THE immediate President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Paul Usoro SAN has stated that Deacon Dele Adesina, SAN has accepted the outcome of the 2020 NBA National Officers’ Elections.

The former NBA President disclosed this at the concluded NBA Virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 28th day of August, 2020.

Meanwhile, he noted that the concluded election was a very transparent process.

“Whatever one may say about this election, one thing that can not be taken away from it is that that was the first-ever of our national election where everyone was turned in to election monitors as well as electoral and returning officers all rolled into one, from the comfort of our homes, using our various devices and tracking the ballot right from the first vote up to the last.

“From most of our members and based on the comment that I have received, this was an exhilarating experience in transparency and it was fun. The transparency was unparalleled and we are expecting that subsequent bye-elections would build on that quality of transparency.” He said.

However, he noted that Dele Adesina, SAN has accepted the outcome of the polls, according to a report he received.

“Now, I need to say something about that election and the result of that election and what I need to say in particular is, I have read some recent reports where I learnt that our colleague, my brother, my friend, has accepted the result of that election and I am referring to Deacon Dele Adesina.

“Incidentally, I have not spoken with him but I do believe those reports and I want to thank him for that magnanimity. I do intend to speak with him and indeed to congratulate him. Because it takes a real spirit of wanting to build one’s Association to come to that conclusion in a contentious environment like we have. I am expecting and hoping that that report is correct and I have no reason to doubt him. I was also told that a representative of his, indicated that they would not be going to Court. That for me will be a very welcome development and I thank him very much.” He said.

“The election may not have been perfect but that election was a serious improvement on the previous elections that we have had and we can only continue to build on that platform. And by the grace of God, we will continue to improve and we would keep making progress and we would be even much better as the years go by.

“I have already said that there is room for everyone as far as the Bar is concerned and in any case, for somebody like my brother, Deacon Dele Adesina, he has served the Bar, he continues to serve the Bar, his place is assured, he is a life member. Nobody could take that place from him. He would continue to be an asset, even for this administration and when I have a moment to discuss with the President…Olumide Akpata, I definitively would also remind him that as our people say, wisdom is contributory and he has to reach out to the different people, including those who contested election against him and the same applies to all our other officers. We have to reach out, we have to bring those people in, we have to make them a part of our collective.”

However, he emphatically stated that the NBA remains an indissoluble Bar and that efforts to create parallel Associations to the NBA are actions of the detractors.

“The nature of the Nigerian Bar as one indivisible hold. In recent times, I have heard comments that have suggested that some of our people may be looking at different alternatives.

“I think we are like SAP, for those who are old enough to know what SAP means. SAP was that Structural Adjustment Programme that was there in the days of General Babangida and for those who are old enough, the scene then was that there was no alternative to SAP. Well, a lot of people contested that and said there was an alternative to SAP.

“In our own case, we are saying there is no alternative to a united, indivisible Bar. We are stronger together and whatever grievance or challenges we might have, we have to settle it in-house.

“There is no room for anybody to break away. I do not take those other reports that I saw flooding the media yesterday seriously, the one that talked about New Nigerian Bar, I am convinced that those are the handiwork of our detractors who wish to distract us and who wish to plant confusion amongst us.

“We must not allow them to. We must remain one united and indivisible Bar. That is the only way that we can improve our lots, that is the only way we can influence whatever happens, whether it is in government or it is in judiciary, that it is the only way we can protect and promote the rule of law and by the way, as a priest in that temple of the rule of law, we must remember that the rule of law has no religion, the rule of law has no ethnic group, the rule of law does not have social class.

“The rule of law is for everyone and if we must be true priest at that temple, then we must avoid having to make our judgement, our decisions, our comments as far as the affairs of the NBA is concerned based on religious considerations, based on ethnic considerations, based on class distinctions, based on political defines, based on those things that divide the outside world, we must not bring those things into the house. We must keep them outside. We must remain one indivisible Nigerian Bar Association.” He said.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has on Saturday 29th August, 2020, launched a latest report against the ceaseless denial of assets declaration details of public officials in Nigeria.

The report which is titled: “Citizens’ Guide to Asset Declarations by Public Officers in Nigeria” was launched at a virtual event organised by SERAP in collaboration with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, OSIWA.

At the virtual event were stakeholders in the fight against corruption, including citizens, civil society organizations, the media, lawyers, ministries, agencies and departments (MDAs), anti-corruption agencies, Code of Conduct Bureau Officers and other major actors in these sectors.

According to professor of Law, Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, during his presentation on the webinar’s subject: “No Escape For The Corrupt: Lifting The Lid On Asset Declaration In Nigeria”, the objective of the launched Guide is to facilitate the Strengthening of the operational capacity of public officers, government functionaries and institutions involved in the implementation and daily management of asset and income disclosure systems in Nigeria and to inform the legal and policy discourses around these issues through a good practice manual and other tools

He noted that making asset declaration open to public scrutiny enables citizens to hold leaders accountable

“Overwhelming empirical research studies have proven that an asset declaration open to public scrutiny as a way for citizens to ensure leaders do not abuse their powers for personal gain and publication of information on a person’s asset allows civil society to hold leaders to account. If leaders are seen to live beyond their means, an asset declaration can be a starting point for investigations.”

On why Nigerian assets declaration system is not effective, he mentioned “Non-compliance by most public officials, lack of transparent follow-up and verification of declared assets, persistent reluctance of the custodian of the CCB to publish the records for public scrutiny, non-verification of most assets declaration forms have been been left unverified by the regulatory body.”

The learned silk cited laws like the Nigerian constitution, Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, United Nation’s Convention Against Corruption, Freedom of Information Act, and many others and argued that if the laws are juxtaposed with historical narrative of public sector corruption, the conclusion is that assets declarations are not just to be submitted “but the custodian of the submission shall make them available to citizens of Nigeria for purposes of transparency, verification and accountability.”

Akinseye-George, SAN urged the CCB to make it compulsory for all public officials to declare their assets and liabilities, verify any any account when there are doubts or only for positions with high risk of conflict of interest, view the organized civil society and journalists as partners in enthroning transparency and accountability in Nigeria rather than antagonize their efforts. He also recommends deployment of information technology in the assets declaration filing and verification and linking the information from other government agencies and other private organizations and granting reasonable requests for the disclosure assets and liabilities declared by public officials.

Click on the link below to download a copy of the SERAP Report

By Nehru Odeh

Chadwick Boseman, the American actor who played Black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal Black Panther, has died of colon cancer. Boseman who had been battling the disease for four years died at his home in Los Angeles with his wife and family by his side. He was 43

Boseman was truly the boss man. According to the statement released by his family, he was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago.

But the intriguing thing about this actor who was so loved by fans across the globe is that he had been living with cancer, undergoing several chemotherapy and surgeries and still acting to bring joys to families. Yet he bore his pains stoically and never spoke about his diagnosis.

“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more – all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”

Another intriguing thing about his death is that he died on a day that Major League Baseball was celebrating Jackie Robinson day. “His transcendent performance in ‘42’ will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Jackie’s story to audiences for generations to come,” the league wrote in a tweet.

Since news of his death broke, social media has been buzzing with tributes for him: “This is a crushing blow” actor and director Jordan Peele said on Twitter, one of many expressing shock as the news spread across social media.

“This broke me,” said actor and writer Issa Rae.

Captain America actor Chris Evans called Boseman “a true original. He was a deeply committed and constantly curious artist. He had so much amazing work still left to create.”

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tweeted that Boseman “inspired generations and showed them they can be anything they want — even super heroes.”

Born in South Carolina, Boseman graduated from Howard University and had small roles in television before his first star turn in 2013. His striking portrayal of the stoic baseball star Robinson opposite Harrison Ford in 2013′s “42” drew attention in Hollywood and made him a star.A year later, he wowed audiences as Brown in the biopic “Get On Up.

His T’Challa character was first introduced to the blockbuster Marvel movies in 2016′s “Captain America: Civil War,” and his “Wakanda Forever” salute reverberated around the world after the release of “Black Panther” two years ago.

“I don’t think the world was ready for a ‘Black Panther’ movie before this moment. Socially and politically, it wasn’t ready for it,” he told AP at the time.

Even at the outset of his Hollywood career, Boseman was clear-eyed about — and even skeptical of — the industry in which he would become an international star.

“You don’t have the same exact experience as a Black actor as you do as a white actor. You don’t have the same opportunities. That’s evident and true,” he told AP while promoting “42.” “The best way to put it is: How often do you see a movie about a black hero who has a love story … he has a spirituality. He has an intellect. It’s weird to say it, but it doesn’t happen that often.”

In addition to Robinson and Brown, Boseman portrayed the future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in 2017′s “Marshall.” He humanized the larger-than-life historical figures with the same quiet dignity — interrupted by flashes of sparkling wit — that he would later bring to T’Challa. . However, it was his role as T’Challa, the king of Marvel’s mythical African land of Wakanda, that gave him international recognition.

He took on his first producing job in last year’s action thriller “21 Bridges,” in which he also starred, and was last seen on-screen in Spike Lee’s film “Da 5 Bloods” as the leader of a group of Black soldiers in the Vietnam War.

Boseman completed one last performance, in an adaptation of August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” The Netflix film, which reunited Boseman with his “Get On Up” co-star, Viola Davis, finished shooting last summer.

It took some time for Boseman’s moment to come. He first got into theater, acting and writing plays as an undergrad at Howard. He visited Africa for the first time during college with director and theater professor Mike Malone, working in Ghana to preserve and celebrate rituals with performances on a proscenium stage. He later called the trip “one of the most significant learning experiences of my life.”

Boseman had roles on TV shows like ABC Family’s “Lincoln Heights” and NBC’s “Persons Unknown,” but before “42” he had only acted in one film, 2008’s football drama “The Express.” Boseman attracted notice, but missed out on big parts.

“2011 was a rough year,” he said. “I was up for everything that was happening that year, really good roles. I would get down to the end and then it would go to someone else.”

Asked about his own childhood heroes and icons, Boseman cited Black political leaders and musicians: Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Bob Marley, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest and Prince. Deeply private and often guarded in his public appearances and interviews, he made clear that he understood the significance of his work and its impact on the broader culture.

At the 2019 Screen Actors Guild Award, “Black Panther” won best ensemble, electrifying the room. Before an auditorium full of actors, Chadwick Boseman stepped to the microphone. He quoted Nina Simone: “To be young, gifted and black,” and put the moment in context.

“We know what it’s like to be told there isn’t a screen for you to be featured on, a stage for you to be featured on. … We know what’s like to be beneath and not above. And that is what we went to work with every day,

“We knew that we could create a world that exemplified a world we wanted to see. We knew that we had something to give,” Boseman said

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted final approval to Nigeria’s lifestyle and first payment service bank, 9PSB (Payment Service Bank) to commence operations in fostering financial inclusion drive in the ecosystem.

It is owned by mobile giant 9Mobile.

This is expected to help ease the challenges of long queues in the banking halls, consistent network failure, stringent documentation to assess credit facilities and frequent transaction/dispensing error, delay in transaction completion, and process among others.

Speaking on the vision of 9PSB’s entrant to the financial sector, 9mobile CEO Alan Sinfield, stated that there was a huge potential in the market and “9PSB is strategically positioned to expand its operations into financial services”.

He said: “We are happy to be the first Payment Service Bank to provide all Nigerians with access to banking services and open up a digital world of possibilities to improve everyday lives.

“We know that this new development will further improve the country and the people going forward. In 2018, 9mobile partnered with Nigerian bank, UBA to roll out 9Pay, a mobile payment solution while also pushing for a fintech license.

“We are delighted that we have now secured finale approval for a Payment Service Bank.”

The CFO of 9mobile, Mr. Phillips Oki, said: “The financial inclusion that 9PSB will provide will be an enabler to achieving unparalleled benefit in everyday transactions.

“The *990# allows Nigerians to perform all financial transactions including utility payment from the comfort of their phones and homes on any mobile network at no charge.

“With a large network of agents strategically located in both urban and rural communities, 9PSB is going to make sending and receiving money possible, easier, seamless, and less stressful for all Nigerians.

“9PSB is also available on mobile App and internet banking for ease of banking and simplicity. Over the coming weeks, 9PSB will unveil its products and services to Nigerians.”

In October 2012, the CBN introduced the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) to provide Payment Service Banks across Nigeria with the aim of breaking the traditional barrier preventing financial inclusion and promoting low cost, secure convenient financial services across the country.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it recently quizzed top officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over various allegations of corruption.

Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, Spokesperson of the Commission, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

Ogugua said the allegations included the diversion of funds, procurement fraud, and misappropriation of the agency’s COVID-19 funds.

The ICPC spokesperson said some directors of the NDDC, who she did not identify, were arrested and quizzed at the ICPC headquarters recently.

According to her, this came after months of intelligence gathering, following the receipt of petitions from Nigerians on the alleged illegalities and contract fraud by some officials of the agency.

“Top officials of the agency are being investigated for their complicity in an alleged diversion of N5.474 billion meant for the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health workers handling the COVID-19 pandemic in the nine states of NDDC.

“The commission is also investigating the payments of millions of Naira to the staff of the agency for foreign training during the COVID-19 full lockdown which were never attended.

“As well as the nonpayment of entitlements to students on foreign scholarships.

“Other allegations being investigated by ICPC include the selling of backdated contract award letters for projects and awards of contracts that were not captured in the budget of the NDDC,’’ she said.

She added that ICPC had already retrieved relevant documents with which to continue investigations towards the recovery of diverted funds and prosecution of breaches of the law.

It would be recalled that NDDC has dominated headlines in recent times following a corruption probe launched by the National Assembly.

During one of the hearings, the Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, admitted that the commission spent N1.5 billion as COVID-19 palliatives first on its staff.

The Senate later disclosed in a report that top management of the commission paid themselves N85.6 million to attend a graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom during the lockdown in Nigeria.

The legislative investigation became controversial when the commission’s management accused some senators and members of the House of Representatives of benefiting from several NDDC contracts. (NAN)

The Senate on Saturday described as false the report making the rounds that it was considering passing the contentious Social Media Bill.

Rather, it said the passage of the bill was not on the card of the upper legislative chamber as the relevant committee is yet to complete necessary legislative work on it.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, in a release titled: “On That False Story On Social Media Bill by SaharaReporters”, also noted that:
“The story made up by SaharaReporters that the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is to pass Social Media Bill despite rejection by Nigerians is false and a lie concocted by the medium to ridicule and tarnish the image of the Senate.

“This report is yet another example of irresponsibility taken too far as there has not been any recommendation for passage of the bill by the Senate. By deliberately publishing falsehood, SaharaReporters is not only doing no good to the nation but it is also shooting itself down as its recklessness and incredulity would always speak against it.

“The Senate wishes that Nigerians will be circumspect, shunning gullibility which makes them to lap up those invidious write ups and begin to comment on non-existent issues. If some people have chosen the path of perfidy wanting to bring the nation and its sacred institutions down, Nigerians must be wary and unwilling to be led by those to believing the false fabrication.”

According to him, the Senate conducts its sittings in the open and matters for consideration are well laid out “and therefore, would not require anyone’s investigation to ‘dig’ out what the Senate would do”.

He added that the relevant committee of the Senate has not submitted its report for the bill to be passed at all or surreptitiously as claimed by SaharaReporters.

“We will not allow unscrupulous writers to denigrate the Senate and ridicule the great work that is on-going. SaharaReporters must be afraid to see the platform where they peddle their trade of falsehood tampered with, even at that, there should be no need to lie so brazenly,” the Senate spokesman said.