More suspects arrested over SuperTV boss Ataga’s murder -Police Sodiq Oyeleke

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested more suspects in connection with the murder of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga. The Lagos Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, made this known during a parade of some suspects at the command headquarters in Ikeja on Wednesday, without giving details. “We have established a case of conspiracy in the murder and we have arrested more suspects,” he said. Ataga, whose wife and children reside in Abuja, was first reported missing by concerned friends and family after all efforts to reach him proved abortive. Later, officers of the Lagos State Police Command found Ataga’s lifeless body in a flat in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos with multiple wounds on June 16. Chidinma, a 300-level student in UNILAG’s Department of Mass Communication, later confessed to stabbing Ataga to death while being paraded at the state police command headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos State on June 24. But in a video that went viral on Monday, the undergraduate denied killing the Super TV CEO – a claim that is contrary to her initial confession. During her parade, 21-year-old Chidinma also confessed to withdrawing N380,000 from the deceased’s account to pay her school fees. The undergraduate also told newsmen in Lagos that she stabbed Super TV CEO Michael Ataga to death in self defence. Why we’ve not taken Super TV CEO’s suspected killer to court – Police The student, who said she was arrested at her residence at Alagomeji, Yaba, said that she met Ataga about four months before the incident. She also corroborated the claim in an exclusive video interview with The PUNCH. Odumosu assured the public that police would not compromise in the case, dismissing claims that one of the arrested suspected, Chidinma Ojukwu, was given a soft-landing. The police boss described the new claims made by Chidinma Ojukwu, the suspected killer of Super TV boss as an “afterthought”. Earlier, the House of Representatives warned that Chidinma Ojukwun must not die in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force. The House, in their resolutions passed by the lawmakers at the plenary on Tuesday, also called on the police to “conduct a proper investigation into the matter and refrain from parading Ms. Chidinma around to grant interviews on the matter under investigation.” The House further called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to “call all police personnel to order and ensure that there is no repeat of this violation of human rights and media access to arrested persons in the future, to avoid compromising the case in a court of law.” In addition, the House said the IGP must ensure that “Ms. Ojukwu (the accused) does not die in custody or commit suicide while awaiting trial as in some past cases.”

What Buhari told senators, Reps at dinner by Sodiq Oyeleke

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has told members of the National Assembly that his regime is ready to use everything within its powers to end insecurity in the country and bring perpetrators of criminal activities to book. The President, spoke on Tuesday at a dinner with members of the National Assembly, held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, according to a statement by his media aide, Femi Adesina. The president was quoted as saying, “insecurity, manifesting as insurgencies, banditry, kidnapping and urban crime of all sorts is the single most difficult challenge we face today.” He expressed concern that insecurity had inhibited government’s ability to build infrastructure, provide the much needed social services to the people, and to attract investments that drive innovation, create industries, and provide jobs and create wealth. ‘‘Some of the people who perpetuate these various manifestations of insecurity do so for profit, others, in the name of discredited ideologies. ‘‘Whatever their motivations may be, their actions are an existential threat to our country. ‘‘In the circumstances, we must do everything within our power, without consideration of distractions, to put an end to their activities and bring them to book. ‘‘We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted from this objective, or waver in our commitment, and I am confident that together we will triumph in our present efforts,’’ he said. Buhari also used the occasion to hail the ninth National Assembly for discharging their legislative duties with maturity and competence, describing the legislature as ‘‘full partners in national development.’’ He particularly commended the minority parties in the legislature for their cooperation and support for Government programmes. ‘‘Our ability to govern in the best interests of the Nigerian people depends to a great deal on effective collaboration and partnership between the Legislature and the Executive. ‘‘The obligation to check and balance each other is not an invitation to conflict, and it should not be characterised by quarrelsome disagreement when consultation, engagements and compromise have proven time and again to be a more effective approach. Read Also ‘‘In the ninth Assembly, you have distinguished yourselves by your conduct in office, by the scale and quality of your legislative interventions, and by your capacity for engaging with the difficult questions facing the country with maturity and competence,’’ he said. The President listed some legislative accomplishments of the ninth assembly ranging from returning of our budget cycle to January to December, the amendment of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), the Nigeria Police Act, the Finance Act, the Deep Offshore Production Sharing Contract Act, amongst others. Commending the leadership of the National Assembly under Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila for their dedication through challenging times, the President told the legislators, ‘‘You have also succeeded in overcoming the political and other obstacles that have, for two decades, inhibited the much-needed reforms of our Oil and Gas industry, resulting now in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill. ‘‘I congratulate you all, and thank you for your contributions to the difficult, yet necessary task of nation building.’’ The President noted that the executive and legislature came into office at a time of significant challenges for the country. ‘‘Overcoming these challenges require that we finally confront long ignored questions of economics, politics, law and history that are often at the root of our national problems. ‘‘This moment in history requires us to make hard choices, take difficult decisions and act with diligence and patriotism to ensure that our country can survive and thrive long after we have all left. ‘‘What this means in effect is that our jobs will not get any easier. However, the objectives we seek, and will work together to achieve, deserve our best efforts regardless the sacrifice,’’ he said. As the second legislative year of the 9th Assembly has just come to an end, the President noted that it was appropriate to jointly review shared commitments, to identify what has been achieved, and what is still left undone. ‘‘This way, we can prioritise activities and allocate the resources necessary to ensure that in the lifetime of this Assembly, and of the administration, we can complete the work we have started, and leave behind a record of achievement that will stand all of us in good stead in the assessment of history,’’ he said. The President said he looked forward to continued collaboration and partnership between the Executive and Legislative arms of government, working together to achieve a shared vision of a peaceful and prosperous country.

COVID-19: UNILAG shuts student hostels indefinitely, suspends on-site classes by Sodiq Oyeleke and Grace Edema

The management of the University of Lagos has shut down the student hostels over reported cases of coronavirus on the campus. Also, the management also approved that lectures for the rest of the semester should be delivered virtually with effect from 26th July 2021. The decision was reached at an emergency senate meeting held on Wednesday at the J. F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium. Our correspondent gathered that the students were directed to vacate the halls of residence latest by 12.00 noon on Thursday, July 15, 2021. They were also advised to move all their personal effects at once. A member of the university’s senate confirmed this to The PUNCH, saying, “After getting the report, which I don’t like to discuss with you, we decided that the hostels should be shut down.” As of press time, students are already seen packing their bags to go home. Information from UNILAG Director of Student Affairs titled, ‘Important Notice: Immediate Closure Of Hostels To Check The Spread Of COVID-19 On Campus,’ read, “To check the spread of COVID-19 on campus, the University Senate has directed that all students vacate the halls of residence latest by 12.00 noon on Thursday, July 15, 2021. No access will be granted to any student after 12.00 noon on 15 July. The hostels will be locked indefinitely therefore students are advised to move all their personal effects at once. Lectures for the rest of the semester will be delivered virtually with effect from July 26, 2021.” The PUNCH had reported that there was panic among students and staff of the university over cases of COVID-19 recorded in the institution. The management of the university earlier said its medical centre recorded an increase in the number of patients with COVID-19 symptoms. It also confirmed that the institution is being affected by a potential third wave of coronavirus in a ‘COVID-19 pandemic update’ published on the university’s website on Tuesday. The statement read, “The University of Lagos Medical Centre wishes to inform all members of the University of Lagos Community about what appears to be the start of a potential 3rd wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Lagos State. “The Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu, in his press statement issued on July 11, 2021, stated that since the beginning of July there has been a steep increase in the number of daily confirmed cases, with the test positivity rate going from 1.1% at the end of June 2021, to its current rate of 6.6% as at the 8th of July 2021. This is with a concurrent increase in the occupancy rate at Lagos State isolation centres. “The University of Lagos community has also been affected by this potential 3rd wave, with an increase in the number of patients presented to the University of Lagos Medical Centre with flu-like symptoms which are similar to COVID-19. “The Medical Centre hereby assures all members of the University community, that all necessary actions in line with the Federal and Lagos State Government guidelines have been taken regarding this potential threat in our community. “The Medical Centre will also return to providing EMERGENCY ONLY SERVICES during this period, in order to protect all members of the community from potential infection within the facility. The Medical Centre Emergency Contact line: 09095879781 remains open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

FCMB appoints Yemisi Edun as managing director by Nike Popoola

The board of directors of FCMB Group Plc has appointed Yemisi Edun as the managing director of First City Monument Bank Limited. A statement on Tuesday said the announcement was subsequent to the end of service of the bank’s former Managing Director, Adam Nuru. The bank said the board had earlier reviewed media allegations made in late 2020 against the former managing director and did not establish any contravention of its policies. “The board of directors of FCMB thanks Mr Nuru for his years of dedicated service and wishes him all the best in his future endeavour,” the statement said. Read Also FCMB stated that prior to her appointment, Edun was the executive director/chief financial officer of the bank and previously served as the acting managing director. It stated, “With a work experience spanning nearly 35 years, Edun holds a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife and a master’s degree in International Accounting and Finance from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom. “She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a Certified Financial Analyst, CFA®️ Charter holder.” She is also an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers; an associate member of the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria; a member of Information Systems Audit and Control, U.S.A; and a Certified Information Systems Auditor, the bank said.

Crisis looms in APC over registered members, consensus arrangement by John Alechenu.

A major crisis is looming in the All Progressives Congress over a plan by the leadership of the party to conduct ward, local government and state congresses without an authentic register of members. Our correspondent gathered in Abuja on Tuesday that besides the disagreement over the register, a plot to adopt a consensus arrangement during the congresses was being strongly opposed by many members. It was further learnt that only 19 out of the 36 states had so far submitted some forms of data of members, which a party insider said, were “highly compromised.” The congresses were earlier scheduled to begin at the ward level on July 24, local government area, August 14 and state congresses on September 18. The party has shifted the commencement of the exercise to July 31. The PUNCH on Tuesday learnt that the party leadership was considering a consensus arrangement for choosing officers at ward, LG and state levels. A member of the party caucus, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said, “We have a delicate situation on our hands. We have yet to establish a full-fledged data centre to upload what we expect to receive from states. “What we have at the national secretariat are the raw figures which we even suspect have been compromised. We only have figures but the names, photographs of these people are still with the states. We need to upload this to a database in order to build a register. “How do you justify Kano having four million APC members and Lagos having over two million? What is their voting population? What was the total number of people who registered and voted during the last general elections? Let’s not deceive ourselves, there is a problem. “The data from the states are still in their raw forms. What are you going to use for accreditation of voters for the congresses? “There are two options. If we must go for congresses where members will vote, we require a register. Members will have their membership authenticated when they show their membership cards and their names can be verified on the register. “The truth is this, the register is not ready. Recall, only a few days ago, the party extended the registration in about four states. But we all know that registration is ongoing in several states.” Another party source, who confided in The PUNCH, also said, “The only safe option left for us is to go for consensus to elect ward, local government and state party officials. This also has its own problems especially in states where opposition party governors who have no structure within our party are desperate to get everything. “For consensus arrangement which is the first mode which is also constitutional, you only require a simple yes or no vote. “Up till now, our materials are in the states. What we have here are the figures. The raw data are still in the states arising from the fact that the numbers from the states are already compromised. “Lagos has 2.5 million even during the 2019 general elections. How many people were registered to vote? And Kano said it had close to four million. As we speak, the registration is ongoing in a number of states.” It was learnt that the problems of the party were worsened by the battle between the Peoples Democratic Party governors, who had just joined the ruling party and the old members. In Zamfara State for instance, the national party leadership announced the dissolution of the state executive which was replaced by a three-member caretaker committee. The appointees are said to be loyalists of the state Governor, Bello Matawale. This has not gone down well with other party stakeholders especially, former Governor Abdulaziz Yari and Senator Kabiru Marafa. In a telephone interview with The PUNCH, Marafa who has since gone to court to challenge the dissolution, described the decision of the Buni-led caretaker committee as illegal and an attempt to destroy the party. Spokesperson for the Concerned APC Members, a pressure group within the party, Abdullahi Dauda, while speaking on the issues said, “What this caretaker committee is doing will bring the entire party down if care is not taken.” Attempts to get the official position of the party to the issues raised were futile. Calls to the mobile telephone number of the party’s National Secretary, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, who is also the party’s spokesperson, were neither picked nor replied. A response to a text message sent to him was still being expected as of the time of filing this report. PUNCH.

Okorocha’s alleged suspension: Fifth Columnists lifted signatures from leaked INEC memo -APC By Omeiza Ajayi

The ruling All Progressives Congress APC has dismissed a letter in circulation purporting to have emanated from it and suspending a former Governor of Imo state, Sen. Rochas Okorocha. National Secretary of its Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe disclosed this in a statement issued Tuesday night in Abuja. Urging the public to be circumspect, the party said the senator and some chieftains of the party were recently at its national secretariat in Abuja where they discussed on how to move the party forward and equally pledged their commitment to its peace building efforts. The statement reads; “It has come to the attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that a fake letter of a purported suspension of Senator Rochas Okorocha from the party is circulating in the public space. “Fifth columnists and forgers have obviously taken advantage of the unfortunate and recent leaks of our official correspondences with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to copy and paste forged signatures of the CECPC Chaiman and Secretary on equally fake letters. “The APC does not currently have a ‘National Working Committee’ as stated in the fake letter, but a Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) which has been saddled with the mandate to reposition, unite and strengthen our great party. “We call on the discerning public to be wary of fifth columnists and jobbers relentlessly scheming to use every opportunity to stoke crisis in the party and polity through fake news. We also urge the media to always rely on our well-known and official communication and punlicity channels to get information on the activities of the party. “We urge everyone to discountenance the fake letter as it is a figment of the imagination of fifth columnists”. The fake letter which bore the forged signatures of Messrs Buni and Akpanudoedehe and dated 12th July, 2021 had “ratified” the suspension of Okorocha by the state chapter of his party.

NYSC And The Kemi Adeosun Case By Reuben Abati

This is an interesting case that has the prospects of becoming a locus classicus, in its present form or on appeal (if that happens) with regard to the issues of citizenship. It is not often that cases before a court of law become so important that they get discussed in beer parlours, open places, other rooms and generate so much public attention beyond the court room, even after judgment has been delivered by a court of competent jurisdiction. But it happens, presenting, relative to context, the spectacle of concurrence and/or populism or a conflict between the court of law and the court of public opinion. This in itself is a reaffirmation of the role of the judicial system as a social modulator, beyond strict positivism, rather than a derogation from the relevance of the judiciary. Such cases are known in legal circles as “cause celebre” either for the attendant popularity and public interest or the precedence that they establish. Nigeria found itself confronted with such a case recently with the decision taken by the Court of Justice Taiwo Taiwo (Federal High Court, Abuja) in the matter between Oluwakemi Adeosun, former Minister of Finance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation. This is an interesting case that has the prospects of becoming a locus classicus, in its present form or on appeal (if that happens) with regard to the issues of citizenship, appointments into public office and participation in Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps Scheme (NYSC). I will tone down the legalisms involved, but what are the facts before us and what conclusions can we draw from this particular case? In November 2015, Kemi Adeosun, born in 1967 in London, England, to Nigerian parents from Ogun State Nigeria, was appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Finance by the Muhammadu Buhari administration. Before that appointment, she had worked in the United Kingdom as an accounting assistant at British Telecom, London, also at Goodman Jones as a senior audit officer, as a manager at London Underground, and later at Prisms Consulting. She was also a senior manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers. In 2002, she returned to Nigeria and took up an appointment as a Financial Controller with Chapel Hill Denham Management. She became Managing Director of that company in 2010. In 2011, Adeosun was appointed Commissioner of Finance in Ogun State by then Governor Ibikunle Amosun who promised to turn around the fortunes of his home-state. Four years later, Kemi Adeosun was further elevated when she ended up as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, after President Buhari and Governor Amosun won a second term in office as President and Governor respectively. It was widely assumed Mrs Adeosun earned that promotion due to Amosun’s influence. Amosun is a well-known Buhari ally and a prominent member of the ruling party. As Minister of Finance of Nigeria, Adeosun, an Economics graduate of the University of East London and a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, further ended up as Chairman of the Board of the African Export-Import Bank (AfreximBank). Her profile was something made out of a fairy tale: amazing, well supported. In 2018, that fairy-tale turned sour when an online newspaper, Premium Times Online alleged that Mrs Adeosun illegally obtained her NYSC exemption certificate. In Nigeria, no citizen, who is a graduate, is allowed to be employed in either the private or public sector, without having gone through a mandatory one-year national service. This requirement is spelled out in Section 12 of the NYSC Act and embedded in the 1999 Constitution. Premium Times, after calling out Mrs Adeosun, promised to conduct an investigation. And it did, with unsavoury outcomes. This generated tension, ethnic politicking and a heavy dose of blame game. In the middle of all that, and the ugly implications for the integrity of the Buhari administration, Kemi Adeosun resigned from her position as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance on September 14, 2018. Her resignation letter, addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari is available online. But let me quote the following paragraph from it. She writes: “I have today become privy to the findings of the investigation into the allegation made in an online medium that the Certificate of Exemption from National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that I had presented was not genuine. This has come as a shock to me and I believe that in line with this administration’s focus on integrity, I must do the honourable thing and resign.” Kemi Adeosun’s resignation was an unusual thing to do in Nigeria. Most of her compatriots would never have done so. Resign from such a “juicy position” as Nigerians call it? No! But she did. And there were questions about whether she jumped or she was pushed. Other questions were asked: was she set up and sacrificed by the same man who made her Minister of Finance, her former boss, Governor Amosun? Did she herself get too big for her boots, and forgot her own beginnings? Who blew the whistle about her NYSC Exemption Certificate? As pundits went to town, Adeosun left town. She has now returned three years later, with a bang. A month ago, she got a generous mention in the newspapers as the founder of a Foundation – “the Dash Me Store”, an online thrift-for-charity initiative that she has now established to support the vulnerable in society. It was her first major public appearance in 3 years. And it wasn’t meant to be just one of those events. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was in attendance for all the possible symbolic reasons, as Chair of the occasion. That was great optics. Adeosun may have left the country in 2018 for controversial reasons, but she has returned on a high note, with perfect timing. For me, this was particularly confirmed by the court ruling dated the 7th Day of July 2021 in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CR/303/2021 between Folakemi Adeosun - (Plaintiff) and Attorney General of the Federation – (Defendant) before His Lordship Hon. Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo in the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja Judicial Division. As it were, Kemi Adeosun had approached the Federal High Court to seek declaratory reliefs to the effect that (i) she was not under any constitutional disadvantage or prohibition at the time of her appointment as Minister with regard to her participation in the NYSC scheme, (ii) she cannot be subjected to any disability or disadvantage on the ground that she did not participate in the NYSC and that ((iii) being a United Kingdom Citizen as at 1989 when she graduated from the University of East London, UK, at the age of 22 years, she was ineligible to participate in Nigeria’s NYSC. The learned Judge observed as follows: “In brief the fact of this case is that sometime in 2018, while the plaintiff was serving as the Minister of Finance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it was being paraded in the public space that she did not participate in the NYSC scheme and as such ought to have been disqualified from holding the office. It was further alleged that the said insinuations have remained unabated, thereby, consistently putting the plaintiff at disadvantageous positions in the pursuit of her career, both within and outside the country, this has therefore necessitated the plaintiff to file this action.” Counsel for the defendant relying on Section 12 of the NYSC Act and Sections 147 (5) and 192 (4) of the 1999 Constitution responded accordingly. The Court decided in favour of the plaintiff and granted the declaratory reliefs in her prayers before the Court. The ruling has been heavily criticised in the court of public opinion, and that has generated as much interest as the substance of the case itself. First, there is this argument that the court did not address the issue of certificate forgery which was the basis for Mrs Adeosun’s resignation in the first place. Those who push this line of argument forget that this was not the matter before the court. A court of law is not duty bound to embark on a voyage of discovery or offer what has not been pleaded before it with admissible evidence. Procedure is critical in law and in common parlance, the court is not a Father Christmas. In this matter, a civil suit by the way, Kemi Adeosun had approached the court to protect her reputation, to which she claims much damage had been done by the circumstances of her exit from the Nigerian government in September 2018. It is perfectly within her rights to do so, one’s reputation being so fundamental to everything else. Second, some persons have expressed concern about the citizenship question raised in the ruling. They ask: Granted that as of 1989, when she graduated Kemi Adeosun was not a citizen of Nigeria, and therefore ineligible for participation in the NYSC scheme, under the then extant 1979 Constitution, when she then returned to Nigeria to work, what steps did she take to become a Nigerian citizen? They point out that the 1999 Constitution after all, does not automatically confer citizenship. There is a proper definition of citizenship under Chapter 3 of the 1999 Constitution, so at what point exactly did Mrs Adeosun become a Nigerian? And how could she have been appointed a state Commissioner of Finance and later, a Federal Minister if there was no understanding that she had become a Nigerian citizen although entitled to dual nationality? And why would she sue the Attorney General of the Federation? Again, these questions were not raised by the defence counsel before Justice Taiwo Taiwo. The issues for determination were clear and specific. What has been offered is a technical, Constitutional interpretation of what the law says with regard to participation in the National Youth Service Corps Scheme of Nigeria, and the legal status in that regard of all persons, of Nigerian parentage but foreign nationality, caught between the 1979 and 1999 Constitutions with regard to eligibility to participate in the scheme and the question of their citizenship. But does the ruling of the Court meet public expectations? No. Third: Will the office of the Attorney General of the Federation appeal this ruling? I doubt. Will the Federal Government now file a suit to accuse the former Minister of Finance of the forgery of a certificate that everyone is saying is the main issue? Hmm. That won’t happen. This is Nigeria. Mrs Kemi Adeosun’s reputation with regard to the NYSC matter has been judicially restored, and all insinuations about her involvement in this quasi political-legal tango have been laid to rest. Her brother Dele Ogun has been quoted as saying Premium Times, the online newspaper, has questions to answer. So, should she sue Premium Times that generated the storm in the first place? She shouldn’t bother. There is no point fighting a battle she can’t win. Only the naïve would pick up battles with the media like those thick-headed characters who believe that they can restrict the freedom of information in society. I hope their advisers have seen the robust push-back by the Nigerian media community which started yesterday. Nigerian newspapers are now carrying placards against the government: from front-page advertorials to editorials! It has been said that Kemi Adeosun’s legal victory is a victory for all Nigerians who were born abroad before the 1999 Constitution and who do not have to participate in the NYSC. Except that this is one case where the law does not answer all the questions. It must indeed be a fit and proper thing to serve one’s country, or even die for it. The NYSC was introduced in 1973, to move Nigeria beyond the pains and tragedy of the civil war and to promote national unity and integration. If things were normal, there would have been no reason for anyone to avoid the opportunity to serve the country. Kemi Adeosun was 22 in 1989, and she was not a Nigerian citizen. When she returned to Nigeria in 2013 at the age of 34, she was already beyond the age of eligibility for the NYSC. She has now succeeded in proving her case in court. But other foreign-born Nigerians with an eye on the future should study her case closely and learn a critical lesson about the importance of one’s roots. They need to realise that the Adeosun case does not automatically offer them any protection under the law. Adeosun probably never imagined that she would ever have anything to do with public life in Nigeria. Many Nigerians in diaspora, a growing generation of children with Nigerian parents and foreign citizenship often overlook the umbilical manner in which they are linked to Nigeria by blood. They are proud to say that they have nothing to do with Nigeria and that they belong to other countries. But the pull of home and ancestral roots is forever strong. Most of the athletes in the D’Tigers Basketball team who represented Nigeria a few days ago and made history beating Team USA, the most dominant basketball team in the world, probably do not have a Nigerian passport, and may never have been to their ancestral home. They wore shirts emblazoned with the message: “Naija no dey carry last”. They stepped up and proved it. Every Nigerian child born in diaspora should look beyond Kemi Adeosun’s legal victory. A sense of home and roots, is the strongest DNA in our veins. The river may flow downstream into the oceans, without looking back, but it is bound to dry up if it loses touch with its source. What is most unfortunate, however, is the crisis at home that drives a wedge between Nigerians at home and those in diaspora. While we urge the latter to identify with home, connect and remember, Nigerians born and bred at home, are in despair. They are either seeking to emigrate or secede. If they are lucky to graduate from a higher institution, they are not even happy to participate in the NYSC or serve the country. Nigeria is so insecure parents do not want their children posted to certain parts of the country. Nigeria has a way of killing dreams. The NYSC is one of those dying dreams. And that is why the Adeosun case, controversial as it seems, is bound to end up as just one of those things in the court of public opinion.