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Nigeria In Bigger Mess Than It Was In 2015 – Former CBN Gov., Sanusi

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His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II, has expressed sadness over the current situation Nigeria has found itself, insisting that the country is in a deeper hole and a bigger mess now, than it was in 2015.

He also warned that 2023 will be worse, compared to what we had in 2015.

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, berated the current administration, saying that despite the current mess, the present leadership expects to be rewarded with appreciation after leaving office.

He spoke at the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation, AAF’s, Leadership Colloquium and Awards, Chapter 7, themed ‘Are Good Leaders Scarce in Nigeria’?

The foundation is a non-profit organisation focused on charity in the spheres of free, qualitative education and free, qualitative medical outreach.

Thursday’s event was its seventh which also marked the birthday of its founder, Akinjide Adeosun, husband of Olubamiwo Adeosun, Secretary to the Oyo State Government.

Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the event in Lagos, both physical and virtual, Sanusi lamented that “the levels of poverty, levels of insecurity, the rate of inflation, the unstable exchange rate, the lack of power” should worry anybody.

He said: “This is the only oil-producing country that is grieving at the moment when oil prices have gone up as a result of the Russia/Ukraine war. Our total revenue is not able to service our debt. And if anybody does not understand that we are in a complete mess, we are.

“We were in a deep hole in 2015. And between 2015 and now, we have been digging ourselves into a deeper hole.

“We thought we had a big problem in 2015. 2015 is nothing compared to what will happen in 2023. We have terrorism, we have banditry, we have inflation, we have an unstable exchange rate, and the worst thing is that those in leadership actually think we are going to thank them when they leave office, that we are going to appreciate them. There is no change.

There is no sense of urgency. If you are running a company and your sales revenue cannot pay interest, you know you’re bankrupt.

“When the total revenue of the Federal Government cannot service debt? And we are smiling. These are the kinds of questions we need to ask. And the reality is that there are so many Nigerians, who, given the opportunity will do well but they simply cannot contest in that space.”

Sanusi hinged the challenge on the lack of vision of some of the country’s leaders.

“What is our vision for Nigeria? Do we have a vision of one country? Do we have a vision of one united country, that lives peacefully with itself — diverse, multicultural, multi-religious but one?

These things are not self-contradictory. Where did we get it wrong?

“Leaders after leaders, most of those who have ruled did not have a vision for a united Nigeria. How would you like to be remembered after eight years as a President, after eight years as a governor, eight years as a minister, eight years as Governor of CBN? How will you like history to remember you? They have not thought about it.

The vast majority of those in office have a vision that is limited to the next election. It is to win. And when you’ve won, you’ve reached a destination, not a journey.”

He told his audience that the vision of General Yakubu Gowon cascaded down.

He used his days at Kings College and the type of bonding that existed between and among students of different tribes and religions as an example of a vision for unity, explaining that 90 per cent of his friends are from other tribes and are in Lagos. He wondered why the framework and mindset of unity remain missing in the country.

Controversy over Muslim/Muslim ticket

In a veiled reference to the raging controversy over a Muslim/Muslim ticket, he said: “We are going into an election. What are we talking about? North and South, Muslim and Christian?

Is that really what we are concerned about? Does it matter if you have a government made up of 100 per cent incompetent Muslims or 100 per cent incompetent Christians? Will that government work? Yes, we must think of diversity and we must begin to think of fairness in this country and balance, not create any tension.

“How many people can go to a political party and bring out tens of millions of dollars to pay delegates? Where are you going to get the money and when you get the money, assuming you raise it from people, how are you going to look at the people when you are in office and do the right thing? You’re already finished; you’ve already sold your conscience to get there. Or when a nation is ready to sell itself; when the poor people on the streets are ready to be given N5,000, N2,000, and cast a vote for N2,000 today and give up education, give up healthcare and give up security for the next four years?

“Then, maybe we understand what Chief (Obafemi) Awolowo meant when he said a nation gets the leadership it deserves. We, as Nigerians, need to ask these questions.

Why I keep criticising people

“People say to me, ‘why do you keep criticising people? Why do you keep talking about public policy?’ And I say I was a public officer and I have a record, talk about my record. I met inflation at 15.6 percent, left it at 7.8 percent. I stabilised the exchange rate; I saved the banks. I transformed the payment system.

“I have my record. And because I had the opportunity to serve, I served and I left a record, so, I’ve earned the right to criticise any public officer who is incompetent and I’ll call him out. I think we need to start calling out incompetence.”

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MOHBAD: Reps Observe Moment Of Silence, Promise To Monitor Ongoing Probe

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Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Tuesday observed a moment of silence for the late 27-year-old Afrobeats singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, better known as Mohbad, who died two weeks ago.

The lower chamber paid the tribute at the beginning of an executive session at the resumption of plenary in Abuja.

Following a motion of urgent importance by the member representing the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Mr Babajimi Benson, the House further resolved to monitor the investigation surrounding his death and royalties accruing to him.

Benson called for a review of relevant laws guiding the entertainment industry as well as copyright laws, while expressing concerns about the contracts and agreements that entertainers are compelled to sign.

 

Feature Image credit: Channels TV

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Impeached Ogun LG Chairman Wale Adedayo Arraigned, Remanded At Correctional Centre

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Wale Adedayo, the impeached chairman of the Ijebu East Local Government (LGA), has been arraigned by the Ogun State Police Command on a two-count charge for allegedly publishing an alleged false story about local government funds diversion by the state government.

This follows a petition filed by the state government over the alleged zero allocation and diversion of local government funds by the state government, an allegation which has been denied by the government.

Adedayo, who was arrested by the police on Monday, has since been arraigned at the Customary Court 2 in the Isabo area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge proffered against him.

The counsel to the defendant, Kayode Akinsola, prayed for the court to grant his client bail, promising that the defendant would not jump bail if granted and would honour all conditions attached to the bail application to which the prosecuting counsel, Olaide Rolly, did not object.

Delivering her judgement for the bail application, the presiding judge, A K Araba, admitted the defendant to bail of N2 million and two sureties with landed properties, among others within the jurisdiction of the court.

The case has however been adjourned till October 20 for the next hearing while the defendant has been remanded at the Ibara Correctional Centre in Abeokuta.

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NOVA Merchant Bank Uplifts 50 Young Lives Through Paediatric Surgical Intervention

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NOVA Merchant Bank, a leading merchant bank in Nigeria, has sponsored a Pediatric Surgical Intervention, as part of its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) program, specifically within its UPLIFT initiative project.

This initiative, conducted in partnership with the Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria (APSON), positively impacted 50 indigent child patients at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) on Monday, September 18, 2023.

APSON is the umbrella body of all Paediatric Surgeons in Nigeria engaged in the treatment of surgical issues in children, the education and training of specialists in Pediatric surgery, and the enhancement and preservation of the high standards and quality of surgical care provided to children.

This collaboration exemplifies NOVA’s unwavering commitment to community development and its dedication to impacting lives through its UPLIFT Initiative projects aimed at creating “Today’s solution for tomorrow’s sustainability (UPLIFT).”

Speaking on the motivation behind NOVA’s intervention, Mr Nath Ude, Managing Director of NOVA Merchant Bank, said, “NOVA envisions a future in which millions of people have free or low-cost access to healthcare and where unnecessary pain caused by preventable illnesses and untimely fatalities can be mitigated. This intervention is a stride towards achieving this vision.” He added that, “No child should be deprived of their promising future due to a lack of healthcare accessibility” noting that the impact of this project will echo through lifetimes to come.

Emphasizing the pivotal role of NOVA’s intervention, the President of APSON, Professor Roland Osuoji, said, “In the past year, Lagos state heavily subsidized paediatric operations for children between the ages 0-12 which have resulted in a growing waiting list, stretching until 2025.” He added that, “This initiative not only reduces the backlog but also saves lives and offers hope to these deserving families.

Commenting on the patient selection process, Dr Omolara Williams, the Local Organizing Committee Chairman of the medical outreach, said, “We surveyed our group of patients from our database and pinpointed those who were on the waiting list due to financial constraints. We made every effort to contact as many of them as possible, and as a result, we now have patients ranging from 1 to 14 years old who will receive treatment for their pediatric conditions through this intervention.” She further emphasized the need for continued regional and national initiatives like this to bridge the gap in paediatric surgical care accessibility.

Expressing appreciation for NOVA’s intervention, the LASUTH Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof Adetokunbo O. Fabamwo, said, “This collaboration reflects a shared vision of a healthier and brighter future for children in Nigeria.” He noted that this meaningful impact is not just mending bodies but also building dreams.

NOVA Merchant Bank Limited is an investment grade-rated merchant bank in Nigeria, offering an integrated suite of financial solutions encompassing Financial Intermediation, Wholesale and Investment Banking, Asset and Securities Management, Trade Services, Cash Management, Transaction, and Digital Banking.

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