My tenant is threatening my life – Cossy cries out.

THIS is not the best of times for  Nollywood diva, Cossy Orjiakor.

Barely two weeks after she was attacked by suspected armed robbers along Orile/Mile 2 expressway on her way to Festac, the Nutty Queen is embroiled in a rent brouhaha with one of her tenants.

According to Cossy, the tenant who lives in her Ilasa residence has been owing rents for many months and each time she ventures to seek payment, the tenant, who she said is a member of Black Axe Confraternity, resorts to all sorts of threats.

“This dude threatens me. His rent is overdue, he doesn’t want to move. I was slapped by his group member two days ago. But I can’t be intimidated. I can’t run from my home because he is in Black Axe Confraternity. Almost all the young boys here have been intimidated to join this group” she tweeted some days ago.

When WG contacted the actress, she confirmed the story and posited that the Baale of Ilasa and Divisional Police Officer of the area are both aware.

After US trip, back to pressing matters,

I AM interested in  President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to the United States last week not because of the over N2 billion allegedly spent or the long retinue of aides that tagged along with the official delegates. I am not interested in whatever controversy arose from the trip or the brick bats in the social media.

If anything, I think he made some  points about the war against corruption in which he said even his party chieftains would not be spared. I cannot fault his recap of his manifesto that he would create jobs  and check theft. His stand on homosexuality reflects national consensus and our collective culture and sense of morality. He also has a pass mark in the CNN interview with Christiane Amanpour. My  question is,  was the trip worth it, and at this time?

US President Barack Obama speaks with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, July 20, 2015. Obama welcomes Nigeria's freshly elected president after the country's first ever democratic transition. AFP

US President Barack Obama speaks with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, July 20, 2015. Obama welcomes Nigeria’s freshly elected president after the country’s first ever democratic transition. AFP

If  I put myself in the shoes of the Americans; how would I assess a visiting President who has no basic government structure in place? A President coming for serious talks who has no Secretary of Government or Ministers who can coordinate the implementation of agreements reached? International politics follow a lot of protocols and reciprocity; the American Attorney General sits, and she has no counterpart on the visitors  side; how can we be taken serious?

Propagandists are running us deaf  that the President is quite capable of running  Government without Ministers and that he is so strong that he gets briefs from five to six  Permanent Secretaries daily. How impressive! If Permanent  Secretaries  can run ministries, rather than Ministers, who says that the Head of Service will not do, running the country rather than an expensive Presidency?

The Ministers to be appointed will not come from the moon; you can never put together a perfect team. The challenge is to screen nominees, but more importantly, to move decisively against any non-performing Minister or Government official whose conduct is questionable.

I believe that the time spent planning and travelling for the four-day trip, would have been better utilised putting  in place an Executive Council. When the President goes abroad to tell Nigerians  that they will not have Ministers until September; that is six months after winning undisputed elections, and four months after being sworn into office, serious concerns of governance arise.

Appointing Ministers is not discretional. The Constitution directs that there shall be  Ministers who can be assigned to run any department or business of Government and are   charged with “advising the President generally in the discharge of his executive functions.”

Sections 147 to 149 make it illegal for a  sole administrator to run the country; rather it directs that there must be, a collective body composed of the President, Vice President and at least thirty six Ministers including the Attorney General of the Federation whose appointments must be spread across the thirty six states to reflect federal character, promote  national unity and command national unity. This body is charged with running the country.

Ministers, although appointed by the President, are actually constitutional  watch dogs; the eyes of the citizenry  who in interacting with the President, Vice President, and observing them, can declare either of them incapable of discharging  the functions of their office. We run the same Presidential system as the Americans, so they know how to assess their visitor beyond diplomatic niceties.

Apart from this, we have the self- afflicted wounds  in the National Assembly  which is festering, and if not quickly and well handled, can become gangrening requiring  amputation. Of course, there are the campaign promises that need to be implemented to ease life for a long suffering populace.

The main reason for the trip I have read about, is the Presidency’s allusion that it was a follow up to the G7 meeting where we were promised support in the fight against Boko Haram. If there was the need to present America with such a shopping list, does the President need to go on an official trip uprooting so many people including otherwise busy governors and their aides?

Should we not ask ourselves why the same US  not only refuses to sell us weapons to fight Boko Haram, but also blocks our efforts to procure them from other countries and sources? It would be quite naïve to think that it was a matter of American hatred for former President Goodluck  Jonathan, and that the US  would change its mind now that its beloved son in  whom it is well pleased is now in power. As for the request for American troops to train the Nigerian military in counter insurgency, have we found out why the Jonathan administration kicked them out in the first place?

There is the issue of the World Bank $2.1 Billion loan to rebuild parts of the country devastated  by Boko Haram. The President and  Governors traveling  to US is not a prerequisite  for negotiating or procuring World Bank loans. Also, I am not sure I understand the hype about this loan which we must pay back with interest even if the terms appear liberal. So, is it really necessary to add to our loan weight and heap the burden of repayment on the future generation? Is it not possible  through the proclaimed  prudent management of our resources by the change  administration to raise the funds necessary for the reconstruction? Are we learning from the pillorying of Greece by its European relatives over loan repayment?

Before President Buhari’s trip, the Boko Haram which  had been driven out of virtually all the towns, and pinned down by the Jonathan administration, had once again festered, taking new territories, attacking not just Bornu, but Yobe, Gombe, Plateau and Kaduna States. A man with burning coals on his palm does not tarry for discussions; a time when large parts of the country are being overrun by vicious insurgents who are maiming, killing, kidnapping and laying waste villages and towns including that of the new Army Chief, is not one  for the President and Commander-In-Chief of the  Armed Forces to travel. He needed, and needs to be at home to lead the counter attack. Welcome back, Mr. President, now to pressing matters.

No room for incompetent contractors – Okowa.

Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa

ASABA—DELTA State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said only contractors with proven track records of quality delivery on their jobs would be patronised by his administration.

The governor dropped the hint during an unscheduled inspection visit of the old Lagos/Asaba road, Agbor, weekend.

“When we see that your service is good with or without supervision and your project is going on according to specification, we will patronise you, the most important thing to us in Delta State is good and quality job,” he said.

The governor, who expressed satisfaction with the quality of job being done on the project, observed that the road construction had been on since 2009 and expressed hope that it would be completed before December 2016.

“I commend the contracting firm handling the job for a job well done. The quality of the job is obviously very good, the area they have constructed has no potholes, we want all our contractors to do good jobs,” Okowa said.

He frowned at the dumping of refuse at Orogodo River, stating that while silting was allowed as it goes with water through the drains, illegal dumping of refuse would not be tolerated in the state.

Meanwhile, the governor has called for wealth redistribution in Nigeria as a result of the dwindling revenue from oil resources.

Okowa, who spoke at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Boji Boji Owa, during the 40th  ordination anniversary of Rt. Revd. Peter Onekpe as Bishop, weekend, said his administration would place emphasis on pensioners getting their emoluments and catering for the poor in the society.

He stated that it was important for the rich in the society to be their brother’s keepers.

He said:   “As we thank God  today in the midst of the poverty challenges of the time, at the time when oil prices are down and governments are finding it difficult to pay salaries, it is a time for sober reflection.

‘’It is time to think about what next to do.  How can I impact on the life of that person who is not able to eat when I have excess on my table?”

The challenge of BJ Foundation.

The NFF calls it the Federation Cup, yet I have come across thousands who prefer to remember it as the Challenge Cup, that competition that ignited football in this country and brought out the best in our clubs thanks to its knock out, no second chance format.
Memorable finals of this  exciting competition are still subjects of animated conversation in football circles and those in their sixties and seventies are still pleading for the “….return of the glory days of the Challenge Cup”
Depending on your support base, pray take a pick of the memorable encounters of the past. Will it be 1984, when  Leventis United a Division 3 outfit shocked Abiola Babes in the final?
Perhaps you want to recount the epic match of 1971 when WNDC beat Rangers 2-1?
There are those that will prefer the 1978 humiliation of Rangers, 3-0 by Bendel Insurance. This is a scoreline that none could forecast except die hard Insurance fans who had no respect for statistics and current form…
Then the cup took a plunge. Even the change of name and perceived re-branding to FA Cup and lately Federation Cup has not helped to match feats and excitement of the past. How can such an illustrious competition stay for so long without sponsors and partners?
The last edition was particularly pathetic as less than five thousand spectators turned up to watch Enyimba and Dolphins, despite the muscular attempts of the Lagos State Government to revive the competition.
This year, something new and exciting is happening. Some prefer to call it the BJ Eartquake. Incidentally despite all efforts to track and place this team that has been the scourge of the finest in the land, I do not seem to get a favourable headway.
That BJ Foundation is a club named after Benson Johnson( Late)  who spent his life in Benin providing a life for youths who could not make it into big time clubs. No definite structure, supported by Ex Internationals who benefited one way or the other from the club…….
That the club has been around for some time, engaging mainly in youth tournaments until this year when they contested and lost the Edo State Federation Cup final to Kukuruku  Dragons, enough to give them a ticket to the National play offs. (Before I forget, let it be on record that it is Kukuruku that ousted the mighty Giwa FC from the competition )
Back to BJ and their first match, a 3-1 victory over Kurmi Market, a clash of unknowns. Next was Spotlight of Katsina, a club that held Keshi’s Eagles to a stalemate. BJ came out tops 3-1 and started attracting some media attention and mention.
It was when BJ was drawn against Heartland of Owerri that the forecast came out, that of the luck of the draw for Heartland in a culture where the Premier league clubs will always pray to avoid their counterparts. When the news filtered out that BJ had hammered Heartland 3-1, Veteran football administrator and LMC Match Commissioner Arthur Kwame took over the story. He watched BJ against Spotlight and liked what he saw. He saw a team of very talented young boys, mobile and happy to play, he saw a team that had about five players naturally at ease with the use of both legs .
I quickly put a call through to Chief Anyansi, Chairman of the NFF Technical Committee on the need to watch BJ’s next match and exploit the discovery of left footers who are in very short supply presently in the National teams.
The BJ story is that of Tornadoes Feeders. As the name implies it is the junior side of Niger Tornadoes of Minna (who have since exited the cup) Today the ‘Feeders’ are in the Quarter finals after showing past winners Dolphins the way out. Before Dolphins, Wikki Tourists had fallen to the giant killers from Minna.
The story of the Federation Cup this year is one that should attract attention, one that makes me believe that we have an exciting tournament in our hands going forward. Let us rewind.
Defending champions Enyimba and League defending champions Pillars fell same week end in the round of 32. After drawing byes as the big boys they came in and were sent packing, beaten by Remo Stars and Plateau United respectively.
Before then, Nigeria’s team of the moment Sunshine Stars had kicked the dust in the round of 64, beaten by a certain Julius Atete (?) this is also the round that saw the elimination of Shooting Stars by Plateau United, Gombe United by Papillo FC and Giwa FC by Kukuruku Dragons.
More shocks were to follow in the next round, when Heartland fell to BJ, and Nasarawa United had the better of Abia Warriors.
This competition is about giant killers, about upsets and shocks. In 1976 a certain Alyufsalam Rocks shocked all in her path to the final where they succumbed to the firepower of Rangers. In 1988, it was the turn of Flash Flamingoes to confront Iwuanyanwu Nationale in the final where they lost 0-3. What about Katsina United who in 1995, 1996 and 1997 proved that their capacity was no fluke, confronting  Shooting Stars, Julius Berger and BCC lions in the final?
This is the Challenge Cup for you, this is the FA Cup, this is the Federation Cup. Throw into the mix the continental opportunity of the CAF Confederation Cup and you get a war on your hands. Now the competition is in the quarter final stage, throwing up very exciting fixtures as BJ is up against Lobi Stars ( Lobi needed penalties to overcome Remo Stars after the match had stalemated at 1-1 at regulation time) Ifeanyi Uba will play Nasarawa, Akwa United against Tornadoes Feeders ( Some fears in Uyo?) while El Kanemi and Rangers complete the fixtures that expectedly holds promises of upsets and tradition moving into the final.

How Nigerian lady, 23, was sold into slavery in Kuwait.

The suspects, Paul Akpogherhe, 26; and Theophilus Ebiowei, 28 

Two suspects who allegedly sold a 23-year-old girl for N1.2 million into slavery in Kuwait are currently being investigated by operatives of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Lagos.

The suspects, identified as Paul Akpogherhe, 26; and Theophilus Ebiowei, 28, were arrested by men of the Lagos State Police  Command,  Festac Division after receiving complaints about their  activities and how they sold the victim into slavery in Kuwait.

Crime Alert gathered that towards the end of April, the girl, identified as Okoangbele Quincy, met a young man called Paul Akpogherhe, in Festac, where she had attended an event.   Eventually, they became friends and exchanged contact addresses.

After weeks of consistent communication between the duo, Paul introduced her to Theophilus Ebiowei and another person simply called Akin, who promised to help her secure a lucrative job abroad, in one of the Middle-East countries since she is a skilled caterer.

The prospects of securing a job outside the shores of Nigeria got Quincy interested as they pledged to help her process her visa and other necessary travelling documents. The suspects reportedly invited her to Festac where they explained to her that it would cost about N450,000 to process her visa and travelling documents to Kuwait.

When she got to home in Ikorodu,  she explained everything to her parents. They assisted her in raising some amount of money which she added to her savings. After processing the traveling documents, they linked her with a female agent in Kuwait.

Unknown to her, the agent is a human trafficker in Kuwait.   By the first week of June, she boarded a flight to Kuwait, and on arrival, the agent picked her up from the airport in Kuwait. Narrating her ordeal, Quincy, a daughter to a military officer said:

“Trouble started when the agent asked me if I had been briefed by the people who introduced me to her? I said no, but they said you would help me secure a job. To my surprise, the agent then told me that she had bought me from those people and that I was now her slave.

I told her that was not the arrangement. I explained to her that Paul and Theophilus said she will help me secure a job as there are better job opportunities in Kuwait, and they never mentioned they were selling me into slavery.

“She told me that I had no choice and that she has spent money to buy me and that she must get value for her money’s worth. Sensing that I may cause her trouble, the agent immediately sold me to another family who now recruited me as a slave.

“I was given a uniform worn by slaves in Kuwait. Anyone that sees me wearing that uniform immediately knows I am a slave and treats me like a leper. Apart from performing menial jobs, I was subjected to different inhuman treatment as a slave.

“As soon as it dawned on me that I was now a slave in a strange country, I began to seek ways to escape. Luckily,  I met another Nigerian girl who has also been a slave to another family for almost a year, so she was a bit familiar with the area.

I told her that I wanted to go back to Nigeria since what I was being subjected to is not what I bargained for. She said there was no way of escaping, except we get to the Nigerian embassy in Kuwait. So, we both agreed that whenever we got an opportunity,  we would flee to the Nigerian Embassy.

“As God would have it,  the opportunity came and we left but not without hitches, as every taxi we stopped refused to halt because we were clad in a uniform which identified us as slaves. After attempting to board a cab for several hours, we pleaded with an Indian woman to help us stop a taxi after narrating our ordeal to her, since we had no clothes other than the slave uniform we wore to change into.

“The Indian woman stopped a taxi while we stood far off. She pleaded with the taxi driver to take us to the Nigerian Embassy. That was how we were able to  get to the embassy where we got help. When we got to the Nigerian Embassy,  the officials after listening to us,  assisted us with necessary traveling documents to travel back to Nigeria. It was at the airport that officials bought clothes for us to change from the slave uniform before boarding a flight to Nigeria.”

Crime Alert gathered that Quincy’s sister was to join her in Kuwait when she called her family to tell them not to send her sister and that she has been sold into slavery. The victim’s family supported her travel plans for a job abroad, unsuspecting that the suspects had another plan.

It was learned that while Paul feigned ignorance, denying that he never knew that it was human trafficking, Theophilus admitted to committing the crime, stating that it was Paul that brought Quincy to them.  He also said that they shared the proceeds from the sale which the woman in Kuwait paid.

Although she didn’t come with any of her personal effects from Kuwait,  members of her family were happy she came back alive. She was later admitted in the hospital for days after she arrived. The case has been transferred to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation while efforts are on to arrest fleeing members of the gang that sold her into slavery.

Coming to America.

“The damage done in one year can sometimes take ten or twenty years to repair.” Chinua Achebe

All eyes were on Buhari and the much anticipated state visit to America and in particular, his meeting with Barak Obama. PMB came with 30 strong entourage including;Adams Oshiomhole, Kashim Shettima, Abiola Adeyemi Ajimobi, Godwin Emefiele, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Hadi Sirika, Ambassador. Paul Bulus Z, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Alhaji. Aliyu Ismaila, Ambassador. A.A. Musa, Ambassador. G.B. Igali, Aliyu Yahaya Gusau, Dr. Mahmud Mohammed, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Ismaila Isa  Funtua, Mr. Femi Adesina and Dr. Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi. Each chosen for their expertise and tasked to make use of the visit to drum up business and economic partnership with Nigeria.

Of the visit, much was said in the papers and the social media about the man and his motive to meet with his American counterpart. For those who have ignored the obvious, he was invited and feted by the Americans. What a difference a change in administration makes! It seem that the world wants to do business and partnership with Nigeria once more. The US recognises Nigeria as an emerging economic giant not just in Africa but in the global village. This is the first time the US is inviting a newly elected African leader who has been in office for less than two months, to a state visit. This visit was not a cap in hand visit, contrary to what some may want others to believe. This was solely a US-led initiative and did accommodate PMB at Blair House which was first of its kind for a Nigerian leader and at no expense to the Nigerian coffers.

For this, President Obama warmly welcomed PMB and he praised Nigeria and Nigerians for undergoing a peaceful transition of power;” Nigeria is obviously one of the most important countries in the world and of the US trip, Grant Harris, senior director for Africa at the National Security Council, said Obama administration took the “unprecedented action” of inviting Buhari to the United States rather than have Obama visit Buhari in the Nigerian capital of Abuja because it gives the new president access to many more top American policymakers and “And our view was that we needed to have this occur as soon as possible, and that we would also want to maximize this opportunity to have him in Washington with his advisers,”

True to the their words the Americans feted the Nigerian President and he met with notable people in the Obama administration including, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Vice President Biden, National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Jim Yong Kim of the World Bank, Madeleine Albright, former United States Secretary of State and the current Secretary of State John F. Kerry one of the most important countries in the African continent”

And Buhari in response, said he was “extremely grateful” for the invitation, and noted the “positive trends” of elections in Nigeria he credited “pressure from the United States and Europe to make sure elections were free and credible” for leading them to where they are now.

Sometimes we forget how remarkable the transition was and how incredible ordinary Nigerians were to have voted for change despite the enormous pressure to maintain the status quo.

Buhari is very clear where his administration should concentrate its efforts; combating corruption, good governance, securing Nigerian borders, dealing with Boko Haram and recovering billions of dollars siphoned by many politicians in the last administration. It is a tall order, but no doubt this man of steel will with a little help from the America and its allies, this will definitely happen, without a doubt.

Obama echoed this when addressing the press; “President Buhari comes into office with a reputation of integrity and a very clear agenda and that is to make sure that he is bringing safety and security and peace to this country, And he has a very clear agenda with respect to rooting out the corruption that has too often held back the economic growth and prosperity of his country.”

America has pledged $5m (£3.2m) in military assistance to the regional coalition helping to fight Boko Haram, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State. However, Buhari did criticise the US, especially the Leahy Law, which links military sales to human rights. Without the lifting of the law, the Nigeria government will find it near impossible to procure arms from the US.

It seems that many of the guilty and pilferers should be  quaking in their boots, that this time, the  money meant for the people of Nigeria will be recovered and used for the majority of its people not by a very  few and languishing in some  off shore account gathering dust.

The new broom is here to clear away the rubbish and the corrupt and it seems the rest of the world now know it; that Nigeria is open for  business once the environment becomes conducive to encourage business to thrive and take root.

Frankly speaking, as impressed I am of the visit, I was appalled by some of the reactions from some Nigerians about his visits. It showed some juvenile behaviour of some people to understand the benefit of foreign policy and partnership. Some had agenda that was apparent by the way they voiced their opinions and I would not justify this page by repeating their jaundiced views. At some point in the future, it will be addressed

 Old soldiers never die —contd.

These former mighty men of valour failed spectacularly to safeguard their men, the nation and its people. They were left to make excuses why the war on Boko haram was failing, why the army was ineffectual, why the large revenue spent to shore up our defences was not bearing fruit.

Frankly, they have been a disgrace to their uniforms and, their exalted ranks and the badges they wore and also a disappointment to the brave men and women that they led. It was with great relief that the president dismissed the four military chiefs in order to strengthen the fight against Boko Haram. The government spokesperson Femi Adesina said that Buhari made the decision to “re-engineer and add vigour to the military and that the move will strengthen “the fight against the insurgency and the credibility of the army”.  For those critics of the new administration: watch and learn; now, that is how to lead.

Buhari, is a seasoned and a formidable strategist, people should have every reason to have confidence in the replacements for the dismissed heads of armed forces.

Although, I do hope that it is not the case of old wine in new bottles. But we know that if they do not perform they will surely go the way of the others.

Buhari will not hesitate to dismiss them. The pedigree of the new intake is so far impressive, in particular, that of Major General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, Borno-born, who is currently the head of the multinational anti-Boko Haram force based in Ndjamena, Chad Major General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin, the new chief of army staff, the new chief of defence intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Riku Morgan, and a national security adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno.

With the new intake, I do hope that we have a fit, disciplined man with purpose to lead and motivate their men and, women.  It would be only right to expect that they bring vigour and pride back to a tired and disgraced army  and once more, Nigeria can have an army that is worthy of its name and  they can restore peace and security within its  borders.

Why Nigeria’s economy is in the hands of foreigners – Dada, US-based entrepreneur.

Mr. Ganiyu Ademola Dada

A Nigerian American, an International Trade Specialist and President/ Chief Executive Officer, Kofa International, Chicago, a USA based Nigerian firm, Mr. Ganiyu Ademola Dada, who is also the former Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora in the Americas and former President of Continental Africa Chambers, USA believes that the Nigerian economy should be far better than what it has been for a while now. He is therefore not resting on his oars to ensure that business owners develop to a stage where they can compete effectively with Multinationals.

In this interview, he talks about why Nigerian’s economy has been dwindling for years, how his company is poised to facilitate low cost interest finances for Nigerian private and public sector in order to develop the economy of Nigeria as well as to ensure that Nigerian companies attain enviable heights in the world market, what government should do to rescue the almost crumpled private sector in Nigeria and more

Sir you just came into the country few days ago. Can you let us into what brought you this time?

We are to deliver a multipurpose dredge from DSC LLC to Japaul Maritime, Oil & Gas Plc, the only Maritime company in the Nigerian stock exchange. We have been supporting the company since 2004 by facilitating low cost single digit loan interest rate for the company from US for it to buy equipment in order to be able to compete with multinationals in Oil & Gas industry using EXIM Bank program.

So we have at the moment given Japaul multimillion-dollar equipment, which they are clearing and amongst which is the one of the best dredges in Nigeria, if not in West Africa as a whole. This equipment could be used for multipurpose needs in oil & gas, environment, mining, etc. The dredges are equipped with staff quarters that can take ten engineers with offices, kitchen and other essential compartments.

They are state-of-the-art equipment and we are here to deliver, assemble and commission with our engineers from DSC Dredge in USA. DSC LLC is the undisputable leader of cutter suction dredge in North America and not just in the United State. So Kofa has partnered with them for the development of dredging industry of Nigeria.

Can you put a value to the equipment you just brought in for Japaul?

We would not want to do that but these are equipment that are worth millions of dollars. That is one of the prides of Kofa. We want to develop many Nigerian companies to be like Coscharis group or Japaul group in the sense that we just don’t sell but help companies to grow and be credit worthy so that they can have access to low cost finance from USA, to level the playing field for everybody so that a Nigerian company can compete with UAC,

Chevron and any foreign or multinational company from anywhere in the world, by borrowing at the same rate and buying equipment at the same price to help them at International biddings for projects. So we are proud with our relationship with Japaul. The company managed itself professionally to qualify for EXIM Bank program and we have been supporting it since 2004 and it has been growing very rapidly.

Do you support other companies apart from Japaul?

Yes. We had worked with many companies in Nigeria in different industries like Wattcon in manufacturing in Kaduna, ABG in Telecom in Abuja, Ibile Holdings Ltd wholly owned by Lagos State in Lagos and many other companies in dredging industry like Azikel Group in Bayelsa and Land Dredging Ltd in Lagos to grow too.

All these companies are using DSC Dredges too. And because they are using DSC technology for dredging, they are growing too. The 24- 24-23 meter digging depth dredges that we have supplied to Japaul will be the largest in the country with every facility to work for any oil & gas, any construction company or any environmental or Port dredging services and so on. And it can do more about two thousand cubic meters per hour if it is pumping sand alone.

How do you help Small Scale businesses with such finance?

We are not only for big companies. Japaul was not big when we started with it. But we are proud to be part of its success because it is into many things. But critically, we are trying to help small, medium, and large companies to be credit worthy so that those credit worthy companies will be the ones that are considered first before any other for low cost finance and through them direct foreign investment will enter the country.

Every day, money is looking for where to go in the United States and the Western world as a whole but these monies can only go to those that are credit worthy and those who have been doing things in the way of the Western world and direct foreign investment {DFI} will come through them into the country and continent. Today, we have 60,000 US companies operating in China; we don’t have many with the exception with the few US oil and gas companies in Nigeria.

You cannot count a thousand US companies in Nigeria. That is why our economy is not growing because everything we do is cash-based whereas the rest of the world is doing business on credit. And our interest rate here is above 25%.

For the last 15 years of Kofa using Exim Bank in Nigeria, we have never done anything more than single digit interest rate and it has longer tenure in the sense that has 5-15 years tenure to pay back and that is what real business needs to grow and not the trading aspect that the Nigerian banks are doing whereby they give you two years to pay and charge you 25%-30%interest rate.

So we have program for both small and large businesses from US ECAs. We have credit insurance for small companies. We have Bridge loans for traders and manufacturers for importing raw materials, traders for importing finished products for all kinds of different industries. As it relates to loan tenure, companies may borrow from two years to as long as 18 years for repayment.

For example, if you are in water treatment, you may have up to 18 years to pay back; if you are in medical you may have up to seven years to pay back, if you are in renewable energy, you may have up to 15 years to pay back and if you are buying equipment for construction, you have about five years to pay back and if it is mortgage, you have up to 20 years to pay back and that is the kind of things we need to follow if we want to develop in this country. So what Kofa is doing is taking one company at a time and using EXIM Bank program and other ECA programs to develop credit worthy Nigerian companies.

How does the EXIM Bank program works?

EXIM is the Export/Import Bank of United States and Kofa provides Ancillary Services to the Bank’s Programs by working collaboratively with US Consulates and Embassies in every African country and here in Nigeria too to help facilitate loans that are guaranteed by EXIM Bank to qualified Nigerian government agencies and private companies like Japaul, Coscharis and all other companies we have helped in Nigeria. That is to show that we can do for government and we can do for private companies but we mostly focus more on private sector.

What is the main objective of Kofa International?

The main mission of Kofa is to develop African economy, Nigeria inclusive with US funds and technology so that our economy can grow like that of the USA.USA has been creating about 225,000 monthly in the last six years and Nigeria can adopt and customise these programmes to create at least 250,000 to 300,000 jobs monthly. In last six years it w has generated over 12 million quality jobs and for that to happen in Nigeria, there must be single digit interest rate capital for Nigerians.

This capital is the blood of business without which, whatever people are talking about remain only as ideas when there is no capital to do it. But the right capital with low interest loan with long tenure is what the economy needs and what Kofa is doing all over Africa but more importantly in Nigeria, is to create as many credit worthy Nigerian companies that can have capacity to leverage and borrow more money from abroad.

And more importantly to do business in the Western way whereby they would be credit worthy and be able to attract capital to expand the economy of Nigeria so as to be able to create jobs for youths that are coming out if schools. We wants to help Nigeria in the transformation of the economy from the current distributive and consumer economy to a manufacturing and export focused economy capable of producing enough for consumption and import less to be able create jobs opportunities for the youths and unemployed graduates in the country with the use USA Technology and fund.

Therefore Kofa provides global business and financial solutions to African government and private sector African Importers that are willing to take advantage of US quality products and low interest loans with long tenor for the development of Africa with the use of American ECA programs and Private Fund Lenders and Investors. All sectors of industry are qualified to benefit from the programs.

Why must Nigerian business owners go all the way to the USA to borrow funds for their businesses?

There are so many reasons they may have to go to the USA to borrow money. Number one is the cost of capital in Nigeria is so expensive because they do not have enough funds to meet the demand of the population–supply and demand. Two, for whatever reason, we unfortunately do not manage our economy very well because of so much leakages, which has brought so much austerity and kind of lack of sufficient foreign reserve for us. So serious business owners must have access to offshore line because the foreigners that come here, have advantage over local business owners.

For example, an American company coming to do business in Nigeria is getting his loan say for single digit interest rate – 5%, 7% intrest rates and so on while a Nigerian counterpart will get his Own for 20% to 25% interest rates. Now a foreigner who gets loan at 7% interest rate has got over 10% advantage over a local business owner here, so that local business person can never compete favorably and that is why Nigerian Economy is in the hands of the foreigners because they have advantage over local people.

So if you want to be able to compete with foreigners from all over the world, then you have to have access to the same type of loan they have access to because if you want to buy products from the same manufacturer and your cost of capital is different, you are already at a disadvantage. That is why only these companies that have access to foreign loans and have sacrificed to develop themselves to that level can compete.

So what does it entails for a company to benefit from this programme?

It entails financial discipline and literacy. EXIM Bank has made possible for US companies to facilitate finance for Africans, which Kofa is one of them.. Meaning that we market EXIM Bank programs to foreign byers all over the world. Kofa just choose to concentrate on Africa. What Kofa does is to identify the leading companies in each industry in United States and Kofa put money behind them to supply credit worthy African government and private companies in Africa.

And you grow them to the extent that they are continuously credit worthy. In Nigeria people do business on cash and carry basis and on the personality involved and therefore there is no succession program whereas in the Western world, when a company has established a credit worthy business when the leadership changes, the credit capacity still continues and increases progressively.

So when anybody has an international company profile and an international credit profile, you can borrow from anywhere in the world that is the fundamental requirements even though there are other thins more. So any company, organization or individuals coming for the first time must have a Nigerian Bank to guarantee them until they develop their credit worthiness abroad. Once they are credit worthy, they would remove guarantor and then they would be lending money directly to them like Coscharis and Japaul is enjoying today.

We want to develop over 10,000 Nigerian companies that will be credit worthy so that direct foreign investment can come through them from abroad into the country and then our private sector economy can expand because that is where we have problem today. The banks are running after public sector where they are making so much gain. Really, Nigerian banks are supposed to be educating people about this but are making it a privileged knowledge for a selected few because they do not want to lose their customers but that is the only way Nigeria economy can grow.

Have there been challenges trying to achieve Kofa’s objectives?

Well, there are lots of challenges. Credit culture is alien to Africans and Nigeria inclusive. People don’t want to incur debt. In the Western world, if you are not credit worthy, you cannot survive. But here in Africa we do not know the value of credit worthiness. So as a result, it is difficult to find many Nigerian companies that are credit worthy.

And when you find those that are ready to develop their credit worthiness, Nigerian banks make it difficult for them, because they do not give them the necessary support to succeed because they do not want them to get away from them, which is shortsightedness. We need to develop the private sector and get many people that are credit worthy because that is the only way that we can leverage on to get more funds into the country to develop our economy and grow the private sector in particular.

So Nigerians banks are problems too. The community too is a problem because a lot of people do diversions and frauds. They do not pay back unless you get a bank to guarantee them. A lot of people want to participate but they do not take enough discipline to qualify but fortunately enough, we are moving one at a time.

In other word, lack of credit worthiness is what is responsible for a lot of business that comes up but dies suddenly because they are unable to sustain themselves?

Yes. One of the ways we want to help Nigerians now is that since we have been very successful in using DSC Dredge in particular to help many Nigeria, we want to first of all have dredging equipment through credit program, so we are now using that because Kofa has been responsible for facilitating finances for all buyers of DSC dredges in Africa.

And at the same time, as they buy this equipment, we turn them to credit worthy companies and once they enter the world of credit worthiness, they would continue to use that forever and they can use it for other industries. DSC LLC is a reliable company and as a result of that we are working with them to make Nigerians credit worthy so as to be able to grow their businesses in the Nigerian dredging industry. We want to develop the Nigerian dredging industry through this.

What would be your advice to Nigerians, the government and business owners?

As far as Nigeria Economy is concerned and as a former chairman of Nigerians in the Diaspora for four years, that engaged the Government of Nigeria, Ministers and Commissioners who come to the United States, on how Nigerians in the diaspora can work with Nigerian professionals and government agencies locally for the development of Nigeria, we have realized that the Nigerians abroad and those at home must work to together.

Nigerians abroad have access to a lot of things they could bring into the country unfortunately, our politicians here are part of the problems of Nigeria because they put their salaries and emolument beyond any other country in the world when a lot of people are suffering out there. The politicians are not supposed to be competing with the business owners in Nigeria.

You find that the same people that are supposed to create laws and conducive environment for businesses are the ones competing with business owners in Nigeria thereby getting all the businesses and all the money. The politicians are struggling with business owners even when nobody in the world gets the kind of money they vote for themselves but the worst thing is that when they get these businesses / contracts, they would not execute them but they get the money on top of the excessive salaries they are getting.

So how can they create laws to control themselves? So that is why Kofa is focusing on the private sector, giving them capital so that they would be able to expand their businesses. Nigerian banks too have roles too play, which they are not playing, Bank have to educate Nigerians and at the same time pay attention to the private sector rather than focusing on government agencies alone instead of the private sector.

That vacuum is what Kofa and other diasporas are focusing on, to be able to educate individuals and private companies so as to grow as many business people that are credit worthy so that direct foreign investments will flow them into the country and they would be able to grow like other established companies in Nigeria. Nigeria must free up fund from the recurrent expenditure to use for development.

Conclusively, there is low cost finance from USA for every industry in Nigeria. Kofa is using this approach to integrate Nigerian Economy to the global western economy by turning our economy from cash based to credit based to have access to large capital from USA and the western world to grow Nigerian economy.

2-yr-old burnt to death as fire razes Yenagoa slum.

YENAGOA—A two-year-old girl was, last Saturday night, burnt beyond recognition in Yenagoa as fire broke out at a slum located opposite the Law Faculty of Niger Delta University, NDU, Ovom, a suburb of the city.

The fire, which started about 8p.m. and lasted for three hours, also destroyed household property and rendered over 20 families homeless.

Eyewitnesses linked the cause of the fire to a burning candle, said to have been lit in one of the rooms as there was power outage.

A neighbour confirmed that he attempted to rescue the child, but could not because the fire was too much as the houses were constructed with woods.

The unlucky child, who was sleeping in one of the rooms at the time the fire broke out, was also said to have been locked inside the room by the mother, who had gone to attend to her petty trading business around the area.

It was learned that the state Fire Service located close to the scene of the incident responded only after so much damaged had been done.

A staff of Bayelsa State Fire Service, Mr. Prince Ogu, said: “We came with three trucks but unfortunately, the fire had already done much damage before we came.”

A victim, Mr. Godwin Arum, an indigene of Abia State who lost everything to the fire, said: “I came back from my shop around 8p.m., dropped my bag and went out to buy something.

“I was there when I heard people shouting ‘fire!’ I ran home only to see my house on fire.

“I struggled to bring out some of my property, but unfortunately, hoodlums stole them since the place was rowdy.

“At first, we tried using water to put it out, but the fire was too much so we ran to the office of the Fire Service, which is nearby for help.

“We had to beg them and by the time they came, everything was gone.”

Navy apprehends 3 suspected oil thieves.

IKOT-ABASI—Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, weekend, apprehended and handed over three suspected oil thieves to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC.

The suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing 8,420 litres of products suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, two generators, one pumping machine and one 40 horse-power out-board engine.
Briefing journalists while handing over the items, the Commander of the base, Commodore David Adeniran, said the officers intercepted one Volkswagen Vento car bearing two different number plates (DUK 144 XA and XW 717 ABC), which was coincidentally used in conveying the products.
He said: “The NNS Jubilee, Ikot Abasi has intercepted one Volkswagen Vento car carrying illegal PMS products.
“What we are doing is to hand over to culprits, who were caught with this products and vehicle, to NSCDC.”

Adeniran, who was represented by the executive officer of the Base, Captain Emmanuel Nmoyen, explained that some of the suspects involved in the oil theft escaped to the creeks.
While receiving the suspects, the State Commandant of NSCDC, Emmanuel Ojeniyi, commended the Navy for its firm commitment to protecting and defending the maritime environment in the country.
Ojeniyi, who was represented by the Head of Public Relations and Protocol of the command, Mr. Ime White, said the corps would conduct thorough investigation and prosecute any of the suspects found culpable.

Expelled medical student kills self, one other in auto crash.

A final year medical student of the Benue State University, BSU, Nicholas Idoko, apparently killed himself, yesterday, in a  motor accident after being expelled.
Sunday Vanguard learned that the deceased was involved in  the accident along Abu King Shuluwa Road, Makurdi where, on top speed, he crashed a Honda ‘Baby Boy’  car, minutes after he threatened to commit suicide following the news of his expulsion from the school got to him.
He allegedly killed himself and a pedestrian whom he ran over on the sidewalk of the road when his skidded off the road and   summersaulted severally before ending across the sidewalk.

According to one of his schoolmates who spoke on condition of anonymity, the student who, like other mates, had spent ten years in the six-year medical course due to non accreditation of medical courses in the institution, was asked to quit the school after failing a course he carried over.
“He was with his course mates when the news came to him that he should leave the school because he failed a course he carried over in a programme, after having spent ten years in the institution and also done his clinical,”the mate said.


“On getting the news, he threatened to kill himself, saying he would not be able to stand the shame of not making it out of school, that the trauma would be too much for him and his parents.
“So when we had that he crashed with the car along Abu King Shuluwa Road, most of us concluded that he had carried out the threat, and we feel pained because the school management acted wrongly by expelling a medical student that had spent ten years in an institution due to no fault of his.

“Their decision must have forced the young man into talking his own life as he threatened; and, if on the other hand the accident occurred because his lost control of the car, it could be because he was unstable emotionally and, in that state, it was  difficult to control a car while on top speed”.
The death of the student forced his mates numbering over 100 to barricade the ever busy Makurdi-Gboko highway with a coffin and bonfire alleging that the student committed suicide as a  result of his frustration after spending   10 years in the institution.

Expelled medical student kills self, one other in auto crash.

A final year medical student of the Benue State University, BSU, Nicholas Idoko, apparently killed himself, yesterday, in a  motor accident after being expelled.
Sunday Vanguard learned that the deceased was involved in  the accident along Abu King Shuluwa Road, Makurdi where, on top speed, he crashed a Honda ‘Baby Boy’  car, minutes after he threatened to commit suicide following the news of his expulsion from the school got to him.
He allegedly killed himself and a pedestrian whom he ran over on the sidewalk of the road when his skidded off the road and   summersaulted severally before ending across the sidewalk.

According to one of his schoolmates who spoke on condition of anonymity, the student who, like other mates, had spent ten years in the six-year medical course due to non accreditation of medical courses in the institution, was asked to quit the school after failing a course he carried over.
“He was with his course mates when the news came to him that he should leave the school because he failed a course he carried over in a programme, after having spent ten years in the institution and also done his clinical,”the mate said.

“On getting the news, he threatened to kill himself, saying he would not be able to stand the shame of not making it out of school, that the trauma would be too much for him and his parents.
“So when we had that he crashed with the car along Abu King Shuluwa Road, most of us concluded that he had carried out the threat, and we feel pained because the school management acted wrongly by expelling a medical student that had spent ten years in an institution due to no fault of his.

“Their decision must have forced the young man into talking his own life as he threatened; and, if on the other hand the accident occurred because his lost control of the car, it could be because he was unstable emotionally and, in that state, it was  difficult to control a car while on top speed”.
The death of the student forced his mates numbering over 100 to barricade the ever busy Makurdi-Gboko highway with a coffin and bonfire alleging that the student committed suicide as a  result of his frustration after spending   10 years in the institution.