 As Nigeria approaches its next-general elections, what are the chances of a third force taking the reins of power? Presidential Candidate of the AAC, Amoyole Shawara, joins us on the breakfast this morning to discuss this. Well, also on the breakfast, Nigeria's federal government has urged ECOS to support national security sector reform processes within the region. What does this mean? We have a discussion on this ahead. Plus, we also have in-depth analysis of some of today's new super headlines. We call it after-press, right here on the breakfast. We're back with the breakfast and plus, TV advocates are very interesting. It's a rainy morning, Wednesday morning, right here on Victoria Lingus. But we are here to ensure that we keep you warm with all the interesting, juicy conversations. Of course, we have our coffee here. And I think we're set to go on with the program. You're welcome. My name is Kofi Bartel. My name is Messi Ebupo. It's good to have you join us. As always, we set off the top 20 conversation with some of the conversations or discussions if you like to say, that's having several engagement. And one of them is that the federal government is set to ban one more. I really cannot help but laugh. That's to growth economy. So, I mean, from the very first time I saw that particular story or the headline, I have not ceased to laugh because I understand what Pomo means to Nigerians. It's very critical. Especially not just Nigerians, but those in Southwest, those in Southwest. I have brothers and sisters who are from the Yoruba-speaking part of the country, you know, most can do without Pomo. It's a delicacy. And I've grown to like it because my in-laws are from the Southwest and part of the country and having been in Lagos, I've always, you know, had really, how many minutes, how many months is that? Yeah, I've gotten to understand it's a thing and I really enjoyed it, enjoyed it, you know, but mostly over to you. Well, so the federal government says it's proposing a legislation to ban the consumption of animal skin locally known as Pomo in the country just to revive the industry. We're talking about the sector that makes leather, you know, leather bags, sandals, what have you. The lease is almost endless. And so Yakubu, who's the director general of the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology in Zarya, said that the litigation was necessary to revive the comatose leather industry in the country. He said the habit of eating animal skin, which has no nutritional value and I agree with him, should be stopped to save the industry and boost the nation's economy. The director general added that the Institute in collaboration with stakeholders in the industry would approach the National Assembly and the state's government to bring out legislation banning Pomo consumption and to the best of his knowledge, he said Nigerians are the only people in the world that actually overvalued. The one is not even valuable overvalued skin as food. After all, Pomo has no nutritional value and trust me, it doesn't have anything. It's like you're just eating whatever it is. The consumption of animal skin is partly responsible for the present comatose state of the skin industry in Nigeria. And also he said the current national leather policy had addressed some fundamental problems of the sector. However, it's been said, I mean, the reason for all of this is that because we're eating too much Pomo in Nigeria, that's why, you know, the leather industry is not functional. But it's quite worrisome. So yesterday I saw a lot of comments. So people say, stop it. Government, stop it. Because you go, people will say they want to eat Pomo. I'm like, Pomo has nothing to offer you, really. What is it? Mercy, I don't know if you've had breakfast this morning, apart from the little cup of coffee in front of us. I will take the coffee. But these pictures that our producers are beaming on the screen right now are not doing anything to help me in my appetite this morning. And I just don't know, I'm salivating as I'm looking at what's on the screen. But I mean, how many terms have we had? Maybe in school, probably growing up in secondary school, or even in university, that Pomo has no nutritional value. I'm sure in secondary school you may have had it in home economics class or some other class that Pomo or what we call cow hide has no nutritional value. Do people care? I mean, I've been having a ball on social media, looking at the comments. Of course, trust our youngsters to jump on this and make a joke of it. Someone took a selfie and put it on Twitter and said, me, he was looking sad, and said, me, explaining why it's Pomo after it was banned. Another person said, you know what? I'm going to go to the restaurant and just buy only Pomo and eat. And they just took the picture of very long Pomo. They put it on social media and it had a long laugh. Someone saying, no nutritional value, na buhari de chopam, but waiting for center with Pomo. They said, leave our Pomo for us, you know. And I'm sure that some people, if you're not careful, start the hashtag justice for Pomo very soon. Now you're serious. But I'm sure we can understand the angle the federal government is coming from. You look at the fact that Nigeria over the past, pre-independence and early post-independence era had a thriving leather industry. I mean, we can talk about the tannery is coming from the northern part of the country. There's a country that has, even when we're fighting, we have communal clashes, inter-communal clashes into tribal ethnic clashes in the country. Thousands of people are being dispersed because of head of farmer clashes. Hundreds of lives have been lost because of head of farmer clashes and cattle rustling attacks by some elements in the Fulani tribe. We have cows everywhere. So it's a surprise to people who watch and who are concerned about these things that Nigeria's economy is not really making much from leather. The leather on your feet, I'm sure, Messi, if you were to be asked to check, you would maybe find out that it was imported from somewhere. If it's Italian leather, now we have a lot of Chinese products coming into the country. What about Nigerian leather? This was something we had just like textile industries that have gone south. The leather industry in Nigeria has also gone south. So what the government is trying to do is to revive, according to what they say, revive the industry, the leather industry in the country. Apart from that, we can also look at the fact that there's no nutritional value. And some people have said it's even dangerous to health. That's just some conversation where we're talking about Nigerians avoiding smoked products like suya. And some people can't do without the suya. But hey, suya is not just a smoked product, it's a barbecue. And people eat barbecue stuff all over the world. So I do not know if that is factual. But you look at the hygiene, the hygiene, under which or conditions of hygiene, under which this komoi is manufactured and made. Messi did an investigative piece some years ago to try and see where some butchers in the part of Fort Hakot called Rumo Si were roasting the skin of the goats and the cows they got. If you go to many a slaughter, we call abattoirs in this part of the world slaughter, slaughterhouses, you realize they use some very unhygienic or unhealthy methods to roast this thing, this animal skin. I saw some of the abattoir operators, those who, the butchers are gonna call it that, they were using tires, used tires. Messi, old tires, imagine, would you like to, would you like to eat it for more that was smoked or roasted with used tire? No, no. Okay, so let's come back to the conversation. We understand that there's a need because in this entire conversation, the government is saying that we need to revive the tanneries, the leather industry in Nigeria. Now that's important. That's very, very important, especially when we're grappling with the issue of revenue and what we're generating, you know, to solve our problems. So we're eating our future. No, we're not eating any future here, Kofi, because I mean, I actually had to dig out and looking at some of the problem 2014, you find out that stakeholders have always complained and some of the issues that complained about is the fact that they were waiting for policies that would enable the industry thrive, not just that particular industry but the manufacturing industry. And some of the concerns that this, you know, stakeholders raised were issues of, you know, power, they talked about constant power supply. They also mentioned the issue of having amongst all the power supply, they talked about, let's even get to a point where we have, because the issue of having the raw material, major raw material is not a problem. In the north or nothing part of the country, you have, you know, production, but that's not the case. Do we have investors? They said it was a problem with local and foreign investors and so it was important that there might just be policies to encourage local and foreign investors. They also talked about chemicals. It wasn't even it because at the time, the nothing part of the country. I think that, you know, according to the report from 2014, this sector has actually thrived without government effort. I mean, it's one industry that hasn't gone moribund despite all of the challenges it's faced with because they are thriving. And so they were saying that if government would be very lenient with her policy, that would favor this particular sector and the manufacturing sector, it would be a plus. So the argument has been about power, ensuring that the infrastructures, friendly environment, ensuring that you have foreign and local investors investing in the sector. So I understand that we need to revive this sector, but the concern about banning permanently for consumption. Nigerians really love this. Well, I mean, probably policy or no policy. I think Muhammad Yaqubo is a DJ of the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology in Zaria. He is saying that the consumption of animal skin is partly responsible for the present comatose state. I'm quoting him now of Tanri's in Nigeria, you understand? So Nigeria has a policy. We have what we call national leather policy. Of course. And he's saying that the national leather policy has gone away to addressing some of the problems in the sector. However, some fundamental problems still exist, one of which is just eating. Oh, well. I don't think that. I think from what he's saying, if we do not get people to stop eating this product, it will be hard to find it in the country. That's what he's saying. He's saying, if we get at Tanri's to work, our footwear and leather production working well, people will hardly get Pomo to buy and to eat. He also says, when implemented, fully return around most of the comatose Tanri's and bring out greater production. So if it works, the national leather policy, that's fine. Government will not go around stopping people from buying Pomo or eating Pomo. I do not know how feasible it will be to go to the markets and chase the Pomo sellers away, you understand? But no, it's that when we say that there should be a ban that people should not consume it because so we can actually pay attention. He also said, and I think that also dovetails into what he said, that if the national leather policy works properly, that you would have less Pomo on the market for people to buy. So I think it's a case of the chicken and the air go came first. Will the ban of Pomo in the Nigerian markets will it improve the lot of Tanri's in the country? Or will the proper implementation and implementation of this national leather policy cause there to be a scarcity of Pomo? That's what I am going to express. In other ways, we're supposed to move on now. We will definitely move on. But it feels like the thoughts of the federal government because you have a representative speaking on behalf of the government is that because people are consuming Pomo, that's why we don't have. The issue has not been with the major. The issue has never been with the major resource. It has not been with the resource because even without government policies favoring this particular sector, they have been on top of their game. That's number one. And apart from the fact that you also have importation from neighboring countries, within the Sahara region, we'll talk about West Africa now. It hasn't been it. And there's also another importation of almost ready-made leather skin. So the material. When it's a leather skin, you have to be clear. Which one is it? The one we use. No, no, no. It's ready for another level. So you want to say the blue leather skin. So it's gotten through the entire processes. At this point, it's not ready for it. And it's been imported from Senegal. But the point here is I don't really think that that's the issue. The issue the stakeholders have mentioned from. You don't think the eating of pomo is the issue? Yeah, the eating of pomo is not the issue. The eating of pomo, I mean, the industry already has always complained about several issues that you don't have investors, local and foreign investors. The environment is not very friendly for people to invest. If you're going to invest your money as a business person who is business conscious, you hope to get profits. There should be returns on it. The environment has not been very friendly. That's why I said, is it that the proper implementation, if we want to call it that, investment in the leather sector, leather industries in Nigeria will lead to a scarcity of pomo on the market or with a ban on eating pomo to provide more raw material for the people. That is what I don't know. And it's a question. But the man seems to be saying that both things, that pomo consumption is partly responsible for the downfall of this sector, the poor fortunes of this sector. But he's saying, if the policies are implemented properly and the ideas and suggestions they all have, that probably there will be scarcity of pomo. It's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's OK for him to make all of that excuse. But I'm also saying that the people in this industry have complained about issues. These are challenges that the sector is faced with. Power is an issue. Having investors, a favorable environment to thrive. You know, you talk also about having these investors at the end of the, I mean, having infrastructure for all of this. It's just a problem that might not just be limited to this sector. But it cuts across manufacturing at the end of the day. So so burning pomo on its own will not solve the problem. It won't solve the problem. It won't really solve the problem. We just have, we just have a. We just have a pomo in peace. You know, hide, we stay away. Interesting. But but I think, I think for me, we need to also have a conversation on the health, you know, implications of eating pomo. That's something for another day. Actualization of a pomo in the other time. Oh really? Why not? Interesting. But let's move on. I mean, if you if you give me my my correct, you know, Afang soup or or draw soup, you know, you have to put and see something inside. All right, let's move on. And the NDA, you know, they've recorded another success under the leadership of General Boba Mara retired. He's a former military administrator of Lagos State. These are the military officers that were in charge of the states in the country, when Nigeria was a military dictatorship. Of course, he didn't do badly as administrator of Lagos State with one of the modes of transportation in the state introduced under his administration. Now, being named after him, the Keke, in Lagos, they call it Keke-na-marua. In other parts of the country called Keke-na-pepe, because they're all Keke-na-pepe. You know, so I mean, his name is etched on the sands of time as far as development is in Lagos State is concerned. I mean, people in Lagos state credit him with a decrease in crime, crime rate in Lagos state criminals who always run away when they hear that Mara's people are coming. Well, he's taking his adeptness in administration and his successes over to the NDA earlier, making a previously sort of comatose federal agency, one of the top performing agencies in terms of results in the country. I mean, we've heard of several arrests and cases that are on right now. I think the biggest one should be the one concerning the former super cop, Abakari. But the latest, of course, we had, you know, it nearly busting a cocaine warehouse, seizing about 193 billion Naira, that's a lot, that's a lot. And 193 billion Naira worth of crack cocaine in Lagos for drug barons, drug barons were arrested in addition to one other person. This is the biggest ever heist, or let me say seizure in the history of the federal republic of Nigeria. This is the biggest ever you can see. What do you see in front of you? May, I think it's part of what we can save, not all, be 193 billion Naira. It's a lot of money, you can now understand with such quantities, this is not a full warehouse, all right, yielding such an amount of money, no wonder people are interested in getting into this business. I mean, if you wanna make profit or make sales of 193 billion Naira, especially a warehouse full of goods, this is really small, but it's a lot. Well, now the agency put out a statement, this amounts in their calculation to more than $278 million, you know, more than $278 million. The drug barons, they say they arrested or apprehended include a Jamaican, and the warehouse manager was also arrested as well. They call it a well coordinated intelligence-led operation that lasted two days across different locations in Lagos state. So who are the consumers of this crack cocaine, you might ask. Now, they gave names of those king pains in their custody. I'm sure you can look at the statement to learn some more, but this is what we have. However, the latest, this is from yesterday, semi-additional spokesman for the mediator president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria put out a statement yesterday informing, you know, Nigerians that the president, Mahmoud Buhari, had given Booba Marwa a phone call on the sidelines of his activities at the United Nations General Assembly, but we've seen pictures of the president in a very busy New York. He took the time to call Marwa, and he told Marwa that he was very happy when he heard of this news. Very impressed. Yes, yes. But I mean, we need to move on, because we're out of time, but like the president has stated, that it's quite impressive that you have all of this. But you know, it becomes very dicey where there's always an indictment on other elites and those who are in charge of government who are calling their affairs. The several mentioned that you have political elite involved in the drug business, and so this is just one out of it. We think that Nigerians should be able to move in full force and the fight against, you know, this drug barons or whatever it is you want to call it, should be in full squad. I mean, we're talking about, let's be honest with all of this. If there's been some sort of indictment or people have been accused, then let's have the relevant agencies get into action. Investigation should continue. Well, however, it's quite commendable, you know, the activities of the drug enforcement agency. I mean, we're talking about the NTALE at this point in time. There's so much that we can take because we're out of time. We take a break then and when we return, it'll be time for us to look through the national dailies this morning. We call it off the press. Please stay with us.