…holds business roundtable in Agbara, Ogun State

The Federal Government has assured investors in the country of the determination of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to ensure adequate power supply across the country especially in industrial clusters.

Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, gave the assurance during the Agbara Business Roundtable held in Agbara, Ado-Odo-Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State on Thursday, saying the country holds tremendous opportunities for not only investors but also the people.

The event was to launch an initiative to ensure dedicated power supply to industrial clusters across the country, starting with Agbara Industrial Estate.

Shettima said that it is embarrassing that the Agbara Cluster relies on other sources of power supply aside from the national grid, adding that the Federal Government through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) is committed to ensuring that clusters like Agbara benefit from a cheaper means of generating power in their various factories.

The Vice President, who is the Chairman of, Board of Directors, of NDPHC promised that the Agbara Industrial Estate will have a steady power supply in the next four months.

He said: “I am here to reassure the business community that we mean business. I want to give you my word and my word is my bond, if you need 200 Megawatts, 300 Megawatts, we can give it to you.

“Be rest assured, we are going to supply your power needs with no strings attached. We are giving power to Togo, I think we are giving 100 Megawatts to Togo, and some of these nations are not even paying us. Why can’t we give to businesses that will pay us? It is just simple arithmetic; it is a matter of economics.”

The Vice President charged the staff of NDPHC to double their effort by ensuring the delivery of the Agbara Industrial Cluster power program in three to four months.

Shettima spoke of the commitment of President Tinubu to make power available to the entire country.

“It is all about advocacy, it is about people believing in you and I have the confidence of my boss, such that I can talk authoritatively. He is very passionate about the Nigerian project. He is very committed to repositioning this nation,” he said.

In his remarks, the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun said that without electricity, all infrastructure provided for the use of the people of the state and the country as a whole would be in vain.

Governor Abiodun, while disclosing that his administration has established additional industrial clusters, said that without stable and reliable power, all the initiatives would be in vain.

“We believe that such initiatives like this speak to ensuring the sustainability of competitive industrialization and one must not but salute this initiative.

“We as a state have gone ahead besides this Agbara Cluster, we have five other clusters. We have one by the Interchange called Remo Cluster, we are creating a new one called the Magboro Cluster. We are creating our own Aerotropolis which is our special agro-processing zone, which will be the first of its kind in Nigeria. We also have the Ijebu-Ode cluster because we believe that it is through these clusters that we can jump-start socio-economic activity.

“These clusters, what do they seem to do, we provide the parcel of land, provide the needed infrastructure and this attracts industrial activities.

“But, without a doubt, without stable, reliable and clean power, all these initiatives will be in vain. So, to that extent, we are extremely excited,” he said.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat said ensuring adequate power supply in the country is complex because of the attitudes of Nigerians.

Hamzat regretted that out of about 13,000 Megawatts available, the country could only transmit 4,000 Megawatts.

“The issue of our power is complex and why it is complex is because of bad behaviour among all of us, the stakeholders, the distribution companies, generating companies.

“For me, the biggest challenge that we see in our country now is public commentary. We have a lot of people that go out there to just say things, demeaning our institutions and that is the biggest challenge.

“When the international community do surveys, they listen to your news and then you keep killing your country. The truth of the matter is that Lagos and Ogun states are safer than New York. The possibility of being shot in New York is higher than being in Lagos.

Minister of Power, Mr Bayo Adelabu on his part said the event marked a pivotal moment in the collective endeavour to fortify one of the backbones of the industrial landscape of the country.

He noted that the project stands as the first of many projects in the federal government’s light-up initiative to deliver reliable electricity to industrial and heavy user clusters across the country.

Adelabu noted that Agbara is a cluster where dreams are forged, industries thrive and where opportunities are limitless, adding that the ambitious endeavour when completed will bolster the power supply within the industrial estate by ensuring a reliable and uninterrupted flow of electricity to meet the demands of the industries.

Earlier in his welcome address, the MD/CEO, of NDPHC, Chiedu Ugbo disclosed that the event signifies the commitment of the present administration through NDPHC to ensure consistent and reliable power supply to industrial concerns.

He added that the company is the only government-owned company responsible for implementing the integrated power project of the government which aims to enhance electricity generation.

Ugbo said that the primary objective of the initiative was to ensure a consistent, reliable and cost-effective supply of electricity from power plants across the country to the extensive industrial and business clusters in Agbara and across the country.

He noted that NDPHC has successfully constructed about 8 power plants with a combined capacity of approximately 4,000 Megawatts.

In a bid to revive history and culture, a mesmerizing stage performance recounting the epic Kiriji War of the 19th century, one of the longest civil wars in human history, is set to captivate audiences across the South West in the coming months.
The ambitious project, a collaboration between the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) and Legendary Productions, an esteemed international art and culture concern, is helmed by renowned artist Abiodun Abe, whose artistic contributions have garnered acclaim in Nollywood and international film festivals.
According to a press statement signed by Adewale Adeoye and Segun Balogun, Chairman and Secretary of the Publicity Committee respectively, the project will feature over 50 top artists from around the world, joined by over 10,000 participants at various levels.
Described as a massive undertaking that will involve months of an artist residency, the performance serves as a stepping stone toward the establishment of the first Yoruba Museum of War History. The statement emphasized the significance of the Kiriji War as a pivotal event in Yoruba history, encompassing struggles for justice, liberty, and an egalitarian society. It further stressed the aim of the project to bring together artefacts, weaponry, and historic materials associated with the war, currently dispersed and disorganized, within the proposed museum.
Highlighting the rich and remarkable civilization of the Yoruba people, the press statement acknowledged the extensive documentation of their history dating back to the 9th century. It underscored the unique role of Yoruba history in shaping African and black heritage, instilling a sense of dignity, respect, and recognition worldwide.
The Kiriji War, spanning from 1776 to 1886, stands as a notable cultural, political, social, and economic milestone in Yoruba history. The press statement emphasized that wars are not waged by the impoverished, but by brave and heroic individuals and nations with prosperous economies.
The media team emphasized the unique characteristics of the Kiriji War, such as the preservation of innocent lives, including children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Cease fires lasting for months were observed, demonstrating principles of diplomacy and humanity. The statement highlighted the war’s diverse aspects, ranging from political unity, preference for federalism, and cultural significance to military science, intelligence gathering, and tales of courage and resilience.
Technological innovations and scientific advancements played a pivotal role in the Kiriji War, with both parties employing creative strategies, military tactics, and imported weapons from Europe, particularly Hamburg in Germany. The signing of the peace treaty in 1886 united prominent Yoruba Obas and revitalized the Yoruba Nation with a renewed sense of brotherhood and common ancestry.
The press statement concluded with thought-provoking questions about the burial grounds of the war heroes, the locations and syllabi of military schools, and the impact of the war on global diplomacy. These inquiries shed light on the extensive influence of the conflict, including the involvement of British intelligence and its subsequent impact on expeditions in Africa and Asia.

Former President Matthew Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo turned eighty-five years on Saturday 5th of March 2022 and citizens from different walks of life stormed Abeokuta to celebrate with this icon of national politics. It was a busy week for him and his staff. I had an appointment to see him Thursday the 3rd and was witness to the calibre of persons who came in throughout the day. For a man who joined the military to get on in life, God has been really kind to him. He has governed the country in two different capacities- as a soldier and as an elected democrat- and continues to be a strong moral, political force even outside government. And the old man acknowledges a divine touch in his life’s choices and decision outcomes. Fit as a fiddle on his 85th birthday and coming out to pay soccer as an attestation of how fair nature had been to him health wise. How many 85-year-olds can jog round the football field without collapsing? Added to this is his level of mental alertness when he holds conversations and when he addresses an audience extempore. No man prays for more! For this he is eternally grateful. What is the secret behind this agile and solid framework in the ripe age of 85years?
After his days as Military Head of State when he handed over power to a civilian administration in 1979, Obasanjo became a darling of the western world. Of course, we are familiar with the penchant of African leaders to sit tight in office upon seizing power, transiting to civilian rulers with the temperament of a soldier. Obasanjo said no to the that temptation and handed over to Alhaji Shehu Shagari in a very colourful ceremony in 1979. He saluted the new president and took a back seat. That singular action endeared him to the world, and he became an international statesman huge in stature, rubbing shoulders with the world’s Eminent Group of Persons.
But Chief Obasanjo would not have become president if Murtala Mohammed was not assassinated in February 1976 in a coup attempt. It is on record that Obasanjo as Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters, effective Vice President of the country, did the yeoman’s job for that administration. He worked so well with the fiery Mohammed and became the natural choice after the latter fell to the bullets of reactionary coup plotters. Much against his personal will and desire, (the other members of the Supreme military Council had to compel him to step into the shoes) he became head of State and promised to lead the nation in the spirt with which Murtala Mohammed had led the nation – that of complete dedication. He then pursued the return to civil rule with a sense of urgency.

“Fit as a fiddle on his 85th birthday and coming out to pay soccer as an attestation of how fair nature had been to him health wise. How many 85-year-olds can jog round the football field without collapsing? Added to this is his level of mental alertness when he holds conversations and when he addresses an audience extempore. No man prays for more! For this he is eternally grateful. What is the secret behind this agile and solid framework in the ripe age of 85years?”

He subsequently became a moral force in the country, often emerging from semi-retirement to write pungent letters to some of his successors once he thought the ship of state needed to be redirected. Indeed, serving Presidents prayed never to receive an Obasanjo letter. Presidents Ibrahim Babangida, Jonathan and Buhari have been victims of his trenchant moral missiles at different times. In such letters, he often spoke the mind of Nigerians, daring to say what persons in his class would not say openly. He has been involved in making presidents and unmaking them too. No government ignored such letters.
His political fortunes took a nosedive during the tumultuous days of the Abacha junta when he was arrested and detained for coup plotting. The nation will never forget that footage of a bewildered Obasanjo shocked by the gravity of the frame up by that notorious regime which soon kicked the dust in a most disgraceful and tragic manner. The fear in the nation was palpable. Abacha had no qualms deleting people from the world if he thought that it would serve his interest. The tragic story of General Musa Yar Adua illustrates this vicious aspect of Abacha’s character. Obasanjo could easily have gone the way of Yar Adua and MKO Abiola.

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But fate smiled at him. Innocent of the coup charge, and favoured by his antecedents, from jail, Obasanjo was drafted to become a democratically elected President in 1999 under the aegis of the Peoples’ Democratic Party. Not too many persons have their grace in this world.
As a young man, it was the post-1976 coup speech that caught my attention about him. He was virtually choking as he gave that speech to the nation. This man who had fought in the Nigeria-Biafra conflict of 1967-70, instrumental to the end of hostilities was badly shaken by the senseless violence of the 1976 assassination of his immediate political boss, Murtala Mohammed. And he conveyed that emotion to the shocked nation. He piloted the nation from 1976 till 1979 when he handed over power to a civilian administration.
His years as an elected President was a mixed bag, owing to the peculiarities of the time. He was the first elected military officer to work with hardcore often mischievous politicians at the centre. But he made the mobile phone possible in the country, disabled the military capacity to plot and execute coups and stabilized the naira among other achievements. His contacts around the world facilitated a debt forgiveness programme for Nigeria possible. He helped to entrench democracy and won a second term in office in a landslide. Although the end of his tenure was almost marred by a rumoured third terms agenda, history will be kind to Chief Obasanjo. Already, he is seen as one of the best leaders in the post military era both in achievements and the moral authority represented by his vibrant personality on national matters.

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As he turns 85 years, I join him to give thanks to God for the grace of a long, successful and prosperous life and for his stabilizing personality in the affairs of the Nigerian state. A former king who becomes a king maker never really leaves the stage. Metaphorically speaking, Chief Obasanjo will never leave the Nigerian stage as long as he breathes the God-given fresh air of Mother Earth. If we all continue to wonder what Chief Obasanjo’s opinion is on national matters, then the man Obasanjo remains, relevant and powerful in the hearts of the people. Baba, I greet you from the bottom of my heart! Cheers!