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Wipe Crocodile Tears, Return Smart Schools’ Money, Enugu Patriots Replies Sujimoto

Wipe Crocodile Tears, Return Smart Schools’ Money, Enugu Patriots Replies Sujimoto

•Disputes Sujimoto’s N4bn expenditure claim on projects 

•Ugo Chime, Asogwa, other bulk contractors delivering on target

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

The Enugu State Patriots, a group of leaders cutting across political and professional backgrounds, has thrown its weight behind the efforts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Enugu State Government to recover the total sum of N5.7bn so far paid to Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited for the construction of 22 out of the 260 Smart Green Schools embarked upon by the government.

The group also disputed the claim by Olasijibomi Suji Ogundele, Sujimoto’s CEO, that his company had already spent N4bn on the projects before the termination of the contract at the expiration of the agreed completion time in February 2025.

It said that pictures and videos of the sites as of May 2025 and a report it sourced from the Enugu State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure showed that Sujimoto could not have spent up to N600m on the “shambolic work he did at the entire 22 sites before they were recovered by government.”

Enugu Patriots made its position known in a statement by its spokesperson, Prof. Mathiine Anikwe, on Monday, also faulting the attempt by Ogundele to blame inflation and profit margin since many contractors had already delivered their own projects.

It equally faulted the Sujimoto CEO’s claim that his company got only N5.2bn instead of N5.7bn, describing it as an attempt to discountenance the company’s VAT/tax obligations.

“The fact that education was over 30 per cent in the 2024 budget and 33 per cent in 10

2025 underscores the priority the Mbah Administration places on the sector. That is massive and has to do with the 260 Smart Green Schools.

“No one can blame the government for awarding the contract to Sujimoto, given its projects in Lagos. But having failed to show value for money here, we advise Ogundele to clean his crocodile tears and return the money to Ndi Enugu. Period,” Prof. Anikwe added.

Meanwhile, other contractors handling multiple Smart Green School Projects for the state have expressed satisfaction with the system put in place by the government, saying that they were delivering the projects in line with government’s standards and schedule.

The contractors, in separate interviews on Sunday and Monday, commended the huge investment by the government to migrate Enugu State children from outdated structures and learning to modern infrastructure and experiential learning to equip them with requisite knowledge and skills to compete in the emerging global economy.

Managing Director of Testimony Enterprises, Surv. Ugo Chime, said his company was awarded ten of the 260 Smart Green School projects.

“We handled 10 units of the Smart Green Schools. The government is collecting keys for those fully completed units starting from this week,” he said.

Also, the MD/CEO of Intasog Limited, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, said, “Intasog was awarded 12 sites, which we have done well and we are happy and grateful for the opportunity,” he stated.

In the same vein, MD/CEO of Alubond Nigeria Limited, Chinedu Nwobodo, said, “Alubond was awarded 10 schools. And the good thing is that you do not even need to know anybody to get multiple contracts, so long as you have a proven capacity.”

Chief Charles Mba is the MD/CEO of CDV Properties and Development Limited, which is also doing multiple projects.

“We are delivering 10 Smart Green Schools in line with government standards. I know for certain that Enugu indigenes alone got at least 90 per cent of the school projects, depending on the capacity of each company.

“But this should not be reduced to where a contractor comes from as some are trying to do. Enugu indigenes with credible companies, including ours, do projects in other states. Commitment and capacity to deliver are what matters,” he said.

MD/CEO of Ever Progressive Integrated Resources Venture, Benneth Nwatu, said that the state government was playing its part to ensure that the school projects succeeded.

“Our company has completed multiple projects here. For example, we handled the Smart Green School at Ugwuomu Nike, the one at Queens School, and another one at Inyi in Oji River.

“One thing about the governor is that he is somebody who is happy when somebody shows capacity. When we completed the project at Queens School within six months, the government graciously awarded us more jobs. The ones we are handling at Ekulu Girls and Iva Valley are also almost completed,” he stated.

He equally commended the governor for the upward review of the contract sum by the state when inflation bit hard to ensure that none of the projects failed.

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•Disputes Sujimoto’s N4bn expenditure claim on projects  •Ugo Chime, Asogwa, other bulk contractors delivering on target Gideon Arinze in Enugu The Enugu State Patriots, a group of leaders cutting across
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Buba Marwa, A Man of Uncommon Grace at 72

Buba Marwa, A Man of Uncommon Grace at 72

By Femi Babafemi

I have had the privilege of knowing Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) for about 30 years. As a young reporter, I observed from a working distance the metamorphosis of a military administrator who was unlike any other—an enigma committed as much to his work as to becoming a paragon of excellence in public administration. In an era when military governments were often distant from the people, he ironically became a man of the people in Lagos State, the very cauldron of anti-military sentiment.

Quite luckily, twenty-five years later, I found myself working with him as my direct boss. Then, and even now, he remains the quintessential beacon of leadership and inspiration. Certain men are legends: larger than life by their achievements. Gen Marwa is undoubtedly one of them. Around him, there are never-ending stories of his goodness, drive, and accomplishments. Wherever you go—from New York to Washington; from Borno to Lagos; from Kaduna to Abuja and from Lagos to Owerri—if you meet someone who has worked with him or knows him in a leadership or personal capacity, the encounter is certain to reveal new perspectives of Marwa. Each fresh recollection adds another dimension to his multifaceted personality. Despite knowing him for years, I still hear new details by the day.

Working closely with him at Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency over the past 56 months has afforded me the opportunity to reflect on his character, distil his qualities, and identify what stands him out. In that way, I also have my own stories to tell about him in a work context. I can say this without any iota of doubt or contradiction: wherever he works, the place feels the pulse of change, and he leaves a legacy that continues to echo for generations, long after his departure.

One such story comes from his tenure as Defence Adviser in New York. He had previously served briefly as Deputy Defence Adviser at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington before his recall home. His second tenure in America, as Defence Adviser at Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, resonates to this day. Through his foresight and effort, he was able to secure permanent accommodation for future occupants of that role—a privilege that had not existed before him. His predecessors had been left to solve accommodation challenges on their own, but he deemed it fit that there should be an official residence for the office and was committed to make it a reality. Today, that is a lasting legacy of the office.

There was a strong sense of déjà vu earlier in February this year, when he stood with dignitaries to commission the first-ever barracks for the 35-year-old National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). What he accomplished decades ago in New York was repeated at NDLEA, where he currently serves. That is the vintage MB Marwa. His life and legacy follow a familiar arc. At DICON, he transformed what did not exist into tangible structures and systems.

In Lagos, his achievements were legendary; in recounting them, he is often elevated to an Olympian. Lagosians remember his impact vividly and with nostalgia, reveling in his legacies. The famous ‘Keke Marwa,’ now ubiquitous across the country, remains a reminder of his extraordinary administrative acumen in Lagos. His other imprints, such as restoration of security through Operation Sweep; Operation 250 Roads; the construction of many housing estates; Lagos University College of Medicine; and Eko Tourist Beach Resort, to name but a few, stand in bold relief in the state’s history. Indeed, his transformative influence extends back to his time in the old Borno State (now present day Borno and Yobe states), which is still recalled with admiration by the generation that experienced him. The establishment of State Ministry of Water Resources in Nigeria began in Borno, and its creator was the State Military Governor, the then Colonel Mohamed Buba Marwa.

Now, at NDLEA, his four and half years of leadership have been equally transformative. His vision and guidance have woken a sleeping giant by introducing reforms that are both foundational and forward-looking. Today, NDLEA’s service resonates not only nationally but regionally and globally. For Marwa, there is no magic wand—that is my summation. Yes, leadership and vision are traits he embodies, but these alone cannot adequately capture the essence of the man.

In my final conclusion, I always say: he is a man of uncommon grace, imbued with the capacity to touch lives, shape institutions, and leave an indelible mark. In that way, his name has found its place in our national book of exploits for services of enduring impact.

As he celebrates his 72nd birthday today 9th September, I am delighted to join others in wishing him a long and fulfilling life. He is a celebrated hero: with two national honours, CON and OFR, scores of chieftaincy titles across Nigeria, and four Honoris Causa, his record is a testament to a life of recognition. Our celebration of him, and his new age, is an acknowledgment of how his unwavering dedication and keen sense of service have shaped countless lives, livelihoods, and institutions across our nation.

•Femi Babafemi is the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Abuja

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By Femi Babafemi I have had the privilege of knowing Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) for about 30 years. As a young reporter, I observed from a working distance
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