 We're back with Off The Press, Jideh Johnson joins us this morning on the show via Zoom. Jideh, it's good to have you join us. Happy Good Friday. Good morning and happy Good Friday to all our viewers all over the world. And I'm Adam Karim too. And Muslim brothers that are still fasting. It's a pleasure. And sisters that are still fasting. It's a pleasure to be with you on a Good Friday. Then we hope that it's a Good Friday indeed. We start off with nature news. It talks about the environment according to the nomenclature. Stakeholders demand implementation of 2021 Climate Change Act. That's boldly written on the nature news this morning. And that would mean that hey, we need to move away from the emission of the green gas. Africa's growth remains low, needs transition to low carbon. Economies, that's what the World Bank is saying. But what is the implication on our development? Then again you find farmers embrace agroecology, sick support from the federal government. Federal government gives maritime operators 700 million for vessel acquisition. It dominated the papers yesterday. When the government is selling of sunshine stars and sunshine queens. Wow, what exactly is going on? We just move away from the nature news now. Quickly turn our attention to the Guardian Newsweeper. National Stadium of Sheen filled 31 months after $1 million face leaps. It's more like an editorial. You have this picture here of a national stadium as it has been described. Former President Lusigua Basel and José's 2023 polls shameful. Urges next governor to end ethnic division. Labor moves as federal government wants to cash in on 800 million palliatives. Where government is saying we're sending 800 million Naira with board. And we're going to use that to cushion the effect of the removal of subsidy in June. Questions over 12 billion airport fire trucks. I'll take that again. Questions over 12 billion airport fire trucks. An NNPCL heats at 400.8 billion gas pipeline. A mead pushed by Europe. Then just before we move away. Confusion as Liberal Party headquarters with the siege and WC replaces our brothers chairman. I mean so there's a siege and then you can't even see what's going on right there. The next paper we're looking at is the nation. Why Tunibu was elected by US base observer mission. Why Tunibu was elected US base observer mission is quoted to say. Then you move away from that Macron six China's action to end Russia's Ukraine war. Leadership crisis tears. Labor Party are parts. Okay. Former president urges. Sushako Bassenger urges incoming government to begin healing and reconciliation. Pressure on me to go into self exile or be alleges. Wow. Then you find no easy electoral victory again. Buhari tells politician. Mission makers plotting interim government says the defense headquarters. That talk that's been going on for a long time. The daily independent newspaper says Niger more divided now needs national reconciliation. That's according to a former president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Lushegono Bassenger. He says. He's too old to keep quiet over what in the country. Allerges now just leaders spend money like drunken cello. Oh, that's a lot. I'm sure the sailors don't feel attacked. Headsman kill 49 in fresh Benway community attack. That's a saddening one. Tox attack. Labor Party National Secretariat in the FCT. We only recognize our brothers party chairman. So I mean the siege. We don't know if that's connected to the internal wronglings is going on in the party. Military will defend constitution against the entire government. That's what the defense headquarters saying. We will not allow that happen. Cesar reversal of cash policy responsible for increase in kidnapping. So if this was going to, I mean, let's think about it. If the policy was going to help, you know, stop kidnapping. And one of your reducer to bear is minimum because we had witnessed, you know, some sort of quiet up until then. If it was like, you know, the notes again, especially the old no time circulation. Quite worrisome. We have amongst governors who feel to make Senate after elections. I'm not sure the president would be that petty. Then again, you find a kitty guba or your ban G Hill Supreme Court's judgment reaffirming his election. I just to build infrastructure for gas delivery to Europe. These are the headlines you find this morning on the papers. I quickly like to start off with the nature newspaper. I mean, that's what we started off with this morning. Gina Johnson, how do you respond to this? West stakeholders are asking the implementation of 2021 climate change act. And if we look at that, you know, demand, if you look at what they're asking for, it might also have a huge implication on, you know, our environment in terms of our productivity and development as a country. Well, the essence of the climate change is our protection of the environment to protect nature, to ensure that we maintain stability in the ecosystem and so that we can have survival of every living thing that is within the environment. So that's why the advocates of the climate change have advocated that through our choices and through our decisions, we have for that destroyed the ecosystem and there's a need for us to preserve it. And nations over the world, the most strategic decision was the Paris Accord, in which many nations were part and parcel of it, with the exception of the United States, that went from the Paris Accord under Donald Trump regime. So in essence, if you are part and parcel of an international treaty and then you come to investigate it, you should implement the laws that you have passed. The problem with us in Nigeria is that we have a lot of laws that we have passed, we are progressive in our thinking, but it's the implementation of those laws that is usually the problem for us. Everything we talk about is not about the laws, it's about implementation, the way to do what is required based on the standard laws that we have. So as far as I'm concerned, we signed the B into an art in 2021 and here we are in 2023. We have not done anything to that study effect and there are so many, there are so many acts of the parliament that are like that that we have not implemented and it's just us not following through with whatever laws we have passed. That's the reason why we have had problems either politically, economically or socially. I think there's a particular story which we talk about with respect to banditry and kidnapping, demanding money because we are the policy, a policy of cashless policy, new Niranuts, we design the rest of it to deal with the particular issue. However, the implementation of that policy is a critical problem. So we are nations of law but we are also in the immediate contradiction. We are nations of law but we are also in nations that does not observe it at all. So that is just the challenge which we have with respect to this. I also like to ask you what you make of that. Yes, it's okay that we committed ourselves to this act or whatever treaty it is that we signed but when you juxtapose that with our behaviour and how we survive as a country, do you think that it was really valid and rational that we commit ourselves to some sort of agreement when we know that we're still great or not 100% but we're still very dependent on physical fear or dependent on a lot of this destruction of the environment for our own survival and so if we take that out, it's not like we have a lot in place to cater for our needs. You know, to every story, there are two sides to the story. There are advocates and there are pessimists and then there are those that are in the middle. They are neither here nor there. On the issue of climate change, I'm neither here nor there with respect to what the advocates are advocating considering what you have just said. Every nation developed at its own pace. What level of development do we have? In fact, when you are busy talking about climate change, you're not talking about poverty, taking care of poverty. If you look at the amount of money that has been invested globally on campaign on climate change and we are much more concerned about the climate, we are much more concerned about the environment but we are less concerned about poverty. How many people are living below the poverty line globally? So I think that what United Nations and the rest of all the advocates of this climate change should first focus on how to reduce, because it's not possible to eradicate poverty, is to reduce poverty to the barest minimum. So where are you going to, if people don't measure fossil fuel, if they don't make use of natural gases, and in fact, majority of people don't even use natural gases or fossil fuel in Nigeria. They use charcoal and dead logs of trees to cook their meals. So this all does not have access to all of your renewable energy, renewable energy. What is it going to use to survive soon? As far as I'm concerned, some of this campaign are just meant for when getting global attention and then give a wish to direct funding so that some people, some international civil servants can have access to some certain funds that people can use to pursue the campaign on their beliefs and their value system for some time. I think I was reading one story, I think yesterday or the day before yesterday, when someone was saying that, when someone pointed out that they thought that all these codes which I remember, whether Greenwich or something like that, they thought that the carbon dioxide emission, the Greenwich area to be out, but it's become code also. You have seen contrary divergent data and statistics from the advocates and those that are anti-climbing campaign. So as far as I'm concerned, the major concern for us in Africa is poverty, eradicating poverty, building better infrastructure, providing opportunity for our team that are out and about. We're talking about climate change, the climate changes, the climate of opportunities that are available to them. But Jina Joshi, you can also allude to the fact that we're complying. There's a lot of compliance. For instance, if you live in Cross River State or you go to Cross River State, there's a lot of preservation of the green environment trees and there are too many policies protecting the environment. Now at the detriment of having what you call them now, you have companies, you have industries because you constantly have to protect the environment, protect the climate. And we're not even contributing up to 10%, less than 3% of carbon emission. So every other time I ask, should Africa or Nigeria be concerned about this? Yes, we understand that it's a global concern, but should we be taking our necks in this conversation? The major development economy and the emerging global power, China, India and Brazil, what's the level of their compliance with this? Sometimes I just think that international civil servants just gathered to look for one fancy idea and they play on that idea to distract our attention from real issues. What are the real issues? The real issues are the poverty level we have globally, the disparity between the North and the South. When I talk about the North and the South in the global landscape, you are talking about the division between the developed country and the developing countries. So the disparity, the lack of opportunities for children of the South and more opportunities for children of the North and then you also see that we have also seen a very serious immigration policy preventing movement of people, it's true legal means across the globe. So if you are much more interested in climate change, I have no problem with that. You should also be much more interested in changing the human experience. That's my concern. For example, if you localize it, if you look at the amount of money they spend on planting a tree, watering a tree and then you look at the amount of money the government spends on providing healthcare, you begin to wonder for me, I think sometimes some of these ideas are just opportunities for people to spend in their global funds or local funds and the rest of it. I might be wrong. Look at the energy with which we were first of all planted trees. How many government that came? I'm just using this as an example because you give me, first of all, made in planting trees. And then after a first of all administration, which administration has made investment in pursuing the Green Revolution in Lagos State for instance, some of these trees that were planted, you just see, every time you go, you see people bringing out cutlass and cutting them off, macheting them off, cutting off these trees, some of the trees that are planted. So there is no consistency with respect to this climate change movement. One, then two, my own major concern is that if you spend money on climate change, you should also spend money on changing the human experience. That's my thing. There's a lot of funds that goes on climate change. If you see the funding that goes on it, if you see the amount of money, if you see when they gather to come, we've had too many conferences, so many conferences have been, and people that have advocated, like our goal, like our goal, like the gates and the rest of them, they fly private jets, they fly private jets to their conferences and even the CO2 emissions from their private jets are much more than what you see. There's a lot of hypocrisy when it comes to this campaign. That's just my thing. There's a lot of hypocrisy when it comes to this. Let's then turn our attention to the Guardian newspaper. The National Stadium of Shame filled 31 months after a $1 million face-leaved. This is the National Stadium, it's really right there in Lagos. I mean, is this the stadium that was commissioned by General Jacobo Gowan in 1972? Of course, in 1973, we had the African Games where we actually won and what have you, and then it's the same stadium that we're describing as that of shame and feelth. How do you feel about this? GD Johnson, can you hear me? Well, unfortunately, we haven't disconnected. I'm hoping that we have GD Johnson connect with us in no time. I can't wait to share his thoughts on this particular headline on the Guardian newspaper that talks about the National Stadium in Surileri. Then in Lagos, if you look at the glory and everything that has happened, what could have been responsible for such description? What could have really happened? What we had then and what we're having now and if you look at it, is it something to write home about? GD Johnson, do we still have you on the line? We just take a pause now. When we return, we hope to connect with GD Johnson. Please stay with us. GD Johnson, thank you once again for reconnecting. Unfortunately, we got disconnected due to network issues, right? We hope that we get it better every other time. But just before that time out, I mean, I was asking what your thoughts are. The same stadium, the National Stadium in Surileri, that's in Lagos that was commissioned by the general then, his regime in 1972, the same stadium that we had fantastic games, African games, and then of course we were topping the chart. This same stadium that was described like the Mecca in Africa and what have you, is the same stadium that we are saying is filthy, is a shameful one, especially after those one million dollars are located for his facelift. What are your thoughts? How does this even make you feel? Let's see, I grew up in Surileri, boy. I was born in Surileri and then I watched so many games live in that stadium. I was in that stadium when Oparachi died. I witnessed it live in them. I had memories, found memories of that stadium and I know the power and the impact that sports can make and the differences can make in the life of the youth. Just imagine if there's no basketball, if there's no American football, if there's no music, or up to millions of American, African-Americans and government, successive governments in 1999 have not been any investment in sport, any, imagine if there's no Premier League in, look at the opportunities Premier League is providing to children of immigrants from Africa in England and across the globe and government does not even know the power of sport and they just believe service to it. It's unfortunate, I was in that stadium, I think sometime December 26 to be precise and I was whipping because I knew how we used to define memories of that stadium and then you begin to wonder who people just opened their eyes and then they watch national asset getting wrote like that. It's just like the federal secretary are twin equally. You know the building is still there, you have to do it for years it will be there and just like the national, I don't know why we need to build another national stadium in Abuja when we have one in Lagos and where states countries usually exploit the strength of their nation, we are the opportunities. So if you could have the NDA in Cardina, you could have other government stations in Cardina. Why should NFF go to Abuja? Why should the sporting ministry be in Lagos, Podacort or Ibatno, these are and that's why you've seen that we have failed when it comes to sports and sports, and I mean sports is a major employer of youths, is a major, major, major, major employer of youths and because you have neglected that area just like you have neglected the facility in the process you have destroyed the opportunity for millions of Nigerians in getting in breaking through the poverty line. A lot of younger Nigerians have taken their family, their extended family out of the poverty line through sports but what do we know? You know some people build Lagos, some people build Nigeria, some people build Akwaibon like they claim you can't build this society, we don't provide opportunities for the younger generation and sport is one of the major, major employers of people. Thank God for music and entertainment, just imagine take music and entertainment away from Nigeria look at what music and entertainment has done. And that's why governments should invest in this thing because a lot of teenagers that are roaming the street, they can go and burn their energy those that are fighting on the street will channel that energy into boxing or wrestling, into physical combat sport. These are things which are done. Imagine without boxing where do you think my my boxing will have ended? Without boxing where do you think, where do you think Flormie will have ended? Probably they will have been in prison, even with that with them engaging in sport, they found themselves in prison when we did that but at least he was able to make them to escape poverty but what do we know, we don't know anything, we don't know we don't know anything at all it's a shame and then you build a national stadium in Abuja, have you ever been to the national stadium in Abuja? That's another colossal waste where the stadium is built, it's not easily accessible, it's not in residential area and it's at the gate of Abuja town and there's no public transport system that would take you from Abuja from the main city to the stadium. So if you go up and watch games there, you become stranded so why would you go up and watch a game and become stranded and you get back to take you back home? So I think we take those tests forward and then we take 100 steps back home but when people want to be economic with the truth when they want to help themselves, they come up with one idea or the other and then they implement those policies, policies that you know is not going to work in the long run and you can associate the failure of our national team with the movement of our team to Abuja, with the movement of the national stadium and neglect of sport in the last, what has happened to our teams, previous teams, under age group teams and the rest of it, they are almost dead, they are not relying on important foreigners to come and play for us it's unfortunate messing. I like to ask you on the daily trust, that's a headline that talks about former president Olu Shagu who says Nigeria is more divided than it is now and you need some reconciliation, national reconciliation I mean why has this, why is that the case? Why are we more, yeah the daily independent newspaper I beg your pardon this has become a very popular statement in our it feels like it's going to become part of our lexicon because every other time we've had, especially after the elections we have never been divided than we are, prior to this time Nigeria is more divided than we were before why is that the case? Well there's one thing we can't take away from the military is about the unity of the country they have a way of uniting the unity of the country and there's one thing we can't take away from the political class is the ability to appeal to our fault lines in order to seek and win control of government we check the voting pattern the voting pattern of 1999 to date the south has always voted one way not as always voted the other way and if you want to see the classic division, the classic division started in 2003 and then in 2007 there was no election as a lot of people have agreed on to that effect and then 2011 we discovered that from 2011 the first election between Bawari and Jonathan Nigeria was divided to just look at the map all you just need to use color coding for those that have voted for Bawari and those that have voted for Jonathan they began to see that pattern that pattern of division and then by 2015 you also see that pattern of division of the voting pattern where Bawari won and where Tiku won color coding for the state in Nigeria you see this this imagined pattern so it's not a surprise when people are talking about this because politicians they appeal to our sentiments because they don't have any policies their campaigns are not easy based if it's not my turn if some people want to come and take over our state if it's not they don't want to come and take over our state you break it down you go to for example you go to a state like a state like like when we state it where you have three major ethnic groups and some other ethnic groups it's only one or three groups it is the TV that has still been been governor of that state they keep recycling themselves there's no involvement of other tribes like the Dumas and the Gibeis in in Kadina for example when Rufai tried Muslim Muslim ticket for the first time in Kadina it usually comes from the southern Kadina and it comes from the majority of the southern Kadina but Rufai picked a a minority a minority, a southern minority of the same fate with him and so when people talk about that division who should we blame I stumbled on one of Abacha's one of Abacha's speeches when he was starting his transition program everything he said about the political class everything you think that Abacha is a saint everything he said with them appealing to ethnicity with them appealing to religious divide and everything Abacha said you think that Abacha is a saint you'll be shocked I was taken aback that indeed it's unfortunate that Abacha can't wake up from the dead to come and shake hands on the side of the story because everything he accused the political class of doing then is what they are doing now so the major reasons why Babangidap banned the presidential candidate in 1991 all of the reasons he accused in his national broadcast so they are nothing new they are nothing new because Nigerian politicians they don't have any programs they don't have any issues they don't have any ideology tell me the ideology of the political parties any of the political parties there's no ideology tell me any of the gladiators in the political space that has not moved from one party to another party tell me there's none so the the essence of seeking public offices is not based on ideology it is based on fulfilling personal ambition it is based some lifelong ambition it is based on adding to their CV as far as some of them are concerned but it's based on the return of our region to produce what to produce what for what we hear about people they make investment in the lives of people what's that it is what it is let me use the common as I said Babu said that's very common with the JNZ people well that's why I said it is what it is GD Johnson thank you so much it's always a great time to have you on the show share your thoughts on national issues wish you a good Friday and have yourself a happy holiday thank god it's Friday but this is a somber Friday we just eat something bitter and then in memory of the death of Lord Jesus Christ thank you very much the pleasure to be with you once again keep up the smile even in the face of the major issues we have in the country we keep smiling we hope for the best thank you so much we have organized the press for the week it's the final for the week we will return Monday with more interesting headlines we will have in-depth analysis we will take a break today is the international world health day we will talk about the concerns health challenges in the sector here please stay with us