Dr Ken Onyeali-Ikpe, immediate past CEO of Insight sits with Chude Jideonwo, for a special episode of #WithChude as he turns 60. On the show, he discussed turning 60 and stepping down as CEO at Insight Redefini, and the greatest lessons he has learnt in life and marriage.
Dr. Ken shared how he was perceived as a ‘lifer’, when he joined the group in 1994, ‘Once I went through the process, the Managing Director then, now the chairman called me a ‘lifer’. This might be because I hit the right note, and they were trying to pull me from an organization that was much bigger than Insight. I had served at Shell and I had the opportunity of staying. So, I left all those privileges to join Insight. I think they saw the conviction, and it took about four months of conversation before I made that decision. When I made the decision, it was clear. Perhaps, the chairman saw through my eye and said ‘this guy is not a passenger; he’s not coming here to pass through.’ I didn’t quite have an interview; it was a series of conversations. I told him what I wanted to do, and how I would do it massively well, and how I was going to hit the rooftop in 5 years. And in five years, I was managing director. When I became the managing director, I told them I was going to lead the group. But I wasn’t boasting, I knew what it required to be there. Therefore, you have to go and get what it requires to be able to take the entitlement. I wasn’t going to do it by voodoo, nor was I going to boast my way into it. I knew I had to do something to build the foundation that would put me in the position to do that. Some people will say, ‘you are lucky’, but there’s nothing like luck. As far as I’m concerned, luck is when endeavor meets preparedness.
Speaking on what made him decide to leave Shell for Insight, he said, ‘I had been chosen from the National Youth Service Corp camp to serve in Shell, because they were looking for a competitor analyst who had a Masters, and I had a Ph.D. I got my Ph.D. when I was 29. I thought I had escaped NYSC but when I returned to the country, I was told I was still below 30, so I had to go for it. I worked with Shell for 1 year as a core competitor analyst. So, the assumption was that I was going to be retained, and all the whole conversation happened, but I didn’t wait for that to consolidate when the Insight opportunity came because I’ve always wanted to be the head of a goat instead of the tail of an elephant.”
He shared further on how he embraced a value-driven life than profit driven and how this has helped him to reach the peak in his career. “I have written close to 8 books, which are unpublished because I am very self-critical. I will write a few 200 pages, keep it and say ‘I will come back to it when I retire.’ There are other decisions you can make in your life space to balance it. I made those decisions, and they paid off. I knew that I needed clarity of mind and that I needed to concentrate on work. So, when I was choosing a life partner, for example, I wasn’t going to choose somebody who would also require the kind of help and assistance that I needed. Who would also deal with hygiene issues? So, I made sure that yes if it was character I was looking for, there was character; if it was integrity, there’s integrity. That’s why partnership is an osmosis. You get something that will strengthen you, not something that takes away from you just because you are looking at things that are ephemeral and, on the surface,’.
“People think it’s cold and a little bit burdensome on humanity. But listen, you will pay the price because, by the time the vicissitude of life comes, those things that made you take those decisions that are flimsy will hit you so badly that you will regret whether those decisions have a foundation or not. I’ve just said it. I’m not saying you should become a gold digger, but what are the parameters you are looking for in a partner? Tick them. You will find them both in the ugly and beautiful. You will find them both in unintelligent and intelligent people, so find them in the circumference of what you want. It just takes a bit of design thinking,” he added.
FOI: ‘Disclose how much oil Nigeria produces and exports daily,’ SERAP tells NNPC
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Mr Mele Kolo Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to “promptly publish details of barrels of oil Nigeria produces and exports every day and the total amounts of revenues generated from oil since the removal of subsidy on petrol in May 2023.”
SERAP urged him “to disclose how much of the revenues generated from oil have been remitted to the public treasury since the removal of subsidy on petrol.”
SERAP also urged him “to disclose details of payment of N11 trillion as subsidy, and to clarify allegations that the NNPCL has failed to remit revenues generated from oil to the public treasury since the removal of subsidy on petrol.”
Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had last week alleged that “the NNPCL is failing to remit enough foreign exchange into the treasury despite the removal of fuel subsidy,” asking: “Where is the money?”.
In the letter dated 9 December 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “There is a legitimate public interest in disclosing the information sought.”
SERAP said: “Opacity in the amounts of barrels of oil the country produces and exports daily, the revenues generated and remitted to the public treasury would have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens and the public interest.”
“Transparency would ensure that the revenues are not diverted into private pockets, and increase public trust that the money would be used to benefit Nigerians.”
The letter, read in part: “The public interest in publishing the information sought outweighs any considerations to withhold the information.”
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel the NNPCL to comply with our requests in the public interest.”
“SERAP is seriously concerned that years of allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector and entrenched impunity of perpetrators have undermined public trust and confidence in the NNPCL.”
“Ensuring transparency and accountability in the operations of the NNPCL would improve the enjoyment by Nigerians of their right to natural wealth and resources.”
“SERAP is concerned that despite the country’s enormous oil wealth, ordinary Nigerians have derived very little benefit from oil money primarily because of widespread grand corruption, and the culture of impunity of perpetrators.”
“Combating the corruption epidemic in the oil sector would alleviate poverty, improve access of Nigerians to basic public goods and services, and enhance the ability of the government to meet its human rights and anti-corruption obligations.”
“SERAP notes that Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) requires public institutions and officials to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”
“Section 16(2) of the Nigerian Constitution further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’”
“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 imposes clear responsibility on the NNPCL to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.”
“Nigeria has made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.”
“Articles 5 and 9 of the UN Convention against Corruption also impose legal obligations on the NNPCL to ensure proper management of public affairs and public funds. These commitments ought to be fully upheld and respected.”
“Nigerians are entitled to the right to receive information without any interference or distortion, and the enjoyment of this right should be based on the principle of maximum disclosure, and a presumption that all information is accessible subject only to a narrow system of exceptions.”
“By Section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 2011, SERAP is entitled as of right to request for or gain access to information, including information on the details of barrels of oil Nigeria produces and exports every day and the total amounts of revenues generated and remitted to the public treasury.”
“The information requested for as indicated above, apart from not being exempted from disclosure under the FoI Act, bothers on an issue of national interest, public concern, interest of human rights, social justice, good governance, transparency and accountability.”
“The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, and article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information, including the details of barrels of oil Nigeria produces and exports every day and the total amounts of revenues generated from oil and remitted to the public treasury.”
“By the combined reading of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Freedom of Information Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, there are transparency obligations imposed on the NNPCL to widely publish the details sought.”
“The Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s anti-corruption and human rights obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding their public institutions’ activities.”
“According to our information, the NNPCL has failed to disclose the amounts of barrels of oil the country produces and exports.”
“The NNPCL has also reportedly failed to publish details of revenues generated from the production and exportation of oil and the amounts of revenues remitted to the public treasury as required by Nigerian laws.”
“According to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, ‘It is only the NNPCL that can give the figures about how much oil we produce daily, how much we sell, and where the money is going. We are no longer paying subsidies so where are the dollars? Where is the money?’”
“The NNPCL has a legal responsibility to promote transparency and accountability in barrels of oil the country produces and exports every day, and to ensure that the revenues generated from such production and exportation are dully remitted to the public treasury.”
“The NNPLC also has a legal responsibility to disclose details of payment of N11 trillion subsidy.”
Kolawole Oluwadare
SERAP Deputy Director
10/12/2023
Lagos, Nigeria
Emails: info@serap-nigeria.org; news@serap-nigeria.org
Twitter: @SERAPNigeria
Website: www.serap-nigeria.org
For more information or to request an interview, please contact us on: +2348160537202
PRESS RELEASE
LAGOS IS COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY POLICING, SAYS SANWO-OLU
Nigeria needs to invest N3.4trillion annually to bridge the policing gap – MinisterLagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, reiterated his administration’s commitment to security, saying the State Government has always been in support of the desire to embrace community policing as a strategy to enhance the safety of lives and property.
He spoke during the Renewed Hope Police Agenda Citizens Townhall Engagement on Strengthening Policing in Nigeria, themed: “Community Policing: Building a Safer Nigeria Together,” held at Victoria Island, Lagos on Monday.
Speaking during the town hall engagement organised by the Ministry of Police Affairs, Governor Sanwo-Olu said Lagos State has over the years supported the Nigeria Police in ensuring effective community policing.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was part of the panelists, also called for modernisation of the security architecture and operations with the deployment of state-of-the-art technology for improved efficiency, noting that the security personnel need smartphones to enhance information dissemination and intelligence.
He said: “For us in Lagos State, and as should be expected of the economic, commercial and industrial nerve centre of Nigeria, the safety of lives and property has always been a top priority. It is a strong factor in our administration’s commitment to create and sustain a conducive environment that is attractive for local and foreign investment.
“To achieve this objective, we have initiated a number of strategies aimed at strengthening the capacity and the will of the Lagos State Police Command and other security agencies in the State to enhance their effectiveness in tackling security challenges in all the nooks and crannies of the State.
“We have been able to achieve this largely through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), a special purpose vehicle created in 2006 to finance security in the State. Through this platform to which individuals and corporate organisations have continued to contribute both financially and materially, we have been able to support the Police and other sister security agencies with thousands of vehicles and equipment that have gone a long way to strengthen the security architecture in the State.”
He stressed further that: “Lagos State Government has always been in support of the desire to embrace community policing as a strategy to enhance the safety of lives and property. The establishment of Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps established in 2016 was in pursuance of the government’s effort to promote community policing in Lagos State.
“There is no gainsaying that with less than 20,000 personnel strength, Lagos State, with a population of over 22 million is grossly under-policed by international standards. One of the ways we can bridge this gap is to encourage the involvement of the people through community policing. In addition, we must also modernise our security architecture and operations with the deployment of state-of-the-art technology for improved efficiency.
“As I speak, we are currently installing smart cameras across the city. These cameras are connected to a Command and Control centre where several points in the city are monitored in real-time. The command and control centre has direct lines to the Police emergency first responders, fire and rescue service among others.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu also commended the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Hon Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim and the top echelon of the Nigeria Police for organising the Citizens Town Hall Engagement on Strengthening Policing in Nigeria.
“You can continue to count on the support, partnership and collaboration of the Lagos State government for the successful implementation of this important agenda,” the Governor assured.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, said the first Renewed Hope Police Agenda Citizens Townhall Meeting held in Lagos is aimed at providing a platform for direct engagement among all stakeholders in the security ecosystem.
Suleiman-Ibrahim said the engagement which was also aimed at fostering collaboration between the Police and the public, as well as strengthening community policing, promoting development and research, increasing trust and confidence in the Nigeria Police, amongst others would be extended to other states.
The Minister who disclosed that Nigeria needs to invest a minimum of N3.4trillion annually over the next five years to bridge the policing gap, commended Lagos State for setting the space for other states on effective and efficient security, particularly the establishment of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.
She said the President Bola Tinubu’s administration had embarked on various police reforms, stating that “We want a Nigeria Police that is recognised for professionalism, transparency, accountable practices. A force that is inclusive, community-based, technology-driven and intelligently led with high level of efficiency in the discharge of its mandate of protecting lives and properties.”
Also speaking, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said the choice to host the first Renewed Hope Agenda Citizens Townhall Engagement in Lagos was based on the social, political and economic importance, hence the need to feel the purse of Lagosians on security in diverse ways.
Speaking during the event, some of the stakeholders commended Governor Sanwo-Olu’s giant strides in security and governance, particularly in community policing, describing him as a Champion of Community Policing.
