Saraki’s lawyers storm out of tribunal
Reps task Buhari on new revenue formula
...accuse judge of judicial rascality
T
hree Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, Alhaji Mahmoud Magagi, Ahmed
Doosuur Iwambe ABUJA Saraki
Vol. 5 N0. 1238
Raji and Saka Abimbola Isah, leading the legal team of Senate President, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>
P.5
Dogara
National Mirror Online @NationalMirror Friday, November 6, 2015
N150
DSS places Dasuki under house arrest again F Adeola Tukuru ABUJA
or the second time since he left office, the Department of State Services, DSS, yesterday raided the home of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and placed him under house arrest. First arrested in July
...foils planned medical trip abroad
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>
Be agents of change, President tells ministersdesignate
P.6
N5,000 stipend: APC senators acting party script –PDP Cross section of Ministers-designate during presidential retreat at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.
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P.6
PHOTO:NAN
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UPDATED 30/10/2015
2
News
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DSS places Dasuki under house arrest again CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
by the secret police, the Sokoto-born prince was charged to court with illegal possession of arms and money laundering. However, just last Tuesday, he secured a relief from an Abuja federal high court, which directed DSS to release his international passport and other travel documents to enable him access to overseas medical facilities. But operatives of DSS, in the early hours of the day, surrounded his house apparently to prevent him from travelling abroad. Were it not for the siege, Mr Dasuki would have travelled since Wednesday night.
However, it was also learnt that the DSS operatives laid siege on Abuja Airport on Wednesday night, apparently to arrest him or prevent him from travelling. It was not immediately clear if the DSS had secured any counter-court order to have warranted its recent action. DSS, yesterday, denied laying an unauthorised siege on Dasuki’s residence, describing the report as not only unfounded and malicious but aimed at “tarnishing the good image of the Service.” The Service, in a statement said the confrontation with Dasuki was as a result of his refusal to
appear before a committee set up by the government to investigate the procurement processes relating to the purchase of a $2bn worth of arms. An operative of the Service, Tony Opuiyo, in the statement, recalled that Sambo was initially arrested and charged to court for unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering, for which reason his international passport was seized and on the order of the court, returned to the registrar for custody. The statement said: “The attention of the Department of State Services, DSS, has been brought to the report making
rounds that its operatives illegally blocked the residence of the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, in violation of a subsisting court order granting him a relief to travel oversea for medical services. “This is to say the least that such report is not only unfounded and malicious but aimed at tarnishing the good image of the Service. “It may be recalled that Sambo was initially arrested and charged to court for unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering, for which reason his international passport was seized and on the order of the court,
returned to the registrar for custody. “What has however brought the seeming standoff between Sambo and the Service, despite the court-order over his international passport on 4th November, 2015, is his refusal to appear before a Committee undertaking the investigation of an entirely different case. “The public may wish to note that the government set up the Committee to investigate procurement processes relating to a two billion dollar ($2bn) arms transaction by the last administration, under which Sambo was the NSA. “It was on this premise
L-R: Former Governors and Contemporaries of the late Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, Boni Haruna, (Adamawa), Obong Victor Atta, (Akwa-Ibom), Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson; former Governors, Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), and Chief Achike Udenwa ( Imo), shortly after a condolence visit to Governor Dickson, over the death of the first civilian governor of the state, at the Governor’s Lodge, Government House, Yenagoa, yesterday.
Saraki’s lawyers storm out of tribunal CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Bukola Saraki in his trial over false assets declaration yesterday staged a walk out on the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja saying, they will not be party to illegality. The angry lawyers in company of about 100 others withdrew their services in the prosecution of Saraki by the Federal Government immediately after the Tribunal Chairman, Mr. Danladi Yakubu Umar, ruled that he would not stay trial in spite of the pending appeal at the Supreme Court. While
openly
accus-
ing the tribunal of bias against the Senate President and display of judicial rascality in the handling of the case, the lawyers said going ahead with the matter will amount to disrespecting the apex court. Magaji, who first withdrew his services in the trial told the tribunal that going ahead with the prosecution will amount to daring and prejudicing the Supreme Court in the pending appeal. He told the chairman that as a Senior Counsel in the bar and a minister in the temple of justice, he would not wish to be part
of illegality and affront to the apex court. Raji, who followed suit, informed the tribunal chairman of setting a bad precedent by sitting on the same issue with the Supreme Court at the same time. He explained that apart from the law and practice, it was the tradition of respect that when the Supreme Court has been invited into a matter, the lower court will as a matter of tradition, allow the apex court decide the matter first before taking over. “In my capacity as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, I have not seen where this
kind of conduct will be exhibited against the apex court of the country. “The action of this Code of Conduct Tribunal is an affront to the constitution and to the Supreme Court and from my own side, I will not wish to be part of this act. “I find it most impossible to sit down here and participate in a proceeding whose legality is being challenged at the Supreme Court,” Raji said. Earlier both Magaji and Raji had asked the tribunal to stay proceeding pending the time the Supreme Court will make pronouncement in the ap-
peal, in which Saraki challenged the legality of his trial. They cited several authorities to buttress their arguments on the need for the tribunal to grant adjournment. But in a ruling, the tribunal chairman dismissed the application for adjournment and agreed with the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, that trial must go ahead in spite of the appeal at the Supreme Court. The tribunal chairman held that the action of the defence was a ploy CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>
that he was invited by the Committee to shed more light on his involvement in the deal. It, therefore, remains surprising and shocking that Sambo has refused to honour invitations of the Committee but instead resorts to grandstanding and subtle blackmail of the Service. “His refusal to appear before the Committee has left the Service with no option than to adopt legal means to ensure his attendance. “Therefore, without doubt, Sambo is pulling all strings available to him to evade justice and put the Service in bad light. “The simple fact is that the DSS is not persecuting him. Nigerians are therefore enjoined to disregard the impression being created by him. “This Service wishes to re-emphasise its commitment to the rule of law and strict adherence to democratic ideals. “However, any person or group, no matter how highly placed, that may wish to test the will of the present democratic dispensation, will definitely be checked through the legal provisions of the law.” The embattled Dasuki howeevr denied ever receiving any invitation letter to appear before the Committee In his response to claims by DSS, Dasuki, in a statement, added that it was strange that a committee purported to be operating from the Office of the National Security Adviser could have transferred its mandates to DSS. Meanwhile, Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, yesterday condemned what it called the current spate of judicial apartheid that aids and abets rich looters of the nation’s commonwealth. This, TMG said, is being played out with the case of Dasuki. According to the group, less connected thieves are handed long sentences over offences such as theft of phones, chicken or goat. TMG Chairman, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, told newsmen in Abuja, that inspire of the grave charges against Dasuki, the CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Friday, November 6, 2015
3
Photo News
4
Friday, November 6, 2015
L-R: Secretary, National Planning Commission (NPC), Mr. Bassey Ekpeyong; Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; European Union Commissioner for Trade, Mrs. Cecilia Malmstrom; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Arch. Sonny Echono and official of Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Francis Alaneme, during the 4th EU-Nigeria Business Forum 2015 with the theme; Unlocking Opportunities for Diversification, in Lagos, yesterday.
L-R: Technical Director, TAF Consulting Group in Dubai, Junaid Akram; Director of Supervision, National Insurance Commission, Opara Nicholas; Chairman, TAF Consulting Group, Debo Ajayi and Partner, Accounting and Business Process Solutions, Deloitte Nigeria, Uwadiae Oduware, at a Breakfast Session on Actuarial Service Offering, Tagged: Unlocking The Value of Actuarial Skills for Improved Business Performance, in Lagos, yesterday.
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
L-R: Director-General, Security and Exchange Commission, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo; President, Institute of Chartered and Administrators of Nigeria, Dr. Nat Ofo and ICSAN Treasurer, Otunba Francis Meshioye, during a meeting between ICSAN and SEC in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA
L-R: Head, MSME and Agency Banking, Diamond Bank Plc, Chidinma Lawanson; Prize Winners, Ayoola Yusuf, Hauwa Abdullahi and Assistant Marketing Manager ,Western Union, ECOWAS Region, Ebere Nwaolikpe, at the Back-to-School WESTERN UNION prize presentation ceremony in Lagos, recently.
National News
BVN use for forex transactions not risky – CBN Tola Akinmutimi
C
entral Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday urged banks and other financial institutions’ customers providing their Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) for foreign exchange (forex) and other transactions to discountenance rumours about risks associated with volunteering their BVN for such transactions, saying there is no security risk doing so. The apex bank made the clarification following information reaching it that some customers were reluctant in disclosing their BVN to authorised dealers and buyers because of claims that there are attendant risks to the disclosure. A statement issued by director, Corporate Communications Department, Mallam Ibrahim Mu’azu, recalled that all banks and licensed bureaux de change, BDCs,
operating in Nigeria were mandated to provide BVN as part of requirement for the sale of foreign exchange to their customers. He stated that in view of the rumours about the BVN requirement for forex transactions, it became imperative for the apex bank to make some clarifications in order to dispel the misinformation of bank customers. First, the CBN pointed out that the adoption of BVN as a condition for the purchase of forex is expected to reduce the incidence of multiple purchases, round tripping and illicit transfer of funds, facilitate enforcement of authorised limits of forex sales to end users, sanitise the retail segment of the market and engender policies that would facilitate better allocation of the forex, based on genuine demands. Secondly, the apex bank also clarified that
the BVN was neither a payment instrument nor an account number and therefore could not be used to access any account by unauthorised users. This is even as it explained that the banks, BDC operators and even regulators use the BVN to validate the identity of a customer, using some biometric information such as finger prints and photograph obtained at the point of enrolment. According to the regulatory financial institution, the BVN provides the unique identity of each customer for the purpose of achieving effective ‘Know Your Customer,’ KYC, principle and fraud prevention. “For the avoidance of doubt, the provision of BVN by customers at the point of forex purchase or for any legitimate banking transaction with any of the above named institutions does not attract any security
risk. Rather, it protects the customer against identify theft.
“Customers can easily get their BVN from the mobile phone num-
ber submitted during the enrolment by dialling *565*0#,” CBN stated.
Niger Air Force bombs Boko Haram base, arrests 20
N
iger’s Air Force has bombed a Boko Haram base in the country’s South East and arrested more than 20 militants, security sources said yesterday, in its biggest counter-attack in eight months. Members of the Islamist militant group based mostly in North East Nigeria have repeatedly attacked the Lake Chad area, including Niger’s southern border region of Diffa. Government forces tracked the militants after a soldier was killed when a military vehicle was blown up through a remote control by the group near Lake Chad on Monday, the sources said. “Our air force destroyed this nest, but we do not yet have an official death toll,” a military officer said.
The officer said soldiers had arrested the remaining fighters. In October, Niger’s parliament approved a three-month extension of a 15-day state of emergency in Diffa in order to boost security. A long-awaited 8,700 regional task force is set to begin joint raids on Boko Haram’s last enclaves when the rainy season ends soon, a top UN official in West Africa said. NCS generates N24.7bn in Oct at TinCan Port –PRO Tin-Can Island Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, generated N24.7 billion in October 2015, up from N21.4 billion in September 2015. Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the command, Mr. Chris Osunkwo, made the disclosure
yesterday in Lagos during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN. The PRO expressed delight that the NCS succeeded in increasing its monthly revenue despite challenges like the restriction of access to foreign exchange by occasional importers. Osunkwo commended Jubrin for introducing the ‘open door policy’ which he said, contributed to the success recorded by the command. He said Jubrin spoke to and persuaded customs agents to abide by import rules and regulations. He said the influx of human traffic experienced within the port environment in the past has drastically reduced with the assistance of sister agencies.
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
News
Friday, November 6, 2015
5
Reps task Buhari on new revenue formula Ubong Ukpong ABUJA
H
ouse of Representatives yesterday told President Muhammadu Buhari to without further delay, submit proposal for a new revenue allocation formula to the National Assembly for further legislative action. The resolution to this effect was sequel to a motion brought by Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, calling for a new revenue allocation formula for the country. Debating the motion on the floor of the House, Agunsoye recalled that the formula currently in use for the allocation of funds from the Federation Account to the three tiers of government was enacted in 1982 and amended last in 1992. The lawmaker noted that Section 6 (1) (b) of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, Act, Cap R7, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 prescribes for a certain committee within the agency to review the allocation formula from time to time so as to reflect current and contemporary realities. Agunsoye expressed the worry that the effectiveness of the current applicable formula, which was over 30 years, would appear doubtful to reflect the realities facing the financial needs of the three tiers of government. He further observed that the provision in the 1992 Act, which prescribes for the deduction of various percentages totalling about 7.5 per cent and referred to as ‘special fund’, had been adjudged unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The lawmaker said Section 162 (2) of the constitution requires the president, on the recommendations of RMAFC, to submit a proposal for a new revenue allocation formula to the National Assembly for consideration and passage into law. He, however, emphasised that failure to review the formula, in line with contemporary realities, posed frequent financial threats and hardships in the fiscal relationship between the three tiers of government.
Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, while contributing to the debate noted that the 7th Assembly trashed the issue of a new revenue allocation out with the Commission, noting that it is the then President Goodluck Jonathan that delayed a new revenue allocation formula. Consequently, the Speaker, who agreed with Ogor, ruled that the President as a matter of urgency present the proposal for further legislative action. It would be recalled that RMAFC had in December 2013 completed its work on a new revenue allocation formula for the tiers of government after two years of rigorous engagement of all stakeholders across the six geo-political zones. Efforts by the Commission to present its final report on the exercise to the Presidency up till August last year were frustrated by political considerations of the past administration, particularly the President, who failed to accept the report on the mere excuse that the issue was also listed for discussions by the National Conference. National Mirror had reported exclusively then, based on insider sources, that two attempts by the Commissioners to secure audience with the President for just 20 minutes to present the report were turned down as soon as the heat of the 2015 electioneering took on the political landscape. Chairman of the Commission, Elias Mbam, had while the job proceeded and major stakeholders, including former Heads of States, were met for their inputs to the proposed formula, assured Nigerians that the lapses in the old formula would be corrected as the new sharing regime would offer a promising template for fair, just and equitable distribution of revenues. Specifically, RMAFC said its prescription would not only serve the needs of the people, but also encourage the three tiers of government to optimise their internally generated revenue, IGR, potentials and promote fairness, justice and transparency in the administration of
revenue distributions for sustainable national development. Mbam had then given an insight into what Nigerians should expect from the formula review exercise at the opening of a 3-Day multi-agency meeting convened in Abuja to advise the Commission on the weight to be assigned to different geographical terrains in the new formula, when he disclosed that the Terrain Principle would be used, amongst other criteria, to determine which tier of
government gets what and why. The Commission had in 2007 requested the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation to carry out a survey on terrain types of all states and local governments to enable it apply the terrain factor as stipulated in the subsisting Act. Under the proposed formula, it was reliably gathered that the entire country had been classified into three different geographical terrains namely, the wetland dominated
by rivers and valleys; the highland dominated by hills and mountains, and the plain land for the purpose of the new revenue formula. Similarly, it was also proposed then that terrain, as a factor for the revenue formula, will carry a weight of five per cent in the horizontal sharing formula, which stipulates the plan for sharing revenue among the states, while the vertical sharing formula stipulates the plan for sharing revenue among the three tiers of
government. The factors that determine what each state gets from the Federation Account include, population, principle of equality, IGR, landmass and social development factors. In the current revenue formula, IGR weighs 10 per cent; population, 30 per cent; principle of equality, 40 per cent; landmass, 10 per cent; and social development factors, 10 per cent. These weights will be re-valued in the new formula.
Senate President Bukola Saraki after appearing at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja, yesterday.
PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA
DSS places Dasuki under house arrest again CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
judiciary went ahead to grant him bail on self recognition. “We has an axe to grind with a recent judicial
rolling in which the authorities were ordered to return the travelling documents of the ex NSA, Sambo Dasuki to enable him travel abroad for medical
attention. “It is ironic and reprehensible that those whose activities denied the nation of the opportunity of building and maintaining
a world class health system, are getting judicial reprieve to go get treatment outside the shores our country,” he said.
Saraki’s lawyers storm out of tribunal CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
to delay trial, adding that the arguments canvassed by Saraki’s lawyers have been overtaken by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which he said, gave no room for delay in trial. “It is an obvious fact, that where a party wants to delay trial, the party normally rushes to the higher court, as in this case, but the intendment
of the ACJA has taken care of such attitude where criminal trials are unjustly delayed. We will not allow that, we are going ahead with the trial,” Umar ruled. After the workout, there were no lawyers to defend the senate president. He was then asked whether he would defend himself in the charge against him. But the senate presi-
dent told the tribunal that he trained in the medical line and not in law and that it would be unfair to ask him to defend himself in a terrain he knew nothing about. He pleaded for one month to enable him persuade his lawyers to come back or look for alternatives but the tribunal insisted that one month was too much. The case was subse-
quently adjourned till November 19. Reacting to the withdrawal of service by the defence lawyers, Justice Umar said their action was a sign of disrespect to the tribunal. But Mr. Jacobs, the prosecution, said they have rights to do what they did. He, however, accused his colleagues of attempting to truncate the trial.
6
News
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Be agents of change, Buhari tasks ministers-designate R O T I M I FA D E Y I
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resident Muhammadu Buhari has tasked ministers-designate to ensure they are the agents of change to deliver on the expectations of Nigerians. In his remarks at the opening of a two-day retreat for members of the incoming cabinet held at the State House Conference Hall of
the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari noted that the ministers-designate were privile ged to have been chosen to serve as drivers of change. The retreat with the theme: “Delivering Change: From Precepts to Practice” was organised by the Office of the Secretary to the Gover nment of the Federation, SGF. Buhari said in his remarks before the
retreat went into a closed door session that the expectations of Nigerians from his administration were high. The president said: “We must count ourselves privile ged to have been chosen among millions of our compatriots at this historic time to be the instruments that will deliver the change we have promised. “The work of resto-
ration and renewal is urgent and immense. The expectations of Nigerians are high. Our deter mination to succeed and change the fortunes of our country must be equal to the challenge” “I have invited you to join me in this urgent mission for our country. I am convinced that in accepting this invitation, you are also equally determined to take part in
L-R: Wife of Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo; wife of President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari; wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, during the visit of Mrs. Buhari to Enugu for Health Screening Programme in Enugu, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN
N5, 000 stipend: APC senators acting party’s script –PDP OBIORA IFOH ABUJA
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eoples Democratic Party, PDP, says Wednesday’s rejection by APC senators of the N5,000 monthly stipend, which they promised Nigerians during the electioneering campaign, underscores the monumental hypocrisy of their party in getting to power by means of deceit and false promises to Nigerians. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Thursday said the development was a clear confirmation of the fact that the APC was a party of hypocrites, who never had the intention of honouring any of their campaign promises. “The PDP declares that it is absolutely obvious to all that the APC came to power riding on monumental lies and deceit in making promises they had no intentions to keep. All they wanted was to get into power and they achieved this with their lying tongues.
“Indeed, the unanimity displayed by APC senators in rejecting the promised N5,000 monthly welfare package, especially coming after their party and the Presidency had made futile efforts to distance themselves from it, further stresses the duplicitous spirit of the APC and its reprehensible insensitivity to the feelings and aspirations of Nigerians, especially the unsuspecting youths, women and the indigent, who they swindled with false promises. “From the foregoing therefore, Nigerians should not expect any sincere action from the President Muhammadu Buhariled APC government on the other promises including monthly allowance to discharged, but unemployed NYSC members, free meals and scholarship to school children, free houses, bringing the naira to the same value with the dollar. “Our position remains that the APC has sufficiently confirmed to the world that they have a lot to learn
on the leadership values of honesty, integrity, credibility and forthrightness. “Finally, we invite Nigerians to note the powers amply vested on them by
the constitution under a democracy as we urge them to stand on such powers and hold the APC and its government accountable for all their campaign promises.
this patriotic undertaking.” “This retreat therefore, marks your first of ficial contact with the machinery of gover nment, of which you will soon be an inte g ral part. It is important that you are fully acquainted with the direction and priorities of this gover nment so that we can all move together as a team,” he added He stressed that of ficials of gover nment must ensure the success of the administration in order to meet various challenges facing the country. The president said clear and ef fective communication was important and urged the ministers-designate to relate with their colleagues in order to share infor mation and knowledge. He further stated that his election was based on his promise to tackle cor ruption, insecurity and revive the economy. Buhari said his gover nment would focus on diversification of the economy away from oil to create an environment to ensure that resources of the nation are well utilised to create wealth. “Diversification
of the economy away from oil will be a major focus of this gover nment. We will intervene in mining and ag riculture and upg rade the country’s physical and social infrastructure, which will broaden our revenue base and significantly improve the level of employment, especially among the youth,” he said. While stressing that his administration would uphold the rule of law and remove impunity in governance, Buhari noted that change must be brought to sectors of the economy. He explained that the success and achievements of his administration would depend on the number of Nigerians that it was able to lift out of the poverty level. Buhari urged the ministers-designate to be ready to be vehicles to administer the change needed. He added that clear and ef fective communication at all levels was vital in moder n management saying; “You must keep in touch with your fellow ministers and share infor mation, so that the conduct of gover nment will be more efficient.
Reps deny rift between Dogara, Gbajabiamila over committees UBONG UKPONG ABUJA
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ouse of Representatives yesterday denied there was rift between Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, over committees’ allocation. There has been insinuation of a cold war allegedly orchestrated by the Gbajabiamila camp following alleged grudges over committee allocations. Sources claimed the Majority Leader was alleged to have sustained the grudge, leading to the rejection of committees allocated to some of his supporters. Indication to this emerged when Garba
Dati, who was appointed to chair Solid Minerals Development, rejected it on the floor of the House, followed by Sunday Adepoju, who also rejected the deputy headship of his committee. Many more Reps were allegedly lined up to reject their own appointments in protest of the non-juicy nature of the committees assigned to them. Perhaps for a swift intervention by the Speaker, who invited them for a parley, which our correspondent learnt was a moment of reconciliation, many more might have since tendered their rejection letters. However, briefing
journalists at the close of plenary yesterday, Deputy Chairman, Media and Public Affairs committee, Jonathan Gaza, said that there was no truth in the claimed rift between the Leadership of the House and the Majority Leader. He said that there was no such basis because long before the list was released, there were consultations and everyone was carried along. “There is no conflict, the House remains one”, Gaza stated, stressing that the meeting summon by the Speaker was to familiarise with the new leaders he would be working with. “It was a friendly
parley with the leadership of the House. We were all elected to first and foremost, come and serve the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If you were given a committee and you feel you cannot do the work and resign, definitely, someone else will be given that responsibility. “Juicy, non-juicy, priority, non-priority, I believe we must think along national line,” saying that no committee was greater than the other as they were all meant to achieve oversight functions. Speaking on the grading of committees, Gaza said that this was put in place for administrative convenience.
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Reps urge FG to assist returning refugees Ubong Ukpong ABUJA
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L-R: Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, retired Col. Hameed Ali; IGP Solomon Arase and Deputy Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Grace Adeyemo, during the visit of the Comptroller-General to Force Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN
Buhari urges African nations to unite against terrorism Rotimi Fadeyi
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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that recent developments have made it more important than ever before, for Nigeria and other African nations to close ranks and work together against terrorism. A statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Buhari spoke while receiving the Special Envoy of Presi-
dent Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea. Buhari said that since terrorism no longer respects national borders, the international community must urgently evolve and implement more effective collaborative measures to enhance global security. “Good neighbourliness is essential for the security and economic development of African countries. “Terrorism no longer respects borders. Therefore, we must
keep on improving joint measures and actions against terrorism and other trans-border crimes. “It was with this necessity in mind that I visited all of Nigeria’s neighbouring countries immediately after my assumption of office and we will continue to do our best to strengthen regional and international cooperation against terrorism,” the president said. The Special Envoy, Mr Agapito Mba Mokuy, told President Buhari
that the security of Nigeria was very important to the entire West African region. Mokuy, who is also Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, said Mbasogo was impressed by the progress Nigeria was making, under Buhari’s leadership, towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency. He delivered an invitation from Mbasogo for President Buhari to visit Equatorial Guinea at his earliest convenience.
My husband running govt of unity, integrity –Aisha Buhari Emmanuel Ezeh ENUGU
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ife of Nigeria’s President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari yesterday assured women that her husband would deliver effectively in line with the mandate given to him. The president’s wife spoke in Enugu where she flagged-off the free health screening initiative, her pet project. Mrs. Buhari, who was accompanied on the visit by wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as over 20 wives of state governors,
stated that “the government of my husband is a government of unity and integrity”. “You are in safe hands,” she further told the women, stressing that the health programme would be fully implemented with the support of governors’ wives. She disclosed that the concept of the programme had since been designed and shared with local and international stakeholders, noting that it was intended to reach women, particularly those areas that are difficult to reach.
“I am glad that we are gathered here with governors’ wives for this programme. It is voluntary with health agencies rendering free health care services. “If you help the less privileged ones, God will help you. This government is a government of unity,” she further stressed. Earlier in her address of welcome, wife of the Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi, described the exercise as a miracle. According to her, “We hear of mass wedding and we hear of mass
feeding. Today, we are not only hearing, we are seeing and witnessing mass medical screening, the various screening tests of at least two thousand women in a day. Your Excellency, this is a miracle and it is happening in Enugu State and the South-East as a whole”. She disclosed that in line with the programme, her office had perfected plans to replicate the screening exercise in the 17 council areas of Enugu State, stressing “this task is enormous, Your Excellency, we are counting on you”.
he House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to facilitate the speedy return of Nigerian refugees from neighbouring countries. This followed a motion under matters of urgent public importance brought by Mohammed Sheriff (Borno-APC) which enjoyed unanimous support by the House. Sheriff had pointed out the need for the Federal Government to ensure that refugees who were displaced as a result of activities of insurgency were fully reintegrated into their communities. According to him, the refugees are vulnerable to health threats because they lack adequate health care. “Since no good health condition is guaranteed, there is possibility of diseases outbreak in the camps.” He further urged the National Emergency Man-
agement Agency, NEMA, to arrange for a coordinated process of returning the refugees. The lawmaker added that such coordinated arrangement was crucial to forestall planned return of the refugees’ en mass into the country. “12, 000 refugees plan to return en mass into Nigeria under uncoordinated arrangement portends serious security and health challenges to the country,” Sheriff stressed. During the debate on the motion Bashir Baballe (Kano-APC) pointed out that the refugees were confronted with difficult situations as they lacked homes, starved and have their children out of school. “Those people are suffering; they are dying silently due to hunger and untold hardship”, Baballe said Also, Honourable Chike Okafor (Imo-APC) expressed concern that the refugees were not protected in the neighbouring country where they sought refuge.
Change of counsel stalls Stanbic IBTC suit against FRC Wale Igbintade
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he change of lawyer by Financial Reporting Council, FRC, yesterday stalled further hearing before a Federal High Court, Lagos in a suit filed by shareholders seeking to bring the Chief Executive Officer of FRC, Mr. Jim Obazee before the court. The suit was filed to show cause why Obazee should not be committed for contempt for implementing regulations that are subject of litigation before the court. Justice Okon Abang had on October 30 adjourned trial till November 5, 2015 to allow the application filed by the plaintiff ’s Kemi Pinheiro, (SAN), to be filed properly before the court, and for the defence lawyer, Mr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), to respond before the court could reach a decision. But when the matter came up yesterday, it was another lawyer, Emmanuel Akpudugu from Bola Ajibola chambers that represented FRC, confirming speculations that Mr. Ajogwu has withdrawn his services from the defendants. Akpudugu told the court that his chambers had just been briefed about the mat-
ter two days ago. He therefore urged the court to grant him a short adjournment to enable him study the matter properly. Pinheiro addressing the court said that he sympathised with the defence counsel, but that the justice of the matter demands that the court orders a temporary suspension of the directive of the defendant dated October 26, 2015, suspending the chairman and some directors of Stanbic IBTC Holdings. He said that while the lawyer is seeking for an adjournment, the defendants still continue to implement the regulations which form the cause of action before the court. However, Akpudugu, pleaded with court that he was ready to give an undertaking that the defendants will not do anything on the directive pending the argument of the motion before the court. Justice Abang in his ruling said he would not want to give his ruling on the motion before him piecemeal, and that he would prefer that parties in the case argue their motions and the court gives its ruling once and for all. He thereafter adjourned the matter till November 20, 2015.
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$1bn oil mining lease: Supreme Court fixes Jan 29 for judgement WALE IGBINTADE
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L-R: Special Apostle, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Imole Ayo Circuit, Bariga, Lagos, Apostle Tolani Adewale; Special Apostle Samson Otukoya; Ordained Patron, Special Apostle Opoola Taiwo; Senior District Secretary, CSMC, Sabo, Oko-Oba District, Lagos, Special Apostle Samson Akinrele; and Leader-in-Charge, CSMC, Imole Ayo Circuit, Dr. Abiodun Adenikan, during the installation of Opoola as Church Patron in Lagos, recently.
Ambode never deducted our funds –LG bosses FRANCIS SUBERU
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onference of Local Government Executive Secretaries in Lagos State has debunked allegation by former Minister of Works and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adeseye Ogunlewe, accusing Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of causing under-development at the grassroots by deducting 80 per cent from funds accruing to local governments in the state. Executive Secretaries in a press conference on Thursday described the al-
legation by Ogunlewe as a blatant lie. Executive Secretary of Bariga Local Council Development Area, LCDA, and Chairman of Conference of Local Government Executive Secretaries, Hon Alabi Kolade, who addressed journalists alongside his colleagues, wondered why the former minister suddenly discovered his love for Lagosians so much that he felt it was his responsibility to raise the allegation. The executive secretaries said in the last five months they have had the opportunity of working
with Governor Ambode, whose deep passion for the autonomy of local governments was immeasurable, adding that the respect the governor has for political and administrative personnel was equally exemplary. While urging the public to disregard the allegation, the executive secretaries said rather than deduct from the local government funds, Ambode, instead, elected to empower the 20 local government councils and 37 LCDAs in the state. While assuring that the local governments and LCDAs in Lagos State are up to the task of speeding
up development and responding to the demands of Lagosians, the council bosses emphasised that it is on record that since the administration of former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos has never defaulted in the payment of salaries to all teachers and staff. Besides, the executive secretaries urged the National Assembly to legislate the 37 LCDAs in Lagos into local governments and allocate one per cent of the revenue of the federation to Lagos, which is the highest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Osun Obas offer to assist on dwindling revenue BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO
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sun State Council of Traditional Rulers yesterday stated its readiness to assist the state government to deal with myriad of challenges facing it. This was part of resolutions reached at the monthly meeting of the council held at Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, CBCIU, Osogbo. Addressing newsmen, chairman of the council, Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, said: “Council of Traditional Rulers in the state is ready to find ways and means to help
the state government. We want Osun State to recover from its illness. “Workers must earn their salaries as well as pensioners as and when due. We want peace in the state and we want pensioners to be able to live longer than before. “We the Obas have agreed to help the state government. We are ready to cooperate with the governor and the government. We have set up a committee to find out how to solve the problems.” When asked if he would relinquish the chairmanship of the council, when a new Ooni of Ife is enthroned, Oba Aromolaran said: “I would not answer that question.
“On my appointment, I did not beg for the position. When Ooni Sijuwade was alive, I was the one do-
ing most of the work. This is not a position we have to contest for. Your question is irrelevant.”
upreme Court yesterday fixed January 29 to deliver judgement in an appeal filed by an oil prospecting company, Brittania-U against Chevron Nigeria Limited and four others. The five-man panel led by Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, adjourned for judgment after listening to submissions of counsel for all the parties. Britannia-U had dragged Chevron to court over the award of Oil Mining Leases, OML, 52, 53 and 55 by Chevron to Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited. At yesterday’s proceedings, lawyer to Brittania-U, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), told the court that the pending appeal before it was in respect of the judgment of the Court of Appeal vacating the status quo order. Tarfa urged the court to grant their relief as captured in paragraph 8.02 in the appellant’s brief and also informed the court that they filed list of additional authorities dated October 22, 2015, which addressed the court on its power to make consequential orders. He also urged the court to grant the motion for mandatory, restorative order to revert parties to status quo before the appeal was lodged. The lawyer representing the 2nd and 4th respondent appellants, Mr. Uche Nwokedi (SAN),
submitted that he had filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection to the hearing of the appeal. On his part, counsel to the 1st respondent appellant, Mr. Damien Dodo (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the appeal stating that it’s an interlocutory appeal. Britannia-U Nigeria Limited had approached the court seeking for a declaration that its final bidding offer of $1,01billion for acquisition of 40 percent participating interest of Chevron Nigeria in oil mining leases 52, 53 and 56 has been accepted by the first defendant. In its statement of claim, the plaintiff stated that the second defendant, (Chevron USA) requested Britannia-U to provide firm Board Commitment Letter issued by the plaintiff ’s bankers for payment of the balance of $765million which was complied with. The plaintiff pray the court to hold that it’s revised bid of $1,01billion for acquisition of the 40 per cent participating interest of Chevron Nigeria Limited in Oil Mining Leases 52, 53 and 56 is binding and subsisting. The plaintiff added that by provision of the Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit for the sum of $250m representing 15 per cent of company’s initial bid price of $1.667billion, opened in favour of the first/second defendants on September 30, 2013 remain in force.
Police arrest traffic robbers, recover items in Lagos PATIENCE OGBO
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olicemen attached to Lagos State Police Command have arrested three suspected traffic armed robbers. Spokesperson for Lagos State Police Command, DSP Joe Offor, confirmed the arrest in a press statement. He said: “Strategies put in place by Lagos State Police Command towards nipping in the bud the cur-
rent crime of motor traffic robbery in the state has started yielding results.” Following a distress call by a victim of motor traffic robbery at Osborne area of Ikoyi on Monday at about 1800hrs, which was promptly responded to by a team of Anti-Robbery Squad stationed at Ikoyi Police Division, led to the arrest of Owolabi Oyewumi ‘m’, Lekan Azeez ‘m’ and Afolarin ‘m’ in whose possession one motorcycle (Boxer) was recovered.
Also on November 3, 2015, the Tactical Operational Point, TOP, mounted by operatives of Counter Terrorist Unit, CTU, accosted two motorcycles with two occupants each moving menacingly at Iyana Oba bus-stop. Immediately the operatives forced the motorcycles to a halt, all the occupants jumped into the swamp, abandoning the motorcycles and bags, which when opened, led to the recovery of the following items:
one Pump Action rifle, 22 live cartridges, assorted hand phones, one laptop and a camp-coder camera. Owners of some of the recovered properties have identified them for possible collection, while effort is on to track down the fleeing hoodlums. The Lagos State Police Command therefore, restated its earlier assurance to put measures that will guarantee safety of life and properties.
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Police evolve strategies to combat cross-border banditry in Lagos, Ogun –AIG
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ssistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Zone 2 Command, Mr. Bala Hassan, yesterday said the command has devised strategies to fight cross-border banditry in Lagos and Ogun states. Hassan expressed readiness of the police to address the challenge in spite of the porous nature of borders between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin in both states. The AIG, who did not disclose the strategies during his visit to the Lagos office of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday, said already the police are on 24 hours patrol at the borders. “The Inspector General of Police has just inaugurated anti-border patrols whereby we have men patrolling the borders without necessarily blocking the highways. “This is to ensure that criminals and other things like ar ms and ammunition coming into the country from neighbouring or other countries are checked. “That is why about five days ago, the men on the patrol intercepted about 18 children being trafficked from Ghana through Togo to Gabon. “It’s through vigilance at the border that the men from the zone were able to intercept these young women and men who would have been taken to Gabon under the guise that they will get them employment. “Of course, they may go into sex trade or slavery but the borders are being policed, not only in Lagos State but through Ogun borders to the Republic of Benin. “The porous borders are a challenge to all security services but we are doing our best to see that arms and ammunition brought into the country and human trafficking are curtailed across the
borders,” he told NAN. Hassan also pointed out that the crime rate in Lagos and Ogun states is on the increase, being the zone with high commercial transactions. He said the businesses prospect serves as attraction to criminals who would not hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity to commit heinous acts. On the personnel protecting lives and property, he said: “As you are aware, we have more than 31,680 personnel in Lagos State, and in Ogun, about 7,600.” Hassan noted that the police are aware of the challenges but would not relent in protecting lives and properties. He reassured residents of the zone that the command is working tirelessly to combat crime in spite of the innovative devices of the criminals. The AIG restated that there have been increased patrols, especially in the ember months so that the people could sleep with both eyes closed.
L-R: Deputy Director, Technical Services, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Mathias Ajudua; Deputy Editor-in-Chief, NAN, Mr Tony Nezianya; Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police, Zone 2 Command, Mr Bala Hassan, and Director, Marketing, NAN, Mrs. Kate Popoola, during a familiarisation tour of NAN office by the AIG in Lagos, yesterday.
Rail movement of petroleum products improves nationwide FRANCIS SUBERU
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roblem of petroleum products haulage across the country will soon ease as major oil marketers have resolved to partner with the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, to lift and distribute products by rail. In a letter dated September 29, 2015, and addressed to Managing Director of NRC, Engr. Adeseyi Sijuwade, and signed by
Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, Mr. Thomas Obafemi Olawore, the oil marketers expressed belief that the partnership would be mutually beneficial, and above all, have a positive impact on the nation. It would be recalled that the management of NRC has in stock 40 pressurised tank wagons specially designed for the transportation of petroleum products
by rail across the country. The new pressurised light oil tank wagons are superior to previous wagons used by the NRC as they have a loading capacity of 40 tons and a carriage capacity of 45,000 litres. Other features of the wagons which make them superior, include high operational and maintenance facilities such as health and safety protection mechanism which prevents spillage of contents even in the event of accidents. The tank wag-
ons are well fitted with in-built fire and other hazards prevention system controls and pressure gauge to show condition of oil contents at all times. It is noteworthy that the tank wagons are currently being used by the NRC to transport diesel from Apapa in Lagos to Kano. Furthermore, plans to commence movement of petroleum products for Oando from its oil tank farm in Lagos to its depot in Kaduna are being finalised.
Adeboye, Tunde Bakare, 60 others for HID Awolowo’s burial ...funeral activities begin Nov. 15 FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA
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eneral Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and that of the Later Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, as well as 60 other Anglican bishops are among several other ministers of God billed to participate in the 11-day burial programmes culminating in the final interment of the late Yeye Oodua and matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Mama HID Awolowo. Also, 35 governors as well as secretaries to the government of those states will be joining their Ogun State counterpart, Ibikunle Amosun, to give the late Mama Awolowo a
befitting burial in the ceremony, which begins from November 15 and end on November 25 this year. Addressing a press conference yesterday in Ikenne, the country home of the Awolowos, the HID Awolowo burial central planning committee explained that the late Yeye Oodua would be finally interred in Ikenne on the occasion of her posthumous Centenary birthday anniversary on November 25. The committee has among its members, the two daughters of the family, Rev. Omotola Oyediran, Ambassador Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, a federal government’s representative, who is a permanent secretary in the
Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Oyemomi, as well as Secretary to the Government of Ogun State (SSG), Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, among others. Speaking on the event, Barrister Adeoluwa explained that the Ibikunle Amosunled administration in the state as the chief mourner, has already dispatched correspondence to all the 35 state governors across Nigeria to officially inform them of Mama Awolowo’s passage as well as invite them to join in the internment. Adeoluwa who said the office of the Ogun SSG has done same to invite all the 35 SSGs in Nigeria for the burial, also said that the government of Ogun State is still expecting the Presidency to inform
the committee of the list of heads of government of other countries that have been invited for the burial. Giving a vivid breakdown of the 11-day burial activities of the late patriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu explained that the corpse of Mama Awolowo would be lying-in-state at the Tribune House in the Imole F’alaafia area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on November 17, to commemorate the 66th anniversary of the founding of the newspaper organisation which she chaired till death. D o s u n m u - Aw o l o w o further stated that a book - the biography which chronicled the life and times the late matriarch of Awolowo dynasty, would be presented to the public
in Ibadan the following day, among several other lying-in-state ceremonies in both Lagos, Ibadan and Ikenne for Mama Awolowo. She also disclosed that the burial planning committee has evolved a special traffic control measure which would restrict vehicular movement from Ikenne township, stressing that a special transportation arrangement has been made to convey guests from the outskirts to the town, particularly the 690-sitting-capacity Our Saviour’s Anglican Church where the church service would hold. Awo l owo - D o s u n m u , however, appealed to Nigerians to show understanding and support for the family over the burial arrangement for the late Yeye Oodua.
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Bad governance killed NIGERCEM –Umahi Aliuna Godwin ABAKALIKI
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Group CEO, United Capital, Oluwatoyin Sanni (left) with President of Mauritius, Mrs Ameenah Gurib-Fakin after a discussion session at 2015 African Ministerial Conference for Intellectual Property in Emerging Market in Dakar, Senegal, on Monday.
Jonathan’s economic policies caused Nigeria’s problems –Nwogu Obiora Ifoh ABUJA
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enator Nkechi Nwaogu yesterday said that Nigeria is presently going through difficult phase because former President Goodluck Jonathan ran economic policies that were shrouded in secrecy. Nwaogu, who represented Abia Central Senatorial District for eight years was at the National Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress, where she said she came to express her appreciation to the national leadership of the party for their support and concern during her husband’s funeral. Speaking in company of two of the APC Board of Trustees members - Chief
Sam Nkire, former National Chairman of the Progressive Peoples Alliance,PPA, and Chief Chris Akomas, former Abia State Deputy Governor, the Senator stated that those who are joining or have joined APC should be people of positive minds. She commended APC and the President, Muhammadu Buhari for the mantra of change. In her speech, she said: “l am here to fraternise myself once again with my party, APC, to identify myself, to associate myself with the change train and anybody today in this country who does not realise that this is a divine mandate given to APC to usher in change to sustain change, to bring about change in all endeavours of our lives
especially in our economic lives is not realistic. “We all know what has been happening or what has happened in the economy of our dear nation, that it was shrouded in secrecy. Thanks to the emergency of Buhari and the change doctrine, change mantra and change advocates. “Those who have sworn not to conceive anything of the truth would not see this change because even the Bible tells us that it is only the truth that can set us free. “For us to attempt to bring to a level of acceptance for the president to remove the present level of unemployment, to remove or try to see how we can increase our revenue, to see that we have no other country other than Nigeria, therefore everybody
has a contribution to make towards revamping this nation. “This nation is blessed with natural resources. It beholds on us to put our brains and our contributions together as citizens of this country to ensure that when we train our children out from tertiary institutions, that they do not come out to roam in the street. They say an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. “I am pledging to the family of APC that I am now part of APC that is to say that wherever l would be called upon l will serve and l also use this medium to ask everybody who has agreed to join this party to ensure that they have something positive to contribute towards nation building.”
Police parade 15 suspected criminals Gloria Anaeze ONITSHA
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nambra State Police Command yesterday paraded 15 persons allegedly involved in various criminal activities, including robbery, raping, car snatching and other criminal acts in various parts of the state. Addressing newsmen while parading the suspects at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, at Awkuzu in Oyi Local Government Area of the state, the Police
Public Relation Officer, Mr. Ali Okechukwu, said the suspects were arrested for various criminal activities. According to the police, one of the suspects, Chinenye Egeonu from Aba, Abia State was arrested for allegedly snatching a trailer truck belonging to Dangote Cement, loaded with about 900 bags of cement from one Suleiman Mohammed at Oba. According to him, following the tip off on October 3, 2015, men of the state SARS went to Aba and discovered
the trailer with Reg No SML 314 XA and also arrested the suspect. Among the suspects paraded were Maxwell Obemana, Chukwunonso Nwosu and Ugochukwu Simon, who were attached to Udide Vigillante Service in Awka were allegedly involved in armed robbery and rape of one Amaka, a student of Unizik at Temperate Site Awka. The PPRO also said that another group of a suspects were arrested for snatched a Mark trailer with Regis-
tration No SMK 575 loaded with 187 Day long Motorcycles. The suspects include one Ebuka from Arochukwu, Abia State and Ifeanyi Udeozor form Awgu, Enugu State. Another members of suspect comparising Ebube Okeke from Ihiala, Chijioke Okwueso from Okija, Onyedika Kennedy from Enugu and Ujunwa Ikwuka from Ihiala were arrested for robbing one Amah Chinyere of Umunamehi of her Toyota Rav-4 with Registration No KJA 852 BC at gun point.
bonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, yesterday said it is bad governance by the past administration that killed Nigercem Cement Company, Nkalagu. The governor who was represented by the deputy governor, Barr Kelechi Igwe, made this known while inaugurating Nigercem Implementation Committee held at the Akanu-Ibiam International Conference Centre, Abakaliki. The committee was given three weeks to conclude the assignment given to them and ensure that Nigercem and other mineral deposits in the state are harnessed as to contribute in boasting the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the state. “Liaise with all investors in cement sector. Negotiate with the investors on behalf of government. No account or circumstances will our people’s interest be shortchanged. You shall be
business-like,” he said. The governor released N5million naria to the committee to enable them commence work, just as he tasked them to make their job to be business-like and that the interest of the state must be protected and considered as they negotiate with investors. Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Odefa Obasi representing Onicha East constituency, Mr. Chike Oguji, Chief Whip representing Ikwo South Constituency among other House members who were members of the implementation committee shunned the governor’s inauguration for reasons best known to them. Responding, The chairman of the committee, Chief Fidelix Mbam, assured the governor of the commitment and preparedness of the committee to do their best in ensuring that the job given to them is done perfectly, bearing in mind the need to increase the IGR of the state.
Okorocha chides Uwazuruike, says he’s Igbo saboteur Chris Njoku OWERRIS
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mo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday in Owerri flayed the media reports credited to the founder and sole proprietor of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, describing the Imo Governor as Igbo saboteur, saying that the MASSOB leader is economical with the truth. Uwazuruike was quoted to have said that apart from the fact that Okorocha being Igbo saboteur, he has also been aiding and abetting the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government in the continued marginalisation of the Igbo, and called on Igbo to ignore the governor. In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha, said although Uwazuruike had made his claim and his allegation, the indisputable fact remains that the real Igbo saboteur “is Uwazuruike himself and not Governor Okorocha, because all over the world, the real enemies of their people are those who fail or refuse to tell them the truth.” The governor noted that obviously, what might have
prompted Uwazuruike’s media attack on Okorocha this time was the Governor’s condemnation of the violent protest in the name of Biafra some weeks ago, adding that his remark that Igbo people would not use MASSOB as a platform to ask for what is due for them in an entity called Nigeria. “Uwazuruike had used his MASSOB to adopt and support the PDP and former President Goodluck Jonathan when they held sway and he should mention one project the PDPled Federal Government or former President Goodluck Jonathan did in any part of Igboland. “The MASSOB leader was part of the hate campaign against the APC and President Mohammadu Buhari, while Governor Okorocha was telling his Igbo kinsmen to read accurately the body language of the rest of Nigerians and today, it is left for Ndi-Igbo to tell themselves the truth about who was the real saboteur, Uwazuruike or Okorocha? The statement also asked Uwazuruike to tell his audience why MASSOB went to bed throughout the period Jonathan was president only for MASSOB to woke up from their deep slumber now that President Buhari is the president.
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Friday, November 6, 2015
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Measles: UNICEF to vaccinate 8m children in C’River Richard Ndoma Calabar
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nited Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, yesterday, at an interactive forum, said it has concluded arrangements to vaccinate 805,490 children in Cross River State in 2016. Speaking with journalists in Calabar on the preparation for immunisation campaign, Principal Consultant to UNICEF on the disease in the state, Mrs. Sherifat Lawal, said the exercise would kick off on January 28 and is expected to end on February 1. Lawal pointed out that children between the ages of nine and 59 months old would be immunised during the period, and charged parents to ensure that their wards are made available for the exercise by trained health officers. The UNICEF consultant maintained that in 2013, Cross River State had the worst outcome in measles immunisation in the South South geo-political zone, adding that this resulted in the high rate of child mortality in the state in the last two years. Mrs. Lawal stressed that measles remains one
Ayade
of the six major diseases that have contributed to the high rate of child mortality, adding that underutilisation of the vaccine in any state could impair the health of children. “Measles campaign started some six years ago and this time, we are targeting children between the age of nine months and 59 months, including those who have been immunised before now. The underutilisation of measles vaccine is the cause of diarrhea, blindness and other preventable diseases in children which often lead to death,” she said. Sherifat averred that in preparation for the up-coming campaign, UNICEF has kick-started what she called microplanning in order to ensure that necessary equipment and materials, as well as human resources are in place. “So far, micro-planning has been done to determine the needs in terms of personnel, materials and training. We will also make use of what is known as fix posts (already existing health facilities) in the state while having our mobile transit team in various communities,” she said. The UNICEF consultant added that in order to cover the state, about 980 different teams, made up of seven people per team, have been designated to cover all the communities across the three senatorial districts of the state, stressing that no community would be left out of the immunisation exercise.
L-R: Director, Political Party Monitoring, Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr. Bala Shittu; Director, Geosciences, Mr. Babatunde Adegbesan; National Coordinator, Election Monitor, Mr. Abiodun Ajijola and Administrative Secretary, Electoral Institute, Mr. John Irem, during a Public Presentation of the 2015 Kogi and Bayelsa states Governorship Elections Observation and Research Guide in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA
Ibom Power gets NERC licence to build 685mw plant Chidi Ugwu Abuja
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anagement team of Ibom Power Company Limited, an electricity generation company based in Akwa Ibom State, was yesterday led by Governor Gabriel Udom Emmanuel to collect a licence from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, pursuant to its anticipated generation of about 685mw of electricity. Chairman of NERC, Sam Amadi, issued the licence, which was collected by the governor at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. Managing Director of Ibom Power, Victor Udo, was also present.
“This is particularly important because we are not giving licence to a company whose competence to deliver on its terms is in doubt. They have done it before and I believe they can do it again,” said the NERC chairman. “I want to remind the NERC that this is not the last licence that I am coming for; very soon, I will be coming for a licence on embedded generation,” said the Akwa Ibom State governor. Ibom Power is currently generating 190 megawatts of electricity in line with an on-grid generation licence issued to it in May 2008 for a gas-fired power plant located at Ikot Abasi. Its latest license brings the total number of licenses issued by the NERC in the
Nigerian electricity supply industry to about 126, with the exception of two that were issued by the Ministry of Power and Steel prior to the enactment of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act under which NERC was established. A breakdown of the licenses into various categories shows that 72 of them are for on-grid; while 25 are off-grid electricity generation. The number of licenses for embedded generation is six, while trading, transmission and systems operations have one license each. The total capacity, if fully developed, would be 22,216mw on-grid, 428.12mw off-grid, 298mw embedded generation and 5,032mw from the National Integrated Power Projects, NIPPs.
Others are 7,283.2mw from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, and 780mw from the legacy Independent Power Projects, IPPs. This brings the total national power generation capacity to 35,314mw for on-grid generation, with 428.12mw for off-grid generation and 298mw for embedded electricity generation. The energy mix in Nigeria is also more diversified with multiple sources currently being sought, resulting in the construction of four hydro power plants with a capacity of 1,969mw, six coal fired plants of 1,815mw, two wind powered plants of 110mw and five solar-powered plants, producing 189mw.
Bank robbery: Vigilante takes over police job in Igarra Sebastine Ebhuomhan Benin
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he worsening security of life and property, resulting from poor policing in Edo State, formed the basis of discussions in Benin City and other communities yesterday following the killing of six people on Tuesday evening. In Igarra, capital of Akoko Edo Local Government Area, where some dare-devil armed robbers sacked a police station
during which two police officers were killed before the robbers attacked two banks and four other citizens killed, members of vigilante groups arrested two of the suspected armed robbers. The vigilante groups, whose members rose to the occasion even when the police fled at the sight of the robbers the previous day, and secured lives and properties in their communities, said the two suspected robbers were among those that par-
ticipated in the operation that left six citizens dead on Tuesday. According to a leader of one of the vigilante groups, who did not want his name mentioned, the fact that they lost a member during the attack has not deterred them from bravely taking over the job of the police. The vigilante leader added that the gunshot wounds sustained by the two apprehended robbers gave them away when they were caught.
Our correspondent gathered that one of the two suspected robbers had gunshot wound on the head while the other had a gunshot wound on his leg. Explaining how they were able to restore security to Akoko Edo in the absence of the police, the vigilante leader said their members were quickly mobilised from Ojirami, Ojah Ososo, Makeke, Lampese and its environs when it became clear that the armed robbers had taken over Igarra.
“They were directed to barricade the EkpedoEkpe axis of the road with tyres, stones, logs and other obstacles to slow down the robbers’ movement,” he said. “We have to swing into action to give support because they (police) had (by then) already disorganised in Igarra. We had to quickly call our members in Ojirami and Ojah who then called others because we suspected they will pass through that axis. The
robbers shot and deflated the vehicle of the DPO, Divisional Police Officer, with which the police were pursuing them (robbers) after the police had killed one of them,” he added. He concluded that they have since alerted other vigilante groups, the police and military formations in neighbouring Kogi and Ondo states since they believe many of the suspected armed robbers were still hiding in the forest.
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Adamawa varsity VC sacked, bursar suspended Livinus Menedi Yola
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L-R: Representative of Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Mahmood Garba; Chairman, Independent Electoral Commission for Bauchi State, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kundak, and Chairman, House of Assembly’s Committee on Electoral Matters, Mr Muhammed Auwal, during a Workshop on Empowerment for Women’s Participation in Future Local Government Elections, in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN
DPR seals 24 stations in Plateau James Abraham Jos
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epartment of Petroleum Resources, DPR, yesterday moved against some petroleum marketers and dealers in Jos, Plateau State, with the government agency sealing 23 fuel stations for various offences. DPR also advised the general public to stop patronising illegal fuel stations as well as roadside fuel sellers. The sealing of the fuel stations was carried out during an unscheduled visit to all fuel stations in the city, a mission led by the state operation comptroller, Mr.
Caesar Douglas. Briefing newsmen after the operation, Mr. Douglas pointed out that the department had carried out its statutory duty by monitoring sales of fuel in the state. According to Mr. Douglas, “our outing today is so revealing; there are some marketers doing illegal business with the PMS; they have been cheating innocent Nigerians; they have been short-changing the general public and we had no option than to seal their stations. “We have sealed 24 fuel stations in the state, out of which 16 are licensed marketers and seven unlicensed marketers. They will be pe-
nalised for hoarding fuel, selling above government approved price, diversion of their allocations and operating without license. “We sealed 11 stations for selling above government price; we sealed five for diversion of fuel, seven for selling without license, and one for hoarding fuel.” He added: “All these offence go with their respective penalties; for those selling above government price, your station will be sealed for a month; you will pay a fine of N100,000. For those caught hoarding the product, we considered that as economic sabotage and goes with severe punishment:
you will pay a fine of N2 million; the station will be sealed for two months. “The DPR also seized jerry cans from customers buying fuel with it; it is illegal to buy or sell in jerry cans.” Mr. Douglas assured the general public that the exercise would be a continuous one which is intended to stop the shoddy deal marketers do during ember months that often create artificial scarcity during Yuletide. He therefore advised Nigerians not to patronise ‘black’ marketers because of the risk involved and the economic loss it causes the Federal Government.
damawa State University Vice Chancellor, Prof. David Joshua Shall, has been relieved of his appointment by the state government over alleged maladministration. Similarly, bursar of the university, Mr. Kumthi Ezra Anjili, has also been suspended. A letter addressed to the vice chancellor and signed by Secretary to the State Government, Malam Umar Bindir, in Yola, yesterday, said Shall was removed from office for alleged maladministration. It said the action followed the report of a visitation committee set up to investigate allegations of maladministration against him and the recommendation of a committee set up to study the report. According to the letter, the removal was with immediate effect and the vice chancellor is to hand over to the deputy vice chancellor, Dr. Moses Zira Zaruwa. It would be recalled that recently, some staff of the university petitioned the state government and the House of Assembly, accusing the vice chancellor of misconduct. The petitioners called for the suspension of the vice chancellor and the
UNILORIN releases 2 certificates after 16 years of legal battle
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ducation Rights Campaign, ERC, yesterday, lauded the University of Ilorin for releasing the certificates of two ex-students withheld 16 years ago. This was contained in a statement jointly signed by its national coordinator, Mr. Hassan Soweto, and national secretary, Michael Ogundele, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos. NAN reports that the affected students are Mr. Lanre Akinola and Mrs. Rasheedat Adesina. According to the statement, the duo received their certificates after 16 years of legal battle. The statement said the degree certificates were withheld since 1999 and 2001, respectively, as punishment for their involvement in stu-
dents’ unionism and struggle to end military rule. It said Adesina was the assistant secretary-general of the UNILORIN Students’ Union, while Lanre Akinola was a member of the Students Representative Council of the students’ union. “The release of the withheld certificates has put an end to the erroneous belief of the administrators of academic institutions that they cannot be compelled to release academic results and degrees. “It gives hope to all victims of repressive, dictatorial and vindictive administrations in every sector of the society that it is possible to defeat the oppressors. “It also underscores the fact that although the battle for justice may be long, victory is certain if we remain
resolute and committed,’’ it said. The statement listed the reason for the predicaments of the duo as their participation in the anti-Abacha rally staged on campus on June 4, 1998 and students’ protest against poor welfare conditions on campus on June 5 of the same year.
Wole Adedeji Ilorin
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wara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday waded into the lingering fuel scarcity threatening to paralyse commercial and public activities in the state. The governor, according to National Mirror findings, took a personal drive around town in disguise to see for himself the harsh effects of
“Their predicament with the university administration under the leadership of the then vice-chancellor, Prof. Shuaib Oba Abdul-Raheem started on June 5, 1998, following students’ protest against poor welfare conditions on campus. “The anti-Abacha rally staged on campus on June 4,
was organised by the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria, JACON, under the leadership of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. “The released certificates indicated falsely that Lanre Akinola and Rasheedat Adesina graduated in 2015 instead of 1999 and 2001 respectively.
constitution of a visitation panel in line with the university’s Law to investigate the allegations. Information officer of the university, Mr. Hammandabo Dauda, confirmed the development to newsmen. Dauda said the sack of the VC and suspension of the bursar followed the outcome of the white paper presented by the visitation panel commissioned to investigate allegations of financial malfeasance in the institution. Prof. Shall has been caught in a web of controversies, following the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC’s investigation of an alleged sale of newlypurchased SUV at a scrap value and other financial malfeasance, allegedly levelled against him by the institution’s bursar, after a power tussle that ensued between the duo. However, during the logjam, the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities sided with the embattled VC, alleging that he was a victim of high-powered conspiracy that is determined to booth him out of office. ASUU chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Song, while distancing the union from calls requesting the sack of Prof. Shall, said those rooting for his ouster never wished the institution well because there had been massive corruption even before Shall was appointed. He stressed that under the new stewardship those trends were being reversed. Dr. Zaruwa, before his appointment was the deputy vice chancellor, in charge of Academic in the institution.
Governor coordinates sale of fuel in Kwara
the scarcity said to have been compounded by profiteering marketers. According to sources, Governor Ahmed was said to be attending a meeting in Government House when a ‘text’ message came into his specially dedicated open-line, informing him of the hardship motorists were subjected to at filling stations, leading to deserted streets.
He was reported to have driven out in a convoy to the filling stations where he reportedly handed down stern warnings to the marketers that they would lose their Certificate of Occupancy in the event that they were found responsible for the scarcity. Sources said that on getting back, Governor Ahmed put calls to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corpora-
tion, NNPC depots in Oke Oyi, Ibadan and Lagos to lodge complaints about the scarcity of fuel in Kwara. However, petroleum products have started arriving the state and the distribution is being coordinated by a team from the Ministry of Commerce, DPR and security agencies, who in two days had sealed off about 10 filling stations found wanting.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Gbajabiamila’s fresh fight against Dogara over committees’ allocation 14 Ayo Esan
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he Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has lashed out at the Senators over the rejection of the motion for the payment of N5, 000 stipend to each jobless Nigerian just as it also condemned members of House of Representatives over the reported ongoing rift that is almost tearing the lower federal legislature apart in the past few days. Commenting on the senators’ rejection of the monthly allowance to the unemployed youth, the executive chairman of CACOL, Comrade Debo Adeniran opined that “since
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CACOL chides Senate over rejection of stipends for unemployed youths the authorities know the number of graduates of different higher institutions in the country, they would have considered it as a burden to carry and should have created workplaces for them.” This he continued, “is the more reason why we want the government to create business friendly environment, encourage cottage industries for those with requisite capacity and establish more industries and central vocational centers
that would absorb the unemployed graduates and competent artisans.” Speaking further Adeniran stressed, “The fact that all these promises, the monthly allowance for the unemployed inclusive, were voluntarily made by the APC during its electioneering campaign makes it incumbent on it to honour the promises without any further excuses whatsoever, now that it is in power. No excuse will be good enough.” As for the monthly al-
lowance, the CACOL boss asserted, “all that is now expected of the APC-led government is to begin to collate necessary data with a view to determining the accurate population of potential beneficiaries of this and all other of its campaign promises and the cost implication and commence the implementation without further ado. “However, giving such paltry sum of money to Nigerian youths will not solve their problems outright. Government should
be reminded that it has to create the enabling environment for employment generation and ensure that business set-up, maintenance and sustenance are enhanced by government policies, which will include provision of micro-credit, reduction in taxes and rates payable, and moratorium for new business loans,” he said. Adeniran also condemned the House of Representatives members for quarrelling over the sharing of House committees describing their action as “a shameless display of sheer opportunism by our ‘honourable’ lawmakers”. He said it’s disturbing seeing the frequency at which they fight for issues bordering on their selfish gains. “How very impressive
it would have been if they take issues of national interest with the same zeal and seriousness. “Thanks to members of lower legislative chamber; at least, we are now being made to know that certain committees are ‘juicier’ than the others. Are we not now beginning to understand better that all the claims by these people that ‘the driving motive behind their contesting for legislative positions is basically to serve the nation and to loyally represent their respective constituencies’ have been nothing but mere lip service; otherwise, why should they be selective and not just take whatever was given and get to work for the nation, in whatever capacity they find themselves? he said.
Lagos assembly calls for repair of Daleko road Robert Awokuse
L Senators accompanied the Senate President Bukola Saraki to the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO:ROTIMI OSASONA
Wike urged to accept tribunal verdict in good faith Wale Igbintade
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ivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has been advised to prepare himself for the rerun of the governorship election in the state as ordered by the election petition tribunal, instead of castigating members of the panel and other opposition parties in the state. A political analyst, Mr. Eterigho Okuweh, gave the advice while speaking with National Mirror in Lagos on the political develop-
ment in Rivers State following the nullification of the governorship election that produced Wike as governor by the Rivers state Governorship Election Petition in Abuja. Okuweh also called on Wike to stop apportioning blame on any individual or group for the current political development in the state. Speaking further, the political analyst said from day one, he has seen the APC candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside as a better prepared candidate and one that is fit for the office of governor in
Rivers State. He said Wike should not behave like someone who is desperate for power saying this is not expected in the present political dispensation. “I advised him to accept the verdict of the tribunal in good faith, get himself prepared for the rerun and let the people of Rivers State decide who is to govern them. “Governor Wike should also stop blaming the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Mr. Chibuke Rotimi Amaechi and his party, the All Progressive
Congress, APC, for the current development in the state. “Amaechi as a man that always speaks out his mind without fear or favour”, he said. “My advice to every contestant in Rivers state governorship rerun is to get themselves prepared for the election and let people decide who is to lead them”, he further said. Ekuweh also called on politicians in the country to have a change of mindset, saying that the Nigeria of today is different from Nigeria of yesterday.
agos State House of Assembly has called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to direct the Public Works Bureau to urgently embark on palliative measure on Daleko road in Mushin area of the state. The lawmaker representing Mushin Constituency II, Olawale Olayiwola who moved the motion under matters of urgent public importance said the road had brought untold hardship to the people of his constituency, stressing the need for the state to urgently find solution to deplorable condition of the road. He said “I want to call the attention of this Honourable House to the deplorable condition of Daleko road in Mushin, which is the commercial area known for activities where people come to
trade from different parts of the state to transact business.” “This road has been abandoned by contractor handling this project which was awarded two years ago”. Supporting the motion, Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuoso who represents Mushin Constituency II corroborate with the prime mover of the motion adding that there is need for immediate attention on the road considering the importance of the road to commerce in the State. In a contribution, Hon. Bisi Yusuff representing Alimosho called for holistic approach on the entire roads in the state. In his ruling, Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said there are no abandoned roads in the state. He however cited lack of funds as cause of the delay of some of the projects.
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Gbajabiamila’s fresh fight against Dogara over The House of Representatives is again engulfed in crisis arising from committees sharing. Our correspondent, UBONG UKPONG, takes a critical look at this allocation that has resulted in a fresh fight between Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.
H
ouse Leader, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila is at it again, slugging it out with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, this time, over committees’ allocation to members of the House. The war is not yet over, but rather has progressed into a cold one, the sharing of committees, which was one of the basis for the crisis to come, has now manifested, and the Leader is allegedly in serious confrontation with the Speaker. After a long period of waiting, the Speaker finally on Thursday, October 22, 2015, announced the composition of 96 standing committees of the House. Analysis of the allocations shows that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which was the strong block behind Dogara’s emergence as Speaker and remains behind him in all matters in the House, got a satisfactory allocation in terms of quantity and quality. Also, all the supposed “non-loyal APC members”, who are with Dogara got good slots both in quantity and quality. It is not really that those in the camp of Gbajabiamila were given the crumbs or given very few numbers of committees, but the dissatisfaction remains a matter of battle for supremacy. From the presentation, the APC got headship of 48 committees, while PDP got 46, APGA 1, SDP 1. The APC got deputy headship of 55 committees, while PDP got 39. Of the 48 APC chairmen 26 are Gbajabiamila’s supporters. Of the 54 deputy chairmen 29 are Gbajabiamila’s supporters. Some of the Grade’ A’ committees allocated to his supporters include Customs and Excise which both chairman and deputy came from the group. Hon. Faleke and Hon. Chanchangi. Agriculture and many others were rated as grade ‘A’ committees. To demonstrate their displeasure with the allocations to them, supporters of Gbajabiamila have not only openly expressed grudges with what were given to them, they have come up to reject their allocations. It all began with Garba Dati, when he came to the floor of the House the following Tuesday to reject his committee. He was given Chairman, House Committee on Solid Minerals Development, but he raised a point of order at the plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker, Sulaimon Lasun, rejecting it that he was not consulted before the appointment.. Having opened the door to rejection, on Thursday October 29, more Gbajabiamila’s supporters lined up to the plenary to embarrass Dogara by turning down the offer publicly, while he was away in Jerusalem praying for the peace and stability of the country. However, they were cleverly stopped by the presiding officer Lasun, who has always demonstrated that he knows the game. In an attempt to announce on the floor his rejection of the appointment as Deputy Chairman House Committee on Special Duties, Representative Sunday Adeyemi Adepoju, (Oyo APC), came under a Point of Order seeking to enforce his privilege on the matter on that Thursday, one week after committees were announced.. Having been recognised by the presiding officer, Lasun, Adepoju said that the matter he came with bothered on the headship of the committees as announced last week by the Speaker. The presiding officer, having got whim of what he was trying to cause on the floor of the House, told him that he was not protected by the House standing order that he was trying to cite. While Adepoju stated that the order allowed him to come to the floor with such complaint as a matter of privilege, the presiding officer told him that it was belated. Lasun, ordered the legislator to read out all items on the order he was citing and when he patiently did, he was guided that the order recognised such matter only if it were urgent or was less than one week after the matter came up. Considering that the Committees composition was pre-
Dogara
Gbajabiamila
All the supposed “nonloyal APC members”, who are with Dogara got good slots both in quantity and quality sented one week ago, the Deputy Speaker said that the privilege Adepoju could now enjoy was to put the matter in writing to the Speaker as the order required. He therefore stopped him from further pressing to be protected under that order as a privilege to make his submission, asking that he took his seat, that he had exhausted his time and had said what he wanted to say. The ruling pleased most of the lawmakers, who were not in support of Adepoju’s move, but displeased Aliyu Madaki (Kano APC), who raised a point of order seeking that Adepoju be listened to by the House, that he had not finished what he had to say. Madaki had urged members to listen to Adepoju, even if they didn’t like his person or what he had to say, but he was ruled out of order by the speaker, who said that when a matter has been disposed of by the House it could not be brought up again. The action and saying displeased Madaki, who decided to stage a walkout from the plenary. During the House crises over leadership position, Madaki played a conspicuous role as he allegedly advanced to snatch the Mace, the symbol of authority from the House, but was prevented by members. After the crisis, shortly before Femi Gbajabiamila was announced as House Majority Leader, which they were gunning for, having lost out from Speakership, a member of the Gbajabiamila camp, the APC loyalists camp, who backed Madaki in that alleged action, had tendered apology on behalf of the camp over the show of shame, but Madaki publicly expressed his reservation with that apology at the plenary. Over five Reps from the Gbajabiamila camp, where Adepoju and Madaki and Garba Dati belong, were lining up, ready to take turn one after the other to reject their membership and Chairmanship of the Committees, if Adepoju had succeeded in his bid. It was learnt that the actions of Adepoju and Madaki were a collective plan to embarrass the Speaker, Yakubu
Dogara, for giving them non-juicy committees and favouring the PDP with such numbers of committees to equate them with the ruling APC in the House. Of course, the actions have been attracting serious criticism both among members and other citizens. One of those who criticised the action is Hon. Mustapha Bala Dawaki (APC, Kano), who said that any member of the House of Representatives who rejects his appointment to chair any committee is after money and not service. Dawaki had told journalists in Abuja, that the primary motive of members should be service to the nation, not their personal interest. He noted that there are some committees that naturally belong to some zones as obtained in previous assemblies which include petroluem resource and Gas, those committees were retained in those zones. For him, from the foregoing, the APC got grade ‘A’ committees such as Agriculture, Appropriation, Finance, Police Affairs, Navy, Defence, Interior, FCT, Basic Education, Tertiary Education, Customs, Judiciary, Electoral Matters, Emergency and Disaster Management, Housing, Land Transport, Marine, Pensions, Public Safety and Intelligence, Rules and Business, House Services, Telecommunications, Water Resources and Solid Minerals. Also, unlike in the previous Assemblies, this time around, the ruling party, APC does not have two-third majority in the House. The opposition party PDP, has the numerical strength to block or frustrate any bill or motion which requires two-third majority vote, which means that they must be carried along in the scheme of things as the APC cannot run an all exclusive govt. And that is why they too must be given committees to chair. Again, for Dawaki, if the motivation of these lawmakers was service, why are they insisting on chairing certain committees? Why are they rejecting some committees? It means that their primary motivation is not service but personal interest. It should be noted that there are 360 members in the House. 10 are principal officers, while 192 are either chairmen or deputies leaving out 158 others who do not have any position to hold. It is therefore a great favour and privilege for any member to be appointed into position of chairman or deputy as 158 of his/her colleagues won’t have any responsibility. Are they saying that they are better than those ones? Hon. Gideon Gwani is a third termer and is neither chairman nor deputy and he remained loyal and supportive of the leadership and did not raise any issue. Are they better than him?, Dawaki queried. To tell you that the Speaker is not a selfish person, he said,
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Friday, November 6, 2015
committees’ allocation
his region or zone of the North East has the least number of committees, just about eight. “Kano state, my state has six chairmen and eight deputies. These chairmen include Appropriations, House Services, SDGs, Housing, Poverty Alleviation, Tertiary Education. No speaker has ever given Kano this in the past”, Dawaki stated. The announcement of the committees by the Speaker did not come with any controversy as the Green Chamber was peaceful and plenary properly adjourned. The presentation was the outcome of a selection committee, which sat for several weeks trying to put the committees list together. The APC loyalist group could not have said that they were not aware by any means what transpired throughout the selection period. One would believe that the rejection of committees by this group is an after thought and further demonstrate the fact that there is still a deep internal problem within the APC. This problem no doubt may never be resolved unless the original plan of the APC as regarding leadership of the House is achieved, which is having Gbajabiamila as Speaker, but this has been repeatedly considered to be a difficult task as the APC does not have the required two-third majority in the House to achieve this. The crisis in the House by APC is not just about Dogara but the PDP, because the APC believes that Dogara is in an “unholy alliance” with the PDP that is why he is succeeding in disobeying party decisions. The implication of this cold war is that the Gbajabiamila group may always work against the interests of the Speaker and not give him the desired support and cooperation. This seemingly unending fight predates the life of this 8th House, following the desire of the APC abiinitio to have Gbajabiamila as Speaker, but this was said to have come very late, as Dogara had already taken the floor and was confident of victory. While Gbajabiamila and his group, which they called loyal APC group, depended heavily on party’s machinery and supremacy, Dogara on the other hand, seemed to have got it right by looking the way of the people’s machinery and supremacy. Consequently, while Gbajabiamila defeated Dogara at the APC straw poll, which Dogara opted out, maintaining that House election was not the party’s affair, he went to the floor of the House and defeated Gbajabiamila to cruise home with victory as the Speaker of the 8th House. From that moment, it was clear that the battle had just begun. While Gbajabiamila rejected the position of Deputy Speaker he was offered, it was clear that he was being propped by the party for the position of House leader, which is more advantageous to him, his group and the party. On the other hand, Dogara and his group have their own agenda and would not be entrapped by the idea of party supremacy in an issue they felt is the prerogative of the House members. The party had forwarded a communication to the House conveying the list of those who should occupy the four principal offices left to the party. The letter dated June 23, 2015, was addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon.
Yakubu Dogara and , signed by the party’s Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun. Titled, “Party’s position on Principal Officers of the 8th House of Representatives”, the letter sought Dogara’s support to make Femi Gbajabiamila, South West, House Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, North West, Deputy House Leader, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, North East, Chief Whip, Pally Iriase, South South, Deputy Chief Whip respectively. This is even as the South East and South- South had on the previous day, cried out for being sidelined and undermined, with House positions clustered around South West and North East. There was an intervention by President Muhammadu Buhari to assert party’s will but Dogara’s group rejected the nomination of Gajabiamila for the position of the House Leader, asking his group to produce someone else. The Spokesman , Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin, who said that this was the outcome of his group’s meeting with Sokoto state Governor and immediate past Speaker, Rt. Hon Aminu Tambuwal, at the instance of the National Executive Committee, NEC of the All Progressives Congress, APC, described the APC’s letter conveying the nomination of Gbajabiamila to the House as illegal, compounding the crisis. The group said that the letter did not follow approved procedures as it never enjoyed the approval of the National Working Committee, NWC or NEC og the party. Jibrin said that the Dogara’s group was working in national interest by insisting that the six principal offices avilable to the party in the House should spread among the six geo-political zones of the country to allow fair representation at decision making level of the House, as against what the Gbajabiamila group and the party was trying to achieve, being merely personal interest. He said the decision to cede the position of House Leader to the Gbajabiamila’s group, followed a heated arguement and intervention by Tambuwal, during their meeting which was directed by the party’s NEC to settle the House’s problem amicably. Other than Gbajabiamila, Jibrin, who said that the Dogara’s group has decided to have a member from his group as the House leader, indicated that it would be unfair and unjust to sit and watch Gbajabiamila become the House Leader, having already got the Deputy Speaker from the South West. Thus, he said that it was their resolve that the North East and South West, would not have another principal officer in the House, having got the the position of Speaker and Deputy respectively. The Dogara’s group said that the remaining four positions of the House Leader, Deputy House Leader, Chief Wip and Deputy Chief Whip, must be equitably ceded to the South South, North Central, South East and North West respectively. He indicated that Gbajabiamila was the issue in the whole crisis, stressing that the House would have no difficulties filling the remaining positions if the Gbajabiamila’s group accept to to terms. “Whoever is nominated must not come from the South West and North East. This is our stand in line with the provision of equity and federal character”, he said. Jibrin said that his group was magnanimous to cede the position to have pe.
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Borno Bye-Election: PDP faults APC bandwagon argument Obiora Ifoh ABUJA
T
he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has said that the outcome of the 2015 general elections which the All Progressive Congress, APC won should not be used as a premise to claim victory in the last Saturday’s Borno Central senatorial bye-election. The party said the APC, by such argument, might as well forget about contesting the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa state where the ruling PDP won all the contested positions in the 2015 general elections. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement on Thursday said the APC, in its desperation has failed to realize that the people are no longer excited about the fake change it offered and that a space of six months is more than enough for the electorate to turn against a political party that has failed in office. “The scandalous resort by the APC to use security forces to frighten and intimidate voters and electoral officers to
sway votes in its favour, in addition to other ploys made to set the stage for violence in the process, clearly collaborate the fact that it has already lost its support base in the country and particularly in the north. “We are aware that the APC is already stretching its desperation to Kogi as well as Bayelsa state where, in the attempt to create tension, unleashed thugs on the campaign train of Governor Seriake Dickson on Tuesday, an action that is a clear test-run of their machinery of violence ahead of the Bayelsa December 5 election. “Intelligence report available to us shows that this brazen attack on Governor Dickson was not spontaneous but part of a well-hatched plot to create an atmosphere of insecurity in the state, ostensibly to pave way for their violence-driven rigging strategy, including the deployment of APC controlled security forces to frighten and intimidate voters as was the case in the Borno byeelection. “The PDP wishes to
state in clear terms that it would resist any attempt by the APC to derail the peaceful conduct of the November 21 and December 5 governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states respectively. It is on this note that we call on President Muhammadu Buhari, as the leader of the nation and a huge beneficiary of the credible election organized by the PDP, to take immediate steps to rein-in his members, as their actions in Bayelsa state are capable of triggering a resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta region. “Let the APC be amply reminded that Bayelsa and Kogi states are clear strongholds of the PDP and no amount of intimidation, threats and use of force will bend the will of the people or detract from their support for Governors Seriake Dickson and Idris Wada respectively. Moreover, the people of these states are not in anyway ready or willing to accept any results that do not, in full measure, reflect their wishes and aspirations at the polls’, the PDP said.
Bayelsa PDP receives returnees Osahon Julius YENAGOA
P
eoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa state yesterday received more returnees from the All Progressive Congress, APC, as more than 200 of its former members who defected to the APC, return backs to the party fold at a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Dickson campaign organizations in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state. The returnees which includes a former youth leader of the APC, a former Chief Security Officer, CSO to the former acting governor of the state and now a leader in the APC, Sebarigu and some others who fled the PDP after the infamous APC governorship primaries that produced former Governor, Timipreye Sylva.
This is also coming as over 625 erstwhile and serving councilors under the aegis of Grassroots Forum from the eight local government areas also put aside their political differences to endorse the incumbent Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson for second term, describing his achievements in four years as unequal. The councilors made the endorsement sequel to a motion moved by a representative of Brass Ward 8, Mr. Precious Daniel and seconded by Mr. Edward Oyaotu at the Banquet Hall of Government House in Yenagoa. Speaking, Chairman of the Councillors Forum, Mr. Tonkumo Igoniwari, said former and serving legislators from 1999 to date unanimously adopted Governor Dickson based on his achievements in the
last couple of years, addressing the challenge of infrastructural deficit and issues of security and education in the state. Citing government’s efforts on the construction of the three senatorial district roads, Mr. Igoniwari expressed optimism that in the nearest future, he would be able to drive to Ekeremor. He described Governor Dickson as a true democrat by allowing them to serve out their tenure when he became governor of the state, pointing out that the gesture was a clear departure from the past. Responding, Governor Seriake Dickson expressed appreciation for the vote of confidence passed on him, noting that their support would spur him to do more exploits in the development of the state.
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Editorial
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
All the Facts, All the Sides A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, CFR PUBLISHER
SUNDAY OLAJIDE MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO BEN MEMULETIWON ACTING DAILY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN SUNDAY EDITOR DOZIE OKEBALAMA COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR OBIORA IFOH ACTING ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF AUGUSTUS IMEKAN ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS
Time to resolve the state police controversy
R
etired Deputy InspectorGeneral of Police (DIG), Mr. Chris Akhigbe Omeben, who turned 80 last October 27, broached the contentious subject of state police some days ago when he said: “I believe that every state should own a police and also have a Commissioner of Police, and we shall also have the federal police who will have an Inspector-General who will take care of standards. All the forces must have the same standard and uniform all over the states; but with the highest person in the state being a Commissioner of Police. The federal police should handle federal cases or matters which are above the state power’’. Omeben, now described as an ‘Archbishop’, thus exhumed one of the nightmares that have been haunting and hounding the nation, particularly since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999. Indeed, his legion battles with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian administration aside, one of the foremost agitations that stood former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu out among his peers that governed states between 1999 and 2007 was the forceful and persistent cases he made for state police. It is, however, no longer news that many state governors that came after Tinubu, some of them now out
of office, bought heavily into the idea. And they had reasons that appear common, namely: that the security challenges of states vary and insufficient numbers of policemen are posted to states, no matter how vast the population of a state may be. Most security challenges in states that demand swift responses often deteriorate because of operational hitches occasioned by the single command structure of the Nigerian Police Force; a development that logically dovetails into the point that governors are the chief executives of their states and the chief security officers as well, but their jobs as CSO of their states suffer irredeemably and are rarely realized because no governor constitutionally has control over the state police command. Besides, under a single command structure as we have it today in the Nigeria Police, response to the security challenge of any state is subject to the discretional whims and caprices of Abuja. Omeben says, however, that state police structures would not only create jobs and make Nigerian citizens feel secure, as it would enable indigenes of any community to identify who is who, but that it would check incessant cases of abuse by policemen and the ‘high and mighty in the society’. “Before, we had
ITS TIME HAS COME; AND MAY IT PLEASE THE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE PRESIDENCY TO TINKER WITH THE
1999 CONSTITUTION
AND MAKE IT A REALITY local (and) state police (outfits) in the Eastern Region; the old Bendel State, part of which is now Edo State; the Western Region and even the Northern Region; and they did wonderful jobs”, he stated. We recall that when a similar controversy raged in 2012, former Governor Rotimi Amaechi volunteered this position: “Rivers State has 5.6m people. Are 11,000 policemen enough for Rivers State? We didn’t say police should be entirely in the hands of governors. We said create jurisdictions for each (federal and state police) to handle. Those who support state police say after amending the Constitution, make a law on what they can do, such crimes as robbery, murder, kidnapping, etc. Let them not deal with election… The argument of those who are in support of state police is that the law should be simple; those states with capacity to establish state police should be allowed to
ON THIS DAY November 6, 1962 The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution condemning South Africa’s racist apartheid policies by whites and urged all UN-member-states to cease military and economic relations with the nation. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced through legislation by the National Party (NP) governments which ruled South Africa from 1948 to 1994. The system curtailed the rights of SA’s black majority.
Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to
November 6, 2004 An express train collided with a stationary car near the village of Ufton Nervet, England, killing seven people and injuring 150 others. The inquest concluded that the accident was caused by Brian Drysdale, a chef at the nearby Wokefield Park Hotel, committing suicide by parking his car on the crossing. The rear of the 220 m (720 ft) long intercity train came to rest about 100 m (110 yd) beyond the crossing with all eight coaches derailed.
do so”. Policing the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, a country with an estimated population of over 170 million, from Abuja is no longer effective. It will be so difficult for any conventional or strange crime to rear its head in any local government or state that has control of its own police formation, especially if members of the local police outfits are compelled to live among ordinary citizens. Governors would be in a better position to put their fingers and war chests on persistent crimes and security challenges. The apprehension has been expressed that state and local government police can be recipe for genocide and chaos, especially when such police are populated by a majority ethnic group. But such fears can be allayed with a recruitment policy that ensures ethnic balance. Indeed, balance can also be struck by recruiting some members of the force from other states. The facts that numerous selfish interests are working against it, and past national conferences failed to recognise the urgent need for state police, are no reasons to play the ostrich game with state police. Its time has come; and may it please the National Assembly and the Presidency to tinker with the 1999 Constitution and make it a reality.
x November 6, 2012 Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay politician to be elected to the United States’ Senate. Baldwin defeated her Republican opponent and former Wisconsin governor, Tommy Thompson, in the 2012 US Senate election. She is the first woman elected to represent Wisconsin in the Senate and the first openly gay US Senator in history. Baldwin’s voting record makes her one of Congress’ most liberal members.
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Friday, November 6, 2015
17
Today’s fast transforming Boko Haram Counter-terrorism Tips With
Ethelbert Oney ethelbertoney@zissltd.com, 08029929121 (sms only)
I
n the raging anti-insurgency war, it will not be out of place to assert that Nigeria faces an utterly different threat we are almost perfectly unsuited to deal with. For a better understanding, let me say that two groups initially constituted the militant Islamic fundamentalist movement: those that advocate for ‘dua’, the group that proselytizes, and the jihadists that advocate violence, which the Boko Haram belongs. Those that advocate for ‘dua’ abhor violence and terror. A similar willingness to overlook inconvenient facts may be detected in judgement about Boko Haram itself just like Al-Qaeda, whose base was transformed in September 11, 2001. The BH base was transformed on the abduction of the Chibok girls, which caught the attention of the world at large. To date, irrespective of numerous efforts by the Federal Government, there Is no definitive statement on the whereabouts of the girls. Unarguably, Boko Haram has certainly made the most of modern communications, making possible an efficient transnational jihadist network. Nigeria’s subsequent and allied counterterrorism measures have reduced the sect’s ability to conduct big attacks; nonetheless the sect has been able to conduct lethal,
albeit smaller scale attacks such as suicide bombings, which have been on the increase since the advent of the current administration. From the onset, BH was sadly misunderstood and underestimated by the country’s last three administrations. This group was never a wholly self sufficient entity it proclaimed to be; in reality, it possesses insider sponsors and supporters, whilst on the outside, it had important relations with foreign terrorist groups such as ISIS, al Shabaab and Al-Qaeda. For a while, BH did not allow itself to become a fulltime surrogate of external terrorist organisation, but now it has a history of demonstrating a pattern of partnering with other groups in a manner that has bolstered its resilience and lethality. They still offer local terrorist members inspiration, training and logistical supports, but no longer exercise those free movements and easy attacks they carry out in towns and villages for hours without interruption from our law enforcement workforce. Those ugly days are long over. Ending this scourge offensively, as promised by the Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari administration escalated the soft targets threat level to even make Boko Haram a more dangerous foe. The old style recruits for terrorists organisations before 9/11 were educated, upper-middle class background, typically from wealthiest Muslim countries. However, today in the case of BH, this trajectory has changed. This new generation enemy of Nigeria recruits younger, less educated and more alienated members, sometimes against
COUNTERTERRORISM SHOULD BE AIMED AT TAKING THE WAR TO THE TERRORISTS THROUGH INFILTRATION…
their wishes. In fact, in counterterrorism situation, experiences of other countries offer many valuable lessons. The limit of purely military methods to defeat a deadly terrorist organization with well armed members willing to die any minute for their cause are painfully evident in our national military and multinational joint task force (MJTF) efforts to force them into dropping of arms normally takes longer time to be fruitful. The only real vulnerability in the now decentralised BH is its distributive nature. There is a consistent pattern of small groups of the like-minded angry youths gathering at a particular place, usually a radical mosque. Each bunch of groups usually with only a handful of members can only do so much damage on its own. They must join forces with others to undertake major attacks or to gain funding and training from veteran of holy wars, as they call it. That such cells are capable of harmonising through building of synergy among cells demonstrates the mutual trust within the Jihadist circles. In this implicit trust lies the major vulnerability of the sect. In order to exploit their trust against them, we must foment fear, mistrust and paranoia in the ranks of
BH faithful and loyalists. Our goal will be to prevent cooperation among their cells by making them believe or fear that other cells are penetrated. The only problem in achieving this goal is that a strong and sound strategy crafted and executed by a covert operation is required to infiltrate the sect. The problem, however, is that we are far behind in HUMINT gathering technique. Going after BH on a long term basis using a strategy of infiltration and destabilisation, the first move like creating front organization, is that large numbers of personnel should not be required because mere numbers cannot compensate for missing expertise. Executing a programme that requires only modest funding and small numbers of personnel may run contrary to our Nigerian way of executing projects with corruptive imperatives. However, this is what we need to do in order to build a cohesive, dedicated and well trained intelligence team to unravel domestic threats like BH. We need a small group of audacious thinkers and risk takers, whose mentality will be corruption free. As has always been stated, the best counterterrorism strategy is far from offensive. Over dependence on military might has always been a double edge sword. Counterterrorism should be aimed at taking the war to the terrorists through infiltration, by destroying them, setting them against each other, and building the appropriate intelligence system. And if we can say enough is enough, achieving that is only a matter of time.
Amosun vs Isiaka: There are no grey areas SOYOMBO OPEYEMI
I
t is not in any way surprising that the Election Petitions Tribunal upheld the victory of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress and incumbent Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in the April 11, 2015 governorship poll in the state. Those who are familiar with the politics of Ogun knew there was no way the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, could have defeated Amosun on the electoral field. And if you did not win on the electoral pitch, how then could you have won in the court of law? I recall the boxing analogy I gave in my publication in the papers in January this year titled, Ogun 2015: PDP Arrived Too Late. Isiaka had by then served Amosun a quit notice on the pages of newspapers, which provoked a roaring laughter from the camp of APC! “In the boxing era of Muhammed Ali and Mike Tyson, the challenger needs to fight twice as much as the champion in order to take away the belt... Here in Ogun, rather than the challenger doing twice as much as the champion to win, it is Amosun (the champion and incumbent governor) that is going across the state from village to village, hamlet to hamlet, town to town to canvass for
MR ISIAKA HAS ONLY TAKEN THE TRIBUNAL OPTION TO SCORE A CHEAP POLITICAL POINT AHEAD OF
2019
ELECTION votes, while Isiaka is busy making grandiloquent statements... “While Gboyega Isiaka is still in bed, Amosun has already set forth, enjoying the marvels of the holy hours and savouring the fellow-feeling endorsement of the market women, farmers, youths, artisans, workers, etc. Just how many days does the PDP with its coalition have left to campaign – amidst the current infighting within its fold on who should or should not be the governorship candidate and who should or should not be this or that? Sorry PDP and your coalition, you arrived too late; the train to Oke-Mosan 2015 has already left the station. Please come back in 2019.” And when Isiaka decided to approach the Election Tribunal despite the fact that he knew he lost that poll fair and square, I immediately saw politics at play. In the interview I granted in May to some newspapers, I submitted as follows: “But our courts are not unaware of
the antics of some political litigants in Nigeria. Rather than bring concrete evidence to the courts, they recourse to duplicitous stories on the pages of newspapers in the hope that the courts will rule in their favour based on such avalanche of lies in the media. It doesn’t happen that way. If you describe as fraudulent an election that has been hailed all over the country as free and fair and in line with pre-election surveys, opinion polls and prognoses by credible individuals, bodies and institutions, then it is a pity because you now face the self-inflicted burden of having to manufacture evidence to prove that. Judges give verdicts based on facts, not sentiments; they deal with facts, not fantasies. Isiaka himself knows that he lost the election and knows the reasons why he lost. He knows about the performance of the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, which endeared him to voters. He is very much aware of how Amosun, despite being the incumbent, never took our people for granted but went from village to village, hamlet to hamlet. He also canvassed for votes in towns and cities; toured the entire 236 Wards in the state; went on an extensive local council tour and devoted hundreds of hours to meeting all shades, groups and socio-cultural associations across the state before the election.
“Please, ask Mr Gboyega Isiaka how many wards he visited during his campaign? He knows that his own electioneering never attained any steam until few days to the election, when it was already too late. And for his godfathers to resolve their tug of war over who should control the PDP candidate and party machinery only three days to the election did enormous damage to Isiaka’s campaign. Mr Isiaka has only taken the tribunal option to score a cheap political point ahead of 2019 election. He wants to court public sympathy; he wants to be seen as the champion of the masses in order to get a soft-landing come 2019. There’s also the paranoia of having to lose election thrice in a row to the same candidate. So when some politicians go to tribunal, they have other reasons. Unfortunately they waste the time of people who have high regard for their time.” Soyombo wrote from Abeokuta via densityshow@yahoo.com Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.
18
Mail Mirror
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Good news from Osun
O Incessant water shortage in Ketu
sun State has been in the eye of the storm of recent, no thanks to the orchestrated attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) working in concert with a renegade section of the media to make the state the poster boy of the cash crunch that has now engulfed 27
states and the Federal Government, if President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement last week that ‘Nigeria is broke’ is anything to go by. There was a failed bid by the opposition PDP to stampede Governor Rauf Aregbesola out of office. This began in August
with sponsored demonstrations and a phantom petition to the State House of Assembly to impeach the governor. The petition was dismissed for lacking in merit and the sword has since been turned on the petitioner in a case of the hunter now being the hunted.
P
ermit me to use your widely read medium to air my views on the incessant disruption of water supply by Lagos State Water Corporation to residents of Ketu in Kosofe Local Government Area of the state. In the last three weeks, two disruptions have been experienced. The first lasted about week. When water was eventually restored, the people heaved a sigh of relief not knowing it was misplaced. Just three days after water was restored, another disruption occurred. As at the time of writing this piece (Tuesday November 2), the disruption had entered its third day. Please, I wish to appeal to hardworking Governor Akinwumi Ambode and the commissioner supervising the Water Corporation to intervene to save the people of Ketu from unwarranted epidemic. Next to food is water, so it behooves on political leaders to take proactive measures to ensure steady supply of this all important life saver. While accepting the imperative of occasional maintenance of the infrastructure of the Water Corporation, it is important that sufficient notice be given to allow people plan for the period of disruption. This is in the spirit of change philosophy. What is worrisome on this occasion is that two disruptions have occurred in less than one week. Let something positive be done to prevent a reoccurrence. Eko o ni baje o! Tosin Adetayo, Alapere, Ketu.
No kerosene today come tomorrow.
Electoral victory of Baba Bashir Garbai
T
he recent victory of Babakaka Bashir Garbai, the All Progressives Congress candidate in the byeelection for Borno Central Senatorial Zone conducted last Saturday is a vote of confidence passed by the people of the zone on both President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Kashim Shettima. The bye-election was conducted to fill the void created by the death of Alhaji Ahmed Zanna of the APC. The election was a straight battle between Alhaji Baba
Nigerians should pray for national healing
M
y candid advice to Nigerian politicians is to be fair to all in the provision of the necessary social infrastructures to avoid a situation of not having a nation to rule over. We should be fervent with our prayers for peace in the country and for good leadership. Let the leaders know that leadership without consultation is evil. This prayer becomes Nigerians necessary because it is the only weapon we have to demand God’s intervention in the nation’s affairs. The truth is the challenges facing the nation are far above what the politicians could address. We must remain resolutely
Letters to the Editor
PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN
united in the fight against religious intolerance, immorality, election rigging, injustice, etc. Prayer is the weapon of the oppressed, the poor and the marginalized. Everything happening in the country today indicates that the system is in dire strait and we cannot continue to watch without taking steps. My prayer is that God should soften the minds of our leaders to jettison their inordinate ambitions for our collective interest. Let us with faith believe our prayers are already answered. Prophet Oladipupo Funmilade-Joel (Baba Sekunderin), The Way of Reconciliation Evangelistic Ministries (TWOREM) Int’l, Lagos (08033733470)
Kaka Bashir Garbai and and Alhaji Kaka Bolori of the People Democratic Party (PDP). Both candidates and their respective supporters squared up for the election, which was seen as a popularity test case for both parties. The election had come and gone with Baba Kaka Bashir Garbai carrying the day. He was declared by the returning officer, Professor Mohammed Fananami, to have polled 120, 639 votes against his opponent’s 32, 347 votes. Two other candidates score less than one thousand votes each. By this victory, the APC has been confirmed as the dominant party in Borno State, winning all the seats in the state and national assembly elections, as well as the majority of votes during the last presidential election. The victory of the APC candidate also means a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu and Governor Shettima. Above all, the winning of the senatorial seat by APC candidate means endorsement of the policies and aspirations of President Buhari, especially his resolute political will to liquidate the insurgency before the year runs out by the people of Borno. In like manner, the election of Baba
Kaka Bashir Garbai means the people’s total support for Governor Kashim Shettima’s massoriented poverty alleviation programme and his progressive and systematic approach to issues that border on security. Finally, the victory of the APC candidate will serve as a moral booster to Governor Shettima and stimulate him for further action. Before now, Kaka Bashir Garbai was the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs while Kaka Bolori, the PDP candidate, was a onetime chairman, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC). Abba Bashir Shuwa is Adviser to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State.
The backlog of salaries is being cleared even as the government and the labour unions come to new rapprochement on dealing with paucity of funds in a way that available funds will be judiciously used to accommodate wages, running the government and undertaking projects that will benefit the majority of the people. All the labour unions that have been on strike have since resumed work. Even the intransigent academic staff of tertiary institutions in the state have since yielded to reason and called off their strike last week. Then the good news started to tumble in. On Tuesday October 13, the Bank of Industry (BOI) commissioned a 24kw micro-grid solar solution in Idi-Ita/Onibambu community in Ife North Local Government Area of the state. The N44 million rural electrification project being financed by the bank in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), would supply power to over 200 homes not connected to national grid. Then on October 18, the state government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the French government to build a 35 million Euros (N8 billion) 13 megawatts solar plant in the state. A French company, Vergnet, will execute the project. What is unique about this project, according to Vergnet, is that it will involve technology transfer. Locals will be trained to man and operate the plant, which will also be the nodal point for the building of solar power stations across the country and beyond. These will create wealth and generate thousands of jobs. The Chinese deal alone should generate direct 10,000 jobs and 50,000 indirect ones. This indeed is good news which should bring smiles to the faces of the people of the state and affirm the legitimacy of the governor, who has bravely and adroitly weathered the storm. Mike Ogundele, Osogbo, Osun State.
PDP senators’ shameful walkout
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hat recently happened in the Senate, when PDP senators staged a walkout over the confirmation of Rotimi Amaechi as minister, is a payback to the party, which in its heydays repeatedly circumvented due process to ensure it had its way on issues of strategic interest to it, thus in the process sidelining the opposition parties. The PDP should stop crying foul over
the actions of the APC senators’ confirmation of Amaechi as a minister. The appointment of the former governor of Rivers State is a good one that Nigeria desires to transform. Amaechi did it in Rivers State as governor, he will do it again. The PDP senators that participated in the walkout are as pseudo democrats and bad losers. Gordon Chika Nnoron.
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Flavour
Friday, November 6, 2015
Legends of Nollywood honour film veterans in Edo Ngozi Emedolibe
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Spacs, Mr Sunny Irabor, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce and Chief Raymond Dokpesi. According to Orji “the awardees emerged out of a rigorous selection process and you can agree that they are worth celebrating for their Ngozi contributions to the development of Nollywood”. In addition 10 veterans were selected by the organising committee and yearning Nigerians that these set of great Legends sign autographs and give out gift items to the less privilege, physically challenged and internally displaced persons and also have dinner with them. Namely: Kanayo O. Kanayo, Patience Ozokwor, Zack Orji, Ramson Noah, Omo- Obazele Paul tola Jolade, Charles Inojie, Desmond ebrate the truly memorable and greatElliot, John Okafor (Mr. Ibu), Eunice est achievements in Nigeria’s motion Omoregie and Johnbull Eghiau- Pictures history. Prince Jide Kosoko, riwa. Kunle Bamtefa, Kasumu Yero, Chief Established in 2012, the Legends Wale Adenuga, Alex Usifo- Umaigbo, of Nollywood Awards seeks to cel- Bisi Olatilo, Nkem Owoh, Patience Ozokwor, Mrs. Taiwo Hassan (Mama irector of perations of egends of Awero), Jimi Johnson, Justice Esiri, Femi Robinson, Madam Kofo, Franka ollywood wards ack rji disclosed that Brown, Larry Williams, Zack Orji, twenty eight legends will receive the Fred Amata, Keppy Ekpenyong-Bassey and Amaka Igwe were past recipients crest this year of the award.
Nkem Owoh and Alex Usifo. They also got branded gifts from them. It is this kind of good feeling that we want to achieve again with our proposed partnership with the ICC and other organizations in Edo State and its environs” he said. On this year’s awardees, Director of Operations of Legends of Nollywood Awards Zack Orji disclosed that twenty eight (28) legends will receive the LNA crest this year. The veteran actor gave the names of the awardees to include Hajiya Latana Ahmed, Bimbo Manuel, Yinka Ogundaisi, Wale Fanu, Tunde Oloyede, Laolu Ogunniyi, John Nwaobi, Loius Adejumo, Aso Douglas, Sola Fosudo, Zulu Adigwe, Ralph Nwadike, Ramsey Nouah, Opa Williams, Sunday Omobolanle, Ayo Mogaji, Yinka Davies, Sani Muazu, Ngozi Nwosu, Bourdillon Bodio, Chris Obi Rapu, Alhaji Kasimu Yaro, Kunle Bamtefa, Dr. Ola Balogun, Danladi Bako
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The Battle Arena talents hunt show
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he Battle Arena Is a unique musical competition designed by Black Palace Music for highly talented artistes and singers who are not yet signed to a label or record company but are looking to showcase their skills and fulfill their dreams of superstardom. The Talent Hunt Show was created out of the need to showcase artistes with strong talents who lack the right platform for recognition. The search which commenced in August will however end this weekend.
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WEEKEND STARTERS
‘Ewuro’ in Lagos
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aje, Femi, Jacobs, Joseph Benjamin, Yaw, Nedu, Lepacious Bose, Chinonso Young, Gloria Young and a host of others will join Tim Godfrey andXtreme to set the stage for a fusion of dance, drama and high energy music at “Ewuro“. The event comes up next week. Directed by Joseph Ofili,”Ewuro” is a movement that will be addressing the social issue of violence against women.
Single’s social event
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ingsword Single’s social event is here. After the road trip, sea, sun and sand with all the fun and games here’s a more formal switch to things. Red carpet, music, comedy, dance and forums will be part of the event. Bring all your relationship questions; there will be experienced couples on hand to answer them. Bring your dancing shoes! No ID requirements, just your ticket to the event. No smoking allowed on the premises.
Inside FCT P. 24-25
Opa Williams
Critics P. 22-23
t last, the coordinator of the annual Legends of Nollywood Awards (LNA) has announced that the 2015 edition of the award will hold on December 11th and 12th in Benin City, Edo State. It will be the first time that the three year old award will be held outside of Lagos. Founder of Legends of Nollywood Awards and Managing Director of Royal Pictures Limited, main organizer of the award PAUL OBAZELE disclosed that this year’s edition is to be held with support from Zenith Bank Plc, Etisalat, Network Oil & Gas, Best Western Homeville Hotel, Silverbird, NTA, AIT, Africa Magic, Edo Broadcasting Service, Independent Television, Inspiration FM, Rhythm FM (93.7), Smile Communications, Indomie, Viju Milk, GlaxoSmithkline, Cornerstone Insurance, Kissmix, Nexim, Bisquit Cognac, Nanet Suites, Revival Assembly Church and in conjunction with the coalition of Nollywood Guilds and association is planned to be a three day event. According to him, apart from rewarding practitioners for their contributions to the growth and development of the vibrant Nollywood industry, the award has from the 2014 edition been refocused to reach out and celebrate the less privileged and physically challenged “some of whom do not have the opportunity to relax and watch these television and movie stars we are celebrating as much as they would like to”. Obazele, a former President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and the current President of the Edo Film Makers Association (EFMA) also stated that the award body will be extending a hand of fellowship to the International Christian Center (ICC) Home for the Needy Uhogua, Edo State that is currently housing the internally displaced persons (IDP’s) in Nigeria as part of the reach out objectives of the award. “If you were at the award ceremony last year; you will see how excited our physically challenged brothers and sisters were when they met face to face with legends like Patience Ozokwor ( Mama Gee),
News p. 32, 33
16 PAGES OF ARTS, REVIEWS, LIFESTYLE AND BUZZ TO START YOUR WEEKEND
Mirror Mongers P. 26
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Artman In The House
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
I dumped my calling as pastor A comedian and master of ceremonies, a motivational/ conference speaker, a man of many parts ,MC Abbey aka “The Prof” started as a professional in 2002. He is a very hilarious comedian that has special ability in eliciting laugter. He performs regularly at “THE EXPERIENCE” which is the biggest Gospel concert in Nigerian history. He has also performed in a lot of comedy shows like - night of a thousand laughs, Alibaba live, stand up Nigeria, laffs nd jams, cool fm praise jams and of cause his own show call Comedylane with MC Abbey. In this interview with JUSTINA KINGSLEY and SEUN BOLAJI, he talks about himself, his family and his career. Excerpts:
MC Abbey
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hat could have caused the surge towards the comedy industry, everyone is now a comedian? First of all, I will say anything you are passionate about and you pursue it with all your heart; you will definitely make profit from it. God has given you those gifts so he’ll make a room for you, but at the other hand the reason we’ve been having so much influx of people into the industry is because they perceive we are making so much money, yes we are making progress, we are growing and making some good cash but we didn’t start up like that. We grew up the ladder. There were days when we made peanuts but we’ve worked and craft to the point where we command what we earn and people think that’s all about it and they just want to run into it and feel that they can start making money, but it’s wrong. Most of them come into the industry not because they are gifted but because they have interest in the money and there is a wide gulf between being gifted and having just interest. I have interest in football but that’s not my gift so I won’t pursue my interest, I rather pursue my gift. A lot of people are in this category and that’s why they can’t last because all they do is to pack peoples jokes. We call them “live band”, they listen to every body’s jokes and gather them together and that’s what they use. They are not comedians because they are not original, if you don’t know how to think out humor out of ashes, if you don’t know how to think out humor out of a situation then you are not a comedian. We all started with some of our colleagues’ jokes. Like, let’s fine tune this, let’s use this, but we
didn’t end there or stop there and we didn’t stay there for too long. We learnt the act of developing ourselves through hard work, reading, thinking and taking yourself out of the box and all that which has expanded our minds, and we crack jokes and we build materials to form every day experience. But some of these guys just come and when they are done cracking every body’s jokes, they cannot be spontaneous. Thank God Alibaba is doing Alibaba spontaneity, you could see a lot of them messing up, and they cannot be spontaneous when you give them topic to crack a joke on. I know a lot of people can be slow in building up but if you can’t do one or two things you need to ask yourself “is this my calling, is this what I’m born to do?” If not, you go and do other stuff. I learnt you used to be a Pastor, are you one of those that rushed into comedy and abandoned what they were doing? No, I didn’t just venture into comedy. From my primary school, I pioneered a fellowship even to my university days. So I’ve always been a church boy and I’ve always upheld Godliness. I am born again and I’m proud of that. When I left tertiary school after having experiences on how to handle campus fellowship and all that, it was easier for me to handle my friends
fellowship, the fellowship belonged to Godorns and he needed my experience because he wasn’t inexperienced along that line, so I had to support him for a while, while I was in my waiting season of what to do, I supported him for a year and I did that successfully. After a while, I told him I’m not here for this that I will at point leave to pursue what I want to do so ministry is not strange to me; there are different levels and kinds of ministry God can call someone to and I know what God has called me. What distinguishes your kind of comedy from the others? I would say there are different parts of me; I can’t be boxed in one place. My kind of delivery is always in comparisons. I like comparing, I compare things, I compare people, I compare culture and also I’m a one liner man. I don’t like to tell stories; I am not good at it. I just hit it and drop the point so that’s my strength. I build my jokes around liners. I will tell you “the downfall of a man is not the end of his life and I will say it depends on where the man falls from” and that’s funny, that’s my kind of my joke. Thanks to T.A cause he brought that out of me, I never knew I had it until we went for recording. I stared speaking all those nonsense grammar and he was like “guy, you are wasting this thing ooo”, let’s work on it, and I was like, “ok” let’s start and you know some people wants to listen to you when you speak grammar. I don’t want to stay in a character and I’m not a kind of comedian that believes in staying in character in the sense that I don’t want to be the Prof when I’m cracking my jokes. I can only come into the character and go out because when you stay in character you will not last for too long cause a time will come the people will be bored of that character so when I build my material, I build it into a character so I can just talk about it, crack a joke and link it to some-
On stage
thing that will make me speak grammar and I will leave it. How do your jokes come, I mean what inspires your jokes? My inspiration first of all is divine, it’s
They are not comedians because they are not original, if you don’t know how to think out humor out of ashes, if you don’t know how to think out humor out of a
situation then you are not a comedian.
With family
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Artman In The House
Friday, November 6, 2015
for comedy –MC Abbey heavenly and there are things I look at. I’m a broad minded person, I think outside the box, I read books a lot, I look at natural things happening, I look at political stories, religious stories, relationships, and things generally. If u come to my house I have a big library, thanks to Alibaba that thought me how to read, I never knew comedians read until I met Alibaba and I saw his library and I have to start developing the culture of reading. Now I read all kind of books to the extent I watch movies on animal kingdom; how monkeys jump from one tree to another and I’ve cracked joke about it. We get these materials from everywhere, from our families, and through divine inspiration. How was growing up like? My growing up was fine, fantastic. I wasn’t born into a poor family; I am not the kind that will tell you I was poor, that my father was poor. No! My father was well to do and he is still alive, he works with Shell and we are aje butters children, we were all leaving in Shell estate forming “aje butters” in Warri then. But you know, Warri boys fit kpako at anytime, and I am the only boy among four girls. I’m from a polygamous home, my father has three wives and I’m sure he has some other girl friends somewhere. That guy is a bad guy. I’m like blessed among women, I was born and brought up in Warri, my mum is from Uhrobo, Delta state and my dad is Yoruba from Ogun state so I’m a half cast, I did my secondary school in Abeokuta Baptist Boys High School and I did my university at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka where I read psychology. Growing up was for me fantastic. I lived well, I didn’t start comedy because I was hungry, I started it because I discovered this is my passion although I have a lot of them. How does your wife cope with your profession especially the aspect of clowning in public? I always celebrate the wives of comedians because we are bunch of crazy people and it takes a crazy woman to
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handle us, I remember when I was asking her out, I told her I’m a comedian and she says “I know” because I met her while I was working so it was easier for me to convince her and I also made her understand the nature of my job might take me away sometimes; but she should just know I will always carry her in my heart, and I will always create time for her and the family, give her all the love and support. My wife is there for me, she believes in my dreams and she still believes in it and gave me all the support I needed and it’s been wonderful, marriage has been fun, eight years graceful. During Jonathan’s Government, the comedians enjoyed recognition and opportunities, but this time around, there is a lot of grumbling, are you also complaining? Change they say it is but because of that, the economy has experienced a false transformation to the extent some people are reacting. It is also obvious the economy is not as it used to be, thank God the government is fighting corruption and insurgency and all that; but we are still hoping to understand our road map economically, because it is affecting a whole lot of things, businesses are not going well as it used to, fine! Let’s just believe we have to suffer this for now to have a better Nigeria and all we owe the government is our prayers and ensure that they deliver on their promises, but I know some of the promises are campaign promises. They are experiencing the reality now, reality is dawn on them, but I pray for grace and wisdom upon them. What are you doing to curb or fight comedians who perform other people’s jokes? Ahhh, that matter don tire me because we’ve talked, We’ve had series of meeting to try to fighting it and all that, but Alibaba told me something sometime ago, he said “there is more from where the resources is coming from that we should stand as channels that is flowing”, that “if we let go more will come”. So I stop fighting that, instead I advice people that do it and make them know it will not take them far and they will not be better persons because you are using my material, using my jokes and tomorrow I’ll build new ones then it will be obvious that you are waiting to have people’s material and it’s not encouraging. It is very painful though but we trust in God things will turn around. Apart from comedy, what else do you do? A whole lot is in my mind, I’m a motivational speaker, I have a speaking outfit called “Relieving Concept” that helps people discover their lives’ vocation and we also deal with interpersonal skills in the home and at work place; especially in social gathering and all that, I am also into music but a lot of people don’t know about that yet, but I’m working seriously on it. For now, I think those are the few things I have my hands on. You don’t have scandals since you
With wife
started your career, and nothing negative is said about you, how have you been able to keep that? They says if you lie with dogs, you’ll wake up with fluids, the watch word is be watchful, and be careful, and know who you call your friends, learn how to separate Paul from Barabbas. I can be very jovial and playful but I know myself and first of all, I attribute it to God, I owe that to the grace of God not that I don’t want to mess up, sometimes I really want to mess up but God has been keeping me and strengthens me. Then secondly, the companies I keep and places I go are safe for me. I’m not a club person except I have an event or I’m invited to do something there, I don’t drink and smoke so why will I go and waste my time there. Though I love dancing but I feel it’s a waste of time going there to smoke, drink and at the end of the day you get drunk. It’s crazy and that’s where people gets
into trouble and find themselves messed up and drunk. So I think my staying calm has been the grace of God. Who is your mentor? I can’t over emphasize the importance Alibaba. You can see Alibaba in my life and in my development. He has been a torch light in my life and I also love Marvin Lawrence. I listen to Marvin Lawrence a lot and I enjoy his stage performances. What is your philosophy about life? “What you cannot face you change and what you cannot change, you face”. Secondly, I will also say life is a gift from God, and how you use it is your own gift back to God, time is also a gift from God and how you use it is your own gift back to God, money also is a gift from God and how you use it is your own gift back to God. So life, money and time are three important gifts from God.
With Tee A
Change they say it is but because of that, the economy has experienced a false transformation to the extent some people are reacting.
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Critics
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
BOOK
The MissingDaughters A morality tale by Orubebe Gandhi to warn men and women alike of the need to accept the will of God Chijioke Uwasomba
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n other words, every child, whether male or female is important and should not be discarded. Those who out of foolishness or short-sightedness, dismiss their female child or children are bound to regret like Obi in the novel under discussion. The story is set in a village called Ogbabiri. From all indications and by all accounts, Ogbabiri is a village that lacks modern facilities that could make life more meaningful. The commonest source of energy in the area is firewood and no wonder the village is always enveloped by smoke. The point at issue upon which the story revolves round- the less value placed on the female child- further portrays the society of the novel as one that is primitive in every material particular. Egbema, who has six boys is always in the habit of boasting to his wife, Nigho that the female sex does not endear to his ancestors. He sees his family from time immemorial as a male-breeding one. Egbema dismisses Nigho for wanting to have a female child as if she is the one who decides the sex of a child. It is with this mindset that Egbema warns his children: “Any woman you marry among all of you, if she bears a female child in the midst of your children, she would have committed an abomination in that she may have had that female
STAGE
issue from another man, she would have committed adultery” (29). Egbema is obsessed with this reprehensible thinking to the extent that “No female children” becomes the chant in his household. It is important to note that out of fear and to satisfy their father, all Egbema’s children are gripped by their father’s story about male/female which they have dubbed “ the male syndrome thing”(35). Bafukeme, the oldest son who has fallen in love with Ereseimo shows signs of fear because he does not want to hurt the sensibilities of his father. This is more so considering the fact that Ereseimo’s family is known as a female-bearing one. But in the end both Bafukeme’s wife and those of the other two siblings give birth to male children. Obi’s wife cannot understand the queer premium placed on male children over and above the female by the Egbema family. She sees it as amusing. Obi tells his wife: “You either give birth to male children or you are not part of our family”(55). But unfortunately to Obi his wife gives birth to a female. Of all in the household of Egbema it is only Nigho, Egbema’s wife that defends and identifies with Obi’s wife. She teases Obi: “Becky has given birth to a female child. Go and kill yourself. Since she arrived here, she has been like a woman in harem”(59). Becky gives birth to two other girls and is driven out by Obi her husband: “Go away with your female children”(62),Obi chides her. Nigho, a very clairvoyant mother scolds Obi for his foolish decision. Obi’s
siblings and their father Egbema praise Obi to high heavens for the decision to send his wife and children away. No sooner has Obi taken this decision than he begins to regret his action, tormenting himself. Even in his place of work, Obi who is known for his exemplary in-
dustry and commitment to duties can no longer give his best. He is chided by the management: “Obi your attitude to work which used to be commendable has taken a plunge for the worse. This place is not a civil service arena rather we are a company. You had an adept hand in times
Preaching communal love
Nigeria needs Lanke Omu now more than ever
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he opera is a story of Lanke, an obsessed palm wine drinkard who sees his world only from the perspective of the Palm wine, he believes in it as the only thing that could give him joy and so the entire village often holds a feast of palm wine in his name. There is an unconditional interaction and joy that flows in their veins when they engage in the feast. At one of the usual feasts, Lanke requests Alaba, the only Palm Wine taper whom he patronizes to get more palm wine for the people. As he climbs to the top of the palm tree, he misses his steps and falls to the ground, unconscious. Lanke who cannot do without drinking Alaba’s
In all, the play redirects the audience to the fact that Lanke was actually in the dream realm
palm wine, decides to go to the land of the dead to bring Alaba back. That was the beginning of Lanke’s escapade! He finds himself wondering through the thick forest where he comes across many horrible creatures, some of whom he got fortification from against any stumbling block that may arise on his way to the land of the dead. Lanke in his adventurous search meets with a lot of challenges through the land and water; fought with witches, wizards, death, and he eventually triumphed. He gets to the land of the dead and sees Alaba who gives him a golden egg to put in water for him to have access to pure palm wine. Expectedly, he gets home and deeps the egg in a bowl of water, while it turns to palm wine. In the mood of celebration again, the egg mistakenly breaks and their hope shattered. Lanke gets dejected and frustrated. In all, the play redirects the audience to the fact that Lanke was actually in the dream realm. In the real world, he had been sleeping for two days. The villagers come around to wake him and tell the news of Alaba’s revitalization to life. The production of Lanke Omu is a reflection of the communal love and
interaction that existed in those days among our ancient fathers through our rich cultural heritage, traditional games, moonlight tales and other features of social interrelationship. The relevance nature of the play also points out the need for good governance so that the society can live in harmony. The sight of the set on stage is creatively constructed with props reflecting symbols connected to the world of palm wine, palm tree, gauge and calabash. The choreography which was handled by the ambassador himself, Dayo Liadi (Ijodee) was well created in bits to demonstrate and give more sense to the communication. The sight and dexterity of Segun Adefila as Lanke will not be forgotten in a long time; he played his role with lots of professionalism and character exaltation. The production, which was witnessed by The Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, The Executive Governor of The State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Professor Wole Soyinka with many Thespians from Lagos and beyond, will always be enjoyed any day, any time!
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Critics
Friday, November 6, 2015
This is a novel that is rich in didactic disclosures harping on the need for
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FILM
Something from Genny
forgiveness past”(68). Obi is eventually sacked. He marries another girl. As if he has lost every modicum of reason, he drives the third wife away saying: “go away with your female child”(69). Meanwhile, Becky, Obi’s first wife who had been driven away by Obi has not lost hope in Jesus Christ in spite of all her frustrations. Her three daughters- Dora, Dolphin and Betty- who are under the custody of her parents and being taken care of, over time become graduates with the first daughter Dora,who at this point has become a lawyer getting married to Dr.Ibeh Ogbebor,a medical doctor. By a twist of events the king of Ogbabiri informs his people of how the Ogbu indigenes who the Ogbabiri clan had given its land for their settlement have turned around to be killing the Ogbabiri people. All the Ogbu males are wiped out. Some of the Ogbu girls are taken captive and one of these girls, Edna is married by Obi making it the fourth wife he has married. Strangely, Obi does everything within his power including cooking and serving Edna but the latter does not show any form of appreciation. Obi’s drinking habit which he acquired when he was desperately looking for male children has increased even now that through Edna he has had three male children. His wife Edna and the three children take to alcoholic drinks like Obi leading to the death of the third son Roland. As noted from the outset of this review, this is a novel that is rich in didactic disclosures harping on the need for forgiveness. At the denouement of the novel, the reader realises the futility and foolishness in dismissing the female sex as unimportant. The novel throws up a lot of issues bordering on the need for good family values, respect for women, love, the recognition of women as human beings who have the same values as their male counterparts or even better. Ironically, the male children of Obi become alcoholics and father beaters who are given to criminality. Obi’s most loved wife whom he pampers, in cahoots with her children become a thorn in the flesh of Obi. But for the love shown to Obi by Ogbebor after the thorough beaten given to him by his male children, he would have died. The love and fellow feeling showed to him by Ogbebor and his household, and the cohesiveness of the immediate and extended Ogbebor family prick the conscience of Obi and usher a turnaround in his entire consciousness. By employing coincidences, ironies, outright sermonising, contrasts, deu ex machina, biblical admonitions and embellishments, the author creates a novel that pricks the conscience of humanity especially as it relates to the women in the society and warns that everybody created by God is as important as the other. The discrimination of people based on sex is totally condemned in this novel.
A scene in the film
Genevieve Nnaji is now a producer. Her first movie, Road to Yesterday, will surely decide what happens the next time she produces. Ngozi Emedolibe
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ne question big film stars have to encounter in course of their jobs, has to do with the issue of venturing into production. For many, they would rather stay in the comfort zone of savouring the perks of stardom, by staying strictly with acting. For others, who have the guts, it is a venture that has its own peculiarities. This is where, star actress, Genevieve Nnaji, finds herself at the moment. After telling me in an earlier interview, a couple of years back, that producing a movie was not in her purview, she has gripped the bull by the horns, albeit tightly. She has her reasons. According to her, several of the scripts and stories coming her way, have fallen short of her expectation, and now she is determined to create her own, at least to douse the curiosity of her numerous fans, who may obviously be wondering what has gone wrong with their Genny. The result of this effort is called ‘Road to Yesterday’. Like the title suggests, it is a journey into the past of a couple, Victoria, played by Genevieve Nnaji and Izuchukwu Udoka played by Nigerian-British actor,
Oris Erhuerho; they are seeking means of reconciling their prolonged differences. The film opens with Victoria returning from abroad, where she had been sojourning, apparently as a way of escaping the domestic squabbles that have dogged their marriage. But she returns home to see that the problems are not abating. Of course, the troubled couple would have a chance to make a trip to the village for the funeral of an uncle and this offers them a chance at reconciliation; but did they get all the chances? That is the question the director of the film, Ishaya Bako, a promising director responsible for the award-winning, Braids on a Bald Head, left hanging for those who would be coming to the cinemas from November 18, to watch the movie. It is good, because it will leave movie-goers wondering how it actually ended, and could force someone, especially the curios-minded to watch again. Genevieve Nnaji’s debut as a producer is such a simple every day story which everyone can relate with; it would not have made any appreciable meaning without the complex plot infused in the screenplay, and coordinated by the continuity and editing team. While couples always have their differences, one may wonder why it should be the theme of a major work for a big name like Genevieve Nnaji. Truth, however is that she has contributed her own quota in the area of counseling couples on the need for effective communication in their relationships.
If the directing is top-notch, the acting is more. Movie –goers would definitely find Oris Erhuerho’s performance great
If the directing is top-notch, the acting is more. Movie –goers would definitely find Oris Erhuerho’s performance great. At first, one may have problems with the casting, because he looks somewhat hard for the role he is playing with his afro hairdo and tattoos, but he brought to bear the fact that he is a ‘strict personality who is capable of loving if given the chance’. Oris should latch on this role to permeate Nollywood, which is beginning to lack fresh faces with good acting skills. Another actor to watch in the movie is Chioma Omeruah. She reminds one of Monique in Hollywood, and has so much to offer the industry. Genevieve Nnaji has a way with such roles, and her crying scene is really commendable; it is such an effortless move. However moralists will quarrel with the bathroom scene between Genevieve and Oris, and this is hoping that the film would be properly classified by the authorities. Of course, there were some factual errors: the road into Lagos was made to look like the road out of Lagos and there is hardly a bush path leading to Aba in Abia State, like the film portrayed. Then there is this big one. What is it in the movie about the Range Rover brand? It was everywhere in the film, that one would be tempted to link it to Genevieve Nnaji’s deal with Coscharis earlier. But the brand on display in the film is not even the latest model, so that exterminates that line of thought. May be, Nollywood needs to harness this aspect of branding for improved income. Really, Genevieve Nnaji has put her feet forward, but she obviously needs to leverage on her fan base to get this story simmer. Hopefully, it would.
24
Inside FCT
Friday, November 6, 2015
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FCT and persistent rainfall Regina Otokpa
F
or weeks now, it has become a normal phenomenon for the rains to come falling every evening between 4pm and 5:30pm. At first, most persons thought it was a coincidence but as the days rolled by, most residents have come to accept this change in the weather cycle and seem to be adapting well enough. Gladys Onmonya told Inside FCT, “I knew it suddenly started raining everyday but what I didn’t realize was that it rained during a specific period of the day. “Normally I leave the office anything from 7pm daily but on this particular day, I was low and decided to go home, this was around past 4pm. After being granted permission, my boss drew my attention that I might not be able to leave immediately except I wanted to be caught up in the rain on my way home. “I told him I wasn’t sure it would but he insisted I waited a little longer. Honestly I wasn’t too happy about that and when I complained to my colleagues, I was surprised when most of them said exactly what my boss had said. “Thank God I wasn’t stubborn, before I knew it the weather had changed, the wind started blowing vehemently and then it began to rain. Since then I began to take note of it and indeed, it rains every evening in Abuja.” Joy Adeleke leaves her house every morning for work prepared for the rains as she no longer steps out without her umbrella and shower cap in her bag.
“We thought the rain had stopped but suddenly it started again this time, every day and around the time I close from work. I always have my umbrella now in my bag and also my shower cap so that if it starts drizzling while am on my way to the bus stop or already at the bus stop trying to get a vehicle, I wouldn’t get wet.” Mumuni Ayoola says, “I am aware it rains everyday now but I can’t start that stress of carrying umbrella in my bag because I can be quite careless with them but with my shower cap on my head, it can remain their till o get to my destination after the rain, that is if I am not already on the house before it starts raining. “You won’t see everybody staying off the road just because it rains everyday between that periods, people have things to do and time is always of the essence. I just try to ensure I am safe from the rain in the evenings especially between 4pm and 6pm so that I don’t get wet. “Although there were few days when the rain didn’t fall, but for the past few weeks, it has been raining every day at same time. Am not a very spiritual person but l have been wondering what this could mean? I just hope it’s a good omen and not a bad one. I onto think this has happened before and the more I think of it, the more confused it gets me.” Inside FCT checks also revealed that some car owners also take precaution to be off-the-road most evenings. Katherine Davies noted that, “Naturally I hate driving under the rain. The few times it catches up with me, am talk-
Flood resulting from the rain
ing about before this everyday rain syndrome started, I just look for somewhere and park, once the rain is done, off I go. “I noticed it started raining every day, then I noticed it was every evening because that is the period I close from work. Funny enough, the weather just changes and it pours down without warning so if am done with work, I just chat with my colleagues till after the rain. “There was this day I kept waiting with some of my colleagues for the rain
to fall but it didn’t, we just had to go home. I guess the heavens was t comfortable that Abuja people have predicted its moves but we are back in it again. “I hear people complain about why it is still raining towards the end of October but the rains started late this year, we just have to endure and wait for it to finish its course. Trust human beings, when the rains stop and the harmattan sets in, they will still complain especially when it starts biting harder.”
Most residents have come to accept this change in the weather cycle and seem to be adapting well
Cash crunch hits housing projects in Abuja
Blessing Ukaegbu
I
t is no longer news that the FCT stands head and shoulders above other Nigerian cities in massive building construction owing to its status as the seat of power at the centre and hotbed of investment activities of multinational corporations, estate developers and individuals many of whom are money bags, resident in the city. Investing in real estate business and massive building construction has held a certain fancy for most investors in the city. That fancy however, is suddenly being translated into a nightmare due to the cash crunch which has hit housing construction projects resulting in a sharp drop in house construction. It will also be a joke to think that this sad development is peculiar to only the highbrow districts of the FCT. Inside FCT can authoritatively disclose that, indeed, these are not be the best of times for estate developers, construction firms and businessmen involved in real estate development from Gwagwalada to Lugbe; from Kubwa to Wuse, Maitama and Asokoro districts respectively. Speaking to Inside FCT, Emmanuel Onoja, a building materials dealer in Wuse, noted that there had been a significant reduction in construction activity in the FCT for several months. He attributed the
slowdown to lack of clear government policy direction, the harsh economic situation facing land developers and bad weather. He maintained that all the parties involved in house construction projects were currently battling with uncertainties surrounding their businesses, adding that “many of them are still owing commercial banks and that such banks are breathing down their necks to have them repay the loans they had procured.” He also remarked that the new regime was yet to make its policies known in respect of importation of building materials and whether it would sustain the programmes of the previous regime that helped provide credit and other substantial support to land and estate developers. He insinuated that many land developers had grown apprehensive that the current administration might revoke many building construction contracts awarded by the past administration, especially those that concerned public structures. He then confirmed to us that there was significant slowdown in the buying and selling of building materials. Building construction
to him had also dropped due to the rainy season which always left construction sites constantly flooded. To him, “construction is a cash-based business and because land developers do not have or cannot obtain sufficient bank credit any more, they cannot buy building materials to sustain the projects which they are embarking upon. Besides, most building contractors could neither pay the workers at their construction sites nor meet the completion dates of their construction projects.” Timothy Ajani, a surveyor, was of the view that the slowdown in building construction in the FCT, was largely due to lack of bank credit and mortgage facilities. He said that the previous administration had encouraged private sector investments in the real estate sub-sector through credit facilities and credit guarantees. He also stated that government had provided various housing schemes on its own. To him, most commercial banks are still coming to terms with the impact of the policy on Treasury Single Account (TSA) in their operations, insist-
ing that “many banks had hitherto relied upon public sector deposits to fund their lending activities.” He added that “it was through such funds that many real estate developers obtained bank credit.” To another respondent who pleaded anonymity, the rising cost of building materials accounted for why most build-
The rising cost of building materials accounted for why most building projects in the city were stalled
Uncompleted d house
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Friday, November 6, 2015
Grappling with kerosene supply
Inside FCT
25
H
elp came the way of Abuja residents and workers as MRS petroleum commenced direct sale of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) at N50 per litre nationwide. Survey conducted by Inside FCT showed that a litre of kerosene presently sells between N120 and N200 at filling stations and petty traders in most satellite towns of Abuja and neighbouring states. Speaking on the direct sale of DPK, Mr Okoh Achegbulu, MRS dealer along Kubwa-Katampe expressway in Abuja, in a chat with Abuja City Business, explained that the direct sale of DPK was aimed at checkmating the activities of middlemen. “The management of MRS served us the trucks of DPK to dispense at N50 per litre. We commenced the sale since last week Thursday and it continues till today. NNPC management made us to understand that for each person, maximum we give each customer is 25 litres and that’s what we’ve been giving till today. To the best of my knowledge, I cannot talk for other marketers, but can only talk for MRS.” Mr Achegbulu explained that the MRS management has given assur-
Kerosine queue
ance of sustainable supply of DPK to all its retail outlets across the country, after exhausting the consignment. “Before now, we’ve not been hav-
Survey conducted by Inside FCT showed that a litre of kerosene presently sells between
N120 and N200 at filling stations
ing projects in the city were stalled. He pointed to the fact that the exchange rate of the Naira to the Dollar had made most building materials like tiles, kitchenware, toilet ware, electric gadgets, and others that were imported to record a sharp rise in prices. He hoped that the prices of such building materials would drop since most
of the items had no quality home-made substitutes. He then added that most real estate developers were still gauging the mood of the economy, and that once there were strong indications that government was on the right track and ready to provide the much-needed support and guarantees, building constructions would
ing this DPK it was about a month back they started and they’ve been sustaining it. They don’t allow trucks to stand by, but once you finish dispensing it, they replenish it with another truck.” To curb the activities of middlemen, you can see us standing there to make sure each person gets a jerry-can and as much as possible
rebound. However, he said that he was lucky to complete a three-storey building without borrowing a dime from a bank the year before. According to Musa Abdullahi who simply identified himself as “contractor,” since shelter had been one of man’s three basic needs from time immemorial, government must find a means by which that need could be repeatedly met. He said that “public private partnership arrangements in real estate projects remained the key to massive housing delivery to Nigerians.” He urged the current administration to quickly provide the much needed policy framework and programmes that support real estate developers. If that was not done, according to him, there would be a continuous increase in rent in the FCT due to the influx of people into the city, to the extent that the poor “will no longer find accommodation.” You would recall that a government report, early 2015, stated that Nigeria had over 17million housing deficit which explained why many Nigerians could not afford a decent accommodation for their families. All hands must be on deck to raise the tempo of construction of houses, residential estates, and other structures for public and private use in the FCT so as to sustain its claim as the fastest develop-
we keep monitoring the process because most of those middlemen hang around and queue, but as you can see the surrounding of the filling station. We have stopped them as much as possible. Secondly, we avoid selling in the night, we commence 7 in the mor ning and close 6 in the evening everyday. This kerosene is going to alleviate the suffering of the people not to make undue profit from it. We’re trying to discourage those people. While expressing delight on the sale of the N50 per litre of kerosene, Prince Udochukwu Nnamka, a staff of SCC Nigeria Limited and resident of Mpape who showered encomium on the MRS dealer, said “the man is a sincere man who doesn’t engage in dubious dealings. He is straight forward, anything he has kerosene or petrol, you see him ensuring orderliness. “I’m happy and as you can see, everybody is happy. Let God protect and guide him, give him long life and prosperity. Believe me, one bottle (1 litre) is N150 and jerrycan sells for N3,000 but here is N50 and a 20 litre jerry can sells at most N1,000.” On her part, Mrs Gift Olajide who resides in Dutse area, urged Federal Gover nment to put necessary policy in place for direct sale of kerosene at N50 per litre. “I want to but 20 litres at N1,000 against a litre of N200 per litre in my area.” In her remarks, Oyindamola Osasona who also live in Dutse said: “I use to buy a litre at N120 sometimes N150 but I’m buying at N50 per litre here. The difference in the prices is huge, so I’m very happy because if this man does not give us the kerosene at N50 per litre, a lot of people may die of hunger.”
Mirror Mongers
26
Friday, November 6, 2015
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The Ayade phenomenon
Home movies
Ayade
F
rom body language at the centre believed to be the secret behind the perceived improvement in fuel and electricity supplies shortly after May 29, Nigerians are beginning to hear the Ayade phenomenon in Cross Rivers State. MM learnt that this could have been derived from three actions the governor (reputed to be the youngest in Nigeria) has done…yes I mean things like asking his commissioners to write an examination to qualify for their posts and lately
presenting his budget for 2016 well-ahead of his other colleagues in a manner that seems impressive (at least on paper sha) especially with the ratio of recurrent to capital expenditures. But the Ayade phenomenon also needs to watch the plans to appoint foreign envoys for the state, who would comb the important capitals of the world for investors. That is essentially so, because the duty rests squarely on the government at the centre. Are envoys not like ambassadors?
Amosun versus Akute traders 2
I
f this was a Nollywood film, it would stretch into four parts. Two weeks ago, MM talked about the situation of roads in Akute, Ogun State and how, the traders have been trading words with the fans of the government of Ogun State over who was responsible for the ad hoc repairs that happened at the area some weeks ago. Some of the traders had claimed that they contributed money to hire graders that did the job but the state’s Ministy of Works has reacted. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Kayode Ademolake, an engineer in a statement made available by the agency’s spokesman Mr. Ayokule Ewuoso, said: “The job neces-
Qa
sarily slowed down due to the rainy season which is absolutely normal in road construction works despite this, the governor in his characteristic nature at identifying with the good people of the state and striving to meet their needs at all times directed the Ministry of Works and infrastructure to embark on palliative measures on all various roads that had become bad as a result of the rains”. But is this what should matter now? Not at all, a recent visit shows that the road repair in dispute has deteriorated further and almost getting impassable, which is why MM believes this video may stretch into a new part.
&
With
CHEKWAS OKORIE
H
ow did they say it? Everything that has a good side must have a bad side too. Yes, in the early days of Cable TV some agents came from South Africa to woo Nigerian film producers to sell the rights of their works for a new cable TV network on the way. That deal excited some Idumota-based producers (who preferred then to be addressed as executive producer) as they opened their warehouses to hand in their old films at rates that seemed mouthwatering then. MM gathered they were being paid $3000 then, but the fee later dropped to a paltry $300 some five years after stimu-
In recent weeks, proBiafran elements have contunied to ask for the indepenece of that region of the country, Chief Checkwas Okorie, founder of embattled All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, reacts to the issue:
lating a boom in cable TV business especially as regards Nollywood films. Now a new trend seems to be going on championed by Africa Magic. At the last count the outfit is making frantic efforts to develop their own content through the major names and stars in the film industry. Although this sounds nice, there should be caution, considering how the first alliance affected the industry. Yes, people still blame the emergence of Nollywood on pay TV channels for the plight of film marketers who barely sell up to 5000 copies of their new titles these days. More on this later.
In a pool with sharks
I
Bathin with the sharks
Section of the road
ONE-SECOND
New generation film producers
tinued several The agitation for Biafra has con decades after civil war?
T
fra has he issue for the agitation for Bia inaerm -det self for n atio to do with agit ted trea be to h wis who tion by people ice. just and with fair ness, equity street agitatMost of the young men on the war and so the r afte n bor ing for Biafra were to the war. led t wha w kno looks like they do not their own people They cannot understand why riably different inva are n since they were bor of the country. from their peers in other parts
f swimming with the crocs is akin to courting trouble then that is exactly what this youth corper, named Ken, who is working with a female public official in Abuja, is doing at the moment. Dark skinned Ken, came to Abuja for service and was posted to a school, which he was not comfortable with, until he ran into the highlyplaced woman, who quickly absorbed him into her establishment as a youth corper and also availed him an apartment. But since the 28 year old started working there, he has turned himself to a ‘toy boy’ sort in spite of the fact that the woman’s husband lives and works in the southeast. The buzz is that Ken is now chosen to be part of the foreign trips with the woman in preference to the real members of staff of the establishment.
Friday, November 6, 2015 23 Muharram 1437AH
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
27
Call to Worship
On the authority of Anas bin Malik, the servant of the Messenger of Allah, the prophet said: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” RELATED BY BUKHARI AND MUSLIM
Appointment of Governors
F
irst category is the governor who is invested with authority to run the general affairs of his province.. he is the man to whom government and authority are delegated. He stands as ruler of provinces do in relation to the caliphs. This type of authority included the right to control the judiciary if the governor has knowledge (of the shari’a). this also qualifies him to act in accordance with Siyasa Shar’iya, to take administrative actions not covered by the Law for the public interest. As for the details of the terms entered into with the governors, know-may God guide you aright that according to Diya al-Khulafa’: ‘It is essential that charge of affairs should be given to men of resolution, capability, sincerity and honesty. Appointment are to be made in pious fear of God and not arbitrarily. When Umar b. AlKhattab sent out a Governor, he would impose five conditions upon him: not to ride mules, not to wear fine clothes, not to eat choice food, not to employ chamberlains and not to close the door against people’s needs and welfare. He used to say to him, “I do not appoint you over men’s person and honour nor over their wealth; I only appoint you to lead them in prayer and to settle their differences equitably.” ‘No governor can succeed without possessing four qualities: power to collect money form lawful sources and to use it in the right places, strictness without harshness and leniency without weakness. If one of these qualities is lacking, things will not go right for him.’
of the wazir….. are truthfulness and piety. He must be of truthworthy conduct, perceptive in the affairs of the common people with deep kindness towards them, to enable h i m r e m e dy what-
misfortune for the rulers and the ruled is to be dreprived of honest wazirs. The wazir al-tafwid, is the man to whom the imam has delegated the authority to run all the affairs of the state. He is like a father to the Imam. He awakens him when he sleeps, enlightens him when he is blind (to reason), and reminds him when he forgets. He is an associate of the leader in the management of the affairs of state; he is the leader’s arm in administration; and his refuge in time of calamity. The leader can gain from such a wazir the knowledge of what he does not know, and the confirmation of what he already knows. Ibn farhun, in al-Tabsirah, says, “The Imam differs from the wazir to whom full authority is delegated ( al-tafwid ) in three things. The wazir may not nominate anyone to succeed as the Imam after the present Imam. The Imam on the other hand has the right to nominate anyone he think fit for the post. The wazir may not seek to resign from office while the Imam has the right to resign from the inmate by seeking permission from those who bind the loose (who are incharge) of appointments). The wazir may not dismiss an officer appointed by the Imam, while the Imam has the right to dismiss anyone he wishes.
Appointment of Prime Minister (Wazir) and other deputies The first support is an upright wazir over the state, who wakens him (the leader) if he sleeps, given him sight if he cannot see and reminds him if he forgets. The greater catastrophe which can befall leaders and people is to be deprived of good wazirs and helpers. One of the requirements of a wazir is that he should truly benevolent and kind-hearted towards the people. Some of the most important qualifying attributes
Eagerly awaiting nationwidespread of Jaiz Bank 28
ev er injury that might have befallen them through the action of the ruler. He must also not withhold good advice from the leader. The greatest
Fashola commends Sultan’s exemplary leadership 29
Quoted from: Principles of Leadership According to the Founding Fathers of the Sokoto Caliphate Collated and edited by Hamid Bobboyi with the Compliments of His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar mni, CFR, LLD, Sultan of Sokoto
‘Lagos residents will soon smile’ 29
28
Call to Worship
23 Muharram 1437AH Friday, November 6, 2015
Eagerly awaiting nationwidespread of Jaiz Bank T A , s many Muslims are still not happy with the interest (usury) charged by the conventional banks, millions of Nigerian Muslims including children are eagerly awaiting the spread of Jaiz Bank throughout the nooks and crannies of the federation. The question on the lips of many remains what the problem is since government has liberalized securing of banking license. Considering our population in this country, many are wondering why we cannot operate conveniently under Allah’s guidance and the onus lie on us to cooperate as members of the Ummah and make success of the Islamic bank. We must do everything within our disposal to make it survive. There is a dire need to extend the frontiers of financial inclusion to accommodate the un-
banked population in Nigeria. And truly, many people remain unbanked in this nation. Financial inclusion is achieved when adults have easy access to a broad range of formal financial services that meet their needs and are provided at an affordable cost. The recent Survey on access to financial services in Nigeria showed that a total of 34.9 million adult Nigerians (39.7% of the adult population) were financially excluded. Further analysis revealed that 43.5% of the excluded populations were women, 73.8% were younger than 45 years, 34.0% had no formal education, and 80.4% resided in rural areas. The issue of interest, which is prohibited in Islam, has been a problem. Education levels and financial literacy are typically lower in rural areas, making it
which is prohibited in Islam,
has been a problem
less likely that clients will make use of financial products and services. Expectedly, this worrisome situation has socio-economic consequences not just on the affected Nigerians, but on the country’s economic development aspirations. All over the world, a study shows that access to financial services contributes
L-R: Labour Prefect, 2014/2015 Set of Al-Azhar International College, Lokoja-Kogi State, Yazid Musa Muhammad and Headboy, Sanusi Haruna; Assistant Headgirl, Naimat Abdullahi and Headgirl, Ameenah Jamal Islam during their graduation ceremony recently.
Act wisely, obey Allah
A
bu Hurayra Radiyallahu ‘anhu said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘What do you think would happen if there was a river by someone’s door in which he washed five times every day? Do you think that any dirt would remain on him?’ They said, ‘Not a scrap of dirt would remain on him.’ He said, ‘That is a metaphor of the five prayers by which Allah wipes out wrong actions.’” Anas Radiyallahu ‘anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: ‘The comfort and delight of my eyes has been placed in Salat.’ (Nasai).
Abu Hurairah Radiyallahu ‘anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: ‘The five times Salat and the prayer of Friday to Friday, and the fasting of Ramadan to Ramadan, are atonements for sins that have been committed between them, provided the sinner avoids major sins.’ (Muslim). Abu Umamah Radiyallahu ‘anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam was asked: O Rasulullah! At what time is Du’a the most readily listened to and accepted? He replied: ‘The one made during the course of latter part of the night, and after the obligatory
THE PLATFORM with
Sekinah Lawal
he issue
of interest
Salat’. (Tirmidhi). Abdullah ibne-’Amr ibnil As narrates from his father, who heard from his grandfather Radiyallahu ‘anhuma, who narrated that Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: ‘Command your children when they are seven years old, to perform Salat; and beat them for not observing it when they are ten years old. And at this age separate their beds (i.e. do not let brothers and sisters sleep together).’ (Abu Dawud). Beating should not cause bodily harm. So, let us act wisely by being very conscious of our Salat and doing good always!
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t: 08055102994 e: sakinah207@yahoo.com both to economic growth and wealth creation and was identified as key to tackling the poverty trap in Nigeria. According to Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA) survey, high levels of financial exclusion pose major threats to the economy. Also, vast resources in the form of money in the hands of people who are in the informal sector could limit a country’s growth potential. As a community of believers, there is the need to encourage
the adoption of inclusive financial policies among Muslims in general in order to lift them out of poverty as lack of access to financing has been one of the major factors militating against Nigeria’s economic growth and development as well as individual growth. Leadership of Ummah with the support of government at all levels must be committed to creating an enabling environment for Nigerians to have access to beneficial and halal bank products through various means.
Dawah and physicallychallenged ones
I
t is usually amazing when you see leaders who are comfortable already trying to amass further wealth to the detriment of the masses. Whereas, thousands of people are deaf, dumb, blind or crippled. When you see children who are either deaf or dumb or both displaying their God-given talents, it should dawn on those who can see and hear without stress that they have been ungrateful for Allah’s mercies. A lot of deaf and dumb do not have the opportunity of learning about Islam due to lack of interpreters, thereby forcing them to leave the fold of Islam. What a pity! How many of our Islamic organizations take this into consideration during their weekly, monthly and even annual programmes? This is an area we must look into and we will be surprised to know the number of Muslims who require such services. ….As we embrace more attitudinal changes in our country, we must be doing so in our various individual lives and societal gatherings. As individuals and
groups, we must begin to call for good governance engendered through advocacy and active involvement in capacity building projects for people around us. Men, women, youth, children among others must have a voice in decision-making, either directly or through legitimate intermediate institutions that represent their interests. Legal frameworks should be fair and enforced impartially, particularly the laws on human rights. Our nation must stop being a consumption economy, importing almost everything. We need to be less-dependent on imported products. Many of our agricultural products such as tomatoes, oranges and the likes usually rot away during their season while we still import processed tomato and other canned-fruit juice from other nations when millions of our graduates are jobless. With new ministers coming on board, we should be able to provide constant electricity supply, mechanise our farming system en mass, fix our refineries and build new ones.
Place your adverts here for optimal reach Zakat Is 2.5% Of Your Total Wealth, Known As Nisab. After Having Fulfilled All obligations, pay your zakat
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There was once a society
T
hen, there were no coloured televisions, computers, mobile phones and the Internet. There were no seasoned films as we have them today, no sophisticated musical instruments and music as prevalent today and no copious sports as exist today. It was really a world that was near innocence and perfect morality. Crime then was minimal, nudity was a taboo and beauty pageantry was unheard of. The world then was simple, innocent, peaceful and habitable. Today’s world is complex, sophisticated, war-ridden, criminal and inhabitable. Every man today is living in a state of fear. The technology rather than improving our lot has increased our woes. It has brought wars and increased whores. The modern man is the most disobedient of Allah’s creature. Some men go further to corrupt animals through bestiality. There are trained dogs which cohabit with human beings. There are women who relate matrimonially and licentiously with dogs, horses, etc. This same
Call to Worship
Friday, November 6, 2015 23 Muharram 1437AH
We need to restore values in all aspects of our lives. We
IN HIS LIGHT with
USTAZ
A. ZAFARAN
need to uphold virtues in all our activities.
We need to
return home and stay with our children trend is observed in how men change their skins through plastic surgery or bleaching. The trend of outdoing each other in nudity is another way by which men act against their natural inclination of covering their shame. There has been meltdown of virtue and passivity in worship. Foci have changed. Transaction of corruption is gaining sway. Trading in fraud is becoming a common denominator of life. Everyman is a character in life. All our activities are the scenes we act. All the environments we inhabit or stay or travel to are the settings of our good and bad actions. Life is always a
coin with its other side. Good and evil dwell together in this world. They are in perpetual scuffle. It has never been easy doing good and avoiding bad things as you can see today. Our values today are becoming antithesis of our great expectations. Our young girls today are seriously endangered. They are perpetually harassed by men who are even older than their biological fathers. A girl could be tricked or lured into sexual intercourse or even gang-raped. Rape is globally on the increase in the recent times and these young girls are the constant victims. But people have failed to actually pinpoint
e-mail: zatabumuneeb@yahoo.com the root causes. It is definitely not unconnected with the permissive nature of our society, the kind of home videos in circulation, the prevalent indecent dressing culture, the musical albums, the varying beauty pageantry being staged, the emergence of the Internet, the social media, etc. All these and many more have changed our value system, destabilized our cultural orientation, challenged our religious teachings and changed our standard of living. The greatest challenge is that of lack of parenting and parents’ absence from home. Children are thus left at the mercy of television and what their friends teach them. We therefore need to act fast. We need to restore values in all aspects of our lives. We need to
Fashola commends Sultan’s exemplary leadership Sekinah L awal
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he Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Nigeria has extolled the visionary and proactive leadership of his eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and Head, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs , Alhaji Saad Abubakar. The Amir of the jamaat, Dr. Mashuud Adenrele Fashola stated this after a courtesy visit to the Sultan in his palace on the death
of Nigerian pilgrims in Makkah during the 2015 Hajj. In a release signed by Qasim akinreti, National Secretary, Publications and Media Relations of the jamaat, Dr. Fashola prayed for the repose of their souls and commended Sultan’s exemplary leadership qualities. “The Sultan has been very receptive to all Islamic groups and ensures a level playing field for all in his quest for peaceful propagation
of Islam and unity of Nigeria.” He said the Sultan appreciate the tremendous efforts of the jamaat globally and in Nigeria in the areas of peaceful propagation of Islam, more importantly provision of quality and qualitative Islamic literatures for dawah in various languages , both international and indigenous. The Sultan recalled the gift of the Holy Qur’an printed by the jamaat given to his late
father years back. Meanwhile, the jamaat equally condoled the family of the late Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro and praised the support given to the Islamic organization by the late Emir in Nigeria, particularly his visit to the world head of the community in London as well a grand reception accorded the world Islamic leader in Borgu kingdom in 2008. The jamaat Nigeria has one of its hospital located in New Bussa.
uphold virtues in all our activities. We need to return home and stay with our children. We need to control and guide our children in the use of television and Internet. We must censor the prevailing corrupting films. We must set standards for what women wear. Our society was never this bad before. It is never too late to retrace our steps. If the trends today are terrible, you can then imagine what it will be when our children attain our age. This so-called freedom to do whatever we like has brought ‘freedoom’. It has made us embraced and imbibed foreign cultures that are inimical to our existence. The daily headlines in most of our dailies today give us more headaches than information. Where then do we go from here?
‘Lagos residents will soon smile’
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L-R: Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Safety officer, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Fouad Oki, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa; and the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola when Senator Adeola visited the Speaker in his office on Monday.
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agos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeemAbdulLateef has assured Lagos residents that they will soon smile as major problems confronting the residents would be brought to an end soon. He stated that this will be a reality because the calibre of people that made up the cabinet are people with vast knowledge and great potentials whose impact would begin to materialise in no time. He therefore urged Lagosians to be patient with the Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration. As aresult of the infrastructural development witnessed in the state over the years, Dr. AbdulLateef attributed the problems confronting the state to the high influx of people. “There is no state as attractive as Lagos; this has made the influx of people into the state at a monumental level higher than that of any other state in the country. Lagos is the only mega city in Nigeria, so, if you develop infrastructure, you must expect that people will abandon those states without infrastructure for a state like Lagos, making the challenges of running the state enormous’’. He also expressed dismay at the spate of crime, saying there
are plans to embark on data gathering of all occupants, institutions and organisations so as to ascertain those operating in the state. “We are not going to wait until an explosion is heard before we begin to address the issue of insecurity in the state. We want to understand who and who is living in Lagos and where? That is why we will embark on data gathering. We want to have data of all churches, mosques, social organisations, residents and all other institutions that operate in the state.” In addition, AbdulLateef attributed the massive gridlocks encountered by Lagos residents to lack of civil culture among the people. “The fact that we don’t want to apply extreme force on residents has given rise to this. Extreme force to obey law and order should be the last thing in a civil society. People should understand that what we practice in Lagos is an inclusive government, an allinvolving one. Therefore, they should not go against traffic rules and always be willing to volunteer to control traffic. By doing these, we will see that the gridlocks will be a thing of the past. We will begin to engage the people and make them understand what civil culture means,” he said.
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Call to Worship
23 Muharram 1437AH Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Every Friday with
Khalifatul
Ahmadiyya
Proclaim the bounties of Allah: Tour of Holland and Germany 2015 (2)
A
t the event at the Parliament I addressed those present for about 18-20 minutes with respect to Islam and made mention of the current issues in light of the Islamic teachings. Usually, wherever and whenever I say something about things in light of Islamic teachings, the people say that their questions have been answered sufficiently. However, here, three or four parliamentarians from different political parties, said that they now also wanted to ask questions and I said that is fine. If you are not satisfied then by all means ask the questions. They started questioning and it seemed nothing but repetition. Ultimately it felt as if they wanted me to say that Islam’s teachings are incorrect - God forbid. Or that something should be said by me inadvertently that would give them an opportunity to say something [negative] about Islam. This was felt by the parliamentarians who were there from other countries. And they expressed this sentiment of their afterwards and said that this attitude of the one or two who made such questioners was not correct. Indeed, some Dutch who were watching this program or were sitting there, they also expressed their displeasure at this and conveyed their sense of shame at seeing this. In any case, this does not affect us in any way. Some felt that they wanted to perhaps provoke anger but this is also a Grace of Allah, the Exalted, for which we are thankful, that He has granted me a great
degree of patience. From among those who made the questions became himself conscious of this inappropriateness and when he came to have pictures taken with me afterwards said that if my questions were not appropriate then I express my apologies for this. The details of this program are extensive and you will have seen and heard it on MTA or you can read the report on the event - I cannot give all these details at this time here. But all those who heard the program or the others who were there participating in the event went away having taken a good impression of the teachings of Islam. Sometimes the thought comes after such events that such and such a question could have been answered better in this or that way but Allah, the Exalted, bestowed such Grace upon the occasion and blessed me with such responses as left a good impression on the people and they said as much. This is Allah’s doing. Allah takes control of the hearts and envelops them with His awe. Human endeavors can achieve nothing. For this program to have taken place, in itself, is a great blessing and sheer Grace of Allah, the Exalted. If someone from the Holland Jama’at says that this program was accomplished due to the efforts of someone or the efforts of the Dutch Jama’at then this is totally wrong. Indeed, I am sure that the majority from among them would say that they do not know how this event came about.
L-R: Naib Amir Special Duties, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria; Alhaji Hamed Al-Hassan, General oversial Methodist Church of Igan-Okoto Land; Reverend Timothy Fadipe, Amir Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria; Alhaji Dr. Mashuud Adenrele Fashola, Oba Adokun of Igan-Okoto Land; His Royal Highness Alhaji Mikaila Akanbi Salako during the Oba Igan-Okoto initiation ceremony into the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at recently.
Amir, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria presenting some Literatures of the Jama’at to Oba Onijale Ijale-Ketu Land; His Royal Highness Alhaji Busari Bisiriyu Oyero, during Amir’s visit to his Palace Recently.
L-R: Oba Adokun of Igan-Okoto Land; His Royal Highness Alhaji Mikaila Akanbi Salako, Chief Imam Igan-Okoto Land; Al-shaikh Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipupo, Obaladi of Afon Land; His Royal Highness Alhaji Busari Alamu Adelere Adetona and Naib Amir and Missionary in-charge Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria; Maulana Abdul Khalique Nayyar at the initiation ceremony.
Early marriage, girl-child rights and modern hypocrisy-dissecting the issues CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK
Media hypocrisy On marriages, one wonders why the media always fail to reflect the hypocritical disposition of the society, particularly in relation to people’s reactions. Many of those who clamour for the #ChildNotBride will duplicitously keep sealed lips at some of the so called celebrity marriages in Nigeria and across the world. For instance, the number one (the greatest) Nigeria female artiste, Omotola Jalade was (18) when she got married to her husband and she had her first child when she was nineteen (19), yet she still achieved what no woman in the entertainment industry has accomplished. It
could therefore be logically adduced that it was her early marriage that imbued in her, early in life, a deep sense of responsibility that eventually contributed to her achievements. She had become mature and responsible while her age mates were frolicking, flirting and sleeping around with all sorts of men. The much celebrated Bianca Ojukwu, late Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s wife was thirty (30) years younger than her husband, yet she has achieved what almost everything a woman in the contemporary world could ever dream of. When Amarachi, Kanu Nwankwo’s wife got married to him at the age of eighteen (18), nobody cried foul, and Emeka Ike’s wife, Emma said she met
her husband when she was nineteen (19), the media did not only ignore these facts, they hypocritically maintain uncanny silence or simply swayed by sentiments and refused to bring out these facts when reporting those of Ahmed Sanni Yerima and Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. For a very long time now, marriages in the fairy tales daily learnt by our children in schools, even as they grow up are also within this category. The oldest ladies in the fairy tales was princess Cinderella who married at age nineteen (19). Mercila, Aurora, Mulan, Jasmine and Ariel were sixteen (16); Snow White was fourteen (14); Rapunzel was eighteen (18); Belle was seventeen (17); Tiana was nineteen (19). The
youngest Pocahontas was said to be have been 12 when she met John Smith but got married to John Roffe when she was 19. Sex without responsibilty Moving on to the western world, the so-called civilised nations- the champions of Human Rights that our own teenagers copiously emulate; recent researches show that teenagers in the West have their first sexual experiences before the age of fifteen (15) and in some delayed instances, by sixteen (16). While they clamour for #ChildNotBride, hanging their argument on the risk of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Western girls ‘commit the same offence’; but with a difference- sex outside
marriage, simply put, sex without responsibility. All over the world, we close our eyes to teenagers who engage in prostitutions as if it is a way of life. In some climes, family members sell off their valuable properties to send their teenage daughters abroad for no other job but prostitution. What a world of deceit and hypocrisy! From medical perspective, research has shown that the chance of having a child with Down’s syndrome increases as a woman grows older. At age twenty, the chance is one in every 1441 pregnancies; at 30, it is one in every 959; at 40, it becomes one in 84; and at the age of 50, the number becomes one in 44.
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Friday, November 6, 2015
L-R: Mr. Soji Awogbade and Dr. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade, AELEX Annual Lecture in Lagos. Photo: ADEMOLA AKINLABI
L-R: Former member of House of Representatives, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; C.E.O, Arise Women, Pastor Siju Iluyomade and wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, during the Annual Arise Women Conference 2015 at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David Parish, Victoria Island, Lagos.
L-R: Chairman,, Board of Directors, Zankli Medical Centre Abuja, Prof Lovett Lawson; President, Nigerian Medical Association Dr Kayode Obembe and Agebe of Ugbada Gwagwada Alh Huseini Imam during the 2015 Annual Physicians Week in Abuja yesterday photo ROTIMI OSASONA
Mr. Dayo Peter Olanipekun of Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (right); his wife, Oladunni (second left); son, Winner Ifedayo, (Middle); Mrs Bola Ajayi (second right); Mr Maroof Adebiyi ( third right) and others, during the graduation of Ifedayo at University of Ilorin.
People In The Mirror
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Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon rtd. (right) and the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, (Mrs.) Cecilia Ezeilo, during his courtesy visit to the Government House, Enugu recently.
L-R: Former Minister of Industry, Chief (Mrs). Nike Akande; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Yetunde Onanuga; Chairman, Coleman Wires and Cables, Asiwaju Solomon Onafowokan and Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, at the official commissioning of Coleman Wires and Cables, Arepo Factory II, yesterday.
Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Affairs, Mr Gideon Zamani (left) and Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Danladi Matawa, at the 5th annual lecture of ‘Change We Need Nigeria’, in Abuja.
L-R: Wife of the Publicity/Social Secretary, Lagos Chapter Council of Knights, Methodist Church Nigeria, Lady Ola Carzim; Council Chairman, Lagos Chapter, Sir Peter Olorunfemi; his wife Funmi and Publicity/ Social Secretary, Sir, Abimbola Carzim at the 2nd Edition of the Choral Service Nights at the Methodist Church of the Trinity Council, Tinubu Square, Lagos.
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Arty News
Friday, November 6, 2015
Anyigba lights up for Glo LafftaFest
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‘Oxford Gardens’: Obi Emelonye set with new film Ngozi Emedolibe
A I GO DIE
Isiguzo Destiny
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he city of Anyigba in Kogi State is aglow with excitement following a full dose of the highly regarded comedy show, Glo Laffta Fest, organized by Nigeria’s next generation telecommunications network, Globacom. Glo Laffta Fest which is currently touring major cities in Nigeria stormed the university town of Anyigba on Thursdayafter it was successfully held in Egbeda in Lagos. The Anyigba show drew a mammoth crowd that many residents described as unprecedented in the city. The show, held at the stadium on the campus of the Kogi State University, was anchored by famous comedian and Globacom brand ambassador, Basket mouth. He treated the audience to a quick series of rib-cracking jokes before calling on stage students aspiring to be music stars. Students who stepped out included OC Green, Jeezzy and Mareez. They all impressed the audience with their talent. Their scintillating performances earned them gift items from Globacom. Comedy resumed with talented comedian, Osama. The bearded Jos-born comedian kept his audience laughing uncontrollably throughout his time on stage. The duo of Still Ringing sustained the tempo
after Osama exited. I go Dye, Acapella and Klint D Drunk took the show a notch higher with sublime performances. I Go Dye in one of his jokes, admonished students to eschew cultism and violence as it will only lead to destruction. He joked about so called cultists who claim to be brave but scamper to safety when crises arise because they don’t wish to lose their lives. Mavin Records act, Reekado Banks opened the musical part of the show with a wonderful performance, followed by Burna Boy whose appearance on stage sent the audience wild. Many members of the audience spoken to commended Globacom for bringing the show to Anyigba in spite of its distant location. A 300 level student of Banking and Finance, Faith Egbunu, couldn’t hide her joy and pleasure. She expressed gratitude to Globacom in an emotion laden voice. “I can’t believe this is real. We’ve never had such a show in this school since I got admission and seeing these stars in Anyigba is like a dream to me. Kudos to Globacom”, she said. Another respondent, a nonacademic staff of Kogi State University, Jane Adikpa, said “when we heard that the show would be held in this school, we initially thought it was a big joke because such things never happen here. Globacom is the first to organize a show here”.
ward-winning filmmaker, Obi Emelonye is set with a new movie, Oxford Gardens. Shot in London, the film features Ngoli Okafor, a former boxing champion in United States, Ngozi Thompson Igwebike, Savanah Roy, Iffy Chukwu, Princess Abiye, Frank Ani, Nnenna Ani and D’Richy Emelonye. Basking in the success of great films like, The Mirror Boy, Last Flight to Abuja, Onye Ozi and Thy Will Be Done, the director-producer, who is renowned for championing causes with his themes in Nollywood, says he intends to be refreshingly different with this new work. According to him, “I dig deep to explore stories that our young industry has ignored for some reason or another. In 2011, it was The Mirror Boy which attempted to see Africa through the eyes of a 12 year old Londonborn African boy. Last Flight to Abuja, a year later dealt with the glamorous world of aviation with its excitement, glitz and
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tracks. Harrysong kicked off his performance with his ‘Beta Pikin’ hit and his performance drew waves of cheers from the crowd that filled the marquee
ences, as the Rocky series and more recently Cinderalla Man and Southpaw have proved. Oxford Gardens is a film about boxing and not a boxing film. It takes some of the elements that make boxing films successful; sympathy for the underdog, blood, sweat, tears; and weaves them into a narrative that is an allegory for our broader fight for love, life and our place in the world.” Meanwhile, Nollywood appears eager to see the new work, going by the buzz in the industry.
Nollywood stars fight diabetes with walk, convention Ngozi Emedolibe
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he Saving Life for Africa Diabetes Foundation is set for this year’s edition of the World Diabetes Day, which comes up on November 14, 2015, with an awareness walk which will enlist many film and music stars in Lagos. According to Obi Madubogwu, the coordinator (an actor and producer) the walk is being staged to draw attention to the scourge of diabetes in the society with the help of the celebrities. This would however culminate in a summit, tagged Nollywoowd Health Convention, which is slated for Deceme-
Harrysong, Kcee sizzle at Lagos event ave of the moment and Reggae Blues crooner, Harrysong and fellow label mate, Kcee, were the special guest artistes at the Legend Extra Stout ‘Taste and Tell’ night, held in Lagos over the weekend and they thrilled the highly excited crowd who trooped out in their numbers to witness the unique activation. The duo got the highly elated crowd dancing and singing along to some of their hit
unfortunately, crashes. In all of these projects, I am seeking a new vista from which to see our common existence. In Oxford Gardens, I have attempted to tell a moving love story, wrapped in boxing gloves. Nigeria has produced great boxers, old and new. However, for some reason, Nollywood has ignored stories around boxing in spite of boxing’s gritty nature that would lend itself easily to cinematography. Boxing films over the years have been hugely successful globally because they stir potent emotions in audi-
on Kuwait Field venue of the event. Kcee, the Limpopo master, followed up with a medley of some of his tracks. But that was just to prepare the already galvanized crowd for the big one – Reggae Blues - which got everyone dancing and raising their glasses of Legend Extra Stout. As the duo
SLAD group walking against diabetes
ber13, 2015 at the Golden Tulip Hotel, FESTAC, Lagos. The event which is in its fourth edition has provided the
performed, the crowd erupted in frenzied dance and merriment. Yet another interesting side attraction at the Legend ‘Taste and Tell’ night was the performance by the Eyo cultural troupe, which added a cultural dimension to the event. The traditional performers hopped their way on the stage in their resplendent white attire, dancing and eulogizing the Legend brand.
platform for celebrities to discuss the health challenges of the nation and proffer solutions. Madubogwu, who hinted that all is set to make the event grand, also urged all celebrities to come out in support of the project as a way of givin g back to the society that has stood beside them. “As celebrities, this is a way of giving back to the society. We can do so much by drawing attention to the health challenges of the nation. Diabetes is a silent killer. On November 14, we will have a walk in Lagos while the grand event comes up on December 14. The December 14 event will come up at Golden Tulip; it has a red carpet session as well as awards for deserving Nigerians.”
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
How best would you describe yourself? My name is Benedicta Akpana; I am from Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River state, a graduate of Microbiology from the University of Abuja. What gave you the urge to venture into pageantry? I love entertainment; growing as a young child I loved acting, I love to dance and culturally I have been dancing from my primary school. Going into pageantry was not my passion acting is but I love every aspect of entertainment that projects a vision. I have ran for other pageantry like Face of Sofa where I emerged the second runner up in Abuja but I did not really love it’s kind of pageantry. Going ahead for Miss Heritage Nigeria was an awesome experience; from the name I was motivated to run in the contest. The things I learnt in camp, the places we visited like Badagry Museum where I got to see the first Bible and the first storey building motivated me even more. For pageantry this is the end for me, after this I am going back fully to act. What motivated you to go ahead for Miss Heritage? Well Face of Sofa was a like a stepping stone. This is a passion a n d when you have a passion you don’t give up the challenges are stepping stones you take advantage of them and make a better if you check where you didn’t do well, why you didn’t do well and take it to your adva n t a g e a n d try to
Arty News
Friday, November 6, 2015
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I’ll continue to uphold Nigeria’s heritage –Akpana Benedicta Akpana, an actress and model, won Miss Heritage Nigeria crown on the 30th of November, 2014. She talks about her aspirations with REGINA OTOKPA.
I love
entertainment; growing up as
I loved acting; I love to a child
dance
work harder next time. The fact that I didn’t win Face of Sofa was not to be the end of my dreams it is something that ii have been building and I needed to bring it alive like they say you cannot keep a dream inside of you, if you don’t bring it out nobody will see. After coming third, as the second runner up of face of sofa, I saw it as a challenge, I saw it like this was telling me that I still have something to offer go further and bring it out, don’t give up, this is not the end of the road. I went back, rebranded myself, try to see where I didn’t do well, why I didn’t do well, why I couldn’t win and I took it as a challenge upon myself and I said I can do this, I have to this. Pageantry in Nigeria sometimes is manipulated and winners are hooked up? If winners were hooked up then I would have been hooked up right from Face of Sofa because I believe that I am beautiful enough to be chosen for anything but for me not to make Face of
Akpana
cannot deliver a role, no producer or director will want you to play that role. They will have to give it to someone that is better than you so it is the same thing everywhere. You cannot sit and say something is being hooked up when you haven’t gone there to see for yourself. We were in camp for six days and I have colleagues who didn’t think that I wouldn’t even cross the next line but to my greatest surprise I am here today and it is a testimony. I don’t believe that what people sit at home and assume is what is really going down. If you go in there and see for yourself then you can be able to observe things and know the differences in the game. How many contestants did you battle with before getting to the crown? We were a total of 26 contestants and I represented Niger state. Within the six days we spent in camp, I learnt how to speak the basic languages, what they eat and how they dress.
a
are golike movie and they a script to write
Sofa then, it means it wasn’t hooked up it was challenge. You go through the challenges, you show them what you have got, what you’ve got is what they want then you in for it. You are ing to win definitely. It is going to a s c e n e give you and you
In your own view, do you think indigenes should represent their states during pageants? It depends on the kind of pageant, miss heritage is supposed to promote Nigerian cultural values. I am from Cross River I am not supposed to represent my state because I will not be able to learn the next person’s language. I represented Niger state; it gave me an opportunity to learn Niger state’s language, what they eat and how they dress. I don’t think in pageantry indigenes of the state should represent their own states but like I said it depends on the kind of pageant.
Your programme targeted the children? While I was growing up I used to hear them say children are the leaders of tomorrow, in as much as in Nigeria we do not believe so much in adult education I believe if I can capture the young ones today, it is the bedrock for me for them to grow up with it and not depart from it and of course in the course of doing that, the older ones will be encouraged to learn. I believe that the younger generation are the ones I can actually change for a better tomorrow to know that there is something like this existing and tell them about the importance of knowing about your culture and heritage and the people that brought it into existence and not to totally abandon it even though we have been a part of the western world together they should still hold it in high esteem and value it. What will be the fate of your pet project when your reign comes to an end? I can teach culture through my actions, I will continue doing the bid I can and of course I will continue to work with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to continue to tell Nigerians how to uphold their culture and its heritage. Could you name some of the movies you have featured in? I did a number of African Magic original movies like Kopa and Second Chance. In Kannywood also, I have acted a few number including Maja with Nkem Owoh and Sani Nake So, where I acted alongside Sani Danja, Yakubu Mohammed and Zainab Indomie.
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Escape
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Sights, sounds of Canada The country in North America consists of ten provinces and three territories.
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ocated in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean. At 9.98 million square kilometres in total, Canada is the world’s second-largest country by total area and the fourth-largest country by land area. Its common border with the United States is the world’s longest land border shared by the same two countries. The land that is now Canada has been inhabited for millennia by various Aboriginal peoples. Beginning in the late 15th century, British and French colonies were established on the region’s Atlantic coast. As a consequence ofvarious conflicts, the United Kingdom gained and lost North American territories until left, in the late 18th century, with what mostly comprises Canada today. Pursuant to the British North America Act, on July 1, 1867 three coloniesjoined to form the autonomous federal dominion of Canada. This began an accretion of provinces and territories to the new self-governing dominion. In 1931, Britain granted Canada full independence in most matters with theStatute of Westminster 1931. The Canada Act 1982 severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the British parliament. Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Canada is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The country is officially bilingual at the federal level. It is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries, with a population of approximately 35 million as of December 2012. Its advanced economy is one of the largest in the world, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed trade networks. Canada’s long and complex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its economy and culture. Canada is a developed country and one of the wealthiest in the world, with the eighth highest per capita income globally, and the eighth highest ranking in the Human Development Index. It ranks among the highest in international measurements of education, government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, and economic freedom. Canada’s participation in economic inter-
national and intergovernmental institutions or groupings includes the G8 (Group of Eight); the Group of Ten (economic); the Group of Twenty (G-20 major economies); the North American Free Trade Agreement; and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Canada’s alliances include the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Geography Canada occupies a major northern portion of North America, sharing land borders with the contiguous United States to the south (the longest border between two countries in the world) and the US state of Alaska to the northwest. Canada stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west; to the north lies the Arctic Ocean. Greenland is to the northeast, while Saint Pierre and Miquelon is south of Newfoundland. By total area (including its waters), Canada is the second-largest country in the world, after Russia. By land area alone, Canadaranks fourth. The country lies between latitudes 41° and 84°N, and longitudes 52° and 141°W. A satellite composite image of Canada. Boreal forests prevail on the rocky Canadian Shield, while ice and tundraare prominent in the Arctic. Glaciers are visible in the Canadian Rockies and Coast Mountains. The flat and fertileprairies facilitate agriculture. The Great Lakes feed the St. Lawrence River in the southeast, where lowlands host much of Canada’s population. Since 1925, Canada has claimed the portion of the Arctic between
60° and 141°W longitude,[82] but this claim is not universally recognized. Canada is home to the world’s northernmost settlement, Canadian Forces Station Alert, on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island – latitude 82.5°N – which lies 817 kilometres (508 mi) from the North Pole. Much of the Canadian Arctic is covered by ice and permafrost. Canada has the longest coastline in the world, with a total length of 202,080 kilometres (125,570 mi); additionally, its border with the United States is the world’s longest land border, stretching 8,891 kilometres (5,525 mi).
Climate Average winter and summer high temperatures across Canada vary from region to region. Win-
ters can be harsh in many parts of the country, particularly in the interior and Prairie provinces, which experience a continental climate, where daily average temperatures are near −15 °C (5 °F), but can drop below −40 °C (−40 °F) with severe wind chills. In noncoastal regions, snow can cover the ground for almost six months of the year, while in parts of the north snow can persist yearround. Coastal British Columbia has a temperate climate, with a mild and rainy winter. On the east and west coasts, average high temperatures are generally in the low 20s °C (70s °F), while between the coasts, the average summer high temperature ranges from 25 to 30 °C (77 to 86 °F), with temperatures in some interior locations occasionally exceeding 40 °C (104 °F).
Economy The Bank of Canada is the central bank of the country and governed by Stephen Poloz. In addition, the Minister of Finance and Ministry of Industry utilize the Statistics Canada system for financial planning. The Toronto Stock Exchange is the seventh largest exchange in the world having 1,577 companies listed in 2012. Canada is the world’s eleventh-largest economy, with a 2012 nominal GDP of approximately US$1.82 trillion. It is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Group of Eight (G8), and is one of the world’s top ten trading nations, with a highly globalized economy. Canada is a mixed economy, ranking above
Banff Lake
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Escape
Friday, November 6, 2015
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arms. Explore the Citadel, where you might catch Canadian troops staging a military ceremony. As for food, you could splurge on afternoon tea at the Chateau Frontenac, or do as the locals do and snack on poutine-french fries with gravy and cheese curds
Victoria, British Columbia
Peak Terminal
Art Gallery of Ontario
It’s still one of the most British cities in North America, but there’s more to Victoria than tearooms, antique shops and galleries (though there are plenty of those). Driven by the younger generation, the city has sprouted a collection of cool shops, authentic coffee bars and unique restaurants. It also has more cycling routes than any other Canadian city, providing a great way to explore the picturesque location (and avoid an afternoon of antique shopping).
Calgary, Alberta The sophisticated city that grew out of the Canadian West, Calgary balances the modern and the traditional with pioneer charm. For the full western experience, show up in time for the annual Calgary Stampede, complete with rodeos. Year-round you’ll find abundant shopping, dining and nightlife; a short drive away are some of Canada’s finest national parks.
Granby Zoo
Horsehoe Falls
the US and most western European nations on the Heritage Foundation’s index of economic freedom, and experiencing a relatively low level of income disparity. In 2008, Canada’s imported goods were worth over $442.9 billion, of which $280.8 billion originated from the United States, $11.7 billion from Japan, and $11.3 billion from the United Kingdom. The country’s 2009 trade deficit totalled C$4.8 billion, compared with a C$46.9 billion surplus in 2008 Canada is one of the few developed nations that are net exporters of energy. Atlantic Canada possesses vastoffshore deposits of natural gas, and Alberta also hosts large oil and gas resources. The vastness of the Athabasca oil sands and other assets results in Canada having 13% of the global oil reserves, the world’s thirdlargest, afterVenezuela and Saudi Arabia. Canada is additionally one of the world’s largest suppliers of agricultural products; the Canadian Prairies are one of the most important global producers of wheat, canola, and other grains.
Science and technology The Canadarm robotic manipulator in action on Space Shuttle Discovery during the STS-116 mission in 2006. In 2011, Canada spent approximately C$29.9 billion on domestic research and development. As of 2012, the country has produced fourteen Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry and medicine, and was ranked fourth worldwide for scientific research quality in a major 2012 survey of international scientists. It is additionally home to a number of global technology
firms. Canada ranks seventeenth in the world for Internet users as a proportion of the population, with over 28.4 million users, equivalent to around 83 percent of its total 2012 population. The Canadian Space Agency operates a highly active space program, conducting deep-space, planetary, and aviation research, and developing rockets and satellites. Canada was the third country to launch a satellite into space after the USSR and the United States, with the 1962 Alouette 1 launch. In 1984, Marc Garneau became Canada’s first astronaut. As of 2013, nine Canadians have flown into space, over the course of fifteen manned missions.
Language Canada’s two official languages are English and French, pursuant to Section 16 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Federal Official Languages Act. Canada’s federal government practices official bilingualism, which is applied by the Commissioner of Official Languages. English and French have equal status in federal courts, Parliament, and in all federal institutions. Citizens have the right, where there is sufficient demand, to receive federal government services in either English or French, and officiallanguage minorities are guaranteed their own schools in all provinces and territories
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Notre Dame Basilica
toric section of the Canadian metropolis, and the lively pubs still reflect the area’s former status as a sort of community drinking center. The city’s forests, grand parks, and impressive suspension bridge beckon travelers to explore them, as do the city’s shops and museums. Relive the glory of the 2010 Winter Games with visits to Olympic venues and the marvelous Olympic Cauldron.
We’ve heard Toronto described as “New York City run by the Swiss,” and it’s true—you can find world-class theater, shopping and restaurants here, but the sidewalks are clean and the people are friendly. The best place to start is literally at the top—the CN Tower, the tallest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere.
Montreal, Quebec Montreal, c’est si bon! This French-speaking city is considered the cultural capital of Canada, and is a cosmopolitan celebration of Québécois style. A horse-drawn carriage ride around the cobblestone streets and grand buildings of Vieux-Montréal will give you a taste of European flavor. The Basilique Notre-Dame is a confection of stained glass, and the Plateau Mont-Royal district will delight you with its quaint boutiques and cafés. Dig in to a massive plate of poutine to fuel up for a tour of the epic Olympic Park.
Tourist Cities Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver was founded as “Gastown” by an Englishman with a penchant for beer and storytelling. Today Gastown is a his-
Toronto, Ontario
Quebec City, Quebec Canada’s Wonderland
Quebec City may be the only fortified city north of Mexico, but it welcomes visitors with open
In Canada’s wine country, Niagara-on-the-Lake presents a well-preserved 19th-century village and its charms. Drive or bike through the area, stopping at wineries and Fort George National Historic Site. Ride along the Niagara Escarpment on horseback or book a white-water adventure at nearby Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls, Ontario Once a destination for honeymoons and family vacations, Niagara Falls has really stepped it up as an action-packed vacation spot. The falls are literally the biggest draw – watching the frothy water tumble at alarming speeds can be mesmerizing. Throw on a poncho and hop aboard the Maid of the Mist to cruise close enough to the falls to be drenched by spray. Hit the main strip of Clifton Hill for flashy tourist attractions and restaurants galore.
Whistler, British Columbia Whistler, British Columbia, is a short trip from Vancouver by road, rail or air. The stunning landscape, pedestrian-only Village and genuine, down-to-earth mountain culture make Whistler an unforgettable year-round destination. Winters provide reliable snow for skiing, snowboarding and Nordic sports while golf, mountain biking and hiking fill the warmer months. Festivals, spas, restaurants and bars combine with endless outdoor activities to make Whistler the ultimate place to escape and unwind.
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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Again, stakeholders raise the alarm over auto policy implementation The nation’s auto policy being implemented currently has continued to elicit mixed reactions with most analysts and industry operators calling for its review in order to achieve its intention and make it relevant to capacity building initiatives at the domestic auto industry. Adejuwon Osunnuyi writes.
C
‘
an industry like the automobile is
not one you just wake up and start. We cannot just wake up and say within three years we should start to assemble vehicles. It needs serious planning
it was made to just help some people. “An industry like the automobile is not one you just wake up and start. We cannot just wake up and say within three years we should start to assemble vehicles. It needs serious planning.” The TNL chairman said unless the auto policy was given a holistic review and properly executed with the involvement of all stakeholders, the efforts could fail again and it would hurt the nation badly. According to him, “We must therefore sit down to plan in the interest of everybody in the industry. There is room for everybody including those who have benefitted and those who did not benefit from the emergency situation. “This is my honest view. At 77, I’m not the kind of person who will tell you lies. I’ve been in this business for 41 years having started in 1971. Foundation in anything is very important. If you put up a weak foundation, it will crumble.” According to him, Africa is
‘
ontrary to the expectations that with the full implementation of the nation’s auto policy, more jobs would be created and the nation would soon begin exporting vehicles to other countries, more stakeholders have continued to pick holes in the policy. The one-day workshop organised by the Automotive and Allied Products Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the theme, ‘Viability and Growth in the auto industry,’ held last week provided the platform for major stakeholders to voice out their views. For instance, speaking at the event, the Chairman, Toyota Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo said the full implementation has led to a huge loss of jobs in the auto industry. According to Ade-Ojo, the TNL has been forced to disengage quite a number of its workers between 2014 and this year when the 70 per cent import tariff slammed on vehicles when the auto policy became effective. Ade-Ojo said, “Right now, I don’t know how many people have lost jobs as a result of the new approach. But they are many. I have had to downsize because we are only one fifth about what we used to have.” Although his company had announced its plan to establish a Toyota assembly plant in Nigeria, he said, “we were hurried and the necessary things we should have done have not been done.” According to him, the decision was taken to meet the emergency situation as he described the current posture by some of those in the assembly plant project as pretentious. Ade-Ojo said, “I can say that the pretentious assembly plant project that is going on currently cannot take us anywhere because
the next region for development, adding that those who have made tons of money in America and other places need to spend it somewhere. Ade-Ojo, who spoke in line with other experts including the Chief Executive Officer, Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba; and the Managing Director, Subaru Motors, Mr. Kofi Sagoe, however, said the policy could take the nation to the destination of making it a regional hub if well planned and effectively executed. However, Lukuman Mahmud Director, National Automotive Council, NAC, submitted that the policy was well thought out and that the council had duly consulted and involved everybody in its implementation. According to him, the implementation is on course, as Nigeria would soon be exporting locally assembled vehicles to neighbouring countries. It would be recalled that one of the companies that have started assembling vehicles locally, Kia Motors Nigeria had lamented the low sales of cars it has been
Ade-Ojo
recording since the implementation began. Its Chief Commercial Officer, Malhotra Sandeep, speaking to journalists during a recent facility tour of its Oshodi Plant, had pointed out that “the company is yet to break even with the investment as the demand for new cars in Nigeria is relatively low compared to pre-owned vehicles.” According to Sandeep, if the policy holds sway wherein the 70 per cent duty is implemented and the prices of used cars soar higher, there will an attendant shift in the demand and customer preference which will directly impact on the supply of locally assembled new cars in the country. Also speaking in view of the growing concern by stakeholders on the sustainability and possible review of the auto policy, the CEO of Kia Motors Nigeria, Jacky Hathiramani said government
must address the key issues and lingering challenges in the development of Nigerian automobile industry. According to Jacky, one of the major challenges bedeviling the development of automobile industry is the staggering amount and alarming rate of used vehicles importations. He espoused that “for the industry to grow, the importation of used vehicles need to be addressed. According to him, despite the business challenges it poses to the local manufacturers, the level of the economic menace it constitutes cannot be overemphasized. The government, he said, needs to be steadfast in its pursuit of economy growth by tackling importation of used vehicles and also strengthening the border to drastically reduce the spate of smuggling into the country. To him, when government addresses the influx of the used vehicles, there will be a corresponding demand for the new locally made cars, which will create a mass production and in turn drastically reduce the prices owing to a resultant effect on the cost of production. He opined that, the thrust of the Nigeria auto policy needs to be restructured to further create an enabling environment for the local assembling companies. Taking a cue from developed countries where local manufacturers are given government aids and tax exemptions for Semi Knocked Down (SKD) parts and components from import tariffs, the KIA boss said the current administration can further reduce or exempt local companies from import tariff which will go a long way in reducing the cost of producing the vehicle thereby reducing the prices and giving them a competitive edge. While lamenting on the current state of the nation’s power supply, he enjoined the government to revamp the power sector for adequate provision of energy to support local plants. He affirmed that the operational cost of an assembly plant in Nigeria today is high based on the epileptic power supply and the high cost of running power generators has continued to have effect on the pricing of Nigerian made vehicles. Presently, about 23 automakers are said to have signed Memorandum of Understanding with their technical partners to establish local plants in the country.
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megacrown1@yahoo.com 08025237926
Auto parts manufacturer, Aisin enters Nigeria
A
L-R: LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Bashir Braimah, the new LASTMA Chief Executive Officer, AIG Christian Olakpe (Rtd) and Mr. Akeem Grillo, Director, Adminsitration, during the resumption Olakpe to his office at the Oshodi Headquarters of the Agency
LASTMA to impound unpainted commercial vehicles
T
he Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has reiterated its warning to owners of unpainted commercial vehicles to stay off the roads in the state. The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Bashir Braimah, gave this warning while addressing officers and staff of the agency at LASTMA headquarters, Oshodi on Tuesday. According to him, the law that prohibited unpainted commercial vehicles from plying roads in the state is still in force. While urging owners of such unpainted vehicles to paint them in approved colour and register with the appropriate authority before plying the roads, Braimah
said any commercial vehicle not painted in the appropriate colour and registered with the relevant authority will be impounded and dealt with according to law henceforth. Speaking further, he said LASTMA officials must demonstrate ability and capacity to improve on the job performance and service delivery in order to move traffic in the state. The General Manager then enjoined officers of the agency to be dedicated, discipline and not to allow traffic gridlock, impunity and insecurity to reign on the roads. He reminded them that they derived their functions and responsibilities from law, and must therefore perform such within the ambit of the law. Speaking further, the General Manager said operation Sand Storm and Open Heart earlier launched by the agency were careful approach of taking the message of traffic law obedience
to the grassroots in order to increase the level of voluntarily compliance. This is with sole objective of repossessing Lagos roads from the hands of recalcitrant motorists, impunity and chaos in order to restores peace, orderliness and safety to the roads in Lagos state. According to him, the agency has begun a systematic and scientific implementation of various plan and strategy that will further enhance movement of vehicles on the Lagos roads. This methodology, according to Braimah, is being implemented by officers with utmost civility, politeness and respect to Lagos motorists and members of the public in general. He therefore called for the cooperation and support of motorists and members of the public for traffic enforcement officers on duty in the state for the new approach of enforcement to achieve desired result.
…as Olakpe resumes as agency’s CEO
T
he newly appointed Chief Executive Officer for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) AIG Christian Olakpe (Rtd) resumed at the Oshodi Headquarters of the Agency on Wednesday. Olakpe, who was received on arrival, by the General Manager of the Agency, Mr. Braimah Bashir and other management staff, expressed delight at the opportunity given to him to contribute to solving traffic and security problems in the state. Addressing the commanders and other principal of the Agency, Olakpe said the officers and rank of LASTMA must brace themselves for the upcoming task of removing traffic gridlocks and associated insecurity from the state roads. According to him, the officers must henceforth exhibit high level of discipline, commitment
and dedication to duty, because gone are the days when officers engaged in extortions of motorists and idle on duty. The new Chief Executive Officer admonished staff to embrace the mantra of change that is blowing across the state or be swept off from duty due to their incorrigibility. While assuring them of his readiness to make the issue of staff welfare a priority, the CEO advised traffic officers to implement the state traffic law with civility, decorum and respect to motorists and members of the public. “I am at LASTMA as part of the ongoing efforts to revamp, refocus, improved performance and better relations with the public. Therefore, every LASTMA official is a public relations of the Agency and must now perform the duty of enforcing traffic law
within the ambit of the law.” He said. He promised to promote good relationship between the Agency and other similar Agencies in the state for better understanding, cooperation and improved service delivery. Receiving the new Chief Executive Officer, the General Manager, Mr. Braimah assured him of the readiness, support and cooperation of staff, especially now that the current administration wants to use a seamless traffic to drive the state economy. Olakpe is a retired Assistant Inspector General of Nigeria Police, one time Force Public Relations Officer, alumni of Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru and Commissioner of Police in charge of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal, Lagos and head Plateau and Bayelsa Commands.
isin, one of the world’s original equipment manufacturers, OM, has introduced its range of products into the Nigerian market. Aisin is a world leading auto spare parts supplier to renowned automobile manufacturing companies across the world, especially the Japanese including Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi among others. The company marked its entry into Nigeria recently as it announced its alliance with Star Sewing Machine to deliver quality products at affordable rate. The firm is coming to the country about 50 years after commencing operations globally. The General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Aisin Asia, Abdel-Qader Abu-Hijleh, said the company supplies one third of the entire parts that make up every Toyota vehicle. “In every Toyota vehicle, there are about 30,000 parts and Aisin provides 10,000 of those parts,” he said. Speaking further, he said
apart from the Japanese brands, the spare part firm was also feeding other automakers with vehicle components such as BMW, MercedesBenz, Volkswagen, Volvo and Mini. He lamented the high volume of fake products in the market and stressed the need for collaboration with wellmeaning stakeholders to flush out fake auto parts from the country. “We are here to fight imitation. The problem of this market is imitation. Imitation products not only damage vehicles but also destroy lives of the people and throw families of its victims into prolonged sorrow.” He noted. Explaining how the company planned to send producers and dealers of fake auto products out of business in Nigeria, Abu-Hijleh said Aisin would collaborate with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders, including auto spare part buyers, to educate the people through seminars on how to distinguish fake products from genuine ones.
Mazda rolls out two MX-5 models
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azda has taken the covers off its two lightweight mx-5 concepts, the mx-5 speedster and mx-5 spyder. Hot on the heels of the eagerly awaited Mazda MX-5 and almost universally positive reviews, Mazda unveiled the two design concepts at the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster concepts take the MX-5’s lightweight approach a step further, reducing even more weight and increasing the sensation of drop-top motoring. Designers drew inspiration from vintage roadsters. The MX-5 Spyder features a “bikini” top, Mercury Silver exterior, carbon fibre aero kit, grille intake, lightweight 17-inch Yokohama ADVAN Racing RS II wheels and a Spinneybeck PRIMA natural full-grain leather interior. The MX-5 Speedster pares the roadster back to the bare essentials – it even has a deflector in place of the windscreen – for an old school wind-in-the-hair sports car experience. Mazda took its weight-cutting passion to extremes with carbon fibre doors and seats as well
as custom 16-inch RAYS 57 Extreme Gram Lights wheels. The Speedster tips the scales at only 943kg (that’s 9kg lighter than the Lotus Elise 220 Cup and 100kg lighter than the Spyder), and is also 30mm lower than the production MX-5 thanks to an adjustable coilover suspension. “Both MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster are uncompromising designs that highlight the core strengths of MX-5,” said Ken Saward, design manager at Mazda North American Operations. He and his colleagues at Mazda collaborated with various aftermarket parts suppliers and performance shops to create the two concepts. “With the all-new 2016 MX-5, we have a clean sheet to show how the aftermarket can go wild on our flagship sports car while staying true to its mission.” The MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster are on display at Mazda’s stand in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The SEMA Show is an annual trade event for automobile aftermarket specialty products organised by the Specialty Equipment Market Association. The 2015 event runs until the 6th November.
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Cocktail
Friday, November 6, 2015
Degrees’ holder flies planes, can’t drive a car
M
oshe Kai Cavalin has two college degrees, but he is too young to vote. He flies airplanes, but he is too young to drive a car alone. Life is filled with contrasts for Cavalin, a 17-yearold from San Gabriel, California, who has dashed by major milestones as his age seems to lag behind. He graduated from community college at age 11. Four years later, he had a bachelor’s in math from the University of California, Los Angeles. This year, he started online classes to get a master’s in cybersecurity through
the Boston area’s Brandeis University. He decided to postpone that pursuit for a couple of terms, though, while he helps NASA develop surveillance technology for airplanes and drones. Between all that, he has racked up an exhausting list of extracurricular feats. He just published his second book, drawing on his experience being bullied and stories he’s heard from others. He plans to have his airplane pilot’s license by the year’s end. At his family’s home near Los Angeles, he has a trove of trophies from martial arts tournaments.
Man uses rope ladder to burgle supermarket
S
tate police have arrested a man, Thomas Beal, on charges he broke into a Pennsylvania supermarket using a rope ladder-then claimed to merely be sleeping on the store’s roof when he was caught. Forty-eight-year-old Beal is in the Fayette County Booking Center awaiting
arraignment on burglary, criminal trespass and other charges. Troopers say a security guard inside Peachin’s Supermarket in Dunbar Township called police early Tuesday when he saw Beal enter the store through an air-conditioning vent and lower himself with the ladder.
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Oddities Oddities
Daughter of man portrayed in ‘Bridge of Spies’ recalls dad’s bravery
F
uller, a resident of Alcolu, South Carolina, was 13 years old when her father traveled alone to Communist East Berlin to negotiate the exchange of Soviet spy Rudolf Abel for U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers and an American student. While this story is the central drama of Spielberg’s film, Fuller has many other stories to offer about her brave father, from his role in international affairs to what it was like growing up under the same roof. That is why she will be a guest at a screening of the film at the Terrace Theater today. Ahead of her visit, Fuller took a few questions about the film and her father. Q: What was it like learning that such a high-profile director planned to make this film, and that Tom Hanks would be cast in the role of your father? A: This has been like walking through a dream.
Our family is pinching ourselves. Our father’s total life of accomplishments has been in the shadows for 45 years. I only wish my mother could have this experience now. To have the most renowned duo work on my father’s Berlin exploit told me that it was going to be glorious. Steven Spielberg is a pa-
triot and he called my dad his hero. That certainly comes through. Tom Hanks’ interview on YouTube speaking of my dad’s character is just breathtaking, and how do you thank them? Q: Do you feel Spielberg’s film accurately portrayed your family, particularly your father? A: Yes, I do. My father was unique. He had great
humor and was a master in the study of people. The movie does an excellent job of capturing those main points. He loved negotiating or having discussions with intelligent people; thus, he and Rudolf Abel formed an odd friendship of respect. My father did the same with Fidel Castro to get the Bay of Pigs prisoners out of Cuba.
John Donovan, his wife Nancy Donovan (centre) acting in Spielberg’s film ‘Bridge of Spies’
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Business Maritime
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Strengthening Nigeria’s anti-piracy war through enabling legal framework Recent reports by the International Maritime Bureau indicating that piracy and armed sea robbery attacks, which were before now prevalent in the Gulf of Guinea, especially within Nigeria’s territorial have shifted to Somalia is seen as salutary by industry stakeholders. This development however brings to fore the need for Nigeria and other countries in the Gulf of Guinea zone to consolidate on the promises, especially by the National Assembly in the passage of the Anti-Piracy Bill currently before it. FRANCIS EZEM reports.
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he International Maritime Bureau IMB, the global piracy watchdog in response to the worsening cases of piracy and sea robbery in 2009 declared Nigeria’s territorial waters second most unsafe in the world after those of the Failed State of Somalia. The Malaysia-based watchdog in its 2010 and 2011 reports respectively also said that Nigeria also had the second highest cases of sea robbery and piracy after Somalia. Piracy is violent armed attacks on ships, boats and other water transportation crafts with a certain nautical miles within the open sea while sea robbery is when such attacks happen within a country’s territorial waters or what experts call Exclusive Economic Zones EEZ. The Nigerian Trawlers Owners Association, NITOA, umbrella body for all indigenously owned industrial fishing companies corroborated this report, when it disclosed that its members lost a whopping N118.5billion between 2003 and 2011 due to the increasing menace of pirates and sea robbers on Nigeria’s territorial waters. The then National President of the association, Joseph Overo, said that in addition to this huge financial loss , the area of operation of the members has been reduced by over 70 per cent as places such as the Escravous, Forcados, River Ramos, River Dodo, Pennigton and Brass, among several others have been declared no-go areas because of piracy attacks. Records also show that in 2004, there were about 44 industrial fishing firm, which also represented the membership strength of the association, which had reduced to only four, as the others have closed shop. Similarly, there were over 250 fishing trawlers, which also represented the entire fleet of the association within the review period,
which reduced to less than 100. Other statistics also show that the association lost a total of 44 crew members in 2003, 121 in 2004, 374 in 2005 and 627 in 2006, 1, 177 crew and other members of staff in 2007, 1,045 in 2008 while 1, 265 and 1,430 deaths were recorded in 2010 and 2011 respectively arising from uncontrolled piracy attacks on Nigerian waters. In response to these developments, most shipping lines declared Nigeria a high risk area with the attendant hike on insurance premiums on Nigerian-bound cargo even as most American and European countries; including the United States of America and Britain issued security alerts to their nationals intending to travel to Nigeria. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA took the bold initiative of adopting measures to combat this rather ugly development. One of such initiatives was the signing of a boat supply contract with Global West Vessels Specialist Limited, under which GWVSNL will supply and crew the boats for policing the entire stretch of the Nigerian coastline from Lagos to Calabar, the Cross River State capital with an initial investment of $103,400,000.00 (N16 billion), for 10 years in the first instance under a no cure, no pay basis. The company by the agreement is expected to provide a minimum of one and a maximum of 20 boats, among others. In adopting this option, the then Director General of the agency, Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, had argued that the agency at that time had not single platform on its fleet, a development that also hindered its ability to collect its statutory three per cent freight charge on every ship that calls at the nation’s seaports. He had also argued that the bureaucracy association with approvals and release of funds by the
government might pose a major challenge to the determination of the agency to give the pirates and sea robbers a good fight of their lives and thus adopted the outsourcing model. Akpobolokemi had while justifying the contract, said the agency’s decision to engage a private firm to supply platforms to patrol the nation’s waterfronts was due to the increasing menace of piracy, especially around the Lagos axis. According to him, the increasing activities of pirates constitute a threat to the Nigerian economy, a development that was made worse by the bureaucratic system of governance, which impeded its ability to rapidly respond to these issues of piracy. He had said: “The menace of piracy and handicap faced by the agency occasioned by bureaucratic civil service culture, the agency entered into a concession alliance with a private firm, which provides boats for the patrol of the nation’s waters will lead to the reduction of piracy in the country” The agency had also installed a Satellite Surveillance System that monitors the nation’s waters on a 24-hour basis. The satellite surveillance sys-
tem, which was launched in conjunction with the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force, is a 24hour surveillance centre that has the capability to detect boats, ships and objects of predefined cross-section floating on the waters. These objects include any aircraft that ditches and remains on the surface during the satellite over-flight. The surveillance satellite system also has the ability to set range rings and restricted areas for which when penetrated by an intruder, the system gives an alarm thereby alerting the operator of watchkeeper. Another major strategy by the agency was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding MoU with the Nigerian Navy, Under the MoU, which led to the formation of the Nigerian Maritime Guard Command, the agency provides platforms and other logistics for operatives of the Nigerian Navy to man the platforms provided under the contract. This was also to enable the agency perform its statutory functions of ensuring safety and security within the nation’s maritime domain. The agency had also packaged an Anti-Piracy Bill, which is ex-
The Nigerian Trawlers Owners Association, NITOA, umbrella body for all indigenously owned industrial fishing companies corroborated this report, when it disclosed that its
members lost a whopping N118.5billion between 2003 and 2011 due to the
increasing menace of pirates and sea robbers
pected to provide a formal and legal framework for the sustenance of this war. The import of the bill was that the term ‘piracy’ is alien to the nation’s body of laws, a development that has made prosecuting suspected pirates difficult. Recent reports by the IMB indicate that the incidences of piracy in Nigeria have been pushed towards the Gulf of Aden, specifically Somalia. This is given that the country in the last six one year has not recorded a successful major piracy or sea robbery attacts. Also, in what appeared an appraisal of these initiatives, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai commended the agency for its anti-piracy campaign, which, he said has drastically reduced the incidences of pirate and sea robbery attacks on the nation’s waterways. The army-boss, who spoke during the renewal of the MoU with the Navy, praised the incumbent Director General of the agency, Mr. Haruna Jauro over the agency’s successful combating of piracy and other criminal activities on Nigeria’s waterways, which he argued is quite commendable. The NIMASA-boss however canvassed the continuous support of the Army in fighting piracy and other criminal activities on the nation’s territorial waters, insisting that the partnership with all the arms with the nation’s military has been very useful in reducing the menace and thus the needed to be sustained..
Maritime stakeholders therefore believe that this need places additional moral burden on the National Assembly to urgently pass the bill into law.
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Business Maritime
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
FG commences Standard Operating Procedure for seaports next January STORIES: FRANCIS EZEM
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arring any last change in the current scheme of things at the nation’s port industry, the Federal Government has concluded plans for the takeoff of the Standards Operating Procedure SOP, for all stakeholders both institutional and individual stakeholders.
Buhari
The SOP, which cover even government agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and other agencies, freight forwarding firms, associations, terminal operators and shipping companies, among several others. The Procedure covers a summary of functions, duties of an
agency or purpose of an organisation or association and method of delivering these services or functions to the various publics with a view to ensuring efficiency and customer satisfaction. A source at the Federal Ministry of Transport hinted that that all is set for the official launching of the SOP put together by the Nigerian Shippers Council, the nation’s port economic regulator by Vice President Yemi Osibajo
Ali
before the end of November to enhance effective takeoff of the scheme by January 1, 2016. According to him, as part of measures to come up with the procedures, an inter-ministerial committee covering Federal Ministries of Transport, Finance, Justice, and Trade and Investments was put in place to work out the framework for the procedures and guidelines for enforcement. It was also gathered that apart from the inter-ministerial committee, the NSC has also put in place an in-house committee from various departments of the agency, which is working with the larger committee to ensure that SOP would be acceptable to all stakeholders. This is even as he disclosed that efforts were being made currently to secure an appointment with the Vice President in order to fix a suitable date for public launching of the procedures to enable the NSC commence enforcement January 1, 2016. Part of the objectives of the SOP include to provide stakeholders and members of the public with adequate knowledge of its operations at the ports, serve as a guide to members of staff of every organisation, personnel or members of the public, organizations, agencies and associations with
respect to the discharge of their duties or functions at the seaports. Others include, to help stakeholders know their responsibilities to the particular agency or organisation or association and also specifies operational areas or limits of an agency, organisation or association. The procedures also aim at spelling out the operational procedures as to when, what, how and other time lines for services and operations in order to enhance timeliness and efficiency. It was gathered that the overall objective of the SOP is to make the nation’s ports efficient, userfriendly, cheap and competitive especially among comity of seaports not only within the West and Central African Sub-region but also across the entire globe. National Mirror learnt that the NSC, the economic regulator, which is also the designer of the SOP, believed that dream of achieving a competitive, userfriendly and efficient would be realized by its implmentation. Investigations showed that after the official launch of the SOP by the Vice President in Lagos, the NSC will take steps to launch the scheme in every port location across the country within the country in order to sensitise stakeholders and service providers.
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“While the demand growth for traditional vessels has slowed down, demand for high-technology, more sophisticated and green vessels has become more promising. We have included LNG carriers and VLGC in the product line, and these high value-added vessel types are expected to provide crucial support for our sustained growth,” said Ren Yuanlin, executive chairman of Yangzijiang. As at 30 September 2015, the group sat on an outstanding orderbook of $4.8bn comprising of 107 vessels. The delivery of the orderbook is scheduled to optimise the use of yards’ facilities up to 2018. Meanwhile, Singapore-listed Yangzijiang has recorded a dip in earnings for the third quarter ended 30 September 2015. Profit during the quarter was recorded at RMB680.67m ($107.36m), down 16 per cent compared to the gain of RMB811.19m in the same period of last year. Third quarter revenue, however, rose by 10 per cent year-onyear to RMB4.14bn due mainly to the growth of the group’s shipping logistics and chartering business.
Terminal operators disagree over Yangzijiang confirms first order for suit against Shippers Council VLGC pair, Q3 profit slumps
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trong indications emerged that there exists a major rift among the 25 –member Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria STOAN, over the retention of the suit instituted by the association challenging the propriety of the Nigerian Shippers Council NSC, port economic regulator to slash some arbitrary charges by some members. Sources disclosed that two top members of the association Greenview Development Nigeria Limited GDNL, a subsidiary of the Dangote Goup and Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited ABTL, a subsidiary of Flour Mills PLc have already pulled out of the matter, insisting that reduction of the charges is in the best interest of the nation and shippers. The source said that the dissenting terminal operators have based their decision to discontinue with the case on the dissatisfaction expressed by their parent companies, who are also shippers and therefore negatively affected by these arbitrary charges. “If we continue with this matter, we would be seen to be fighting
our parent companies who also bear the brunt of the imposition of these excessive charges, which the NSC is trying to moderate, which the STOAN is challenging in court”, a top official of one of the dissenting firms had said. According to him, apart from the fact that the reduction of these charges is in the best interest of the vast Nigerian majority, their continued participation in the case would be to the detriment of some of them who ship in raw materials for their factories located in the country. “ Shippers Council is fighting for us and we cannot continue to support the privileged few, who want to continue charging exorbitant fees and arbitrary hike in tariff for service rendered to the hapless port users.”, he also argued. The NSC, which was appointed economic regulator in February last year had in September ordered the terminal operators to reverse the arbitrary charges imposed on port services users, arguing that they violated part of the Concession agreement, which specifies that new charges must be
discussed with the stakeholders before they come on stream. In addition to ordering them to cancel the progressive charging system, it also directed them revert to the pre-May 2009 charges as well as to refund whatever they have collected from the stakeholders over this period Dissatisfied with this directive, STOAN and Association of Shipping Lines Agencies ASLA had challenged the powers of the council to make such directive in a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.. The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, who upheld the powers of the council as the nation’s port economic regulator, also ordered ASLA and STOAN to refund the excess revenue made from 2009 to October last year when the matter was instituted to the Cargo Defense Fund, a section of the council. The CDF is charged with the responsibility of helping Nigerian shippers pursue their claims in case of trade disputes arising from import and export transactions.
rivately-owned Yangzijiang Shipbuilding has confirmed 12 new shipbuilding orders worth a total of $730m, including its first VLGC order for two units of 84,000 cu m gas carriers. Between September to October, the Chinese shipyard entered into shipbuilding contracts for four 11,800 teu containerships for Pacific International Lines (PIL), four 3,800 teu containerships for Hamburg Sud, two 1,900 teu containerships for Rickmers Group and the two VLGCs for Shanghai Zhenrong Energy. The four 11,800 teu containerships were converted from 9,700 teu capacity from an order inked in August, accompanied by increments in contract value. The contracts are slated for deliveries in 2017 and 2018. Yangzijiang had been in talks to secure the two VLGCs since early this year, and the latest order confirmation has reinforced the company’s progress into building higher specification and higher value ships.
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Business News
Friday, November 6, 2015
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SMEs will create 80% of Africa’s employment –Analyst Abolaji Adebayo
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he Principal, African Capital Alliance, ACA, Segun Adebanji, has projected that 80 per cent of employment in Africa would be created through small and medium enterprises, SMEs in the next 20 years. Adebanji, in his paper delivered at the just concluded 39th Annual Conference of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, held in Lagos, pointed out that the SME sub-sector, although faced with various challenges, had been establishing a new middle class and fueling demand for new goods and services. Referring to a report published in 2013 by Omidyar Network on the challenges of SMEs in Africa, Adebanji highlighted that the biggest challenges limiting the productivity of many entrepreneurs across the continent included skills and talents, infrastructure as well as inconsistent policies that impacted businesses negatively. However, despite those challenges, the ACA boss said that the SMEs sub-sector in sub-Saharan Africa had been growing at faster pace than other developed nations. He said: “Albeit slower, Africa is still growing. The continent is
on pace to achieve GDP growth of over 4.5 per cent in 2015 - still faster than most developed economies. “Furthermore, according to the IMF, over the next 20 years sub-Saharan Africa will become the main source of new entrants into the global labor force. At the heart of this growth are SME’s. “SMEs will create around 80per cent of Africa’s employment, establishing a new middle class and fueling demand for new goods and services.” Meanwhile, Adebanji said that what should be the priority for both the public and private sector is creating an enabling environment for SME’s to succeed. Speaking further on the financial challenge, Adebanji said that the cost of accessing capital is viewed as prohibitive to the SMEs, while the cost of entry capital as well as cost of debt capital hindered company formation and growth. Enumerating additional challenges around finance, he noted that SME owners were not familiar with providers of capital, adding that financing providers due diligence requirements were often difficult for entrepreneurs to meet. Suggesting solutions to the identified challenges, he said that the sub-sector required par-
LCCI’s Investment Conference to hold next Tuesday
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he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the premier Chamber of Commerce and one of the leading voices in the organised private sector (OPS) in Nigeria, is set to hold an international Investment conference next Tuesday as part of activities lined up for this year’s Lagos International Trade Fair. A statement by the Chamber’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Olusegun Alabi, indicated that the conference would bring together major players in the various sectors of the economy, especially the nonoil sectors, to enable businesses align with the economic diversification and long term sustainability of the Nigerian economy. LCCI Director General, Muda Yusuf, clarified further: “The major objectives of the conference include, but not limited to: institutionalizing a mechanism for annual consultations be-
tween local and international investors; facilitating the removal of impediments to local capital formation and entrepreneurial aspirations; expanding access to finance to investors; raising the visibility of Lagos State and indeed Nigeria as a key destination for both foreign portfolio and foreign direct investment (FDI) as well as increasing the competitiveness of Nigeria as an investment destination in Africa. “The one-day conference tagged ‘LCCI INVEST 2015’ is a prestigious business event that will take the form of dialogue sessions on various sectors of the economy and will give room for business-to-business (B2B) networking leading to the development of the Nigerian economy. “Subject areas to be discussed include: Creating an enabling investment climate; Achieving self-sufficiency in food produc-
ticipation from public, private and education sectors. He also recommended that there was need to reduce bureaucracy for early-stage companies to access government funding in order to provide ‘softer’ sources of financing for less-experienced entrepreneurs. He further charged the government to expand or initiate
local angel investing ecosystems to ensure the availability of the most appropriate type of funding for start-ups; provide tax and other incentives to formal, as well as informal (e.g., family and friends), angel investors to make it easier for people who have extra cash to invest in start-up businesses and reduce their risk.
In addition, he canvassed the need for provision of tax and other incentives for large clients of early-stage ventures to provide supplier credit to incentivize and reduce the risks suppliers take when providing generous payment terms and/ or stock to new ventures as well as educate entrepreneurs about possible sources of funding outside banking systems.
L-R: Assistant Director Research and Technical Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr Arize Nwobu, 2nd Vice President CIS, Mr Dapo Adekoje, the Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, Ag. President/Chairman CIS, Mr Oluwaseyi Abe and Registrar & Chief Executive, Mr Adedeji Ajadi, during the Institute leadership’s visit to the Governor in Awka, Anambra State
Leaders must be accountable on public resource mgt –Ezekwesili David Audu
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ormer Minister of Education, Dr. Obi Ezekwesili, on Wednesday called on Nigerian citizens to assert themselves in demanding from their leaders’ accountability in the management of public resources. Making the call at a Symposium organized by Brand IQ Magazine, she said the citizen held enormous power in their hands hence the need to bring leaders to account for their actions if the people desire to live an economically emancipated life. The former World Bank top official pointed out that public office existed at the behest of the citizen, and therefore “if there is not a commensurate demand defining the expectation of a citizen through an intentional, conscious and deliberate role in the society of how things should be, then the outcome always will remain the same”.
Ezekwezili, who spoke on the theme ‘Reinventing Brand Nigeria for the 21st Century Market Economy Through Public Accountability and Responsible Citizenship’, emphasized that if Nigeria must take its rightful in global economy landscape, the key concept that should be pushed by all is responsible citizenship. She explained that citizens who demand accountability from their leaders always put the leaders on their feet to do what is right and doing what is right means good governance, accountability and taking responsibility for their actions. Appraising Nigeria’s performance on the United Nations good governance parameters that propel nations for economic growth, the development finance expert explained that Nigeria could not be found to have complied with one, and therefore if we must attain economic growth there is need to redefine our values system. She clarified: “A lot of people spend time talking about cor-
ruption, but it is a mere symptom of a deeper disease known as poor governance. Corruption is the minutest symptoms of the deeper disease that completely halt the growth of economies and societies. “If Nigeria cannot be identified with just one of UN good governance characteristics, then you can understand why the gross domestic product, GDP, per capital of a country that have earned oil revenue in trillions of dollars over the years is over 20 times lower than that of Singapore, a country that was almost at par with Nigeria about 50 years ago and cannot be compared to Nigeria in terms natural resources. It is the quality of leadership”. In his remarks at the forum, one of the panelists and Chairman of the Electoral Institute, Professor Abubakar Momoh, charged Nigerian leaders to embrace good governance and accountability, saying there is so much corporate irresponsibility and no nation will grow if such acts are not sanctioned comprehensively.
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CBN lists criteria for accessing Anchor Borrowers Programme credit Francis Ekpone, Onitsha
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he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in its resolve to achieve a strong and viable agricultural base with more integrated value chains, enhanced food security, fewer imports and higher productivity, has listed the
conditions for accessing its Anchor programme loan. The loan, which will come from the N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund, MSMEDF, will be given to farmers at nine percent per annum interest rate to address the challenge of poor funding facing them.
This plan, according to CBN, is in addition to NIRSAL’s capacity building to farmers and bankers. The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, during an interaction with rice farmers in Awka, Anambra State, said the idea behind the Anchor Borrowers programme initiative is to diversify the economy
L-R: Director, Lagos State Sports Commission, Nunayon Travih; Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Patricia Jemibewon; Oworonshoki Community Representative, Lateef Badmus; Senior Brand Manager, Colas, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Gbolohan Sanni, and Channel Development Manager, Key Account, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited, Yomi Onakoya, during a handover ceremony of COPA Coca-Cola 2015 materials to various communities, in Lagos, recently.
COMESA, Microsoft partner on access, skills’ promotion in African countries
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he Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, (COMESA), through the COMESA Business Council (CBC) and Microsoft, had taken steps toward strengthening their working alliance by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The memorandum sets out how they will collaborate in the areas of access to technology, development of relevant skills and the fostering of innovation in COMESA’s 19 member States. The strategic partnership will promote access to technology to improve regional trade, develop public sector ICT skills and promote local innovation for better service delivery, is in line with the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative’s three core focus areas (World-class skills, Access and Innovation). According to the partners, the MoU will promote access to technology to COMESA memberstates based on a Trusted Cloud Infrastructure that focuses on the secure deployment of modern IT operations. The deal is also expected to accelerate and promote the
adoption of innovative highspeed low-cost connectivity initiatives, including through new policy approaches to spectrum management such as dynamic spectrum access, as well as encourage the use of cloud technologies through the adoption of important enabling policies in the areas of cyber-security, data privacy and data protection. COMESA’s Secretary General, Mr. Sindiso Ngwenya, during the signing, noted that business technology had revolutionized the way countries and firms conduct business, adding that people are now in an age where the planning processes of organizations is through instruments and solutions that promote quality management, and respond to age –old constraints of time limitations and high costs of operations Commenting on the pact, Associate General Counsel, Legal and Corporate Affairs Microsoft, Middle East and Africa, Antony Cook, explained that through Microsoft’s 4Afrika Initiative, the ICT solutions-providing company had been working to increase regional trade and the
growth of the knowledge economy in Africa. He noted further that through influential partnerships, such as the one with COMESA, Microsoft aimed to scale across the region further to impact not just thousands, but millions. The parties expressed the hope that the collaboration was expected to focus on fostering innovation across the COMESA region by promoting the value and protection of Intellectual Property, adding that it will also encourage the development of eGovernment solutions that will facilitate, simplify and stimulate investment in and trade across the COMESA region. Cook clarified further: “Through this collaboration, we will bring policy makers and businesses together and empower them to take advantage of the cloud-first, mobile-first world. With the right policies and regulations in place, people will be
encouraged to use cloud technology, develop their own IP and ultimately participate in trade and e-commerce across borders.
by addressing the issue of local production of agricultural products that reduces the nation’s foreign reserve. Emefiele, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Development Finance, Mr. Paul Eluhaiwe, identified lack of mechanisation, low quality inputs and poor funding as major hindrances to rice production in Nigeria but stressed that the programme was aimed at solving the problem of finance. On the conditions for accessing the loan, the CBN boss said the farmers will be thoroughly trained on the global best agronomical practices. “The farmers must be a member of a validated cooperative before applying for the loan. We will find out how much it will take to produce one hectare of rice to determine the amount that will be given to each individual. The idea is to enhance efficient management of the resources” he said. The Managing Director of Ebonyi Agro Nigeria limited and the Major Off-Taker of the programme in Ebonyi, Enugu
and Anambra State, Engr. Charlce Ugwu, lamented that Nigeria consumed about 6 metric tons of rice yearly but produced only 3.5 metric tons at about $3 billion. He noted that the two paddy aggregation centres in Anambra State will be made more viable, promising that his group will buy all the rice produced in the state through this programme. Even as he enjoined farmers to utilise the opportunity offered by the programme to increase their yield. In his remarks, Governor Willie Obiano, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Afam Mbanefo, thanked the CBN and the Offtaker for the initiative and called on the farmers in the value chain to ensure that they are revalidated. He emphasised that the State government had made tractors available for farmers and had also distributed seedlings and fertilizers and other inputs with a view to improving their productivity and higher returns on their investments.
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precedented decline in capital intensity. While weak productivity has boosted employment growth as companies hired more workers to increase output, economists say it has contributed to stagnant wages and lowered the economy’s speed limit. Economists say persistently anemic productivity could continue to limit wage growth even as the labor market approaches full employment. In the third quarter, hours worked declined at a 0.5 percent rate, the first decline since the third quarter of 2009. Unit labor costs, the price of labor per single unit of output, increased at a 1.4 percent rate in the third quarter. They had dropped at revised 1.8 percent rate in the second quarter, which was previously reported as a 1.4 percent pace of decline. Unit labor costs rose 2.0 percent compared to the third quarter of 2014. Compensation per hour rose at 3.0 percent rate in the third quarter after increasing at a 1.7 percent rate in the second quarter. Compensation was up 2.4 percent compared to the third quarter of 2014.
U.S. productivity up in Q3, manufacturing strong .S. nonfarm productivity unexpectedly rose in the third quarter as a decline in self-employed workers contributed to overall hours worked falling for the first time in six years, restraining laborrelated production costs. The Labor Department said on Thursday that productivity, which measures hourly output per worker, increased at a 1.6 percent annual rate after increasing at an upwardly revised 3.5 percent rate in the second quarter. Manufacturing productivity increased at its fastest pace in four years, led by the durable goods sector. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast productivity falling at a 0.2 percent rate last quarter after expanding at a previously reported 3.3 percent pace in the second quarter. Despite the surprise rise in the third quarter, the trend in productivity remained weak. Productivity increased only 0.4 percent compared to the third quarter of 2014. Economists blame softer productivity on lack of investment, which they say has led to an un-
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Capabilities-driven strategy adoption key to African firms’ market competitiveness –Study Tola Akinmutimi
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new study, ‘Creating value in Africa’, released on Wednesday by Strategy & Partner, PwC’s strategy consulting capability based in Africa has confirmed that Executives that follow a capabilities - driven strategy will make their companies more coherent and gain a competitive advantage in the African markets where they have decided to expand their operations. The study also showed that the right strategy can transform a company and its industry, delivering substantially superior shareholder returns in the longterm.
Business News
Friday, November 6, 2015
Commenting on the latest study findings, Jorge Camarate, Strategy& Partner, noted that globally mulitinational entities had intensified their expansion plans in Africa as part of their sustainable growth strategies. He said: “Worldwide, multinational companies are including plans to expand across Africa in their growth strategies. CEOs throughout Africa have unanimously confirmed that they see high growth potential on the continent, according to research conducted by PwC. “This confidence is an indication of the positive long-term trajectory we have seen in general economic prospects, availability of finance, and the increasing presence of potential local and
international partners attracted by the African continent’s potential”, Camarate added He observed further that traditionally, companies formulated a strategy by looking for market opportunities, but all too often it does not work, particularly in the African context, adding that the problem is that such strategies rarely acknowledge the capabilities a company needs to capture those opportunities. According to him, many of these companies have destroyed value in the process instead of benefitting from growth opportunities, saying that the consulting company approached strategy the other way round with an approach that it called ‘capabilitiesdriven strategy’”.
L-R: Area Business Manager, Airtel Nigeria, Usman Katuka; Emir of Argungu, HRH Alhaji Suleiman Mera and Regional Operations Director, Airtel Nigeria, North, Wole Abu, during a visit to the Emir in Argungu, yesterday.
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IMF predicts brighter outlook for global economy in 2016
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ometime around April 2016, a third set of locks on the Panama Canal will begin handling ships as much as 2.6 times the size of the biggest ones now able to ply the waterway. U.S. ports from New York to Galveston, Texas, have been gearing up for the traffic. The Port of Houston Authority just finished installing four cranes that are 30 stories high. “More trade means more jobs,” Port Chairwoman Janiece Longoria said earlier this year. The opening of the Panama Canal locks is just one likely event in what promises to be an eventful year for the global economy. The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement could win approval from 12 nations that together account for 40 percent of global output. There will be presidential elections in the U.S. and Taiwan, a Summer Olympics in Brazil, and a new five-year plan in China. The biggest event of all could be a referendum in the U.K.—possibly in October—on whether to remain part of the European Union. The world economy next year is shaping up to be stronger than in 2015 and roughly in line with long-term growth averages, according to the International Monetary Fund and economists surveyed by Bloomberg. But “a return to robust and synchronized global expansion remains elusive,” the IMF said in its October outlook. The fund’s economists project world growth of 3.6 percent, up from 3.1 percent this year and
about the same as the 3.5 percent average from 1980 through 2014. Those numbers are based on the IMF’s preferred method of measuring output, using the real purchasing power of national currencies. Measured the standard way— using market exchange rates— the IMF’s projections and historical figures would be about 0.6 percentage point lower. A year ago, plunging oil prices sent the ruble spiraling to record lows and bank depositors scrambling to get their cash. Sberbank, Russia’s biggest lender, ran through tremendous amounts of cash to survive a run it dubbed Black December—300 tons of it, 1.3 trillion rubles ($20.8 billion), in a single week. “All we could do was relax and pray,” Sberbank Chief Executive Officer Herman Gref says, recalling the worst moment in his eight years of running the state-controlled lender. Sberbank’s deep pockets ensured its survival, and the government soon rolled out a 900 billion-ruble plan to bail out other big lenders. Smaller banks weren’t so lucky. This year regulators will shut down or take over a record number of institutions. Largely cut off from international financing by U.S. and European sanctions, and concerned about the outlook at home as the economy heads into a second year of recession, Russia’s bankers have shied away from making new loans. That’s a big problem for the Kremlin, which is counting on domestic investment to revive growth.
AEC Panelists urge African govts First Bank sponsors Lagos trade fair on mobilization of resources
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s countries seek to finance their own development in the context of the post-2015 development agenda and against the backdrop of receding donors’ aid, African countries have to be empowered with skills and knowledge to enable the efficient, effective and innovative mobilization of domestic resources. These were the observations made at the 10th edition of African Economic Conference in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Tuesday. Panelists at the plenary session titled “Operationalizing the SDGs to promote inclusive growth and transformational development in the context of addressing poverty and inequality in Africa,” argued that more efforts are need to minimize leakages in the collection of domestic resources that are needed to facilitate implementation of
Johnson Okanlawon
the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They emphasized that, while the challenge of eradicating poverty with close to 1 billion people still living in extreme poverty is huge, meeting this challenge headon is achievable as there is enough money in the world including in Africa countries to end poverty and drive sustainable development. There is a general agreement that development financing for the future should move beyond aid from governments to include private investment and innovative financing. While African countries are already funding their development from domestic resources, panelists argued that governments have to deal with illicit flows, with companies that do not pay taxes, and contracts in natural resources that
are obliging Africa to mobilize more domestic resources. At least $4 trillion is needed annually to finance SDGs. In his remarks, the Director of Strategy and Operational Policies, African Development Bank, Kapil Kapoor, pointed out that was”a lot of potential to mobilize resources locally and underscored the need to intensify efforts to mobilize domestic resources to finance SDGs. Kapoor also emphasized the need to improve accountability by monitoring how the mobilized resources are utilized to enhance efficiency. While noting the increasing need for a holistic and multi-stakeholder approach to financing that recognizes the roles of all actors, including the domestic public and private sector, transnational corporate actors and development banks, he pointed out.
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n keeping with its tradition of engagement and supporting economic development, First Bank is throwing its weight behind the 35th edition of Lagos international trade fair. During the 10-day event, the bank’s b clientele and prospective customers will benefit from the bank’s expert financial advisory services, on-line-real-time banking, internet and mobile banking, Automated Teller Machine, ATM, card products, mobile payment platforms and money transfer services. The trade fair which kicks off today will also have participants from Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, India, Egypt, Chad and Niger Republic in attendance. This year’s edition themed:
“Enhancing Value Addition in the Non-Oil Economy” is expected to be formally declared open on Saturday. Over the years, the fair has attracted both local and foreign exhibitors and has continued to provide avenue for various trade groups and professionals to present new products and ideas as well as tap into business opportunities that exist in the country. The Group Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Bisi Onasanya, said that the bank was proud to be a sponsor of the trade fair, as this demonstrates our commitment to promoting trade and development in the nation. He assured: “We would continue to promote the industrialization of the Nigerian economy and the global economy at large through valuable partnerships.”
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OFSP farming ‘ll reduce Nigeria’s wheat importation by 25% –IPC Stories by ABOLAJI ADEBAYO
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he International Potato Centre, IPC, has projected that importation of wheat in Nigeria could be reduced by 25 per cent if the farmers embraced proper growth of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potatoes, OFSP.
Speaking at the 18th annual lecture of Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute, ARMTI, the IPC Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Phorbee Peju, said that OFSP, which could be grown in all the 36 states, can meet some bakery needs of the country. Peju, whose paper is titled ‘Food Security, Employment Generation and Wealth Creation in a Developing Economy: The Role of OFSP, explained that the bakery industry could boost farmers’ productivity; improve nutrition and livelihoods if OFSP- in form of puree – can be used in bread baking and other pastry products like cookies, cakes, pies and the like. She said that a composite flour of about 40 per cent OFSP puree had been made into well acceptable bread for commercial purpose in Nairobi while most bakeries in Osun State are presently using it. The crop expert noted that this inclusion, even at 25 per cent, would go a long way in reducing dependence on wheat importation, conserve foreign exchange, put more money in farmers’ pockets and productively
engage the women and youths, adding that it was just one aspect of use, not to mention other products that could be adopted from countries especially China. This is even as she hinted that there were other commercial high value products that could be made from the OFSP such as juice, complementary foods, and jam/spread. According to the IPC representa-
tive, Rainbow project, in collaboration with the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta and Federal Polytechnic Offa has been working on OFSP diversified product development and promotions for uptake by the medium and large scale industries. OFSP is a breed of sweet potato that is fortified with Vitamin A; which is an essential micronutrient for all es-
pecially children under the age of five, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Beyond ‘boil and eat’, the OFSP had been processed into various commercial products and also used to enrich indigenous foods. Rural women processors in the six OFSP projects’ states have successfully come up with OFSP Kunu, (local beverage), OFSP gaari, Fufu, elubo, pap and other meals.
L-R: Permanent Secretary, FMARD, Arc. Sonny Echono, and Ireland Ambassador, Sean Hoy, during the Envoy’s courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja
EU-Nigeria Business Forum, platform for investment inflows –Perm …seeks Ireland’s support in agric sector
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he Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FMARD, Arc. Sonny Echono, has restated the importance of the EU-Nigeria Business Forum to the investment drive of government in the agricultural sector. Echono made the observation last Monday when he received a two-man delegation of the European Union (EU) led by the Ambassador and Head of Delegation, Mr. Michel Arrion, in his office. The Permanent Secretary explained that the opportunity of the business forum would help in promoting the current government plan of develop-
ing the agric value chains, particularly now that government is pushing the economic diversification agenda with relentlessness. He explained that the ministry’s participation would also provide a platform to discuss the EU ban on the exportation of Nigeria’s beans, which according to him was caused by excessive use of chemicals for preservation, saying other areas of collaboration and cooperation would also be explored. Echono said that the European Union was supporting Nigeria in the area of cotton where it has a better expertise. In his remarks, the EU Ambassador
and Head of delegation, explained that the EU had a 20-member strong relationship and presence in Nigeria and would be willing to invest in the Nigerian industrial sector especially agriculture. The Envoy therefore called for more business and trade relations between the EU member-states and Nigeria. Relatedly, the Permanent Secretary also received in audience the Ambassador of Ireland, Sean Hoy, and discussed issues bordering on areas of collaboration between the two countries. During the meeting, Echono solicited the country’s support in the areas of modern farming equipment to promote value addition while also
harping on the need to bring technology into farming, massive production and linkage to markets and suggested the need to develop a template on areas of focus between Nigeria and Ireland for an effective cooperation. Ambassador Hoy spoke on that the importance of establishing a strong economic tie with Nigeria, adding that his country has expertise in the agricultural sector, especially in high quality dairy products, tropical crops and nutritional drinks. He expressed his excitement with the proposed cooperation with Nigeria in view of the availability of raw materials in the country which would be useful in meeting the needs of diary companies in his country.
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Capital Market
Friday, November 6, 2015
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FG raises N123bn on T-bills, equities up 0.01% Johnson Okanlawon
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ederal Government yesterday raised N122.95 billion on Treasury bills with maturities from three months to a year at an auction on Wednesday, with yields lower than previous auctions. The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, stated that the result of the auction showed that the bank sold N45.17 billion worth of three-month paper at 5.82 per cent compared with 8.49 per cent at the October 21 auction. It also sold N23.43 billion worth of six-month debt at 7.98 per cent, down from 10.15 per
cent previously, and N54.35 billion of one-year paper sold at 9.48 per cent, the auction results showed. The drop in yields was reflective of trends in the secondary market, where returns had fallen to 3.61 per cent, 7.22 per cent and 8.20 per cent for three-month, six-month and one-year debt each. Meanwhile, trading in equities continued on a negative note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as more investors sold their holdings. Specifically, the All Share Index depreciated marginally by 0.01 per cent to close at 29,030.97 points, compared
to the decline of 0.07 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 29,032.44 points. Oando Nigeria Plc led the gainers’ table with 38 kobo or 5.44 per cent to close at N7.36 per share, followed by Guinness Nigeria Plc with N6.82 or five per cent to close at N143.24 per share. International Breweries Plc gained 75 kobo or 4.92 per cent to close at N16.00 per share, while Vono Products Plc added four kobo or 4.55 per cent to close at 92 kobo per share. Eterna Oil Plc rose seven kobo or 4.32 per cent to close at N1.69 per share.
On the flip side, Unilever Plc depreciated N1.75 or 5.27 per cent to close at N31.43 per share, while UAC-Properties Plc dropped 33 kobo or 4.96 per cent to close at N6.32 per share. Dangote Flour Mills Plc lost 12 kobo or 4.94 per cent to close at N2.31 per share, while Caverton Plc fell 15 kobo or 4.92 per cent to close at N2.90 per share. Fidson Healthcare Plc declined 15 kobo or 4.87 per cent to close at N2.93 per share. A total of 295.2 million shares valued at N5.07 billion were traded in 3,804 deals.
SEC, DMO to strengthen bond market collaboration Johnson Okanlawon
S
ecurities and Exchange Commission, SEC and the Debt Management Office Nigeria, DMO, have assured of greater collaboration to ensure that funds raised by state governments from the capital market are properly utilized. The Director General of SEC, Mounir Gwarzo gave this assurance when the Director General of DMO, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo visited him in his office in Abuja. Gwarzo said the utilization of funds raised from the market is very important hence the Commission has taken monitoring of the utilization of issue proceeds to the highest level. He said: “The public seems to think that money is not well utilized but I want to assure you that at SEC, utilization is very key and our inspection is at a very high level. What we
have done is to create a committee rather than allow a particular Division to do that and the membership of the committee is drawn from various departments to leverage on different experiences. “For the states that have come to the market, already one or two states have been visited and we have already restructured the inspection teams now. Instead of having only one team, we now have three teams and we gave them the mandate that from now till December, all those states have to be inspected. We have the previous inspections reports and anytime you need them, we can share with you so that you too can have the information.” Gwarzo restated the commitment of the Commission in implementing the 10 Year Master Plan one of whose key objectives is to revive and transform the Bond Market. “The bond market at the na-
tional level seems to be doing well, a few years ago when the Corporate bond market was a little bit very active and the FGN Bond was not too active, we were in the vanguard of propagating that government should come in, now government has become very dominant and some of us are thinking that maybe it is crowding out the corporate. On waivers, Gwarzo solicited the support and co-operation of DMO as he expressed the need to be carried along in order to be on the same page. “We want to be carried along, we want the market to see us as one, we don’t want a situation whereby certain waivers are given by DMO and those waivers are not in line with our laws, by the time we co-ordinate very well, some of these things will be smoothened out” he added. Speaking earlier, the DG DMO Nwankwo, said one of the purposes of the visit is the
F
Saharan countries and other emerging markets. The Publisher of EMEA Finance, Mr. Christopher Moore, said that Standard Bank continues to demonstrate leadership across all segments of corporate and investment banking in Africa, whether that is advising on complex mergers across national borders, bringing African corporations to international equity capital markets, funding African sovereigns and supranationals through bond or sukuk issuance, or securing financing on difficult, one of a kind landmark projects. The Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, Mr. Oladele Sotubo, said the company was delighted
to win the award, which confirms the appetite and growing capability of the firm, leveraging on the expertise of the Stanbic IBTC Group, to provide robust services in the capital market. He said the award, in addition to the NSE CEO award and last year’s listing of the Stanbic IBTC ETF 30, the Stanbic IBTC Exchange Traded Fund, are clear indications of the Group’s focus on building a strong and vibrant stock market in Nigeria. “We are delighted to be recognized for our efforts and credible performances in the Nigerian capital market. The award reflects our strong commitment to consistently deliver relevant, innovative
Inter-Bank Rate Naira
US Dollar
$1
N197 Market indicators All-Share Index 29,030.97 points Market capitalisation 9.98trn
need to relate and work closely from time to time to achieve set goals and assured the SEC of DMO’s support to maintain a good relationship. He explained: “I think that is an area we need to work very closely on given the emerging realities. As you are aware of recent, states are under tremendous financial stress and in respect of their bank loans, you are aware of the initiatives government approved for us to take to reduce the pressure of bank loans on them.” “However, the other big leg of course is the Bond, their indebtedness to the capital market as against their indebtedness to the banks, even if you want to deal with them; it is a little more complicated. First of all because they went through your regulatory procedures and rightly so and appropriately so and secondly in that case, they are just not owing one bank.” Nwankwo added
Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers emerge ‘Best Broker in Nigeria’ ew months after the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, rated Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited as the best dealing member firm in 2014, the company, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, has again emerged as ‘Best Broker in Nigeria’ in the EMEA Finance - African Banking Awards. Overall, the Standard Bank Group, to which Stanbic IBTC belongs, won 13 awards at the African Banking Awards 2015 in various markets, riding on the back of its pervasive African presence. The Standard Bank Group, which has been in operation for 153 years, has representation in 20 key sub-
Source: NSE
and timely solutions to our ever growing local and foreign clientele,” Sotubo said. Rate (%) Inflation
8.2
MPR
13
Crude oil price
$58.96
Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY
OPENING
CLOSING
CHANGE
% CHANGE
OANDO
6.98
7.36
0.38
5.44
GUINNESS
136.42
143.24
6.82
5.00
INTBREW
15.25
16.00
0.75
4.92
VONO
0.88
0.92
0.04
4.55
ETERNA
1.62
1.69
0.07
4.32
IKEJAHOTEL
3.08
3.21
0.13
4.22
AIICO
0.87
0.90
0.03
3.45
DIAMONDBNK
2.43
2.50
0.07
2.88
MANSARD
2.53
2.60
0.07
2.77
FBNH
4.99
5.10
0.11
2.20
CHANGE
% CHANGE
LOSERS COMPANY
OPENING
CLOSING
UNILEVER
33.18
31.43
-1.75
-5.27
UAC-PROP
6.65
6.32
-0.33
-4.96
DANGFLOUR
2.43
2.31
-0.12
-4.94
CAVERTON
3.05
2.90
-0.15
-4.92
FIDSON
3.08
2.93
-0.15
-4.87
AGLEVENT
1.08
1.03
-0.05
-4.63
OKOMUOIL
30.20
28.82
-1.38
-4.57
LEARNAFRCA
0.74
0.71
-0.03
-4.05
AFRIPRUD
2.68
2.58
-0.10
-3.73
EVANSMED
0.54
0.52
-0.02
-3.70
FGN Bonds
Offer
Bid
Description
Price
Yield
Price
Yield
15.10 27-APR-2017
1.57
100.25
14.89
100.40
14.78
16.00 29-JUN-2019
3.75
102.68
15.01
102.98
14.91
15.54 13-FEB-2020
4.37
101.48
15.05
101.78
14.95
16.39 27-JAN-2022
6.33
105.26
15.05
105.56
14.98
14.20 14-MAR-2024
8.45
95.67
15.12
95.97
15.05
10.00 23-JUL-2030
14.81 68.00
15.59
68.30
15.51
Closing Market Prices of September 30, 2015
Treasury Bills Maturity Date
Bid
Offer
Exchange
Rates (N)
24-Dec-15
10.54
10.81
WAUA
270
USD
197
31-Mar-16
12.71
13.57
EURO
214
01-Sep-16
12.55
14.19
CFA
0.32
YEN
1.64
Tenor
Rate (%)
SWISS FRANC
202
O/N
5.8333
POUNDS STERLING
293
1M
14.1909
3M
15.5455
SDR
273
6M
16.6173
NIBOR
The Fixings of September 30, 2015
Capital Market
46
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Friday, November 6, 2015
Stock exchange daily equities summary Daily Summary as of 05/11/2015
Equities as at November 5, 2015
Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002
Daily Summary as of 05/11/2015 Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002
Daily Summary (Bonds) No Debt Trading Activity
1st Tier Securities Sector
Company name
No Of Deals
Quotation(N)
Quantity Traded
Value of Shares(N)
Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals
Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO
No. of Deals 18 5 23
Current Price 28.82 30.50
Quantity Traded 223,586 10,514 234,100
Value Traded 6,452,899.19 335,913.28 6,788,812.47
Symbol LIVESTOCK
No. of Deals 9 9
Current Price 1.40
Quantity Traded 151,420 151,420
Value Traded 212,899.60 212,899.60
385,520
7,001,712.07
Current Price 1.03 1.77 26.41
Quantity Traded 85,449 35,896,437 101,555 36,083,441
Value Traded 88,012.47 60,515,402.21 2,747,852.16 63,351,266.84
36,083,441
63,351,266.84
AGRICULTURE Totals Daily Summary as of 05/11/2015
32
Symbol AGLEVENT
Symbol JBERGER
No. of Deals 11 11
Current Price 39.50
Quantity Traded 549,832 549,832 Page
Value Traded 21,544,165.12 21,544,165.12 11 1 of
Symbol UAC-PROP
No. of Deals 31 31
Current Price 6.32
Quantity Traded 328,713 328,713
Value Traded 2,082,419.34 2,082,419.34
Electronic and Stock Electrical Products Published by The Nigerian Exchange © Totals
Symbol UPDCREIT
No. of Deals 1 1
Current Price 10.00
Quantity Traded 300 300
Value Traded 3,000.00 3,000.00
878,845
23,629,584.46
Quantity Traded 274,102 219,793 341,650 785,003 1,620,548
Value Traded 1,118,248.00 31,476,295.32 5,308,402.50 106,252,828.17 144,155,773.99
UACN
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals
319
CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Daily Summary as ofBREW. 05/11/2015 CHAMPION PLC. Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Beverages--Non-Alcoholic
7-UP BOTTLING Activity Summary on COMP. Board PLC. EQTY Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals CONSUMER GOODS Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC Published by The NigerianSUGAR Stock Exchange © PLC DANGOTE REFINERY FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Food Products Totals
Daily
Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Summary as of 05/11/2015Totals
Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables Totals Personal/Household Products Activity Board PLC. EQTY P ZSummary CUSSONSon NIGERIA UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. CONSUMER GOODS Personal/Household Products Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC CONSUMER GOODS Totals DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Food Products Totals
43
Symbol CHAMPION GUINNESS INTBREW NB
No. of Deals 10 47 10 105 172
Current Price 4.14 143.24 16.00 135.06
Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol 7UP
No. of Deals 14 14
Current Price 191.01
Quantity Traded 19,562 19,562
Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM
No. of Deals 25 35 61 16 18 1 156
Current Price 2.31 6.40 21.80 2.40 7.20 8.99
Quantity Traded 1,280,637 Page 213,644 1,820,401 18,613,980 751,959 100 22,680,721
Symbol CADBURY NESTLE
No. of Deals 18 29 47
Current Price 19.15 814.00
Quantity Traded 108,169 32,014 140,183
Value Traded 2,021,082.08 26,457,986.42 28,479,068.50
Symbol VITAFOAM VONO
No. of Deals 7 19 26 (Equities)
Current Price 5.39 0.92
Quantity Traded 34,379 1,187,882 1,222,261
Value Traded 178,101.85 1,009,779.52 1,187,881.37
No. of Deals 15 38 53 No. of Deals 25 468 35 61 16 18 1 156
Current Price 24.00 31.43
Quantity Traded 171,111 477,580 648,691 Quantity Traded 1,280,637 26,331,966 213,644 1,820,401 18,613,980 Page 751,959 100 22,680,721
Daily Summary Symbol PZ UNILEVER Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM
Current Price 2.31 6.40 21.80 2.40 7.20 8.99
Value Traded 3,650,287.72 3,650,287.72 Value Traded 2,979,060.42 11 of 1,365,013.52 39,682,603.89 44,640,554.94 5,432,677.75 855.00 94,100,765.52
2
Household Durables
Symbol VITAFOAM VONO
No. of Deals 7 19 26
Current Price 5.39 0.92
Quantity Traded 34,379 1,187,882 1,222,261
Value Traded 178,101.85 1,009,779.52 1,187,881.37
Daily Summary as of 05/11/2015 Hotels/Lodging Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 CAPITAL HOTEL PLC IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals
Symbol
No. of Deals 15 38 53
Current Price 24.00 31.43
Quantity Traded 171,111 477,580 648,691
Value Traded 4,104,031.60 15,011,563.90 19,115,595.50
Daily Summary as of 05/11/2015 Printing/Publishing Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 LEARN AFRICA PLC
26,331,966
290,689,372.60
Personal/Household Products Totals
Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © DIAMOND BANK PLC
ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FINANCIAL SERVICES FIDELITY BANK PLC Banking GUARANTY TRUST ACCESS BANK PLC. BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLCPLC DIAMOND BANK STERLINGTRANSNATIONAL BANK PLC. ECOBANK INCORPORATED UNITED BANK FIDELITY BANKFOR PLC AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. UNITYBANK BANKPLC PLC SKYE WEMA BANK PLC. STERLING BANK PLC. Banking UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC Daily Summary as ofTotals 05/11/2015 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services UNITY BANK PLC AIICO INSURANCE PLC. WEMA BANK PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC Banking Totals LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. FINANCIAL SERVICES
Activity Summary on Board EQTY
Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Published byREGENCY The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Micro-Finance Banks Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals
Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol ACCESS DIAMONDBNK ETI FIDELITYBK Symbol GUARANTY ACCESS SKYEBANK DIAMONDBNK STERLNBANK ETI UBA FIDELITYBK UBN GUARANTY UNITYBNK SKYEBANK WEMABANK STERLNBANK
No. of Deals Current Price 178 4.50 45 2.50 29 18.50 73 1.40 No. of Deals Current Price 169 23.01 178 4.50 44 1.99 45 2.50 29 1.95 29 18.50 235 3.50 73 1.40 33 5.60 169 23.01 30 1.20 44 1.99 20 0.95 29 1.95 885 UBA 235 3.50 UBN 33 5.60 Symbol No. of Deals Current Price UNITYBNK 30 1.20 AIICO 16 0.90 WEMABANK 20 0.95 CONTINSURE 7 0.96 885 LAWUNION 5 0.50 Daily Summary (Equities)
Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©
Quantity Traded 21,767,108 Page 2,585,296 7,938,952 5,230,900 Quantity Traded 2,977,624 21,767,108 1,333,528 2,585,296 1,470,647 7,938,952 32,218,714 5,230,900 832,907 2,977,624 3,620,277 1,333,528 2,353,024 1,470,647 82,328,977 32,218,714 832,907 Quantity Traded 3,620,277 441,963 2,353,024 30,430,300 82,328,977 3,821,688
Value Traded 97,949,521.04 11 3 of 6,521,377.56 148,617,603.76 7,288,920.21 Value Traded 68,617,662.54 97,949,521.04 2,601,440.18 6,521,377.56 2,867,761.65 148,617,603.76 112,318,891.69 7,288,920.21 4,664,202.75 68,617,662.54 4,352,902.40 2,601,440.18 2,235,187.56 2,867,761.65 458,035,471.34 112,318,891.69 4,664,202.75 Value Traded 4,352,902.40 397,160.19 2,235,187.56 30,420,085.00 458,035,471.34 1,910,844.00
No. of Deals 16 7 5
Current Price 0.90 0.96 0.50
Quantity Traded 441,963 30,430,300 3,821,688
Value Traded 397,160.19 30,420,085.00 1,910,844.00
Symbol MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM REGALINS
No. of Deals 6 2 12 1 49
Current Price 2.60 0.50 0.67 0.50
Quantity Traded 2,786,943 5,000 724,881 1,000Page
Value Traded 7,080,115.79 2,500.00 494,044.07 11 4 of 500.00
Symbol NPFMCRFBK
No. of Deals 4 4
Current Price 0.98
Quantity Traded 16,000 Page 16,000
Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FCMB STANBIC UBCAP
No. of Deals 34 4 58 52 70 218
38,211,775
Current Price 2.58 4.10 2.00 20.26 1.30
1,156
Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH
No. of Deals 15 26 7
Current Price 0.52 2.93 37.07
40,305,249.05
Value Traded 2,589,408.18 89,255.00 5,116,440.85 41,787,048.70 2,798,796.14 52,380,948.87
128,345,495
550,737,309.26
Quantity Traded 654,146 793,170 15,503
Value Traded 341,773.16 2,333,028.30 574,541.18
Page
5
of
Transport-Related Totals Activity Summary onServices Board EQTY Transport-Related Services AIRLINE Support andSERVICES Logistics AND LOGISTICS PLC SERVICES CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Transport-Related Services Support and Logistics NIGERIAN AVIATIONTotals HANDLING COMPANY PLC
No. of Deals 2 1 3
Current Price 46.20 9.37
Quantity Traded 2,200 400 2,600
Value Traded 103,818.00 3,564.00 107,382.00
4,213,720
335,358,537.22
Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 SERVICES Totals
Quantity Traded 3,343,250 3,343,250
Value Traded 24,282,743.79 24,282,743.79
Symbol CONOIL
No. of Deals Current Price 2 27.41 4 1.69 68 290.00 30 138.99 12 143.00 116 No. of Deals Current Price No. of Deals 2 Current Price 1.52 230.04 28
Quantity Traded 6,608 368,990 147,018 29,283 24,213 576,112 Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 18,000 10,004,400 18,000
Value Traded 172,072.32 593,203.10 41,764,248.24 4,015,918.42 3,467,547.50 50,012,989.58 Value Traded Value Traded 26,940.00 2,083,505,393.20 26,940.00
No. of Deals 2 1 3
Quantity Traded Page 2,200 400 2,600
Daily Summary (Equities) ETERNA FO MOBIL TOTAL Symbol Symbol CUTIX SEPLAT
EQTY Board Totals
INDUSTRIAL GOODS Other Financial Institutions FINANCIAL SERVICES Building Materials PLC FBN HOLDINGS Banking DANGOTE CEMENT PLC Totals Other Financial Institutions ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Activity Summary on Board PREMIUM Building Materials Totals Banking Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals Other Financial Building MaterialsInstitutions FBNNigerian HOLDINGS Published by DANGOTE The StockPLC Exchange © CEMENT PLC PREMIUM Totals Other Board Financial Institutions Totals Building Materials Totals
Published by The Board NigerianTotals Stock Exchange © PREMIUM
Equity Activity Totals Exchange Traded Fund Name LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) STANBIC IBTC ETF 30 Exchange Traded Fund VETIVA BANKING ETF Name VETIVA CONSUMER GOODS ETF LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF Daily Summary as GRIFFIN of 05/11/2015 VETIVA 30 ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) Printed 05/11/2015 VETIVA 14:33:02.002 INDUSTRIAL ETF STANBIC IBTC ETF 30 Exchange Traded Fund VETIVA BANKING ETFTotals VETIVA CONSUMER GOODS ETF VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF VETIVA INDUSTRIAL ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals ETP Activity Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©
ETF Board Totals
11
ETF Board Totals
Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©
Current Price 46.20 9.37
Value Traded 7 of 11 103,818.00 3,564.00 107,382.00
4,213,720
335,358,537.22
No. of Deals 132 132
Current Price 7.36
Quantity Traded 3,343,250 3,343,250
Value Traded 24,282,743.79 24,282,743.79
No. of Deals 2 4 68 30 12 (Equities) 116
Current Price 27.41 1.69 290.00 138.99 143.00
Quantity Traded 6,608 368,990 147,018 29,283 24,213 576,112
Value Traded 172,072.32 593,203.10 41,764,248.24 4,015,918.42 3,467,547.50 50,012,989.58
Symbol SEPLAT
No. of Deals 8
Current Price 230.04
Quantity Traded 10,004,400
Value Traded 2,083,505,393.20
Symbol
No. of Deals 8
Current Price
Quantity Traded Page 10,004,400
Value Traded 7 of 11 2,083,505,393.20
Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL TOTAL Daily Summary
256
13,923,762
2,157,801,126.57
Symbol REDSTAREX
No. of Deals 5 5
Current Price 4.20
Quantity Traded 43,000 43,000
Value Traded 187,666.14 187,666.14
Symbol CAPHOTEL IKEJAHOTEL
No. of Deals 1 7 8
Current Price 4.07 3.21
Quantity Traded 500 489,100 489,600
Value Traded 2,025.00 1,514,248.00 1,516,273.00
DailySymbol Summary (Equities) No. of Deals Current Price 23 23
0.71
Quantity Traded 1,455,680 1,455,680
Value Traded 1,042,132.80 1,042,132.80
No. of Deals
Current Price
Quantity Traded
Value Traded Value50,750.00 Traded 50,750.00 8,944,846.15
LEARNAFRCA
Symbol
ABCTRANS 0.50 Quantity Traded 101,500 Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals1 Current Price NAHCO Symbol AIRSERVICE Symbol CAVERTON Symbol NAHCO
Symbol CAVERTON
101,500 241 4.37 1,896,895 27 1,947,895 No. of Deals Current Price Quantity Traded 1.91 Quantity Traded 51,000 No. of Deals3 Current Price 3 Current Price 2.90 No. of Deals Quantity114,000 Traded 3 114,000 24 4.37 1,896,895 27 1,947,895 67 4,151,675Page No. of Deals 2,5103 3
Current Price 2.90
Daily Summary (Equities)
67
Activity Summary on Board PREMIUM
FINANCIAL Daily Summary as ofSERVICES 05/11/2015 Banking Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Activity Summary Banking Totalson Activity Summary onBoard BoardPREMIUM PREMIUM
Value Traded 26,940.00 of 11 26,940.00
Current Price 7.36
Transport-Related Services Totals Published by The Nigerian SERVICES Totals Stock Exchange © Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC EQTY Board Totals Support Logistics Totals Daily Summary as ofand 05/11/2015
Value Traded 5,349,011.64 428,977.27 21,256,938.53 925,122.00 27,750.00 307,236,415.78 335,224,215.22
6
2,510
Daily Summary Daily Summary(Equities) (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price ZENITHBANK
212 212
17.50
9,045,016.15 Value Traded 100,170.00 Value Traded 330,600.00 Value Traded 330,600.00 8,944,846.15 89,045,016.15 of 11 12,172,438.09
Quantity Traded 114,000 215,888,340 114,000
330,600.00 3,444,125,575.19
Value Traded
4,151,675
12,172,438.09
215,888,340
3,444,125,575.19
Quantity Traded 62,281,746 62,281,746
Value Traded 1,078,761,055.27 1,078,761,055.27
330,600.00
Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol FBNH Symbol DANGCEM ZENITHBANK
Symbol Symbol FBNH DANGCEM
Quantity Traded Value Traded No. of Deals Current Price Traded Value Traded 5.10 Quantity 14,141,545 72,165,903.05 No. of 1,009 Deals Current Price Quantity Traded Value Traded 73 163.00 2,913,926 474,967,126.00 1,009 14,141,545 72,165,903.05 212 17.50 62,281,746 1,078,761,055.27 73 2,913,926 474,967,126.00 212 62,281,746 1,078,761,055.27 1,221 76,423,291 1,150,926,958.32 73 2,913,926 474,967,126.00 No.ofofDeals Deals Current CurrentPrice Price Quantity QuantityTraded Traded ValueTraded Traded No. Value 1,009 5.10 14,141,545 11 Page 972,165,903.05 of 73 163.00 2,913,926 474,967,126.00 79,337,217 1,009 14,141,545 1,625,894,084.32 72,165,903.05 1,294 73 2,913,926 474,967,126.00
FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals Equity Activity GOODS Totals Totals INDUSTRIAL
Value Traded 15,640.00 11 4 of 15,640.00
Quantity Traded 993,593 22,016 2,566,421 2,046,993 2,159,720 7,788,743
Road Transportation SERVICES ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Road Transportation NIGERIAN AVIATIONTotals HANDLING COMPANY PLC
1,080.00
Quantity Traded 18,000 Page 18,000
Printing/Publishing TotalsEQTY Activity Summary on Board
Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE LAWUNION
FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC.
468
400
Current Price 1.52
OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals
Value Traded 1,080.00 1,080.00
No. of Deals 132 132
Symbol OANDO
SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD OIL AND GAS Exploration and Production Exploration and Production Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©
Quantity Traded 400 400
No. of Deals 2 2
108
Activity Summary Board EQTY Exploration andon Production
3,383,148.08
Symbol OANDO
Symbol BETAGLAS VANLEER
Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Daily Summary as of 05/11/2015 CONOIL PLC Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals
1,573,516
Quantity Traded 242,882 45,561 556,814 115,669 7,500 3,224,694 4,193,120
108
OIL AND GAS Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals
Value Traded 129,955.20 1,980.00 1,868.00 2.24 3,383,148.08
Current Price 22.02 9.60 38.00 7.93 3.53 95.00
Symbol BETAGLAS VANLEER
Packaging/Containers Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © BETA GLASS CO PLC. GREIF NIGERIA PLC Packaging/Containers Totals
Value Traded 2,021,082.08 26,457,986.42 28,479,068.50
Current Price 2.84
Value of Shares(N)
Quantity Traded 108,296 2,000 400 1 1,573,516
No. of Deals 16 14 14 (Equities) 11 1 47 103
Symbol CUTIX
Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG Activity Summary onPLC. Board EQTY TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. INDUSTRIAL PetroleumGOODS and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Electronic and Electrical Products Exploration CUTIX PLC.and Production SEPLATand PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT Electronic Electrical Products Totals COMPANY LTD
Quantity Traded 108,169 32,014 140,183
UNILEVER
Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP Daily Summary CCNN PORTPAINT WAPCO
INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals
Value Traded 4,104,031.60 15,011,563.90 19,115,595.50 Value Traded 2,979,060.42 290,689,372.60 1,365,013.52 39,682,603.89 344,640,554.94 of 11 5,432,677.75 855.00 94,100,765.52
Quantity Traded
Current Price 1.20 1.03 4.91 2.14
1
OIL AND GAS Integrated Oil and Gas Services Daily Summary as of 05/11/2015 OANDO PLC Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals
Current Price 19.15 814.00
PZ Summary (Equities) Daily
No. of Deals 1 1
INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals
No. of Deals 18 29 47
Personal/Household Products Daily Summary as of 05/11/2015 P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC.
Symbol ETRANZACT
Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC. GREIF NIGERIA PLC Packaging/Containers Totals
Symbol CADBURY NESTLE
VITAFOAM PLC. Daily Summary as ofNIG 05/11/2015
Quotation(N) No. of Deals 8 2 1 1 60 60
Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC.
Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals
VONO14:33:02.002 PRODUCTS PLC. Printed 05/11/2015 Household Durables Totals
No Of Deals Symbol MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN PHARMDEKO
ICT Processing Systems E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC Processing Systems Totals ICT Totals Daily Summary as of 05/11/2015 INDUSTRIAL GOODS Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals
TRANSCORP Daily Summary (Equities)
Activity Summary on Board EQTY
CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals
No. of Deals 1 283 35 319
Company name
HEALTHCARE Totals
Printed 05/11/2015 14:33:02.002 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals
Activity Summary on Board EQTY
Sector
HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals
Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals
Daily Summary (Equities)
1st Tier Securities
Daily Summary (Equities)
1,221 3,804 73
Daily Summary (ETP)
76,423,291 295,225,557 2,913,926
1,150,926,958.32 5,070,019,659.51 474,967,126.00
11 9 of 79,337,217Page1,625,894,084.32
1,294 3,804
295,225,557
Symbol No. of Deals LOTUSHAL15 1 Daily Summary (ETP) NEWGOLD 2 STANBICETF30 1 VETBANK 1 Symbol No. of Deals VETGOODS 1 LOTUSHAL15 1 VETGRIF30 1 NEWGOLD 2 VETINDETF 1 STANBICETF30 1 8 VETBANK 1 VETGOODS 1 8 VETGRIF30 1 Daily Summary (ETP) VETINDETF 1 8
8
Current Price 9.24 2,127.00 87.23 3.06 Current Price 7.38 9.24 13.29 2,127.00 20.94 87.23 3.06 7.38 13.29 20.94
Quantity Traded 10 13 1,000 10 Quantity Traded 10 10 10 13 10 1,000 1,063 10
5,070,019,659.51 Value Traded 92.40 27,651.00 87,230.00 30.60 Value Traded 73.80 92.40 132.90 27,651.00 209.40 87,230.00 115,420.10 30.60
10 10 10 1,063 1,063 Page
73.80 132.90 209.40 115,420.10 11 10 115,420.10 of
1,063
115,420.10
1,063
Page
115,420.10
10
of
11
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
47
Community Mirror Telling the truth about the position of the economy is just a confirmation to our prospective investors, that we need them to come and help us by establishing industries that will take us out of the mess. President Muhammadu Buhari
Eradicate quacks in your profession, Gana urges private security practitioner Taiwo Jimoh
C
ommandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Muhammadu Gana, has called on private security practitioners to eradicate quack security companies operating in the country so as not to tarnish their image. The commandant, who was represented by Nnamdi Nwanyi, deputy Commandant
General of the corps, said this yesterday in Lagos at the one day security seminar tagged “Nigeria Security Industry, Pathway to Unification and Integration”. The security companies are operating without licences and are bent on damaging the good work of the Association of Licenced Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria. “The issue of quacks in the industry is a two-way process, firstly, the practitioners have to collaborate with us on how
Lagos mobilises 60,000 for 2015 Community Week Francis Suberu
L
agos State government has mapped out strategies to host over 60,000 people in view of the commemoration of this year’s Community Week celebration; beginning from Friday, November 7, 2015, till Sunday, November 15, 2015. The celebration, according to Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Muslim Folami, is meant to appreciate and encourage players in the over 3,240 Community Development Associations in the state for their activities and projects. He said about 247 self-help Projects were completed in the year under review, saying his ministry had gone round all the communities to assess various self-help projects executed in their respective localities. He disclosed that 15 projects had been selected as best CDAs interventions for support by the state, as they would be awarded prizes and cash for their efforts, even as he said criteria for award of cash and material prizes to deserving communities include cost of the project, the number of beneficiaries and users, as well as sustainable elements in the identified projects. Folami said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode would be special guest of honour at the grand finale of the event, where he is expected to present star prizes to the best CDAs and give grant-in-aid to deserving CDAs
for developmental purposes. Special Adviser to the Governor on Community and Communication, Kehinde Bamigbetan, said adequate security had been put in place to ensure a hitch-free event, adding that the fact that the event was holding at the Police College had further complemented the security efforts of government. He added that officials of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, have been mobilised to prevent traffic gridlock in the area. Events lined up for the one week celebration include Jumat prayer at the Secretariat Mosque on Friday (today), health walk/talk on Saturday, visitation to Charity Homes on November 10; Community Parade/grand finale at the Police College and thanksgiving service at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, on November 15.
to go after them, because the practitioners were the ones in the business and they know those who are under-cutting their business. Whatever information they give us is what we are going to act on. “As the regulatory body, after the names have been given to us, we are going to go after the quacks; we are also working to professionalise the practitioners in other for them to play a key role in national security,” Gana said. Meanwhile, Lagos State Commandant of the Corps, Mr. Gabriel Abafi, has called on other security agencies in the state to work together with
L
eading mattress and bedding product manufacturer in Nigeria, Mouka Foam Limited, has appointed Raymond Murphy as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective November 2, 2015. Raymond takes over from Femi Fapohunda, who had been Acting CEO of the Company since 2014. “Having established itself as a leading player in the mattress and bedding product manufacturing space in
why we have to flush them out from the system.” Mr. Fola Arthur Worrey, chairman, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, who spoke on the Funding and Management Challenges in the security sector said, the state government through the trust fund had spent about N3.2 billion in empowering security agencies in the state. “In the last seven years the trust fund provided 882 operational vehicles to the different security agencies in the state, the police got the highest of about 600, while the remaining was shared among other security agencies.”
L-R: Lagos State Chairman of ANNACOWA, Alhaji Sulaiman Adeshina; Deputy Chairman, Administration, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Suleiman Onabanjo; Chairman, RTEAN, Alhaji Musa Muhammed and ACP Joseph Eribo, during a get-together of Lagos Sate RTEAN and Stakeholders parley, recently.
Mouka appoints new CEO Leonard Okachie
their sister agency, because it would play big role in crime prevention in the country. “We should not discriminate against each other, we are all working for the same purpose, that is the reason why we are collaborating with private security companies to organise this summit so as to brainstorm on the insecurity situation in the country and probably proffer solution and recommendation to the authority. “Private security guards are germane to the corporate existence of this great country, and their roles cannot be wished away, that is the reason
Nigeria, Mouka is now laying the foundation for its next phase of growth,” said Jacob Kholi, board member of Mouka Limited and partner at the Abraaj Group, adding, “We are pleased to welcome Raymond Murphy as chief executive and are confident that he will lead Mouka through its exciting journey ahead.” Murphy is a seasoned CEO with over 30 years experience in developing and growing businesses across growth markets within the consumer goods and healthcare space.
Prior to becoming CEO of Mouka, he held several executive and senior management positions at Gillette, PZ Cussons and Twinings Ovaltine, among other roles. Raymond, a British national, brings to Mouka a wealth of knowledge and experience with strong expertise in strategy, sales, operations, route-to-market and marketing, having worked in the consumer goods industry across three different continents, including Africa. Most recently, Murphy led the successful execution of
a growth strategy at Twinings Ovaltine International in Nigeria, where he had previously lived and worked for over five years. “I am very pleased to take on this exciting role and confident that I will take Mouka forward in its vision to be the premier mattress and bedding product manufacturer in Nigeria,” said Raymond Murphy, adding that he strongly believes in “the opportunity to innovate while continuing to produce high-quality products under Mouka’s renowned brand name.”
48
North
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Katsina to recruit 8,000 teachers
Gbong Gwom Jos challenges NIPSS, NVRI on Plateau crisis
James Danjuma
James Abraham
KATSINA
M
ore than 8,000 teachers are to be recruited in Katsina State to tackle inadequate number of teachers in public schools in the state. Speaking on the issue, Speaker of House of Assembly, Hon Aliyu Sabiu Muduru, however, said only qualified teachers would be
recruited to fill the vacancies. Muduru was speaking when some lawmakers and students of Alhuda Academy, Katsina paid him a courtesy visit yesterday. Muduru also restated the present administration’s commitment to guard against youth restiveness by enhancing their socio-economic well being through quality empowerment programmes.
He said the House would complement the efforts of the executive arm of government in that regards by enacting relevant laws that would promote socio-economic status of the state. On anti-corruption, the Speaker said the House would prevail on the executive arm to domesticate Treasury Single Account, TSA, policy to ensure prudent financial management in the state.
He called on the students to be trustworthy, disciplined and committed to their studies in order to attain greater heights in their educational pursuit. Earlier, the students’ leader, Sagir Abubakar Runka, who thanked the lawmakers for the privileged given them to observe legislative proceedings of the house, said the experience would linger in their minds for a very long time.
L-R: Chief of Staff, Government House Birnin Kebbi, Alhaji Suleiman Argungu; United States Cultural Affairs Attaché in Nigeria, Mr Bob Kerr and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, during the visit of Kerr to the governor in Birnin Kebbi, on Wednesday.
Kogi Assembly urges CBN to release bailout fund Wale Ibrahim LOKOJA
K
ogi House of Assembly has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to release without further delay the bailout fund for Kogi State to address the plight of civil servants. The call was made in Lokoja following adoption of a motion of urgent public importance raised by Mr Sunday Shigaba (PDP-Bassa), urging the apex bank to urgently release the funds. Shigaba solicited the support of members of the house for the motion, stating that the legislators would no longer keep mute while their constituents passed through pains for a cause that was not peculiar to the state. The legislator commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy initiative to ameliorate the suffering of the masses across the federation by making available the bailout fund for states to access in view of the “gloomy economic reality.” He said the intervention policy approach of Mr President with which the country woke up with a sigh
of relieve was being frustrated by the Central Bank through selective release of funds and denial of some others including Kogi. Shigaba urged the CBN to remove “all undue bottlenecks imposed directly or indirectly to deliberately hinder states and in particular, Kogi from accessing the bailout funds meant for the people. “And in the alternative, come up with explanations as to why some states are given express access while some are not,” he said. The lawmaker urged the apex bank not to frustrates
the policy thrust of President Buhari’s administration in its commitment to ensuring a corrupt free society, rule of law, fairness, equality and poverty alleviation among others. The motion which was seconded by Mr Friday Sani (PDP-Igalamela/Odolu) described the motion as crucial and timely, while the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Matthew Kolawole, said the loan was for the good of the entire state and its people. “The fund will benefit all irrespective of party affiliations. Whoever is behind
the denial should please refrain, what will be, will be. If Wada will win the election, he will win with or without the fund,” he said. Speaker of the House, Alhaji Momoh-Jimoh Lawal, in his ruling on the motion said the welfare of civil servants was paramount to the house saying that the bailout mostly concerned them. The House passed the motion following overwhelming voice vote by members though some APC members complained that the speaker did not give them recognition to make their contributions.
Nasarawa to computerise patients’ medical records Igbawase Ukumba LAFIA
N
asarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, yesterday said the state will soon transit from analog to digital system in the compilation of patients’ medical records across the state hospitals. The governor disclosed this when he paid an unscheduled visit to the Mararaba Gurku Medical
Center, in Karu Local Government Area of the state. He said the state will collaborate with the Nasarawa Geographical Information Services, NAGIS, to begin computerisation of patients’ medical records in the state hospitals. According to him, “the idea is to get data of patients computerised for easy access, while on hospital visit and avoid mutilation of physical records
in case of accident. He also disclosed that Mararaba Gurku Medical Centre will now serve as an outreach of the National Hospital, Abuja for surgeries and other needed services. Consequent, he said the state government will soon build two units of eight-man quarters at the Mararaba Gurku Medical Center for visiting consultants and other medical personnel.
JOS
G
bong Gwon Jos and Chairman of Plateau State Traditional Council, His Majesty Da Jacob Gyang Buba, has challenged the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, to come out with a workable solution to the crisis which has bedeviled the state for so long. The royal father challenged the institute in Jos yesterday during the inauguration of the National Executive Committees of the Berom Ethnic Nationalities of Plateau State which include the Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation, BECO; Berom Women Development Association, BEWDA and Berom Youth Moulders Association BYM Expressing concern over the incessant killings in the state, Gbong Gwon Jos said: “We have buried so many people in Plateau State because of the security challenges we are having in the state “Berom land which is feeling the heat of insecurity most in the Plateau State
incidentally is playing host to NIPSS.I want to appeal to the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, to do something in this regard within the context and purpose for which it was established. There is the need to intervene in solving some of the issues affecting the host communities, especially in the area of peace building and peaceful coexistence. “There are a lot of challenges and misunderstanding of the situation here in Plateau. If your institution will present the true position of what is happening here, it will help in addressing the issues of conflicts in the state. I also urge the National Veterinary Research Institute, NVRI, to redouble its efforts in terms of innovative agriculture for the growth and development of the host state of Plateau and Nigeria” Earlier, BECO President, Mr Fom Ericson Edward, who spoke on behalf of the newly inaugurated officials pledged to work for the unity, peace and progress not only for the Beroms, but the entire people of the state
Adamawa community protests alleged sale of public land Livinus Menedi YOLA
A
nxiety is building in Wuro Chekke community in Yola South Local Government of Adamawa State over the purported sale of a land belonging to the community to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Some concerned youth of the area said the land in question belong to the community, but was sold to the former Vice President by the quartet of District Head of Yola, Saad Bawuro, Ward Head of Fadde Ibbi, Mallam Ibrahim Kawu, Mai Anguwa Tijjani Mijinyawa and a staff of Adamawa State Water Board Modibbo Bappare. In a petition addressed to Lamido of Adamawa jointly signed by Alhaji Ahmed Bibi, Bala BabaIyali, Mohammed Bello Saidu, Kabiru Ali and Salihu Musa on behalf of the Wuro Hausa community a copy of which was made available to the press, the petitioners urged the Lamido of Adamawa to use his exalted position to redress the injustice meted to them through the sale of the land. “We the youths of Wuro Hausa protest the sale
of the plot of land with 3 public utility industrial boreholes and electricity transformers on a plot of land in Fadde Ibbi Wuro Hausa which belongs to the government to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. “We passionately ask for the reversal of the purported sale of the plot of land as it would prevent the general public from enjoying the public utility industrial boreholes and the electricity transformer,” the youth said. The youths appealed to the Lamido to passionately intervene in order to prevent the matter from degenerating into crisis. Debunking the allegations, District Head of Yola, Alhaji Saad Bawuro, said he was shocked at the manner people concoct falsehood to create mischief and foment trouble. He noted that the said land do not belong to government as speculated by the petitioners, but to five families who decided to sell it to the American University of Nigeria in Yola. He noted that the owners of the said pieces of land willingly sold them to AUN and they are still alive to testify that they willingly sold their property to the institution.
Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
49
World News
The slogan ‘Death to America’ does not mean death to the American nation. It means death to American policies and arrogance. –IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER, AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI
Afolabi Gambari
WITH AGENCY REPORT
P
resident Yoweri Museveni has joined the contest for next February’s presidential election after his plan to run for a fresh term was approved by the country’s electoral commission. The veteran leader, who has been in power for 29 years, will face key opposition challengers former prime minister Amama Mbabazi and opposition figure Kizza Besigye. Opposition leaders have said they will back a joint candidate, expected to be either Besigye, leader of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party and a three-time challenger, Mbabazi. Other candidates include university professor Venansius Baryamureeba, Abed Bwanika of the People’s Development Party, evangelical pastor Joseph Mabirizi, retired general Benon Biraaro and the only female candidate, lawyer Faith Kyalya. Campaigning kicks off on Monday and ends on February 16, two days before the polls, the electoral commission has also said. With the two main opposition candidates being influential former members of the
Uganda 2016: Museveni seeks fresh term
P
Somalia set to deport ‘illegal Kenyans’ A Somali court has ordered the deportation of 27 Kenyans found to be in the country illegally. This is the first time in 25 years that Somalia is to expel foreigners for overstaying their visas. The men have also been fined $10 (£6.50) for each day they were in the country illegally. It is not clear how long the deportees had stayed in Somalia. Reports said a growing number of foreigners had taken up jobs in the construction and hotel industries, while others got teaching jobs in colleges and schools. According to a recent Somali law, work permits are now mandatory for all foreigners and employers are urged to give first priority to Somali nationals.
Tsvangirai kicks off campaign
President Yoweri Museveni has ruled Uganda for 29 years
ruling party, critics say they struggle to offer a convincing alternative or to effectively criticise a system they created and benefitted from.
Mbabazi has claimed the election race will be the most wide-open race in our political history. But Museveni, who has led
the east African nation since 1986, and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) are widely expected to return to power.
Deaths, evacuation trail Burundi violence
arts of two districts in Burundi’s capital, Bujumbura, have been temporarily sealed off after fighting killed four people. Residents have been seen fleeing the affected districts to find shelter elsewhere. The killings are part of a cycle of violence that began in April with protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s third-term bi amidst pledge from the president to crack down on those behind the trouble. In Wednesday night’s violence, officials said two people were killed in an exchange of gunfire with police. A third person was killed by gunmen, described by police as “insurgents”, and it is not yet clear what caused the death of the fourth person. The districts of Mutakura and Cibitoke were well known
AFRICA BULLETIN
for their demonstrations against Nkurunziza’s plan to run for the presidency again. In July, he won a third term which opponents described as unconstitutional. Since then, there has been a
series of killings of supporters and opponents of the government, including the assassination of a senior general. The president has given people who hold illegal weapons until Saturday to give them up,
Fleeing Burundians as recorded yesterday
otherwise he has said security forces will use all means available to end the situation. Some of the residents who fled said they feared what could happen after Saturday’s deadline passed.
MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, will tomorrow launch a nationwide meet-the-people campaign which the party says is aimed at reminding Zimbabweans that “the darkest hour is just before dawn” and mobilising support for electoral reforms. Party spokesperson, Obert Gutu, said the rallies which began yesterday in Mashonaland West, the home province of President Robert Mugabe, would be all-encompassing “The MDC realises that the Zanu PF regime has totally failed to resuscitate the comatose economy and as the government-in-waiting, we have found it necessary to reach out to the toiling masses of Zimbabwe in order to give them hope as well as reassuring them that the darkest hour is just before dawn,” Gutu said.
Kenyan ministry in sex toy scandal A Kenyan ministry bought sex toys on expenses, senior Kenyan MP, Nicholas Gumbo, has said. The items appeared on a list of expenditure that parliament’s public accounts committee (PAC), chaired by Gumbo, was looking into. Kenya’s Ministry of Devolution is alleged to have bought a series of goods at inflated prices. But the minster in charge, Anne Waiguru, said that the allegations were not true. The corruption investigation comes as the government tries to deal with a growing budget deficit. In addition to the sex toys, the ministry is also alleged to have bought over-priced condom dispensers, stationery, photocopiers and a piano and television for the minister’s office. Waiguru was questioned on Wednesday for nearly four hours by the PAC over the corruption allegations.
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CHANGE OF NAME ADEYEMO: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS DAWODU OLABISI MERCY, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEYEMO OLABISI MERCY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME ADEBAYO: Formerly known and addressed as ADEBAYO SEGUN now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNKEYE SAMUEL OLUSEGUN. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME AMOS: Formerly known and addressed as AMOS BAR now wish to be known and addressed as EMMANUEL GEORGE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss. Ojo Jumoke Caroline. Now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jegede Basirat Toyin. All former documents remain valid. Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, Ekiti State and general public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME AKINYEMI: I, formerly known and addressed as AKINYEMI FAYSAL TEJUMADE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AKINYEMI ESHILOKUN FAYSAL TEJUMADE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME AKOR: I, formerly known and addressed as REKIYA YAHAYA USMAN AKOR, now wish to be known and addressed as REKIYA YUNUSA AKOR. All former documents remain valid. Authorities Concerned and the general public please take note.
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Friday, November 6, 2015
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyemi Foluke Christiana now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abe Foluke Christiana.All former documents remain valid,Ekiti State Government and general public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME MOSES: Formerly known and addressed as MISS VICTORIA MOSES now wish to be known and addressed as MRS VICTORIA ELISHA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME YAKUNAT: Formerly known and addressed as MISS SALAMATU YAKUNAT now wish to be known and addressed as MRS SALAMATU L. BABAH. All former documents remain valid. UBA and the General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME SOETAN: I, formerly known and addressed as SOETAN SANDRA ADEJOKE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as IKOTUN SANDRA ADEJOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME
This is to confirm that I, OKEOWO ADELEKE TEMITOPE is one and the same person that is known as OKEOWO ADELEKE NAZIRITE as it appears in my documents . All documents with these names remain valid. General public and Authorities concerned take note.
CHANGE OF NAME MUHAMMED: I, formerly known and addressed as IBRAHIM MUHAMMED, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ALHAJI IBRAHIM ATTAH. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as MISS OLOGUNEBI MUTIAT, now wish to be known as MRS. AYINDE MUTIAT. All former documents remain valid. General public to please note. CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Evelyn Onyi Aghanti now wish to be knoen and addressed as Mrs Evelyn Onyi Okon. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Nonso okafor, now known wish to be known and addressed as Chinyeaku Okereke. All former documents remain valid general public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME
This is to confirm that Ikechukwu Christian Oguata and Ikenna Silas Oguata refer as one now known as Ikenna Silas Oguata. All former documents remain valid general public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS COLLINS OKOLAFOR, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EDWARD OBI OSOGBUE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE. CONFIRMATION OF NAME
This is to confirmation that I Adeyemi Modinat Folake is the same person as Akinola Modinat Folake as obtained in some documents bearing my names. All other documents remain valid general public n first bank take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Mr Ramon Ibrahim, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr Subair Ibrahim. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME
This is to inform the general public that Mrs AJbetola Sidikat and Miss Fehintola Olatunji Ajanaku, is the same and one person as Miss Fehintola Olatunji Ajanaku. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME STEPHEN: Formerly known and addressed as MR STEPHEN OLORUNYOMI now wish to be known and addressed as MR TAIWO JONES. All former documents remain valid. UBA PLC and the General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME GYUK: Formerly known and addressed as MISS GYUK ABIGAIL JOHN now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UKAERU ABIGAIL JOHN. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME
That I, OJAJUNI DAMILOLA is one and the same person that is known called and addressed as ATINARO OLANREWAJU. That the above two names are mine and all documents relating to them are valid. General public should please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME That on my International passport with No. EP3617411 issued to me by Ethiopian Federal Government, my names appear as MEKLIT WONDWOSEN GIRMA, while on some other documents, it appears as MEKLIT EZINDU. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME OTUALI: I, formerly known and addressed as OTUALI JANE , now wish to be known and addressed as OGBEWI JANE. All former documents remain valid. General Public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as Oluokun Rasaki, now wish to be known and called SITU RASAKI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please note. CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Okpalaojimmadu Chiamaka Amarachi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Aralu Chiamaka AMarachi. All former documents remain valid general public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Nwaokeoma Amarachi Amaechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Nwaokeoma Donatus Amaechi. All former documents remain valid general public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME
This is to confirm that Justice Okpulo and Justice Chukwuma Nkpuruoma, refer as one person now Justice Chukwuma Nkpuruoma. All former documents remain valid general public take note CONFIRMATION OF NAME
THIS IS TO CONFIRM THAT, PATANI ENARUKE STEPHEN IS THE SAME PERSON AS PATANI MOSES ESEROPHEOGHENE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. FIRST BANK AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Adedunni Foluke, now wish to be known and addressed as Bangajiya Foluke. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Awokoya Oluyemisi Aramide, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olulowo Oluyemisi Aramide. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Miss Falae Cecilia Aina, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Apato Cecilia Aina. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME USEH: Formerly known and addressed as MISS NGOZI ANTHONIA USEH now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NGOZI ANTHONIA NNAEMEKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME TIMOTHY: Formerly known and addressed as TIMOTHY AKINOLU ADEYEMI now wish to be known and addressed as NURUDEEN ABDULGANIYU ADEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME OBASUYI: I, formerly known and addressed as OBASUYI HENRY, now wish to be known and addressed as OBASUYI JOSEPH UCHE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME GALAXY: I, formerly known and addressed as GALAXY ZAKE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as BABA ABBA ZAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME EMEKA: I, formerly known and addressed as DAVID IKE EMEKA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as DAVID IKEDICHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME This is to inform the general public that I now wish to be known and addressed as ANIBIRE MULIKATU TITILADE. All former documents bearing other names remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria ltd and general public should please note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwogu Okwuoma Precious, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Mgbechinyere Okwuoma Precious. All former documents remain valid general public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Mr Ogunleke John Ishola now wish to be addressed and called as Mr Ishola Oludayo John. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME This is to confirm that Angela Nkeiruka and Angela Chibuzo Ihikire refer as one person now known as Angela Chibuzo Ihikire. All former documents remain valid general public take note
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as MR ABORISADE ADEWALE EMMANUEL & MRS ABORISADE YETUNDE DORCAS, now wish to be known and called MR OLASOJI ADEWALE EMMANUEL & MRS OLASOJI FUNMILOLA DORCAS. All former documents remain valid General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Alejo Taiwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Kikenme Taiwo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Aina Rebecca Aregbe, now wish to be known and addressed as Rebecca Joseph Friday. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME ODOH: Formerly known and addressed as ODOH BLESSING now wish to be known and addressed as NDIDI BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME ADO: Formerly known and addressed as RABIU ADO now wish to be known and addressed as HABU AHMED. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME IYAFOKHAI: Formerly known and addressed as MISS IYAFOKHAI ROSEMARY OSHIOREHIME BILLY GRACE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS LAWSON ROSEMARY OSHIOREHIME BILLY GRACE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME OMODEHIN: I, formerly known and addressed as ANTHONIA OLUFUNMILAYO OMODEHIN now wish to be known, called and addressed as ANTHONIA OLUFUNMILAYO OGUNYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME INYA: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS INYA SEDER UGWOMA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. MPIERI SEDER UGWOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as ADELEKE IDOWU FELICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as ASARIWHO IDOWU FELICIA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as MISS GANIYU KAFILAT DUNNI, now wish to be known as MISS GANIYU DUNNI BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. General public to please note. CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Godwill Eloka, now wish to be known and addressed as Tasie Lekwa Kalu. All former documents remain valid general public take note CHANGE OF NAME Formerly addressed and known as Miss Ajayi Lydia Olateju now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Akinsola Lydia Olateju. All former documents remain valid,Federal Government College Ikirun, College of Education Ilesa both in Osun State,WAEC,NECO and general public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and called as Miss Akintayo Adeola Afusat now wish to be addressed and called as Mrs Adeola Akintayo Olubukola. All former documents remain valid, Osun State Ministry of Justice, Abere, Osogbo and general public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed variously as AKINREMI OLUSEYI OLANREWAJU, AKINREMI OLUBUNMI OLUSEYI and AKINREMI DAVID OLUSEYI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AKINREMI OLUSEYI OLANREWAJU. All documents and certificates bearing my former names remain valid. General public and relevant authorities should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Olaseinde Omowumi Bukola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Fayomi Omowuni Olaseinde. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME
This is to confirm to the general public that i Mr. Olusegun Osho Ayinde is the same person as Olusegun Osho Ayinde. All documents bearing either two of these names remain valid. FBN and general public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME SAADU: Formerly known and addressed as SAADU UMAR now wish to be known and addressed as UMAR MUHAMMED. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME NURA: Formerly known and addressed as NURA INUSA now wish to be known and addressed as BALARABE INUSA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as GBENGA OLADELE DANIEL. Now wish to be known and addressed as ADEWUMI OLADELE DAVID. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME SIMON: I, formerly known and addressed as JACOB SIMON, now wish to be known and addressed as MICAH JACOB. All former documents remain valid. General Public to take note.
CHANGE OF NAME INYANG: I, formerly known and addressed as AKON AKPAN INYANG, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ESTHER CLEMENT UDOH. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Oluwaseun Ogunbi now wish to be known and addressed as Oluwaseun Mesioye. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.
52
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME
Friday, November 6, 2015
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS UKOH JULIANA NGOZI, now wishes to be known and addressed as MRS. JULIAN EKEH. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as SAKARIYA ARIBIDESI YUSUF, now wishes to be known and addressed as OLOWO SAKA ARIBIDESI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MRS. OMOBOLANLE OLANREWAJU WILLIAMS , now wishes to be known and addressed MRS. OLABISI AFSAT WILLIAMS. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL CHINEDU, now wish to be known and addressed as MARCEL NNALUO. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as ELEGBEDE ALABI ADEKAYODE, now wish to be known and addressed as KAYODE OWOLABI ELEGBEDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known as MISS ALI SAFIYA ANARO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEOJO SAFIYA ANARO. All former documents remain valid. LAUTECH Teaching Hospital community medicine department Ogbomoso and general public take note.
PUBLIC NOTICE We that were formerly known and addressed as Ebi Oke Ibi Tee Street Araromi Ugbesi Omuo Ekiti,now wish to be know and addressed as OBALENDE Quarters Ugbesi Omuo Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government.All former documents remain valid,Ekiti East Local Government and general public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS JIMOH BECKY OYINDAMOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OYENUGA BECKY OYINDAMOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known And Addressed As MISS MGBAFULU CHINWE GRACE Now Wish To Be Known And Addressed As MRS CHIMME CHINWE GRACE All Former Documents Remain Valid. General Public Take Note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adenekan Olatundun Tunrayo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Oyewole Olatundun Tunrayo. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as EDOCHIE OBIORA CORNELIUS, now wishes to be known and addressed as OBIORA CORNELIUS EBUBECHI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as FAUSAT AMOPE SHOBANJO, now wishes to be known and addressed as FAUSAT FUNMILAYO SMITH. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
Formerly known and addressed as MISS HELEN JOHN DOTOU , now wishes to be known and addressed as MRS. ALIMI HELEN MODUPE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
Formerly known and addressed as MISS UKOMADU SILVERLINE CHISOM , now wishes to be known and addressed as MRS. OKAFOR SILVERLINE CHISOM. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as DIMKPA ALEX CHIMEME, now wishes to be known and addressed as THANKGOD BASIL ALEX BASIL. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as MISS MADUEKWE UDEZUE EBELE FRANCISCA, now wishes to be known and addressed as MRS.ONYEDIBE EBELEFRANCISCA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
Formerly known and addressed as GBEMI OLUWA MARIA, now wishes to be known and addressed as GBUBENI NUNU. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
Formerly known and addressed as OBARO RAPHAEL, now wishes to be known and addressed as DURUAKU GODFREY. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as JOY IFEOMA NWOBU, now wish to be known and addressed as JOY IFEOMA OKOLI. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME
I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. ANEGBODE HANNAH IBHADE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AKHIGBE HANNAH IBHADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as DANJUMA STEPHEN LUCKY, now wishes to be known and addressed as DANJUMA JAMES ALHERI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as OBINNA NWABUEZE CHRISTOPHER, now wish to be known and addressed as ANI KEVIN ONYEKA. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as ADIKA OLALEKAN now wish to be known and addressed as ADERINOLA AJIBOLA THOMAS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss ADEKUAJO OMOWUMI ESTHER, now wish to be known as MRS. ADEBAYO OMOWUMI ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. National Youth Service Corps & general public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Robert Kofi Agbavor, now wish to be known and addressed as Robert Coffi Agbanvo. All former documents remain valid. Hitech construction company Ltd, Trustfund pensions Ltd, First Bank Plc and General public to take note.
CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and called Miss John Abiola Maria, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Shodipde Abiola Maria .All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
OGUNDANA:I formerly miss Ogundana Modupe Julianah now Wished to be known and addressed. as Mrs Agbetayo Modupe Julianah, all former documents remain valid. EKSUTH, Ado Ekiti, Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the general public take note.
Formerly known as OGUNDARE SEYI EMMANUEL, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUWADARE OLUWASEYI EMMANUEL. All Former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
I formerly known and addressed as Miss Coker Omolara Mary now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Agbelusi Omolara Mary. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.
I formerly known and addressed as MISS OBRUCHE OKORO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OBRUCHE PATRICIA ANIRETO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as MISS OSHINUGA MOFOLUWAKE OLUWAFUNMILAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AKINGBOYE MOFOLUWAKE OLUWAFUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as Miss UME Chinwe Ngozi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ofoegbu Chinwe Ngozi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
Formerly known and addressed as EHIWERE ENIOLA AKHIGBE , now wish to be known and addressed as AJIBADE ENIOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME JIMOH: Formerly known and addressed as JIMOH AYODEJI OKUNOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as JIMOH IBRAHIM FOLARANMI. All former documents remain valid. Zenith Bank, First Bank and general public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEBIMPE OLIVEIRA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADEBIMPE PHILLP. All former documents remain valid; Zenith Bank Plc, general public take note.
PUBLIC NOTICE
CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as Miss Dosunmu Abibat Olabode, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Yekeen Abibat Olabode. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and General public take note.
Formerly known and addressed as Miss Olubiyi Florence Iyabo Amope, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Soetan Florence Iyabo Amope. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
PUBLIC NOTICE
This is to inform the general public that the above named body has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under the part C of the Company and Allied Matters Act
TRUSTEES ARE: 1) ESEGINE JONAH EGHOTEGUONO -
Formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUCHI ESTHER AMAEFULE, now wishes to be known and addressed as MISS OLUCHIESTHER AKOBUEZE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as NDIDI MAUREEN OKOROAFOR, now wishes to be known and addressed as MRS PATIENCE SAMUEL . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
Formerly known and addressed as OYELEYE LOOKMAN OLATOYE, now wishes to be known and addressed as OYELEYE LUKE OLATOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as UCHE ROSEMARY IHEOMA, now wishes to be known and addressed as NNOROM ROSEMARY IHEOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. CHARITY OSAMA OKUNROBO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. CHARITY OSAMA UYI. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Law Publications Ltd and General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as MISS. OSHINKOYA TAIRAT AKOREDE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. IBRAHIM TAIRAT AKOREDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
I, formerly known and addressed as IDEMUDIA EHIDIAMEN EMMANUEL, now wish to be known and addressed as IZIEBHOKHALE EHIDIAMEN EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
I, formerly known as MISS ALABI JANET OYENIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEDEJI JANET OYENIKE. , All former documents remain valid. LAUTECH, Teaching Hospital community medicine department Ogbomoso and general public take note.
I, formerly know and addressed as MISS ADEGUNLOLA TAIWO OLUWABUKUNMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OMOTOSO TAIWO OLUWABUKUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as MISS OGUNSOLA IFEOLUWA DEBORAH, now wish to be known as MRS. SOYINKA IFEOLUWA DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid. General public to please note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as MISS OJO MODUPE CHRISTIANAH, now wish to be known as MRS. UTIBE MODUPE CHRISTIANAH. All former documents remain valid. General public to please note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS KAFAYATU SHOLA AKEEM now wish to be known and addressed as MRS KAFAYATU SHOLA AKEEMUTHMAN general public and NYSC should take note. CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as SANTUS ASHUNANDE ANDOR, now wish to be known and addressed as ANDOR AKOMAYE FRANCIS. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
Formerly known and addressed as Miss Udoh Uduakobong Gloria now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adeola Udoh Uduakobong. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.
Formerly known And Addressed As GARBA FULANI Now Wish To Be Known And Addressed As GARBA SAIDU ABDULLAHI All Former Documents Remain Valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
CONFIRMATION OF NAME
The general public is hereby informed that IBE OBIOMA IKENNA, UBASINACHI EZE and IBE CHIJIOKE OBIOMA belong to one and the same person and that all documents bearing the names shall remain valid. General public please take note.
I formerly known as MISS AGBOGUN IDAYAT IYABO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AKINWUMI IYABO IDAYAT. All former documents remain valid. LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso & General Public should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Wusu Simbiat Olohuntoyi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Alayo Simbiat Olohuntoyi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyemo Adebola Taye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. BALOGUN ADEBOLA TAYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
PUBLIC NOTICE
ASSOCIATION OF PROPERTY AGENTS OF NIGERIA UGHELLI BRANCH.
RIVER OF LIGHT APOSTOLIC REDEEMED CHURCH INT’L
SIGNED : PRESIDENT
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MRS CYNTHIA OLOWOSILE, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS CYNTHIA BENEDICTA OBIYAN. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.To preach and proclaim the Gospel of Christ 2. To preach salvation to all 3. To acquire and Hold properties for and on behalf of the church
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME
CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Miss Osuolale Adeola Roseline now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olawuyi Adeola Roseline. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
TRUSTEE 1. PASTOR MICHAEL AKINLOLU FOLUSO ADEJIMI…………President/founder 2. PASTOR JOSEPH OLATUNJI OLUWATUYI 3. LADY EVANG. (MRS) CATHERINE OMOBOLA ADEJIMI
Formerly called and addressed at Access Bank as ADAMU USMAN and at GT Bank as SA’IDU DAUDA. Now wish to be Known and addressed as MOHAMMED SULEIMAN. All former Documents remain valid. Access Bank, GT Bank, Diamond Bank and general public should take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as AHMED ELLEMAN , now wishes to be known and addressed as AHMED ABUBAKAR. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.
PRESIDENT
2) ONORIOBOAKPOPHA FELIX. 3) OKELEZO SAMSON OGHENEWOGAGA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: TO FOSTER PEACE AND HARMONY AMONG THE MEMBERS Any objection to the above registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Trigis Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,Maitama, Abuja,within 28 days of this publication.
SIGNED ESEGINE JONAH EGHOTEGUONO PRESIDENT
YAHWEH PEOPLE ASSEMBLY
Notice is hereby given to the general public that the above named organisation has applied to the coperate Affairs Commission, Abuja for the ‘Change of Trustees’ Under part ‘C’ of the CAMA, Cap 59 of 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE AS FOLLOWS : 1. Bishop Daniel Orah - Chairman. 2. Bro Ransome Mbe Odey - Secretary. 3. Presbyter Amos Ihesinulo -Member. 4. Chief Elder Simon Onu - Member. 5. Pastor Mark oforka - Member. 6. Elder Mathew Eziwhuo - Member. 7. Deacon Martin Isong Ike - Member. Any objection to the ‘Change of Trustees’ should be forwarded to the Registrar General, C.A.C Area 11, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of the publication and copy sent to the undersigned. SIGNED Bishop Daniel Orah Chairman Bro Ransome Mbe Odey. Secretary.
Friday, November 6, 2015
How ‘superhero’ Serena caught phone snatcher
It’s of no use dwelling on the defeat to Bayern. We have to resume focus on the EPL in the first instance
N
igeria’s Super Eagles are out of the best 10 teams in Africa, according to the latest world ranking released by FIFA/Coca-Cola yesterday. Nigeria is rated 59th in the world and 12th in Africa, after going down seven places from its previous ranking. Africa’s first 10 are: Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, Senegal, Tunisia, Cameroun, Congo, Guinea and Congo Dr. Eagles are behind the Pharaohs of Egypt, who are 57th globally and elenth on the continent. The November edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking sees Belgium (up 2) move up two places to take the top slot from Argentina (3rd, down 2) and overtake world champions Germany (2nd, unchanged).
Oliseh
Ronaldo
I’m a legend, don’t compare me with Messi –Ronaldo C
ristiano Ronaldo is tired of comparisons with Lionel Messi and appreciates that some people must dislike his personality or the ways he sees football. Speaking ahead of the release of his personal portrait film “Ronaldo”, the FIFA World Player of the Year told Reuters TV that he is “not a fake person.” In a separate interview with the BBC, Ronaldo said, “I’m a legend.” “I don’t need to say ‘I’m in the history of football, I’m a legend’. The numbers say everything,” he said. “I have my style, he has his style, his own style,” he said of Messi, his great personal rival.
“We have to respect that people compare all the time. And it is normal, we are compared since we are babies, I don’t mean me and Messi but all the persons in school. Who is more clever, who is more fast, it’s normal, it’s part of the life. “It does not surprise me anymore, but sometimes it makes me tired because it’s always same thing and they still repeat and repeat, one year, another year, every year.” Critics say the Portugal forward’s celebrations sometimes have an air of arrogance about them. Ronaldo is never shy to show his rippling muscles or make defiant gestures after scoring. He startled
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–Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger
FIFA Ranking: Eagles out of best 10 in Africa
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
the audience at this year’s World Player of the Year award by bellowing “Sim” (yes) into the microphone after he was announced as the winner. Asked why people may dislike him, Ronaldo said, “Maybe the way I am, my personality, the way I see football. I’m not a fake person. It’s normal, it’s part of the business. No one can control that.” Ronaldo’s film, due to be released on Nov 9, depicts the striker as a family man and shows how he lives on the pitch and inside his luxury house in the neighbourhood of La Finca in the outskirts of Madrid.
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Friday, November 6, 2015
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
34 teams set for Handball Open in Kaduna Joel Ajayi
Abe Sunday of Sunshine Stars against Augustin Oladapo of F.C IfeanyiUbah
ABUJA
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hirty-four teams across the 36 states of the federation will converge on late Yar’adua Sports Hall in Kaduna for this year’s Handball Open Championship. Speaking with National Mirror exclusively ahead of the tournament, Vice Chairman of the Handball Veterans Association, Mr. Jibril Saidu, said the one-week tournament billed to take place from November 8th14th is aimed at discovering the best athletes that will represent Nigeria at the 2016 Nations Cup in Cairo, Egypt. It will be recalled that both the male and female Nigerian handball teams qualified for the Nations Cup. Saidu noted that the cham-
pionship would also be used to showcase the entertainment potential of a well-organised sporting event, and promote handball sport in the country. He said, “We are going to have a wonderful tournament better than the one we had in the past. This championship will help the handball federation to discover the best players that will represent this country in the forthcoming Africa Nations Cup. “The number of teams is expected to be higher in this year’s as not less than 34 to 35 teams are expected to participate in the open championship. “All necessary arrangements such as security, logistics and accommodation for the all the participating athletes have been put in place for a successful tournament.”
How ‘superhero’ Serena caught phone snatcher
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Glo Premier League: Keen title chase enters last lap
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s the 2014/2015 Glo Premier League gradually round off, the tight competition witnessed among clubs in the last weeks of the season points to continuous improvement in the standard of the elite division. Enyimba FC of Aba tops the log with 68 points after 36 matches with two matches to go, while Warri Wolves trail closely on 62 points and will need to win the next two games which include a clash with Enyimba on the last day, November 15, to stand a chance of winning the league. This year’s league has lived up to expectation in terms of quality of matches, and has continued to rub off on the homebased national team. Enyimba which started the season slowly rose to the occasion weeks after and then sustained their leadership up to this moment says everything about the competitiveness of the league. Defending champions, Kano
Pillars, also deserve commendation for achieving an appreciable result despite suffering serious setback at the inception of the season when the team was attacked on its way to honouring a match with some players severely injured in the incident. Title sponsor of Glo Premier League, Globacom commended the League Management Company (LMC) for the series of innovation introduced into the
league. “The LMC deserves more encouragement from all and sundry and we have no doubt that the board will come up with more innovations in the years ahead,” Globacom stressed. “We also commend the crowd who trooping out to match venues to cheer the players as we look forward to seeing more spectators thronging the stadiums in the coming season.”
Mourinho loses £50,000 fine appeal
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helsea manager, Jose Mourinho, says he has never received greater support than the “amazing” reception given to him by fans during the Champions League win over Dynamo Kiev at Stamford Bridge. This is even as the Chelsea boss has lost an appeal against the suspended one-match stadium ban and £50 000 fine he received last month, the Football
Association said yesterday. Mourinho’s future at the club has been questioned, with the defending champions 15th in the Premier League. But Blues fans sang his name throughout Wednesday’s dramatic 2-1 victory. “I have no other way to thank them than to give everything I have, which I do always,” the Portuguese told BBC Sport.
ou can still call her on her cell phone. Serena Williams was not messing around when a man tried to snatch her phone from the seat next to her at a Chinese restaurant where she was having dinner on Tuesday. The tennis pro recounted how she used her “superhero” speed and agility to stop the would-be phone thief in an epic post on Facebook one day later, and the tale is definitely of superhuman proportions. “Soooooo yesterday at dinner the CRAZIEST THING happened to me,” she began the story (Williams didn’t disclose what city she was in at the time.) “I was sitting enjoying some Chinese food (delicious may I add) and this guy stands next to me. It was only 2 of us sitting at a 4 person table just chatting like we have not seen each other in years.” The 34-year-old athlete noted that she could sense that something “didn’t feel right” about a man who standing next to her, so her “SUPERHERO sense” told her to keep an eye on the shifty character. “Then when least expected lo and behold this common petty thief grabbed my phone and swiftly left,” Williams wrote. “I looked at the chair, then shouted, ‘Omg that dude took my phone!!’ Not thinking I reacted (hence the superwoman photo) I jumped up, weaved my way in and out of the cozy restaurant (leaping over a chair or two) and chased him down.”
Serena
Williams hilariously noted that her “sprints came in handy” as she overtook the phone snatcher and then asked him in “the most menacing yet calm no nonsense voice” whether he had accidentally picked up the wrong phone. At that moment, she wrote, her “superhero sidekick quailman” Facetimed her, making it impossible for the thief to lie his way out of his dubious deed. The tennis champ then turned around, phone in hand, and was greeted by a standing ovation upon her return into the restaurant. “Superhero? Maybe? Or HELL YEA!!” Williams concluded. “I’ve got the speed the jumps, the power, the body, the seduction, the sex appeal, the strength, the leadership and yet the calm to weather the storm. Always listen to your superhero inner voice. Always keep your things close! Fight for what’s right. Stand for what you believe in! Be a superhero!” Culled from Yahoo News
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
NOC scribe, Popoola, heads Rio Games committee Joel Ajayi ABUJA
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o fewer than 13 seasoned and tested stakeholders from various organisations were yesterday selected to be part of 2016 Nigeria House Project Committee for next summer’s Olympic Games in Brazil. The Rio 2016 Olympic Games, a Nigeria project is driven by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), the National Sports Commission (NSC) and various stakeholders in line with international best practice, will be chaired by Hon. Tunde Popoola, the NOC secretary. Other members of the Nigeria House Project include Mohammed Abdulahi, Mr. Caleb Gidado, Mr. Tunde William, Mrs. Maria, Wophil and Mr. Stanley Okebugwu. There are also representatives of the Nigeria Embassy in
Sports
Friday, November 6, 2015
Brazil and Ministry of Culture and Tourism among others. While inaugurating the committee inside the Media Centre of the Abuja National Stadium, Director General of the NSC, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, said the project will no doubt showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage in sports, the cultures, arts, businesses, goods, natural endowments, cuisine, music and entertainment. He saddled the committee with seven terms of reference, which includes: over-see the implementation of Nigeria House Project for the 2016 Olympic Games, identify and recommend a suitable venue within proximity of the Games venue, solicit for sponsors, locally and outside to get tourists for the activities, make available relevant information on Nigerian sports enthusiasts, among others.
xx
Popoola
MANDATE
THE
Sylvester Ikuejamoye
mopheys13@gmail.com 0805-407-1194 (SMS only)
Conspiracy theory against Nigeria’s interest
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ast week, the concern of most football stakeholders was the abysmal way the NFF treated Chief Segun Odegbami and Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu’s inability to secure just five countries’ endorsement for the FIFA’s presidency election slated for February next year. Odegbami was alleged to have cried blue murder by the way and manner the NFF handled his matter. Although the NFF has since repudiated Odegbami’s accusation with a rather flimsy explanation that they (NFF) believed Odegbami had secured the needed endorsement on his own. Clearly, it would have been more honourable and much more decent for the NFF to maintain sealed lip than to insult the sensibility of Nigerians. It must have dawned on them now that such a lame excuse cannot fly. Done with Odegbami’s heavy cross, I had promised last week to hazard reasons for why Kalu made last minute withdrawal from the FIFA election. Aside
Tennis: Winners of NCC tourney emerge in December Everest Onyewuchi
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inners of the maiden Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Tennis Tournament will emerge next month. The first semi-final held in Enugu a fortnight ago and the
Dambatta
winners of the Enugu semi-finals and the Abuja semi-finals will meet at the final in Lagos on December 4 and 5, 2015. Impressed by the turn out and progress recorded so far in the tournament sponsored by the NCC, its Acting Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the Commission “will continue to sponsor this tournament”. He spoke at the National Stadium, Abuja, venue of the second semi-final of the tournament last weekend. NCC, he said, will also review the prize money upward to ensure that as many teams are attracted from different parts of the country. A visibly excited Danbatta, who went down memory lane, said he remembered with nostal-
gia the escapades of Nigeria’s Nduka Odizor who reached the round of 16 in the Wimbledon of 1983. To Danbatta, Odizor was easily one of the global tennis greats at the time, but sadly “Nigerian players have not made the desired impact in global tennis circuits since then.” He told the audience at the stadium including President, Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) Engr. Sani Ndanusa; President, International Tennis Academy, Mr. Godwin Kienka, among others that the main objective of the NCC sponsorship of the tournament is to raise the level of tennis which is one of the most popular and lucrative sporting activities.
from other privileged information that Kalu had to withdraw owing to the fact that he was expecting a categorical statement of support from the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Issa Hayatou who is currently the Acting President of FIFA. In fairness to Kalu, the NFF has already pitched tent with Ode-
Hayatou
gbami who they had earlier (NFF) abandoned mid-sea. From the point of view of international politics and diplomacy, Kalu obviously had a hurdle to cross. He could be likened to an ophan, whose people decided to abandon. If he had decided to run, he would have been seen as a private candidate whose country was not disposed to. It is also possible that Kalu, a politician of high repute, might not want to be seen as an opposition to a government candidate at that level of international football politics. However, that it took him that long to decide is another kettle of fish. But realising the enormity of what it took in terms of funds and time for such a project of international dimension, there is need to be thorough and objective in self re-appraisal. If Kalu had taken the plunge without the endorsement of his own country’s football federation and obtained the form and possibly secured the five countries for his endorsement, the campaign would be much tougher for him to convince the world for support since his own country does not have any iota of confidence in
55
him. Although it is also possible that demands of the endorsing parties might also be another serious factor. In the face of the above enumerated possibilities, it is also not out of place to look and consider the angle of a well planned and executed CONSPIRACY THEORY. This is more so in the approach adopted by the NFF. I had no doubt from day one that the NFF was fully aware that Odegbami would not secure the five countries’ endorsement as required by FIFA on his own without them. They are also in the know that Odegbami might not muster the required funds to administer the world most popular sport. I also believe that the NFF cannot be so limited and timid to the point of not knowing that their endorsed candidate lacks the global football contacts and networking who should not have been abandoned in the mid-sea after their endorsement. It appears, as alleged, that there is a hidden agenda for future ambition by some people within the NFF and their co-travellers. But the question is: must anybody’s future ambition be allowed to ridicule and rubbish the name and integrity of our dear country, Nigeria? The most populous black country in the world and Africa’s largest economy deserve a better deal. It is still a puzzle to so many football stakeholders why the NFF just cannot consider basic and fundamental factors, many of which have been enumerated repeatedly in this column previously before arriving at who to be endorsed. If careful analyses have been done, Nigeria’s image would not have been so battered by the inability of the NFF candidate to secure just five countries for endorsement for the FIFA election. Now that the worst has been done, it will no doubt serve as a bitter lesson for others to always do a thorough home work before stepping out for the field work. Let us also wait and see the end journey of the CONSPIRACY THEORY.
Hard but the bitter truth No country has ever survived by lies and deceit. There is honour in being truthful. It has been bundle of lies Nigerians were fed with, in the recent past. To say Nigeria was buoyant and not broke was a shame and disservice to our fatherland. Thank God for the bail-out to so many states owing civil servants up to nine months salary arrears. We now know better. The era of lies and deceit has gone. Let the truth be told as it is. There is dignity in truthfulness while disgrace awaits agents of lies and deceit. Hard But The Bitter Truth. Until next week Friday, stay out of trouble and God bless Nigeria.
WORLD RECORD
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Perm Sec’s ‘hatred’ for prayers in schools
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iblical teachings leave no one in doubt that seeking God’s face is an all-time affair. But some portions of the Holy Scriptures attach special importance to morning devotions (see Psalm 5:3 and 59:16), among others. The importance of morning devotion, whether in public or private, in this part of the world, if not globally, has been sufficiently buttressed by the wildfire-popularity of some songs believed to have been originally put together by the Christian music group - ‘Voice of the Cross’. They include such lyrics as: “In the morning, early in the morning; in the morning, I will rise and praise the Lord”; and “Good morning Jesus, good morning Lord…” etc. Indeed, a work done by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus in 2009 says there is something special about communing with God in the morning. “It sets a tone for the whole day.
F
rench footballer, Karim Benzema, has been placed under formal investigation in connection with a sex tape blackmail plot involving another player. The Real Madrid striker appeared before a judge in Versailles yesterday, af-
FRIDAY WITH Dozie Okebalama
dozieokeama@yahoo.co.uk 08164966858 (SMS only) Before we have a thousand and one other things cluttering our minds, we have that time with God that can really and truly be devoted to Him, without worrying about the kids or the job or anything else. Our minds are ready to receive; our hearts are tender and ready to be prepared for the day”, the writer says. But that’s mainly for adult folks. In the field of Pedagogy, however, morning devotion represents a sacred, integral and very useful part of the school day if the teachers utilise the period properly. “The results of creative devotionals include not only more enthusiastic, interested students, but also more spiritually mature young people - who develop into more spiritually mature adults”, another report says. When, therefore, it was widely reported last weekend that the Permanent Secretary in the Cross River State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Anne Odey, banned morning devotion in all public and private schools in the state, it was a case of instant public outrage. For this writer, the latest irresponsible and religiously biased policy misadventure comparable to Mrs. Odey’s rash decision was that of the immediate past governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, whom the incumbent governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, lampooned not too long ago for the non-employment of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) teachers for public schools in the state. Reports said at a point during ex-Governor Aliyu’s administration, Christians led by the Christian Association
THE MIX-UP WOULD BEST BE CAPTURED PROVERBIALLY AS A CASE OF ROTTEN PALM FRUITS AND LEAKING MORTAR IN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND DECISION TAKING of Nigeria (CAN) requested severally for the recruitment of teachers of CRK into Niger State public schools since there were already enough Islamic Religious teachers in the system. For reasons that were obviously neither noble nor in the interest of religious harmony in the state, however, the former governor ignored CAN’s call. Nonetheless, on a closer look at Mrs. Odey’s case, it does seem she harboured no grudge against morning devotions in Cross River schools. She was said to have given the directive based on the advice of the state Commissioner of Police, in view of the security challenges the nation is presently confronted with. But an ostensibly panicstricken Odey took the laws into her hands when she unilaterally ordered the ban without properly briefing and securing the permission of Governor Ben Ayade, on whose desk the buck of the consequences of her
action ends. Mr. Jude Ngaji, the Security Adviser to Governor Ayade, said his boss was not aware of Odey’s directive. Consequently, Ayade suspended the Permanent Secretary indefinitely and ordered the immediate lifting of the ban. In my part of the country, the mix-up would best be captured proverbially as a case of rotten palm fruits and leaking mortar in information management and decision taking. A third could be added – a broken pestle – since three principal actors are involved, namely: the Cross River State Commissioner of Police; the now embattled Permanent Secretary; and the state Governor. But should this writer be given the privilege of wielding the sledge hammer, the first culprit deserving of harsh censure or punishment would be the Commissioner of Police, who instead of passing the privileged information at his disposal directly to the state chief executive, condescendingly routed it through the Permanent Secretary. Next to face the horsewhip would be Odey for acting in dissonance with her position as a subordinate to the Governor, and taking a very sensitive decision best suited for the state chief executive. Governor Ayade would also not be free from the dangling axe. For, he also transgressed by taking what seemed a precipitate decision by indefinitely suspending Odey and lifting the ban, perhaps without proper clarification on the veracity or otherwise of the security alarm sounded by the Commissioner of Police. With the ban now angrily lifted, what ironcast precautions has Ayade taken to ensure that mischief makers do not cash in on the official bickering to justify the need to ban morning devotions in schools in the state? Nothing here, in any case, should be mistaken as justification for the glaring fact that the exponential increase in the number of churches in the country has not translated to moral regeneration in any sense of it. This being the case, the visage of moral degeneracy in the future can only be imagined if morning devotions are banned in schools and children carry on as free thinkers right from their formative years.
Sport Extra
Benzema faces Valbuena sex tape blackmail charge ter being held in custody overnight. His lawyer says he played “no part” in an alleged attempt to extort money from fellow French international, Mathieu Valbuena.
But a source close to inquiry, quoted by told AFP, said the 27-year-old star told investigators he had approached Valbuena about the tape on behalf of “a childhood friend.” The two men report-
edly had an exchange during a training session. According to French media, Benzema mentioned the tape to the midfielder during a national team training session at Clairefontaine in early
October. France coach, Didier Deschamps, left both players out of his squad selected yesterday for matches against Germany and England later this month.
Benzema
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