The National Assembly and State Election Petition Tribunal holding in Asaba, Saturday, dismissed the case filed by EKPOTO EKPOTO EMMANUEL of the All Progressive Congress (APC) challenging the election of Rt. Hon. Thomas Ereyintomi on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 28, 2023 General Election.

The Chairman of the three man panel of the tribunal, Justice Catherine Ogunsola, who read the judgement while dismissing the case in Asaba said that the petitioner case lacks merit.

She also said that the petitioner failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

The panel member further said that the evidence brought before the tribunal by the petitioner are not admissible in the eye of the law.

According to the Tribunal Judges “The Petitioners failed to call evidence unit by unit and ward by ward to establish malpractice in the election.

“The Petitioner in his pleadings did not demonstrate the discrepancy between the number of accredited voters, the lawful votes cast and how it affected the outcome of the election. Attempt to do this in his Written Address was of no moment.

“The alleged forgery of the 3rd Respondent’s NECO was not established as there is was disclaimer from the issuing authority. Besides, no mean could be inferred.”

Each and every relief in the petition as well as the petition itself were dismissed with cost of five hundred thousand naira (N500,000) against the petitioner in favour of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents.

Speaking to journalists, Counsel to the lawmaker, Robinson Arhiyo said: “It is victory for democracy and for the electorate, who voted massively for Rt. Hon. Thomas Ereyintomi during the election.”

INEC, on March 2, declared Thomas Ereyintomi, winner of the election having scored 20,155 votes to defeat his closest opponent Omatseye Young Piero of the Labour Party (LP), who pulled 9, 491 votes.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Thursday, inaugurated multi-billion naira projects at the Dennis Osadebay University, Anwai-Asaba, as part of activities to mark his first 100 days in office.

The Governor who also also commissioned 29 network of roads with 31.45 line drains around Madonna College road in Asaba and Okpanam areas of Oshimili South and Oshimili North Local Government Council areas of the state, blamed the abandonment of projects across the country on failure or refusal of political leaders to continue with projects started by their predecessors.

The projects inaugurated at the Dennis Osadebay University, Anwai-Asaba, include; 500 and double 250 seater auditoriums, faculty building and furnishing of Faculty of Agriculture, Administrative building; Vice-Chancellors lodge; gate entrance and main entrance access road at the University.

Speaking separately during the inauguration of the projects, initiated by the previous administration at the University, Governor Oborevwori noted that government was a continuum and it was the duty of successive administrations to continue and complete projects initiated by their predecessors for the collective good of the people.

He commended his predecessors in the state for continuing with projects they met while also executing new projects and particularly lauded the immediate past administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for initiating the projects.

Oborevwori said: “My joy knows no bounds as we commission this 500-seater Auditorium, two 250-seater Auditorium, building and furnishing of the Faculty of Agriculture, administrative building, main gate building, and internal roads in this citadel of learning.

“There are two reasons for my happiness today, first is that I promised Deltans in my inaugural speech that I will ensure that all ongoing projects embarked upon by the previous administration would be completed alongside new initiatives.

“Government is a continuum and it is the duty of successive administrations to put the resources of the state to good use by ensuring that projects are completed in a timely and prudent manner”.

He explained that “One of the reasons for abandoned projects in our country is because of the failure or refusal of political leaders to continue with projects started by their predecessors.

“And this is usually informed by the fear that their predecessors will get the credit. However, this should not be the case if the focus of the leader is on the collective good of all.

“I am proud to say that in Delta State, we have had a history of successive governors building on the legacies of their predecessors. It is my honour and privilege to continue with that noble tradition as I give credit to the immediate past Governor of the state, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for his vision and foresight in initiating these projects.”

While underscoring the importance of education to the growth, development and advancement of modern society, Governor Oborevwori assured that his administration would continue to give moral and institutional support for the development of the three new universities.

“The second reason for my joy is that the completion of these projects underscores our commitment to the educational advancement of our people.

“Education and knowledge are two cornerstones of progress in any modern society. The emplacement of skilled and professional competencies for all the citizens and residents of the state is one of the priorities of this administration.

“It is also gratifying to note that enrollment into the university has continued to grow. This is undeniable proof that the decision to establish this university and two others in Ozoro and Agbor is justified.

“Our people are eager for quality education and we are glad that we have provided more opportunities for them to actualize their dreams.

“This administration shall continue to give the necessary moral and institutional support necessary to transform these institutions to centres of excellence in terms of their overall outlook and scholarship potentials”, he said.

The elated Governor, challenged the University authority to prioritise curriculum development and innovation to make graduates meet up with challenging technological trends.

Governor Oborevwori said: “I implore the Governing Council and the Board of the university to prioritise curriculum development and innovation.

“In a time of rapid economic and technological change, the challenge is to develop courses and programmes that will enable the graduates to forge the strongest career paths, learn new skills, solve real world business problems, and develop the abilities and expertise to be in tune with global trends.

“This calls for hands-on and work-integrated learning as a direct response to the demand for professionals with market-relevant skills.

“Graduates from our universities must be well equipped with business knowledge and competencies in critical thinking, interpersonal skills, communication, ability to work in teams, entrepreneurial skills, as well as self, social, and ethical awareness”.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Nyerhovwo Tonukari commended the Governor for transforming a bush into a citadel of learning with seven faculties and 40 programmes to cater for the growing population of the state.

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Benjamin Oghojafor in his welcome address, said the establishment of the three new Universities was born out of the need to grant more access to higher education for Deltans, adding that the university was already filling the gap by providing excellent skills in various areas of learning to curb the high rate of unemployment in the country.

He said the university’s academic programmes were one of the most sought after in the state, pointing out that they were in talks with the NUC to increase the school’s admission quota.

Earlier at the road and erosion control inauguration, Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze said that the completion of the project was a great relief to people of the area who had been plagued by massive flooding and erosion challenges.

Chairman Oshimili South Local Government Council, Dr Kelvin Ezenyili and his Oshimili North counterpart, Hon. Innocent Eseweze commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for consolidating on the achievements of the past administration in completing ongoing projects across the two local government areas.

They pledged the support and cooperation of the people of Oshimili South and North to the administration’s M.O.R.E Agenda.

The State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, his deputy, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, Secretary to the Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, Commissioners, traditional rulers and other top government functionaries attended the ceremonies.

By Felix Evwihor

The implementation of the “MORE Agenda” of the Delta State Governor, His Excellency, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has been described as a speedy course by Chief Akpufuoma Pemu.

The MORE Agenda according to the governor during his campaign includes; meaningful development, opportunities for all youths, realistic reforms, enhanced peace and security.

Pemu who is a member of the State Civil Service Commission (CSC) and Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated this in a chat with newsmen in Asaba.

According to him, the governor has hit the ground running with the continuation of the multitude of projects that were started by his predecessor in office.

He said that within the period, the governor granted 40bn to pay part of the pension arrears owed by the 25 Local Government Council and subsequently approved recruitment of primary school teachers in 23 LGA out of the 25 in the state.

He also mentioned the approval of N10000 for public servants to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal and 5bn to defray the cumulative arrears owed by the state government.

He added that most recently the governor removed the embargo of public servants not rising to level 17 due to lack of stagnation.

Pemu also said that the governor’s inaugurated executive council comprised mainly of youths to drive the MORE agenda of his administration.

He also mentioned his quick response to the need to extend the palliatives to other Deltans and the impending flood by proactively inaugurating two committees respectively.

Pemu also mentioned that the governor has courageously demolished buildings on water ways, tarred several roads and still tarring others in various parts of the state to bring meaningful development to Deltans.

“He has always listen to the yearning of Deltans and has positively responded to them”.

“I urged every Deltan to give the governor every necessary support so as to effectively deliver on his campaign promises”, Pemu stated.

Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a company owned by a former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, (aka Tompolo) fighting crude oil thieves in the oil rich Niger Niger Region oil, on Friday, September 1st, 2023, hit the Nigerian Navy very hard for abandoning their statutory duties and urged the Navy to stop the blackmail, harassment of Tantita security men and the misinformation of the general public.

Tantita Security Service Nigeria Limited made it clear in a statement on Friday that its men were never involved in crude oil theft as alleged by the Nigerian Navy.

The statement dated 1st September, 2023 and entitled; THE ARREST OF TANTITA OPERATIVES AND PARADE BY THE NIGERIAN NAVY – A TRAGICOMEDY OF ERRORS, read thus:

Yesterday the 31st of August 2023 the world woke up to a news story credited to the Commander, NNS BEECROFT of the Nigeria Navy, Commodore Kolawole Olumide Oguntuga, that the Nigerian Navy arrested four Tantita personnel for alleged crude oil theft. It would have been comedy, if it was not also tragedy.

The Navy is a constitutional institution mandated to keep Nigeria’s seaward borders safe from invasion, criminality and free for economic activities. Tantita respects the institution and its constitutional mandate. And it was out of that respect that a couple of weeks ago when there was a face off between the service and Tantita over the MT Praisel, our organisation preferred to leave the Nigerian Navy to have the last word on the issue. It was our belief at the time that the matter was a misunderstanding which could have been better handled for the good of the nation and the common objective of Tantita and the Navy – the prevention of economic sabotage by oil thieves plying their nefarious trade on our nation’s waterways.

However the present incident, coming barely three weeks after, does not seem to support that notion. What seems to be playing is a poorly written tragicomedy. The Nigerian Navy’s story is that in the early hours of August 29, 2023 there was an attempt by Tantita operatives to steal crude which they foiled. They claim to have been responding to distress calls from youths in Itolou Community in the Lekki axis of Lagos, and “reviewing the information, Naval patrol teams immediately launched a response operation. Upon arrival at the scene, the Naval team met 4 individuals dressed in black polo shirts with TANTITA inscribed on the back, trying to recover a dismantled outboard engine from a local. The team recovered the engine and apprehended the 4 Tantita Employees.”

According to the Nigerian Navy’s statement, “It was after this arrest that the patrol team realized that the 4 individuals are part of a movement of a large wooden boat laden with 11 x 1000L Geepee tanks with product suspected to be stolen crude oil.”

So it would be seen that at the time of the arrest, the only crime that the Tantita operatives were alleged to have committed was trying to recover a dismantled outboard engine. Thus, recovering outboard engines is now a crime. More interesting is the absence of a link between the outboard engine recovery story and the sudden epiphany – the realization by the navy patrol team that the four individuals they arrested are part of a movement of a large wooden boat at sea carrying stolen crude oil. The disjoint in the story is jarring.

On the other hand, this is what happened in fact. On Monday the 28th of August 2023 at about 0130hours a Tantita Security Services Patrol team operating in the Ondo State area received credible intelligence that a motorised wooden boat was illegally loading crude oil from an Offshore Oil Well Jacket – in fact the same Well Jacket in OML 110 operated by Cavendish Petroleum Nigeria Limited, where the MT TURA II was caught stealing Crude Oil a few months ago.

An advance team was dispatched to find the wooden boat while a back up team consisting of Nigeria Civil Defence and Security Corps (NSCDC) component of the Government Security Agencies (GSA) was assembled to follow through on the lead. While we cannot name the NSCDC personnel for obvious reasons, they were six in number and our personnel were eight not four in number. The advance team with the help of local fisherfolk was able to determine that the motorised wooden boat was heading in the direction of Lagos and gave hot pursuit. Upon noticing the approaching Tantita teams the crew of the motorised wooden boat abandoned the wooden boat for their speed boat. One team of Tantita and NSCDC personnel boarded the wooden boat to secure the evidence while another team gave it a hot pursuit.

There is video evidence of the Tantita team together with NSCDC personnel coming alongside the wooden boat, boarding and attempting to secure the boat.

The video also shows the Tantita crew trying to secure the wooden boat which was taking in water (this could have resulted from an attempt to scuttle the boat by the escaping crew; anyone who understands Yoruba can listen in on the conversations).

Surprisingly the escaping crew of the motorised wooden boat fled in the direction of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operation Base at Ibeju-Lekki, so the Tantita and NSCDC personnel followed in hot pursuit believing that the criminals would meet their Waterloo there. They were wrong. Instead of the fleeing crew being arrested, it was the Tantita personnel who came down to apprehend the fleeing crew that was arrested. After arresting Tantita personnel and freeing the crew, the Nigerian Navy personnel then went to the motorised wooden boat and drove out the combined Tantita/GSA team trying to keep the boat and the evidence afloat.

The Nigerian Navy press release was nothing but a smear campaign, the Navy has been sharing pictures in social media of the Tantita staff in their custody in various shades of undress but kept silent about the names of the boat crew whom they were chasing? In short, where is the crew that the Tantita personnel chased into Ibeju Lekki?

Most importantly, where is the boat now? You can clearly see the boat in the video provided below. Did the Nigerian Navy secure the boat? Can the Nigerian Navy explain the whereabouts of the motorised wooden boat? They were the last seen with the boat.

Nigerians can see why we are forced to say that the Nigerian Navy’s press release was nothing but a smear campaign against Tantita and possibly a cover up. Is it possible that the Nigerian Navy deploys costly assets in these days of expensive petrol/diesel to respond communal distress calls involving commercial disputes as to ownership of outboard engines? Again, let us assume for the sake of argument that the distress call was with respect to shooting in Itolou community in Lekki area of Lagos State, what became of that investigation? Can the Navy tell the nation, after four days of investigation, who was shooting?

The time frames here are important. Tantita patrol team took off at 0130hrs (1:30 at night) on Monday 28th August 2023, and spotted the wooden boat at approximately 1400hours (2 in the afternoon) same Monday 28th August 2023 and were arrested by the Navy a few hours later on Monday 28th of August 2023. Why then did the Navy press release say it arrested Tantita personnel on Tuesday 29th August 2023? Why is the Navy saying it arrested 4 persons when in fact it arrested 5?

The Nigerian Navy is quite good at publicising videos of their personnel boarding vessels suspected of conveying illicit crude and refined products. Where is the Navy’s video of boarding this wooden boat and arresting the Tantita personnel? How do you arrest oil thieves you claimed were using a wooden boat to steal crude oil, on land? If indeed Tantita personnel were stealing crude with a boat, why did they need to abandon their wooden boat laden with crude oil, tens of nautical miles away from the crime scene to recover a dismantled outboard engine when the wooden boat had working engines? There are too many gaps in the Navy press release.

In one breathe the Nigerian Navy is saying Tantita employees were caught trying to steal an outboard engine and in another breathe they are saying the Tantita operatives were arrested for trying to forcibly employ the owner of the boat to do their bidding. Quite interesting.

The arrest for four days and parade of Tantita staff by the Nigerian Navy as common criminals is to be deprecated by all right thinking members of society; at a time when our nation is in dire straits with the unparalleled loss of revenue from a monocultural export-based economy, these family men put their lives at risk for the good of the nation and are now being made to suffer ridicule for doing the right thing. It serves to demoralise good men everywhere who have sought and are seeking to do something to better our nation.

As soon as these men were arrested the management of Tantita reached out to the Nigerian Navy seeking clarification of the situation, for four days the Navy said they were investigating and that the men would be released. We now have the outcome of their investigation in that poorly digested press release.

There are even more damning revelations, which out of courtesy to the Navy hierarchy and the needs of national security we will not divulge on the pages of a newspaper. The continued detention by the Nigerian Navy of these five brave, selfless Nigerians who risked their lives on the high seas to protect our commonwealth is a disservice to our nation.

Signed

Management Tantita Security,
Services Nigeria Limited.

by Michelle O. Edemenaha

What is Mental health? According to WHO, mental health is a state of well being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his/her community. Maintaining your mental health as a Christian youth in 2023 is simply the state of staying sane and happy despite the challenging factors in our society today.

As Gen Zs, our mental health can be affected by factors such as peer pressure, academic pressure, substance abuse, social media bullying/pressure, desire to fit in, fear of rejection for preaching the gospel but to mention a few. For the purpose of this blog, we would be examining tips that could help in having a healthy state of mind as a Christian Gen Z in 2023:

1. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY
Your body is the temple of the Lord and it is your responsibility to take care of it as best as you can. You are what you eat. The importance of healthy eating habits cannot be overemphasized. A lot of depression cases result from eating disorders; eat balanced diets as often as you can. Cut down on junk food. Exercising and staying fit helps the body and the mind as well in more ways than you could ever know! Exercise can also serve as a stress reliever. Exercises like jogging, skipping and dancing as well are stress relieving activities that can help your body release tension and anxiety.

Also remember to feed your spirit man with the word of God daily. Have a quiet time dedicated to studying the Bible daily.

2. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE ENERGY

Our minds are influenced by what we feed it; sight, hearing, smell and taste. Like the way your body responds to what you take in, if you are constantly surrounded with people who have a toxic mindset or mentality, it would have an effect on your mind. The effect may be subliminal or direct. Don’t keep company with people who always make fun of your dreams, insecurities or devalue your achievements.

As a Christian, you should keep friends that stir up your faith in Jesus; Iron sharpeneth iron. The music and movies we listen to and watch also affects our way of reasoning. The media we take in have pronounced or underlying messages, positive and negative alike. Listening to music and watching movies with depressing, violent or sexual themes fill our minds with similar thoughts and shifts our mindset to a negative position. Switch secular music for christian music, secular movies for movies that strengthen your faith in Christ.

3. NO TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Many youths today turn to drugs as a sort of relief from their problems. Vape, codeine, meth, alcohol but to mention a few cannot help you get better. They only groom problems you’d eventually have to face. Stay off drugs as best as you can. Look unto Jesus as the author and finisher of your faith. If you struggle with an addiction, swap it for a positive skill like baking or cooking. Participate in mind lifting activities.

4. VALUE YOURSELF
Valuing yourself starts with you having to take control of your mind. Understand that your mind is responsible for actions you take. Control your mind, control your actions. Don’t engage in actions that are detrimental to your mental health e. g stressful activities, routines or jobs. Also set realistic goals for yourself. Also set realistic goals for yourself. It’s not a matter of how fast but how well. Set attainable goals; consistency is the key to perfection. Monitor your progress with a journal. Reward yourself when you feel you’ve done well. Make the gifts something that you look forward to, something that keeps you going on the tough days.

5. FIND HAPPINESS IN SMALL THINGS
Gen Zs are known to be obsessed with the idea of getting happiness from the big things like money, houses, cars, clothes, social media followers e.t.c. We should try to find happiness in every thing we do or any experience we come across. Like the saying goes, there’s a silver lining in every cloud. It can be as basic as watching the sun rise in the mornings and set in the evenings, enjoying natural scenery, drawing on sand, inhaling the steam from a cup of tea. Spreading love and doing good deeds like Jesus did helps us to be happy within. Make it a goal to make one person smile everyday.

6. SEEK HELP
Speaking out is an essential part of maintaining your mental health. No man is an Island and a problem shared is half solved. Talk to someone you know can help you. If you are being abused or bullied, speak to someone that can help you out of the problem. Visit a therapist for confidentiality if you must. Talk to God too he always listens.

The importance of prioritizing your mental health in 2023 cannot be overemphasized. I hope this will be of help to you! Stay happy! You owe that to yourself.

By abiodun KOMOLAFE

In a nationwide address last Monday, President Bola Tinubu announced some palliatives to mitigate the impact of the high cost of living brought about by the fuel subsidy removal.

Great speech! Excellent delivery! So, kudos to Mr President! However, a section of Nigerians frowned at the speech because _”it was one-sided”._ According to this group, the president only pleaded with the masses to persevere without telling Nigerians what the elite and the privileged clique would be sacrificing to make Nigeria great again. Though Nigerians have never doubted Tinubu’s capacity to be to Nigerians what Prophet Elijah was to the widow of Zarephath, they had expected him to talk about, say, a certain percentage of the emoluments and the privileges of the ruling class – beginning with the president, to the governors, the judiciary and other politically-exposed persons – that would be going into a certain purse in favour of Nigeria’s rescue mission. _“The president spoke eloquently to appease the masses; but what about the ‘elite of the elite’ who put us in this situation? Won’t there be a probe?”_

Well, it is no longer news that the fuel subsidy removal has opened up many wounds, including the worms of scams and inefficiency in Nigeria’s governance system. All the same, that Nigeria is in dire need of an escape route from her present financial and socioeconomic predicament cannot be overstated. A situation where annual budgets are hugely dependent on foreign borrowings, always running on alarming deficits; and where monetary authorities only present unrealistic balance sheets is not healthy for a country that’s already on tenterhooks. Sad that our economic expertise no more generates predicted results, and Nigerians continue to gnash their teeth in deeper pains. Nigeria’s economy needs urgent surgery; otherwise, the future is in for a serious mess.

Tinubu is known as a revenue driver. He knows all the tricks in the business of governance. I have also argued elsewhere that Zacchaeus Adelabu, his Special Adviser on Revenue, is a man of unimpeachable pedigree. I stand by my words! As fate would have it, the Oyo State-born technocrat is the man chosen by the president to help him find reasonable solutions to that very important aspect of governance. The bitter truth is that the task before Adedeji and his team is as enormous as it is unenviable. But while our president expects Nigerians to empathetically persevere in the face of the agonizing pains, he also needs to bear in mind that, until the superrich are prepared to play major roles in this cause, the troubling chapter of Nigeria’s history will remain a tale too difficult to tell.

Living in penury in the midst plenty! Nigeria is in trying times and all eyes can see it! According to the _National Bureau of Statistics_ (NBS), nearly 133m Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor. Of this figure, 86.1m (i.e., 65%) live in the North while the rest (i.e., 35%) live in the South. Approximately 70% of Nigeria’s population is said to be living in the rural areas; yet, these areas are home to 80% of poor people. The intensity of poverty in rural areas is also higher, at 41.9%, compared to 36.9% in urban areas.

As if these are not enough, 4 out of 10 Nigerians are said to be experiencing monetary deprivations but _“more than 6 out of 10 are multi-dimensionally poor”._ As at June 2023, unemployment stood at 33.3%; underemployment at 22.8%; youth unemployment, 42.5%; and youth underemployment, 22.0%.

Once upon a time in Nigeria’s recent history, the social media platforms were awash with the videos of young men who, in their hundreds, were reportedly undergoing paramilitary training in insurgency in selected camps. Unfortunately, the government of the day watched helplessly as some misguided elements acted recklessly. Now, the chickens have come home to roost, with the _Indigenous People of Biafra_ (IPOB) and the _Eastern Security Network_ (ESN) as the culprits; and Nigerians are living with the consequences.

But Nigeria can’t continue like this! To get out of this mess, let there be a comprehensive and sincere economic summit. Let the leakages in our revenue generation be fully identified and solidly blocked. Let oil theft and smuggling be confronted with renewed vigour, without giving room for any sacred cows. Beyond the rules of engagement associated with the destruction of illegal refineries, let there be innovative ways through which seized vessels and their products can add value to the sources of revenue for the country. From Ilesa in Osun State, to Maru in Zamfara State, let all issues relating to illegal mining be decisively addressed and scapegoats made, where necessary. Most importantly, let the roles of non-state actors in the protection of our pipelines and mining sites be reviewed in the overall interest of Nigeria.

We need to fix our hospitals with adequate resources and cutting-edge medical technology that will help patients to diagnose diseases and get healed. Agriculture (mechanized farming) and food security must be vigorously pursued while education sector and skills acquisition programmes must be adequately funded.

At the heart of economic growth is electricity supply. With a population of 223,804,632, Nigeria’s power generation capacity is below 5,000 megawatts. South Africa, with a population of 58,048,332, generates 63.28 megawatts while Egypt, with a population of 109,546,720, has 60.07 megawatts to her credit. So, how did Nigeria arrive at this pass? Queen Elizabeth of England was once reported to have recommended an electric firm that would give Nigeria sustainable power supply, instead of paying the $12 billion reduced debt, which the Olusegun Obasanjo-led government said must be paid back as loans acquired by Nigeria. For reasons best known to him, _‘Balogun Owu’_ never agreed to the Queen’s proposal. Instead, he went on a turbine-building expedition. And, since society couldn’t sanction him, the former president started pontificating, never to be satisfied!

Wait a minute, why has Nigeria become a dumping ground for electric generators? Again, what are the roles of estimated billings and what are the steps being taken by the government to put a stop to this despicable act? Until these and other pertinent questions are answered, improvement in electricity generation may continue to be a fantasy in Nigeria. Until all houses, even military and public institutions are prepared to do the needful, there will be no stop to hike in electricity tariffs.

According to experts in Tax Administration, tax evasion is a crime that can distort the overall economic, political, and social systems of a country. Economically, it affects fair distribution of wealth for the citizens. Socially, it creates different social groups motivated by tax evasion, thereby leading to unfair and unhealthy competition. So, it is a criminal offence in the eye of the law, and it is punishable by facing criminal charges bordering on money laundering.

In sane climes, tax evasion is another serious economic crime known as sabotage, which no law-abiding citizen would like to commit. In the USA for example, former President Donald Trump is still battling with it, in addition to several other offences hanging on his neck. But here in Nigeria, the rich and the powerful are deliberately evading tax without proportionate consequences. Starting with public institutions therefore, the focus should be on the rich while the middle and lower classes are expected to key into _‘pay-as-you-go’._

Lastly, with the new drive to raise revenue by making individuals and companies to be corporate responsible, fightback is imminent! Therefore, communication becomes of paramount importance to enlighten and educate those concerned to make them responsible.

May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!

_*KOMOLAFE writes in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk; 08098614418 – SMS only)_