 The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has adopted a new strategy for enforcement of road traffic laws to ensure safety of its road users in Lagos State. We'll look at this new strategy and analyze its effects on the people on the programme this morning. Also on the breakfast, darkness eminence as electricity workers consider a nationwide industrial action to press home their demands from government. We're also going through the biggest stories on the front pages of today's national dailies and analyzing those bigger stories. We're back with a breakfast and plus TV Africa. It's a beautiful Wednesday morning reaching your life from our students right here on Victoria Island Lagos. My name is Kofi Bartel. And I am Messi Ibupo. It's good to have you join us this beautiful morning. All right and of course interesting conversations lined up Messi. You know 24 hours is a long time when it comes to this country, especially the policy and current affairs. A lot can happen in 24 hours. A lot can happen. We have a very bumper package for listeners this morning, viewers this morning and of course you have to just grab maybe a cup of coffee or tea or something while you're getting set for a day, sit back, relax and enjoy the programme. We always usually start off with a top training segment and this one is quite bizarre. I haven't seen anything like this, Messi. For a while it's for a country that is not a pariah nation, for a country that doesn't have any international sanctions on it. You remember the days of Sani Abacha, where Nigeria was sort of a pariah nation and then some countries said no we can't come to our country because we are against democracy. I remember when Muammar Gaddafi was leader of Libya, you know he had a travel ban of some sorts. He couldn't travel to some countries and he couldn't even fly. They imposed a no-fly restriction on him so when Gaddafi had to move to places like Nigeria, the parts of Africa, he went by road. Gaddafi drove all the way from Libya to Abuja. Well this is bizarre because it concerns a country Nigeria which is a sovereign nation. Democracy has no international sanctions or travel restrictions whatsoever and so we were happy because it's affected the president. But this is the information, the Qatari government information popped up that they denied President Buhari a visa and told him to reapply. That was what we had. They denied President Buhari a visa permit to visit Qatar, which is the host of the forthcoming World Cup in 2022 and this is one headline I saw. Buhari's request to visit Doha rejected Qatar leader as president to reapply in 2023. Now that medium, I tacked the fake news medium. So I don't go to their page for anything. So we had to do a search and then we realized that what happened was that this is a diplomacy. When a foreign leader is visiting another country, he's not just going there because he just feels like visiting. There should be some sort of back and forth negotiation because it's a big deal. It's a big deal for a foreign leader to visit. It has to be protocol. Even the host must be willing and ready. And then they go through it. So what the Qatari government did was they requested for a change of dates for the planned visit of President Mohammed Buhari to the country in September. They requested a change of date. Now according to a note dated August 19 from the embassy, the embassy of Qatar and Abuja to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the dates of the post visits are not of visitation rather. The dates are not suitable. These are the words of that note. The note established that Nigeria had communicated in writing that President Buhari accepted he was invited. That's why I said you don't visit. You don't go to a president who just said he wants to go for a vacation. But if it's an official visit, there will be sort of an invitation or we're having something come. So the note written to the presidency of the president, the Nigerian government, communicating writing said that President Buhari had, quote, accepted to visit Qatar on 11th to 12th September 2022 on invitation of his hideous Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, a mayor of the state of Qatar. And this Sheikh is very pro-African. He's been, in fact, he is trying his best to end their Qatar to the world. So it would even be a shock to hear that they said, oh, go and reply next time. That's why sometimes you wonder why some of these news sites serially will share fake news. So this is what happened. They instructed the federal government to propose a new date. So please propose a new date for the visit, preferably during the first quarter of 2023. And I want to read some lines from that note so that we understand the context. The context is very important in every story. It says, quote, the embassy of the state of Qatar in Abuja presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Regions Department and with reference to the latter's note, it states the reference number dated 12th of August 2022, informing his Excellency Muhammad Abuwari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has accepted, informing that, rather his Excellency has accepted, to visit Qatar on 11th to 12th September 2022 on the invitation of his hideous and state his name. Now it goes on to say, the proposed dates for the visit are not suitable and kindly request the Nigerian side to propose other dates for the visit during the first quarter of 2023. The embassy of the state of Qatar veils itself out of this opportunity to renew the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria's assurance of its highest consideration of the state of mad. So they invited him, it seems, and then he accepted and said, okay, please change the date. So what the cable, which is a medium I trust, you know, what the cable said is they understand that the rejection of the plan visit is due to the country's preparation for the 2022 World Cup. So they don't want to have too much to do. They want to come after the World Cup so they can focus on his visit. Well, so like you rightly stated, bizarre would be the word, because if you look at the World Cup, the World Cup is billed to start in November and through, you know, December and asking that the President reapply in, you know... Didn't ask him to reapply, let's say, yeah. Okay, so that's actually the report. That is the point you're trying to make. Of course, the point you're trying to make. However, it was said that he should actually choose... The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should propose a new date. A new date. And for them, they've also said that, like you have rightly mentioned, that it will be too much, you know, on the plate to have to grapple with the World Cup and what have you, but that hasn't really... You know, when we said this conversation, you said that a lot of people were excited about, oh, the fact that he's the President, but that's not the thought. If you... We're excited at all. Qatar rejected his application to... No, no, no. It's not because I follow the... I follow the conversation. Some people think that this is embarrassing and totally not acceptable, you know, that the Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President... Don't forget that Nigerians always win any side, but, you know, it feels like you can attack Nigerians in Nigeria, but outsiders are not expected to attack Nigeria. And this has actually not sat down very well. We love Nigerians. They're not really happy. I followed the conversation all through and some people are saying, no, this is totally unacceptable, because we're expected... I mean, there should be some diplomacy, diplomatic visa. The President shouldn't be under any kind of restriction, especially in a democratic, you know, process or system where there's been no restriction or ban. What's the reason? And if you look at it really, you ask yourself, when is the World Cup supposed to start? We're looking at November through December. Really, if the President is supposed to visit between September... I mean, what's the big deal, right? We have September, we have October. So why are we making, you know, a big fuse about this? I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I'm still trying to understand it, because I, like you rightly stated, it feels very strange and, you know, the information are really not out there. But it's all right. That's what it is. But we have to move away for the want of time. We have more interesting conversations. Yes, indeed. You know, it's a mixed part as usual. You know, you never have one train of reactions in the country. But I think it's important, one point we're making is that they didn't ask the President to reapply. He didn't apply. So you can't reapply for what you didn't apply for. And they didn't reject his request to visit Doha, the Qatari capital. He didn't request to visit. He was invited. So you're asking that he should suggest another date? But yes. Is this a change in schedule? So perverse of fake news should not... I don't need perverse, you know, fake news to stop Nigerians should actually know those who are masters in the craft of... I use craft, but I don't use the one that comes before the craft, who are masters in the craft of spewing fake news in a bit to bring this... I mean, what is the purpose of... So he should choose another date. I mean... Yeah. So what is the purpose of a medium that is verified on Twitter as a news medium in Nigeria constantly and consistently pushing fake news? You know, that's why I said it by saying I don't regard this medium, who said why request to visit Doha rejected Qatari leader as a presentry apply. And if you go under their tweet, you have somebody who put up something, you know, someone says, Kai, you fit open factory with your headline manufacturing capabilities. You know, it's clear that that was just intentionally put out fake news. No, no, but however... Another one is saying that, okay, I have to give you a five star rating for your fake news capabilities. You know, so what is it? No, but let's even stay with the content, like you always say, and content and context of this particular situation. However, you know, the government has actually asked that there be another date. The government choose another date, you know, for to honor the invitation, because it was not like, I mean, he actually applied to, he was invited. And over time, also remember that you have the monarch who's also visited Nigeria just in recent times, has been hosted right here in Nigeria. The president has hosted him, you know, over time. But the issue surrounding is the fact that, oh, he can't come at a certain time. What exactly is the reason? I mean, choosing another date, what exactly is going on in Doha that the president of the further Republic of Nigeria, the most populous, you know, Black nation cannot greatest nation. I mean, you're talking about number one, powerful nation when you talk about Africa and the continent. But that's what it is. But I understand... You asked an important question. And you say, in the international policy, this is normal. You know, it is not announced... Sorry, can I just point... Why do you say it's normal? Because the reason is that... Can I speak to what you said? This is normal, because it's not... He's not announced to Nigerians that that is visiting Dukata. It's no issue here. And like I said, Nigerians should not appeal to those who spread fake news to stop fake news. They should actually reject those who spread fake news, like this news medium. Nigerians should reject them. I never use them. In all my editorial meetings, I always would reject stories from... Because they are consistently spreading fake news, consistent. I've flagged them. However, there's something called diplomatic back channels. All this is still on the level of back channels. This is just a note that filtered through to a news organization. And that news organization put it up. But these are back channels. Okay, so this is it. Merci. I call you up. I say, Merci, how far? I come home. So you say, okay, oh, you say, coffee, come. Come and eat at Pankoko. All right. And then maybe you invite me and Marianne, because we're both from Calabar. And then on a day through the day, so please, something came up and you have an emergency. You want to do that day. So can we change the dates to another day? It's okay. We say, let's come the following weekend. So fine. And then it's not coming. Say, ah, we called you. We want to visit you. You said, no, we can't come. We should call you later and see if you change your mind. That's, that's... No, no, no, no. But, but, but you understand, no, no, to be very honest, like you have rightly mentioned, I mean, I understand the dynamics of saying that, you know, news media might be fake, but that's not it. Well, even looking at the content, you know, the, the, the exes... It's normal. It's normal. I mean, you know, because a lot of people... It's on the level of diplomatic back channels. No, we honest... Right now, I mean, if you say... You know how many, you know how many visits are canceled in, in, in, you know, in international... How many, how many visits have been canceled that it's not in front? Excuse me, do you have any presidents plan to visit places and then they say, oh, sorry, we changed their mind? But would you blame, I mean, it's not easy. It's not a matter of changing your mind. It's not a thing. So, um, Kofi, I understand what you're trying to say, but you also need to look at the reason that has been given or whatever it is, right? Or whether it's a suggestion or whether or not it's not true. And don't forget that there's no, you know, you can't talk about the sun, you know, no smoke without fire. Not to even, you know, tilt towards that other aspect. But we're saying that if you, if you look at it, I mean, what, what could he be? What exactly could he be? With all of the excuses that we put out? Not the one is tilting to that dimension, but one is also querying the consent. Now come on. This is the president of a country, black populist nation, very powerful. That's what we're saying. What is, what is difficult to understand that the Qataris have said that we need to want to focus on the workup, which is just a couple of weeks after the couple of weeks, really. The president is the president. We're looking at the president. No, not so. Is it hard to understand that it's not a matter of fact that we're having to understand that story? Is it hard to understand that they just want to focus on? So they don't seem well. We understand that they want to focus on it. If the president was billed to visit Doher between the 11th of September and the 12th of September, and if the excuse why another date should be picked for this visit or honor the invitation that was given should be, you know, sometime in 2023 so that we can actually focus. And everyone is saying the concern is, oh, if you look at it, the president is going to stay 11 and 12. I mean, he's already specific. How many days? What exactly is the president going to be doing when he gets the Qatar? Is it that he's going to be everywhere? Is he going to stop, you know, the administration and processes? I understand diplomacy and diplomatic, you know, strategy and all of the activities that have to go on. But, you know, that's the question. The event is billed to start in November. And in December, that's when the walk-up will start. So what exactly, how many persons in one is Buhari who will destroy? Let's move away, Kofi. You know, we don't have time. We need to move on to other issues. Another one on the phone, is that the Nigerian forces, they've been accused according to the indigenous people of Biafra. That's iPops saying that Nigerian security forces are using e-bowmen as spokespersons for their propaganda. And that's because you have, if you look at security, for instance, now they said that the Nigerian army, that's the Nigerian police and the Department of State Services, are using relations officer, that's a PR because these persons are from this region, are using them as tools to ridical Nigerians of e-bow extraction. Really, you know, I'm still wrapping my mind about. I mean, my mind around all of these issues. Really, but that's the thought. And if we constantly talk about the issue of marginalization, this is me now bringing this to the fore, constantly. So you have several regions who are saying that we're not being tagged along. We're not carried out. We're not carried along in, you know, several activities. For instance, the e-bows have not produced a president and what have you, but you still have, you know, the e-bows as PR in holding very critical positions, spokespersons for different security, you know, architecture. I'm just wondering, is it that, can we really have enough? What is it really enough? Can anything even be enough? It should also just be a problem. So you are spokespersons, you're from, let's even say that you're from one of the... It's a long one. Okay, so that's your choice. Well, so you're from Michelangua. And then all of a sudden they're saying that, you know, because you are the PR for the pleas of all the Nigerian Army or the DSS and one of you, then you are now the tool for propaganda. I'm just saying, can humans be satisfied? Can we ever get to a point where we say, hey, this is what it is? So I'm just taking it back and I'm wondering what exactly, you know, the issue here is, because we're saying people are not marginalized. And then you have sub-persons occupying this position. And then we're saying, oh, they're being used as a tool, kind of tool again. So the information is that the three agencies stated by Ima Pafu, of course, that's not his name. You know, so the three agencies stated by Ima Pafu, the spokesman of the independent people of Biafra Group, I think that's the student name. He mentioned the public relations outside of Spokesman person for the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Oyema Wachiku, former police spokesman Frank Mba, and DSS mouthpiece Dr. Afu Naya as the instances. You know, but interesting to me is the fact that Frank Mba is no longer the spokesman of the police. So why is he being mentioned? And these individuals where they, I mean, you know, some things are not necessary to, is it that Ima Pafu has run out of what to say? You know, because, I mean, people are working in organizations, they give appointments. Did they put a gun to their head, you know, to force them to accept the positions? No. Did they force them? No. Did they have a choice to say, I want to leave this organization? Yes. You know, and I think that it's high time the group, you know, through Spokesman, really looks at the very important and salient issues that need to be addressed. And, you know, things like this make a mockery of the whole idea of agitating for self-actualization, which is a very important concept and idea. You know, you look at the salient issues of self-actualization, the salient issues of marginalization, and the issues surrounding marginalization of peoples from the Southeast in Nigeria. They're very important critical components of this, this marginalization that need to be highlighted from time to time, you know, and it begins to water down the importance of such a critical issue of self-actualization, which is guaranteed by most of the international, all the international conventions that Nigeria has signed up to guarantee at least some aspects of it would support, you know, the conventions that have to do with human rights, you know, rights of people would support in a way, you know, self-actualization. For crying out loud, Nigeria itself as a nation is built on self-actualization, the independence of the country in 1960. So, it's a right which they are allowed to agitate for. However, this particular matter, you know, it's not as important as the main, the meat, you know, who is being a spokesperson for, you know, let's see the organization get to the, and stick to the main issues, which they've been doing in the past, which they've been doing in the past. You know, for this one, I think it's another, you know, the people who want to, who want to work, you know, and they are doing a job, don't, don't, don't spoil the opportunities to be opponent positions, because, okay, well, we don't want to remove them, you know, they've been able to rise through the ranks through distinguished career and from combating into a bad job, you understand, Iyema Wajiku is doing his job, it's, you know, okay, good job, you know, and the fine gentleman, so why spoil their chance of, of survival, you know, yeah, we have to move to the next story. So, yeah, merci. All right, so we have the next one here, a trailer falling on, on the Legacy Butter Express way, worsening traffic, and that, that is not news, because it happens from time, I think the last one happened about maybe a week or so ago, where a trailer fell, it's normal, it happens there, you know, it just, it's almost like the, the plan to, well, let me just leave the analysis for you, I'll comment later, but the trailer fell on the Legacy Butter Express way, and that worsened the recent traffic situation on the road, it was about Tuesday morning, it tumbled on the Kara Bridge, this Kara Bridge is also a flag, people have flagged that area. Now, we hear a team of the FRS, that's Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps, was already at the scene yesterday to solve this situation, and at the time the report was filed, the traffic on the road from Berger, the Berger point for those who know Lagos, it was a point of concern, and it's been an issue over the past few weeks, with the construction going on on the road, and the Federal Controller works in Lagos State, Madame, I've forgotten the name now, already, particular U-turn to be blocked, that was the issue, and it cost, she said it was going to help, yes, she said it was going to help the smooth flow of traffic, but, two Fridays ago it was hell. Yeah, I mean, I was going to say that, when I saw the report on the news, first thing that came to my mind was the fact that the government had acknowledged, you know, the suffering of road users, especially with the construction that's ongoing, and the fact that, you know, they were going to suspend work on that particular road to ensure that peasants actually have free flow of movement, and what a view to their different, you know, location. But it's a real offer, because I mean, that's a commitment, government saying, we understand we have seen the challenges of what's going on, and so we're going to try. We also have reports of peasants who have lost their lives on that particular road, because of the whole traffic that's going on, and all the situations stampeding, what a view people being in traffic. I even saw that some people earned a job, there's any leaving where people have to take people on their backs, like camels and horses. It's interesting, you know, in Pahaka, they were pushing people on wheelbarrows. No, it's not wheelbarrows, no, you have to. Yes, so we came built a new flower by the place called Mokoro, and it was completely refused to, to, he hadn't, sorry, commissioned it, so for some weeks or months, it was there, and so people were not allowed cars and not allowed to use it, so you have to drop your one edge, and you have to trek, people were tired, they were pushing them in wheelbarrows. No, no, this one, people have to take them, take them, you know, take them on the back, like back them and cross from one point to the other, and some persons were making and leaving, earning and leaving, like horses and camels, because this is what horses and camels actually do, but we see that right in our space. Let the government, if the government has actually made a commitment to ensuring that road users do not suffer, then let them keep to, you know, the commitment. It's a lot, I mean, sometimes ask myself, if you see some of these heavy duty vehicles plying our ways, some of them are transporting different products, sensitive products, and I ask myself, don't we have other means of transporting this product? For instance, let's even say you find, you know, the heavy duty vehicles carrying petrol, carrying whatever, plying the roads, because the road, first of all, it's not even motorable for, you know, vehicles that are not heavy duty to ply, and then you now have heavy duty. What happens to having pipelines where, you know, all of these products can actually pass through without necessarily going through our roads? It's a lot. You know, you wonder what would cause a vehicle just to tumble like that. You already know. We have up the press, after press up next, of course, lawyer, Tunde Kolaola is standing by to give us expert analysis, we'll be right back after this break.