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$6bn Mambilla Scam: Release Agunloye Now, Soyinka Tells EFCC

Published

1 year ago

December 19, 2023

Eric

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on Monday, demanded the immediate release of a former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr Olu Agunloye by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged $6 billion Mambilla Hydro Power project scam.

The EFCC had declared Agunloye wanted over the $6 billion Mambilla Hydro Power project, and later took him into custody when he showed up at the agency’s office.

Soyinka, in a statement on Monday titled: “In Pursuit of Justice, Productivity, under the Rule of Law,” called on the EFCC to release Agunloye or detain all those directly or indirectly implicated in that Mambilla fiasco.

“In the meantime, the EFCC should release all its prisoners or, in the alternative, equally arrest and detain all those involved in this mammoth scam that has deprived the “GIANT OF AFRICA” the basic survival facility for a twenty-first-century society. One chicken in the coop is a travesty of justice and a deplorable lack of nerve.

“Release Agunloye, or detain all those directly or indirectly implicated in that fiasco. The preening and posturing of EFCC has served its purpose, it is time to now divert it to a productive end – bringing closure on the one hand, and also opening up new channels of productive fulfillment for a stressed and distressed nation,” Soyinka demanded.

According to Soyinka, the immediate provocation for these reflections is ongoing predicament of a former Minister of Power, Agunloye, currently detained by the EFCC, in total contempt of sense and justice, or indeed, basic humane considerations.

“We shall not go into the merit or demerits of the charges raised against him over a 16-year-old project that bears the name Mambilla. – that is the business of the law courts. Our concern at this moment is however only partially on the basis of individual Fundamental Human Rights.

“Most fortuitously, the detention of any former public servant under circumstances such as Agunloye also provokes the question: how is public interest – such as the pursuit of justice – served by such an arbitrary exercise of power?

“Before the now familiar carping, let me state that this is not the first time I have personally intervened in the high-handed and illegal conduct of the EFCC. All the way back to its inception, and public enthusiasm over its mission, I have had cause to use every means to promote and facilitate the success of that mission, while at the same time insisting on the organization’s operation under the law and citizen entitlement,” he stated.

Soyinka said his personal relations with the EFCC included placing the civic organization in which he is involved in an active relationship with that corruption-fighting agency, even to the existence of an MOU of collaboration.

He said from the time when intoxicated by righteous zeal, the EFCC in its early years attacked the home and offices of a businessman with a bulldozer, destroying and carrying off valuable equipment, he tackled its then director and demanded civilized usage in opposition to brute force.

The Nobel laureate added that it was this that impelled him to facilitate bringing to Nigeria President Kagame of Rwanda to lecture on how he tackled a deep-seated corruption culture among public servants.

“That was effected in the context of a conference on that very theme at the dedication of new offices of EFCC. I have never hidden my commitment to the operations of any corruption-fighting agency, including EFCC’s predecessor, the ICPC.

“Those credentials are stated to forestall any time-wasting and distracting interventions – let us now get down to immediate, and nation affective missteps by that same EFCC. The resort to “Trial or Smear by Media” of the most sensationalist kind, launched against the person of Dr. Olu Agunloye is unworthy and reprehensible.

“Most critically – and I want both governance and citizenry to understand this – it is counterproductive. It inhibits genuine inclination by proficient citizens for public service. That is a lamentable obstacle on the way to any nation’s development,” he said.

Soyinka added: “WANTED? Just what is that? Olu Agunloye has pursued his movements openly to the extent of being present and photographed at my sister’s funeral on December 8. He did not appear in disguise, did not sneak in and out. He functioned as any normal human being at an event at which the Press was present.

“Less than thirty-six hours later, he was declared WANTED: If that was an EFCC joke, it was in extremely bad taste, obviously designed for Social Media sensationalism, not for any serious crime-solving commitment.

“Nonetheless, Agunloye, as a dutiful citizen, issued a statement on his visibility and ready compliance. He promised to show up at the EFCC offices in Abuja the following day. He appeared, and was promptly arrested and detained.

“The information I have been able to obtain during the past two days of my return to the country is that the Head of the EFCC declared that he would release him only on the instructions of the President of the Nation.”

Soyinka asked: “True or false? I am not in the game of “He said, I said”. What matters is the murky exercise of power. I have had cause to intervene before this, all the way from Are, through Ribadu and Magu, that last until he stopped taking my calls. The present however transcends all other interventions, as it involves certain issues of national interest, in tandem with the evident issues of fundamental citizen rights.

“Put succinctly, I wish to claim that finally, after so many years of frustration, the nation is being offered an opportunity to put the Mambilla Project to rest, be it through terminal abandonment or resuscitation, corralling its lessons in fulfilling one of the most basic conditions for national industrial development with private creative input – addressing frontally and holistically the basic question of sustainable supply of power.

“In addition – and I concede that this is a personal, yet national concern. We stand a chance to finally solve a nation’s high-profile murder case, this being none other than that of Bola Ige, also prior minister of Power under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Let this be understood. The murder of Bola Ige, plus a monumental act of sabotage that took place under Ige’s watch, involving the loss of some engineers, was linked to massive corruption that underlay the Mambilla collapse.”

According to Soyinka, it is time to end the deception, the cynical cover-ups, the blame passing, the diversionary utterances, and the now open admission of corporate corruption with high reaches of power.

He called for a non-partisan Commission that would sit in public, take evidence, ask questions, and cross-examine witnesses over even one year if necessary.

“After all, this massive failure has gone on for nearly two decades. We can spare one more year, surely to lay bare the ugly face of Truth, then let the public do what it will with the revelations. The cycle of self-deception has gone on far enough. Let the two legislative chambers take the bull by the horns to end the charade, cut our losses, and move on,” he said.

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Buhari Denies Ownership of Abuja Land Revoked by Wike

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

Eric

Former President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, denied ownership of a piece of land purportedly allocated to him by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCDA) in Abuja.

Media reports indicate that Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revoked the ownership of 762 plots of land in the Maitama 1 District of Abuja, citing non-payment of statutory fees.

According to the trending reports, high-profile figures, including former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, are among those affected.

The FCTA had also issued a two-week ultimatum to 614 other individuals and organisations, demanding they settle outstanding Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) fees or risk losing their plots.
However, debunking the reports, the former President stated he is “not the owner of the said plot of land which is allocated in the name of a ‘Muhammadu Buhari Foundation.’”

In a statement issued by his media aide, Garba Shehu, in Abuja, the former President explained that he turned down the offer by the administration when it was presented to him.

The media aide further clarified: “When he and his cabinet members were invited to fill the forms and obtain land during his tenure in office, he returned the form without filling it, saying that he already had a plot of land in the FCT and that those who did not have should be given. He, therefore, turned down the offer.

“All those jumping up and down in the digital space talking about the rightfulness or the lack of it on the reported seizure of Buhari’s land in Abuja to get their facts right and stop dragging down the name of the former president.

“As with anything Buhari—and there is no surprise in this at all—there is a lot of buzz in the media on the reported seizure of a piece of land by the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, FCTA, allegedly belonging to the former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Former President Buhari is personally not the owner of the said plot of land, which is allocated in the name of a ‘Muhammadu Buhari Foundation.

“The Foundation was itself floated by some utilitarian individuals around him who, it must be said, went about it in a lawful manner with the support of a number of well-meaning persons.

“But they ran into a roadblock in the land department of the FCDA, which handed them an outrageous bill for the issuance of the certificate of occupancy, very high in cost that did not at all compare with the bills given to similar organisations.

“It may have been that this was not erroneous, but a deliberate mistake, making the revocation of the land no surprise to anyone.

“As a person, the former President has a plot of land to his name in Abuja,” he added

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Dangote Refinery, a Wonder of Modern Technology – Japan Ambassador, Business Community

Published

5 days ago

December 16, 2024

Eric

The Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals complex has been hailed as an astonishing masterpiece, showcasing Nigeria’s technological advancements on the global stage.

This accolade was shared by a delegation from the Japanese Business Community in Nigeria, led by Japan’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo. The Dangote Group also reiterated that its petroleum products are in demand worldwide, as it expands its polypropylene section to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported polypropylene, a crucial material used in packaging, textiles, and the automotive manufacturing industries.

The Japanese delegation, which toured the impressive facilities housing both the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals as well as Dangote Fertilisers, commended the state-of-the-art technology on display, noting that it reinforces Nigeria’s role as the gateway to Africa.

Managing Director of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Takashi Oku, remarked that while Nigeria remains the gateway to Africa, the Dangote Refinery stands as a remarkable project that showcases the country’s technological progress. He added that the facility, as the world’s largest single-train refinery, is a point of immense pride for Nigeria. JETRO is Japan’s governmental organisation for trade and investment.

“We had heard about the excellence of the Dangote Refinery through the media but seeing it in person has left us truly amazed by its vastness and grandeur. It demonstrates that Nigeria’s population is not only growing but also advancing in technology. We are keen to collaborate with Nigerian companies, especially Dangote Refinery,” he said.

Emphasising that the refinery has bolstered Nigeria’s leading position in Africa, he further noted that the facility serves as an ideal introduction to the country for the global community.

Managing Director of Itochu Nigeria Limited, Masahiro Tsuno, also praised the sheer size and automation of the Dangote Refinery, calling it a miracle and one of the wonders of the world.

“I’ve seen many standalone refineries across the globe, including in Vietnam and the Middle East. However, this size of a refinery built by one single investor is probably a miracle in the world. And I’m just actually witnessing a miracle, to be honest, today,” he said. Tsuno indicated that his company would seek collaboration with the refinery across various sectors, including polypropylene and other petroleum products.

Commending the ambassador-designate and his team, which described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a wonder of modern technology, Vice President of Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, explained that the facility is the vision of a Nigerian investor- Aliko Dangote, designed and built by Nigerians, and intended to serve the global market.

He said that it is a point of pride that a Nigerian company not only designed but also built the world’s largest single-train refinery complex. Dangote Industries Limited, a Nigerian company, acted as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor for the refinery. In the process, cutting-edge technologies from around the world were incorporated to ensure that the facility meets the highest standards. Edwin assured the ambassador-designate and the delegation that the company is open to collaboration, always striving to maintain the best possible standards.

“Even now, we have a lot of Japanese equipment inside both the refinery and the fertiliser plant. There are significant opportunities for collaboration, as we always seek the latest technology in any business we engage in. For instance, our cement plant laboratory is managed by robots, and we always embrace advanced technology. With Japan’s focus on technological innovation, there is ample scope for cooperation and for supplying various types of technology,” he said.

Edwin also stated that the Dangote Petrochemical project will significantly boost investment in downstream industries, creating substantial value, generating employment, increasing tax revenues, reducing foreign exchange outflows, and contributing to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He confirmed that products from the refinery meet international standards and are already being exported globally.

“In recent weeks, we’ve exported petrol to Cameroon, Ghana, Angola, and South Africa among others. Diesel has gone all over the world, and jet fuel is being heavily exported to European markets. Our products are already making their mark internationally,” he said.

He further added that by leveraging Africa’s vast crude oil resources to produce refined products locally, the Dangote Group aims to create a virtuous cycle of industrial development, job creation, and economic prosperity.

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ICOBA 84-86 Set Donates N20m to Endowment

Published

6 days ago

December 15, 2024

Eric

The Christmas/End of Year party of the Igbobi College Old Boys Association (ICOBA) was filled with excitement, pomp and pageantry as the 84-86 set celebrated its 40th anniversary of leaving the school.
The highlight of the event was the donation of N20 million from the set’s endowment to serve as a seed fund for the national body’s endowment through the National ICOBA. The donation was received by Mr Femi Banwo, President ICOBA International and Mr Kunle Elebute, Chairman ICOBA National Endowment Committee

The 84-86 set’s Board of Trustees Endowment Committee had established an independent endowment in 2009 with a vision to create a lasting legacy for the set. Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the ICOBA 84-86 Board of Trustees and Endowment Committee, Dr. Falil Ayo Abina, expressed his delight, stating that it was a dream come true.

Dr. Abina explained that one of the core lessons learned at Igbobi College was “self-denial.”
He reminisced about the Self-Denial Fund (SDF), where students were taught to contribute their weekly “widow’s mite” to share with the less privileged in society. Dr. Abina emphasized that when the endowment committee conceived the idea of the endowment 15 years ago, they had this legacy in mind, aiming to serve a purpose greater than self.

The donation of N20 million to the national endowment is expected to inspire others within the alumni and other school alumni associations to follow suit.
This generous donation is the first in ICOBA’s history and arguably in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

The 13-member endowment committee, also include Demola Ipaye, Fola Laguda, Gbenga Aina, Demola Oladeinde, Jimi Onanuga, Abayomi Alabi, Kwami Adadevoh, Bayo Ayoade, Tunde Sadare, Wole Ogunbajo, Tunji Akinwummi, and Lanre Olusola, worked tirelessly to make this vision a reality and it was indeed mission accomplished for the ‘Nobles Nigerians‘ as Igbobians are called.