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Kyari’s Query: Fowler Blames Revenue Shortfall on Recession

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Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr Babatunde Fowler, has blamed the drop in the price of crude oil and recession for the shortfall recorded in actual tax collections from 2015 to 2018.

The FIRS chairman gave the explanation in his response to a query issued to him by the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Abba Kyari.

A copy of the response was obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Monday.

In a swift response, the Presidency on Monday said the FIRS boss was not under investigation but added that urgent action needed to be taken to avoid financial crisis.

Kyari had, in a letter dated August 8, 2019, which he personally signed, asked Fowler to explain reasons for ‘significant’ variances in budgeted collections and actual collections of tax in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, when the actual amount collected as tax fell below the budgeted target.

The FIRS chairman was directed to submit a comprehensive variance analysis, which should also state the reasons for poor tax collections between 2015 and 2017, a period when the actual collections turned out to be ‘significantly worse’ than what was recorded from 2012 and 2014.

Fowler was given Monday, August 19, as deadline to respond to the query.

In a letter entitled ‘Re: Budgeted FIRS collections and actual collections’, which was dated Monday August 19, 2019, Fowler explained that the variance in the budgeted and actual revenue performance from 2016 to 2018 was due to fall in price of crude oil and reduction of crude oil production.

The FIRS chairman noted that within the period, the price of crude oil fell from an average of $113.72, $110.98 and $100.40 per barrel in 2012, 2013 and 2014 to $52.65, $43.80 and $54.08 per barrel in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

He also pointed to a reduction in crude oil production from 2.31mbpd, 2.18mbpd and 2.20mbpd in 2012, 2013 and 2014 to 2.12mbpd, 1.81mbpd and 1.88mbpd in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

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Osun PDP Hails Gov Adeleke on 65th Birthday

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The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has felicitated with the governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as he celebrates his 65th birthday.

In a statement signed by the party’s chairman, Hon Sunday Bisi, the party described the governor as man committed to people’s well-being while wishing him a happy birthday, and praying God to bless him with more strength, wisdom, and good health.

The statement in full:

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, heartily felicitates with our dynamic, people-loving Governor, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, on the joyous occasion of his 65th birthday.

Today, we join the good people of Osun State, associates and well-wishers across Nigeria and beyond to celebrate a quintessential leader, whose passion, humility, and commitment to the wellbeing of the masses have become his pathway for progressive governance.

Your Excellency, under your visionary and compassionate leadership, Osun State has witnessed a remarkable transformation. From infrastructural rejuvenation to civil service reform, from youth empowerment to agricultural revitalization, your administration has continued to deliver dividends of democracy with transparency and accountability. You have not only restored dignity to governance in Osun State but have also rekindled the confidence of the people in the essence of good governance and democratic ideals.

Our dear leader sir, we commend your infectious energy, open-door policy, and dedication to grassroots development. Your simplicity, accessibility, and hands-on approach to governance reflect the very premise of the PDP as a people-first service platform, basically for the common good of the people.

Your exemplary efforts in building bridges across political and religious divides further stand you out as a unifying figure and a statesman of repute.

Today, we celebrate not just your birthday, but the enduring values you represent; integrity, empathy, and resilience.

As a party, we remain proud of your achievements and we are absolutely confident in your continued ability to steer the ship of Osun State toward greater heights.

On this special day, we pray that Almighty God continues to bless you with strength, wisdom, and good health. May your days be long, your reign be prosperous, and your legacy be eternal.

Happy birthday sir, the People’s Governor, consistent joy giver and a great emblem of good governance.

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Glo Foundation Celebrates Lagos Sanitation Workers

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Sweepers across Lagos State on Saturday took time off the streets to be celebrated by Glo Foundation, the social responsibility arm of Globacom. It partnered their employers, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to host a special day to celebrate those who keep the streets of the state clean.

Hundreds of sweepers from all local governments and LCDAs in the state participated in the event, which was held at LAWMA’s Ijora Olopa Head Office in Lagos. Thanks to Globacom, the sweepers, who are often overlooked by society despite their demanding responsibilities, became the event’s main attraction as they danced and took part in a number of entertaining activities, such as games and prize draws.

Speaking at the event, Jumobi Mofe-Damijo, the head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Globacom, said that the organization had chosen to honour the cleaners with a Rest and Relaxation event as a way of showing appreciation for the vital work they do every day, which often puts their lives in danger on the state’s highways. She added that the Glo Foundation’s efforts would also expand to other states in various forms of intervention.

Said she: “We recognize the important and thankless jobs that you do all over the state in ensuring that our roads and streets are clean every day. We recognize the hazards you face from drivers who don’t appreciate you and are at times impatient while you are by the roadside sweeping. It is the reason why we are here today to let you know how much we value you and your huge contributions to keeping Lagos clean on a continuous basis”.

She also disclosed that empowerment and skills acquisition programmes would be held for the sweepers in the following months. They include Fashion Skills (Fashion Design, jewelry making, Fabric Embellishment & Beading); Baking skills: (Basic cake and decoration, Fried and baked pastry, Bread making, soft skills and Entrepreneurship class); Digital Skills (Digital marketing, social media management, and e-commerce).

LAWMA’s Managing Director, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, was full of admiration for Globacom’s offer to create a day to honor sweepers around the state. He also said the agency is pleased with the telecommunications company’s partnerships which he believed would encourage and motivate the sweepers to do even more.

He urged other corporate entities to follow Globacom’s example and reaffirmed the significance of the sweepers’ work in promoting the health and welfare of the populace.

Some of the sweepers thanked Globacom and the LAWMA Management for the chance to relax with their coworkers and for Glo’s exceptional gesture of appreciation to them. Lagos-born Rejoice Aniekwe Ifeoma revealed that working with LAWMA has given her the chance to better herself and establish a second source of income to support herself. Ifeoma, who is presently undergoing computer literacy training, stated that she spends her leisure time selling Tigernut and Zobo beverages. She was grateful to Globacom for providing this chance for leisure.

Another sweeper, Awolaja Esther, an Ikorodu resident, revealed that she has been employed by LAWMA for almost 15 years, using the position to establish an additional revenue stream in Ikorodu. She is training two undergraduates at the moment. She commended Globacom for organizing a day to honor and recognize her and her coworkers.

As part of the fun and excitement created exclusively for the sweepers, Globacom also held a lucky dip to give out various items including sewing machine, Inverter Microwave oven and grinding machine to some of the sweepers.

Madam Dorcas Adeniji, a resident of Oshodi in Lagos, won the grinding machine. She could hardly contain her joy as she danced after receiving the item. Mrs Adewusi Bisola, who resides in Alakuko in Agbado Oke Odo LCDA, won an Inverter Microwave oven. Her friends almost mobbed her when she came out to receive her prize. Another winner, Ige Sadatu, who won a sewing machine, thanked Globacom for the gift she was taking home.

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Dele Momodu @65: The Billionaire of Hearts, the Common Man’s King

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By Gite Igiehon
In a world where affluence often breeds distance, and fame creates fences between the privileged and the people, Chief Dele Momodu, at 65, continues to walk a different path—one paved with humility, empathy, and human connection.
Many know him as the media mogul, the respected publisher of Ovation International, the presidential aspirant, and the seasoned journalist with global acclaim. But few truly understand the weight of the name Bob Dee, as we fondly call him, and what it means to those whose lives he quietly touches without headlines or hashtags.
At 65, Dele Momodu is not just a public figure. He is a living bridge—between wealth and poverty, between celebrity and humanity, between the elite and the everyday Nigerian. Despite his exposure to kings, presidents, and pop culture royalty, he has never forgotten how to sit, eat, and laugh with the poor. He listens when others speak over. He shows up when others send excuses.
I remember vividly when I celebrated my 40th birthday. I called him just two weeks before the event. He was in the UK and told me plainly that he had no plans to return to Nigeria anytime soon. I understood. I thanked him and moved on. But a week later, he called back with words that still echo in my heart: “Princess, you’ve never invited me to anything before.”
On the day of my celebration, I looked up—and there he was. My mentor. My inspiration. My “Oga,” in every sense of the word. Dele Momodu showed up. Not because of status, politics, or press. But because that’s who he is—a man of his word, a man of the people.
At 65, it’s not his global network, his powerful interviews, or even his political aspirations that make him remarkable. It is his consistent humanity—a rare virtue in these times. He carries the weight of the world with a smile and wears his wealth not in fabric or fortune, but in the countless lives he has uplifted, empowered, and remembered.
Dele Momodu is not just a man. He is a movement of grace, of loyalty, and of love.
As he turns 65, may the world not only celebrate his achievements but take a moment to learn from his greatest legacy—his heart.

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