Taiwo Awoniyi has revealed that his move to Liverpool would have worked out if he had gotten a work permit like Kelechi Iheanacho who got the same under the special talent scheme after he joined Manchester City.

Awoniyi joined Liverpool in 2015 but was unable to feature for the Anfield outfit due to a work permit issue which would have made him eligible to play in England.

He had loan spells with Mainz O5, Union Berlin, Royal Excel Mouscron, Gent, FSV Frankfurt and NEC in a bid to buy time and earn the eligibility to play for Liverpool.

The 26-year-old had hoped that if he did well during his loan spells, he would have earned a call-up to the national team which would have made it possible to feature for Liverpool but his wish didn’t come true.

Awoniyi in a recent interview detailed how his time at Anfield panned out and how he had strived to succeed with the Merseyside club.

“We discovered that we needed a work permit and to get a permit I needed to play for Nigeria’s first team,” Awoniyi told The Guardian UK.

“When I signed, my Nigeria teammate Kelechi Iheanacho got the work permit under the special talent scheme [to join Manchester City]. It was after him that they closed the special talent scheme.

“The only option I had was to keep on going on loan, with the hope that if I do well on loan and I play for the national team, I’ll be able to get the work permit and come back [to Liverpool].

“I kept on going on loan. And the national team call-ups still didn’t come, so I didn’t have any other option than to keep on striving.”

The 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup winner returned to England last summer, signing a multi-year contract with two-time European champions Nottingham Forest, and has established himself as one of the best strikers in the Premier League.

[Leadership]

My former neighbour, a civil servant, used to tell me how he was preparing carefully for retirement. “I am very cautious with everything I do in the office,” he would say, “because I do not want to be going to the EFCC after retirement. I make sure I follow due process, get all necessary approvals in writing and stay above board to the best of my ability.” He told me this more than 10 years to his retirement. He finally retired in 2021. These days, he looks fresh and relaxed and seems to be at peace with himself. I am silently praying that there will be no reason for him to be ordered to come and defend himself over an action or inaction of 20 years ago. I would be really sad for him. 

God knows I have nothing but pity for Dr Olu Agunloye, who was minister of power from 2002 to 2003. He is at the centre of a storm over his curious last-minute award of a build, operate and transfer (BOT) contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd in May 2003 for the construction of the Mambilla hydro power plant in Taraba state. He awarded the contract one week to the end of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first term. Although he was re-appointed by Obasanjo, he was moved to the ministry of state for defence (navy). I feel for him that at a time he should be playing with his grandchildren in the garden, he is being quizzed by the EFCC about his stewardship after 20 years.

In a recent interview with TheCable, Obasanjo had challenged Agunloye to show evidence that he got the presidential approval to award the $6 billion contract. He said while he was president, no minister could approve more than N25 million. In his response, Agunloye insisted he got approval and also denied some of Obasanjo’s claims against Mr Leno Adesanya, the promoter of Sunrise Power. Agunloye also took a swipe at me as well as TheCable, of which I am the founder and CEO, for our unrelenting coverage of the Mambilla mess as Nigeria faces a $2.4 billion arbitration instituted at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), France, by Sunrise over an alleged breach of contract.

Agunloye’s defence left many questions unanswered. He said the Sunrise proposal was already in progress before he became minister and that he got approval in November 2002 to award the contract. He wrote: “On the very day (28 Nov 2002) that I resumed (assumed) office as Minister of Power, Pa Obasanjo himself, in a formal letter, handed me his presidential approval on the Sunrise proposal with an instruction that Sunrise be invited ‘for the final negotiations for the execution of the Mambilla Power Project’…” Read that again. By his own admission, what he got was an instruction for “final negotiations”. If it was still subject to final negotiations, was that an approval to award?

My primary questions to Agunloye are: did he send a memo to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003, seeking the go-ahead to award the contract to Sunrise? This is a “yes” or “no” question. If indeed he had secured the necessary approval “on the very day” he assumed office as minister of power on November 28, 2002, why did he send a request for approval to FEC six months later? Most importantly, what was the decision of FEC on his memo? Was he asked to proceed and award the contract? Or was he directed by FEC to withdraw the memo? These are important questions he failed to address. I think he should do Nigerians a favour by explaining more.

It is on record that when Agunloye presented the memo to FEC, Obasanjo wondered why he still did so despite their previous extensive discussion that he should hold on because there was going to be a comprehensive plan for power sector reforms. Obasanjo used the opportunity to ask ministers to be cautious in negotiating government participation in all projects with investors because of the financial and legal implications for the country. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, then vice-president, supported Obasanjo’s position and suggested that all options should be considered by the ministry. This is on record. It is also on record that after the discussion, FEC asked Agunloye to withdraw the memo.

And now another critical question is: why did Agunloye still go ahead to write to Sunrise on Thursday, May 22, 2003 — a day after the FEC meeting — declaring that he was “pleased” to convey the “approval” of the Nigerian government for the award of the BOT contract at a “provisional sum of $6 billion”. Was that the position of the government? Where did he get the authority to write the letter from? Does he have the power to commit the government of Nigeria to a $6 billion project, whether or not it is BOT, without approval? Agunloye avoided answering these critical questions in his response because there would be a naked contradiction to his claim that he got necessary approvals.

Agunloye also appeared to muddle up issues on the liability of a BOT contract. He wrote: “The former president was not correct when he referred to the award to Sunrise simply as a $6 billion contract under his watch. In truth, it was a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) contract in which the FGN did not need to pay any amount to the contractor, Messrs Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (Sunrise).” It would appear Agunloye was suggesting that the N25 million limit of approval did not apply to a BOT contract. That means he could commit the government of Nigeria to any amount as he tried to do by awarding the $6 billion contract to Sunrise. Whose liability is it now?

More so, if “FGN did not need to pay any amount to the contractor” as claimed by Agunloye, why did Sunrise write to Senator Liyel Imoke, his successor, seeking the payment of N6 billion for “pre-EPC development of Mambilla”? The letter, dated August 20, 2003, was signed by Engr Tunde Akinbode as Sunrise’s executive director. He said federal government’s commitment of N6 billion, as contained in Agunloye’s contract award letter with ref. no FMP/S/6145/S.T/2, was not enough and “there will be need for government to budget an additional N10 billion in the next budget year”. Yet, Agunloye claimed “FGN did not need to pay any amount to the contractor”. Is N16 billion a joke to Agunloye?

In his reply to Sunrise, dated September 3, 2003, Imoke wrote: “This is to inform you that the Federal Executive Council did not approve the Memorandum recommending your Company for the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project. In line with the directives of  the Federal Executive Council, the Federal Ministry of Power and Steel is to revisit the development of the project.  Fresh documentation will be made available to all prospective developers in due course… you are advised to tender for the project when it is advertised.” Agunloye knew what he was doing when he carefully left out the part that he sought approval to award the contract and FEC turned it down. He should be man enough to own up.

My final comment to Agunloye, for now, is on his claim that since no government had queried him in the last 20 years, that means he did no wrong. He wrote: “In all of these, spanning 20 (twenty) years, none of the Presidents (Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Malam Musa Yar’Adua, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan or Gen. Muhammadu Buhari) asked me or questioned me about issuing any unauthorised Mambilla contract. This is because all the Nigerian Presidents, including Chief Obasanjo, were aware that I did nothing wrong.” Well played, but so also was the P&ID “contract” not queried by any government until the bubble burst. As new facts emerge, you will always have to answer your father’s name.

I did not miss Agunloye’s innuendo that we at TheCable were “contracted” to report on his Mambilla mess. It’s a cheap shot but we are used to that. In 2018, when we reported the questionable payment of $17 million as legal fees to the lawyer friends of Mallam Abubakar Malami, then attorney-general, for the repatriation of $321 million Abacha loot, President Muhammadu Buhari was told that we were “contracted” by the “opposition” to discredit his government. Same thing happened over the World Bank guarantee that the Nigerian government recklessly signed for Azura Power in August 2015 and which has today become a monthly $30 million albatross on our neck.

Journalists who choose to demand accountability are always blackmailed. Thus, there is nothing strange in Agunloye saying a former minister “contracted” me to write a series of articles on the Mambilla mess. Those who know me very well will just laugh it off. But why was he afraid to specifically mention Mr Babatunde Fashola, the former minister of power? Afterall, Leno Adesanya, Agunloye’s friend, pointedly accused me of being “sponsored” by Fashola in a WhatsApp message he sent to me on April 22, 2020 at 7.49pm. Till today, Adesanya tells anybody who cares that Fashola is “sponsoring” me. It is obvious that Agunloye and Adesanya are singing from the same hymn sheet.

The truth, of course, is that I spoke to Fashola only once on the Mambilla issue. That was on December 28, 2018, after TheCable published its first story on the mess under the headline, ‘Nigeria risks $2.3bn fine as Mambilla power project faces crisis’. Adesanya was elated over the report. He called and thanked me for bringing the issue to the front burner. He did not say I was “contracted”. Fashola later called to say he read our story and all what Adesanya had been saying about him in the media. Fashola and I have never discussed Mambilla or Adesanya again — not even by proxy — since that day. I later read in the papers that Fashola had sued Adesanya to court for alleged defamation.

I am proud of my colleagues at TheCable for staying on the story. Normally, many news outlets would report and move on. Prof Lai Osho, the respected journalism teacher who recently died in a car crash, was fond of saying: “You must stay on the story and see it to a logical conclusion.” Agunloye is pained that we have stayed on the Mambilla story, hence his cheap insinuations. I sympathise with him. But his PhD is in physics, not journalism. He can teach us physics, not journalism. His intention is to blackmail and silence us, but he chose the wrong customers. This I promise: we will stay on the Mambilla story and see it to a logical conclusion. That is the contract we have with our conscience.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

THE TINUBU MOMENT

President Bola Tinubu’s address to the UN General Assembly is, in my view, one of the boldest yet by an African leader. My take-away: “Foreign entities that are abetted by local criminals, who aspire to be petty warlords, have drafted thousands of our people into servitude to illegally mine gold and other resources. Billions of dollars meant to improve the nation now fuel countless violent enterprises… Given the extent of this injustice and the high stakes involved, many Africans are asking whether this phenomenon is by accident or by design. Member nations must reply by working with us to deter their firms and nationals from this 21st century pillage of the continent’s riches.” #Word.

KANO VERDICT

A tribunal has upturned the election of Alhaji Abba Yusuf (NNPP) as Kano governor, declaring Alhaji Yusuf Gawuna (APC) as the winner of the lawful votes. Yusuf was originally credited with 1,019,602 votes and Gawuna 890,705. The Gawuna team argued that 165,663 of the ballot papers recorded in favour of Yusuf were not stamped, signed or dated as required by law. This would suggest ballot stuffing, as we call it in Nigeria. Gawuna’s lawyers got the tribunal to examine each of the 165,663 ballot papers. It seems Yusuf’s lawyers put up a feeble fight and did not challenge Gawuna’s votes as well. The tribunal agreed with Gawuna’s lawyers and nullified the 165,663 votes. Clinical.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

The price of diesel has now crossed N1,000/litre as crude oil prices keep on rising. Nigeria deregulated the pricing of diesel nearly 20 years ago, so we have never really had to argue over it. But those who run their businesses and homes on diesel know the implication of what just happened: harder times. Diesel is a major running or input cost. Sadly, there is no real option: rising energy prices will also impact on the cost of gas and, consequently, electricity. In other words, our suffering is far from over. To be sure, it is a global issue: energy prices are rising everywhere. But because of our peculiar mess in Nigeria, it is “double wahala for dead body”, as Fela sang. Snookered.

AND FINALLY…

When I read a claim by the presidential media team that President Tinubu was the first African leader to ring the closing bell at the Nasdaq Stock Market, my first question was: and how does that affect the price of agbado? I was not even questioning the veracity of the claim. It turned out to be false. It immediately brought back an earlier false claim that the UAE government had lifted the visa ban on Nigerians “with immediate effect”. I know that we are in the age of hot propaganda and everybody in the race — either as protagonist or antagonist — is always trying to be ahead of the other, but we should never get to the stage of preposterous claims from presidency. Damaging.

A saying of our people is that 20 children cannot pull or play together for 20 unbroken years. This is not because they may not be willing to do so but because circumstances beyond their control will compel them to do otherwise. Many strings will put them apart and they will go in different directions whether they like it or not. The first pull is time and the activities that each of them will have to undertake or accomplish. For instance, it is not all the kids that grew up in the same environment that end up attending the same elementary school. The pulling apart starts from there. It aggravates as they move from elementary to secondary school. For those of them that attend the same primary school, the average years they would spend together is six years. I still remember, as if it was yesterday, the day decades ago when we were passing out of primary school at Ansar-Ud-Deen (AUD) Primary School, Owatowose, Owo and were singing “gbagidari o digbóse tá o tun pade” and everyone was mopping up tears. It was a bitter-sweet moment. Sweet because we were passing out after six years of school activities and moving on to a higher level of educational attainment but bitter because we were parting with precious friends and classmates.

I still remember some of my primary school classmates like Dupe Ajape, Yusuf Adagbeje, Banji Adelegan aka Bomber, Azeez Olukokun aka Three Stones (because of the shape of his head) and Yunusa (?) Anola. Adagbeje was, perhaps, the best pupil in our 1967 set but I remember returning home on holidays from the then University of Ife many years later and the driver of the taxi that I boarded at the motor park was Adagbeje. My shock! I screamed his name! He turned around and also screamed “Ojo”! I asked him what was the matter; he replied that after AUD he had no funds to further his education! He was at that time happily married with children! That is one example of how talents get wasted; how destinies get truncated; and how society itself suffers avoidable losses!

My choice of secondary school was Methodist High School, Owo for reasons I cannot really understand or explain now. I took the entrance exams and passed but my father would have none of it. It was Owo High School, Owo, founded by the “Leader”, as Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin of blessed memory was called by his supporters, or nothing! Pa Ajasin led the Action Group in the town and the party of Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the darling of the people of the Western Region in those days. So, I ended up at All Saints Modern School instead of rotting away at home. The next year I was still recalcitrant and took only the entrance exams to the same Methodist Secondary School. I was admitted once again but, once again, my father stuck to his guns. It was Owo High School or nothing! I cannot remember the names of many of my classmates at All Saints but I remember Ibikunle Falana (with whom I communicate till date), the always-getting-into -trouble ‘Lasekan; and the stammerer, Alite. I remember our teacher, Mr. Famose and our headmaster, Mr. Agunbiade. Not long ago, Ibikunle reeled off a list of many of our mates and teachers at All Saints. His memories in that regard dwarf mine.

Once bitten, twice shy, they say, but I got bitten twice before I learnt to do the needful. So, the third year around, I sat for the common entrance examination to Owo High School and was offered admission and my father said: Now you are talking! So, I started secondary school in January 1970. I was to regret the two “wasted” years, so to say, at All Saints each time Senior Adigun and Senior Fajoyomi, who were in Form Two, would command me to kneel down for no just cause other than to show that they were seniors! “Three sixty-five days is not a joke” was their usual refrain and I would say to myself: It is not your fault! if I hadn’t “wasted” those two years at All Saints, I would have been your senior and I, too, would have been the one yelling “Three sixty-five days is not a joke” at you!

Owo High School was fun! I had wonderful seniors and unforgettable classmates. Some of my teachers I remember to this day. Our principal, Pa Ajasin, and his wife, Mama Babafunke Ajasin, were in a class of their own. The pillars of Owo High School were learning and good upbringing and our principal and his wife did their best to impact these in us. Most of the teachers keyed into this but, of course, there were a few errant ones who were not spared once caught. Students were generally well-behaved because the penalty was severe if the contrary was proven. But all said and done, students will always be students! One thing that is common to most students is that it takes years after leaving school to appreciate some of the teachers that we thought were unnecessarily tough, even wicked, when correcting us and rolling back our excesses.

Age tempers and experience is the best teacher. It’s 49 years slowly winding down to 50 years that my 1970/74 set passed out of Owo High School, Owo but it looks just like yesterday! We are making plans to celebrate our Golden Jubilee in grand style but the immediate task ahead of us is the 60th anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) of the alma mater, which comes up between November 6th and 12th this year. Various activities have been lined up for the events and preparations, which started months ago, are already in top gear. The school has benefitted immensely from the activities of the Old Students at national as well as at Set levels and more of such benefits are still rolling in. The 60th anniversary will bring all the sets together, many of whom have identified areas of need in the school that they are filling as we speak. My own 1970/74 set is participating fully in the 60th anniversary activities.

Our own specific show, however, comes up next year when we shall celebrate our golden jubilee – which is 50 years of our passing out of Owo High School. The first assignment we gave ourselves was gathering our members together and the first decision we took was that everyone who started with us in 1970 (even if they dropped one or two years or changed school and those who joined us midway or repeated class with us) is a member. I am glad to report that many of our members in these categories have joined forces with us. Those yet to do so are enjoined to follow suit. If three sixty-five days is not a joke, then, we need not be told that fifty years is none either! A lot of waters have passed under the bridge during the period. Many of our classmates have gone to be with the Lord! May the good Lord rest their soul and bless the families that many of them left behind! We will be glad to link up with their families and take them on board as part and parcel of the 1970/74 Set family.

Each time we inquire about a classmate and we receive the news that he or she has passed on to glory, it saddens us but who are we to question God! We are consoled by the fact that we knew them; that we shared great moments and eventful years together; and the fond memories we have of them shall remain evergreen. Many of our classmates today are retirees after having occupied various positions in life. They have contributed their own quota to national development, be it as teachers, civil servants, lecturers, engineers, medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses, lawyers, media practitioners, businessmen and women, pastors, name it. We are proud of them and of their achievements! We urge them, however, not to relent or rest on their oars. Studies have shown that while a man’s strength abounds in his youth, the best of his intellectual capacity is to be found in old age. May we all age gracefully!

Going round trying to gather our members together and rally them around our common cause and goal, we have found that some are withdrawn, some lukewarm, and some evasive. Majority of those we have been able to contact have, however, been enthusiastic and upbeat. Many reasons have been adduced for the lukewarm attitude of the few but none of these reasons, I beg to say, is tenable. We cannot all have achieved the same measure of success. We cannot all have been the same thing. We have pulled in different directions and have achieved a measure of success individually. We might have been mates but fingers are not equal. No one needs to feel inferior or superior to anyone and no one needs to despise anyone or feel despised. Our strength lies not in the individual achievements that God has opportune each and everyone us to make but in the pulling together of the successes that each of us has achieved in our various fields.

Everyone is relevant. Everyone has something to offer. Everyone is needed. Therefore, anyone who pulls back is holding back something very useful that he or she can offer. Everyone who pulls back is a minus and not a plus. Everyone who fails to throw in his or her contribution to the pool diminishes us and imperils everyone, including himself or herself. Please understand that there is a classmate of yours somewhere who needs what you have. Don’t deny him or her of the opportunity. Note also that there is another classmate of yours somewhere who has what you need and is willing and ready to offer it – if only you come out of your cocoons. Don’t also deny yourself the opportunity! You can see, then, that with the right attitude, it is a win-win situation when old classmates and school mates come together for the good of all.

Three of our classmates started the process of bringing the 1970/74 set together – we thank them! Their efforts have started bearing fruits. Now, we hold monthly meetings in Lagos and connect with our classmates on phone. The response has been very encouraging. For instance, on Tuesday, 29 August, 2023 we embarked on what we called our “First missionary journey” to Ibadan where we met with our members in the Oyo state axis and were hosted by one of the smallest girls in our class in those days but who is now a big “Mama”, grandmother and top civil servant! It was a very hilarious meeting held, incidentally, in the sprawling headquarters of a worldwide Mission at the Bashorun area of Ibadan. Classmates who, ordinarily, would not have recognized one another had they come across one another outside, met and it was banters all the way. We discussed; we filled ourselves up on “lost” times; we ate and we drank. We parted feeling refreshed and fulfilled.

Encouraged, we embarked on a four-legged “Second Missionary journey” that took us from Lagos first to Osogbo, then Ondo, Akure and, finally, Owo. The Ondo leg, where we met and spent time with two of our classmates (one of who is now physically challenged), was very emotional. Who could have known that any such thing awaited any one of us fifty-something years ago? And who can tell what still lies ahead for anyone? As we speak, there are a few other classmates with health challenges. May they receive their healing! We hope to reach out to them and be there for them. We are setting up the Diaspora branches of the 1970/74 set in Europe, the Americas, Canada and other places where we have members. The cooperation we have received from some of them has energized us a lot. LET THE OTHERS WHO ARE STILL WATCHING FROM THE SIDELINES PLEASE COME ON BOARD! If you have the contact address of any of our classmates, please let’s have it and, please, join the OHS 70/74 platform.

At Owo, we were given red carpet welcome and royal treatment by one of our classmates at his Lilijo Motels in the town. The trip to Owo took us to the alma mater where we were well received by the principal, who was an old student, and other members of staff and students. We also went around the school to see things for ourselves, as they say. The encroachment on school land was a pain to us. We also visited our hostels – Girls’ Hostel. River Niger and River Benue (where we spoke with the property owner, Pa. Benedict Bosede Adetula), Bungalow Hostel, Ogboni Hostel, Odion, Anuoluwa, etc. Reminiscences of our years in those places kept flooding back and it was fun all the way!

The immediate goal as we speak is the fast-approaching 60th anniversary, which kicks off on Monday, 6 November with media/press briefing to be followed by a rally to the palaces of the Olowo, the Ojomo and the residence of our Founder, Pa. Michael Adekunle Ajasin. Tuesday is tree-planting day by the alumni, supported by global partners while Wednesday witnesses the commissioning of projects and presentations of gifts. On Thursday, which is Day Four, a student will act as One-Day principal of the school with alumni members volunteering as teachers. A quiz competition will round off the day. Variety show and novelty football match between alumni members and the school’s staff members come up on Friday (Day Five). Saturday (Day 6) will witness a bumper harvest of seminar/symposium, launching of Endowment Fund and dinner/fund-raising activities.

My set, OHS 70/74 Set, is participating fully in the Diamond Jubilee activities but the 50th anniversary of our Set’s graduation from the school comes up next year at a date yet to be announced. It promises to be fun all the way! God willing, I will see you there!

The president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, clocked 100 days in office this week. He was elected to the position on June 13 in a keenly contested poll shaped by intrigues, acrimony and high-wired politics which observers described as a heavily monetized election due to the role money played in the race.

Akpabio polled 63 votes to defeat his lone challenger, Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, who secured 46 votes.

Soon after Akpabio emerged as the number three citizen, the jostle for principal offices also caused disquiet among senators in both majority and minority caucuses.

After days of intense lobbying and politicking, Akpabio on July 4 announced the emergence of principal officers, which he said was in line with agreements by the caucuses of the majority and the minority parties.

But a few hours after the announcement, Abdullahi Adamu, the then APC national chairman, disowned the list, saying the party was not involved in the process that threw up the principal officers.

Some top party chieftains saw Adamu’s action as lack of respect for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was said to have endorsed the names of principal officers announced by the Senate President.

Notwithstanding the controversies that shaped the emergence of its leaders, the 10th Senate had a smooth take-off.

Unlike his predecessors, Akpabio has been piloting the affairs of the Red Chamber without a legislative agenda, which specifies areas the parliament intends to achieve with legislations.

He had promised to partner with the executive for the sole benefit of Nigerians.

Within three months, the 10th Senate under Akpabio had considered some requests seeking the parliament’s nod from the presidency, including loans, confirmation of nominees and budget amendment.

The Red Chamber sat through odd hours and non-legislative days to screen and confirm ministerial nominees. It closed plenary a few minutes to 11pm on August 7, ensuring that all businesses of the day were attended to. Out of the 48 nominees sent by President Tinubu, 45 were approved. The remaining three were rejected over security clearance.

Daily Trust reports that the Senate had, through oversight, intervened on some national issues.

Akpabio had led his colleagues in engaging the leadership of labour unions to suspend nationwide strikes by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)/Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

“Because of the intervention of the President of the Senate, who is the number three citizen and the assurance he has given us, our planned national protest has been cancelled while the decision on the ongoing strike would be taken as soon as we meet,” Dr Emeka Innocent Orji, NARD National President, had told reporters after meeting behind closed door with Akpabio and other Principal Officers of the Senate.

The Senate also considered a motion asking the federal government to halt the proposed 40 percent hike in electricity tariff. Following the parliament’s resolution, relevant authorities in the power sector suspended the planned tariff increment.

Similarly, the Red Chamber also declined to approve military action in Niger Republic.

Impeachment plot, other controversies

These gains were, however, overshadowed by the controversies that rocked Akpabio’s Senate presidency in the last three months.

The Senate is yet to resume from its long recess when the report of an alleged plot to impeach the Senate President filtered in, with pro and anti-Akpabio groups trading blames.

It was reported last weekend that some northern lawmakers had commenced moves to impeach Akpabio and had already met in Saudi Arabia to perfect the plot.

The anti-Akpabio lawmakers were said to be irked by the damage being done to governance by what they called imaginary impeachment plot targeted at pitching senators against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

They expressed worries that instead of creating synergy between the executive arm of government and the legislature for meaningful national development, Akpabio had created an imaginary war between the two vital arms of government.

Senator Elisha Ishaku Abbo (Adamawa) had, in a statement, claimed that loyalists of the Senate President sponsored the report to set northern senators against President Tinubu, urging Akpabio to call his camp to order.

But the camp of the Senate President claimed that some rivals regrouped using as a reason his apparent failure to check the lopsided appointments by the president in favour of the Yoruba, especially in the financial sector.

Sources within Akpabio group said some former northern governors and at least one from the South-South were behind the move.

“The main issue is our fear that Akpabio cannot check this Yorubanisation of the financial system that is going on now.

“Yes, the reason why you can see that northerners are mostly involved is that most of those being removed and replaced with Yoruba are northerners,” a source in Akpabio’s camp said.

He claimed that the main objective of the dissident senators was to enthrone a Senate president the group believes can checkmate President Bola Tinubu.

Akpabio had dismissed the report of the impeachment move, describing it as complete imaginations and sometimes laced with malice, saying the Senate under his leadership is stable.

‘Holiday allowance’ saga

The “holiday enjoyment allowance” remark by the Senate President on August 7 shortly before adjourning plenary for a long recess had attracted heavy criticism.

Apparently forgetting that the proceeding was being captured on live camera, Akpabio stated that, “to enable all of us to enjoy our holiday, a token has been sent to our various bank accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly.’’

Upon being told by some of his colleagues that the live coverage of the event was still on, he quickly retracted, and said, “I withdraw that statement. To allow you to enjoy your holiday, the Senate president has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.”

The “holiday bonus” comment came weeks after the lawmakers were allocated N70 billion to support their “working conditions” in an amended 2022 supplementary appropriation act.

Nigerians lampooned the Senate President, saying it was very unfortunate that such a statement could be made by Akpabio at a time when Nigerians are still waiting for any form of succour from the government, following the subsidy removal.

‘Let the poor breathe’

The sarcastic “Let the poor breathe” comment by Akpabio-led 10th Senate amid the prevailing economic hardship attracted widespread anger from Nigerians.

In an apparent solidarity with the masses, the Senate had passed an important resolution to cause the suspension of the proposed electricity tariff hike by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the electricity distribution companies in a manner many considered ridiculous.

“The prayer is that, let the poor breathe, and Senator Mustapha has seconded that the poor should breathe. Those who are in support of the additional prayer that the poor should be allowed to breathe, say ‘ayes’ and those who are against say ‘nay,’” Akpabio had said jocularly.

In response, the senators said, “Aye”, to which Akpabio said, “The ayes have it! The poor must be allowed to breathe.”

This remark was spontaneously followed by laughter that resonated with the rest of the senators.

While some condemned the action as a brazen mockery of ordinary masses they are elected to defend, others said it represented sarcasm, a sense of triumph over an attempt to suffocate the poor and a response to the Senate president’s humorous gesture.

Akpabio’s media team had defended the statement, saying the ‘let the poor breathe’ remark “was to firmly reject any plan of increasing electricity tariffs for Nigerians, considering the ongoing economic challenges that Nigerians are faced with.

Speedy loan approval

In what seemed like the continuation of the 9th Senate’s practice, the Red Chamber under Akpabio speedily approved a request by President Tinubu to borrow $800m from the World Bank to scale up the national social safety net programme.

The parliament also gave accelerated approval to Tinubu’s request to amend the N819.5bn 2022 supplementary budget.

Both requests were approved 24 hours after Tinubu sent them to the parliament. Critics had decried the speed with which the borrowing requests were approved without thorough work.

Ministerial screening

The Senate had promised that it would be thorough in scrutinising the records, antecedents, suitability and competence of the individuals nominated to occupy ministerial positions.

While the Senators were praised by some for sitting through odd hours to complete the screening exercise before going on annual recess, they were, however, bashed by others for lack of proper grilling of nominees, some of whom, especially their former colleagues, were asked to merely take a bow and leave.

One nominee was asked to take a bow and go not because of her track record but simply for the reason that she got emotional.

Critics said the discrepancies noticed in the nominees’ records — such as one who is currently an NYSC member, another whose records showed that he did the national youth service at a time he was a member of the National Assembly as well as the one who started primary school at age of three — but not satisfactorily resolved before confirmation was a reflection of a job not thoroughly done.

The federal government has launched the national talent export programme (NATEP) aimed at creating at least one million jobs within the next five years.

Doris Uzoka-Anite, minister of trade and investment, disclosed this on Friday on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

She said the programme is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to diversify the nation’s economy and create opportunities for youths.

“NATEP is a key national initiative that will serve as a special purpose vehicle to position Nigeria as a leading global hub for service export, talent sourcing and talent export,” Uzoka-Anite said.

“As part of our strategy towards achieving this, we have initiated a national talent export programme for Nigeria, which targets the creation of 1 million jobs across Nigeria over five years.

“NATEP is a key national initiative that will serve as a special purpose vehicle to position Nigeria as a leading global hub for service exports, talent sourcing and talent export.”

She said Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda is to grow and diversify the economy to create “50 million jobs” for Nigerians.

Uzoka-Anite said Nigeria can supply top talent for the global service export and outsourcing business with over 1.7 million graduates from higher education institutions entering the workforce annually.

“NATEP will serve as a dedicated entity to address the unique needs and challenges faced by the talents and service export industry,” she said.

“The programme will lay special emphasis on enhancing competitiveness, fostering innovation and driving sustainable growth through trade and services.”

The minister said Nigeria will take advantage of the African continental free trade agreement to access the continent’s market.

“The four-pronged objectives of the NATEP initiative are as follows: to deliver one million service export jobs over the next five years; to increase foreign exchange earnings and revenue for Nigeria; to create economic growth and to stimulate the growth of ancillary industries and support services and to improve skills and strengthening the Nigerian brand,” she said.

‘NIGERIA SHOULD BE INTENTIONAL’

Also speaking, Bosun Tijani, minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, said Nigeria must be “intentional” about exporting talent so that the country will get value.

He said while the country cannot prevent citizens from migrating, it can take advantage of the opportunity.

“I think one thing we’ve not done well is actually to be intentional around how we milk that opportunity for our own economic development. And this is why this program is extremely important,” he said.

He added that Nigeria can benefit from talent export because those leaving will “bring value back to us as well”.

In 1991, the film The Five Heartbeats, directed by Robert Townsend was released. I enjoyed the film so much I cannot count the number of times I have watched it over the years. It is a story set in the 1960s USA about how five poor black teenagers found (and lost, then found again) fame and fortune as a musical band. It is a classic story of talent, opportunity, success, failure, betrayal and loss, drugs, women and murder.

The film summed up the experiences of many young black boys and girls of the time, who made it out of the ghetto on the strength of their God-given talents, but there was often a hefty price to pay for the light that shone on them. One of the scenes in the film shows a party taking place at a high-rise building, hosted by the owner of the record label of the Five Heartbeats known as ‘Big Red’. We see Big Red dangling one of his other artistes from the balcony of the apartment building.

What was the poor guy’s offence? He had the audacity to corner Big Red at the party and demand payment of royalties owed him. Big Red could not exploit the Five Heartbeats the way he would have liked because they had a manager who treated them as his sons. In order to strengthen his hold on the band, Big Red had the manager killed. Big red was eventually brought to justice, but the damage had been done. The band lost a beloved father figure. One of them got hooked on drugs and almost died of an overdose. Another snatched the fiancée of his brother and they became estranged for years. The successful band disintegrated and it took them almost fifteen years to get back together and forgive one another.

This tale of the dynamics between artistes and their recording companies or managers is one that plays out on a daily basis around the world. From Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna and Ed Sheeran to Taylor Swift and Dr Dre, there have been endless battles over management of royalties, adequate promotion of music and tours, welfare of artistes, harassment, exploitation and other pertinent concerns. In a context where there are regulations, legal options and guiding principles to seek redress or arbitration, there is hope for aggrieved artistes. In our own environment, these options are sadly limited.

In poor communities, we have talented artistes who are discovered at a young age, but if they fall into the wrong hands their lives are either ruined or even taken away. Ilerioluwa Oladimeji also known as Mohbad was one of such artistes. A familiar story of grass to grace, of a poor boy from a marginalised neighbourhood who grew up in an unstable family environment, yet with a fierce talent and determination to succeed.

Like many others, he was picked up literally from the streets and signed on to a record label that was supposed to be his ticket to stardom. He paid a terrible price for this opportunity of a lifetime. Instead of finding space, community and opportunity to nurture his musical talent, he found himself in a cesspool of poor company, intimidation, bullying and drug abuse. All this took a toll on his emotional and mental health and eventually his safety was tragically compromised as he passed away under mysterious circumstances. Investigations are still taking place to unearth the relevant facts surrounding his demise, but the facts in the public domain point to a terrible odour emanating from the vibrant musical industry in our country.

Many people have expressed their anger and sadness about the passing of Mohbad because it is felt that it could have been avoided if only people cared enough to listen to him. He cried out time and again, through his lyrics and statements, that he was being bullied and threatened because he had problems with his recording label, but nothing happened. People heard him, but they were not listening. There are many like me who did not know him at all and only got to hear about him when he passed away.

It is hard to believe that there was so much foreshadowing of what was to come, yet Mohbad did not get the support he desperately needed. There are others like him right now, who are signed to the same label and whose lives might also be at risk due to the dangerous environment they are naively trying to thrive in. The silver lining here is that there is sufficient outrage at the moment to hopefully fuel the changes that are required. The exploitation of poor kids from underprivileged communities needs to cease.

The more dire the circumstances of these kids, the more pliant they are in the hands of predators masquerading as messiahs. The recording companies in Nigeria should consider self-regulation before more young people lose their lives. It is not too much to ask for a more professional way of identifying, signing, nurturing and retaining talent. Young people need role models they can look up to, people who will provide them with guidance and make them the best version of themselves possible. They do not deserve a fate which takes them to the pits of hell simply because they placed their trust in the wrong persons.

A lot has been said about the responsibility of parents in this matter. I have always said that if you are bringing up children in this day and age, you need eyes at the back of your head. If your child or ward wants to be a part of the creative community, you need to be extra vigilant. If there are going to be significant investments in the creative economy going forward, it should also consider the requisite counselling and support mechanisms that are necessary for not only the antistes but their parents/wards as well.

It is not enough for a young artiste to achieve success, they also need to be guided to manage their success, otherwise they lose everything overnight. Between competing to buy the latest car (and it always has to be a very expensive one), a house in a neighbourhood they cannot afford, the many women who will be drawn to them like bees to honey, the ever-present entourage and hangers-on and the underworld lurking in the background pushing illicit drugs, sex and whatever fantasies need to be indulged, life on the fast lane always leads to a devastating crash.

May God Almighty comfort Mohbad’s family. May others like him who need help find it before it is too late. To all those who knew about what Mohbad was going through but kept reading his words and replying with Emojis, all those who heard but did not listen, please do better next time. A gifted, troubled young man has left us too soon. His passing diminishes all of us. We therefore all have a role to play to redeem ourselves and prevent the next victim from falling through the cracks. Rest in peace Mohbad. May your passing shine the light on the troubles of others and may all those who tormented you be brought to justice.

• Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Gender Specialist, Social Entrepreneur and Writer. She is the Founder of Abovewhispers.com, an online community for women. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Despite Nigeria’s worsening economic crisis, elected leaders, especially governors across the states, still retain a large number of political aides, thereby ignoring calls for austerity measures, Sunday Vanguard has learnt.

No fewer than 5, 000 political aides were found to have been appointed by 22 state governors.
Apart from Commissioners, who are statutorily required to perform executive functions, governors retain a retinue of aides in sampled states. 

This is despite ongoing conversations around the high cost of governance which have gained traction lately.

To the average Nigerian, the size of government at the state level is over-bloated and too much of a burden for the economy to carry.

Citizens across political divides are worried over the seemingly lackadaisical attitude of sub-governments to address the issue in line with the current economic realities.

The matter is worsened by the fact that most of the states, apart from being highly indebted, struggle to perform their financial obligations.

Some are notorious for owing salary arrears while others are indebted to pensioners.

N2.2 trillion

For instance, the Debt Management Office, DMO, in May 2023, raised the alarm that 16 of the nation’s 36 states were threatened by N2.9 trillion debts.

It said the states’ borrowings comprise a total domestic debt of N2.2 trillion and $1.6 billion in external debt as of December 31, 2022.

Interestingly, one of the state governors in the last dispensation had about 38, 000 political aides.

According to then-governor whose state domestic debt stood at N176 billion and external debt totaled $215 million, the aides were appointed to fight poverty.

Though heavily indebted states do not fall under the category of those sampled by this report, the inference aims at highlighting how the governors appoint aides recklessly.

The political appointees include Special Advisers (SAs), Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), Special Assistants, Executive Assistants (EAs), Technical Advisers (TAs) and Assistants.

A breakdown shows that Bayelsa leads with more than 2, 000 aides while Imo’s 668 appointees make it the second highest.

Others include Yobe, 642, Akwa Ibom, 342, Kano, 202, Plateau, 136, Edo, 134, Niger, 131, Adamawa, 97, Enugu, 72, Ebonyi, 58, Abia, 52, Ondo, 45, Benue, 41, Osun, 40, Sokoto, 30, Kebbi, 30, Katsina, 28, Bauchi, 24, Ekiti, 10, Kaduna, 14, Ogun, 10 and Lagos, 6.

BAUCHI
In Bauchi, Governor Bala Mohammed has 24 Commissioners, 20 SAs and four Special Assistants.

OGUN
Governor Dapo Abiodun has so far appointed only 10 aides.

They include eight SAs, Chief Press Secretary and Deputy Chief of Staff.

He recently sent a list of eight Commissioner-nominees to the state House of Assembly.

The eight nominees have been screened by the lawmakers, but they are still working as SAs pending their swearing-in.

EDO
After the harmonisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by leaders of the ruling party across Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki approved the appointments of 38 SSAs and 96 Special Assistants.
The appointees were drawn from nine local government areas across the state including Ikpoba-Okha, Owan East, Owan West, Orhionmwon, Ovia South-West, Akoko-Edo, Etsako-West, Etsako-Central and Etsako-East LGAs.

KEBBI
Governor of Kebbi State, Dr Nasir Gwandu, has so far appointed 30 aides and 26 Commissioners.
According to the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, eight new ministries have been created for equitable distribution of dividends of democracy in the state.

Idris said the 30 aides were part of plans by the governor to return governance to the people by incorporating the citizenry in decision-making.

NIGER
To fulfill his campaign pledge of gender inclusiveness, Niger State governor, Umar Bago, appointed 131 women as Coordinators and SSA. They comprised 41 Coordinators and 90 SSAs.

AKWA IBOM
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has appointed 23 Commissioners and one Special Adviser as members of his cabinet.

In July, he announced his decision to appoint one Personal Assistant, PA, from each of the 329 wards in the 31 Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state.

Others appointed include Mr Essien Ndueso, SSA to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Dr Frank Ekpenyong, SSA to the Governor on ICT & Digital Services, and Morgan Ekanem, SSA on Public Affairs, Website & Multi-media streaming.

Eno also appointed Mr. Wilson Emmanuel Offiong as his Personal Assistant on Student Affairs, and Comrade Ubong Ikpe as his PA on Persons with Disabilities, PWDs.

ADAMAWA
In Adamawa State, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri appointed 47 media aides. This is besides the 50 Special Advisers that were approved for him by the State House of Assembly.
25 Commissioners were also sworn-in by the governor last month.

YOBE
In Yobe State, Governor Mai Mala Buni approved the appointment of 523 SAs, 104 SSAs and 15 Liaison Officers. No fewer than 20 Commissioners were also appointed.

RIVERS
Rivers State Governor Siminalaye Fubara has only 14 Commissioners and has yet to make more appointments into key ministries.

A source in the Government House, Port Harcourt said the reason for the delay in appointing aides is not unconnected to concerns over recycling of aides in the state.

The immediate past governor of the state was widely criticized for appointing more than 2, 000 aides.

KANO
In Kano State, Governor Abba Yusuf appointed 45 SAs, 109 SSAs/SAs, four Personal Assistants, 44 Senior Special Reporters and Special Reporters.

The governor also has 19 Commissioners.

KATSINA
Katsina State governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, approved the appointment of 14 SAs.
Radda had earlier appointed Alhaji Saidu Ibrahim Danja as his Senior Special Assistant for Victims of Banditry and Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. The total number of SSAs and SAs is 27 while there are 20 Commissioners.

ENUGU
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has so far appointed 22 SAs and Assistants.

He had earlier obtained approval from the State House of Assembly to appoint 50 more SAs. When that is done, the number would increase to 72.

Already, 17 Commissioners have been appointed from the 17 local governments areas of the state.

ABIA
Sunday Vanguard learned that Abia State governor, Alex Otti, has 52 SAs and Assistants.
This is in addition to Commissioners representing all the LGAs in the state.

EBONYI

Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has so far appointed 41 SAs and SSAs.
He also appointed a Special Assistant on Security from each of the 14 LGAs of the state.
There are two Special Assistants for Airport Security. He also has an SSA on Streetlight.

BENUE

In Benue, Governor Hyacinth Alia appointed 17 SSAs and 24 SAs. 17 Commissioners were also chosen.

KADUNA
In July, Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, appointed Dr. Daniel Maigari, a former Commissioner for Agriculture, and Febian Okoye, a former aide to Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, a former governor of Sokoto State, along with 12 others, as SAs.

LAGOS
Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, appointed six SAs to serve in various capacities across ministries.

In addition, 37 Commissioners were sworn-in last week.

SOKOTO

In July, Governor Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State appointed 25 SAs.
Earlier, he had appointed three SSAs and two SAs.

BAYELSA

Political aides appointed by the Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Deputy Speaker and other principal officers are few compared to what is obtainable at the executive arm.
Checks at the state assembly revealed that the Speaker has a Chief of Staff and few other statutory aides like other principal officers.

But the state governor in particular has a legion of aides.

Appointments are made quite often and most of them are not announced or made public.

There are over 200 social media aides to the governor alone in addition to other aides.

In total, the number of political aides to the governor and his deputy is estimated to be over 2, 000 and still counting.

At an event to commemorate the 2023 World Social Media Day recently, the governor made two fresh appointments to add to the growing numbers of social media aides who are categorized into SSAs on New Media and SAs on New Media.

Meanwhile, some of the aides are said to have no clear-cut duties and responsibilities or offices.
Governor Douye Diri himself had, two years ago, declared that he had made close to 2, 000 political appointments since assuming office.

He made the declaration in September 2021 during a grand reception organised in his honour as well as Senator Seriake Dickson and the member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi, in Sagbama, by the Bayelsa West Senatorial District chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The governor was speaking against the backdrop of grumblings over appointments.

He said: “Please, don’t divide the house (PDP); don’t divide our family. Our family has moved from the Restoration Government to the Prosperity Government. Don’t divide it.

“Sometimes I’m bothered when people say ‘I have not been given an appointment’. Wait, your turn will come. We have appointed close to 2,000 now, and we are still appointing. So, wait, your turn will come.

“Just because you don’t have an appointment, you want to divide our family. It will not work. Don’t divide our family, we will remain one. Rather, we will bring more people to our family and we have been doing it. They have been coming and we receive them with two hands.”

EKITI

In Ekiti State, Sunday Vanguard learned that government is the only business as everybody wants to be involved in governance.

Statistics showed that Ekiti parades one of the highest numbers of civil servants and political appointees from state to ward levels in the South-West.

The state’s wage bill is between N2.5 billion and N2.6 billion monthly.

Recently, Governor Biodun Oyebanji forwarded the list of nominees that will constitute his cabinet to the state House of Assembly, comprising 21 Commissioner-nominees and 10 SAs for screening and confirmation.

The delay in appointing cabinet members, according to a source close to the governor, was deliberate to conserve resources.

However, Special Adviser, Media to Ekiti State Governor, Yinka Oyebode, said efforts are being made to reduce the cost of governance.

According to him, deliberate efforts are being made to block loopholes for waste through the use of technological innovation.

Oyebode noted that local contractors have been encouraged to ensure money circulates within the state as part of measures to cut cost of governance.

He went further to reveal that the number of Commissioners and SAs in the present administration was reduced drastically compared to what was obtainable in previous administrations.

His words: “Since the advent of this administration, we have made efforts to cut down the cost of governance as it reflects in different aspects of governance even in appointments.

“The number of Special Advisers has been drastically reduced from what it used to be.

The number of people who travel with the Governor has been reduced. We are deliberately cutting down the cost of governance. You will notice even our contracts are done through direct labour.

“Ekiti State governor has not bought new vehicles and he is moving from one ministry to the other, picking vehicles that have been condemned and fixing them. That is what we have been using now for the last nine months.

“The vehicle the governor is using was what he used as the Secretary to the State Government and the convoy is from the previous administration. All he did was fix them, even the Deputy Governor, wife of the governor, SSG and state officials are doing the same thing. We are deliberately cutting down the cost of governance.

“In the past, the governor had several Pas. Currently, he has just one P.A. Those are deliberate efforts. What he has done now is to merge offices, merge responsibilities to reduce cost of governance.

“Some governments have 36 and all that. He has also told them to use the little money they have to do the basic things and avoid spending money on frivolous things.

“Local government chairmen have been mandated to reduce the cost of governance. We have a committee set up to monitor and document local government projects. You cannot duplicate offices and it cuts across.’’

ONDO

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State appointed 45 aides in his first term.
He has maintained the same number to date.

Sources said his deputy, Lucky Ayedatiwa, only appointed his Chief Press Secretary while other aides were seconded from the office of the governor.

Sunday Vanguard couldn’t ascertain the exact number of aides seconded to his office out of the 45 appointees of the governor.

Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, has yet to publicly announce the appointment of his aides, but a source close to him said his appointees are no fewer than 15.

However, the Deputy Speaker, Abayomi Akinruntan, has 10 aides.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that, officially, the Speaker was expected to appoint only four aides and his deputy, three.

Although the Majority and Minority leaders in the House of Assembly have equally not publicly announced their aides, sources said they have no fewer than eight.

“Appointing more aides than required, is just to create jobs for the boys. Some do not even have defined duties,” a source said.

OSUN

Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, pledged to work with a lean cabinet given the scarce resources of the state.

However, after appointing the statutory aides in the persons of the Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff and spokesperson, a retinue of media aides was also appointed.
The appointees, including domestic, media and others are about 40.

Adeleke also requested from the state House of Assembly 25 SAs to work with him. By the time the request is granted, the governor is likely to work with a 50-man cabinet.

Meanwhile, a civil society organisation, The Osun Masterminds, TOM, criticized the list of a 50-man cabinet, saying the state has no financial capacity to finance such a “big cabinet”.

Executive Director of the group, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, said: “An important issue is the size of the intended cabinet.

“The 25 Commissioner-nominees meant government does not care about making the size of government lean to conserve resources and save the state from financial woes.

“One would expect that at this time in the history of governance in Nigeria, our dear state would reduce the cost of governance.

“CSOs are bothered just like many people over the size of government. Their salaries, allowances and other perks of office including official cars would incur huge expenses for Osun.

“It is also interesting to note that the same Governor Adeleke who sanctioned a staff audit to block leakage and improve the welfare of civil servants cannot avoid having 50 Commissioners and Special Advisers. Our State cannot afford such a financial burden.”

In a riposte, spokesperson for Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, said: “It is too early to judge the administration over appointments. We will run one the most modest administrations.”

Osun is battling a backlog of workers’ salary arrears as well as pension and gratuity in the region of N70 billion among other inherited debts.

KOGI

Kogi is one of the states with bloated bureaucracy. From the executive arm of government to the legislature, the state boasts of a retinue of aides for its leaders.

Apart from 21 Commissioners, Governor Yayaha Bello has more than 30 SAs.

Bello also appointed SSAs on Security Matters for each of the state 21 LGAs apart from several SSAs for other portfolios.

IMO

Following the inauguration of 247 Advisers recently by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, the number of his political appointees has increased to about 668.

No fewer than 247 people were inaugurated on behalf of the governor by the Deputy Governor, Placid Njoku, at the Government House, Owerri.

Earlier, the governor had appointed 35 Commissioners as well as 18 SAs.

He later appointed 63 more SAs and SSAs. Last year, Uzodimma appointed 305 Liaison Officers at the 305 ward levels.

At the time of filing this report, the governor has about 668 appointees.
The Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Chike Olemgbe, on his part, has about 20 aides described as support staff.

Other members of the state House of Assembly have no fewer than two aides.

ANAMBRA

After what was considered an era of magnanimity in dishing out political appointments by the Willie Obiano administration in Anambra State, during which there were over 4, 000 political office holders in the state, his successor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, appears to have drastically slashed the number.

For instance, although the figure of political office holders is not readily available, the number of ministries has been reduced and the multiple SSAs and Special Assistants, as well as Executive Assistants, are not what they used to be.

During the previous administration, Education Ministry had two Commissioners – Tertiary and Basic, just as Works Ministry had the Ministry of Road Infrastructure in addition. Now, the Ministry of Education is one while Works is also one.

During the Obiano administration, most of the SSAs, Special Assistants and Executive Assistants had no functional offices, with many operating from outside the state.

It was common to see up to 10 political appointees attached to one ministry. Now, a few SAs and SSAs have specific functions in departments and agencies.

In Anambra, Commissioners are seen driving themselves while few SSAs, SAs and EAs complain that nothing much is coming to them yet. Some said the state is still in transition, but are optimistic things will normalise later.

An official of the state government, who pleaded anonymity, said the size of government is a deliberate cost saving measure by Soludo.

PLATEAU

Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, approved the appointment of 136 Special Assistants with specific assignments to enable him deliver on his promises to the people.
The appointees spread across the 17 Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state and eight was chosen from each LGA.

A statement by the Governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, said their designations will be communicated to them in their respective Local Government Councils.
He said, “The appointees, whose names are listed below, are the first batch. They will assume their roles and responsibilities immediately. Their portfolios will however be communicated to them in their respective Local Government Councils.”

Some of the appointees are Dalyop Pin, Jemima Nyam, Patience Ufwalal, Dachomo Sunday, Shim Malau, Dabot Dung, Pam Nuhu, Samson Chuwang, Aaron Jamo, Gimbia Tahu, Yahaya Ibrahim, Atoyi Daniel, Katuk Ahamdu, Ughili Agaji, Ichi David and Sunday Wada.

Others are Mubarak Isa, Azong Auta, Linda Adeleye, Tele Mangs
Oghranduka Egheleakpo, Maureen Odilimuo, Zal James, Kachollom Moses, Golu Golwok’ah, Beatrice Gontur, Ruth Goma, Wuchir Gozumdang, Wubitwe Waptu, Bakomi Gotom and Joseph Simon.

At least 34 people were killed when a contraband fuel dump burst into flames in southern Benin Republic near the border with Nigeria, a government official said on Saturday.

“A serious fire occurred in the town of Seme Podji,” Interior Minister Alassane Seidou told reporters.

“Unfortunately we have 34 deaths including two babies. Their bodies are charred because the cause of the fire is smuggled fuel.”

The minister said another 20 people were being treated in hospital, including some in a serious condition.

Nigeria is a major oil and gas producer and fuel smuggling is common along its borders, especially when the government maintained a subsidy to keep petrol prices low.

The Yoruba Council of Elders has urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgent importance, create an enabling environment for the return of all involuntary exiles, who are victims of past draconian regimes.

The Yoruba elders said that those in exile include “the personages of Professor Banji Akintoye and Chief Sunday Igboho, who were harassed for advocating proper and dignified treatment of their law-abiding kinsmen”.

The elders spoke in a communique signed by YCE scribe, Elder Oladipo Oyewole and Publicity Secretary, Elder Niyi Ajibulu at the end of the council’s meeting of the Secretary-General and state secretaries which was held in Ado Ekiti made available to journalists on Saturday.

Oyewole and Ajibulu, who said YCE had been miffed about the degenerating level of acceptance of Yoruba language, culture and civilisation, said that the meeting also deliberated on the presentation of a book, ‘Yoruba Renaissance, Challenges and Prospects’

They described the book, written by Sir Egunjobi, a renowned educationist, as “a timely enunciation of Yoruba history and contemporary affairs which succinctly illuminates both recurring and emerging challenges and prospects to the Yoruba experience”.

They called on the Federal Government to reaffirm its responsibility to provide equal protection to all citizens and constituent groups in the country.

The Yoruba elders, who took exception to the action of the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, against some traditional rulers in Oyo State last week, said that the former president “should certainly apologise and make restitution”.

The elders stated, “The YCE takes exception to the humiliation recently meted out to various traditional rulers of Oyo State by Chief Obasanjo upon the claim of status as a former Head of State. This malfeasance constitutes a shameful affront to the dignity of Yoruba tradition and culture and thus stand condemned”.

Oyewole and Ajibulu stated that “to start with, the book presentation visits shall be made to the governors of the Yoruba states in due honour of their statuses as the chief executive officers of their various states.

According to them, the book, ‘Yoruba Renaissance, Challenges and Prospects’ “is a compendium of efforts made to ensure the enviable leadership position of the Yoruba in the ‘arrangement’ called Nigeria. It delves into many aspects of frontline activities (historical, social, economic, political (etc)”.