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FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrested over multibillion-dollar crypto fraud

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The Attorney General of the Bahamas has announced the arrest of Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder and former chief executive of the defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which collapsed a few weeks ago. The Attorney-General’s office issued the announcement on December 12, 2022 and said the fallen crypto chief was arrested by the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Mr Bankman-Fried’s arrest followed the receipt of formal notification from the United States that it has filed criminal charges against SBF and is likely to request his extradition.

“As a result of the notification received and the material provided therewith, it was deemed appropriate for the Attorney General to seek SBF’s arrest and hold him in custody pursuant to our nation’s Extradition Act.

At such time as a formal request for extradition is made, The Bahamas intends to process it promptly, pursuant to Bahamian law and its treaty obligations with the United States.

Responding to SBF’s arrest, Prime Minister Davis stated, “The Bahamas and the United States have a shared interest in holding accountable all individuals associated with FTX who may have betrayed the public trust and broken the law. While the United States is pursuing criminal charges against SBF individually, The Bahamas will continue its own regulatory and criminal investigations into the collapse of FTX, with the continued cooperation of its law enforcement and regulatory partners in the United States and elsewhere.”

Putting African Aspirations First By Ebenezer Obadare

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This week’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit could not have come at a more opportune moment. The first since President Barack Obama hosted African leaders in 2014, it is taking place against the backdrop of a certain urgency, induced by a noticeable shift in the temper of U.S.-Africa relations.

The reasons behind this shift are not far-fetched, the most predominant one being a newfound assertiveness on the part of African leaders owing to the changed diplomatic and strategic milieu in the region. While differences between Africa and the United States over the Ukraine conflict have been pivotal, it is clear that they have merely brought to the surface tensions that were already simmering.

In part, those tensions pertain to African countries’ long-standing disgruntlement at the perceived sanctimony of U.S. foreign policy on the one hand, and persistent neglect, if not outright dismissal, of African agency on the other. To the extent that it instigated African countries to seek partnership and support elsewhere, this situation may have prepared the moral ground for the positive reception accorded China and Russia, to name just two of the major powers whose influence in Africa has grown over the past decade. Since 2009, China has overtaken the United States as Africa’s largest trade partner, bilateral trade between the two topping $254 billion as of 2021.

Efforts by the United States to regain affections or, where necessary, strengthen existing bonds with its African allies—something that became imperative in the aftermath of the African reaction to the Ukraine conflict—have hinged on underscoring the perceived ideological opposition between Washington and Beijing. The West has portrayed the latter’s Belt and Road Initiative, perhaps not inaccurately, as liable to trade short-term economic benefits for long-term concentration of political power. This is contrasted with U.S. commitment to democracy and human rights, an approach that, in this telling, guarantees economic prosperity and enduring political stability in the long run.

The recently released U.S. strategy toward sub-Saharan Africa [PDF] enshrines the identified shift in tenor. In the first place, its overall conciliatoriness speaks to a rare, if refreshing, readiness on the part of U.S. officials to accept African countries as partners and collaborators, and, consequently, defer to African leadership and concerns in matters affecting the region. More to the point, the strategy affirms U.S. willingness to leverage all of its “diplomatic, development, and defense capabilities” in the pursuit of four main objectives in Africa: fostering openness and open societies, delivering democratic and security dividends, advancing economic opportunity, and supporting climate adaptation and the transition to renewable energy.

If the outbreak of amity in Washington has prompted questions about U.S. intentions, correspondingly, it has increased pressure on African leaders to leverage it. In this spirit, a valid insistence on political and economic inclusion has led to calls for greater transparency and accountability within African countries themselves, since, for example, it is difficult to imagine democratic dividends being delivered where a basic commitment to democratic values does not exist.

The overwhelming pattern across Africa would seem to suggest a readiness to maximize U.S. promise. For one thing, Africans’ enthusiasm for democratic values contrasts sharply with skepticism about liberal democracy—or, in some worrying cases, broad sympathy for autocracy—in Europe and North America. For another, a slew of recent examples points to a growing emboldening of the judiciary and civil society against statist pressure. Targeted U.S. material and moral support will give these institutions much-needed inspiration and sinew.

This by no means suggests that the region is in the clear. The recent spate of military coups d’état in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Sudan, and Mali is a reminder that old habits die hard. At the same time, the fact that a handful of gerontocrats continue to hog power in a number of African countries signals that the old order will not go away quietly.

Besides, Africa continues to grapple with profound economic challenges.

Yet, never has a genuine African need for assistance coincided with a greater U.S. desire to oblige, a desire seemingly tinged with a measure of contrition for past malfeasance. Against this backdrop, the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit offers an excellent opportunity for both sides to begin a new diplomatic chapter.

Accordingly, while U.S. policymakers should, in the spirit of the new strategy toward sub-Saharan Africa, seek to work in Africa’s shoes, they should be careful not to conflate the wishes of African leaders with the yearnings and aspirations of ordinary Africans. What ordinary Africans want is clear enough: economic opportunity; security; political accountability; an end to corrupt Big Man rule; and improved investment in health, education, and infrastructure. Working with local partners and investors across the continent, the United States can help stimulate a new era of foreign direct investment in projects and initiatives that will spark economic growth and reduce dependence on frequently wayward states such as China.

For their intervention to be meaningful and effective, U.S. leaders and policymakers cannot afford to limit themselves to official interaction with African leaders. That is already the nub of China’s African diplomacy.

While the resolve to “amplify diaspora ties” is a step in the right direction, it should be seen as a first step toward incorporating young people and the remnants of civil society into the core of policymaking as it relates to the region. There is no other way to go if Washington takes seriously its vow to “bolster the region’s ability to solve global problems alongside the United States.”

*Professor Ebenezer Obadare is Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). This article was originally published by the CFR as part of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Project on the Future of Democracy: https://www.cfr.org/blog/putting-african-aspirations-first

The Secrets of Tony Elumelu’s Success By Femi Adesina

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What a delightful week it has been for Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Heirs Holdings, and the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Last Monday, he stood tall in Sokoto at the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference to receive a Recognition Award, handed out by no less a person than President Muhammadu Buhari himself.

Elumelu was recognized alongside Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman of BUA Group, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, Col Hameed Ali, Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, and Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, a former Chief of Army Staff. All these people had made salutary impact on the Nigerian Army in different ways.

What qualified Elumelu, particularly, through his Foundation? Entrepreneurial and philanthropic activities for our soldiers, both living and dead. He organizes and funds skill acquisition trainings for the army, extending his bowels of mercy to both the living and the dead. The Foundation cares for widows and children of deceased soldiers, and no less than 220 widows have been given succor, without a prompting.

After being trained, each widow is given a start up capital of two thousand dollars, while job opportunities are also given to retired and ex-service personnel in the conglomerate headed by Elumelu. This goes a long way to boost the morale of serving troops.

The next day after Sokoto, what news did we hear again about Elumelu, this worthy son of Nigeria, and of Africa? He had been named one of the winners of TIME 100 Impact Awards for 2022, for his selfless humanitarian activities and support for business upscaling for Africans in Africa. He had in 2020 also been named on TIME’s list of 100 most influential people in the world.

Of course, we know what Elumelu does for youths in Africa, spending millions of dollars annually to empower them for entrepreneurship. At a time people are bringing out smelly currencies from damp and dank places, to avoid the trap of naira redesign deadline, this Chairman of Elumelu Foundation is receiving National and global recognition for making money a servant, rather than a master.

What are the secrets of his success? This master investor with the touch of Midas gave a glimpse in a recent thread on Twitter. He said he is where he is today because of luck, noting: “luck is important but that doesn’t make it a substitute for hard work or labor.”
He added: “hard work and passion are the two most important ingredients for luck.
“I am where I am today because of luck. Let me be clear, luck is important, but it is not a substitute for hard work or labor. Luck is part of the cocktail that you need for success.
“There are two ingredients for luck – hard work and passion. The more work you put into something and the more passion you apply, the ‘luckier’ you find yourself.
You have to work hard and be more passionate and committed about what you do, to be successful and make your own luck.

“Hard work and passion are within your power and control, and you should apply them to earn your own luck and to help us foster a better and more prosperous world.”
Elumelu has successful investments in banking, power, oil and gas, hospitality industry, and many others. Self-effacing and hardly one to throw his weight around, he is a model, an icon for Nigerian and African youths.

In June this year, we were in Kigali, Rwanda, for the 26th edition of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and among the many world leaders that President Buhari met privately was Jamaican Prime Minister, Andrew Holness.

Before the bilateral meeting started, Holness disclosed that he had just finished meeting with Tony Elumelu from Nigeria.

And with a chuckle, the Nigerian leader said: “Tony? He’s a restless young man. Quite irrepressible. I see him all over the place.”

That’s our President for you. He does his things quietly, unobtrusively, but he notices everything. He sees people all over the place. He cares for the big, and the small. The billionaire investors, and the start-up farmer. He keeps tabs on everyone under his care, including the Dangotes, the Rabiu Abdulsamads, the Jim Ovias, and the Tony Onyemaechi Elumelus.

Tirex Petroleum says it is responsible, fair and transparent in its operations

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Tirex Petroleum and Energy Limited, Nigeria’s most active drilling rig contractor, has said it is a responsible corporate citizen of Nigeria, and is fair and transparent in all its business operations. The company made the assertion in reaction to a petition, where a faceless group, Association of concerned citizens, made some scathing remarks against Tirex Petroleum and Energy Limited and its sister company, Still Earth Limited.

Joanne Tolulope, Legal and Compliance Manager of the company, denied all the allegations levelled against Tirex Petroleum and Energy Limited by the petitioners, saying they are averse to the company’s well-known operating standards.

“The allegations made by the so-called group are in complete contrast with our working ethos at Tirex PE which is well known by the stakeholders within the industry. As a company, whose vision is to become the preferred premier drilling contractor in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, we are committed to being responsible, fair and transparent in all our dealings across board.”

She went on to say that, “as operators in the oil and gas industry, we engage in partnerships with both local and international companies who, not only operate within the ambits of the local laws but also submit themselves to international laws and conventions. This reality, therefore, places a huge responsibility on us to abide by the global best practices in all we do.”

She informed that the success Tirex Petroleum and Energy Limited has enjoyed since inception, which the petitioners erroneously attributed to underhand dealings, is actually as a result of the company’s field expertise, team structure, working ethos, and strategic collaborations with distinguished partners.

“The promoters of Tirex PE have been part of the drilling service industry prior to the establishment of the company and have collective industry experience of over 35 years. We have built a strong reputation in the industry and our operations speak for us. We have boosted the local content contribution in the oil and gas industry, created jobs for our teeming youths and contributed to the overall economic development of the country.”

She noted that the unassailable reputation as a responsible corporate player in the oil and gas sector, which Tirex Petroleum and Energy Limited has built over the years of its operations, is too dear for the company to sacrifice on the altar of underhand and unprofessional dealings.

The Legal and Compliance Manager wondered why the petitioners who said in the inglorious letter that they have evidence to prove their allegations, resorted to threats, instead of availing themselves of their much-touted unfettered access to the law enforcement agencies.

“It is shocking that the petitioners, who claimed to be in custody of proofs to substantiate their allegations as well as having access to both local and international investigating agencies, resorted to bogus threats instead of presenting such proofs to the security agencies for prompt action. We challenge them to take their so-called damning evidence to the law enforcement agencies and quit the media posturing.”

Joanne, who further informed that the company has instructed its lawyers to follow up on the petition for redress, reiterated the company’s determination to carrying out its operations in compliance with due process, fairness and equity.

“While our lawyers follow up on the petitioners for redress on the injury they have inflicted on our brand, be rest assured that we will continue to demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and integrity, which we are known for, as we carry out complex projects and deliver value to our clients and partners,” she concluded.

The TENGEN Project: Inside AIG and Hebert Wigwe’s audacious plan to preserve their wealth for ten generations

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Aigboje Ihidero Aig-Imoukhuede, universally known as AIG, and Herbert Wigwe are two of Africa’s most recognisable bankers, their lifelong friendship forged in the chaotic gung-ho days of the nineties’ robber-baron banking era, where as two parvenus from the minority South-South region, they easily bonded in the boardroom of Guaranty Trust Bank. The two men, AIG from the old Bendel state (now Edo) and Herbert, from Rivers state fell in love with the corporate ethos at Guaranty Trust Bank, then a young and vibrant bank already earning plaudits for its commitment to constant innovation.

AIG and Herbert were widely respected as top performers within the bank leading to their confirmations as Executive Directors within a very short time, but both men soon realised that their careers had plateaued and that with Fola Adeola certain to hand over the reins to his co-founder Tayo Aderinokun and princelings such as Julius Kosebinu Olusegun Agbaje Jr lurking in the background, the path to the top job at the Guaranty Trust Bank was a long and torturous one.

So AIG and Herbert decided to buy a bank and build it from the bottom up. The two “bros” acquired the crisis-ridden Access Bank and helped by their aggressive corporate strategy and strong connections within the banking industry and political circles, they ultimately succeeded in creating Nigeria’s largest retail bank. And it was no mean feat. AIG, the bank’s chief executive during its most successful years, pulled this off by executing a surgical, some say controversial takeover of Intercontinental Bank after its former chief executive Erastus Akingbola had eroded the bank’s balance sheet.

It was a controversial takeover. In addition to a special purpose vehicle Project Star Investments (PSI) Limited, AIG and Herbert Wigwe used several nominee firms such as Stanbic Nominees Limited to execute the transaction and it was later revealed that the United Alliance Company of Nigeria, also jointly owned by AIG and Herbert Wigwe owed Intercontinental Bank PLC close to two billion naira. Several years later, Access repeated the same feat with its acquisition of the glitzy but badly-run Diamond Bank, whose exposure to dollar-denominated loans during the first Buhari recession, was the final nail in its coffin.

The ascendancy of AIG, Herbert and Access Bank was the reward of the ultimate long game. Trained as a lawyer, AIG had always understood the importance of connections in the opaque and labyrinthine backrooms of Africa’s largest economy and he leveraged his relationships with powerful friends and family members such as Evelyn Oputu, the former chief executive of the dour but well-financed Bank of Industry and his in-laws from the powerful Subomi Balogun dynasty. In a sense, AIG’s in-law Subomi Balogun, the founder of the First City Merchant Bank, known for his obsessive love for Rolls Royces and all-white native attires, was an earlier version of the two young turks as he had successfully created the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) after being turfed out of First Bank decades ago.

After his successful time as the chief executive of Access Bank, it was only natural that AIG would hand over to his close associate and fellow Herbert Wigwe. And he did. Apart from a a few run-ins with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Wigwe has continued with Access Bank’s blueprint for African domination. He has overseen the bank’s aggressive expansion into Southern Africa and a steady push into other less glamourous financial services such as pensions and insurance. While he hasn’t cracked the mobile money code, analysts say that he has had a decent run as the bank’s chief executive.

AIG on the other hand, seems to have reinvented himself as a philanthropist with a passion for public service reform and healthcare. He currently runs several non-profit entities devoted to these causes: Friends of the Global Fund Africa; African Business Coalitions For Health; Healthcare Federation of Nig; Private Sector Health Alliance; Enterprise NGR Professional Advocacy Group; AIG Institute for Public Policy; Africa Initiative for Governance etc.

The two men are not social media stars and are less likely to be recognised at an international airport or a private jet hangar, than say, Zenith’s Jim Ovia or UBA’s Tony Elumelu, but insiders say that AIG and Herbert have kept a particular pet project very close to their chest and under the radar. Known as Project Ten Gen, it is a long-term plan hatched by Messrs Imoukhuede and Wigwe to grow and preserve their wealth beyond ten generations while ensuring that they can control and influence large swathes of the local financial services sector for several decades to come.

The Ten Gen project involves a complex network of entities, some in Africa, some in offshore jurisdictions, a Western-style family office in the highbrow Ikoyi neighbourhood in Lagos, white-shoe law firms such as Olaniwun Ajayi LP and Wigwe and Partners (run by Herbert Wigwe’s brother Uchechukwu Wigwe) and several trusted consiglieres with loyal ties to both men.

Sources told The Business Daily that in less than six years since the Ten Gen project was mooted, AIG and Herbert Wigwe have aggressively gobbled up assets across the financial landscape and even the oil and gas sector.

For now, the crown jewels of the Ten Gen project, are Coronation Merchant Bank, Coronation Capital and Coronation Capital (Mauritius), which handle nearly all of Access’s local and international fundraising projects. Coronation Insurance PLC has also benefitted from its exclusive arrangement with the Access Corporation. The Tengen Family Office generates decent revenue from its stock market investments while both men co-invest through their jointly-owned companies: Trust & Capital Limited, Holy Union and the United Alliance Company of Nigeria. Tengen and the United Alliance Company of Nigeria has spawned more than twenty subsidiaries, which are used for specific projects and investments including bonds and commercial paper offerings.

No one knows if AIG and Herbert Wigwe will pull off their audacious plan to preserve and multiply their wealth for ten generations. After all both men have less than five decades left on earth and sometimes, the best-laid plans come crashing down in a pile of hubris. Ultimately, time will tell.