Timi Frank To FG: “Investigate Boko Haram’s Attack On Atiku”; Demands Security Beef Up Around Former Vice President

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July 24, 2023

By Akinwale Kasali

Timi Frank, a political activist has urged the Federal Government to urgently investigate an attempted Boko Haram attack on the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

The Social Commentator also urged the Federal Government to beef up security around the former Vice President, and called the attention of the international community to the development in Nigeria.

Frank disclosed that some suspected Boko Haram members made an attempt on the life of Abubakar on Sunday at his residence in Yola, Adamawa State.

In a statement released on Monday in Abuja, Frank said the arrested suspect confessed to Police a grand plot to plant a bomb at the Modibbo Adama Central Mosque, the residence of the Atiku as well as the American University of Nigeria, AUN, in Yola, Adamawa State Capital.

The statement reads:

“Security information reaching us earlier today has it on authority that about 4 Boko Haram members, all the way from Danboa, Borno State made their way at about 9:45pm local time yesterday (23/07/2023) to the Yola residence of His Excellency, the Waziri Adamawa (Atiku Abubakar) and identified themselves upon confirmation of the residence as to their mission in Adamawa.

“Reacting swiftly, the Dougirei Police Command was immediately tipped off as the ring leader was promptly arrested with the rest fleeing from the premises.

“Upon investigation by the SCID Adamawa State Police HQ, it was verified and confirmed that the suspect confessed to a grand plot to plant bombs in the Modibbo Adama Central Mosque, the residence of the Waziri as well as the American University in Yola.

“These confessions of the dreaded Boko Haram sect are troubling and worrisome, as this is the first time an attempted attack of this magnitude would be planned on the person of HE Atiku Abubakar.”

Narrating the incident further, Frank said: “It is quite shocking that this is coming at a time the Federal Government had given assurance to the citizens of the decimation of the dreaded group, let alone an attempt on a high profile personality like H.E Atiku Abubakar.

“Having received the official Police HQ Situation Report, we would like to call on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency beef up adequate security around the former Vice President, with swift investigation into unraveling the circumstances leading to Atiku as a target by this group.

“There is no gainsaying that it will be foolhardy on the part of the Federal Government treat this security breach with kid gloves as after effects in the event of any eventuality will be enormous for the country to contain.

“Furthermore, we must note that all through the active years of the Boko Haram sect ravaging the North-east not a single attempt was made on the person of H.E Atiku Abubakar, and we are curious as to the timing of this planned attack in this manner.”

He called on International Community “to take notice, that only recently the INEC confirmed at the PEPT on HE winning in 21 states and therefore sending shock waves to the opposition and current government on the possibility of a rerun election.

“Perhaps this grand plot is being sponsored by top opposition politicians to assassinate the former VP in a bid to cause chaos and deny him any chance of retrieving his stolen mandate. We are therefore, circumspect in this regard.

“Therefore, any collaborators or sponsor of this dastardly ideas must be fished out forthwith to forestall any untoward reactions towards the FG and rougue politicians alike. Nonetheless, it is imperative for the FG to immediately get to the root of this matter urgently with a view to bringing all accomplices to book.

“I am confident that the Federal Government will take this security breach as a matter of national emergency.”

How Ore Petrol Tanker Fire Was Ignited – Eye Witnesses

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The Source

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July 24, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Eyewitnesses have recounted how the petrol tanker fire at Ore, Ondo state which burnt to dead not less than 20 persons, started.

A tanker loaded with petrol had lost control and fell into a ditch very close to the community’s stream.

One of the witnesses, Awalu Saliu From Sokoto State narrates that “The tanker fell around 4:30 in the evening. I heard about it and I drove to this place from the town. Many people were taking fuel. The rain has stopped.

“I parked my motor-cycle and came down. After some time, we heard something like a boom. The fire started coming. There was another boom and we saw fire coming.

“Over 100 people scooping fuel directly from the tanker ran away. I also ran. I saw people carrying fuel and being trailed by the fire. Many people would have died if the fire had started from the tanker, but it started where the water flowed to the residence of a woman who was cooking. The woman died instantly.

Tijani Diekola, recounts that “I got here few minutes after the explosion and met some burnt corpses on the ground but the situation was so tensed and nobody could get near the place.

“It was this morning that some relatives of the victims were able to get the corpses of the affected people. None of them survive the incident because most of them were burnt beyond reasonable measures.

“This morning I met about ten burnt dead bodies, while those around the tanker cannot be recognized. They were packed inside a sack by officials of the FRSC.

“The tanker driver lost control of the vehicle and entered the ditch around 4:30pm. The people started trooping to the place of the incident, scooping the fuel until the ugly incident happened around 6pm.

“What actually happened was that the fuel started spilling into a stream in the community, while the residents continue to scoop the fuel with buckets and kegs until the explosion occurred.

“Unfortunately, a woman was cooking in her kitchen when the inflammable product on the water caught fire, burning the woman to death while the fire travels back to the tanker.

“A pregnant woman crossing the stream with three other minors were caught in the river and were burnt beyond recognition.

“No one could move to safe them. Some other people who were close to the tanker were also badly affected. Their remains were packed this morning.”

As at Monday, officials of the Federal Roads Safety Commission, (FRSC) were still clearing debris and remains of those burnt beyond recognition as they could no longer be recognized by their relations.

FRSC has confirmed that eight dead bodies were recovered at the scene of the incident while others sustained various degrees of injuries.

Subsidy Removal: Kwara Floats Social Investment, Pays Additional N10,000 To Workers Monthly

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Ayodele Oni

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July 24, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, on Monday announced N10,000 additional money to public workers as palliatives for the state to mitigate the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

At a media briefing at the Government House Press Centre in Ilorin, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, disclosed that the palliatives will cut across different sectors and demographics of the state.

He said, “on top of the palliatives is cash support of N10,000 for every public sector worker in the state, which will begin this month (July) and last until a new minimum wage is introduced to enable workers to cope with the economic shock created by the subsidy removal.

“In deference to the new advisory of the National Economic Council, (NEC) for states to design their own independent responses to the development, the Governor has directed the leadership of the civil service to continue a staggered work schedule, not exceeding three days a week, to reduce transportation expenses for workers.”

Kwara government earlier introduced a three-day work schedule for its civil servants, but suspended it in deference to an earlier advisory of the NEC for states to await a more holistic response to the development.

However, the new staggered work plan will not cover ‘essential workers, the governor’s spokesman clarified.

The Governor also approved the payment, from this month, July, of new hazard and skipping allowances, and 100% CONMESS for consultants and medical doctors under the government’s payroll.

“This shall be nonpartisan, and would be coordinated by a government team to be supported by respected stakeholders who would get inputs from traditional rulers, religious bodies, market leaders, trade unionists, and community-based organisations to generate the lists of beneficiaries and disburse accordingly.

“The whole idea of these interventions, which gulped billions of naira of public funds, is to show empathy and deploy as many resources as the state can afford to support the people at this special time.

“The Governor has also approved the Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) to activate N500m worth of conditional support for petty traders and MSMEs in the state.

“The state government will receive fertilisers and grains from the Federal Government and pay for same. It is not free.

“Modalities for the handling of these will be made available later. This is to boost farming outputs and food security in the state.

“The government, meanwhile, will be setting up a committee to interface with marketers on the need to curb extortionist tendencies as seen in the arbitrary fixing of prices of foodstuffs.

“Finally, the Governor identifies with the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his strong commitments to sustainable economic reforms and the well-being of the Nigerian people, believing that the current discomforts are just like the pains that precede the joyful birth of a child.”

Ekiti Assembly To Hold Special Session On Evils Of Human Trafficking

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The Source

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July 24, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State House of Assembly has sent invitation to the Director General of National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to grace a special plenary to be held to sensitize people of the state on evils of human trafficking and ways to tackle the menace.

The special plenary session on human trafficking would involve stakeholders like the traditional institution, security agencies, justice system sector, civil society organizations, transport unions, market women association, and student and youth bodies.

According to him, resolutions passed against human trafficking from such a special plenary would be passed to the relevant agencies and quarters for implementation.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, advocated a stronger inter-agency collaboration among security agencies to tackle the menace of human trafficking in the state.

He also made a case for measures for support and rehabilitation of rescued victims of human trafficking for them to fit in to the society and live a life that would be meaningful to them and communities where they find themselves.

The Speaker made the remarks on Monday when he received the Head of the Ekiti State Liaison Office of NAPTIP, Mr. Samson Ademola, who led other senior officials of the agency on a courtesy visit.

Aribasoye pointed out that the Assembly would partner with NAPTIP to reduce the incidence of human trafficking, which he described as harrowing and dehumanizing to dignity of persons of victims whom he said have the right to live decent lives.

The Speaker identified a stronger and more efficient collaboration among security agencies like the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service among others as very key to reducing and stamping out human trafficking in the state.

The Speaker further promised legislative support for advocacy against human trafficking and also enlisted the Assembly members, local government chairmen and councillors to carry out enlightenment campaigns in their constituencies, council areas and wards in the fight against the menace.

Reacting to the needs of Ekiti NAPTIP for a permanent office accommodation, operational vehicles and other logistics, the Speaker urged the authorities of the agency to forward letters to that effect to the Governor for assistance and copy same to the Assembly to assist in following up.

Aribasoye further explained that serious enlightenment would have to be done to change the orientation of the youth against embarking on illegal and dehumanizing trips to foreign countries identifying ignorance and greed as parts of the factors responsible for human trafficking.

“Majority of the people lured into it (human trafficking) was out of ignorance and greed. We have to first address these issues especially the issue of greed among our younger generation.

“Whatever form of trafficking is inhuman, that is why we are praising you for protecting the vulnerable. Nobody on Ekiti State should be subjected to such inhuman treatment.

“I saw one of the victims who narrated her experience, it was a harrowing experience and I saw the reality of what human trafficking could do to somebody. We need to fight it together for us to win this battle.”

Speaking earlier, the Head of Ekiti NAPTIP Liaison Office, Mr. Ademola disclosed that this year’s World Trafficking Day coincided with the 20 years anniversary of the establishment of NAPTIP in Nigeria and the need to scale up the fight against all forms of human trafficking.

Mr. Ademola explained that the agency needed logistics support to sustain the fight against human trafficking especially in the areas of permanent office accommodation and operational vehicles to ensure its smooth operation in the state.

He explained that the agency presently operates from a two-room temporary office accommodation which he described as inadequate noting that Ekiti office can only be accorded the status of a zonal command if it has a permanent operational headquarters.

Mr. Ademola further explained NAPTIP needs operational vehicles that would ease patrol, arrest and transportation of suspects to the courts of law to facilitate their prosecution.

Identifying Ekiti South senatorial district as an endemic area for human trafficking in the state, the NATIP chief disclosed that eight girls from Ekiti Southwest local government area who were being trafficked to Libya were rescued by the agency.

He said the partnership with Ekiti Assembly would help to take the fight against human trafficking to all localities with the legislators being the representatives of the people in the grassroots.

EndSARS: Viral LASG Memo Stirs Up Anger

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James Orji

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July 24, 2023

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Three years after youths stage protests against police brutality in the country under the aegis of ENDSARS, a leaked memo from the Lagos State government, has brought back the issue to the front-bunner of national discourse.

On October 20, 2020, many youths were believed to have been killed by soldiers who stormed the Lekki Toll gate, Lagos, in the night where the protest was being held.

The state government had denied allegation by local and foreign human rights bodies that some youths were killed by the soldiers, who were said to have dumped some of the bodies into the lagoon.

The state government later set up a judicial panel headed by Justice Okuwo I to investigate the killings following the outcry from Nigerians.

But on Sunday, a viral memo detailed how the state government planned to conduct a mass burial for some EndSARS victims.

The leaked document from the state Ministry of Health had sought approval from the state governor on how to bury over 100 casualties from the protest.

Since the memo went viral, not a few Nigerians, particularly from the state have criticized the government for being economical with the truth over the EndSARS saga.

According to those who reacted, there is more truth to what the state government revealed to the public on the matter, particularly on the actual number of people killed during the protest.

The state government had plainly maintained that it did not order the soldiers to storm the venue of the protest, it also denied that people were killed at the Lekki Toll gate.

While reiterating its earlier position on the matter, the state government, in a statement issued on Sunday said the memo was the work of mischief makers, urging the public to disregard it.

In the statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, the state government said those it was planning s mass burial for are not from the Lekki Toll gate shooting.

It said those peddling the rumour are only trying to disrupt peace in the state, adding that the 103 casualties were picked up from other parts of the state during the protest.

Ttled RE: MASS BURIAL OF ENDSARS VICTIMS (MISCHIEF MAKERS AT WORK) the government said, “The attention of the Lagos State Government has been drawn to some social media publications about a purported mass burial plan for casualties of the 2020 #EndSARS incident. Peddlers of the news are deliberately misinterpreting and sensationalising a letter from the Lagos State Government Public Procurement Agency titled: Letter of No Objection — Mass Burial for the 103, the Year 2020 ENDSARS victims, to misinform the public, stir public sentiment and cause public disaffection against the Lagos State Government.

“While the Lagos State Government would not have dignified the mischievous elements peddling such news with a response, we consider it appropriate to set the records straight and draw the attention of well-meaning citizens to the antics of some unscrupulous elements who are hell-bent on disrupting the peace and tranquillity of Lagos with distorted news and half-truths about the PPA letter.

“It is public knowledge that the year 2020 #EndSARS crisis that snowballed into violence in many parts of Lagos recorded casualties in different areas of the State and NOT from the Lekki Toll Gate as being inferred in the mischievous publications.

“For the records, the Lagos State Environmental Health Unit (SEHMU) picked up bodies in the aftermath of #EndSARS violence and community clashes at Fagba, Ketu, Ikorodu, Orile, Ajegunle, Abule-Egba, Ikeja, Ojota, Ekoro, Ogba, Isolo and Ajah areas of Lagos State, including a jailbreak at Ikoyi Prison. The 103 casualties mentioned in the document were from these incidents and NOT from Lekki Toll-gate as alleged. For the avoidance of doubt, nobody was retrieved from the Lekki Toll Gate incident.

“In the aftermath of the #EndSARS violence, the office of the Chief Coroner invited members of the public Throughout public adverts and announcement who had lost loved ones or whose relatives had been declared missing between 19th and 27th October 2020 from various clashes as mentioned above, to contact the department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to help with identification of these casualties deposited in State-owned mortuaries. Relatives were to undergo DNA tests for identification purposes. It is important to state categorically that nobody responded to claim any of the bodies.

“However, after almost three years, the bodies remain unclaimed, adding to the congestion of the mortuaries. This spurred the need to decongest the mortuaries, a procedure that follows very careful medical and legal guidelines in the event that a relative may still turn up to claim a lost relative years after the incident.

“Decongestion of our public morgues is a periodic and regular exercise approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to free up space in mortuaries that have a large number of unclaimed bodies.”

Meanwhile, those monitoring the development said the EndSARS issue has not been totally closed, noting that more revelations are bound to emerge in the future.

Subsidy Removal: Reject Workers’ N200,000 Wage Demand, LCCI Warns FG

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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July 24, 2023

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The federal government has been cautioned over the demand of workers in the country for a N200, 000 minimum wage.

The President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Micheal Olawale-Cole said the government should make some interventions to drive down the cost of essential commodities.

Nigerian workers under the aegis of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, had in view of the removal of petrol subsidy demanded the huge pay rise in order to be able to cope with the current economic situation.

On June 8 for instance, the TUC President, Festus Osifo and Secretary, Nuhu Toro issued a statement demanded a pay rise of N200, 000, among other requests for its members, which it said is for “immediate implementation”.

“For immediate implementation: Status quo ante of PMS pump price should be maintained while discussion continues. The minimum wage should be increased from the current N30,000 to N200,000 before the end of June 2023, with consequential adjustments on the cost of living allowance, COLA, like feeding, transport, housing, etc,” TUC said.

Reacting to the workers’ demand the LCCI urged the federal government not to succumb, saying paying the workers that amount will further drive up the cost of goods and services.

The Chamber also warned of the long term spiral effects on the economy of the workers are paid so much.

It said the burden will be too much on state governments who are still struggling to pay workers the N30,000 minimum wage.

Olawale-Cole insist that proposing N200,000 minimum wage for workers was not the best option as palliative for the fuel subsidy removal, saying many states were yet to comply with the N18,000 and N30,000 minimum wage.

He explained that pumping more money into circulation will further worsen inflation in the country, with its attendant long term spiral effects on the fragile economy.

According to him, “Let me just say on the issue of the proposed N200,000 minimum wage by the TUC. “The current N18,000 and N30,000 minimum wage, how many states are paying it regularly? Many states in Nigeria are owning their workers, except only the federal and some few states that have complied.

“So when you talk of it going to N200,000 I don’t think that should be the responsibility of the government giving cash to Nigerians, they can go into areas where people are operating with their monies.

“Because the value of money is what money can buy. If you give me N400,000, since things around are expensive, it will mean nothing to me. But if you put that money in those things that would bring cost of goods down, it will make sense. “

Recall that Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said last week that the federal government was already working on modalities to increase the minimum wage in the country.

CBN Can’t Obtain Customers’ Facebook, Twitter Handles- SERAP Tells Court

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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July 24, 2023

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The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has been sued by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, over the bank’s recent directive to commercial banks in the country to obtain customers’ social media handles.

The CBN issued the directive to commercial and money banks earlier this month, saying it’s necessary for the purpose of identifying their customers.

What this means, according to those familiar with the apex bank guidelines, is that the CBN wants to be able to monitor bank customers through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social platforms.

Not a few Nigerians have kicked against the directive, citing for instance how it violates their rights to privacy, even though the CBN said the order is in line with the provisions of Section 6 of its Customer Due Diligence Regulations, 2023.

But SERAP in a suit it filed against the apex bank said the directive violates the privacy of customers, and that there’s no legal ground for such.

According to the suit filed at the Federal High court in Lagos, the rights group is seeking an order to direct and compel the CBN to withdraw the directive issued to commercial banks on June 20, 2023.

SERAP is seeking “an order of mandamus to compel the CBN to delete the unlawful provisions of Section 6 of its Customer Due Diligence Regulations, 2023 for being inconsistent with Section 39 of the Nigerian constitution 1999 (as amended) and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“An order restraining the CBN from carrying out or giving effect to the unlawful provisions of Section 6 of its Customer Due Diligence Regulations, 2023 directing banks and other financial institutions to obtain information from customers’ social media handles.

“The mandatory requirement of social media handles or addresses of customers does not serve any legitimate aim. Such information may be used to unjustifiably or arbitrarily restrict the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.”

SERAP insists that “unless the reliefs sought are granted, the CBN will implement and enforce the unlawful directive in contravention of citizens’ rights to freedom of expression and privacy.

“There are other means of identification such as passport, driver’s licence, Bank Verification Number (BVN), and Tax Identification Number (TIN), which banks and other financial institutions already require their customers to provide.

“The additional requirement of obtaining details of a customer’s social media handle or address fails to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.

“The facts that there are sufficient means of identification for CBN, banks and other financial institutions to rely on to meet the requirement of Know Your Customer also heighten concerns of overreach, and confer far-reaching discretion on banks and financial institutions.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms. Blessing Ogwuche, also read in part: “Obtaining information on customers’ social media handles or addresses as means of identification is more intrusive than necessary.

“According to Section 6(a) (iv) of the CBN Regulations, banks and other financial institutions ‘shall identify their customer and obtain information on the social media handle of the customer.’ Section 6(b)(iii) contains similar provision.

“The purported mandatory requirement would inhibit Nigerians from freely exercising their human rights online. If obtained, such information may also be misused for political and other unlawful purposes.

“The CBN regulations and directive to banks and other financial institutions would impermissibly restrict the constitutional and international rights to freedom of expression, privacy and victims’ right to justice and effective remedies.

“Requiring social media handles or addresses of customers as a means of identification would have a disproportionate chilling effect on the effective enjoyment by Nigerians of their rights to freedom of expression and privacy online.

“The requirement of necessity implies an assessment of the proportionality of the grounds, with the aim of ensuring that the excuse of ‘regulations on customer due diligence’ is not used as a pretext to unduly intrude upon the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.

“The CBN regulation does not demonstrate how the use of social media handle or address as a means of identification would serve to improve banks and other financial institutions’ ability to implement and comply with the laws and regulations relating to customer due diligence.

“The directive by the CBN, which does not in any event carry the force of law, also fails to provide any explanation as to how social media handles or addresses can facilitate compliance with regulations relating to customer due diligence.

“Obtaining the details of customers’ social media handles or addresses would unduly interfere with the rights to freedom of expression and privacy. It would also be disproportionate to any purported legitimate aim that the CBN seeks to achieve.”

Icarus Syndrome: A Lesson For Ikenga Ugochinyere

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The Source

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July 24, 2023

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By James Chinonyerem

Anyone conversant with English literature will recall Christopher Marlow’s Dr Faustus, a chart buster piece. It is a play in parody of human vanities. The main character, with same name as the title, Dr Faustus demonstrates the inordinate ambition of man to surpass himself in his bid to dominate all around him. It also reflects the dangers of pride, mendacity, magical feats, mischiefs, and outright abandonments of essence of God’s intentions for man. Dr Faustus validates the inevitability of the fall of man occasioned by desire to equate self with his creator. Dr Faustus, consumed by the inordinate desire to dominate his environment and all things therein, sought and obtained power from the devil. This power was tenured for twenty four years in exchange of his life. He exercised the power in full relish but suffered eternal damnation afterwards.

Another round of reading of the play text draws mind Icarus the son of Daedalus, a sub character in text and the nexus between and Ikenga Ugochinyere, the son of Ikeawgwuonu.

Comparatively, both are young, enterprising and adventurous. They seek higher grounds in boisterous manners. While one (Icarus) is a mythical character, the other, Ugochinyere is a real character. Therefore, he, Ugochinyere needs to learn from the misadventures of his mythical cousin, Icarus.

Ikenga Ugochinyere should learn and avoid the pitfalls of Icarus. Among these are, lack of self deflections, courting of omnipotence, recklessness, restlessness and contemptuous behavior etc.

Icarus’ bane was pride. He was not a hero but sought to play one. He had the environment to flaunt his pride, his new possession. His father playing the kind one, made for him, wings from wax so that he could fly as he desired, flew he did. The caveat from his father to him was, never go near the sun.

As the cliche goes, pride goes before fall, so Icarus’ hubris went before him and took him to the sun against the father’s advice. His wings melted and he fell into the sea and drown. Icarus became a metaphor for recklessness, vaulting ambition, disobedience, indiscretion, boastfulness, vainglorious posturing and boyish exuberance.

Those who love Ikenga Ugochinyere should recommend the text, Dr Faustus to him. Let him read and be wise and better guided. Let him know what to say, how to say it, when and where to say it. Let him avoid I repeat, the Icarus paradox.

He is lucky to be who he is. Some say he worked hard for it. Others opined that he’s not the most hardworking. Whichever, he is now in the national assembly as the representative of his people. He will be judged by the quality of good he brings home and not the numbers of hurried press conferences and releases he issued. He should allow himself a somber mood, change the tenure of his discourse because he is now in a new field of discourse.

Pointing on the state governor, Sen Hope Uzodimma so cheaply and childishly, spinning infantile yarns against him and trying to set the fish against the sea will certainly not achieve good results for him. If anything, it will boomerang against him. He should be reminded of the Igbo adage which says, a child who sets traps in between the legs of his own mother, will only catch his father or his mother’s male friends. Either way, the child is doomed.

Let Ikenga Ugochinyere begin to see himself more as a patriot, stakeholder and co-builder of the state than his belligerence which no doubt, is becoming rather anachronistic approach in view of the needs of the hour.

Time ticks for him. His score card as his people’s representative will be read loud in the open space. The results will be counted in concrete terms and in the unnecessary garrulousness fashions he presently prefers.

Ikenga Ugochinyere should stop stirring controversies, his serial attacks on the person of the governor and the office as a state institution, is wrong and condemnable. He should rather channel his intelligence and energy towards the efforts to build a better and greater Imo state as encapsulated in the 3R philosophy of the shared prosperity government. He needs not be a member of APC to do this, all he needs is to be a statesman politician with focus on collective collaboration and participation across the political divides.

This is the cardinal lesson Ikenga Ugochinyere should learn and apply to avoid being the modern Icarus.

Nze Chinonyerem wrote from Owerri

Why We Demolished Alaba Market-LASG

By

Tosin Olatokunbo

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July 23, 2023

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The demolition of some buildings at Alaba International Market was carried out to save lives, the Lagos state government has said.

The state government’s reaction followed the accusation that the demolition was a vendetta to punish Igbo traders in the market.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the state made its position on the issue known on Saturday after Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABSCA, paid an on-the-spot assessment to the market.

Oki said the demolition was not a witch-hunt on the people of the southeast as being peddled by some persons, adding that the action of the state government has nothing to do with the acquisition of the land.

Oki visited the market amid heavy downpour alongside his counterpart in Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authourity (LASPPPA), Mr Kehinde Osinaike, and the seven-man committee set up by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the aftermath of the demolition exercise.

They were led on the trip by Oluwole Sotire, Permanent Secretary of their parent parastatal, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that South-East traders in the market, led by Imo Governor, Mr Hope Uzodimma, met with Gov. Sanwo-Olu of Lagos to put to rest allegations of tribal bias behind the demolition exercise.

During the on the spot assessment, Oki explained that the demolition was simply to enforce building regulations and laws, to prevent building collapse.

According to him, most of the demolished buildings were without permits, and necessary documentations needed by the state government were also ignored.

“All we are after is that the lives of traders and other Nigerians are extremely important to the Lagos State Government.

“I have seen people painting buildings that are delapidated, that are not good, it is not painting that makes a building new. Our lives are more important,” he said.

Oki urged owners of distressed buildings marked for demolition to remove them within two weeks, to prevent disaster, or else government would move in to take action.

“My mandate is to remove anything that is dilapidated, that is harmful to the people that even owns it,” he said.

The General Manager said Sanwo-Olu set up the seven-man committee to look into the demolition without causing disaffection among the traders at Alaba International Market.

Why I deserve Re-election, Uzodimma tells Imo Citizens in U.S.

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The Source

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July 23, 2023

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Hope Uzodimma - Imo Civil Servant Promotion

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has declared that he deserves re-election based on his sterling performance in the last 43 months and his vision for the State in the years ahead.

He said his re-election come November 11, 2023 will also bring stability to the political space since the newly adopted Imo Charter of Equity will bring about orderly transfer of power beginning with his re-election.

Senator Uzodimma spoke in far away United States of America on a day a former Secretary to the State Government, Sir Jude Ejiogu endorsed the governor for a second tenure.

Ejiogu said that other candidates in the coming election are no match to Governor Uzodimma.

Speaking at the annual convention of Imo State Congress of America Inc (ISCA), held in Houston, Texas, Uzodimma, expressed confidence that Imo people will return him to office based purely on his outstanding performance.

The governor, who was represented by his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba, noted that he started from nothing to post the incredible performance that has seen him transform the State in all sectors.

He said that apart from prudently managing the resources of the State, including eliminating corruption, he has ensured that his administration is not tainted by corruption, as was the case in the past.

He noted that contrary to the sing song of the opposition concerning insecurity in the State, he has been able to tame the monster, notwithstanding the fact that insecurity in Imo is politically contrived.

” I can assure you that the security situation in the State is far better than what it was three years ago. But don’t forget that the opposition contrived the insecurity, starting with the jail break at Owerri Correctional facility. But to the glory of God and the efforts of the security agencies,we have curbed the situation,” Uzodimma told his audience.

He regretted that those who foisted the insecurity wanted to use it to slow him down but declared that they could not stop him as he has delivered both in infrastructure, and good governance generally.

His words: “From our road revolution to urban renewal, from automation of the civil service to youth empowerment and from health to education, I have made the difference and Imo people as the beneficiaries can testify to that. I believe they will reward me with reelection.”

The governor called on the Imo citizens resident in the U.S. and other places across the globe to question the opposition who are politicizing insecurity, of their contribution to stem the tide even when they could not condemn the beheading of traditional rulers and other heinous crimes.

“It is easy for them to use insecurity as a campaign propaganda. But ask them what they have done to condemn what has been happening. Do they need to be governor before they can speak out against evil, or were they justifying the crimes because Hope Uzodimma and his allies were the victims?” he asked.

The governor also spoke about his vision of making Imo State the economic hub of the South with the dredging of Oguta Lake to ORASHI RIVER to Degema to Atlantic ocean, which he said will also enhance the economy of the South East.

He urged Imo people to ignore those he called rabble rousers and support his re-election for the political stability of the State.

He said that with the newly adopted Imo Charter of Equity, which supports his re-election after which power will naturally shift to another zone, unnecessary rancour and acrimony will be eliminated in the political process.

However, the former SSG, Sir Jude Ejiogu, emphasized that even without the Charter, Uzodimma has merited re-election.

Ejiogu, who was one of the APC governorship aspirants that stepped down for the governor in 2019, expressed satisfaction with his performance and urged Imo people to return him to office.

Also speaking, the President of the Imo State Congress of America, Mr. Sam Ude, expressed appreciation to Governor Uzodimma for sending a high cabinet member to brief them on the performance of his administration.

Ude said apart from being satisfied with the briefing, the officials of the association will be looking forward to meeting the Governor physically in no distant time.