There is no doubt that while Nigeria is one of the world’s largest consumers of rice as staple, she is far from being self-sufficient in production.

The rice value chain has been the focus of past administrations, particularly to make the country self-sufficient in rice production, but, unfortunately, there has not been significant achievement in that regard based on bedeviling factors including poor political will, smuggling, sabotage, international interference and influence.       According to a report of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, Nigeria is the largest producer of rice in Africa, producing about 8,435,000 tonnes annually, followed by Egypt, Madagascar, Tanzania and Mali.

To showcase Nigeria’s capacity to produce rice for self-sufficiency and export, former President Muhammadu Buhari on January 18, 2022, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, mobilized rice farmers to assemble over 1 million bags of paddy rice in pyramids under the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, ABP, and were officially unveiled in conjunction with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, in Abuja.

The unveiling ceremony of the rice pyramids attracted attention of Nigerians and the international community.
The CBN’s plan was to sell the rice below market prices and to bring down high prices of the commodity.

Crash
Meanwhile, Buhari, in his address at the unveiling of the rice pyramids, assured Nigerians that with the symbolic unveiling of the paddy rice pyramids, prices of rice will crash.

He maintained that the commissioning of the rice pyramids was an indication that Nigeria was making steady progress towards attainment of self-sufficiency in food production.

Buhari said, “Today rice production in Nigeria has increased to over 7.5 million metric tonnes annually. “Prior to the introduction of ABP, the average production in Nigeria between 1999 and 2015 was less than four metric tonnes annually.

“I am aware that the bags of paddy will be moving straight from here to rice milling plants across Nigeria, which leads to the release of processed rice to the markets by rice millers.

“The measure will aid our efforts at reducing the price of rice in Nigeria.

“Before this administration launched the ABP, there were only 15 standard rice mills in Nigeria. As of today, we have over 50 standard and integrated rice mills creating jobs and reducing unemployment.
“We expect additional significant output when two new mills are started in Lagos and Katsina.”

Progress

Former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in his own address at the occasion, said by virtue of assembling the single largest rice pyramids provide undisputable and unassailable evidence of significant progress under President Buhari’s food security initiatives that gives hope to Nigerians that rice issue is settled and no need for importation of the commodity. 

“Beyond increasing our national output from about 5.4 million metric tonnes in 2015 to over 9 million metric tonnes in 2021, we have also significantly improved the productivity per hectare of the smallholder farmer from about 2.4 metric tonnes per ha in 2015 to between about 5 metric tonnes per ha in 2021”, he said.

Soaring price

Barely two years after the unveiling of the rice pyramids, questions remain. Why is the price of rice at over N80, 000? Was there no sustainability plan? Could it be that CBN could not effectively make rice farmers repay their loan under the ABP?

Was there any form of sabotage in the rice value chain?

Was it a political strategy to win the votes of Nigerians ahead of the 2023 general elections? Or were other factors responsible for the current high price of rice? 

Stakeholders in the rice value chain, who spoke with Sunday Vanguard on the issues, shared their views about what transpired and why rice has gone out of the reach of Nigerians based on what they know and pointed out.

Intervention demands involvement of Agric Ministry – AFAN

  National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Kabir Ibrahim, said their expectations were high concerning the launch of the rice pyramids in Abuja.

Ibrahim counseled that following the failure of the ABS, it is imperative for the current CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, to drive agricultural interventions through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, which will seamlessly get to the real farmers.

He said: “We expected that the price of rice would generally come down as it was clearly abundant going by the display on pyramids.

“We advised that the paddy displayed be directly given to millers soon after the ceremony so that when milled it will be made readily available to consumers and thereby crash the price of rice generally.
“Any intervention in agriculture by the CBN should be channeled through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security so that there will be the requisite institutional memory and expertise incorporated in it to avoid failure.

 
“There should be close monitoring and evaluation by the CBN and AFAN to ensure that the implementation is properly done.

“The recent action of allocating 2.1 million bags of assorted fertilizers to the FMAFS to distribute to farmers by the CBN is the right step in the right direction and therefore highly commendable.”
On boosting rice farmers’ productivity, the farmers’ leader said, “The right kind of synergy should be put in place to get all the sub-nationals to key into the programme of rice production because the activity is largely in the states and LGAs.

“Farmers should be incentivized at all levels and regardless of politics and other considerations but the attainment of rice sufficiency in Nigeria.

“Farmers should heed the advice of NiMET and the hydrological services agency on climate and flood outlook to minimize the effect of flooding and even drought.
“We hope and pray that the incident of flooding which is clearly due to climate change caused by carbon emission will be mitigated by Nigeria’s climate action aimed at reducing methane emission generally as promised at COP 28 in Dubai.

“Farmers should work assiduously to feed the ever increasing population of our country and to also partner and collaborate with others such as donor agencies and development partners to scale their productivity.”

Abandonment of ABS made rice price to skyrocket – Kebbi RIFAN Chairman

  The Chairman, Kebbi RIFAN, Muhammad Sahabi, asserted that the abandonment of ABS is a major cause for the high price of rice in the market.

According to Sahabi, rice farmers do not have access to finance to boost their productivity, and as a result of the high cost of farm inputs, they have abandoned rice fields.

He said: “Before the Anchor Borrowers’ intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Federal Government, farmers on their own bought their inputs and other things to actually support their rice farming.
“But once the CBN came with that intervention those inputs that were not affordable by our farmers were made available to them, which made their production increase, hence the rice pyramids that were seen in Abuja, which was purely by the private sector.

“After all said and done, there were complaints that rice was too expensive, and it was not true.

“At that time we were trying to block importation of rice into the country, and we were trying to rely on only our homegrown rice production, and with the tendency that it has to be a slow process.
“All the same, the price then and the current price cannot be compared.

“Since the suspension of the Anchor Borrowers Scheme in Kebbi State, rice farmers have abandoned their farms because they cannot afford the inputs, for instance, a bag of fertilizer that was sold for N6,000 is now being sold for N50,000.

“Even the water-pump engines we used to buy for N50,000 is now sold for over N100,000, and we buy a litre of petrol for N720 which was bought at N168.

“With this high cost of inputs, a poor farmer in the village cannot finance his rice production, and to feed his family now becomes difficult, and the quantity he used to send to the market is less than 10 per cent of what it used to be, and definitely it will affect the price.

“All programmes by the previous government are now abandoned or being reviewed.

“Our farmers are not able to repay the loan they accessed from the CBN, and it is not only farmers in Kebbi State but all over the country, and they are supposed to use their harvest to repay the loans but if a farmer is struggling to feed his family, what will he have to sell to repay his loan because the cost of inputs is high, some are killed, kidnapped, and no enabling environment to pay their loans.   
“The price of rice will not reduce because less than 25 per cent of farmers are now back to farm in Kebbi State.

“Therefore, the volume of production is very low, and the quantity of land a farmer used to cultivate has now gone low, less than 1, 000 of what he used to cultivate, and definitely there is going to be another upsurge of price.

“In Kebbi State, rice farmers want cheaper fertilizer, agro-chemicals, irrigation facilities, solar-powered pumping machines, and others.”

Policy inconsistency impacting rice value chain – RIMAN Chairman

  National President, RIFAN, Peter Dama, pointed out that one of the major causes of high cost of rice currently is traceable to policy inconsistency and made recommendations as panacea to the issue. 
Dama said: “The rice pyramids that were launched were really because over 50,000 metric tonnes of paddy were produced and sold to rice millers who milled and sold to Nigerians at affordable rates of between N35,000    and N40,000 then.

“There have been challenges confronting rice farmers in the country. First and foremost is the issue of insecurity, where bandits and kidnappers have been creating problems for our farmers in the fields.
“Farmers also have challenges with high cost of inputs that have affected their ability to procure necessary inputs for their activities.

“ABS, which the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, introduced, was no longer functional as the interventions through single digit interest rate for loan was suspended abruptly.

“So there are no cheap funds for farmers to obtain for their activities on the farm. The impact of Anchor Borrowers Scheme on rice production was tremendous because it enabled rice farmers to produce enough for our rice mills to process, and farmers could afford inputs but with the suspension everything went down.

“Also, unfortunately, the CBN had problems of recovery of the loans that were given to farmers during the Anchor Borrowers Programme. This also affected the progress recorded in the entire programme as debtors are still being pursued to pay up.

“True, rice was supposed to be cheap because of CBN and other interventions by now but policy inconsistency has always impacted negatively on the entire rice value chain.

“The same government that brought in subsidies in agricultural production, the same government has withdrawn fuel subsidies, which is one of the major components in rice processing and milling. This singular aspect has led to the rise of everything in Nigeria and not only on rice.

“The floating of the Nigerian currency, which led to the high cost of the US Dollar, affects rice millers because to some extent rice millers have to import machinery or spare parts to take care of wear and tear in their factories.

“Generally, the high cost of production led to the high cost of rice currently in the country.”

  Recommendations
“The Tinubu administration should try to reduce cost of production by way of the return of fuel subsidy, reduction in electricity tariff for manufacturers, millers and food processors, provision of adequate security to farmers in order for them to return to their farms for production.

“The administration should provide subsidies to reduce cost of production to agric businessmen with tax holiday extended to millers and food processors so that they can produce optimally for the nation to feed herself.

“All trade barriers removed to ensure smooth trading in all sectors. There is also the need to embark on research on appropriate seeds that can be cultivated.

“Equally important is the issue of climate change that is affecting all sectors of agriculture. The Nigerian government should tackle this aspect by getting experts to look into the problem rather than paying lip-service to the challenges head on in this sector.

“Finally, the need for the government to embark and pay serious attention to research and development, particularly on high yielding rice seeds with adequate irrigation services nationwide so that rice farmers can cultivate rice twice in a year, instead of depending only, on one wet season circle of cultivation of paddy rice needed by the millers to process.

“The Central Bank should continue with its Anchor Borrowers Program but this time around, they should ensure that only real farmers benefit from the programme instead of political farmers.
“The restrictions which were taken off for the importation of 43 items by the CBN should be discontinued in order to encourage our home grown products from unnecessary competition foreign imported goods and services.

“Special windows be created for agribusinesses to obtain foreign exchange rates at a more affordable price to enable millers import or replace worn out machinery and spares that are not readily available locally. 

“The difficult and cumbersome conditions for obtaining bank facilities should be reduced, particularly, the issues of having to provide huge collateral before obtaining a bank facility.

“Also the CBN should ensure that each bank has an operational agric desk to take care of the needs and requests of farmers and particularly rice millers, and if the development finance department of the CBN, will be allowed to remain, honest and well experienced officers be appointed to man such departments.

“The CBN as a matter of urgency encourages the full capitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture, BoA, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security so that farmers can easily reach out to this bank to obtain facilities if the CBN discontinues its Anchor Borrowers programme.”

As part of celebrating the 82nd birthday of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the church yesterday, through its Continent 3s digital transformation drive, themed ‘A World of Unlimited Possibilities’ future boot camp valued at over N400 million has imparted over 1,000 Nigerian youths.

Fielding questions from the newsmen yesterday, Personal Assistant and Son of the General Overseer, Pastor Oluwagbemileke Adeboye, disclosed that the initiative is the first of its kind in Africa and aims to alleviate poverty through the ripple effect of digital knowledge.

He said, “I am part of the incubator team in this movement. Its aim is to assist the average Nigerian youth. It started off with 12 thousand youths applying; 5 thousand and above were able to do the online test, but we ended up with 1 thousand people making up for the physical meeting.

“Basically, what we are trying to push is the agenda of helping the Nigerian youth from age 15 to 45 understand what will count in the future of work and what they need to equip themselves with to succeed. It is the first of its kind in Africa, and we are hopefully going to do more. We have done seven days, and there would be a need for continuity for them to be able to give feedback on areas they don’t understand yet because it takes a while to re-engineer anyone’s mind to achieve the success to which we want access. On average, it should have cost N400,000 per person; if 100 people had come here, it would have cost about N400 million, but God has helped us to subsidise it.

“We are hoping that in nine months, people that have come will give birth to their own businesses and companies along that line, but with the mindset of “ A World of Unlimited Possibilities,” they will help support the economy. If everybody is able to create jobs, the ripple effect would help alleviate poverty across our great nation called Nigeria. because if one person is doing okay in a family, they would be able to support other people, and such an individual would come out to help his or her community.

Asked if the church would employ these youths, he added, “The game plan is that they would start up their own business and also end up employing other people. We have shown them the link, the bait for the fish, how to catch the fish, and how to store the fish. So the game plan is to get them to the door and remain inside the door of success.”

On her part, CEO of Africa Mission Global, a faith-based charity organization with the aim of impacting 100 million lives globally, Fatai Williams, added that “the initiative would be extremely impactful for the youth as it would reach a larger number of people in society based on what the digital initiative offers. So when you scale up young people with digital knowledge, they can fit into any sector based on their digital skills,” she said.

An economic crash in Nigeria left international students in the United Kingdom [UK] struggling to afford tuition fees, with some at Teesside University blocked from their studies and ordered to return home.

Manager Debbie Fixter said 75% of clients at Thornaby’s Sprouts Community Food Charity (SCFC) were affected students and the situation had pushed it to “maximum capacity”. 

The university said it was providing support and international applicants must provide evidence of sufficient funds when applying for a visa.

SCFC organises a range of activities and offers food for free or at low cost, along with clothes and household items.

Over the course of recent months, the charity said its clientele had noticeably changed with the majority of those visiting being Nigerian masters degree students from Teesside University.

Nigeria is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, with the value of the naira depreciating by more than 200% against the dollar in the past 12 months.

As a result, students at UK universities have seen their savings wiped out and budgets suddenly and significantly reduced, leaving them struggling to afford the cost of living.

Some have subsequently been ordered to leave the UK after struggling to pay their tuition fees on time, as reported by the BBC this month.

But Teesside University continues to recruit students in Nigeria, according to a spokesman.

‘Part of our community’

An increasing number of students who come to the UK are turning to community charities and organisations for much-needed help, according to SCFC manager Ms Fixter.

“They’re really struggling, they need help and they’re part of our community,” she said.

Client Boluwatife Elusakin said he has had to “dive deep” to afford the cost of living and studying in the UK.
Nigeria’s economic crisis means he is having to spend double what he had budgeted.
“Things are no longer the same,” he said.

“I’ve had to cut costs because of the currency crash, it hit my savings as I’d already budgeted funds to come here.

“It makes me feel sad, but I hope I can endure just one year and all will be well.”

Ms Fixter said her charity was currently at “maximum capacity” as a result of the situation and called on Teesside University to offer more support.

She said the university had so far been proactive and offered a welcome £500 donation of Sainsbury’s vouchers after being informed of the situation, but called it a “drop in the ocean” in terms of what was needed to support the influx of students at the charity.

The university said it worked closely with community organisations to signpost students back to its own support services and had provided vouchers and contributions to ensure the organisations could offer support to students.

“Teesside University remains a popular destination for students from across the world who choose to study here because of its global reputation for excellence in teaching and research,” a spokesman added.

“All international applicants need to provide evidence that they have sufficient funds to cover tuition fees and living costs as part of the visa application process.”

The university is offering “case by case” support to those affected by the situation in Nigeria.

• Source: BBC

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said on Saturday that Nigeria was becoming more volatile, uncertain and complex.

He added that insecurity had made the country a dangerous place, filled with so much suffering and hunger.

For him, the leadership has to wake up to its responsibilities in other to create a better world for all Nigerians.

He said these in Lagos at the Africa Methodist Council Heads of Conference Summit and Women’s Movement Leadership Summit, where he was the Chairman of the public lecture.

The lecture’s topic, presented by the General Secretary, World Methodist Council, Bishop Ivan Abrahams, was, ‘Leadership in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous World’.

Obasanjo, giving his opening remarks asked that Nigerian leaders must re-evaluate the world.

“How do we re-evaluate the world? That is what I believe we have to do in our re-evaluating the world. What do we do? Jesus Christ himself told us that in this world, we would have trouble.

“I will give you two points. Wake up! We need a new generation of leaders; moral leaders, transformational leaders, and servant leaders.

“This new generation of leaders will lead by showing love and leading the re-evaluation and transformation,” he said.

Speaking further, he said, “Nigeria as it is now is volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous and dangerous.

“We have resources in Africa; we have 70 per cent of the world’s copper. Japan has no mineral resources. Singapore is even worse. No resources!

“But, whatever resources we have, if we are devoid of leadership, it won’t get us anywhere. That is why leadership in Africa is very important.

“We can’t create an Africa of hope, prosperity, devoid of oppression and one of security, peace and where leaders have vision, knowledge and understanding this way.”

He also noted that the late South African freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela, and Preacher, Desmond Tutu, advised him to contest the presidency for the second time.

He said, “When I came out of prison, and there was pressure mounting on me to take the mantle of leadership in Nigeria, the only place I went outside Nigeria was South Africa. I went to seek advice from Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.

“Nelson said, ‘Olu, whatever your instinct tells you, do it.’ Tutu said, ‘If your people want you to serve, serve and stop making excuses’.

“I came back home and decided to make myself available and contest for the presidency of Nigeria.

“I found out that the years I spent in prison were advantageous to me in serving as president when I was elected.

“We can get good out of bad. That also happened to Nelson Mandela.

“When we get good leaders, let’s make maximum use of them because good leaders don’t flog. When you get one in a generation, make good use of them.  Let’s learn the right lesson from them.

“We cannot make the world less volatile, simple or unambiguous unless we have the right type of leaders. We are talking about leaders that take examples of Jesus Christ and become like him.”

Responding to a question during the question and answer session, Obasanjo said the removal of History from the nation’s educational curriculum was a huge disaster.

He said, “I don’t know where we got the idea that we shouldn’t teach history in our school. It is a stupid idea.

“It is like losing one’s memory. It will be a disaster. I don’t know where we got it from. Some people feel there is an aspect of the history we don’t want to hear.

“There are always the bad and the good even in your own life. As you may know, I am a proprietor of a school, and in my school, we must teach History, and it must be taught the right way. You can then decide to take whatever you want to take out of it.

“There is no race in the world that has suffered like the black race, through slavery, slave trade and colonialism.

“In America, some people are now teaching that the slave trade was not a true story – that the white and the black went to the Caribbean in search of greener pastures.

“We were shipped there as slaves. If we allow that to go, we will be enslaved again, and we must not allow that to go.

“I have given myself the task of working with some people to keep the slave trade alive in our history. We must not allow anyone to say the slave trade is not a true story and we must keep it on the front burner.”

Speaking further, the former President said finding crude oil in Nigeria was the beginning of the country’s misfortune.

He said, “One of the things that was a little bit of misfortune in Nigeria is crude oil. We were drinking and sleeping oil, and it was a misfortune for us. It made us to abandon agriculture. Oil is a waste asset. Agriculture is renewable. We have to go back to it.

“We have to give something to our youths who are becoming restive, frustrated and dangerous.

“If we are going to curb that, it is giving them education, skills, empowerment and employment. If we don’t, they will soon come to attack us in our homes in the daytime, and it is a matter of time.

“Even food, we don’t produce enough. We spend over $20bn to import food. 60 per cent of arable land is not cultivated. The one cultivated is not used to maximum capacity. We need leaders who will lead us to the promised land.”

Advising up-and-coming politicians, he said it was a pity most politicians took politics as a profession without any backup plan.

He said, “Politicians are a different kettle of fish. They have to be in the world and be to some extent of the world.

“You must not be a professional politician. Politics is one profession you go into without any training. You can wake up today and say you are a politician.

“If you are going to be a successful politician you must have an alternative to being a politician, another means of livelihood

“When I was President, because I had to listen to my party and they wanted to push me in the way I should not go, I always told them, ‘Look! My farm is there. Take your job. I go back to my farm.’

“Some politicians have no second address. That is a great pity. A politician who has no second address will stand for anything. He has no principle, morality, dos and don’ts.”

President Bola Tinubu has ordered crackdown on members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) following the brutal killing of five soldiers in Aba, Abia State.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday, resulted in the death of five soldiers and marked the second attack of that nature in recent months, following a similar one in Okuama, Delta State, that claimed the lives of seventeen soldiers including a lieutenant colonel, two majors and a captain.

In a strongly worded statement, Tinubu described the attack as “unwarranted, barbaric, and evil” and vowed that such acts would not be condoned by the Federal Government.

“The federal government will come down heavily against those who have made it a habit to needlessly attack the officers and men of our armed forces.

“On no account should anyone, under any guise, have the audacity to kill agents of state.

“I want to make it clear that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the armed forces have the capacity to crush violent non-state actors, making our communities unsafe.

“I urge security agencies not only to fish out the masterminds and perpetrators of the Aba attack, but also those calling on people to stay at home. Their action is nothing but a treasonable offence.

“The fact that the security forces are exercising necessary restraints should not be mistaken for weakness,” the president warned.

Earlier, the military high command promised a fierce response to the killing of the soldiers.

Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, said the military would bring overwhelming pressure on IPOB to ensure their total defeat.

According to him, the slain soldiers belonged to Operation UDO KA and were deployed at Obikabia junction checkpoint in Obingwa Local Government Area adjourning Aba metropolis in Abia, where they attacked and killed by suspected IPOB/ESN members.

Buba said the surprise attack was executed using three tinted Prado Toyota SUVs and additional assailants from surrounding area.

“The attack sadly took the lives of five personnel of the armed forces. The armed forces mourns these troops as each and every soldier lost in battle is a terrible loss.

“Meanwhile, investigation are ongoing concerning the attack. Overall, it must be reiterated that the lifeline of the terrorist is the people and this situation is no exemption.

“Winning the war without the support of the people is close to impossible and the IPOB capitalised on this to perpetrate attacks on the troops.

“The situation leave more to be desired. Accordingly, it is absolutely imperative that the military retaliate against this dastardly act against troops.

“The military would be fierce in its response. We would bring overwhelming military pressure on the group to ensure their total defeat,” he said.

Former Super Falcons player Iyabo Abade, now a man and renamed James Johnson, has begged the Nigeria Football Federation to assist him with the payment of N69.7m to facilitate a corrective surgery that will enable him bear children.

Johnson, a confirmed hermaphrodite, was a member of the Falcons from 1997 to 2000 and successfully underwent a sex change operation in the United States in 2004 courtesy of then Minister, Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

This came after a series of failed attempts to correct the abnormality that led to his being dropped from the women’s national team.

A hermaphrodite is a person or animal with both male and female organs. While it is common with animals, it is rare in human beings.

Johnson told our correspondent he wrote to the NFF for financial assistance last year to undergo the surgery but hasn’t heard from the football body.

The 40-year-old said he would be a fulfilled man if he could conclude the final stages of the surgery and bear children.

“Anytime I think that I can’t father a child’ yet, I feel broken, that’s why I wrote to the federation for financial assistance. The NFF president Ibrahim Gusau is a man with a listening ear and hopefully, through him, the federation can help me achieve my dream,” Johnson told our correspondent.

In the letter titled ‘Appeal for financial assistance to enable me finalise my surgery of transforming from an inter sex person (male and female organs – hermaphrodite) to full fledged man so that I can father a child’, and addressed to the NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, Johnson said he needed the money to undergo the final two phases of surgery that would make him a full man.

The letter dated April 4, 2023, read, “My President, I am using this medium to passionately appeal to you for God and humanity sake, to use your good office to assist me financially to enable me travel to the United State of America where I did the 1 & 2 phase of surgery (Midway Hospital Medical Centre, Los Angeles) for the surgery and treatment of the 3rd and 4th phase of my transformation to a full fledge man so that I can father children.

“The total cost of the surgery and treatment is one hundred and sixty thousand dollar ($160,000) equivalent to sixty nine million seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N69,750,000:00).”

The letter to Gusau added, “I was born hermaphrodite i.e both female and male organs and was brought up as a female. I love football and played very well, that led to my selection to play for the Super Falcons in 1997. During my days of playing, an issue ensued that led to a test, which confirmed that I am a hermaphrodite, 70% male and 30% female. This led to terminating my appointment as a female player.

“The NFA (Nigeria Football Association) instructed that I should go for sex corrective surgery. The then Minister of Federal Capital Territory Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in 2004 sponsored my trip to the United State of America to undergo the sex corrective surgery.

“I was told that I’m going to undergo four phases of surgery. The first and second phase was done and I was invited to join the Flying Eagles in camp in 2005. I was coached by Samson Siasia, but I was dropped due to overage.

“I was able to sign up with NEPA Football Club of Abuja, from there I signed for Plateau United of Jos. I later went on to sign up with Crown Football Club of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, where I was discriminated against and humiliated.”

The Branch Controller (Ekiti) of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Mrs. T.A.Y. Lawson, has stated that the National Labour Congress’s nationwide strike set to begin on Monday will not disrupt examinations across the country.

This was disclosed in a letter to principals and school proprietors in Ekiti State, titled “Notice of commencement of indefinite strike by NLC and TUC.”

Lawson stated that though the examination body sympathizes with the unions’ concerns, it is crucial that students do not suffer by missing the ongoing examinations.

The letter reads, “The attention of Management has been drawn to a notice of the Commencement of Indefinite Strike by NLC and TUC effective, Monday, 3rd June 2024.

“Please be formally informed that the conduct of WASSCE SC 2024 goes on as scheduled.

“In as much as we share the concerns of the unions and the generality of Nigerians, the WASSCE SC is going on across the member Countries of WAEC and the Nigerian Child should not be put to a disadvantage of missing the exam.

“For the aforesaid reason, WAEC will conduct the exam and School Principals, supervisors, parents and the general public should please take note and make adequate arrangements for their candidates to sit the exam. Kindly be guided accordingly.”

Real Madrid claimed a record-extending 15th European Cup after goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior earned a hard-fought 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley Stadium.

Der BVB landed the first jab in this heavyweight clash, as Julian Brandt fired wide from Niclas Füllkrug’s intelligent pass.

Karim Adeyemi was then left to rue a golden missed opportunity after arching his run beautifully to meet a Mats Hummels pass, but could not find a way past Thibaut Courtois.

Füllkrug then slid into the box and agonisingly saw his effort hit the post, in another huge warning for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Courtois was called into action again to deny the lively Adeyemi, before comfortably dealing with Füllkrug’s follow-up header.

The Belgian was by far the busier of the two shot-stoppers, and pushed away Marcel Sabitzer’s strike, leaving Edin Terzić’s men wondering how they had not managed to draw first blood before halftime.

Toni Kroos was making the final appearance of his illustrious club career, and almost answered his team’s call for a moment of magic when the German’s free-kick was pushed behind by Gregor Kobel in the Swiss goalkeeper’s first save of the match, just past the restart.

However, there was a growing sense of inevitability that despite Dortmund’s overall superiority, it was only a matter of time before Real struck first.

Kroos was the provider with a sublime corner into the path of Carvajal, who executed a superb glancing header past Kobel in the 74th minute, and a club synonymous with this competition had struck first.

Vinícius scored the killer second goal with a scuffed angled finish from Bellingham’s pass, and Dortmund’s brave fight had come to nothing.

This was another far-from-vintage Los Blancos performance, but incredibly, it was enough to get the job done and secure what was surprisingly only a fourth LaLiga and European Cup double. It was also a fitting way for Kroos to end his club career before making his final playing sojourn at UEFA Euro 2024, winning a joint-record sixth European Cup/UCL title, matching club legend Paco Gento’s record.

The Federal Government has reacted to the proposed strike by organised labour, set to take off on Monday, saying it would compound the economic woes of citizens.

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejoecha, who reacted on behalf of the government, cautioned that any new minimum wage must not lead to widespread job losses, particularly in the Organised Private Sector, which employs the bulk of the nation’s workforce.

She warned that the strike is not in the best interests of the country and its people, especially when negotiations are ongoing.

Recall that owing to failure of parties in the tripartite committee to reach a compromise on a new national minimum wage, the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, decided to embark on strike on June 3.

“Going on strike in the middle of ongoing negotiations would not only compound the economic woes but also exacerbate the suffering of millions of Nigerians who are already struggling to eke out a living from their daily endeavors,” Onyejeocha said through her media aide, Emameh Gabriel.

She noted that the “government has consistently demonstrated commitment and goodwill throughout the negotiations with organised labour”.

According to the Labour Minister, the government’s proposals were carefully crafted, taking into account the country’s economic realities and incorporating innovative solutions.

She listed these proposals to include a comprehensive package featuring a wage increase to N60,000 for federal workers, the introduction of CNG-fueled buses, and enhanced financial access for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Additionally, according to her, the government has pledged investments in strategic sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, education, healthcare and many others that are already in the pipeline.

“This sector is crucial to the country’s economic growth and stability. The government’s stance is rooted in a deep understanding of the negotiations, demonstrating its dedication to finding a balance between the needs of workers and the economic realities of the country. The goal is to establish a minimum wage that is not only realistic but also sustainable, avoiding any potentially detrimental consequences for the economy.

“By adopting this approach, the government aims to safeguard the interests of both workers and employers, ensuring that any agreement reached is mutually beneficial and does not jeopardise the country’s economic progress. This balanced stance is crucial for maintaining harmony in the workforce and driving national growth”, she explained.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has directed its members to comply with the indefinite nationwide strike ordered by Organised Labour.

The strike is slated to commence on Monday.

NUPENG General Secretary, Mr Afolabi Olawale, in a statement on Saturday, said the union was committed to ensuring total compliance with the directive.

DAILY POST recalls that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, declared an indefinite nationwide strike to begin on Monday.

The strike is to express Nigerian workers’ anger at the refusal of the Federal Government to adopt the proposed new minimum wage.

Afolabi said the union was concerned and disturbed with the insensitive attitude of the Federal Government “to the very critical issue of negotiating a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers”.

“This is in view of the various socio- economic policies of this administration that have impoverished the working people of this country.

“Leaders of our great union at all levels, from the units, zones and branches, should immediately put all processes in place to ensure total compliance with this directive,” he added.