resolve Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, on President Muhammadu Buhari.this paradox.''06 NN I December - 2016 Edition

NATION2016: Nigeria At A GlanceOruru Saga:Controversies over alleged abduction and forced conversion to Islam ofEse Rita Oruru, a Bayelsa basedteenage girl by one YunusaDahiru, alias Yellow got to aclimax on 16 February, 2016.That was the day the girl, whoseactual age was also in disputewas rescued by the Police. Rights kidnapped from their by the Swiss government onactivists claimed Oruru was dormitories in Chibok, Borno Thursday, 13, October.kidnapped from her mother's State on 14, April, 2014 with theshop in Yenagoa, the capital of rescue of Amina Ali in Bale Subsidy Gone:Bayelsa State 12 August, 2015 village, Borno State, on Tuesday,and taken to Kano by Yunusa 17 May, 2016. Ali, who was late The Federal Governmentwho converted her to Islam. confirmed by her parents to be announced the removalYunusa however claimed the girl one of the kidnapped Chibok of subsidy on petrol onwas his lover who willingly girls, according to the Nigerian Wednesday, 11 May, 2016, anagreed to elope with him. Army was discovered action which led to increase of breastfeeding her daughter after the price of the product fromChibok Girls' Return: a fierce encounter between Boko Haram insurgents andNigerian recorded a youth vigilantes, known as breakthrough in the Civilian JTF in the village. The much sought after girl was rescued with her childrescue of over 200 school girls and husband believed to be a member of Boko Haram group. The rescue of Ali was followed by the release of 21 of the abducted girl in a deal brokered07 NN I December - 2016 Edition

NATIONN97 to between N135 and N145 Jonathan and completed under IMN Vs El-Rufai:per litre. the Buhari administration. Th e K a d u n a S t a t eAt last, Ogoni Cleanup: Boko Haram leaders fight Governor, Mallam Nasir for leadership: El-Rufai announced aPresident Muhammadu ban on the activities of the Buhari, represented by Rumours of infighting Islamic Movement in Nigeria Vice-President, Yemi and struggle for control otherwise known as 'Shiites' inOsibanjo, Thursday, launched of the insurgent group, Boko Haram were confirmed in the state, on 7 October. The banthe $1 billion clean-up and August, when the Islamic State promptly set off attacks againstrestoration programme of the (IS) militant group announced the sect members across someOgoniland in the Niger Delta, Abu Musab al-Barnawi as leader Northern parts of the country,announcing that financial and of its West African Province. leading to the death of many.legislative frameworks had been Boko Haram, under theput in place to begin leadership of Abubakar Shekau My Lords Under DSSimplementing had pledged allegiance to IS, and Searchlight:recommendations made by the the Middle East based TerroristUnited Nations Environment group had in turn been referring Nigeria's secret police,Programme (UNEP on 2 June. the Department of to the insurgent group as its State Services, DSS, inAbuja-Kaduna Rail line West African Province branch. an unprecedented move, raidedcomes on stream: homes of some judges in Abuja The Change Agenda: and other parts of the countryPresident Muhammadu over allegations of corruption Buhari commissioned President Muhammadu the $1.457bn Abuja- Buhari flagged off the “Change begins with me” campaign, a national orientation prog ramme on Thursday, September 8.Kaduna standard gauge rail between the night of Friday,project on Tuesday, July 26. The October 7 and Saturday, 8project was initiated by the October. The judicial officersOlusegun Obasanjo regime, whose homes were raidedpartially executed by Goodluck included two Supreme Court justices and judges of the08 NN I December - 2016 Edition Federal High Court.

FOREIGNGlanceThe World At A ika Virus: World Health presidential election to the opposition plan to put the world on track to avoid Organisation (WHO) leader, Adama Barrow, according to the dangerous climate change by limiting announced epidemic of electoral commission in a result released global warming to well below 2°C. on Thursday, December 1, 2016.Zika Virus in the Terror in Burkina Faso: Militants ofAmericas on Trump's Triumph: Republican Donald Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb armedS a t u r d a y, Trump stunned the world by defeating with heavy weapons on 15 January,February 20, Hillary Clinton in the race for the White attacked a Cappuccino restaurant and the2016. House Wednesday, November 9, 2016. Splendid Hotel in the heart of Ouagadougou, the capital of BurkinaNew FIFA President: Gianni Rousseff Impeached: The Brazilian Faso, holding lodgers at the hotelInfantino, a European football Senate impeached DilmaRousseff, hostage. The attack led to the death of 30administrator was on 26 February 2016, Brazil's first people while at least 56 others wereelected FIFA President for a period of 3 female president injured. The hostages, totaling 176years. over allegations hostages were released after a of corruption government counter-attack into the nextBrits exit EU: The “leave campaign” on Wednesday, morning in which three perpetrators won in the August 31, 2016. were killed. United Kingdom on Castro's Exit: Cuba's former president, 31st Olympiad Games: Rio Olympics, Thursday, June Fidel Castro, one of the world's longest- boycotted by some elite athletes over 23, 2016, as serving and most iconic leaders, died fears of Zika virus, closed with a Britons voted in aged 90on Saturday, November 26, 2016. spectacular closing ceremony and the a referendum to official handover to 2020 hosts, Tokyo end their Brazil Plane crash: A chartered plane on 22 August. The Games which is the transporting the Chapecoense team from 31st OlympiadEuropean Union membership. southern Brazil for the first leg of a two- held over 16 game Copa Sudamericana final against days ofTurkey Failed Coup: Turkey suffered AtleticoNacional of Medellin, competition,its first attempted coup in 36 years on Colombia, crashed killing 71 people on featured 11,303Friday, July 15, 2016. 30 November. athletes from 206 nations andGambia's new Climate Deal: 195 countries adopted a refugee team.President: the first-ever universal, legally binding \"These were a marvelous Olympics, in aYahyaJammeh, global climate deal at the Paris climate marvelous city,\" said Internationallongtime ruler conference (COP21) in December 2015. Olympic Committee chief Thomasof The Gambia, The agreement stipulates global action Bach. \"Over the last 16 days a unitedlost the Brazil inspired the world, in difficult times for all of us, with its irresistible joy for life.\" United States won the Olympics with 121 medals.09 NN I December - 2016 Edition



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COLUMNPrologue To Cover017 is already here, the year the Federal President Muhammadu Buhari has beingGovernment commits to freeing Nigeria managing the various challenges confrontingfrom economic recession. But, what Nigeria in his own style, this past one and halfpathway(s) will Nigeria be taking for a years. Now to Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, who alsoprosperous and durable social and features on the Commentariat dissects Buhari on:economic development in the new year. A President's Reluctance To Govern.In this edition, the focus of our Jibrin, a professor of political scienceCommentariat is doing a trend analysis of distinguished himself as a public intellectual,governance of Nigeria's political economy, always at the service of civil society, trade unionwith our own erudite Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, organisations, media, the university system, andas the lead analyst. He has diagnosed the international development partners.country's economic challenges andprospects in 2017. With the N7.3 trillion (2017) budget already before the National Assembly, the new yearMailafia's rating as one of Nigeria's finest promises to be 'hot' in the twin chambers ofsocio-economic thinkers, and policy analyst NASS. Monima Daminabo has x-rayed thatis noted in his multi-dimensional important arm of government, and speaks ofbackground and rich experience in frontiers that the legislators are yet to conquer.academics, international development, Unarguably, one of Nigeria's best security systembanking and finance. He is Chef de Cabinet managers, Kayode Are, a retired Army Colonel,of the SG of the African, Caribbean and here illuminates on the security sector challengesPacific (ACP) Group of States based in of the 21st century in a piece no policy-maker andBrussels, Belgium. He began his career in consumer can afford to ignore. In Securing TheNigeria and later in the United Kingdom Federation, he rests issue of Nigeria's colonial(UK), before working for the African system in favour of the nation's indivisibility, andDevelopment Bank (AfDB) Group in Cote indissolubility which he argues, has been longd' Ivoire and Tunisia. He was Chief settled.Economist in the Planning and BudgetingDepartment of the bank. Unfortunately, top government functionaries contacted for their perspectives on 2017 wereBetween 2005 and 2006 Mailafia was unable to contribute, otherwise it would have beenDeputy Governor of the Central Bank of a thriller mix. However, their gaps and spaces haveNigeria (CBN) with responsibility for been bridged effectively by our own Daremonetary policy, foreign exchange Babarinsa, and Prof. Patrict Wilmot,, twooperations, investment management, formidable members of our Commentariat.research, statistics, and cooperation withinternational institutions. He was to be Enjoy the menu with our assurances of bestappointed as Special Adviser to the wishes.President of Nigeria on Economic andPolicy Matters, and a member of the Enterprise EditorNational Economic Management Team(NEMT) afterwards. Mailafia has variouslyconsulted for UNDP, DFID, and NasarawaState Government of Nigeria among others.13 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIAT Economy: Challenges And Prospects For 2017By Obadiah Mailafia OR more than a decade the pressures on all sectors of the economy, Nigerian economy leading to recession, layoffs and aStarting from last experienced a period of deepening crisis of unemployment andyear, the economy sustained exponential widespread misery.began to face growth. During the yearssevere headwinds from 2003 to 2010, growth Starting from last year, the economyfrom the averaged an impressive 7% annually. For began to face severe headwinds from thecombination of an the years 2010 to 2015, average annual combination of an inhospitable globalinhospitable growth had reduced, but was still a environment and internal geopoliticalglobal respectable 4.8%. challenges and weak, inconsistent andenvironment and indecisive economic policies. Theinternal When President Muhammadu Buhari Nigerian economy officially entered intogeopolitical took over the helms of affairs in May 2015 recession from the second quarter ofchallenges and he expressed shock at the grim spectre of 2016, with consecutive negative growthweak, inconsistent a virtually empty treasury. Apparently, the rates of -0.4% and -2.1% in the first andand indecisive erstwhile PDP administration had been second quarters of the year. Falling outputeconomic policies. secretly borrowing heavily just to pay is being compounded by industrial layoffs, salaries and to remain afloat. Security worsening unemployment and mounting alone had walloped a quarter of the inflationary pressures. Inflation currently budget even as Boko Haram terrorists stands at 18%, according to the National were having a field day in the North-East. Bureau of Statistics (NBS). As a matter of At the same time, we were losing, more fact, some economists are talking of than $ 1.00 billion a month for years under stagflation and not just a simple recession. connivance of people in government, the armed forces and reptilian types from as The current recession is affecting every far afield as Lebanon and Ukraine. sector in our country. Food prices are Meanwhile, the new electoral-political skyrocketing out of control; the balance cycle between the last quarter of 2014 and sheets of banks are going into a tailspin; the first of this year found us in another inflation has exceeded the 18% mark; spending spree. It was dollars galore. foreign reserves are depleting dangerously, from a peak of $60 billion to The end result was the fuelling of inflation the current low of $26.2 billion; for the as well as massive dollarisation of the first time in decades, growth is down to an economy. The combined forces of rent- annualised 3 percent or less; several seeking, political financing, geopolitical airlines have closed shop; foreign crisis and insurgency, falling oil prices, investors are fleeing in droves; the current inflation, political uncertainty and massive account balance has gone negative, to - dollarization of the economy was to put 2.48 during the third quarter; and the heavy pressure on the exchange rate, naira, which officially exchanges at N350 leading to devaluation of the naira. For a to the US dollar, has plummeted to N450 heavily import-dependent rentier to the dollar in the parallel market. Some economy, devaluation puts additional analysts have detected no less than 514 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIATexchange rates, a far cry from the diversified than was initially thought. GDP ratio of 44.6%, Sweden 45.6%, UK 39% and the United States USunified exchange rate that was Oil sector is certainly no longer the 27%. A weak tax base means that our government must continue toachieved during the years 2007-2014. dominant sector in terms of the total rely on the monthly FAAC allocation, which is essentially theRo u n d - t r i p p i n g h a s b e c o m e gross domestic product. The rebased ritual of collecting rents from multinational oil companies andwidespread, as people calculate that data show that the sector currently distributing same to the various tiers of government based on an agreedthey can make more profit by trading accounts for 14.4% of GDP and not statutory formula.in currency than by using foreign the 32.4% that it had been previously. There is also the fact that oil still accounts for 94% of our foreignexchange to import real goods. The The most dominant sectors today earnings. As far as I know, our country does not have a strategicmasses of our people are getting are: services (52%); industries (27%); trade policy. We have taken no measures to articulate a strategicdisappointed and impatient by the a n d a g r i c u l t u r e ( 1 9 . 6 5 % ) . trade policy to expand our range of export products while capturing newday. This is not what they voted for Manufacturing currently stands at markets and winning new international trade partners.and certainly not what they expected. 6.8% and not the paltry 1.9% that it Unfortunately, we have continued to do things the way we have alwaysOne of the criticisms of our national was previously thought to be. done them for decades. Albert Einstein famously defined insanity asdevelopment strategy is the fact that But this is only half the story. The the habit of doing the same thing over and over again while expecting ait has fostered problem is that oil different outcome. That model of the rentier petrodollar politicalgrowth while making A strategy of still accounts for over economy might have worked whilelittle or no inroads on diversification cannot be 70% of government oil prices were heading north. At apoverty. Indeed, the implemented in isolation. revenues and a time when we face the prospects ofWorld Bank, in a It is has to be part and staggering 94% of permanent oil price lows, however,major report on the parcel of a mix of policies total foreign pursuing the same trajectory whileNigerian economy a to re-engineer growth and earnings. The fact expecting our economic prospects tofew years ago, prosperity. I have the that oil today improve is clearly a mark ofcharacterised our metaphor of the motorcar accounts for only 9% consummate folly.development path as quite appropriate. As of GDP does notthat of “jobless everybody knows, lessen the challenge There is also the fact that oil stillgrowth”. It is automobiles run on gears. of our monocultural accounts for 94% of our foreigntherefore no surprise Whether manual or dependence on earnings. As far as I know, ourthat pover ty, automatic, it is the hydrocarbons. First country does not have a strategicjoblessness and gearing system in a all, except for a few trade policy. We have taken nodeepening inequities vehicle that propels it states like Lagos, measures to articulate a strategiccharacterise the lot forward. I propose seven Kano, Rivers and trade policy to expand our range ofof the vast majority gears for our national Ogun, the extractive export products while capturing newof our people. While economic recovery: capacity of the state markets and winning newthe economy is doing provision of a stimulus remains rather weak. international trade partners.well, the people are package; power and At federal and state Unfortunately, we have continued tonot. Suffering, infrastructures, human levels government is do things the way we have alwayshunger and capital, poverty still unable to alleviation and food  24 security, mass industrialization; job- creation; and governmental effectiveness.desperation are the generate revenueslot of millions of jobless young from taxation. In relation to ourpeople. emerging-market comparators,For decades, oil had been the Nigeria's tax-to-GDP ratio is one ofmainstay of the economy, the lowest in the world. Our tax-to-accounting for as much as 50% of GDP ratio currently stands at 6.1%GDP and over 90% of foreign compared to South Africa (26.9%),earnings. The 2013 rebasing of the Ghana (20.8%), India (17.7%),economy placed us in first position in Indonesia (12.0%), MauritiusAfrica, with a GDP of $510 billion. It (19.0%) and Kenya (18.4%). Thewas also discovered that the figures for advanced industrialeconomy has become more economies are higher by a wide order of magnitude: France has a tax to15 NN I December - 2016 Edition

MEDIA Buhari In The Eyes Of The PressDare Babarinsa HE coming to power of history, they are bidding their time. General MuhammaduDokpesi and Buhari had been both Not so the APC. In fair or foul weather, thethe likes of the tumultuous and triumphant, APC media have been stoutly in favour ofBen‐Bruce ending the 16 years rule of President Buhari and his party. This isbrothers and the elephantine Peoples' especially true of media houses owned bytheir Silverbird Democratic Party. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the formerGroup of governor of Lagos State who is lionized asmedia, have Though he has been in power now for the Leader of the APC, though that office isnot out‐rightly almost two years, the magic has waned, but not a creation of the party's Constitution.wagered their not lost, the riotous enthusiasm of his Whenever Tinubu is in control or hasmedia for the partisans, has been replaced with almost considerable influence, the media would beparty. They tepid acceptance that change takes time and decidedly partisan in content. This is verywent to war can sometimes be painful. The coalition true of The Nation newspapers and towith Jonathan that brought Buhari to power, the equally some extent TheNews magazine.but now that leviathan All Peoples Congress, APC, has Television stations like Televisionhis presidency suffered from the problems of success with Continental, TVC, and government ownedis history, they its expected fissiparous tensions, but it has media like Radio Lagos and Television areare bidding managed to hold. Buhari is still in a romance elegantly partisan. It should also be notedtheir time. with the Nigerian press, but not a roaring that one of the top leaders of the party is one. Indeed the honeymoon is over, but the publisher of Leadership group of each of the two parties, wearied of old newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah, who dalliance, is worried about a contested for the presidential ticket of the divorce.Buhari's great advantage with the party along with Buhari. press is the nature of the alliance that brought him to power and the reckless Despite all these resources, it would be weakness of his principal opponent, the otiose to expect the romance to last for too PDP, and its ill-starred candidate in the last long. One of the early signs of impatience presidential election, Dr Goodluck Ebele was the delay in the choice of cabinet Jonathan. Though there are media barons ministers. At the end of the day, after in the rank of the PDP lords, including the several months wait, not many surprises founder of the African Independent were offered to Nigerians. The new Television, AIT, and Ray Power radio, ministers were mostly members of the Chief Raymond Dokpesi, these have not same political brigade that has been on really translated into media muscle for the everyone's lip since Buhari's spectacular party. victory. Even soldiers, who seize power through coups, have been more diligent in Dokpesi and the likes of the Ben-Bruce choosing their ministers. Now one of the brothers and their Silverbird Group of APC governors, almost three years into his media, have not out-rightly wagered their tenure, has not constituted the state media for the party. They went to war with Executive Council as stipulated by the Jonathan but now that his presidency is Nigerian Constitution.  3616 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIAT Securing The FederationBy Kayode Are o be or not to be, is a question They tend to abuse instruments of law Nigeria settled long ago. That we enforcement to terrorize opponents and toThe security want to be together has been further partisan or sectional interests.environment proved by one civil war andof the 21st several constitutions. This is in The fundamental premise is that those whoCentury is spite of discordant voices and occasional administer national security do so for all,dynamic. rumbles. How to be, secure and stable, remain impartially and objectively, without lookingSecurity the lingering dilemma. forward to personal rewards or the fulfilmentplanners of a sectional agenda, only for the greater goodeverywhere Endemic insecurity and persistent challenges of the country.are often indicate we have not found an answer. Thesecaught might be symptoms of more fundamental Formal security apparatus is the lynch-pin ofunaware. malaise. Little comfort that we are not alone. national security. Informal elements have a role Many countries are in a similar situation. The to play but have unpleasant side effects. In security environment of the 21st Century is 1900, the high rate of burglaries in Ibadan led dynamic. Security planners everywhere are the Bashorun to create a vigilante force of often caught unaware. Frequent surprise hunters to watch the town at night. After three attacks and resurgence of dormant threat years of trying the system it was concluded that appear to upset security. the night watchmen were more a menace than protection. The then British Resident had to Hardly has the country faced a threat of direct create and fund a local police force of twenty invasion or external conquest except for the constables to control the threat. That is not seldom and occasional boundary dispute with different from the experience with most neighbours. The security challenge to Nigeria community self-help security outfits and is within. Nonetheless as a regional power, vigilantesin contemporary times. Where it is Nigeria must maintain commensurate security inevitable to use communal outfits to augment profile with its stature and needs. It has to security, they have to be regulated and secure itself to retain regard. Readiness to controlled. contribute to the relief of troubled allies within the region is expected of a regional power. The An interesting instrument during the colonial inability of the country to control its internal era was the Collective Punishment Ordinance space in the last few years dented its image and through which communities were levied to pay well-being. for properties destroyed during disturbances in their territory and the cost of deployment of Where are we coming from? State security had security forces to contain crisis. Did it deter been the central focus of internal security crisis and is it applicable now? If states face the management in Nigeria since 1914. The threat of a percentage of such costs being colonial government rolled back gradually, as deducted from their allocation at source would opportunity permits, the authority of they be more proactive in nipping threats in the paramount rulers in order to enforce its bud? supremacy. The concept of a central authority to provide security for all has remained Intelligence is the key to effective security. attractive ever since. It reduces the arbitrary use Prevention they say is better than cure. The of power by local chieftains and power elites. shortage of intelligence assets makes large swathes of territory available for incubating17 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIATinsurgency in the Niger Delta, North East and elsewhere in Drivers are the quest for self-administration by ethnicthe country. Contemporarily, hardly do solutions to internal nationalities, to bring governance nearer the people and toadministrative and political problems benefit from objective attract more resources for the development of affected areas.security inputs. Services operate stand- alone systems. This is a Without resolving fundamental issues will stability be assured?negative trend. Coordinated integration of systems would This is the strength of the advocates of dialogue rather thanserve better. force in the settlement of differences between governor and governed; between the centre and the states. On the otherSecurity is expensive. Like the case of Kobo-wise Naira- hand no constituent should be stronger than the federation.foolish, more resources will be expended in reacting to a threatthan making the initial investment to ensure that the threat did Where do the people come in? If the fundamental objective ofnot manifest. It is important to give priority to the government is the welfare and security of the people, thenenhancement of the capabilities of security services so that they deserve high priority in the security scheme. Security isthey have the wherewithal to perform their functions the responsibility of all. Everyone would expect therefore toeffectively. Government does not have the resources to fund contribute. How this is achieved is a matter of detail. Noall security needs. Society has to contribute its quota through matter how large the formal security apparatus is, it cannotsecurity trust funds. Proactive enforcement requires superior meet national security needs without the support of civilcapabilities and preparatory capacity-building, which cost society and civil structures. Paying attention to the economicmoney. well-being of the people is therefore essential to security.Guardians of order and tranquillity are expected to be Who or what is a Nigerian? It is fundamental to the securityinsulated from the divisive partisan struggle to gain or keep question. The heart of the matter is the assurance of thepolitical power. These principles of objectivity and neutrality loyalty of citizens. As a result of political developments, many continue to define themselves first by their ethnic group, thenGuardians of order and tranquillity by region, state or zone of origin, or even religion, beforeare expected to be insulated from national identity. Some, few as they may be, openly repudiatethe divisive partisan struggle to the concept of Nigeria and its values. They continue to professgain or keep political power. allegiance to other aspirational entities.of security operatives were lost in First and Second Republics Divided loyalty, on the part of the ruler and the ruled, makes itwhich created disorder.Then the military intervened. Non- difficult to marshal the collective will for security. The actionpartisanship, objectivity and neutrality of law enforcement of the disgruntled few can disturb serenity of the majority.agents are crucial to the sustenance of equity, order and rule This is why dissidence cannot be ignored. To carry everyoneof law. along, encouraging citizensto identify with the country, its values, goals and well-being, makes security easier.Quest for true federalism is a burning question which impactssecurity. Minorities not only want to have a say but to have Professionals appreciate that the best security is that whichtheir way. Ideally,different tiers of government are responsible enjoys enthusiastic support of the populace. Security servicesfor internal security within their domain. An emir may know provide guidance, enforcement of regulations, expertise andhis domain better than the Local Government Chairman or the facilities to achieve effectiveness. Therefore, the factorsthe Divisional Police Officer. Thus states, local governments, which militate against national integration deserve furthertown councils/district authorities and traditional institutions scrutiny. Citizens can embrace, by individual consent, thewill be expected to live up to responsibilities for their domain national identity of a country they believe will survive andwhich would include the provision of security.States and local succeed.Advancement of personal aspirations is paramountgovernments will provide security in their domain, to be to each person. To cultivate the commitment of more citizensassisted by higher authorities, when required. This will to Nigeria enhances security.remove the present constraint where the federal is responsible History and the lessons learnt from security loopholes shouldfor everything security and blamed for all short-comings. The benefit Nigeria.Leaders have to be better informed in order todevolution of security responsibilities and resources is an maintain peace and security.Greater investment in intelligenceenticing but volatile proposition. However, it is inevitable, no and information systems, sophisticated use of all tools,matter how long the delay. dialogue and tolerance would help.The security environment is complicated by disenchantment, a parlous economy,The agitation for further fragmentation has not subsided. unemployment, overpopulation, migration, advances in technology and threats without borders. Securing Nigeria now requires a holistic approach.18 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIAT National Assembly's Unconquered frontiersBy Monima Daminabo argely unsung as the legislature is yet to conquer. champion of the peoples' Ordinarily, the legislature as the first arm ofA case in point welfare, the Nigerian government, constitutes both the cruciblewas the 22nd legislature nevertheless has to and platform for blending the ingredients ofday of March its eternal credit landmark democracy as well as marshalling its playout.2005, when the achievements in the course of This axiom derives from its role as thefoundation for furthering the cause of good aggregation of the voices of the people, andNigeria's exit governance in the country. A case in point by implication their collective will. By thefrom the debt was the 22nd day of March 2005, when the same reasoning the quality of governance intrap was laid foundation for Nigeria's exit from the debt a polity depends on the extent to which thenot in Aso Rock, trap was laid not in Aso Rock, nor any other voices of the people as expressed throughnor any other than the National Assembly - specifically legislature drives the process of governance.than the the House of Representatives. With then When the legislature drives governance, theNational Deputy Speaker Austin Opara in the Chair people are carried along and they tend toAssembly ‐ the House had resolved to withhold demonstrate better compliance withspecifically the approval for appropriation in respect of debt government. However, where the reverse isHouse of servicing in the 2005 budget. the case and the legislature fails to driveRepresentatives. That single development triggered a flurry governance, either through its own systemic of reactions which had in their wake a weaknesses or exogenous factors such as complement of concessions from both the repressive tendencies of the executive arm, London and Paris clubs, whose import was the ultimate outcome remains a parade of the granting of concessions, namely some bad and failed policies of government. In waivers with respect to the country's debt which case the victims are not just the burden. The result is now history as Nigeria legislators who are denied operational enjoyed an escape from a decades-old debt liberties, but the entire society in general. It is burden. Not surprisingly, even the scant in this context that the legislature is credit for that feat which strayed towards the universally seen as the defining character of legislature only came in trickles and was democracy. restricted to foot notes. Against the backdrop of Nigeria's historical The foregoing notwithstanding, the fortunes challenge of economic under-development of the legislature in Nigeria today are still in and state of despair in the land, questions the doldrums. it is beyond conjecture that arise on how far the legislature has fared in after 56 years of independence out of its 102 driving and guiding governance in the years of existence as a nation, and with the country. The painful truth from historical last 17 years of unbroken democracy, evidence remains that the legislature had contemporary governance in Nigeria falls far been an absentee actor in the scheme of below the provisions of the country's things; perhaps until recently with the operational 1999 Constitution. Illustrations sustained run of democracy from 1999 to of this anomaly include several practices of date. Yet the problem lies less with the governance in the country which constitute legislature and more with the executive arm unmistakeable infractions of key provisions which even in different systems of of the Constitution. The poignancy of these government that the country has witnessed, infractions lies on the fact that they are sees the legislature as a competitor for power traceable to the limited development of the instead of a useful collaborator in the service legislature at the various tiers of governance. of the entire society. In that context these infractions also reflect This prognosis is accentuated by the history the complement of frontiers which the of the country's legislature. The roots of19 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIATNigeria's legislature can be traced to the parades the Eighth' session of the contraption of diarchy, an unusualnineteenth century politicaladventurism of the British colonial National Assembly and by extension concert of military and civilian leaderspower which established a semblanceof a legislative council in Lagos after the same cycle for the state houses of operating a 'democracy'. It was short-the city was ceded by the British crownin 1860. However, the council's assembly and in a limited context the lived as the Abacha coup of 1993 putmembership comprised mainlyexpatriate officials and representatives legislative chambers of the 744 Local paid to its fortunes when he abolishedof sundry interests; a dispensation thatguaranteed the exclusion of Government Areas. Yet much of the it but retained the core administrativeparticipation by and thereby concernfor the indigenous population. historical handicaps of the legislature structure with the hope of using it laterWhile the precursor of 1860 was anexclusively Lagos affair, a formal remain intact. in his bid for life Presidency.legislature for the entire country cameto be in 1922 under Sir Charles Hugh A run-down of the cadences of the However just as time changesClifford the successor to FrederickLugard. Incidentally, Lugard it legislature over time is instructive. For everything, Abacha died in 1998 andwas who had earlier amalgamatedthe units of the country into one instance, in 1954 the first set of polls thus vanished his dream. His successorpolitical entity in 1914. At the firstmeeting of Clifford's pioneer were conducted to usher in the regional General Abdulsalam Abubakarlegislative council (Legco) 21members attended out of which governments under the McPherson returned the country to democracy andonly three were Nigerians. TheLegco system was to run from C o n s t i t u t i o n . B y 1 9 5 9 t h e thereby the Fourth National Assembly1922 to its last session in 1955, inthe course of which indigenous independence polls were held with the in 1999 which lasted till 2003.representation improved in bothquantity and quality. The body elected members inaugurated in 1960, Succeeding it was the Fifth Nationalalso served as a valuablepreparatory ground for the as the Independence Parliament and Assembly of 2003 to 2007. The Sixthcountry in respect of mobilisingNigerians for the first ever polls the country's first formally elected National Assembly was from 2007 tointo regional houses of Assemblyin 1954.. 2011 while the Seventh was fromGiven that the primary objectiveof colonial administrations was never Yet the problem lies less 2011 - 2015, and the Eighth is theto promote the political interests of the present one that commenced incolonies, it is not surprising that theBritish may not have bothered to build with the legislature and 2015 and will hopefully terminatea viable home-grown and fully more with the executive in 2019.representative legislative infrastructure While it is admissible that given itsas well as culture. Nevertheless, thisexpectation was also denied the arm which even in different history, the Nigerian legislaturecountry by successive indigenous systems of government that has covered significant mileage inadministrations which took over the the country has witnessed, consolidation, there are still widereins of power from the colonial areas within its operationaladministrators in 1960; courtesy ofsporadic interventions by the Nigerian sees the legislature as a purview that demand attention ifmilitary in governance. The military competitor for power as the first arm of government, itwhich operates under a culture of shall earn its rank. These areas areregimentation found the legislature andits tradition of unfettered liberties, instead of a useful legion and include the agelonganachronistic and ensured its collaborator in the service struggle for fiscal autonomy oftruncation at every available of the entire society. the state houses of assembly andopportunity. As at today Nigeria legislative chambers of local government councils. The National Assembly has migrated legislature. In 1963 when to form the to that level but that is not the Republican Parliament. That story for the other tiers. Another area is Parliament was to last from 1963 to the challenge of capacity building 1967 but was truncated in 1966 during which is yet to enjoy deserved attention the country's first military coup. from the society. Yet another area Democracy returned to Nigeria 13 remains the development of viable, years after in 1979 and the nation's institutional infrastructure for legislative establishment was changed facilitating the enlightenment of the from the previous Westminster model general public by means of own Parliament to the Presidential system information dissemination organs such and named the National Assembly. a broadcast and multi-media facilities Thus the first National Assembly lasted as is recommended by the Inter from 1979 to 1983. The Second Parliamentary Union (IPU). National Assembly was inaugurated in Clearly the operational circumstances 1983 but was terminated in the same of Nigeria's legislature may not allow it 1983 with the Major General to surmount all of its outstanding Muhamadu Buhari coup of December challenges. Yet its leadership will find it 31st of that year. The Third National useful to press home the cause of good Assembly would not come until seven governance in Nigeria at all tiers, if it is years after in 1991 with the General to succeed in its march of conquest Ibrahim Babangida regime under the against its yet pristine frontiers.20 NN I December - 2016 Edition

HEALTHDiagnosing Nigeria’s out of pocket payments.Healthcare System In 1999, the National HealthNIGERIA has made several attempts at reforming her health system. Insurance System Act was enacted,Whether those reforms have fetched desired results or not is the question which was later amended in 2004. Itsthis analysis intends to x-ray. mandate was to provide universal health coverage to the citizens. More By Ibrahim Musa Idris There is a controversy on the best than a decade since the system came methodology to use in assessing the in being, only a paltry 5.0% of istorically, Nigeria's performance of health systems. As Nigerians have insurance coverage to health system the goal of health system is to mitigate the risk of over spending on evolved out of the improve population level health illness. Thus, this creates a colonial health outcomes through universal health conundrum where there is over services, which coverage and public health measures, provision of services for those who metamorphosed one of the tools of assessment is the can afford and almost lack ofinto regional health in the 1950s. healthy life expectancy measured healthcare for the have-nots.The most remarkable attemptwas the 1988 National Health Distribution of these services also isPolicy, during the tenure of a constraint to any attempt atOlukoye Ransome Kuti, which improving access to care. About 50%was tailored in keeping with thephilosophy of primary of physicians working in Nigeriahealthcare as enshrined in the reside in Lagos and Abuja, and1978 Alma Ata declaration. 90% of the remaining 50% resides in the major cities acrossHealthcare is on the concurrent the country to the detriment ofconstitutional list. This gives all rural areas. Now with thisthe three tiers of government decimal performance, it remainsleverage to invest liberally, and to be seen how Nigeria's healtheven cross the theoretical barrier system can achieve the universalthat delineated responsibility for health coverage; which the WHOeach at the primary, secondary or Director General, Magaret Chantertiary levels. described as “the single most powerful concept that publicGenerally, functional health health has to offer”.systems have certain shared Most developed countries adoptc h a r a c t e r i s t i c s. T h e y a r e Prof. Isaac Adewole, Health Minister either the UK's (Beveridge) single payer system, which reliesdistinguished in terms of having using Disability Adjusted Life on robust tax system to providesufficient number of skilled Expectancy (DALE). In the World universal coverage, or Germany'smanpower, sustainable and all- Health Report 2000, Nigeria's health (Bismarck) multi payer system,inclusive financing system, efficient system was ranked 187th out of 190 which utilizes payroll deductionsprocurement and distribution nations assessed. to provide coverage. Majority of thesystems and cost of services that are developing countries, Nigeriaaffordable (not that which can Nigeria's health system is facing inclusive, have a mix model that is notimpoverish the already poor citizens). challenges from multiple fronts. They archetypical of these two. TheirAn efficient health system must stand range from shortage of skilled systems are chaotic, disorganized andon the tree-legged stool of cost, manpower, inadequate facilities, poor lacking in both allocative andaccess and quality. funding and lack of affordability of technical efficiencies. In addition, care in a system that largely relies on competing demands from other sectors make choices hard and careful judgment an anathema.  3021 NN I December - 2016 Edition

SOCIETYFoodSupportFor Displaced FarmersBOUT 400,000 farmers are in need of fisheries, aquaculture and livestock production.urgent support to avert hunger inNorthern Nigeria in 2017. Food and ''For the last three to four years, farming has not beenAgriculture Organisation (FAO), an possible due to the conflict,\" said Bukar Tijani, FAOagency of the United Nations says Assistant Director-General and Regionalthere is food insecurity in parts of the Representative for Africa. More than three millionNorth-East axis of the country. people are affected by acute food insecurity in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.According to the global food andagriculture agency, urgent action is FAO has since launched a full-scale corporate responseneeded to provide farming and to the crisis and urgently requires $10 million to supplylivelihood support to some 400,000 seeds, fertilizers and irrigation equipment for thepeople. To ensure people can produce irrigated dry season. Already, FAO is preparing itsenough food for themselves, the response for the main agricultural season for whichresumption of agriculture activities are even more resources are required.a priority. \"This outgoing year (2016), significant territoryThis includes those who have been previously controlled by Boko Haram has beeninternally displaced by the terrorist rendered accessible to humanitarian assistance so weconflict in the area as well as have a critical opportunity to tackle the alarming levelscommunities who have been hosting of food insecurity in North-East Nigeria,\" said Timthem. They need urgent assistance to Vaessen, FAO's Emergency and Response Manager inrecover their livelihoods, which are Nigeria.mostly based on crop farming, artisanal FAO has so far reached over 123,000 people with funds22 NN I December - 2016 Edition

SOCIETYreceived, to improve their food security by enabling health and nutrition.them to grow their own food. While this assistance iscrucial, the UN agency reached just a fraction of those In the flashpoint, FAO is providing agricultural kits toin need of support and now FAO is seeking funds to vulnerable internally displaced people with access tosupport irrigated crop production, livestock land and host families. The kits included improvedrestocking and animal health treatment, including varieties of millet or sorghum and cowpea seeds - adisease control and supplementary feed, in the newly locally adapted and highly nutritious pulse - andliberated areas by troops battling to annihilate the fertilizers, enabling beneficiaries to grow their ownterrorists. food during the ongoing rain-fed season. The harvest was expected to start by last September ending, andThose rich with the local knowledge say three will allow beneficiaries to cover their food needs for upconsecutive planting seasons have been lost due to the to July, 2017.terrorist war in Northern Nigeria. Large influxes ofpeople fleeing repeated Boko Haram attacks is putting The agency is equally preparing to target an additionalsevere pressure on the already poor and vulnerable 85,000 people with horticulture packages to preparehost communities and their fragile agricultural and for the irrigated season. \"Growing their own healthypastoral livelihoods, exacerbating the precarious food and nutritious food reduces the need for futureand nutrition security situation. external food assistance. Families who have access to land and are ready to farm, can harvest in six to eightFailure to rebuild the rural economy in 2017 will weeks'', Vaessen said.translate into a lack of employment opportunities withpossible harmful consequences including youth Their activities in the country still remain constrainedradicalisation and enrollment into sectarian armed by a serious lack of funding. FAO has received lessgroups, resulting in continued civil conflict. FAO has than $5.00 million of which 20% came from it's ownhowever, warned that restarting food production in Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitationthe newly accessible areas, will have the additional Activities. Their programme in the war-ravagedbenefits of encouraging displaced citizens to return to North-East is also funded by Japan, Belgium, thetheir homes, while contributing to their improved European Commission, and the UN Central Emergency Fund.23 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIAT Economy: Challenges And Prospects For 2017Continued from pg 15 monstrous in their practical international investors. application.done them for decades. Albert At the heart of any diversification isEinstein famously defined insanity as What does it take to implement a the provision of critical public goodsthe habit of doing the same thing successful diversification strategy in such as physical infrastructures, inover and over again while expecting a today's Nigeria? particular electricity, railways, roads,different outcome. That model of harbours and a high level of humanthe rentier petrodollar political To begin with, it is important to capital and skills.economy might have worked while know what we are talking about. Weoil prices were heading north. At a made the point that the Nigerian A strategy of diversification cannottime when we face the prospects of economy is already relatively well be implemented in isolation. It is haspermanent oil price lows, however, diversified. The issue, however, is the to be part and parcel of a mix ofpursuing the same trajectory while quality of that diversification. policies to re-engineer growth andexpecting our economic prospects to Petroleum still accounts for 94% of prosperity. I have the metaphor ofimprove is clearly a mark of our foreign earnings and about 50% the motorcar quite appropriate. Asconsummate folly. of government revenues. That is not everybody knows, automobiles run good enough. To be meaningful, on gears. Whether manual orEconomists often refer to the diversification has to reflect not only automatic, it is the gearing system in aphenomenon of 'path-dependence'. a well diversified local production vehicle that propels it forward. IIt derives from the idiom of base but also variegated high quality propose seven gears for our nationalNewtonian mechanics, whereby a value-added products for local and economic recovery: provision of abody is said to continue in a state of world markets. Trade and product stimulus package; power andmotion, until an equal and opposite diversification is also vital, as is infrastructures, human capital,force compels it to stop or change diversification of international poverty alleviation and food security,direction. Since the seventies, we in trading partners. The idea is to ensure mass industrialization; job-creation;Nigeria continued on a path- that we do not put all our eggs in one and governmental effectiveness.dependent trajectory anchored on a basket, as the old saying goes.rentier oil political economy. It was As a priority, the first of the gearsbased on extracting rent from According to a recent study by the that need to be applied with themultinational oil companies; sitting UN Economic Commission for greatest urgency is a stimulusevery month within the FAAC like Africa (UNECA), some of the more package to ensure recovery and re-villagers sharing an elephant under a successful African diversifiers boot growth. This is standardtree -- distributing the funds among include Mauritius, Tunisia, Egypt, countercyclical Keynesianthe three tiers of government based Botswana, Kenya and South Africa. economics. We have to source theon an agreed formula. Among the drivers of successful funds from wherever we can find diversification are: (i) them to get the economy back onNobody considered the fact that oil quality/magnitude of investment in gear. In doing this we have tois a finite, depleting asset. There is infrastructures and key sectors; (ii) understand that monetary aggregatesalso the fact that technological effective trade and industrial policies; have to be relaxed in a time ofchanges could lead to alternatives to (iii) dynamic growth performance in recession, contrary to what the CBNhydrocarbons, driving down the productivity and output; (iv) and our fiscal authorities seem to beprice and eroding revenues macroeconomic stability anchored doing at present.accruable. on sound fiscal/monetary policies and improvements in key economic We also need to address the weaknessEconomics has been termed 'the fundamentals such as interest rates, of governance systems at federal,dismal science' for no unjustifiable exchange rate, inflation and access to state and local levels which has beenreason. Explaining the world and affordable credit for SMEs and the the bane of public administration inexplicating the forces underlying real sector; and (v) institutional our country. The first duty ofeconomic phenomena is one thing; variables such as good governance, government is to secure the commonknowing how to change the world is enhanced national competitiveness, peace. A country where randomquite another. Over-quantification absence of conflict and an attractive violence and nihilistic criminality,has led us into a dead alley, with environment for local business and kidnapping and banditry are thenostrums that are sometimes not norm has ipso facto failed in its mostonly wildly pernicious but plainly24 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIAT Economy: Challenges And Prospects For 2017elementary duties. It is gratifying that Governmental effectiveness also interest to attract foreign investors isthe insurgency in the north east is in requires that government operate pernicious. Courting hot money isits deathbed. Some of the Chibok according to the principles of sound not particularly ingenious in thesegirls have been set free from captivity. public management. Fiscal circumstances. Monetary policy mustBut it is not yet Uhuru. A new band profligacy must be avoided and waste aim to address the fundamentalof murderers have invaded in the must be kept to the barest minimum. needs of the economy such asMiddle Belt in the name of faceless The discipline of delivery and financing of the real sector, whichmarauding 'herdsmen'. Government, accountability should be applied has become a severe constraint thesesadly, has done little to help those across all levels. It is also essential to days.defenceless rural communities. balance the books. A governmentThese attacks have not only that lives above its means will sooner Greater coordination between thedestroyed rural livelihoods they have or later reap the whirlwind. Prudence monetary authority and fiscal side isaggravated the crisis of food security must be the watchword. And above vital. There is only one Federal Government and an autonomousFor decades, oil had been the all, the state must be the servant CBN is a part and inseparable parcelmainstay of the economy, of the people, not the Leviathan of that government. They cannot beaccounting for as much as that sucks their blood and seen to working at cross-purposes.50% of GDP and over 90% of oppresses the poor. More than any other institution, theforeign earnings. The 2013 CBN will have to play a central role inrebasing of the economy Economic science shows that a that transformation. It will have toplaced us in first position in stable exchange rate is good for reinvent itself as a developmentalAfrica, with a GDP of $510 the economy and good for central bank; a forward-lookingbillion. It was also discovered welfare. Countries that have knowledge institution that ensures athat the economy has become maintained stable exchange stable and prosperous economy, withmore diversified than was rates have done better in a stable currency that is increasinglyinitially thought. Oil sector international trade. These convertible under conditions of lowis certainly no longer the include Japan, Switzerland, inflation and full employment.dominant sector in terms of Canada and Norway. China hasthe total gross domestic deliberately kept its Yuan low by For the coming year of 2017, we areproduct. The rebased data purchasing US treasury bills. cautiously optimistic that theshow that the sector recession will be over. We expectcurrently accounts for 14.4% Restoring stability in the growth to return to something in theof GDP and not the 32.4% exchange requires addressing magnitude of 1.7 percent. Inflationthat it had been previously. the fundamentals of the can be expected to go down, with Nigerian economy that have improved harvests from the farmthroughout our country, given that placed downwards pressure on sector. Oil prices may be inchingthe central savannah is the the naira. It is urgent reform the upwards, thereby reducing pressurebreadbasket of Nigeria. There is also CBN is needed to re-focus the on the naira. The Federalthe resurgence of militancy in the organisation on its institutional Government, through the NationalNiger Delta. Attacks on oil core mandate. Linked to this is Planning Commission, is about toinstallations have undermined the need to take urgent steps to lower launch an Economic Recovery Planoptimal production of crude oil and interest rates in order to re-boot the in the New Year, which can behave worsened the fiscal crisis of the economy. In a time of recession, expected to boost confidence. Thisstate. Dealing with these problems keeping the MPR at 14% is certainly should have a salutary impact onwith wisdom and sagacity is key to not the best way to work our way out business sentiments, encouragingsecuring peace and progress in the of recession. The Manufacturers' local entrepreneurs to invest morecoming year. Association of Nigeria (MAN) and and foreign investors to step up the no less than the Finance Minister level of inward investments. Capital herself have pleaded for a downward markets may see greater activity in revision of the MPR. We must the New Year. This in turn should support lower interest rates so as to bring positive spin-offs to jobs and re-boot growth and restore recovery. an improved balance to banks and The argument that we are raising other corporations.25 NN I December - 2016 Edition

SOCIETYShapingThe Future OfWater XECUTIVE Director of National Water that better access to potable water can relieve about the Resources Institute, Kaduna, Nigeria, Dr. same total burden of diseases as do improvements in Emmanuel Adanu, says 30% of Nigerians public healthcare. still lack access to potable water. This is around 57 million of the country's From an economic policy and strategic standpoint it is population. unlikely that any other sector could have a larger, more substantial, and immediate impact on poverty reduction in As of January 1, 2016, Nigeria's population Nigeria. If the ultimate and final objective of povertywas estimated to be 184, 635, 279 people. This is an reduction is to be achieved, the water sector will need to beincrease of 2.67 % (4 ,796, 305 people) compared to the driving force of these changes. Not lessening thepopulation of 179, 838, 974 the year before. During 2016 importance of any other sectoral investments, thethe population was projected to increase by 4, 924, 223 consequences of a substantial increase in water supplypeople and reach 189, 559, 502 in the beginning of 2017. investments on widespread water borne mortality and morbidity, is likely to be significant.Adanu however, noted that Nigeria failed to meet theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs) as regards to Unlike literacy rates which usually take longer to becomewater because it was not properly captured in the MDGs as visible and materialise, increasing safe water provision, ifit is now in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). done by using the right approach and taking into account affordability and sustainability matters, has proven toThe SDGs goal is about water and waste water impact poverty rapidly and directly in many countries.management. ''The water we have on earth is more finite,population is growing which means the percentage of its In addition, water supply is an input in many industries.availability of it gets smaller by the day. So, we have to find Studies have proven that the costs of water supplya way to manage it and ensure that the one we have deficiencies in manufacturing in Nigeria are large. As wateravailable is not polluted'', Adanu said at a water quality is usually considered as an infrastructure service which ismeeting in Abuja, the country's capital city recently. final consumption product/service targeted to meet the basic needs of households, the costs of water supplyThere is need for a sustainable water action in the country. deficiencies in public policy is often overlooked,For instance, malaria is the predominant disease affecting underestimated, or totally unaccounted for.the population of the country. Many other diseasesendemic throughout Nigeria are generally associated with The heavy incidence of water supply failures among smallunsatisfactory drinking water supplies, poor sanitation firms has an implication for the growth of firms,conditions and inadequate health education programmes. industries, and the generation of employment. Since smallThese include diarrhea, dysentery, gastro-enteritis, firms can often not afford their own boreholes and otherinfectious hepatitis, hookworm, guinea worm, and other facilities, the burden of inadequate public water supplyparasitic infections. affects their development more seriously than those of larger size firms. By providing their own water supplyIn tangible terms, since the percentage of people with services, firms are substituting internal capital in the formaccess to safe water in the country is low and the country is of equipment, machinery, as well as labour in the form ofrelatively densely populated, the direct health maintenance personnel,for publicly providedrepercussions the situation imposes, especially on infrastructure services which are not forthcoming. Fromchildren, is often underestimated. Improving water supply an economic point of view, these inefficiencies of waterinfrastructure will help improve the social well-being of supply facilities affect the productivity of firms andthe population directly. It has been shown, for example,26 NN I December - 2016 Edition

SOCIETYincrease their cost of production. total population due to poor maintenance and unreliability of supplies. Rural coverage is estimated at 35%.Based on available data, Nigeria has adequate surface andground water resources to meet current demands for Except for Abuja and limited areas of Lagos in Westernpotable water though the temporal and spatial distribution Nigeria no urban community has a sewerage system, withof water has led to scarcity in some locations especially in the result that sewage and sullage either lie stagnant or areNorthern Nigeria. This disparity has led to rapid depletion disposed through the storm water drainage system. Theof groundwater, especially in the northern towns which proportion of the population with access to safe facilitieshave resorted to other sources. As state capitals and larger for disposal of excreta and waste water is lower than fortowns become more and more dependent on surface water supply.sources and experience the difficulties associated withtreating such water, shortages are developing in the far Government has always considered the provision of waterNorth and potential conflicts in Western Nigeria, where supply and sanitation services to be the domain of thewater transfer between states is necessary. In other three tiers. The public sector has not been successful inlocations, particularly in the Niger Delta region in meeting more than a small portion of the demand forSouthern Nigeria, and near major cities, conflicts arise due water and sanitation of residential and commercial users.to insufficient control of water pollution by the oil and gas Services are in critically short supply. For example, out ofindustry, and serious erosion problems. about 100 million people living in urban and semi-urban areas, less than half have reasonable access to reliableBefore the inception of the All Progressives Congress water supply. Many households, often the poorest, end up(APC) administration under President Muhammadu purchasing water from private vendors much moreBuhari's watch, efforts by past adminstrations have been expensively than from the public supply. Water supplyfragmented, focussing on water resources development services, where they exist, are unreliable and of low qualityon a sub-sectoral basis but neglecting to manage it and are not sustainable because of difficulties inThere is need for a sustainable water action in the country. For instance, malaria is the predominant disease affecting the population of the country. Many other diseases endemic throughout Nigeria are generally associated with unsatisfactory drinking water supplies, poor sanitation conditions and inadequate health education programmes. These include diarrhea, dysentery, gastro-enteritis, infectious hepatitis, hookworm, guinea worm, and other parasitic infections.strategically as a national resource. management, operation and pricing and failure to recover costs. Many water supply systems show extensiveGoing by the testimony of Aganu, it seems government deterioration and poor utilisation of existing capacities,now recognises the need to manage water supply in an due to under-maintenance and lack of funds forintegrated and sustainable manner, and is embarking on a operation.national water resources management strategy of sorts toensure proper management and development of its water Additionally, the high cost of imported equipmentresources. If that is the case, a participatory approach has especially in terms of a depreciating currency, andto be adopted, giving consideration to the needs of all inadequate cost recovery policies have contributed to largestakeholders. Nigeria's water agenda should include financial deficits in many state water authorities. This hasconsiderations of water supply development and left most of them dependent upon state subventions torehabilitation, water-shed protection, basin management, finance operations and maintenance of their waterwater quality monitoring and pollution control, systems, to service debt and to finance new investments.international waters, pricing and environmental The states' own financial constraints have often limited theprotection. amount and dependability of recurrent and capital subventions requiring the water boards to deferWhen viewed the other way round, Adanu, the executive maintenance and limit new investment.director of Nigeria's water resources institute is simplysaying that rapid population growth is not being Those who know better in Abuja say the Buhariaccompanied by an increase in the delivery of essential administration is pursuing a joint vision for waterurban services such as water supply, sewerage and development. Their logic is that water supply andsanitation, and collection and disposal of solid wastes. sanitation are central to improvements in so many aspectsEstimates have it that only about 50% of the urban and of human development, health, education, urban and20% of the semi-urban population currently have access rural development, development of industry and generalto reliable water supply of acceptable quality (i.e. economic development, and equally central to the APC'ssomething better than a traditional source). Overall quest to reduce poverty.effective urban water supply coverage is low as 30% of the27 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIAT A President’s Reluctance To Govern(?) By Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim appointing five out of the fifteen that had On assuming office, the President prioritised been approved. Out of the five, he sent three Nigeria's international relations and has he Constitution to the Vice President and one to the Minister invested heavily in visiting numerous places the power for Budget and National Planning. It took countries in the pursuit of Nigeria's interests. of the Executive President Muhammadu Buhari five months Any diplomat will tell you that while in one person, after inauguration to appoint ministers. The presidential visits are very important in the President. heads of most government agencies are yet to defining priorities, the real work never Nonetheless, the be appointed and the President appears to happens between the presidents. Things Constitution also stick rigorously to his assertion that political happen when the diplomats follow up.requires that ministers, advisers appointees are noisemakers and those who Diplomats can only follow up with authorityand heads of parastatals be do the real work are civil servants. if they have been accredited.appointed to help the President The problem with governance is that if you The President has had a very difficultcarry out the huge responsibility do not make political appointments, civil relationship with the National Assembly. Theof executing government servants make all the political decisions, result has been the incapacity of the Presidentpolicies. At the beginning of the including the most important decision of to pursue his legislative agenda. There were atBuhari Administration, there was NOT TO MAKE DECISIONS. Sometimes, least three urgent issues that have not beena general expectation that he civil servants do not want to make decisions addressed. The first is the reduction of thewould hit the ground running. so that they do not get noticed or disturbed as cost of governance through carrying outThis was because he used the they enjoy the perquisites of power, including legislation that would enable thetwo-months between his election the most harmful one of looting public implementation of the Oronsanye Report.and inauguration to consult funds. When therefore the president does not This would have made it possible to closeextensively with his political appoint people to govern, those at the head down and/or merge numerous parastatalsallies. Having sought for power of governmental organisations create forms that were duplication governmentalfor over a decade, it was assumed of governance linked to prolonging their mandates and draining resources. Thethat he knew exactly what to do temporary positions. Achieving policy goals Second was the Petroleum Industry Bill,with power. In any case, he had of the government cannot be their priority which we had been told would be prioritizedexercised power previously and because their logic is that they are there for a within the first quarter of the Administration.was fully aware about the job short time until the president decides on who The third was merging and/or strengtheningdescription of the presidency. should do the job on a full time basis. the anti corruption agencies to ease the anti-He got inaugurated on 29th May Governance is a continuous process of corruption commitments of the2015 and then nothing happened decision-making and interaction in all Government. So far, not much has happenedfor such a long time. Well, he did organisations, governments, markets, on these fronts.request for approval to appoint families, non-governmental organisations I have followed closely the announcement15 special advisers, which he and so on. Governance is therefore the rules, made by President Buhari in September 2015obtained on June 3, 2015, just norms, power equations, actions and that he was dismantling President Jonathan'sfive days after his inauguration. processes through which organisations Presidential Initiative in the North EastToday, 18-months after achieve objectives that have been defined. It (PINE) and establishing a new one –inauguration, he has succeeded in is for this reason that organisations give Presidential Committee on North East specific mandates to people they appoint to Initiatives under General T. Y. Danjuma. His achieve the set objectives. When that is not argument was that the situation in the North done, those who find themselves in the East was disastrous and needed urgent action position use the opportunity to achieve their by people with competence and integrity. The own objectives. Governance is a normative PCNI was finally established and inaugurated concept that underscores whether on 26th October 2016, 13-months after the expectations and objectives have been met or initial presidential directive to set it up. As it is not. It is for this reason that we talk of fair, clear that the President had been committed good and bad governance. The norms refer to the Initiative from day one, the only to respect to the interests and expectations of explanation for the delay is the dearth of stakeholders and are therefore about people in the Presidency to do the paper accountability. work. It appeared that the publication of28 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COMMENTARIATphotographs by Doctors Without determination that based on the facts had been paid by another governmentBorders of starving babies dying in Bama presented, the person is no longer agency. A second allegation was that hewas what reminded the President that no considered suitable for the appointment. flew on a first-class ticket to Saudi Arabiaone had acted on his directive to set up Presidential authority is about the power, on Emirate Airlines; to perform thethe PCNI. The Senate has just revealed or rather, the competence to make lesser hajj. The allegation is that the costthat while the President was delaying the decisions, give directives and enforce of the ticket was N2.9m. What isestablishment of the PCNI, allocations compliance to the said decisions and surprising however is that there was nomade to the agency were being spent in a directives. When a president gives information whether it was a private orreckless and corrupt manner by the directives and State institutions under his official visit. If the visit was private andSecretary to the Government. authority take action to nullify the Mr. Magu was paying for the ticketIt will be recalled that it took President directive, the implication is that they feel himself, there is nothing that says heBuhari about five months after election no compulsion to obey the president and cannot fly first class.to appoint his Chief of Staff and that is a bad sign about the exercise of The legitimacy of PresidentSecretary to the Government of the authority. I believe that the Senate was Mohammadu Buhari is based on theFederation (SGF). The President is still right to make the decision not to confirm belief of Nigerians that he is deeplysearching for a good Principal Private Magu because a security agency directly committed to the war against corruption.Secretary. This means paper work piles under the president's authority has He searched for and appointed Mr. Maguup simply because there are too few questioned the suitability of the because he believes that the choice willhands to process them. Governing nomination. advance the struggle against corruption.Nigeria is no easy task and our problems What is clear is that a number of keyare so many and so deep that governance There are many officers in the Administration are bent onprocesses have to be pursued with successes in President frustrating the anti corruption war. Theurgency. There are many successes in Buhari's efforts recent Senate revelation of informationPresident Buhari's efforts especially on especially on the wars that indicts the Secretary of thethe wars against terrorism and against terrorism and Government of engagement in corruptcorruption and he must be commended corruption and he acts is very damaging to the President.for his achievements. Handling the must be commended The alleged corruption involves moneyeconomy has been less successful and for his achievements. meant to help the starving populationthere is virtually a consensus in the Handling the economy seeking to recover from the devastationcountry today that the economic team has been less imposed on them by the Boko Haramsimply hasn't got the capacity to do the successful and there is insurgency. There have also beenwork. virtually a consensus allegations against the Chief of Staff toThe direct result of the lack of active in the country today the President that no one has respondedgovernance of the country is that the that the economic to. The message to Nigerians is that thoseauthority of the President is crumbling. team simply hasn't around the President are engaged inOne good illustration is the recent action got the capacity to do corruption and would not allow anyoneof the Department of State Security the work. to expose their acts. This is the fastestgoing to the Senate to challenge the route to the dismantling of Presidentnomination of Ibrahim Magu as What is interesting about the Magu affair Buhari as a leader committed to theChairman of the Economic and is the content of the evidence provided in struggle against corruption. If theFinancial Crimes Commission (EFCC). the security report, which was President allows himself to lose hisThe DSS has the competence to advice immediately leaked to the public. The legitimacy, he cannot exercise hison the suitability of candidates for first allegation was that Mr. Magu lives in authority and that is what we areappointment by background checks that a residence fraudulently rented for N40 beginning to observe. The Presidentshow whether or not the said candidates million at N20 million per annum. This is appointed Magu to the EFCC inhave skeletons in their closets that make surprising, as it is generally known that November 2015 and thirteen monthsthem ineligible. That process occurs when people are given political later, he cannot get the appointmentbefore the names of the persons are appointments that are considered to confirmed. Where is his authority?submitted for confirmation. For the DSS require secure accommodation, it is the Finally, there is growing evidence ofto go to a third party, the Senate, and responsibility of the Federal Capital intense inter-agency rivalry and conflictsargue that the person whose name has Development Administration to provide within the security sector. Nigeria'sbeen submitted by the President is not such official accommodation. It is security situation is very fragile and it issuitable for appointment is a direct therefore strange to accuse the resident imperative that all security agencies workchallenge on his authority. Of course the of such accommodation for rents that in concert and synergy for the return ofDSS can find information at anytime that peace and good governance. When theywould in their assessment make someone appear to work at cross-purposes, it is ourineligible for appointment. When the security that suffers. Presidentname of the person has already been sent Muhammadu Buhari must re-assert histo the Senate for approval, the correct authority immediately by ensuring that allprotocol is to forward such information his subaltern appointees obey histo the President who could then decide to directives and support his policies.withdraw the nomination if he makes the29 NN I December - 2016 Edition

HEALTH Diagnosing Nigeria's Healthcare SystemContinues from pg 21 to make available more robustNigeria's health insurance system is health information system Nigeria's healthpartly modeled around US' employer and electronic health record system is facingbased system, which has been proven platforms so as to improveto be wasteful with the highesthealthcare expenditure of 17% US' the efficiency of the system. challenges fromGDP, yet the country ranks 37thin the In tandem with Abuja multiple fronts. Theyworld. Moreover, it is a herculean task declaration, Nigeria shouldto enroll clients and sustain collectionof annual premium; where over 60% fulfill its pledge of dedicating range from shortageof the country's workforce came 15% of the national budget to of skilled manpower,from the informal sector. health sector while lobbyingThe financing structure of NHIS, donor countries to also inadequate facilities,which makes recourse to support the system with 0.7% poor funding and lackindependent purchasing agencies for of their gross nationalbuying care from the public and a fewprivate healthcare providers, despite income in keeping with their of affordability of careits advantage of risk pooling, pledges. in a system thatamounts to duplication of resources largely relies on outand wastage- provided that With 8.2% of the totalgovernment continues to maintain national budget spent onparallel supply-side structure to thepublic health institutions. health sector, Nigeria ranks of pocket payments. 35th among 53 AfricanIt seems, this system will do well withanother round of more radical and nations. More glaringly, thewell thought out reform. Since thethree tiers of government combined government spending onare the largest employers of healthcare as a percentage of GDP is task shifting is the key.healthcare workforce, and owners ofthe majority of health facilities- it is merely 0.9%, which translates to 52nd Many countries have adopted thisauspicious that the country switchesquickly to a single payer health system position in the ranking of African principle in areas of obstetric care,with acceptable measures put in placeto take care of moral hazard. countries. For any health system to HIV/AIDS and TB- where lowerThe system should be centralised work well, it has demonstrated that it cadre staff are trained to dowith NHIS as the single employer andone of the regulators. Instead of requires health sector spending of Caesarian sections and prescribesharing consumption taxes monthlyat FAAC, all Value Added Tax (VAT) not less than $60 per capita, unlike it ARVs. This notwithstanding, theshould be channeled to NHIS, whichin turn will provide universal health was erroneously thought to be only quality of care must be rigorouslycoverage to all Nigerians. Healthworkforce would therefore, be shared $10 in the past. interrogated using the Denobedianequitably and fairly, and no singlecommunity would be left without a Nigeria on adjusted scale Nigeria triad of structure, process andtrained health personnel. This would spent $217 per capita as at 2014. outcome. Some of these reformsgenerate jobs and ensure healthy Thus, it's ranked 25th among African would require legislations throughpopulation. nations. Simple reallocation of enacting new laws and repealing resources from inefficient existing archaic ones. These alone willThere should be collaborations with interventions to more cost effective not make the health system efficientorganizations like NITDA and NCC mix of interventions would certainly to achieve its objective. improve health outcomes by nearly There is need for good governance, 40%, if well carefully undertaken and tackling corruption and harmonious supervised. intersectoral collaborations. Intra Training and retraining of manpower agency, inter agency, intra is key to achieving this goal. In order professional and inter professional to manage the limited resources of conflicts have rendered many the country in the face of unlimited reforms useless in the past. demands, there should be trade off in Government must unite its systems terms of the services rendered by to work like a team for the country to highly skilled manpower that are very reach the dream status of Eldorado. expensive to train and even more Musa is an epidemiologist and expensive to maintain. In this regard, consultant haematologist in Kano.30 NN I December - 2016 Edition

ENTERTAINMENT ShootsHE Nigerian video- film industry has witnessed one of the greatest booms in the African popular culture sector. It is the first economically self-sustainable film industry through useof video technology, before nowaffordable digital technology, Nigeriaproduces more than 2000 films a year.The industry, popularly calledNollywood, is currently ranked as thesecond-largest in the world in termsof output after India's Bollywood.Nollywood's popularity has spreadacross the African continent todiaspora population in Europe, NorthAmerica and Australia. It has gone asfar as the Caribbean and PacificIslands.The industry seeds were planted in the Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Nollywood screen goddesslate 1980s, and at a time Nigeria facedeconomic difficulties. The economic set within the thematic and stylistic entrepreneurial spirit of Nigeriansclimate made film-making on celluloid characteristics of superstition, through the use of affordable andprohibitively expensive, and created a witchcraft, religion, the quest for accessible technology. They are small-fertile ground for other, more upward mobility and melodrama in scale digital cameras, desktop editingaffordable methods to develop. Lagos's urban landscape. It explores software, and distribution throughNigerian businessman, Kenneth corruption, love triangles and DVD and video compact disc. TheseNnebue is generally credited with domestic disputes – all themes that sell for around $2.00 per copy inproducing the first major Nollywood have since been replicated in many Nigeria, and are watched at home, infilm, Living in Bondage (1992). Nollywood narratives. street corners, cineclubs or video parlours.The film follows the tale of a man who The industry captures thejoins a secret cult and murders his wifein a ritual sacrifice to gain wealth. It is31 NN I January - 2016 Edition

Aheadsometimes referred to as “New Netflix has acquired a number of Nollywood”, New Nigerian Cinema, Nigerian films, indicative of the or the New Wave. These films are seen platform's realisation of Nollywood's more widely than standard Nollywood popularity and commercial potential across the world.While the term Nollywood is generally fare and are accessible to non-Africanused to refer to the entire industry, it is audiences. New Nollywood includes Nollywood is having the greatestimportant to note that it is not unified. the work of directors such as Kunle impact in Africa. For the continent'sThere is a great deal of diversity. Afolayan, Obi Emelonye, Jeta Amata, audiences who have for decades beenDifferent genres exist, including Stephanie Okereke and Mahmood fed imported films, the developmenthorror, melodrama, comedy and Ali-Balogun. of a local, homegrown film industry isaction, as well as language divisions. It hugely significant and important.also includes films in English, Yoruba, The budgets for these films have also Their popularity has spread across theIgbo and Hausa. increased considerably, ranging from continent and Nollywood films are $250,000 to $750,000. The production watched all over Africa, from KenyaDespite its enormous output, cycles are also much longer. The New and Tanzania to Cameroon, Guineafinancing remains low, with the Nollywood films should therefore be and Togo. They are sometimesaverage budget for a Nollywood film recognised as very different from the dubbed or translated through livebeing around $20,000-$75,000. The low-budget video format films. interpretation at public screenings.industry is often criticised for lowproduction values. It is characterised Red-carpet premieres attracting huge The model has also been exported andby rapid turn around times, the lack of audiences now take place regularly adapted across the continent. Video-script development, bad lighting and across the world from Nigeria to other film industries have been emerging insound, low-budget special effects and African cities and urban centres with a many countries, including Riverwoodamateur editing. Directors are mostly big African diaspora. Film festivals in Kenya, Ugawood in Uganda andself-taught, and are often less internationally have also picked up on Bongowood in Tanzania. There areimportant and lower down the its huge popularity. Special also similar industries in theNollywood chain than stars, programmes with a Nollywood focus Democratic Republic of the Congo,producers and distributors. have taken place in Paris, London and Cameroon, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zambia, New York, among others. South Africa and Zimbabwe. The most obvious explanation is that theDistributors often act as producers. Nollywood can also be watched on films display familiar and recognisable cultural beliefs, lifestyles, traditions,Despite all of this, the popularity of pay-TV networks and free-to-air societal and sociocultural structures,Nollywood compels film aficionados, broadcasters across the continent and histories, settings and locations. Theirscholars, festivals and cinema beyond. South Africa's M-Net, which themes and narratives tap into theprogrammers to take it seriously. A broadcasts across Africa, has channels fears, dreams and aspirations ofgrowing body of Nollywood dedicated to Nollywood. Intrepid audiences.scholarship has emerged over the past distributors, mostly from the African15 years, too. diaspora, have created video-on- It seems the industry is set to expand, demand platforms for Nollywood. grow and diversify along withBlockbuster One example is the huge iROKOv. audience tastes, viewing habits and the technological advancements. This isMost industry directors have started This has increased accessibility to evident in the hugely popular Tanzanian video-film industry,to make higher quality films. These are African diaspora audiences. Even Bongowood. Tanzanian audiences initially watched imported Nollywood films, but from the early 2000s aspiring local filmmakers started to produce their own video-films. The popularity of local Bongo films now outweighs Nollywood.32 NN I December - 2016 Edition

BUSINESS/ECONOMYBottomOf PowerBy Akanimo Sampson NE of the main to land. Government even said that the constraints for economic 2,483MW target for 2015 was a short growth in Nigeria is This fuels the need to use clean energy term mark while 8,188MW and energy. Epileptic power that is cost-effective, readily accessible 23,134MW were medium and long term supply is still a persistent and technically efficient. Clean energy targets for 2020 and 2030 respectively inchallenge affecting businesses across the like biomass is a biological material that the policy.country. Its also not helping foreign comes from living, or recently livinginvestors. organisms like plants, serves both on- Such growth plan, according to grid and off-grid households. It is government was contained in the draftNigeria sits at the bottom of the table especially helpful in the rural areas. renewable energy and efficiency policywhen it comes to delivering power. It which the Ministry of Works, HousingranBkys1A87kaonuitmoof S18a9mcposuonntries in the Nigeria has to seize the opportunity to and Power currently promotes. Aworld, according to a World Bank develop renewable energy to foster breakdown of the renewable electricitybusiness report. economic growth, improve the generation projections in the draft livelihoods of citizens, and use her document was expected to contributeCurrent output of renewable energy as a energy policy to drive industrialisation about 1.3% of Nigeria's energy mix bypercentage of the overall energy mix in and rural electrification in a sustainable 2015, while generation growths of 8.0%tthe country is very low. The energy mix is manner. This will largely depend on the and 16% were expected between 2020largely dominated by oil which makes up ability of President Muhammadu and 2030 respectively.57% and natural gas 36%. Solar power Buhari's administration to prioritise andand hydro power represent 13% and %, implement renewable energy. The Large and small hydro power plants wererespectively. administration is desirous of leaving expected to contribute as much as behind a commitment to a policy of 2,121MW and 140MW by 2015, inVast majority of the less than 190 million integrated rural development as a key to addition to the 117MW that wasNigerians still depends on burning of national development. Fundamental to expected from solar power projects.fuel wood for energy purposes. This this is the provision of electricity in therepresents 80% of the energy mix. rural areas; an objective which the Rural Clearly, the country's renewable energyEnvironmental rights advocacy groups in Electrification Programme is designed to plan does not appear to set attainablethe country like Environmental Rights achieve. renewable energy targets nor does it haveAction (ERA), and Health of Mother a framework that will drive energy supplyEarth Foundation (HOMEF) say Before now, Abuja had said that it was for most of the citizens. Analysts sayburning fuel wood has serious health planning to add about 2,483 megawatts without a robust strategy and adequateimplications causing lung and heart (MW) of electricity to the national grid policy implementation, sustainablediseases. by 2015. That is yet to come true. energy production cannot be achieved inThere are claims that 43% and 32% ofpost-neonatal and child deathsrespectively have been attributed to useof wood fuel in the country. ERA hasbeen insisting that it causes deforestationand increases carbon emission in theatmosphere. Most people also lack access33 NN I December - 2016 Edition

BUSINESS/ECONOMYthe country. Top 10 Banks In NigeriaConcerned stakeholders are calling for anagency across all relevant ministries with ear 2016 A.D may well go down as the toughest operating year fora mandate to revamp renewable energy Nigerian banks. The introduction of Treasury Single Account, TSAprojects. Activists are pushing for the which took trillions of naira away from the banking system affectedEnvironment Ministry to take leading the banks' liquidity putting additional pressure on bank workers torole and synergies efforts among the key mobilize deposits from other sources.ministries. However, the ability of the banks to mobilize deposits was furtherThe country has a geographic advantage hampered by the down turn in the economy which considerablyto encourage renewable projects, as well reduced government and private sector spending.as has human resources and capacity tolead one of the best renewable industries As banks continued to lose deposits, so did the unscrupulous ones among themin the world. To do this, the Buhari embarked on de-marketing campaign to gain advantage over each other in depositsadministration has to overhaul Nigeria's mobilization.energy policy and increase investment inresearch and development. The combined effect has impacted the position of top 10 banks in Nigeria when ranked along their deposit base with even the leading players sustaining losses.Nigeria has great potential for renewableenergy – especially solar, biomass and Al though FBN Holdings continues to retain its top spot as the financial institution withhydro power. But she does not seem to the more cash inhave invested much in research and its vault, itsdevelopment to expand its industries. In deposit base ofthe past 30 years; countries like China and about N2.97Brazil have invested in energy production trillion as at theand supply to boost industrialisation. In end of 2015contrast, Nigeria's investment in energy represent aproduction and maintenance has decline of 2.6%reduced remarkably over this period of from thetime. This has left Nigeria behind in the preceding year'sindustrial revolution. figure.China is a global leader, with significant On the contrary,research and development in renewable Zenith Bank stillenergy technologies. It invested a total of ranked second in$56.3 billion on renewable projects in the hierarchy of2013 with a special focus on solar. The top 10 banks bysolar photo-voltaic industry alone deposit base withcreated 1.6 million jobs. N2.56 trillion at the end of 2015 because it has been able to at least keep its deposits from declining.Brazil invests around $30 billion a year onthe sugar cane industry with 60% on bio- United Bank for Africa, UBA's customer deposit base of N2.08 trillion which placed itfuel production funded by the third on the scale is a reduction of 4.1% from the preceding year's figure.government. Brazil has had muchsuccess in the bio-fuel industry, through Access Bank is Nigeria's 4th largest bank by deposit base, a position it attained bypartnership with the universities and pushing GTB and Diamond Bank down the ladder with 15.7% growth in its deposit.enterprise. Access Bank deposit stood at over N1.68 trillion at the end of 2015.Nigeria can emulate both countries. GTB, with deposit base of N1.61trillion occupies the 5th position while Diamond BankBiomass resources exist in the country with deposit base of N1.23 trillion took the 6th position.and can be used for bio-fuel production.But large-scale production is yet to be The Bank's deposit base dropped by 17.4% in 2015. Ecobank retained its position asprioritised by the government, partly due the bank with the seventh largest deposit base in Nigeria with a customer depositto lack of research and development, portfolio of nearly N1.22 trillion.limited expertise and poor funding. Fidelity Bank with deposit of N770billion is ranked 8th on the hierarchy and is followed by Skye Bank with a customer deposit portfolio of about N770 billion. Skye Bank has suffered a successive decline in its capital base for three years. With a customer deposit base of over N700 billion, FCMB is at the bottom of the ranking of 10 banks with the largest customer deposits in Nigeria. FCMB's deposit base is slightly over N700 billion.34 NN I December - 2016 Edition



MEDIA Buhari In The Eyes Of The PressContinued from pg 16As expected, the President has Onukaba Adenuiyi-Ojo, former Yet the Adesina-Garba team hascontinued to dominate the Press. They managing director of The Daily Times invested the Villa media space withtreat him with grudging respect and and several other media praetorians. seriousness; a direct reflection of theeven the social media, with its lynching To compliment the team was austere Muhammadu Buhari. Whilemob mentality, have allowed Buhari to Nyaknno Osso, the Senior Special maintaining the mystique of theescape the riot treatment; even when Assistant to the President on Research President, they have created access tohe made mention of the “other and Documentation. Oso was to play the media more than ever before sinceroom,” in an unguarded moment in a singular role in the establishment of Obasanjo retired in 2007. No longerreaction to the exasperating interview the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential would the Villa be inaccessible to theof his wife, the Nigerian First Lady. It Library, OOPL, in Abeokuta, Ogun media or be answered with incredibleis difficult to pin point why this State. The three persons, who stonewalling. Though the Presidentgrudging reverence in a time of social managed Obasanjo's media outfit at has not granted frequent interviews todisquiet and economic privation. He is the Villa, were well known for their the Nigerian media and preferred tonot called “clueless” as was the fate of antecedents. The first was the late make statements to foreign media, thisJonathan, who during his practice has not affected thecampaign reminded us that he image of the President.grew up without shoes. Buhari's media team is To confirm his accessibility, heBuhari's media team is certainly certainly better equipped wrote The Prologue to Thebetter equipped than Jonathan's than Jonathan's own. In Nigerian Century, an epochalown. In the first part of his the first part of his publication documenting thePresidency, Jonathan's Adviser Presidency, Jonathan's history of Nigeria from 1914 toon Information was Ima Niboro, Adviser on Information was the present day. The Nigeriana one-man riot squad who was Century is published by Gaskiasucceeded by the highly Ima Niboro, a one-man riot Media Limited.competent Reuben Abati. Both squad who was succeeded Creating access to themen managed to use the lean by the highly competent Presidency has been the forte ofbureaucratic apparatus of the Reuben Abati. Both men Buhari's media team. This hasState House to facilitate their job. managed to use the lean not allowed rumour and evenBuhari has followed the same bureaucratic apparatus of urban myths to take on formspattern only with the added the State House to and dominate the media as theymedia muscle of Garba Shehu, facilitate their job. did in the latter days of thewho is the Senior Special Jonathan Presidency. As of now,Assistant to the President on the media is sympathetic to theMedia. The man in charge of the President despite its increasingoverall apparatus is Femi Tunji Oseni, who for many years was opposition to some of theAdesina, former managing director of editor-in-chief of OPEC journals in government policy and the inability ofthe Sun newspapers, who is now the Geneva and was once the Managing the ruling APC to gain proper controlPresident Special Adviser on Director of the Times. He was of the institutions of state, especiallyInformation. succeeded by Doyin Okupe, a the errant National Assembly and itsThe precedence was even of a higher physician who for many years was a alleged large appetite.pedestal during the Obasanjo wayfarer in media management. So far the President is still in favourPresidency. During the presidency of Okupe was succeeded by the late with the press. The next presidentialChief Obasanjo, the media high Oluremi Oyo, the former Managing and general elections appear far awaycommand at the Villa paraded many Director of the News Agency of in 2019. It would be good to see howbattle-tested generals including the Nigeria and former President, the Buhari regime, buoyed into powerlikes of Onyeama Ugochukwu, Nigerian Guild of Editors. Since the by a media tsunami against Jonathan,former managing director of the Daily exit of Obasanjo, the villa has not would measure up to the media frenzyTimes, Stanley Macebuh, former paraded such star-studded media that always attends presidentialManaging Director of The Guardian, team. campaigns and elections.36 NN I December - 2016 Edition

BUSINESS/ECONOMYExplosive ITHIN the last Oil Fields 10 years, vandalisation the combined working capacity of all about 97.5 percent of the total of oil pipelines 21 Pipelines and Product Marketing number of cases. in Nigeria has Company (PPMC) depots nationwide, had a colossal excluding holding capacities at Foremost environmental rightscost of over N500 billion on the refineries can provide products advocate in the country, and formercountry's economy. Graphic details sufficiency of up to 32 days for petrol, Chair of Friends of the Earthfrom the Nigerian National Petroleum 65 days for kerosene and 42 days for International (FoEI), a globalCorporation (NNPC) have shown diesel, but the activities of the pipeline federation of environmental rightshow the activities of pipeline vandals vandals have made it impossible for groups, Nnimmo Bassey, says recenthave complicated the free flow of the facilities to function full blast. bombings of oil pipelines in the Nigerpetroleum products and crude supply Delta, a roubled oil and gas region, isin its pipeline system leading to huge Data from the corporation, that again raising the spectre of escalationamounts in product losses and repairs excludes sabotage by Niger Delta of conflicts in the troubled region.of products pipelines. outlows say a total of 16,083 pipeline breaks were recorded within the last 10 ''We need conversations more thanNNPC says the advent of illegal years, adding that while 398 pipeline contracts. We need listening posts notbunkering, pipeline vandalism and breaks representing 2.4 per cent were more trenches. Open the prison doors.product theft has massively impacted due to ruptures, the activities of Those locked up outside of thison the capacity of the country's unpatriotic vandals accounted for country should be brought backmassive oil and gas assets to function 15,685 breaks which translates to home. We have to rebuild ouroptimally. communities. Inclusively,Information obtained from thenational oil corporation indicates that37 NN I December - 2016 Edition

BUSINESS/ECONOMYcommunities are the best policemen ''What is offered in reality has routinely ''Government should ensure that theof pipelines in their environments'', he been environmental degradation, current patrolling of the creeks of thesaid. disruption of social structures, Niger Delta do not lead to attacks on corruption, disease and death. Sadly, communities. Where individualsBassey who is currently the Director communities in countries where crude offend the law, such individuals shouldof Health of Mother Earth oil is discovered are still being offered face the law. Whole communitiesFoundation (HOMEF) told this the same promises that the resource should never be punished for the sinsreporter in an online interview that scarcely delivers. And as sure as fire of one person or groups of persons.while HOMEF cannot say the reasons burns, the hopes and promises are Military actions in fragile communitiesfor the incidents, ''it does appear to be bound to be dashed. And then the only entrench miseries and furthercalculated acts of sabotage rather than conflicts start. ecological tragedies.mere vandalism.'' ''Oil theft, bush refineries and related businesses operate at an industrial ''Militancy based on the platform ofHis views went thus: ''In cases of scale in the Niger Delta. political (non-partisan) agitationvandalism the motive routinely is the Unfor tunately. When poorly requires deep interrogations. Often,stealing of crude oil or refined such conflicts require politicalpetroleum products. Where pipelines maintained facilities are added to theare bombed in the manner mix, the result is extremely toxic and solutions. Some of us werethe current incidents have the consequences are well surprised at the success of thebeen reported, the signal is documented. Responses have often amnesty programmethat these are political reinforced the crises, rather than especially when seen that theactions. However, no one has mitigate them. What has been the programme was in part aclaimed responsibility. That response to the recent bombing of panic measure as pipelinesis against the grain. pipelines including those in the were erupting and oil Gbaramatu area of Delta State? production and related''It should be noted that Predictably the response has been revenues were dwindling.political actions do not have heavy militarisation of the area.to be partisan in nature as ''The question is, to what extent can ''More than the cash pay-they can be carried out by militarisation protect the over 7000 outs, it must be the otherpersons or groups that are kilometres of pipelines in the Niger actions, including educationsimply disenchanted with Delta. We hope the reign of the and skills acquisition that didexisting political system. gunboats in the Niger Delta will not the trick. Despite the successThey could also be lead to a replay of the levelling of of the amnesty programmeorchestrated by persons or groups communities that was virtually routine and the militarization of the Nigerwhose vested interests are threatened. a few years ago.'' Delta we cannot say that sustainableIf these are agreed as possibilities, we peace has been constructed in theshould be able to come to the region.conclusion that the recent bombingsmay not necessarily be the hand work ''We can understand why someof militants. Fishing for culprits would persons are perplexed that despite therequire extra-wide nets. heavy investment in infrastructural projects disenchantment is still''Militancy in the Niger Delta arose as a endemic in the region. That is why theresult of accrued disenchantment with petroleum economy is a negativeboth the government and the economy – whether the price of crudetransnational corporations over is as high as gas flare stacks or as low asminimal expectations from the local the bottom of the barrels.population. The fact of oil being soalluring cannot be denied. It always There must be ways of rebuildingoffers communities dreams and hopes dignity among our peoples. We have toof social services, employment, rebuild our brotherhood andinfrastructural improvements and sisterhood with one another anddramatic societal transformation. restore the motherhood of the earth'', the HOMEF boss said.38 NN I December - 2016 Edition

BUSINESS/ECONOMY Enters Takaful InsuranceDR. Momodou Musa Joof is atop Jaiz Takaful Insurance (JTI) Plc in Nigeria, as Chief Executive Officer. He has vast experience in Islamic banking and insurance. He spoke to our Researcher/Reporter, Abdulsalam Mahmud, on what the novel insurance business is all about. Excerpt:“ deally, one is not even expected to say Takaful Insurance Dr Momodou Joof in the first place. Just Takaful. However, for marketing purposes, one is at liberty to call it such, so that people Nigeria, we are also operating in countries like Sudan, Zambia, can easily associate Takaful with insurance. Takaful is a my country, Gambia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, full insurance that is Shariah-compliant and does not Indonesia, Bahrain, Pakistan, Kenya, and Egypt. Even England violate the rules and principles of Islam, which shies has wholly embraced and accepted the JTI principles.” away from Riba (Usury) and unfairness. How is it working in Gambia, your country? “From the onset, JTI was evolved to create employment, “Believe me, many Gambians who had keyed into the JTI entrench the culture of transparency and fairness in the initiative became financially empowered as a result of the funds business of insurance; and, alleviate poverty through Zaka'at or profits that are shared among participants annually. At the (Alms giving) and profit sharing among the policyholders who moment, many Gambian JTI clients are already self-reliant are our participants. courtesy of the JTI. Unlike the conventional insurance “It is noteworthy to state that the JTI does not only indemnify companies, JTI compensates a participant whether he does or fixed properties and assets which are regarded as non-life didn't suffer any loss. This is done by fully paying for a Takaful. For example, house, vehicle, contractor's all-risk, participant's loss or giving him his share of the surplus funds left inferno, accidents, employment liabilities, consequential loss at the end of a year, if he didn't suffer any loss.” etc. JTI also covers the family Takaful which has to do with On allaying fears of non-Muslims? human-life. That is paying a compensation for death, loss of “I hope, you will not be amazed if I inform you that a head of a limbs suffered by a participant or even sponsoring the department in our Abuja branch is not a Muslim, but a Christian. education of a participant's child.” Most of the staff in Gambia are Christians. Very importantly, the On their principles: 15% Zaka'at deducted annually from members' contributions is “With Tabbaru, a participant is saying that what he intends to not used to finance mosque constructions or other Islamic contribute is a donation that should be used to settle all losses activities. It is given out as charity to the needy, and destitute in that members of the group suffer, including his own. And if at the society regardless of their religion.” the end of the year there are surplus fund left, it would be shared Challenge in Nigeria? on percentage according to the sum each member had “So far, the challenge we are facing is our inability to register contributed. The other is Ta'awun which has to do with plenty teaming prospective participants who have signified interests, people coming together for their own mutual benefit. It is due to the fact that our registration process is yet be finalised, Islamically acceptable and highly encouraged that people and officially approved by the regulators. But honestly, the should participate in joint ventures that will benefit them.” Nigerian business environment is very enabling and friendly. We Not interest-oriented business? are already partnering with the media, in order to create massive “As I said earlier, JTI offers only Islamic insurance or better still, awareness on JTI's activities, how we promote fairness in sharing a Takaful which is totally in conformity with Shariah principles. profits, alleviates poverty and financially empower people.” Besides, the Shariah Advisory Council (SAC)—a body which offers JTI advice based on the dictates of Shariah—would have out rightly condemned its lawfulness and practice.” Any difference between life and non-life insurance? “That of the family deals with human life such as accidents and investment policies. While the general aspect has to do with fixed assets or properties, like vehicle, house, engineering, incidence of burglary and inferno among others.” What is your model? “The model adopted by JTI is known as hybrid, which promotes cooperative risk sharing among participants. JTI earns a fee for the services provided as agents or Wakil of the participants. In other words, there is profit sharing on the investment of the Takaful between JTI (30%) and the participants (70%).” Duly registered in Nigeria by the Corporate Affairs Commission? “JTI is a public limited liability company legally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and regulated by National Insurance Commission (NAICOM). Apart from39 NN I December - 2016 Edition

SPORTS Same Old StoryThe Super Falcon players jubilating after winning the 2016 AWCON By Abdulsalam Mahmud Football is the most popular sport in Nigeria and the various national teams had with their s in previous years, there was little to cheer in Nigeria's performances at various competitions, ensured that sports in 2016. the country was rated among the 'super powers' Solomon Dalong, the Minister of Youth Development playing the round leather game, at least in Africa. and Sport may go down as one of President Buhari's unlucky cabinet Ministers. And that would be a fair But in what can be taken as a succinct reflection of assessment if the Minister were to be judged against declining prowess of the country in the game in Nigeria's performance in the Sport sector in 2016. recent years, Nigeria will not be present when theJust as in previous years, Nigeria's sport sector is still mirred in roll call of participants for the major continentalmaladministration, underfunding, needless controversies and crass competition, the African Cup of Nations is madeineptitude on the part of its administrators. early 2017, in Gabon.But, Mr. Dalong also has the unenviable penchance for making an alreadybad situation grave by his not well considered utterances when controversies The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2017erupt. edition of the African Nations Cup following theirDalong and his penchance for stirring unnecessary controversies aside, loss to Pharaohs of Egypt on Tuesday, March 29,Nigerian sports federations and associations had participated in many 2016. It will be the second time in succession thatcompetitions at the regional, continental and global levels in 2016, but with the three times African champion will be missing atvery little to cheer in terms of victories. the prestigious soccer fiesta organized by CAF.National Football Teams: At the age-grade competition, the Golden Eaglets (Under-17) and their immediate senior colleague, the Flying Eagles (Under-20) also did not fare well in the qualifying series for the African Youth Championships (AYC) for their respective age grades. The Eaglets, who are not only the defending champions but 5 times winner at the U-17 World40 NN I December - 2016 Edition

SPORTSCup, were knocked out at the final refused vacating their Abuja hotel and There are however a couple of brightqualifying round by Nigerian lads in a threatened to confiscate the trophy if spots for Nigeria at Rio - veteran tablevery painful way in Abeokuta—after they were not paid their legitimate dues tennis star, Segun Toriola made history aswinning the first leg away. had cast a heavy slur on the the first African to participate in seven administrative acumen of NFF officials, consecutive Olympics, a feat that wasThe female U-17 and U-20 sides, the and by extension, the sports ministry. duly recognized by the InternationalFlamingoes and Falconets did not fare Another debacle suffered by Nigerian Table Tennis Federation, ITTF.better. Though they made it to the ladies' football is the fact that the Super Eaglesunder-17 and under-20 World Cups, they foreign legions of Messrs. Kelechi Also, Nigeria's male table tennis teamwere both bundled out at the group Iheanacho, Ahmed Musa and Odion made history by becoming the firststages of the competitions held in Jordan Ighalo couldn't make the cut of five after African side to reach the quarter finals inand Papua New Guinea respectively. they were initially shortlisted alongside an Olympic competition. 30 other African players for the 2016Also, the Super Falcons, for the first time African Player of the Year award. Nigeria shines at Paralympics Gamescouldn't make it to Rio Olympics as one Bundled out of CAF Competitionsof the best two African sides. The Dream The quartet of Enyimba FC, Warri Physically-challenged Nigerian athletesTeam (VI) unexpectedly won bronze in Wolves FC, Nasarawa United FC and however restored the honour of Nigeriathe male football competition of the Rio with their exciting performance at theOlympics games, in spite of the A Nigerian Paralympian kissing her medal Paralympic games in Rio. The team camecontroversies that marred their back with eight gold medals, two bronzetravel plan to the competition. Akwa United Football Club failed toHowever, glimpses of better impress at both the CAF Champions and two silver medals to finish2017 as far as the round leather League and Confederations Cup. The as the best participating Africangame is concerned had began teams were eliminated at the knock out country, and 13th in the overallto emerge with the stages of Africa's elite continental show medal log.performance of Super Eagles for African clubs. Enyimba, two-timein the on-going Russia 2018. Champions league winners and the only It was Rangers' Year in Nigerian club that made it to the money- NPFLsNow, under the tutelage of spinning group stage of the CAFGerman Gernot Rohr, the Champions League finished bottom of After 32 years, the FlyingNigerian senior national group A, behind eventual winners, Antelopes, Rangersfootball team sits atop of their Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa International Football Club of''Group of Death'' with and Zamalek FC of Egypt. Enugu, again, laid their handsmaximum points from two Poor Outing of Team Nigeria at Rio on the league trophy lastgames, four above their closest Olympics season.rival, the Indomitable Lions of The Nigerian Olympic Team after aCameroun. shoddy preparation in the build-up to the Also noticeable in the NPFL Rio Olympic eventually placed a distant 2015/2016 Season was the factThe successive victories are also inching 78th on the medal log, courtesy of the that teams were able to winthe team up FIFA ranking. The last 'golden bronze' won by the Dream Team away matches while incidences of poorranking released by FIFA showed that (VI) football team. officiating were also drastically reduced.the Super Eagles moved ten places up to The sole medal was coming eight yearsposition 50, and now ranked as the 6th after Team Nigeria last won a medal in Analysts said the fact that Nigerianbest African national team. The future is the Olympic event (during the 2008 premier league clubs recorded awaynow looking very bright for Super Eagles Beijing Olympic). victories implies that the match officialsand Nigerians will pray that the team and referees shunned fans' intimidationscontinues in the winning way in 2017. and other influences from club owners, managers and supporters. .Likewise, the Super Falcons won theAFCON title for a record eight times at Ahead 2017the African Women Championship(AWC), Cameroun 2016. Analysts said for the country to earn more laurels in international sportingThe scintillating victory by the Coach competitions in 2017 and beyond,Florence Omagbemi inspired ladies government will have to increase itsconsolidated Nigeria's lead as the budgetary allocation to the sector.powerhouse of female soccer in Africa.However, it is a sad commentary that the Also, adequate attention must be given toNigerian Football Federation (NFF) early preparations for competitions andfailed to pay the matches bonuses and tournaments while a system of fishinghandsomely reward the victorious Super out talents at the grassroots should beFalcons' players immediately after the embraced.team returned from Cameroun. While the various associations andThat the players and team officials federations in the sports sector must review the performance of their athletes in 2016 with a view to marshalling plans for better performance in 2017.41 NN I December - 2016 Edition

ARTS Elechi Amadi 1934 - 2016By Abdulsalam Mahmud ITH the Nigeria. He grew up in sensationa the community, and a l, The progeny to Daniel Concubin Wonuchukwu and e, Elechi Enwere (Weke).Amadi burst into theliterary world in 1966. This While he was anwork brought him fame undergraduate of thebeyond measures. For then Universitymany venerated literary College, Ibadan (nowgiants, the work still remains ''an outstanding work of University of Ibadan) inpure fiction''. 1957, studying Physics and Mathematics, he married Dorah Nwonne Ohale, a midwife. Their blissful unionAlastair Niven in his critical study of the novel, wrote: was blessed with eight children—seven daughters and''rooted firmly among the hunting and fishing villages a son. Before becoming a science teacher onof the Niger Delta,The Concubine nevertheless, graduation in 1959, he worked as a surveyor for a year.possesses the timeliness and universality of a major After that sojourn, he taught in many schools, includingnovel.'' the Nigeria Military School, Zaria.In March 2007, 41 years after it was published, The He also had a chequered career as a military officer.Concubine which was made into a film, premiered in During the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), he servedAbuja. The author scripted the movie and under Colonel Benjamin Adekunle, the BlackNoollywood's ace film director, Andy Amenechi Scorpion as he was popularly known, and laterdirected the production. Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo. He was Commandant, Port Harcourt Airport, and Military AdministrativeHe achieved international acclaim during the 1960s Secretary for Port Harcourt and its liberated environs.and 1970s through depicting rural village life in West He retired as a Captain in the Nigerian Army.Africa, and its subsequent disintegration due to post-colonial political strife. In most of his novels and plays, As a consummate, and diligent personality, he wasElechi Amadi demonstrated that he was a gifted author fortunate to occupy prominent positions and saddledon African village life, customs, beliefs, and religious with daunting tasks. He was a Permanent Secretary inpractices before the advent of Western imperialists. Rivers State, subsequently Education Commissioner, and Lands & Housing Commissioner. At the stateEmmanuel Obiechina, in his essay published in the College of Education where he was a writer-in-Dictionary of Literary Biography said this of Elechi residence and lecturer, he served in key committees asAmadi, in his novels, African villagers came alive in the well as head of department, dean of arts, and directorimmense variety of their individual and group of general studies.activities, which are deeply informed by a shared senseof religion, ethics, social etiquette, and culture.'' Though he is no more in this world, Elechi Amadi is still a literary titan of great appeal. The ConcubineBorn on May 12, 1934, in Aluu, an Ikwerre community solidified his reputation as a writer within and outsidenear the University of Port Harcourt (UniPort), in Nigeria. Many even tipped him as the successor to aIkwerre Local Government Area of River State,42 NN I December - 2016 Edition

ARTSfellow University of Ibadan alumnus and Africa's ageless traumas she experiences during the Biafran civil war.literary idol, Chinualumugu Achebe, whose 1958 epic Her marriage ends, she becomes romantically involved''Things Fall Apart'' broke new ground for African writers. with an army officer, and struggles to regain her footing after the hostilities ends.A researcher in African literature and critic, Clara A. B.Joseph asserted, ''although not to the same extent as with As one of Africa's finest novelist, poet and dramatist, heAchebe's works, his works are peppered with witty was at a time the Chairman, Association of Nigeriantranslations of proverbs and numerous references to age- Authors (ANA) in Rivers State. Also, he was a deservingold wisdom. His narratives highlight the importance of recipient of the state Silver Jubilee Merit Award in 1992,tradition (more than language) in the creation of political which was followed by the Ikwerre ethnic nationalitycommunity.'' Merit Award for Literature in 1995. And as an intellectual writer, in 1973 he received the International Writers'The Concubine, is the tale of a young woman, Ihuoma, Programme grant to University of Iowa, United States ofwho belongs to Nigeria's Igbo ethnic group. Her plight America. In 2003 he bagged a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.)involves her past life, when she was said to be the wife of in Education from his state University of Science andthe mythical Sea King deity. This gives her great status in Technology, the same year he became a Fellow of thethe present, but portends doom for any mortal man who Nigerian Academy of Education.seeks to marry her. UniPort had in 2011, elatedly bestowed on him aAs the novel progresses, Ihuoma wedded and became a Honourary Doctorate degree. While in 2003, hewidow three times, as a result of the wrath of the sea king received the national honour of 'Order of the Federaltoward those who dared to usurp his bride. Obiechina Republic' (OFR).asserted in his essay, ''the strength of The Concubinerests on the fact that it is not folklore but realistic-style Outside writing, he featured prominently in the Portfiction, in spite of its strong penetration by the super- Harcourt Book Festival for eight years, alongside oldernatural.'' colleague and compatriot, Gabriel Okara. Many Nigerians were crestfallen when they heard of the tragicHis second work seems to be a metaphor for conflict. The news of his abduction by gunmen in 2008. News of hisGreat Ponds is set in the years before World War 1, but its death on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 was even moreplot centres around a long struggle for in his spare time, shocking. It jolted the literary world.the departed author took delight in writing plays. One ofhis plays, Isiburu, a drama about a wrestler enjoyed a run Renowned dramatist, Professor Femi Osofisan, had thisat the National Arts Theatre in Lagos in 1973. Next was to say, ''his prose was crisp, his narrative style brisk,the Peppersoup which delved into the topic of interracial compelling; he knew the art of total seduction throughmarriage, while another play from 1977, The Road to the manipulation of suggestion and suspense; he wasIbadan, took place during the civil strife in Biafra. A 1978 thoroughly familiar with traditional love and the world ofwork for the stage, Dancer of Johannesburg, was an mystery, magic and fabulation.''espionage thriller set in South Africa and ended,presciently, with the dismantling of that country's Osofisan said Elechi Amadi's departure marks the loss ofapartheid system. a writer from that fine generation of pioneers whose writing established and defined our contemporaryHe also wrote a diary of his civil-war experiences, Sunset literature, and gave our culture a refining ethicalin Biafra, published in 1973 by Heinemann. He wrote no direction that, for better or for worse, the young onesnew novels until 1979, when The Slave appeared. have since jettisoned. Without doubt, Elechi Amadi, wasEstrangement was both the last of Amadi's novels and an extraordinary, sagacious and prolific writer who was athe first to be set in Port Harcourt. The 1985 work literary icon of priceless appeal.recounts the tale of a woman named Alekiri and the Though he is no more in this world, Elechi Amadi is still a literary titan of great appeal. The Concubine solidified his reputation as a writer within and outside Nigeria.43 NN I December - 2016 Edition

ENTERTAINMENT By Bassey Ekpeyong tertiary institutions)not quacks yet, we Some veteran practitioners like Sadiq still wondered why we had not thought Daba couldn't risk early participation inam slightly amused and elated at about that medium! Perhaps we were this regard because of his extremethe Status and acceptance too pampered by education and had to v i s i b i l i t y w i t h o u r N i g e r i a n'Nollywood' has etched and depend on verified processes to jump domain.Besides, the rumor milldominated world over, after all, start into the real world of living. suggested that our National Broadcast this phenomenon crept into Kenneth had embraced opportunity house NTA was too sensitive about notoriety struggling against all and explored all the available young viewers and as such Actors were odds. I vividly recall how a bunch advantages at the time with 'Living In restricted in expressing a wide range ofof us young and creativelyvibrant men somewhere in 1993 NRefolecltlioynws Oonodgathered in awe in EmmanuelOguguahs' living room (ourpopular hangout/bachelorspad), as 'Living In Bondage'Kenneth Nnebue's firstcommercially successful titlerazed like a hurricane andstampeded into the extremeconsciousness of the Nigerian Bondage' his true debut project. He intimacy and that crippled creativeaudience. recruited the competence of Mr Okey articulation. This vacuum added fillip to Ogujiofor to Produce. Okey had the growing enthusiasm.We had been rather critical of the identified that partnership long beforeattempt since very little was known we did. The trio of Kenneth Nnebue, Okeyabout \"The Kenneth Nnebue\" fellow. Ogujiofor and Chris Obi Rapu (Skippo)He wasn't a named practitioner and as Kenneth Nnebue was an importer of had made history with the 'Living infar as we were concerned, from total tapes and traded at the time in sales of Bondage' straight to Video production.obscurity to loud announcement wasn't materials that was highly sort after asgood for us. During That was the novelty in the Nigerianour discussions, we film making process. But the Filmfound out to our relief culture within the geographiche had made not so definitions in Nigeria started muchsuccessful attempts earlier than that. As a Matter of fact,earlier in this regard. way back in August 1903 during the pre-His preferred colonial era, records reveal filmLanguage genre for his exhibition at the Glover Memorial Hallmovies had been watched by Nigerian's.Yoruba. In 1926, 'Palava'. Produced by GeoffreyA few of our Barkas first featured Nigerian actors incolleagues who had a speaking roles.participated in one Nollywood actors in action By 1957, the first film copyrightedcapacity or the other entirely to The Nigeria Film Uniton the job were reveling in some ecstasy recreation. The Military administration 'Fincho' was Produced in Color by Samat the wild reception of the work and banned the product so with filled Zebba. In the Same year, John Ifoghalewore the 'pioneer' status with pride. warehouses of VHS tapes and a wide Amata was the first African to shoot aStrutting Success really mattered even distribution network, home video films celluloid film grounding Nigerian had come as a salvage to investments Participation in film makingbeyond narrow perceptions.We wondered why we hadn't thought paid up and banned! Whatever perceptions orof the home video medium as an Okey, with his foray at NTA established misconceptions harbored byoption in spite of our assumed elevated as credentials, went ahead and recruited commentators and critics over theposition. We all had one thing in a veteran professional Director who Nomenclature 'Nollywood', will nevercommon though, NTA was our training worked with NTA at the time and who erase or even obliterate the pioneeringground. The largest broadcast network had earned all the accolades to attract efforts of the early Nigerian greats.on the continent, equipped with state his proficiency and leveraged on that. Chief Hubert Ogunde, Chief Amata,of the art facilities and enjoying Unfortunately our fabled director also Baba Sala, Ade Love, Eddie Ugbomaenviable prestige, We were that Brands became schizophrenic as he had to find Ladi Ladebo, Wole Soyinka, USAAmbassadors. Along with that came the a pseudo name under which to operate Galadimma to mention only a few willarrogant chip of identifying with the violating the NTA no staff involvement forever be celebrated filmmakers.elite (Some of us formally trained in in external productions injunction.44 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COLUMN Trump And AfricaBy Patrick Wilmot HE thinking of Donald distance of Sak's Fifth Avenue, 1 Hyde Trump is so incoherent and Park is near Harrods, and the prices ofWhile Trump befuddled that it's almost apartments is equivalent to the HealthTower is in walking impossible to predict what and Education budgets of many poordistance of Sak's he will think on any subject, countries. The penthouse in 1 HydeFifth Avenue, 1 much less the follow up action. He has Park costs about one hundred and fiftyHyde Park is near been described as having the attention million pounds, about the same asHarrods, and the span of a two- year- old, morals of a Trump's apartment in his Tower. It isprices of stray cat, and the emotional maturity of no surprise that a Nigerian bought fourapartments is a piglet. He is the archetype of the flats in I HydePark.equivalent to the reality television star, which explainsHealth and his appeal to the American electorate. A Nigerian ex-minister who allegedlyEducation budgets stole billions and sent her children inof many poor Yet, these characteristics, together with private jets to watch Arsenal incountries. his egomania, conspicuous Highbury, could also afford a flat there, consumption and obsession with while her people starved to death or expensive real estate, may act as a guide blew each other to kingdom come. to his relationship with Africa, as he While Francophone Africans shares many qualities with corrupt preferred the Avenue Foch or other elites who act irresponsibly, without residences in Paris's sixteenth morality or regard to consequences, as arrondisement, Anglophones had a they accumulate wealth, with no liking for Chester Square and St John's consideration to the welfare of those Wood. they were elected to serve. They also liked expensive automobiles Trump's obsession with expensive real like Bentleys and Rolls Royces, and estate is reflected in the desires of ultra-expensive wrist watches, though African leaders' desires to collect they were the most appalling houses in their capital cities as well as timekeepers. They bought expensive London, Paris, Dubai and Malibu. clothes from Harrods and Rossini's, Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, New many of which they never wore. This York, may not look like No. 1 Hyde too they shared with Trump, who Park in Knightsbridge, London, but covered his toilet seats with gold plate, the prices and conspicuous and paid fortunes to obscure designers. embellishment are similar in the parvenu obsession with irrelevant Western leaders before Trump display. lambasted corrupt Africans for stealing their countries' wealth while allowing While Trump Tower is in walking them to store this wealth in their banks45 NN I December - 2016 Edition

COLUMNand investment companies, or purchasing real individual leaders may be clean the problemsestate costing tens of millions or watches for a they face cannot be solved by individual efforts.million pounds. This forced leaders to hide In the world of modern kleptocracy, honesty,ownership through tax havens in Panama, the integrity and honour may be admirable qualitiesBahamas and British Virgin Islands, and act like but irrelevant and useless.statesmen. Institutions are necessary but many honest menWith Trump they will have little need for this and women overestimate their own abilities tohypocrisy, and will pour wealth into the conquer evil. The judiciary they rely on may behundreds of companies owned by the President as corrupt as the political class they seek toelect and his family. For Trump there is no such police, and may be part of the rackets theyword as corruption, which is why should dismantle. But even ifhe steadfastly refused to reveal his they were clean as angels, thefinancial position or tax returns, For them star judiciary in a capitalist countryand why estimates of his wealth power is the exists to protect money, not torange between two and ten question its origin.billions. truth and material For the corrupt African, Trump isThe billionaires he picked for his possession the a role model, a justifier ofcabinet did not make their money dishonesty, illogic, greed andthrough hard work, wise sign of God's ir responsibility. While hisinvestments or significant hypocritical predecessors acted asinventions but through insider grace to the a brake on more ostensibletrading and financial believer. Even kleptocracy, his shamelessnessmanipulation. Hedge fund if this is the and glorification of materialmanag ers and investment god of death, possessions will encourage theirbankers used insider knowledge destruction belief that greed is good and thatand sleight of hand to prosper, and loss. the only thing wrong withand now Trump promises to murder, theft and extortion isremove regulations designed to getting caught.protect the public they will grow With Clinton, one could look at one side of hermore. mouth condemning corruption while the otherTrump cannot be called a casino capitalist, praised sharp practices and the looting of breadbecause almost all his investments in casinos from the mouths of the needy. With the Donald,ended in bankruptcy. Many billionaires he there is no need for schizophrenia, condemningdrafted he denounced in his campaign for 'evil' while benefiting from it. Sitting in Trumpdubious practices, but in the world of Trump Tower, one can ignore starving children inand reality television no one demands Africa or Asia, or exploding suicide bombers.consistency. While one can expect capitalists to Africans, like Americans, have become hookedprotect the system they profit from, on reality television and the cult of celebrity, andmegalomania and ignorance are a dangerous Donald Trump is the ideal leader, whomix. transcends the codes of conduct of traditionalWith Trump in power corrupt Africans may no politics or civilised conduct. For them starlonger feel the need for constraint, and the power is the truth and material possession thetorrent of money pouring into America and sign of God's grace to the believer. Even if thisEurope may turn to a deluge. Even where is the god of death, destruction and loss.46 NN I December - 2016 Edition



Building Shareholder Value and prosperity in Africa