Feature/OPED

Tasks Ahead of Sheriff Oborevwori, Delta State Governor-Elect

Published

2 years ago

21/04/2023

By Jerome-Mario Chijioke Utomi

It is pedestrian information that pursuant to the provisions of Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, issued a Certificate of Return to Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, the Delta State Governor-Elect. The ‘ritual’ followed his electoral victory on Saturday, March 18, during the gubernatorial poll in the state as conducted by INEC.

With the victory, Sheriff, who is the current Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, has clearly shown that history does matter and demonstrated that ordinary calculation could be upturned by extraordinary personalities. Most importantly, with his victory, the ancient argument as to whether circumstance or personality shapes events is settled in favour of the latter.

Aside from torrents of accolades from Deltans of goodwill, with more expected for this unique achievement, there are flashes of reasons to believe that the Governor-Elect may be laced with good public leadership qualities. Out of many, the first that comes to mind is the awareness that as the current Speaker of the Delta State of Assembly (DTHA), he ran a rancour-free house for four years.

Despite this logical, rational and practical belief, I must, on the other hand, confess that since that announcement, each time I remember this feat, fears which leave me lost in a maze of high-voltage confusion come flooding. The reasons for this confusion stem from my concern as to where the Governor-Elect will find both will-power and political will to build a diversified and self-reliant economy that will withstand the shocks occasioned by the current physical, social and economic changes that have become a recurring decimal in the state.

However, evidence, in my view, also abounds and points to the fact that if Sheriff is ready to serve and save Deltans, he may face no confusion in this mandate as he is succeeding Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent governor of the state reputed for infrastructural development and characterized by deep-seated sustainable visions, policies and programmes.

The above description of Okowa’s administration is a product of careful analysis of available public opinions and commentaries from Deltans and visibly signposted in areas such as values, fiscal discipline, robust and continuous community engagement, effective and efficient public communication, and excellent public service delivery for the benefit of this generation and the next.

His works in this direction consist essentially of the construction of good road networks, renovation/reconstruction/construction of over 5,000 classrooms in the state, rehabilitation of technical colleges in Agbor, Sapele, Ofagbe, Utagba-Ogbe, Ogor and Issele-Uku, incubation/establishment of three additional healthy universities to cater for the academic yearnings of the people of the state among other achievements.

The above feats notwithstanding, the incoming administration will obviously have more work to do and more reforms to make as the state’s economy is still distressed, unemployment high, the infrastructure deficit intimidating, the education sector hard pressed, and palpable despair in the land.

These are challenges in the state that will ‘’greet’ Sheriff led administration in the state upon assumption of office on the 29th of May 2023 and test his desire, resolve, and preparedness to translate to action and result in the ‘expect More mantra’ promised the good people of the state.

More specifically, it is worthy of note that as the incoming governor of the state, the hope of achieving rapid infrastructural development, engendering inclusive economic growth, reduce the worrisome high level of youth unemployment and pervasive poverty while improving the general well-being of all Deltans may be impossible if Oborevwori presents self as all-knowing, selfless, more intelligent or good looking than other stakeholders.

Governor Okowa and his administration made Delta State the Best in Human Capital Development in the 2017 States Peer Review by the National Competitiveness Council of Nigeria and in 2020, adjudged the Second Least Poor State, coming only after Lagos, by Nigeria’s business hub, Sheriff can as well win if he runs an all-inclusive government and execute people-focused projects.

It will be convenient to argue that the incoming governor is capped with the manifesto of his political party as well as laced with envisioned personal programmes to aid his day-to-day administration of the state. But the truth is that the time has come for you to make those codified documents less rigid in order to accommodate sincere suggestions from well-meaning Deltans.

Beginning with the education sector, the incoming administration must recognize that there are a large number of youths in the state that are knowledge/education hungry and daily project vividly and openly their potential, character, behaviour, performance skills and talent that need to be nurtured in a conducive environment and fairest fees.

Oborevwori needs to internalize the truth that any developmental plan in the state without youth education delivered in a well-structured learning environment and fair fees will amount to a mere waste of time and effort. Achieving this objective will be seamlessly made possible via progressive recognition of the right to education as a human right. In fact, it is one vital point the incoming administration in the state must not fail to remember. He must acknowledge and uphold the fact that Nigeria belongs to a number of international conventions, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, where the right to education is paramount.

Very instructive; another reason why the incoming administration needs ample courage to fund the educational sector in the state is that without accessible and affordable education in the state, the children take to the streets where all forms of criminals and other social misfits who pose the actual threats in the forms of armed robbery thugs, drug abusers and other social ills that give bad names to the society are bred.

The plight of Deltans living in the coastal part of the state is another issue that will, in structure and context, demand urgent attention. A visit to that part of the state will reveal that they have not vanished physically but only exist in the frames.

In the riverine communities, many children, particularly the children of fishermen and women, are out of school not because they are not willing to be educated but because the cost of education is beyond the reach of their parents. For the majority of schools, no learning takes place as a greater number of public schools sited in the area are short of teachers and dotted with dilapidated buildings- On the other hand, the private schools where the environment is conducive for learning are not only far from those communities but also capital intensive.

To further support this position, I listened, a while ago, with rapt attention to King Monday Whiskey, Udurhie I, the Ovie of Iderhe Kingdom, speak on the challenges children of his kingdom need to confront to access education. King Whiskey, who spoke in Lagos, among other things, lamented that children in the Niger Delta must attain the age of 12 before starting from primary one because it is only at that age that children can be able to paddle their boat successfully to the other side of the community where their school is located.

From public affairs point of view, this piece believes that under this circumstance, the percentage of uneducated women will be very high since it is only at the age of 12 boys can be allowed to paddle boats to their schools. Readers of this piece can imagine what the fate of young girls in the community becomes. This further makes the global statistics feasible that just 39% of rural girls attend secondary school, and this is far fewer than that of rural boys, which is 45%, compared to urban girls, which is 59% and urban boys, 60%.

While this piece, therefore, calls on Oborevwori to design workable and efficient ways of bringing primary and secondary schools close to communities in the coastal/riverine communities in the state, it is equally important to add that the area is troubled but not despondent, a situation that makes it easy for them to be managed and contained.

Very key, even as the incoming administration in the state will definitely succeed in the assignment of leading the state by providing Deltans with a standard of living adequate for their health and well-being, job creation is vital as the large unemployed youth population is a threat to the security of the few that are employed.

Most importantly, the future of the state is full of promises as it is fraught with uncertainty. And the conventional leadership- the system is giving way to the one based on knowledge, and to build the Delta state of our dreams, the Oborevwori-led incoming administration must learn to be part of the knowledge-based world.

Jerome-Mario Chijioke Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy) at Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He can be reached via jeromeutomi@yahoo.com/08032725374

Feature/OPED

Piracy in Africa’s Creative Sector: How Creators Can Protect Their Content

Published

2 days ago

21/04/2025

Business Post Contributor

Africa’s creative industries, from music and film to fashion, writing, and branding, are experiencing remarkable growth. However, as the sector flourishes, so do the threats posed by piracy and copyright infringement. Without proper protection, creators risk losing the value and recognition they deserve for their original work.

Copyright remains the first and most important line of defence. In many African countries, copyright protection begins automatically once a creative work, such as a song, logo, film, or design, is fixed in a tangible form. This protection can last for the creator’s lifetime, and in most cases, up to 70 years after. Yet, while automatic copyright provides a foundation, official registration strengthens legal standing and can be critical in resolving disputes.

When a creator’s work is used without permission, the violation must be addressed swiftly. Experts advise that the first step is to gather evidence—screenshots, URLS, timestamps, user details, and even data showing engagement or financial gain from the misused content. Proof of ownership, such as original files with timestamps, draft versions, or social media records of earlier uploads, is equally vital.

“Creators should always have proof of ownership ready,” says Frikkie Jonker, Director of Anti-Piracy at MultiChoice. “That could be anything from original project files to old emails or posts. It’s one of the most effective tools in enforcing your rights.”

Once evidence is collected, creators can issue takedown requests through social platforms or send formal cease-and-desist letters to website owners or hosts. Although enforcement processes differ by country, most African nations have copyright laws aligned with global standards like the U.S. DMCA. In many cases, showing credible ownership is enough to have infringing content removed.

If infringement continues or is being done at scale, such as by piracy rings or repeat offenders, creators may need to escalate the issue by reporting it to national copyright commissions or law enforcement. Efforts are also being bolstered across the continent through cooperation under agreements like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with international bodies like Interpol, Afripol, and WIPO supporting cross-border enforcement.

Preventative measures are just as important. Creators are encouraged to use tools like digital watermarking and content fingerprinting to protect their work from unauthorised use online. Furthermore, smart monetisation strategies, such as YouTube’s Content ID syste,m can allow creators to earn revenue even when their content is reused without prior permission.

By understanding their rights, taking proactive steps to protect their creations, and using available technologies, African creatives can safeguard their work while continuing to build sustainable, long-term careers.

Feature/OPED

A Journey Through Policy: My Personal Experience

Published

1 week ago

14/04/2025

Business Post Contributor

By Saifullahi Attahir

If there was ever anything that gave me goosebumps and immense pleasure, it was being surrounded by intellectuals and mature minds absorbing facts and figures about governance, economics, public health, policymaking, national security, and international relations. In such situations I easily lose myself, forgetting almost all other things.

Even at medical school, my best lectures were those with frequent digressions, whereby the lecturer would discuss the pathogenesis of diseases for 30 minutes and later sidetrack into discussing politics, governance, or other life issues. I always enjoyed classes led by Prof. Sagir Gumel, Dr. Murtala Abubakar, Dr. Rasheed Wemimo, Dr. Aliyu Mai Goro, and co.

During such lectures, I often observed some of my colleagues disappointment for such deviation. I rather casually show indifference, for I was eternally grateful for such discussions due to the stimulatory effect they had on my mind.

After such classes, I sometimes followed up with the lecturer, not to ask about a medical concept I did not grasp, but to ask for further explanation on policy making, project execution, budgetary expenditures, why African countries are left behind, and similar pressing issues.

In situations where I can’t catch up with the lecturer, I jotted down the questions for further deliberation.

One of the manifest feature I know about my greediness was at reading books. I can open five different books in a day. I lack such discipline to finish up one before another. I can start reading ‘Mein Kampf’ by Adolf Hitler, and halfway through 300 pages, I would pick up ‘My Life’ by Sir Ahmadu Bello, and would have to concurrently read both until the end.

I often scolded myself for such an attitude, but I can’t help myself. The only way to practice such discipline was to at least read two different books in a day. Such was a triumph in my practice of self-discipline. This was apart from my conventional medical textbooks.

To some of my friends, I was called an accidental medical doctor, but actually it was a perfect fate guided by the merciful Lord that I’m studying medicine.

For it was only medicine that makes reading books easier for you. Although time is precious in this profession, but one finds it easier to do anything you are passionate about. The daily interaction we have with people at their most vulnerable state was another psychostimulant. Seeing humans suffering from disease conditions is heartache. Some of the causes are mere ignorance, poverty, superstitions, and limited resources.

The contribution one can give couldn’t be limited to just prescribing drugs or surgical procedures that end up affecting one person. It’s much better to involve one self in to position that may bring possible change to the whole society even in form of orientation.

What also motivated me more was how I wasn’t the first to traverse this similar path. Bibliophiles were common among medical students and medical professionals.

At international level, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Muhammad, was a physician.

Most of the current economic development of Malaysia was attributed to him. The South American revolutionary figure Che Guevara was a physician. Atul Gawande was an endocrinologist, health policy analyst, adviser to former President Obama, campaign volunteer to former President Bill Clinton, and adviser to USAID/WHO on health policies.

Frantz Fanon was another physician, psychiatrist, racial discrimination activist, and political writer. Dr. Zakir Naik was a renowned Islamic scholar, comparative religion expert, and physician.

At the national level, Prof. Usman Yusuf is a haematologist, former NHIS DG, and currently a political activist. Dr. Aminu Abdullahi Taura was a psychiatrist and former SSG to the Jigawa state government. Dr. Nuraddeen Muhammad was a psychiatrist and former cabinet minister to President Goodluck Jonathan.

During ward rounds and clinics, my mind often wanders to enquire not just about the diagnosis but the actual cause of the disease condition; why would a 17-year-old multiparous young lady develop peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM)? Why would a 5-year-old child develop severe anaemia from a mosquito bite? Why would a 25-year-old friend of mine develop chronic kidney disease, and his family would have to sell all their belongings for his treatment? Why are our Accident and Emergency units filled with road traffic accident cases? Was it bad road conditions or lack of adherence to traffic laws and orders?

Why are African countries still battling with 19th century diseases like Tuberculosis, filariasis, and malarial infections? Why issues of fighting cervical cancer and vaccination campaigns are treated with contempt in our societies? Why access to basic primary healthcare in Nigeria was still a luxury 50 years after Alma Ata declaration?

The questions are never-ending…

Answers to these questions could be found not in the conventional medical textbooks like Robbins/Cotrand, Davidson, or Sabiston. Answers to these questions are there on our faces. Answers to these questions are tied to the very fabric of our social life, our public institutions, our culture, and our life perspectives.

In order to make any significant contribution towards the betterment of this kind of society, it would be quite easier as an insider rather than an outsider. You can’t bring any positive outcome by just talking or commenting. It was rightly stated that a cat in gloves catches no mice.

The real players in a game are always better than the spectators. A player deserves accolades despite his shortcomings, frequent falls, and inability to deliver as planned theoretically. For the player has seen it all, because so many things in public life are not as they appear. It’s only when you are there that the reality becomes visible. This is the reason why many leaders who have goodwill and enjoy public support appear to have lost track or contributed insignificantly when elected or appointed into office.

But despite all these challenges, one can’t decline to do something good just because something bad might happen. The risk is worth it….

Attahir wrote from Federal University Dutse

Feature/OPED

A Healthier Future: President Tinubu’s Drive to Improve Nigerian Healthcare

Published

1 week ago

14/04/2025

Business Post Contributor

By Victor Benjamin

Health is wealth,” a common adage echoing through Nigerian communities, encapsulates the fundamental importance of well-being. President Bola Tinubu’s administration appears to have taken this sentiment to heart, demonstrating a bold commitment to revolutionising Nigeria’s health sector.

Through a multi-pronged approach focused on strengthening infrastructure, upskilling manpower, and ensuring efficient healthcare delivery, the administration is signaling a new era for healthcare in Nigeria. This ambitious agenda, backed by tangible initiatives and achievements, holds the promise of a healthier and more prosperous nation.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has launched a comprehensive and ambitious agenda to transform Nigeria’s healthcare sector, signaling a new era of progress and commitment to the well-being of the Nigerian people. This multi-pronged approach focuses on strengthening infrastructure, upskilling the healthcare workforce, enhancing system efficiency, and addressing critical public health challenges. The administration’s actions are demonstrably moving towards a more robust and accessible healthcare system.

A cornerstone of this transformation is the aggressive expansion and upgrade of healthcare infrastructure. The federal government’s decisive action to convert the General Hospital Kumo in Gombe State into a Federal Medical Centre (FMC) is a prime example. This strategic upgrade, the second federal medical institution in Gombe, will significantly improve healthcare delivery in the Northeast region. Moreover, the upgraded Kumo FMC will serve as a teaching hospital for the Federal University of Kashere and Lincoln University, Kumo, contributing to the crucial training of future medical practitioners.

Furthermore, the administration is committed to dramatically increasing the number of functional Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) from 8,809 to over 17,600 by 2027. This expansion aims to bring quality healthcare closer to communities, particularly in underserved areas. To support this, the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) is being redesigned to provide more Direct Facility Funding to healthcare facilities, increasing from N300,000 to N600,000-N800,000 per quarter. The federal government has also identified 577 primary healthcare centres for immediate revitalization, indicating a focused and actionable plan.

Recognising that a strong healthcare system relies on a skilled workforce, President Tinubu has prioritised investment in human resources for health. The approval of 774 National Health Fellows, selected from each local council, aims to foster sustained improvements and cultivate future healthcare leaders. The administration has also set out to train 120,000 frontline health workers over 16 months, with 40,240 already trained, addressing critical manpower gaps in PHCs.

Additionally, the enrolment capacity of accredited nursing and midwifery institutions is being increased to meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals. A community health programme is being redesigned to create 126,000 jobs for community health workers, extending essential health services to remote and underserved communities.

Strengthening healthcare systems and efficiency is another critical aspect of the administration’s agenda. The Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), launched in December 2023, serves as a strategic blueprint to improve population health outcomes through primary healthcare and enhance reproductive, maternal, and child health services.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) is developing a three-year digitalisation agenda, encompassing facility functionality, supply chain management, financial management, and the community health information system.

This initiative promises improved efficiency and data-driven decision-making. Nigeria’s active participation in the Collaborative Active Strategy (CAS) further streamlines health campaigns and strengthens the overall health system.

Addressing critical health challenges is also a priority. First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s strong advocacy campaign against tuberculosis (TB), declaring it a health emergency and committing an additional N1 billion through the Renewed Hope Initiative, highlights the administration’s focus on tackling significant public health issues. The nationwide rollout of HPV vaccination, with over 12 million girls vaccinated, demonstrates a proactive approach to preventive healthcare.

The international community has recognised the administration’s commitment. The World Bank has approved $1.57 billion to support the health sector in Nigeria, focusing on strengthening human capital through better health for women, children, and adolescents. This significant financial support underscores the global confidence in the administration’s vision and execution.

President Tinubu’s comprehensive health agenda promises substantial benefits for the Nigerian populace. Foremost, it aims to drastically improve access to quality healthcare, particularly at the primary level, ensuring that even remote communities receive essential medical services.

This is complemented by a concerted effort to build a more robust and better-trained healthcare workforce, effectively addressing critical manpower shortages and ensuring adequate staffing across facilities. Simultaneously, the administration is focusing on strengthening healthcare infrastructure and equipment, upgrading existing facilities and constructing new ones to provide healthcare providers with necessary resources.

Furthermore, the agenda prioritises the creation of more efficient and transparent healthcare systems through digitalisation and improved financial management, streamlining processes and optimising resource allocation. Crucially, it demonstrates a strong commitment to tackling critical public health issues, such as tuberculosis and immunisation, through focused attention and targeted interventions. These multifaceted efforts collectively pave the way for a healthier nation, enhancing the overall well-being of the Nigerian people.

This comprehensive approach underscores President Tinubu’s understanding of the critical role of a strong healthcare system in national development. By prioritizing infrastructure, workforce development, system efficiency, and targeted interventions, the administration is laying the foundation for a healthier and more prosperous Nigeria. This narrative presents a compelling story of progress and commitment in the Nigerian health sector, marking a significant step towards a brighter future for the nation’s healthcare.

Victor Benjamin is the West/South South Director for Young Professionals for Tinubu (YP4T)