Friday, March 1, 2013

Our budgeting system, a failure –Mark

Reps probe EFCC’s N2trn confiscated assets

…says it hasn’t brought democracy dividends GEORGE OJI ABUJA

Vol. 3 N0. 568

S

enate President David Mark yesterday picked holes in the country’s budgeting system, saying that Nigerians

had not benefitted from the yearly ritual.

This is even as the senators commenced moves to CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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Lamorde

Friday, March 1, 2013

N150

2015: North kicks, heads for court over Jonathan IBB backs formation of APC, says ‘I’m vindicated’ Opposition governors meet in Borno

PRISCILLA DENNIS, INUSA NDAHI, A ZA MSUE

D Ajimobi

Guild of Editors’ convention holds today

...elects new exco

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Ladipo market:

Court jails 32 hoodlums

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L-R: Head of Marketing Operations, MTV Base, Ms. Collete Otusheso; artiste 2face Idibia; Marketing g Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Walter Drenth; another artiste Wizkid and NBL Senior Marketing Manager, r, Tokunbo Adodo, at the launch of Star Mobile Music in Lagos.

NCP approves sale of Egbin plant for $407m

P.2,12 Explosions rock Maiduguri 2,000 divorcees, widows for mass wedding in Kano P.12

Damilola Olaniyan

espite taking control of the organs of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, President Goodluck Jonathan still have hurdles to subdue in his re-election bid in 2015.

A pan-Northern group, the Arewa Youth Forum, AYF, yesterday declared that it would soon file a case in court to challenge the eligibility of President Jonathan to vie for the 2015 presidency, having been sworn in twice.

This was coming just as former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, backed the formation of the All Progressive Congress, APC, saying he had been vindicated by the political CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Hip-Hop musician, Damoche, shot dead at LASU P.6

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Friday, March 1, 2013

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Power: NCP approves sale of Egbin plant for $407m ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

T

he National Council on Privatisation, NCP, yesterday approved the sale of 70 per cent of Egbin power plant in Lagos to a Korean firm, KEPCO for $407.3m.

NCP Technical Committee Chairman, Atedo Peterside, told State House correspondents after the meeting of the council that Egbin plant was currently valued at over $670m, more than the $549m it was valued at in 2007 when the Federal Government began negotiations to sell only 51 per cent equity of the plant to the same firm.

Also approved for sale as part of the plans to privatise the nation’s power generation plants are Omotosho (Ondo State) and Olorunsogo (Ogun State) to the Chinese firms which have almost completed their construction.

Peterside said that both Omotosho and Olorunsogo power plants were offered for $166m, adding that except for Afam plant, “every other power plant owned by

Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, now has a core investor.”

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Sada, said at the briefing that NCP deliberated on the report of the progress being made by the Attorney-General of the Federation on the issue of arbitration delaying the privatisation of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant in Kogi State and Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, ALSCON, located at Ikot Abasi, Akwa

Ibom State.

He explained that the parties involved already had useful discussions towards amicable resolution of the matter out of court.

Sada said: “We are beginning to see that very soon, we are likely to conclude some of those issues such that the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, will take full charge of these two important facilities and are appropriately privatised.

“This time, it will be in such a way that they will

come back to contribute the way that they are expected to as major industrial backbone of the Nigerian economy,” he added.

BPE Acting DirectorGeneral, Benjamin Dikki, also disclosed that NCP had approved five draft bills which would be tabled before the Federal Executive Council, FEC, for further approval and thereafter forwarded them to the National Assembly.

The draft bills are on inland waterway, ports,

railways, road sector and National Transport Commission.

Also approved by NCP was NIPOST reform bill aimed at making the postal agency to return to its role of regulating the industry and as operator.

The Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson, explained that the two functions would be separated, stressing that a postal commission would be created to act as the regula-

tor.

At the briefing, Amperium Consortium, the firm of Femi Otedola, presented a confirmation of payment of $33m, including local component of N519.12m into BPE’s account, being 25 per cent down payment for acquiring 51 per cent of Geregu power plant.

A representative of Amperium, Akin Akinfemiwa, presented the confirmation of payment to the members of the council.

L-R: Governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti State); Deputy Governor Abubakar Aliyu (Yobe); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Kasim Shettima (Borno); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Ibikunle Amusun (Ogun) and Tanko Al’Makura (Nasarawa) at the All Progressive Congress meeting in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday.

2015: North kicks, heads for court over Jonathan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

development.

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, also condemned the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, over his support for the president.

The group described Tukur as a betrayer of the North, stressing that was why it kicked against his choice as the party’s national chairman.

AYF National President, Alhaji Gambo Gunjugu, told our correspondent in Kaduna that the group would continue to fight for northern presidency in 2015.

He added that legal experts had been drafted to join case against President Jonathan’s legality to seek re-election.

He said: “We are not surprised because from day one, we addressed a press conference against Tukur’s candidature as chairman of PDP because we realised that it was another conspiracy by President Jonathan against the North in 2015.

To us, Tukur is a betrayer of the North.

“Already, President Jona-

than’s case is in court over his qualification to seek reelection in 2015, but we the northern youths doubted the sincerity of the person who took the President to court because he might surrender any time.”

“So, we Northern youths just finished a meeting now over Bamanga Tukur’s strategy for Jonathan and we resolved that a team of legal experts should be put in place for us to file our own separate case against Jonathan eligibility to seek re-election in 2015 as he was already sworn in twice as president of this country. We will continue to fight for presidency back to the North.”

Also, the apex northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has condemned Tukur over his comment that President Jonathan is free to contest in 2015 elections.

ACF National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, told National Mirror in Kaduna that Tukur could not be a defender of President Jonathan’s reelection as matter on his qualification was in court

of law for interpretation.

The ACF said: “Since the matter is for court to decide, Tukur cannot be a defender and at the same time the one to pass judgement.”

The forum had earlier called on President Jonathan to respect his singleterm agreement with the PDP governors since he had already been sworn in twice as President.

ACF said Jonathan must not swallow his honour and moral values by going against the 2011 accord.

Supporting the megaparty, Babangida noted that the emergence of APC would provide credible opposition and offer alternative choice to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2015 elections.

Speaking with journalists in Minna, the Niger State capital, Babangida expressed happiness at the political development in the country.

APC is a coalition of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; Congress for Progressive Change, CPC; All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP and All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.

The former military ruler explained that when he came up with the idea of a two-party system, the whole nation criticised him for conceiving such.

Babangida said: “I was a very good advocate of twoparty system. When I said two-party system, you said I was a soldier. I was called names.

“Now you are seeing the reasons why I went for twoparty system. To me, the emergence of the APC is a welcome political development.”

On the crisis within the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, the former military president noted that the political elites were talking of forum or party without taking into cognisance the masses whose votes were important in the whole process.

“To me, I don’t believe we should continue to dissipate our energy on such issues. We should rather ginger the masses by letting them know the reasons for whatever course of action, if not, we will not get anywhere,” he said.

IBB also said that an-

other area that must be accorded priority was education, saying if the people had access to education the nation would be great and urged stakeholders to assist in funding the sector.

And as part of efforts to consolidate the gains of the merger of opposition parties on the platform of the APC, nine governors yesterday met in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, where they reiterated their irrevocable commitment to the emergence of the APC. At the meeting, which was held at the Borno State Government House and lasted for about four hours, the governors said they were determined to rescue Nigeria from visionless leadership.

“We wish to inform Nigerians that we shall soon embark on a national outreach and sensitisation activities and we call on Nigerians to support our efforts to rescue the country from a visionless leadership,” they stated..

The governors expressed their total support for the APC in a communiqué read

by Governor Aregbesola.

“The meeting reiterated

our irrevocable commitment to the emergence of the APC,” Aregbesola said.

He said that the governors were satisfied with the various steps taken so far toward the emergence of the party.

“We wish to commend the Central Merger Committee of the APC on the progress so far made in the establishment of the new party, particularly the inauguration of the three major committees on constitution, manifesto and legal/INEC compliance,” the communiqué stated.

On the motive behind holding the meeting in Maiduguri, Aregbesola said this was done in solidarity with the people and the state government on the recent happenings in the state.

He said: “We decided to hold the meeting in Maiduguri in solidarity with the government and people of Borno and Yobe states.

“We are pleased to witness an upsurge of tranquility and calm in Maiduguri, contrary to the image of rampant violence that CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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Friday, March 1, 2013

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Photo News

Friday, March 1, 2013

L-R: Council member, University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Mr. Duro Diri; Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Wale Babalakin; Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muhammed Daura and Registrar, Mallam Babagana Aji, at the inauguration of UNIMAID Gardens Hotel in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Chancellor, Covenant University, Dr. David Oyedepo (right) and President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Mr. Adedoyin Owolabi, during a visit to the chancellor in Ogun State, recently.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Executive Director, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma; Vice-Chairman, MTN Nigeria, Col. Sanni Bello (rtd); beneficiary of the MTN Foundation Scholarship Scheme for Blind Students, Miss Hadiza Musa and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mr. Ossi George, during the presentation of the scholarship in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

L-R: Managing Director, UBA Foundation, Ms. Ijeoma Aso; a visually impaired student of Crescent College, Lagos, Master AbdulAzeez Balogun; his mother, Kudirat Balogun and Vice-Principal, Mahmud Abdul Ganiy, at the presentation of a Braille Machine to the student in Lagos, yesterday.

National News

Reps probe EFCC’s N2trn confiscated assets TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

T

he House of Representatives yesterday ordered investigation into the handling of seized assets worth over N2 trillion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The House said the probe became necessary because of a deluge of petitions received from the public by its Committee on Crimes and Narcotic.

The resolution followed the adoption of the prayers of a motion sponsored by Hon. Toby Okechukwu (PDP-Enugu) and 16 others.

Reading his motion, Okechukwu noted that most of the operations of EFCC were not transparently done.

He said the situation whereby vehicles, houses or business concerns seized

by EFCC were allowed to go to waste by the commission was unacceptable.

The lawmaker said the EFCC had seized over 200 mansions in the past through court orders but that these assets were not

accounted for.

Okechukwu said the agency had seized assets from accused and convicted persons, including prominent Nigerians and corporate organisations through court orders in accordance with its powers, adding that the Assets Forfeiture Unit of the agency, which came into being in 2008, mandated the EFCC to ensure that all assets it confiscated for the Federal Government were identified and verifiable.

He said the forfeited assets estimated at over N2 trillion were made up of landed properties and business concerns, bank accounts, shares in blue chip companies, exotic vehicles, fuel stations, hotels, warehouses, shopping malls, schools, bakeries, housing estates and radio stations in and outside Nigeria.

The legislator also expressed worry that there were reports and complaints of vandalism, abandonment and wastage of some of these assets after they were seized by the EFCC. He expressed concern over “the status of these

properties and the lack of clarity on their use while litigation is on, coupled with the reported breach of the seal of EFCC and attempts at unlawful and forceful repossession by those whose properties had been confiscated.”

Okechukwu said he was challenged by “the reported rot and dilapidation of over 400 cars seized from former governors and prominent Nigerians which order was

obtained from the court to enable professional managers use same to generate revenue for the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

He added that it was instructive to note that the commission ought to hire experts to run any seized company to avoid ruining the organisation and the jobs of workers.

The lawmaker said the situation was made worse by the fact that employees

of the companies concerned were often thrown into the unemployment market.

The Minority Whip of the House, Hon. Samson Osagie (Edo/ACN), while supporting the motion, noted that it was sad that instead of the country benefiting from seized property, the reverse was case.

Osagie said the fact that property seized by EFCC were allowed to rot and become worthless meant the

country had nothing to benefit from the seizure.

He said: “The idea is for the nation to recoup what has been stolen but right now, because some of these properties are allowed to rot away, we do not make gains out of the seizure.”

Another member, Hon. Emeka Nwogbo (AnambraAPGA), advocated a change of strategy by the agency to enable people benefit from seizure of properties.

Nigeria’s GDP grew by 6.99% in Q4, 2012 TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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he nation’s Real Gross Domestic Product, GDP, growth rate when measured on aggregate basis grew by 6.99 per cent in the 4th quarter of last year as against the 7.76 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2011.

The Q4 2012 growth rate was, however, slightly lower than the projected rate of 7.09 per cent for the three months period ended December 2012.

The new Revised 2011

and Estimates for Q1-Q4 2012 reflecting the Gross Domestic Report for the country published yesterday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and signed by Statistician General, Dr. Yemi Kale, showed that relative to the Q3 2012, the economy experienced improved performance as growth increased by 0.44 percentage points from the 6.48 percent recorded in the preceding quarter.

The NBS reported that the nominal GDP for the 4th quarter of 2012 was estimated at N10, 593,714.64

million as against N9, 554,854.69 million during the corresponding quarter of 2011.

The estimates indicated that the overall performance of the economy in GDP outputs from both oil and non-oil sector witnessed decreased output in Q4, while non-oil sector growth was driven by growth in activities recorded in the building and construction, cement, hotel and restaurant, and electricity sectors.

According to the Bureau, the average daily crude oil production stood at 2.14 mil-

lion barrels per day (mbpd) in the quarter under review, based on figures supplied by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, as against 2.44 mbpd in the corresponding quarter of 2011. These figures, with their associated gas components, indicated that the oil sector declined in real terms by 0.79 per cent compared with the 0.08 per cent for the same quarter in 2011, while production was also in a decline compared to the Q3, 2012, which grew by of 0.08 percent as against 0.79 percent recorded in Q4, 2012.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Land scam: El Rufai’s trial continues on March 21 EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

J

ustice Sadiq Abubakar Umar of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, has adjourned till March 21, hearing in the case of alleged irregular land allocation by former Minister of the FCT, Mallam Nasir El Rufai.

The adjournment for continuation of the trial followed the cross examination of one Chukwuma Okoye, who was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Adebayo Adelodun, SAN. Chiefs Akin Olujimi, SAN, and Kanu Agabi, SAN, both counsel to 1st, 2nd and 3rd accused, cross-examined Okoye on the size of the contentious Plot 1201, belonging to the Power Holding Com-

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Friday, March 1, 2013

pany of Nigeria, PHCN. Okoye had told the court that the plot was allocated to PHCN by the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, for the construction of a power sub-station.

The prosecution witness said he was directed by PHCN to fence the said plot against encroachment The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting El-Rufai; a former DirectorGeneral of the Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS, Altine Jibrin as well as former General Manager of AGIS, Ismail Iro, over abuse of office.

Specifically, the former minister is standing trial for allegedly allocating 10 plots of land in Asokoro District to members of his family.

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Reps probe $60m ‘squandered’ by NNPC TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

T

he House of Representatives yesterday said it would probe an alleged wastage of $60million by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on M.T. Tuma, an oil vessel owned by the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, a subsidiary of the corporation.

The Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) is to investigate the rationale behind the prolonged stay of the ship in

Brazil and ascertain those responsible for its delay.

The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of the prayer of a motion sponsored by a member, Hon. Mudashiru Kamil Akinlabi, under matters of public importance.

The motion was titled: “Motion on the need to investigate the colossal amount spent in the NNPCPPMC M.T. Tuma vessel.”

Akinlabi noted that the vessel left the shores of Nigeria in 2007 for a routine dry docking exercise (maintenance,) which was expected to last three

months.

He, however, alleged that the ship left Nigeria without a proper scope of the work to be done on it, adding that it had gone on a similar voyage before and was abandoned in Brazil for almost six years, costing the nation about $5million.

MT Tuma, the lawmaker said, found her way into Nigeria in May last year without the maintenance job done properly.

In spite of the shoddy job, Akinlabi said the ship incurred about N60 million arising from demurrage and

other port charges in Brazil.

“We are conscious of the fact that several contracts were awarded for the maintenance of the said vessel and money paid out to various companies without any work done.

“MT Tuma is now lying idle on the high sea and not in good shape to perform any economical function even after having spent at least $60 million in tax payers’ money.

“The NNPC management/ PPMC is by now considering a total disposal of the ship which will lead to a total loss exceeding $70 million,” he said.

IG decorates new AIGs, charges them on leadership by example OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

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he Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has decorated eight newly promoted senior police officers with their new ranks, charging them to rise up and evolve proactive measures in tackling the current security challenges.

Those decorated were three Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), Mark Idawko, Mamman Sule and Adisa Bolanta, and five Commissioners of police (CPs), Nasiru Oki, Isaac Oke, Marcus Danlandi, Ahmed Ibrahim and Salihu Garba. Their pro-

motion takes effect from January 30.

Decorating the officers, the IG urged them to lead by good example and project the police in good light.

He said: “Because we have found out that most of the problems of the police are not even with the junior ones, most of the time, the problem is with the senior ones.

“We refuse to do what we are expected to do in terms of leadership. No matter where you are today or whatever posting you might take, we expect so much from you, there is no room for monkey style, we expect you to lead by good example.”

2015: North kicks, heads for court over Jonathan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

has been painted to the world.

“We discovered that the people are going about their businesses without hindrance. We wish to commend the efforts of our brother-governors in the two states and the security agents for the restoration of peace and stability.”

The APC governors also announced a donation of N200m for the victims of the crisis in the two states – Borno and Yobe.

“We also sympathise with the families of those who lost their lives and

wish to donate the sum of N200 million to the two states for emergency relief support,” he said.

The meeting was attended by Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Umaru Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Kashim Shettima (Borno).

The deputy governor of Yobe State, Abubakar Aliyu, represented Governor Ibrahim Gaidam while Oyo and Zamfara governors were absent.

President Goodluck Jonathan (left) and Ivorian Minister of Economic Infrastructure, Mr. Patrick Achi, at the closing ceremony of the 42nd Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire, yesterday.

PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

Our budgeting system, a failure –Mark CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

scrap the envelope-based budgeting system, which confines Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to pre-determined amount by the Budget Office and the Finance Ministry.

“I think that there is basically a problem with the envelope system and that has to change.

“Our budgets over the years have not brought growth, it has not improved employment rate, it has not brought the dividends of democracy to the people as they expected and I think that is not in the best interest of this country.

“The problem is that people who are in charge of the budget have failed to do what they are supposed to do.

“Some others have become too powerful and hijacked other people’s work and refuse to allow those who have been charged with specific responsibil-

ity to do what they are supposed to do,” Mark said.

The senators expressed concern that the current annual incremental envelope-based budgeting being used by the Federal Ministry of Finance was arbitrary and not pro-growth, stressing that it was one of the factors responsible for the slow shift from recurrent to capital-led annual budget.

The lawmakers, therefore, directed the Senate Joint Committee on National Planning and Finance to commence the immediate review of the current national planning and budgeting linkages and recommend amendments to the relevant laws.

The senators’ action followed the adoption of the resolution of the motion sponsored by Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North) on the review of the national planning and budgeting system in the country.

All the senators who contributed to the motion aligned with the view that the envelope-based budgeting system had failed the country as it had not ensured the delivery of democracy dividends to the people.

They also agreed that the budgeting process had made the legislature less involved, relying only on the information provided by the executive.

The lawmakers noted that the parliament “is the constitutional institution that should appropriate national budget.”

They, however, regretted that under the current arrangements, there “is an absence of a coherent and systematic means of exerting legislative control over the fiscal priorities of the Federal Government.”

Adetunmbi in his lead motion noted the subsumed role of the national planning functions in the Nigerian budget process.

While insisting that

national planning continues to be a dominant policy instrument in many low-income and emerging market economies, the lawmaker explained that the traditional five-year development plans had been replaced by a medium-term expenditure framework.

He expressed concern that Nigeria needed evidencebased budgeting “rooted in planning that is based on demographic information from a credible census and reliable socio-economic data from the national and state statistical bureaux.

The lawmaker also noted that the country needed a strong national planning function “to provide a multiyear national plan and undertake the necessary analysis of alternative planning scenarios, policies and strategies and bring together the line ministries, the private and voluntary sectors as well as the international community into an effective development partnership.”

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Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NULGE takes agitation for LG autonomy to NASS GEORGE OJI AND OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

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he Nigeria Union of Local Employees (NULGE) yesterday stormed the National Assembly to protest what it described as the undue interference of governors in the administration of local government across the country.

The union is agitating for a full autonomy for the local government administration to free the third tier of government from the grips of the governors.

The protest, which began at the popular Berger Roundabouts, saw NULGE members in their hundreds displaying placards with various inscriptions as they matched along the streets to the National Assembly.

Some of the inscriptions read:”Governors should stop pocketing local government,”” Local government is third tier not a unit of state gov-

• Protests ‘governors’ undue interference’

ernors” and “We want bottom-top development approach.”

But for the resistance of the leadership of the union, assisted by the Executive Director of AntiCorruption Network, Hon. Dino Melaye, the protest would have ended some metres away from the National Assembly as heavily armed mobile policemen were already positioned at the gate of the hallowed chamber to wade off unwanted quests.

Representatives of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria participated in the protest.

Speaking before submitting the union’s petition to the representatives of both the Senate and House of Representatives, NULGE President, Mr. Ibrahim Khaleel, deplored the undue interference in the administration of the local governments.

He urged the National Assembly to resist any

Upcoming artiste murdered by suspected cultists MOJEED ALABI

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he Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, was yesterday thrown into mourning after one of its students and popular hip hop star, Olaniyi Ibrahim Damilola (aka Damoche) ,was shot dead at the Iba gate of the institution around 4pm.

Damilola, who was popularly referred to as “dadubule master” was a 400 level student of the Department of Banking and Finance in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

He was allegedly shot by two rival cult group members, who rode on a motorcycle and trailed the car of his friends who took him out of the campus.

The late Damilola was said to have attended the two classes that held in the department before leaving for the Sport Centre to take part in the Faculty of Social Sciences Dean’s Football competition.

According to a source, who did not want his name mentioned, The late Damilola was taking pho-

tographs with his friends when he received a call from an unknown source who demanded to see him outside the campus.

“He was part of Marketing 401 and another course, Banking and Lending Strategy that took place on the campus before he joined his mates at the sports centre in preparation for the final stage of the then ongoing Dean’s Cup. When he was called, I learnt he was reluctant to leave the school but a friend of his agreed to convey him out of the campus.

“He was in the car and just outside the school’s Iyana Iba gate, two guys on a motor cycle shot at him on the neck and arm.

I think he died on the spot,” the source said.

It was learnt that his body was first taken to the school’s health centre before it was later deposited at the mortuary in Badagry.

The director of the university’s Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations, Dr. Sola Fosudo, confirmed the killing.

clandestine move by the 36 governors of the federation to truncate the process that would lead to the granting of the full autonomy to the country’s local councils through constitutional review.

Khaleel said: “The development of the country can only be inclusive and sustainable if it starts from the local councils.”

Some of the union’s agitations include disbursement of funds to the local

councils through the Federation Account, stoppage of fraudulent joint project pilfering of local government administration, abolition of illegal deductions from the local council funds by the state government and the return of fraudulent revenue sources hitherto hijacked by the state governments.

Senator Kabiru Gaya, who represented Senate President David Mark, said that the Senate would

ensure that the local government operates according to the tenets outlined in the Constitution.

He also told them that the issue of joint account was being looked into by the Senate, promising that it would be resolved in favour of the third tier of government.

Gaya said: “We are concern about your cause. It was the decision of the Senate that local government in Nigeria is given autonomy at all cost; why we are saying this

was that the same way a governor is elected is the same a local government chairman is elected.

They are all representatives of the people, so I can’t see any reason why somebody is elected and is being dictated by another person.”

“Also, we are working hard to ensure that the issue of joint account is also abolished since the chairmen are elected, they should be given a free hand to run the local governments.”

L-R: Senator Ganiyu Solomon; Czech Republic Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Jaroslav Siro; Senate President David Mark and Senator Abdul Ningi during a visit by the ambassador to the National Assembly in Abuja, yesterday.

Muslims protest ‘molestation’ of pupils using hijab MURITALA AYINLA

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embers of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) yesterday stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Governor’s Office, protesting the alleged inhuman treatment of pupils by their school heads for using hijab.

They alleged the Principal of Kadara Junior Grammar School, Mrs. E.C. Ukpaka, flogged a 16-year-old pupil, Miss. Aisha Alabi, 43 strokes of the cane for using hijab in the school premises.

They also protested the alleged victimisation of one Barirat Tajudeen of Mafoluku Senior Grammar School by her Principal, Mrs. Elizabeth Omidele, on February 20, 2013 for using the scarf outside the school premises.

For hours, activities at the Alausa secretariat of the Lagos State Government and the House of As-

sembly were paralysed by the protesters.

Some of the inscriptions on their placards read: “43 strokes of the cane for using Hijab is inhuman,” “Hijab is our right,” “Hijab is our identity, stop molesting us” and “Hijab is a symbol of pride and honour,” among others.

The protesters, who stormed the Governor’ Office at about 10:00am, barricaded all entrances to the place.

The protesters called on the government to sack Mrs Ukpaka and Omidele for promoting action capable of instigating religious crisis in Lagos and its environs.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, MSSN Assistant General-Secretary, Mr. Zikrulahi Sulaimon, said: “Enough of this maltreatment from our teachers and lecturers, this is not the first corporal punishment melted to school

pupils. And we have not received any reasonable assurance from the state government that such act would not happen in the state again.”

At about 4:pm however, the protesters yielded to the plea by the state government representatives led by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Oyinlomo Danmole, for a closed-door meeting with eight-man delegation from the demonstrators.

Editors elect exco today at Ibadan convention LEONARD OKACHIE

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he Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) will today elect new executive at its biennial convention in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The convention, which is taking place at the esteemed Premier Hotel, is expected to produce a new president that will preside over the affairs of the Guild for the next two years.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State will declare the convention open, while the

Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, is expected to address about 300 editors expected at the event.

Highlight of the convention is the presentation of a book, which is a compilation of all papers presented at the All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC) in Kaduna (2009), Port Harcourt (2010), Benin (2011) and Uyo (2012).

The new president will take over from Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, whose tenure elapsed in January.

Adefaye, who is the Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard

Newspapers, was elected during the Guild’s 2008 convention in Lagos.

He served the Guild for two terms as he was re-elected at the 2011 convention held at Airport Hotel Lagos.

Today’s contest is between two senior journalists, Mr. Femi Adesina, the Executive Director, Publications, and Deputy Editorin-Chief of The Sun newspapers and Malam Tukur Abdulrahman, the Managing Director/Editor -inChief of the New Nigerian newspapers.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Friday, March 1, 2013

7

Oyerinde: Adoke disowns subordinate’s position on murder EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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ttorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, yesterday dissociated himself from the statement said to have been made by Mr. Thompson Olatigbe, who represented him in a public hearing at the House of Representatives.

Olatigbe, a deputy director, Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice, had

told the House’s Committee probing Olaitan Oyerinde’s murder that the ministry was confused in respect of the conflicting investigative reports on the murder case.

In a reaction sent to the House’s Chairman on Public Petitions, the AGF said his office had nothing to do with the investigation into the murder of late Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Olaitan Oyerinde.

He said the issue of being “confused” could not

have arisen in the first instance.

Adoke’s letter reads in part: “My attention has been drawn to the representations made by Mr. O. T. Olaitigbe, Deputy Director, Public Prosecutions of the Federation on behalf of my office and the Federal Ministry of Justice at the public hearing organised by your committee on February 27, 2013 on the alleged complicity and improper investigation in the murder of Oyerinde Olaitan, an aide to the

Edo State Governor.

“It has been widely reported in the electronic and print media that Mr. Olaitigbe while making his presentation to the committee, stated among other things, that the Ministry of Justice was confused as a result of the investigation reports it had received from the Nigeria Police and the State Security Service, SSS, which appeared to have indicted different sets of suspects for the alleged murder of Oyerinde and that the min-

istry could not proceed further with the prosecution of the suspects because of the need to harmonise the two reports.

“I wish to completely disassociate myself from the comments purportedly made on my behalf by Mr. Olaitigbe as the comments were at best, a figment of his imagination and very far from the truth.

“Mr. Olaitigbe was under firm instructions to inform the committee among others that: “The Federal Min-

istry of Justice had examined the powers of the SSS as provided by Section 3 of the National Security Act, Cap.N.74 LFN, 2004 and the powers of the Nigeria Police as provided by section 4 of the Police Act Cap. P.19 LFN, 2004 and had come to the reasoned conclusion that the power to investigate crimes of the nature under consideration (murder) resides with the Nigeria Police while the power to gather intelligence lies with the SSS.

N107m scam: Ogbulafor urges court to dismiss case EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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L-R: Director, Solicitors, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Olusola Moore; Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman; Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Vice-President Namadi Sambo, during a meeting of National Council on Privatisation in Abuja, yesterday.

CPC crisis: Hanga’s faction loses bid to unseat Momoh EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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he Senator Rufai Hanga-led faction of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, yesterday failed in its bid to remove the party’s National Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh, as a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, high court struck out its suit.

Hanga, who was CPC’s protem secretary, had led some members of his party, including the then Protem Secretary, Alhaji Badmos Mutalib, to file an

originating summon challenging the authenticity of the Momoh-led National Executive Committee, NEC. The plaintiffs had averred that the NEC of the party that emerged from the January 4 to 6, 2011 national convention, was not properly elected, having allegedly failed to comply with the constitution of the party.

Accordingly, they urged the court to hold that any decision made by the Momoh-led national executive is “illegal, null and void.”

They further asked the court to make an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to deal with the defence.

In opposition to the originating summons, Momoh’s counsel filed a preliminary objection where he challenged the locus standi of the plaintiffs to commence the suit.

Specifically, Momoh argued that the plaintiffs did not explore the internal mechanism of resolving intra-party disputes, before approaching the court.

Momoh also submitted

that the action of Hanga and others was “statute barred,” having been caught up by Section 2 (a) of the Public Officers’ Protection Act. In her judgement, presiding judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, resolved prayers two, three and four against the plaintiffs to the effect that the plaintiffs did not explore the party’s dispute resolution mechanism and that the suit was statute barred.

The court then struck out the suit and upheld the preliminary objection by the defendant.

ormer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, has asked a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, high court to dismiss a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy and award of fictitious contracts, preferred against him by the Federal Government.

In a “no case submission” entered by his counsel, Chief Joe-KyariGadzama, SAN, Ogbulafor predicated his argument on the ground that; “There was no credible or convincing evidence to link him with the charge preferred against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.” In his submission yesterday, Gadzama insisted that the prosecution was unable to meet the minimum standard required in law to compel an accused person to stand trial.

Gadzama told the court that the prosecution failed to meet two conditions necessary in criminal trial. On that basis, he argued that the court cannot rely on

same to try Ogbulafor.

Buttressing his argument further, counsel to the 1st accused person said only two prosecution witnesses testified, and that the second witness “made no reference whatsoever to the 1st accused.”

According to him; “In all the counts, none succeeded in proving the ingredients of conspiracy to allegedly award fictitious contracts to the tune of N107 million.”

Gadzama further stated that the N2 million that Ogbulafor admitted to have taken, was to further his campaign for the position of National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Consequent upon this, Ogbulafor urged the court to uphold his “no case submission” and proceed to discharge him of the charge.

Ogbulafor

Kidnappers take Lagos-bound car, passengers hostage SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

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ostage-taking assumed a new dimension in Edo State on Wednesday, as gunmen hijacked a fully loaded Lagos-bound Toyota Sienna car along with the driver and five passengers on the ever-busy

Benin-Lagos Expressway.

National Mirror reliably gathered that the incident occurred before Okada around Ogbemudia Farms. The unfortunate victims were travelling on a Greener Line Transport Company car from Warri in Delta State to Lagos.

It was further gathered that the kidnappers bar-

ricaded the road with a truck, forcing the driver to stop. Immediately, gunwielding men emerged from the bush to take the victims hostage. However, they allowed the driver and one of the passengers to go scot-free so as to inform the public about the incident.

One of the victims, who

resides in Lagos, was said to be returning after the naming ceremony of his newly born baby in Warri, but taken along with the other passengers. The father of the victim, a retired Army Colonel, told our correspondent that the kidnappers had made contact with his family, demanding N3 million as ransom to set

his son free.

The father said he had pleaded with the kidnappers to release his son unhurt, especially as it was difficult for the family to raise the huge ransom being demanded.

The release of the driver of the vehicle has, however, sent tongues wagging with many suspecting a foul

play. Some citizens have, however, urged the police to look into a possible collaboration that ensured the success of the crime.

Contacted on the incident, Edo State Police Command Acting Public Relations Officer, Mr. Awhara Ejiroro, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

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South West

Oyo shut 60 hospitals in three months –Commissioner KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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yo State Government has shut 60 illegal hospitals across the state in the last three months.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, made the disclosure yesterday while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, the state capital.

He said the affected health facilities included specialist hospitals, clinics and maternity centres, adding that about 80 per cent of them were in Ibadan, six hospitals were closed down in Ogbomoso, four in Oyo town while eight were shut in Saki.

According to him, the hospitals were discovered during routine monitoring by the officials of the ministry.

Gbadegesin explained that the hospitals’ offences ranged from non-registration with the government, failure to renew registration as well as unwholesome practices.

He added that some were also found not to have adequate facilities while some were guilty of using quacks, thereby endangering the lives of patients.

The commissioner also

said that some owners of the hospitals were quacks because they were not trained to render some of the services being offered.

Gbadegesin disclosed that one of the hospitals in Ibadan was shut for an unwholesome practice leading to the death of a baby during child birth.

He said: “Practitioners, who want to run hospitals, clinics, maternity centres, etc, anywhere in Oyo State, must register with the state government.

“We are here to change things for the better in the state. Previous governments were unable to do this due to lack of political will. But the current administration under Governor Abiola Ajimobi is demonstrating the political will to do the right thing.”

The commissioner maintained that the political will was helping the government to enthrone discipline and credibility in the system, saying that the current government would not sit and allow lives of residents to be endangered.

Gbadegesin added that all business organisations must also meet government requirements, including payment of relevant levies being used to transform the state.

Don’t meddle in civilian affairs, GOC warns Army officers HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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fficers and men of the Nigerian Army have been warned not to meddle in civilian affairs in order not to ridicule the profession.

The General Officer Commanding, GOC, 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Ahmed Jubrin, gave the warning during a familiarisation visit to the 32, Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment, Akure, Ondo State.

Jubrin said civil matters should be handled in civil way.

He said: “Avoid any involvement in civil matter.

Don’t use your position or uniform to intimidate people. Do not say because your brother or sister is being cheated and take law into your hand; let the matter be handled in a

civil way.”

The GOC, who also called on the officers to be security conscious, urged them to act as security officers both within the barracks and their community.

Jubrin advised them to cultivate good relationship with their immediate community while the sanitation of the barracks and commitment to their families should be given priority.

The GOC congratulated members of the brigade for their efforts in maintaining law and order during the last governorship election in the state, saying the conduct of the election had been adjudged as one of the best in the country.

The visit, Jubrin said, was in continuation of his familiarisation tour of formations and units within the 2nd Division.

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ladipo: Court jails 32 hoodlums FRANCIS SUBERU AND MURITALA AYINLA

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he Special Offences Court sitting in Alausa has jailed 32 suspected hoodlums arrested on Wednesday by the Lagos State Task Force on Environment Special Unit at the popular Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market in Mushin.

The suspects, who pleaded guilty, were sentenced to 60 days imprisonment without an option of fine.

The court also granted bail to 10 suspected “Bakassi Boys” arrested in the market on Monday.

Speaking with our correspondent, the state prin-

•Traders lose N2bn daily to market closure cipal counsel, Babatunde Sunmonu, who confirmed this, said the 10 suspected “Bakassi Boys” who pleaded not guilty had been granted bail with N50,000 each with two sureties each of whom must not be a civil servant in the state.

He explained that each of the sureties must be able to provide evidence of tax payment for 12 years and must have landed properties in Lagos.

Suspected “Bakassi Boys” were arrested at the Aguyi Ironsi section of the market with charms and other weapons by the Task Force and Rapid Response Squad, RRS.

Meanwhile, it has been estimated that trading in the market worth N2 billion daily.

A visit to the market yesterday showed that the market, with over 500 shops, was still under lock.

Armed policemen, who cordoned off the market, searched passers-by.

Some traders were loitering around the market without undertaking trading activities while many containers loaded with goods were outside.

One of the traders, who simply identified himself as Chukwuma, bemoaned his losses since the closure of the market.

The trader, however, expressed optimism that the market would soon be reopened.

He said: “Our chairman with other executives had been meeting since morning. They have even sent a delegation to the state government and I hope by next week, everything would be resolved. I pray they resolve the matter so that commercial activities can resume in earnest because we cannot quantify the losses.”

Another trader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was arrested by the Task Force enforcing the closure order and had to pay N15,000 to bail himself.

L-R: President, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Chief Bayo Oyero; author of the book: African Traditional Medicine Practices among the Yoruba of Nigeria, Prof. David Oyebola; a guest, Dr. Femi Olaleye and author’s wife, Mrs. Yemisi Oyebola, at the presentation of the book in Ibadan, yesterday.

Inadequate police behind upsurge in crime –Don KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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university lecturer, Dr. Rasheed Okunola, yesterday attributed the increase in kidnapping in the rural areas to inadequate presence of police at the grassroots.

The criminologist, who delivered the 19th Faculty Lecture of the Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, entitled; “The gods are not to blame: Youth, growing insecurity and crime challenges in rural Nigeria,” said lack of national interest by the political class was also responsible for the growing crime rate.

Okunola said the disarticulated development

process in rural Nigeria had produced deluded hybrid youths who were environmentally deprived and socially frustrated.

According to him, the rural areas which hitherto enjoyed peace, has become haven of terrorists, kidnappers and abductors owing to political neglect and disarticulated development.

The lecturer said there were only 205 police officers to 100,000 people in Nigeria with 1,300 police stations nationwide, arguing that it was a function of policy insensitivity.

He said: “The socioeconomic life in the rural areas is characterised by poverty, hunger, inadequate social amenities and poor infrastructure.

“The alarming increase

IG Abubakar

in the rate of poverty in Nigeria has gone contrary to available natural resources and wealth of the country.”

According to him, to tackle kidnapping, abduction, and terrorism, there is the need for erection of more police stations in rural Nigeria, engagement of youth organisations, local experts and community leaders who had been neglected by the government.

He said: “Economic predicament observed among rural dwellers of Nigeria can be attributed to bad governance, and its consequences which may lead to malfunctioning or utter collapse of the nation’s economy.”

Okunola said Nigerian youths in rural areas were neither mobilised nor supported by their governments so that they could meet their life aspirations.

He called on the National Assembly to allocate more resources for crime control and prevention in rural communities.

The lecturer noted that government interventions at solving communal clashes must incorporate adequate understanding of the history of the communities and their beliefs.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Friday, March 1, 2013

Church members to sue bishop over Fayemi’s N5m donation ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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embers of St Paul’s Millennium Anglican Church at Odo-Owa Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State yesterday disclosed plans to sue the Bishop of Ekiti West Anglican Diocese, Most Rev Oludare Oke, if he failed to restore the rank of the church’s vicar, Rev. Mike Ogunniyi.

Two members of the Provincial Church Council (PCC) told journalists in Ado-Ekiti yesterday that the church might be compelled to pull out of the Diocese if the rank of the vicar was not restored.

The PCC members, who did not want their names mentioned, said the pro-

test, which the church members embarked on following the bishop’s action would be a child’s play compared to their other plans if Rev. Ogunniyi’s rank was not restored.

Trouble started following the disbursement of the N5 million donated to the church by Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi for promoting evangelism.

Governor Fayemi donated the money in January during the burial of the former primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Bishop Abiodun Adetiloye.

The Bishop was said to have given an order that the donation by Governor Fayemi should be kept in a special fixed account, saying it was an endowment fund and not a gift to the

Odo-Owa church alone.

But some church members disagreed with the bishop when Rev Ogunniyi disclosed the bishop’s stance and insisted that the money would be used to purchase a new bus for evangelism and for the church’s renovation.

The church consequently bought a new bus for N3 million, spent N1 million on the renovation and kept the remaining N1 million.

The bishop, who was said to be irked by the action of the church, demoted Rev. Ogunniyi for alleged insubordination and indiscipline.

But church members, angered by the demotion of their vicar protested and sealed off the church to prevent service from holding.

SSANU threatens strike over committee report HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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he Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SSANU) is threatening a showdown with the Federal Government if the report of the NEEDS Assessment Committee is not reversed.

The association yesterday gave the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum to meet its demands.

Chairman of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) branch of SSANU, Benedict Chukwuma, spoke at an emergency meeting of

•Issues two weeks ultimatum

the association held at the university campus.

The chairman pointed out that the report submitted by the committee was rejected by the association because it was aimed at downsizing the members with a claim that the system was too heavy.

Chukwuma said the report of the committee was ill-conceived as it mainly targeted SSANU members, saying that the committee recommended that non-teaching staff should be transferred to federal and states Ministries of Education.

The chairman said despite the one week warning strike embarked upon by the association to protest the recommendation, President Goodluck Jonathan went ahead to sign the report for execution.

He said: “The government position is unrealistic and unacceptable.

We therefore call on the government to shun the report submitted by the NEEDS Assessment Committee because it was made in bad fate and therefore leaves much to be desired”.

Why three ministries’ll begin Saturday work –Lagos MURITALA AYINLA

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he Lagos State Government yesterday justified reason for embarking on Saturday services by three ministries.

The government said the development was initiated to enhance provision of essential services to the people.

The three ministries Transportation, Physical Planning and Urban Development and Land Bureau will begin Saturday service tomorrow.

Addressing journalists at the state secretariat at Alausa, Ikeja, the Head of Service, Prince Adesegun

Ogunlewe, and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba, said the development was geared towards enhancing government’s service to the people.

According to Ogunlewe, relevant agencies in the Ministry of Transportation would deal with issues of drivers’ training, drivers’ license and traffic enforcement, while the concerned agencies the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development would deal with complaints and queries about building permits and related matters.

The Head of Service added that the Land Bureau would deal with issues relat-

ing to land.

Ogunlewe said: “To demonstrate our commitment in this regard and deliver on this mandate, the state government has resolved to render skeletal services on Saturdays starting from Saturday 2nd March, 2013 between the hours of 10:00 am and 2:00pm.

“This will give opportunity to those who are not able to access government business during the week to do so.

“The arrangement, however, excludes Saturday of environmental sanitation.

The objective of this innovation is to add value to the environment for doing business in the state.”

The PCC members, who said the bishop was not willing to restore the vicar’s rank despite entreaties, lamented that the demotion of the vicar had damaging effect on the status of the church because the church would no longer be regarded as the seat of archdeaconry.

They said: “The governor announced the donation to St Paul Millennium Church in the presence of everybody during the burial of late Archbishop Abiodun Adetiloye. Primate Nicholas Okoh and others were there, it was not done in the secret.

“The cheque was written in the name of St Paul’s Millennium Church and it was written at the back of the cheque that it was to be use for evangelism.

“The money was spent for the purpose for which it was meant and the bishop had no justification to demote the vicar.”

EKSUTH partners India on training of surgeons ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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he Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) in Ado-Ekiti has disclosed readiness to sponsor some dental surgeons and technicians to India for training to boost its personnel.

EKSUTH Board Chairman, Dr Kayode Akinlade, who said the hospital’s surgeons had been exposed to series of trainings in recent time, added that the move was to further enhance capacity and boost service delivery.

Akinlade spoke at a lecture delivered by an Indian Dental expert, Dr Sandhya Ramanujam, in Ado-Ekiti, saying the hospital had been given a facelift in terms of personnel and equipment by the administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi.

He said the hospital has the biggest Acci-

Politics 2015: Divided the governors stand With the formation of the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by the governor of Cross River State, Godswill Akpabio, it is obvious that some forces, particularly at the Presidency, are out to whittle down the overwhelming influence of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum under the leadership of Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi.

But how would the formation of the new group affect the clout of the NGF, especially in determining who becomes the next president of Nigeria? Find out tomorrow.

Saturday Starter Discharged, but nowhere to go!

They are a relatively unknown specie of ‘landlords.’ These are ‘landlords’ in government hospitals across the country; patients who, owing to penury, are not able to pay their hospital bills and are therefore confined to the premises of these hospitals, in some cases, for more than twenty years.

Saturday Mirror presents the sorry tales of this hapless lot tomorrow. Get your hankies ready

x SeTalk

9

dent and Emergency Unit in the country.

According to him, the hospital’s surgeons had been advanced to the level that “they can now perform appendectomy operation without necessarily opening up the abdomen”.

Akinlade said EKSUTH took the decision to ensure international collaboration with other nations making wave in the health sector and as well fascinated by the expertise of Ramanujan in the field of dentistry.

Ramanujan, an American trained dentist and Managing Director of Perfect 32- Dental Care and Implant Centre in India, in her lecture entitled: “Aesthetic dentistry: A quest for balance between needs and wants: The creation of a functionally beautiful smile” urged the country to tackle challenges in the health sector through public-private partnership initiative.

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10

South-East

Why I pitched tent with APC - Okorocha CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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mo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has explained his decision to pitch tent with the All Progressives Congress, APC; saying the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of which he was a founding member, has disappointed the people of the SouthEast and Nigerians.

Okorocha, who was addressing journalists in Government House, Owerri, on state and national issues, said he has nothing against President Goodluck Jonathan, but his party the PDP, which he said has ruled the nation for over 13 years without any dividend for the people.

According to Governor Okorocha; “There is need for a change, Nigerians are tired of the PDP, which is no longer what it used to be after failing to address the needs of Nigerians,” he said.

Declaring his interest and support for the merger and the new APC, Governor Okorocha described the party as a child of necessity, capable of providing the much needed change in the South-East geo-political zone.

He promised to win the South-East zone for the APC, asserting that the party would be good for democracy, as well as for the Nigerian people. He assured the people that APC would promote internal democracy since it would

not support the imposition of candidates.

The governor also dismissed the misconception that the APC is a tribal party, saying that both General Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Ahmed Tinubu, are leaders who have the trust of their people, adding that it is also not true that Ndigbo cannot work with the Yoruba.

“APC is not a regional party and it is also not true that Ndigbo cannot peacefully co-exist in the same political party with the Yoruba. Both Buhari and Tinubu are true nationalists and not tribalists as been misconstrued by some enemies of progress.

“Again I want to inform you that APGA is not joining the APC but an equal stakeholder as a founding member and it is in the best interest of the SouthEast.”

He also called for the formation of a two party system, arguing that the introduction of a two party system would enable Nigerians strike the balance in governance, pointing out that any ruling party that could not perform must be changed.

Okorocha was of the opinion that if the country must have all round development at the state and local government levels, people of the rural community must be allowed to partake in decisions on the affairs that concerns them.

Cleric seeks collaboration against social vices GEORGE OPARA ABIA

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clergyman and President of the East Central Conference, ECC, of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, SDA, Pastor Enyinnaya Uguru, has called for partnership with religious institutions to curb social vices.

Uguru said this yesterday in Umuahia during the silver jubilee of the church in three states of Ebonyi, Enugu and part of Abia.

He regretted that much had not been done to curb social vices, which he said had retarded the progress of the country.

He said vices like child abuse, corruption, kidnapping, armed robbery, drug trafficking and human trafficking, still thrive in the country and called on political leaders to discharge their social contract with the people with sincerity of purpose in order to stem the trend.

The religious leader said religious institutions had not relented to play its part by propagating the gospel in a world full of misery and sorrow but said that the Adventist Church had contributed its part to ensure a stable society through the establishment of educational institutions to redirect the minds of the youths.

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Notorious kidnapper shot dead in Imo Man arrested for raping four-year-old to death

CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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notorious kidnapper and armed robbery kingpin, Uche Mathew Alaribe, alias, Nze M, who was responsible for several robberies and kidnappings in Imo State has been shot dead even as a 33-years-old man was arrested by the police for raping to death a four-year-old girl.

Parading robbery suspects yesterday at the Police Command Headquarters, Owerri, the Imo State capital, state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Katsina, said Alaribe was shot at the Mechanic Village in

Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area while planning for a robbery operation with one Emeka Opara and three others suspected to be members of his gang.

Katsina said Alaribe, on sighting the police, took to his heels and was shot in the leg and Opara was arrested while the others escaped.

According to him the gang was responsible for the killing of one Uchenna Emmanuel Alaribe, Achumba Samuel, Cowbell manager’s wife, a Deeper Life pastor, among other notable citizens of the state.

The police boss also paraded a rapist, Onyebuchi Ejikuonye from Umuezela

in Oru East Local Government Area, who raped to death, a four-year-old girl, Chinasa Dickson.

The rapist was said to have attempted burying his victim in a pit before the police crack team arrested him.

Also, two suspected kidnappers of a 75-year-old man, Dominic Ibemesi, of Nnwni in Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, were arrested at Port Harcourt, where they had gone to withdraw part of the N15 million ransom paid by the police in a bank.

The suspects, Ogechi Onwuka, from Obowo in Imo State and Ihohi Charles Illa, from Delta State, abducted

their victim at gun-point on his way from his farm at Umuchia Umuapu in Ohaji Local Government Area of Imo State.

The police commissioner warned members of the public not to harbour criminals as anybody caught would be treated as accomplice, adding that; “Everybody is equal before the law. Those who decide to take the negative side of life should abandon it; otherwise the long arm of the law will catch up with them.”

He disclosed that a formidable Ambush Squad has been set up by his command to comb the entire state for those involved in any type of criminal activity in the state.

Anglican Bishop of Onitsha, Bishop Owen Nwokolo (left); Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi and others at the presentation of a cheque for ongoing construction work at Iyienu Hospital in Ogidi, yesterday.

Abia demolishes bar for serving as kidnappers’ base GEORGE OPARA ABIA

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koto Bar and Resort Limited, a bar belonging to Olisagbo Ifedike, alias Ofeakwu, built along Afaraukwu Road beside the Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Umuahia, was yesterday pulled down by the Abia State government for allegedly serving as a base for kidnappers and armed robbers.

The team led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Task Force and Allied Matters; Capt. Awa Udonsi Agwu, also proceeded to Agbaama Housing Estate, where a twin bungalow, also alleged to be owned by the armed robber and kidnapper, Ifedike, was equally demolished.

Speaking with jour-

nalists after the demolition exercise, Agwu said the demolished buildings were found to belong to the dreaded kidnapper and armed robber known as Ifedike, and that after a thorough investigation, government decided to reduce the two buildings to rubbles.

Agwu said his task force received a letter from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Cosmos Ndukwe, giving them the directive to demolish the buildings found to belong to the kidnapper.

He said the wife of the kidnapper had earlier removed valuables from the two houses, but that the police have recovered some of them. He also said that his team has also discovered an empty plot of land be-

longing to the man close to the Akoto Resort.

The special adviser said the state government was not aware of the empty plot of land before now, “I will report back to the governor on this new development and he will give us the directive on the next line of action.”

Agwu said the land where the kidnapper has his buildings automatically belongs to the state government now, stressing that the government being the owner of the land will determine what they want to do with it later.

It will be recalled that Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, set the pace for the demolition of houses belonging to known kidnappers and armed robbers when he led security men with

bulldozers to demolish houses belonging to Ifedike alias Ofeakwu in his state.

Ifedike, alias Ofeakwu, an alleged kidnap kingpin and armed robber, hails from Oraifite, in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, was the first person to have his houses demolished after being arrested in the state and found to be involved in such violent crimes.

During the demolition exercise Governor Obi had said that he was informed that the kidnap kingpin has hotels and other landed property in other states like Abia and that he will visit his colleague to discuss how such buildings will be demolished to deter others from joining the business.

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South South

Friday, March 1, 2013

JTF arrests 33 suspected oil thieves, pirates SAM OLUWALANA PORT HARCOURT

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he Joint Task Force, JTF, have arrested 33 suspects arrested for illegal oil bunkering, sea piracy and pipeline vandalism at different locations in Rivers State.

The Commander, Nigeria Navy Ship, NSS, Pathfinder, Commodore Duja Effedua, disclosed this

at a news briefing at the command’s headquarters, Rumuolumeni, near Port Harcourt.

Effedua also disclosed that the Navy recently seized a sea-going vessel with 820 tonnes of crude oil, with alleged fake papers and without a bill of laden, off the Gulf of Guinea.

He said: “The Navy also recently arrested a mother ship used in receiving

stolen crude. The name of the vessel is MT Divine Favour. We have been following it for almost a month.

We will hand over this vessel to the appropriate authority in due course.”

Effedua said some of the suspects were arrested within the last three days, off the coast of Bonny and in the open sea along Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state, adding that most of

them had confessed to the crime.

The commander also explained that following an increase in oil theft and attacks on travellers, the Navy had mobilized its men to apprehend the culprits, adding that the mission paid off with the arrest of the 33 suspects.

He said: “Over the weekend, we discovered that crude oil stealing became very active and

we decided to go for their jugular, by catching them in the act.

“Within the last 50 hours, we have been able to arrest about 33 of them and we have brought back moveable exhibits ashore.”

Effedua explained that to check oil theft, the barges used were continually destroyed to prevent them from being recycled.

He said: “If you don’t de-

11

stroy these barges which they have used, they will recycle them. You arrest them; tomorrow it is the same barge at sea with a different name.”

The commander also called on community leaders to assist security operatives by discouraging their youths from engaging in illegal bunkering, sea piracy, human trafficking and other illegal activities.

We’ll shun Bayelsa verification exercise –Ex-militants EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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L-R: Asagba of Asaba, Obi Chike Edozien; Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama and Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri, during a workshop on political empowerment of Nigerian women in Asaba, yesterday.

Aluu 4: Court discharges seven suspects SAM OLUWALANA

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Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday discharged seven of the 18 people standing trial in the killing of four students of the University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT. The trial Chief Magistrate, Emma Woke, discharged the seven after he read the advice from the Rivers State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, dated January 25, 2013 before the court.

He said the seven people were arrested and arraigned based on mere suspicion.

The DPP advice, however, indicted the traditional ruler of the town, Alhaji Hassan Welewa, and 10 others for negligence in preventing the killing and for actively participating in the murder.

The magistrate said the 11 accused would face other charges as advised by the DPP. The country was shocked on October 5, 2012 when video clip of the gruesome killing of the four

students, Chidiaka Lordson Biringa, Itekena Elkanah, Lloyd Toku-Mike and Ugonna Obuzor, was posted on the internet.

The 30-minute video showed the cruel butchering of the victims in their prime on trumped-up charges of robbery and cult-related activities.

The young men were stripped, beaten and paraded naked in the Umuokiri community in Aluu and later roasted alive by some irate youths said to be members of a vigilance group.

The incident triggered a

retributive action by some angry UNIPORT students who stormed the town, which is about 20 minutes’ drive from the campus.

The invasion led to the burning of several houses and other valuable properties belonging to the community, leading to the desertion of the village by many residents.

About 21 suspects were initially arrested by the police in the aftermath of the killing.

Four months after the incident, Aluu town has remained a ghost community.

2015: Group rejects zoning in Akwa Ibom

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socio-political group, Akwa Ibom Progressive Forum, AIPROF, has called for continuity instead of zoning in the race to occupy the Akwa Ibom State governorship seat in 2015.

President of the group, Pastor Godspower Umanah, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Ibadan.

Umanah said the herculean-task of turning a mere

pedestrian Akwa Ibom State to an investment destination and a state of choice within five years by Governor Godswill Akpabio should not be truncated by an untested hand.

He said: “The uncommon transformation of Akpabio’s administration in just five years needs to be cherished than to be derailed as a result of zoning, which promotes mediocrity.

“I do not think zoning exists in Akwa Ibom State, if it were so, people like John Akpan Udoedeghe (Uyo) and Frank Okon (Eket) would not have contested with Akpabio earlier than their appropriate time.

“I am from Eket axis, and other executive officers are drawn from other senatorial districts of Akwa Ibom State, therefore, who comes on board after the incum-

bent governor must have learnt much about present day governance, where he comes from not-withstanding.”

The president of the South-West-based group added that Akpabio would leave the state better than he met it in 2007, thus the next governor should do same by sustaining his legacies, while initiating new projects to keep the vision alive.

ormer militants under the aegis of Third Phase Amnesty in Bayelsa State yesterday threatened to shun the ongoing verification exercise of reformed militants in the state, if their demands were not met.

The former militants warned that if their demands were not met, they should not be blamed for hostilities that might erupt in the Niger Delta.

The Chairman of the Third Phase Amnesty, General Ebi John, made this known in an interview with our correspondent.

John said his members would only participate in the verification exercise if their camp allowances were be paid.

He appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan and the state government to inter-

vene in the matter before it got out of hand.

John added that a single barrel gun surrendered to security agencies would be entitled to two slots and not 15 guns to a slot, noting that every camp commander and his followers should be carried along in the exercise.

He said: “The slot the Task Force is allocating to us is like a death trap and as such, it is difficult to accept it because it will put our lives in danger.”

John also confirmed that three of his members arrested on Tuesday for staging a protest had been released by the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, in Yenagoa.

There was mayhem on Tuesday in Yenagoa as the former militants staged a violent protest, smashing windscreens and windows of at least 10 cars, burning a Mazda car and looting several shops along Yenizuegene.

23 parties for Rivers LG polls SAM OLUWALANA AND GODWIN OKONKWO

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wenty-three political parties will contest the local government elections in Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni, ONELGA, council in Rivers State scheduled for tomorrow.

The Chairman, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, Prof.

Augustine Ahiauzu, who announced this yesterday in Port Harcourt, said the commission had deployed 1,234 ad-hoc staff and 1,500 security personnel to work in the election which would hold in all the 17 wards of the council.

The reason for the deployment, according to Ahiauzu, is to help the commission to conduct a free, fair and trans-

parent election in which 126,660 registered voters are expected to choose their representatives.

Litigation among contestants prevented the local government from joining the other 22 councils in holding the elections last year.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, controls all the 23 councils in the state and over 98 per cent of the councillorship positions.

The RSIEC chairman appealed to all stakeholders in the polls to refrain from violence and electoral malpractices.

He said: “It does not do anyone any good. We are not going to condone any malpractices. We have the mandate and we will ensure that voters are not distracted or prevented from exercising their voting rights.”

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Reps move to lift ban on ports’ cargoes TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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he House of Representatives has concluded plans to lift a ban on disposal of delayed cargoes at Nigerian ports.

The Joint House Committee on Finance and Marine Transport, which was mandated earlier in the month to investigate ports congestion, said yesterday that the House would act

by Tuesday next week, if the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) did not act accordingly.

The committee said it would direct immediate lifting of the ban, if the ports authority did not do it in a week’s time.

The committee also began investigations yesterday on how much the country may have lost to port congestions, after it was disclosed to the committee that 926 have been classified as overtime cargoes, while 2,115 containers have already been gazetted.

The Ministry of Finance, Presidential Committee on Port Reform as well a group have been directed to furnish the committee with an estimated loss of revenue since the ban was imposed in October, 2011.

The lawmakers took the decision yesterday at a public hearing on congestion of ports following a revelation that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) was directed to stop the disposal of the overtime cargo through a directive in October, 2011.

However, when it became obvious that none of the Ministry of Finance, the Presidential Commit-

tee on Port Reform and the NCS was ready to own up to the origin of the directive, the committee requested them to produce the document by Tuesday next week.

Chairman of the committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin, said that the ban on disposal of overtime cargoes contributed largely to port congestion.

Jubrin said: “It is expected that whoever gave the directive ought to have weighed all the options and the consequences on the nation’s economy before taking that decision.

“From what have been presented here so far, it is obvious that the nation has been losing huge revenue”.

The committee was also taken aback when it learnt that cargoes stayed more than required days stipulated by law before being classified as overtime cargo.

While the laws gave 28 days for cargoes to be declared overtime, the system was actually working on 90 days.

The committee blamed the complacency on the Customs for its inability to apply its powers to design definite overtime cargo policy.

“It is also obvious that the Customs decided not to apply its powers on definite policy on overtime cargoes. What is the problem, is it a process problem, technical or administrative?

“All the laws are there, all the processes are clear, roles are demarcated and functions are defined, yet nothing happened.

So what is the problem?

Could it be down to human factor,? the committee asked.

L-R: Emir of Azara, Nasarawa State, Dr. Kabir Musa; Executive Director, Nigerian Inter-Faith Action Association (NIFAA), Bishop Sunday Onuoha and Senior District Head of Gombe, Alhaji Abdulkadir Shehu, at the training of 110 religious leaders by NIFAA and National Malaria Control Programme in Gombe, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Six killed as four explosions rock Maiduguri INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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our Improvised Explosive Devices (IDEs) suspected to have been planted by terrorists in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday exploded at different locations within the city.

The explosions occurred as some governors on the platform of the All Progres-

sive Congress (APC) were getting set to hold a meeting on the preparation for the 2015 general elections.

The explosions occurred simultaneously in Baga Road, Customs, Gamboru areas at about 3pm. The last one occurred in London Ciki at about 6pm respectively.

It was learnt that Borno State Government was warned against inviting

the APC governors to the state, following intelligence report.

An unconfirmed report by a hospital source said over six dead bodies, including security operatives and civilians were brought to the mortuary of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, while those who sustained injuries are receiving treatment in the same hospital.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yuguda Abdullahi, told journalists that he was aware of only one blast, adding that he personally visited the scene, but declined comment on the number of casualties.

Effort to contact the Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman, Lt-Col. Sagir Musa, who has been out of the state for the past one week, failed as at press time.

2,000 divorces, widows for mass wedding in Kano AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

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he Kano State Sharia Enforcement Agency, the Hisbah Board, said yesterday that it had concluded arrangement for the execution of the third phase of its mass wedding programme.

The Deputy Commander General of Hisbah Board in charge of Special Operations, Mr. Nabhani Usman, told National Mirror that the mass wedding would involve 2,000 men and women, comprising widows and divorcees.

He said to ensure that the exercise is hitch-free, the state government had released funds for the ceremony, which according to him, would equally involve young ladies from less privileged background.

Usman said the Board had already begun screening of prospective suitors in the 44 local government areas of the state, pointing out that the final screening would be carried out in the premises of the Board.

He said: “We have already formed committees, made up of interim management officers of

local governments, district heads and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), among others.

Usman said that another committee of four groups had also been raised to handle the final screening that has to do with HIV and Genotype test, adding that forms had been obtained by participants, which will be approved by their respective Ward heads.

He said: “Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is working on the fulfillment of the household property promised the

prospective couples in line with the tradition of the government are readily available on the day of the wedding in addition to the N20, 000 upkeep fee.

“Seminars on the importance of marriage is also being organised for those interested by the Board.”

Usman, however, blamed the majority of the marriage problems encountered in the state on lack of understanding between the couples and overwhelming selfish interest by parents, who impose husbands on their teenage daughters.

We won’t condone attack on churches any more –Kwara WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

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he Kwara State Government is not ready to condone acts of violence from residents.

The state government has, therefore, reiterated its resolve to prosecute anyone or group who incites or perpetrates violence under

any guise.

The government’s decision followed the recent attack on a church in Ilorin by yet to be identified persons.

The attackers looted the church building before setting it ablaze.

In a statement issued yesterday in Ilorin by the Commissioner for Information and Communica-

tion, Prince Tunji Morounfoye, the state government condemned the attack, adding that the police had been asked to identify and prosecute the perpetrators regardless of their status.

Moronfoye stressed that the state government would not tolerate any further acts of criminality and threats to public peace.

He said: “All legal measures will be employed to ensure that Kwara State retains its reputation for peace and harmony among its peoples.”

The commissioner advised anyone aggrieved to embrace dialogue and other peaceful means to resolve his or her grievances, saying: “There can be no justification

for wanton destruction of lives and property under any guise.

“Meaningful growth and development can only thrive when there is peace. The Kwara State Government will not allow trouble makers to distract it from its determined efforts to create economic prosperity for all residents.”

Ahmed

Friday, March 1, 2013

2015: Customs boss, minister, others battle for Shema’s seat

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Politics

Merger: How far can the opposition go?

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Celebration: ACN faults PDP over calls for Fashola’s probe FELIX NWANERI

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he Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has faulted calls by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state for the probe of the periodic celebration by the Babatunde Fashola government, saying the opposition will not secure mileage in the state through wild allegations.

In a statement signed by the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the party, Joe Igbokwe, the ACN said the corrupt lazy thinking that has afflicted the rank and file of the PDP has led its Lagos chapter to lose the capacity to arrest the fast paced development in Lagos.

The party said: “We are at a loss to understand the usual ranting of the PDP in Lagos. They end up making

no sense in their present belief that rumour mongering, trading in falsehood and wolf crying will secure them a mileage to get and wreck Lagos, as they have done the greater parts of Nigeria in 14 awful years.

“It takes nothing but plain stupidity, ridiculous childishness borne of the worst form of self serving intents for a supposed party to call for an EFCC probe of a stock taking and feedback event that leverages the Lagos State government of the feelings of the people it governs and how best to improve on the laudable record of achievement that has made the Lagos State government a reference point in the wrecked land of woes and anguish the PDP has levied since 1999.

“We know that a party notorious for gargantuan looting will certainly pre-

fer the usual free sharing sessions that have become a governance pastime by the respective PDP governments since 1999 to engaging the people with government’s report cards.”

The party further described as laughable Lagos PDP’s reference to ACN governors’ aversion to the mock show it called Federal Government’s Good Governance Tour, saying: “We wonder

what a party that has been the best reference ever in coveting irresponsible power and a government that is a record breaker in incompetence, corruption and impunity knows about good governance.”

It added: “For a party that deigns no scruple, trading such allegations that the Fashola government has collected N16 trillion from the Federal Government and generates N40 billion

monthly as IGR and has amassed debts in excess of N900 billion, no lie, no untruth, no falsehood, no dirty trick is too mean to trade in a desperate effort to sell a rotten product which is the possibility of PDP taking over Lagos and wrecking it in the way and manner it has wrecked the entire country in 14 horrendous years of rabid locusts.

“We will want the Lagos

PDP to come forward with their facts to back up their wild, spurious and reckless claim even as we insist that frustration is doing great damage to what remains of the Lagos PDP. We laugh at the challenge to debate thrown by the PDP to the Lagos State government as we believe that it is only a party that can recognise performance that can debate on performance and that excludes the PDP.”

2015: NNPP dissociates from APGA alliance TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

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he New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) yesterday dissociated itself from the political alliance purportedly reached by 20 political parties with Maxi Okwuled All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) ahead of 2015 election.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s office in Lagos yesterday, the NNPP national chairman, Boniface Aniebonam, denied adopting APGA as a common platform to present a joint presidential candidate in 2015.

It would be recalled that a few days ago, 20 political parties at a press conference in Lagos adopted APGA as a uniformed platform ahead of the 2015 election. The NNPP was represented by its national secretary, Agbo Major, at the meeting.

Aniebonam while disassociating NNPP from the alliance said that: “Agbo Major, our National Secretary who attended the gathering did not represent NNPP;

rather he attended as a personal friend of Okwu whom they have been in same political platform before. So it would be wrong to say NNPP was part of the alliance with APGA. “We are not in a hurry to form alliance with any party. The fact that we were not de-registered by INEC shows that we are moving in the right direction. But even if we are to align with parties who have same ideologies with us, there is a process to follow.”

L-R: Former Super Eagles captain and Founder of the Kanu Heart Foundation (KHF), Nwankwo Kanu; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his aide, Hafiz Shehu during KHF’s courtesy call on the Speaker at the National Assembly in Abuja, yesterday.

APGA interim leadership is a farce, says CNPP scribe FELIX NWANERI

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chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Secretary General of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Chief Willy

Ezugwu, has described the interim executive of the party as illegal.

The CNNPP scribe also admonished Anambra State governor, Peter Obi against ongoing plot to destroy the party to pave the way for his declaration for the Peoples Democratic

Nigeria can’t shy away from national conference –Durojaye SINA FADARE

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ormer Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olabiyi Durojaye has said that with the level of insecurity in the country combined with high rate of unemployment, Nigeria can no longer shy away from a national dialogue where all the stakeholders will decide on how they want to be governed.

Durojaye told National

Mirror that Nigerians must sit down and formulate how best we can work together.

He regretted that the ongoing constitutional review is a mere waste of time and resources because the National Assembly cannot give Nigerians the type of constitution that will reshape their destinies.

His words: “What we actually need is a constitution that will guide us well. The constitution we have now was fashioned

out by the military; there are a lot of loopholes. It does not reflect the yearning of the people as such.

There is different between making law and a constitution. The constitution is the foundation of any law.

It is the fundamental of the country.”

He advocated for either a national conference of the various ethic nationalities or a return to the 1960 constitution as the panacea to the constitutional brouhaha in the country.

Party (PDP).

Ezugwu said in a statement issued yesterday that the interim executive put together recently by Obi is a clear indication that he will stop at nothing to destroy the party that provided him the platform to be elected governor twice.

He said: “One begins to wonder in what capacity the Anambra State governor acted since he does not singularly constitute any of the organs of APGA. The legal impasse created by his court battles with Victor Umeh has already left the party in limbo as no one is sure what the true leadership status of APGA is. It is even more disheartening that Obi’s grouse with Umeh was because of the latter’s insistence that the governor must conduct local government elections

in line with the laws.”

Describing the purported National Working Committee of the party as fake, Ezugwu maintained that it was borne out of desperation and has no place in the national polity in view of the ruling of an Enugu High Court that sacked all the party’s structure.

Ezugwu, who contested for Senate on the party’s platform in the 2003 general elections, said that genuine party members will not accept the outsourcing of the party’s leadership to the chairman of another party that has not merged and has not indicated any interest to merge with APGA. He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to endorse illegality by recognising the fraud perpetrated by Obi.

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Friday, March 1, 2013

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2015: Customs boss, minister, others battle for Shema’s seat JAMES DANJUMA writes on the probable successors of the incumbent governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, as the race towards 2015 begins to take shape.

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he governorship seat of any state of the federation is one public office many political bigwigs often aspire to occupy.

Despite that the 2015 poll is some two years away, several political bigwigs across the country have nonetheless begun overt and covert moves to ensure they contest in the next governorship election.

Such quests for the governorship seats are common in states that have incumbents that are in their second term, which create opportunity for prospective candidates to vie for the position.

With Katsina being one of such states, it comes as no surprise that some of the bigwigs interested in the governorship position have begun personal and collective moves to actualise their political goal.

Not so appealing however is that most of those said to be eyeing the seat are showing more of a clandestine than an open interest.

This, according to political observers, may not be unconnected with two issues, the first being intrigues that followed the emergence of the incumbent state governor in 2007.

Around the time of the 2007 election, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, then governor had supported the emergence of two people that would possibly contest for the seat on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Yar’Adua was said to have tacitly endorsed former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari, and later, Abdullahi Garba Aminchi; other contenders for the seat were Ambassador Magaji Moh’d and Tukur Jikamshi.

But the PDP at the state and national levels was said to have thought it wise to back another candidate, which led to a lastminute decision to field the incumbent to contest for the seat.

The uncertainty as to who the PDP might support to contest the governorship seat during the next general elections, is said to have made interested candidates to lie low for now till they get some sort of green light to openly declare their interest.

Secondly, the only person to have publicly declared interest in wanting to vie for the seat, Abdullahi Tsauri, who is also known as Tata, had severally become a target of attacks by thugs and others interested in the position.

Not wanting to be at the receiving end of attacks, prospective aspirants are said to have opted for latent show of interest for the seat with underground moves however ongoing.

Notwithstanding, there are several bigwigs in the state that have had groups, their community areas or supporters called upon them to come out and contest the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

Within the PDP, those said to be nursing governorship ambition include the Deputy Governor, Abdullahi Faskari; Senator Ibrahim Ida; Musa Sada, who is the current Minister of Mines and Steel, and the Comp-

Dikko

Masari

Ida

Tsiga

Sada

Darma

troller-General of Customs, Dikko Inde.

Others are the current Commissioner for Agriculture, Musa Adamu; Nura Khalil; and former Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Muttaqa Darma.

party. His major challenge could however come from political intrigues that often accompany primary elections within the PDP, as also found in many political parties in the country.

Faskari

He has his ministerial position to his advantage, and could use same to win the hearts of the Abuja-based politicians of the state. An engineer, he has previous experience as Commissioner for Works and Housing to his advantage.

He is from Mani council area, from Katsina North Senatorial zone where voting strength is often utilised to shift election votes to candidates’ advantage.

The setback to his ambition is his low support base, as he is not much of a household name within political circles in the state. It remains to be seen if he has the wherewithal to run for a gubernatorial contest.

There are speculations that the incumbent governor may have earlier supported him for the 2015 race, but that their political relationship had cracked somewhat due to Sada’s fraternisation with VicePresident Namadi Sambo’s camp.

Governor Shema is nursing a presidential ambition, which has pitched him against the speculated ambition of the incumbent vice president for the same post.

the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) is also a plus for him, and being from Katsina Central Senatorial zone, where population strength is a factor, could work to his advantage.

A setback for him could be his inexperience in politics and whether he would be accepted by the ruling party to contest the governorship election.

Faskari is from Katsina South Senatorial zone and hails from Faskari local government area. He was Education and Justice Commissioner and had previously been a university employee.

His strength lies in his incumbency as the deputy governor and the cordial relationship he has with his boss. He also has a strong support base with the zone he comes from, having a strong voting strength.

However, being from the southern part of the state may work against him as past and present governors have come from the northern part. The PDP may decide to support another person instead as choice candidate for the position.

Ida The former senator has political experience to his advantage, and his closeness to the PDP national chairman, Bamaga Tukur, as his chief of staff, could work to his advantage.

He is from Katsina council area, in Katsina Senatorial zone and has the wherewithal to contest in a governorship election; he also has a strong support base with his zone a strong determinant on who gets to win elections due to population strength.

Ida was reported to have accepted the appointment in the ruling party’s headquarters so that he can get the ticket for the seat through the national body of the

Sada

Dikko The Customs boss has the influence, support base and charisma to contest in a gubernatorial election; he is a blue blood with an advantage of his primary constituency – the traditional institution.

His influence within the rank and file of

Tsauri, Adamu, Khalil and Darma Tsauri has the charisma, strong support base and has been the only man to have come out publicly to indicate interest in the governorship; this is despite being faced with stiff resistance from some quarters.

He comes from Katsina Central senatorial zone, and is from Dutsinma, the same council area with the incumbent state governor. Major challenge to his ambition is that he does not have support of some PDP members who see his ambition as a threat to theirs or someone else’s they represent.

Adamu has advantage of experience, as a former lawmaker and commissioner. He has strong support base, and hails from the southern part of the state, Katsina South Senatorial zone, that has been agitating to be given the chance to also govern the state.

Where he hails from could however work against him as only deputy governors have been produced from the area since 1999.

Khalil, who is from Bakori council area in Katsina South Senatorial zone, has contested for the governorship seat on at least two occasions, and he is seen to be a popular person with a strong support base, but like Senator Ida, he would have to face the intrigues of a primary election. His being CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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OBIKE UKOH

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Politics

Friday, March 1, 2013

eactions have continued to trail the endorsement of the merger of four political parties by 10 state governors after their February 5, meeting in Lagos.

The governors, who ratified the merger plans of the leaders of their parties, vowed that the new coalition would wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 and take the country out of its “current political quagmire.”

The parties involved in the merger are Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

To demonstrate its seriousness, the coalition adopted All Progressive Congress (APC) as its new name.

Tom Ikimi, the ACN Merger Committee Chairman, said the name of the emerging party was agreed upon by all the parties involved.

He said this recently in Abuja while inaugurating sub-committees for the upcoming party. The sub-committees are on constitution, manifesto and INEC, legal and constitutional compliance.

Ikimi said that the party’s manifesto would give special attention to education, eradication of corruption, uninterrupted power supply, full and gainful employment, affordable pump-price of fuel, health care delivery, mass housing and agriculture.

He said that APC’s target was to design a manifesto that would be distinct from those of other parties, adding that the manifesto would particularly address the plight of ordinary Nigerians.

“Apart from defining clearly the philosophical and ideological content of APC, clearly distinguishing it from the other parties, you are to fully reflect on the social, economic and political situation in the country.

“You are to reflect on the plight of the generality of the people, urban and rural people alike, youth and women,” Ikimi charged members of the sub-committees.

In the spirit of democracy, the PDP said

Merger: How far can the opposition go?

Buhari

Tukur

that the planned merger by major opposition parties was a healthy development.

The party’s National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, however, said that PDP was not worried about the development, stressing that the proposed merger did not constitute any threat to the ruling party in any way.

He said that the parties decided to come together because individually, they have realised that they did not have the ample strength to go to “war with PDP.” Tukur described the PDP as the “Lionel Messi of Nigerian politics.”

Also speaking, Tony Anenih, the newly elected chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), said that the merger was no threat to the party.

“PDP is on the move again and it cannot be stopped by any merger of political parties. APC is not a threat to PDP; we never had a strong opposition, let’s see how strong APC will be,” he said.

Anenih described the APC as “a pack of weak blocks that cannot construct an enduring edifice.”

All the same, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State conceded that the proposed merger posed a great challenge to the ruling party. He said that the formation of APC would put the PDP on its toes and make the party to work harder.

Aliyu made the observation, while inaugurating the newly appointed political office holders in Minna. The governor said that he was happy with the merger because of his concern for the growth of the country and its democracy.

He stressed that if there was no strong opposition, the PDP would take the people for granted.

“When one particular person is allowed to continue to do a particular thing; he will think he is everything but when he knows there is an alternative, he will adjust. I urge all PDP members to sit up and do well, if not, we will be taken aback.

“We should not take the fact that we have been winning elections from 1999 till date for granted, if care is not taken, we will be surprised,” he said.

Aliyu challenged the PDP to strive to work on how to compete for the citizens’ minds, hearts and attention so as to garner their confidence.

Nevertheless, Ado Adamu, the North East coordinator, Transformation Agenda for Jonathan 2015, stressed that PDP had no cause to be jittery because of the emergence of APC. He said that the development would have been a major threat to the ruling party if the merger was driven by ideology.

Adamu stressed that the merger merely represented individuals and their positions.

“Let me tell you, if they were driven by ideology, then there would be reasons for us to start thinking about the merger. But this so-called merger of political parties is just a thing that will come and pass; PDP will rule this country for another 30 years.

“Only God can stop President Goodluck Jonathan,” he added.

Adamu, however, noted that political parties’ mergers or echoes of it were not alien in the country’s political history, as there were similar instances during the First and Second Republics.

The politician was alluding to the alliance formed in the First Republic by the Action Group (AG) and National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC).

The AG was led by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, while NCNC was led by the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

The alliance, known as United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA), was formed to wrest power from the ruling Northern People’s Congress (NPC).

In the Second Republic, some opposition political parties also formed an alliance known as Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA). The PPA was set up with the sole aim of wresting power from the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Political commentators note that the Nigerian political system has never experienced the benefits of strong opposition, as the country’s democracy during the First and Second Republics was truncated by military interventions.

They also recall that the previous alliances suffered serious setbacks because the leaders of the fusing political parties never deemed it fit to relinquish their personal political aspirations.

With the embryonic alliance in Nigeria’s political landscape, political analysts are quick to ask a thought-provoking question: How far can the opposition parties go?

Ukoh is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

2015: Customs boss, minister, others battle for Shema’s seat CONTINUED FROM 14 seldom seen in the state and prolonged political silence until election time could work against him.

Darma, from Katsina Central senatorial zone, has a strong support base, and has past experience, as a former commissioner and PTDF executive secretary, to his advantage. His challenge could come from the PDP accepting him as a candidate.

Opposition candidates For the opposition parties, majority of those nursing governorship ambition are former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Masari of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC); Usman Bugaje of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and Senators Sadiq Yar’Adua and Kanti Bello.

Others are Senator Abu Ibrahim; former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mustapha Inuwa; Mannir Yakubu, who is a popular politician and Abba

15

Sayyadi Ruma, who was late Yar’Adua’s Agriculture Minister and Abdullahi Yar’Adua.

Masari had contested for the same position in 2011 and his supporters are already telling whoever cared to know that he would contest in the next general election.

His been former Speaker of House of Representatives could work to his advantage, along with the support of most of the current members of the National Assembly members from the state who are from his party. Any major challenge would have to come from the strength which PDP wields in the state that has worked against the opposition since 1999.

Bugaje, who is from Jibia council are under Katsina Central, has the intellectual capacity, support base and charisma to contest for the election, though he had contested on two or more occasions without coming out successful.

Senator Yar’Adua is the current senator representing Katsina Senatorial District. Though he has served under a previous government as its spokesperson, it is unclear if he had held a public office before.

Senator Bello, from Katsina North, was formerly with the PDP, before moving to the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP); he recently pitched his camp with the CPC to support General Muhammadu Buhari whom he had been together with in the ANPP. Senator Ibrahim, who is currently representing Katsina South, had contested for the governorship election on two occasions on the platform of the ANPP, but did not come out successful. Several of his supporters said that he plans to contest for the governorship seat come 2015, and that his strong support base and political experience would greatly work to his advantage.

Inuwa was the SSG under late

Yar’Adua’s administration as governor. He moved to the CPC and has been gradually gaining popularity, which prompted some of his supporters to call on him to contest. He hails from Danmusa council area under Katsina Senatorial zone.

Yakubu had the opportunity to contest in the last gubernatorial election, but internal party intrigues within the CPC kept him from realising his ambition. He is from Faskari council area, also form Katsina central senatorial zone.

Whether Ruma would contest in the next general election is something that sceptics have been pessimistic about, but his supporters are confident that he is interested in the state governorship seat. They say he could contest on the platform of the PDP or another political party, depending of course on which would give him the necessary support.

Yar’Adua, also known as Audu

Soja, is younger brother to the late President Yar’Adua. He recently forayed into politics after Yar’Adua’s death, and had been with the opposition. He was said to have nursed the ambition of contesting for the governorship in 2011 but was persuaded from doing so by highly placed individuals in the PDP. As noted earlier, these possible contenders would have to face the formidable influence which the ruling party wields in the state’s political scene. What could work in their favour is the formal launch and smooth operation of the proposed mega opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC); but this is, however, subject to conjecture.

Political observers however say these prospective candidates are in no way exhaustive, as there are others whose names are not mentioned that may yet come forward to announce their interest in the race.

16

Editorial

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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HEAD, GRAPHICS

T

Unsettling PDP’s war of attrition

he ongoing alignment and realignment of political forces in the country should necessarily have underlined the seriousness with which our political elite approach the twin-issue of government and governance in the country. Nigerians have witnessed the emergence of All Progressive Congress (APC), a coalition of the strongest opposition parties in the land. If the pro-mega party politicians are driven by altruism, the development portends good for the polity.

Painfully, however, is the fact that where a concerted approach is expected from the members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to work on its image and vision to transform it into a veritable vehicle for social mobilisation needed for the development of the country, the party is rather pathetically dissolving into interest factions for less dignifying reasons. This is very unfortunate because it detracts from the universally held truism that politicians are called to serve the social vocation of building a peaceful, united and just society for all. Our local politicians should imbibe this value because the increasing sophistication of Nigerians in their political choices and preferences ought to impose considerable restraint on the political class, particularly the PDP.

Political parties indeed reflect the fundamental and profound socio-political divisions in a society. This is particularly true of multiparty democracies, of which we are one. As an organisation made up of members with shared vision and ideology, and sell such vision of specific goals and ideals to the electorate through mass political education, electoral campaigns etc, with a view to attaining and maintaining political power within government, a political party needs the loyalty of its members and its internal cohesion must be secured to actualise its goal.

It is within this context we situate the raging crises in the PDP. The party is in total disarray. All its constituents are mired in mutually assured destructive wars. The Presidency is at war with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum; the National Working Committee is in tatters; most of its state chapters are factionalised; its geopolitical blocs are pitted against one another. Indeed, the PDP is in a state of flux.

There are compelling reasons why all the stakeholders in the Nigerian project should feel concerned about this unsavoury development. First, it is the ruling party at the centre and runs the governments of 23 of the 36 states of the federation. In addition, it has the majority in the two chambers

THERE ARE COMPELLING REASONS WHY ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE

NIGERIAN

PROJECT SHOULD FEEL CONCERNED ABOUT THIS UNSAVOURY DEVELOPMENT of the National Assembly. And so the PDP does not only dictate the economic and sociopolitical pace of Nigeria, it is the heart of the nation.

The raging crises detract from the seriousness of governance. If politics is about serving others and working for the integral development of one’s country, the opposite is the case in Nigeria. In the best of times, Nigerians are short-changed by their leaders, the situation we now have is total abandonment as self aggrandizement and existential survival have become their preoccupation.

Second, the political leaders – president, governors, legislators etc. – have a social contract with the people. All of them have four-year term within which they should fulfill their electoral promises. And to that extent, there are rules of engagement guiding them. The

2015 general elections are two years away; it is, therefore, indecorous of them to abandon their mandates in pursuit of their 2015 ambitions. The Nigerian state deserves the best from them because of the high overhead cost of maintaining them, one of the highest in the world. As the leading political party, the PDP should set example of good conduct. Unfortunately, those in position to enforce this are themselves deep in the raging war of attrition.

Third, the crises grossly undermine the unity of the country. By January 1, 2014, Nigeria will be 100 years old as a political entity. It is very unfortunate that there have been no conscious efforts by the different ethnic nationalities to galvanise the process of their dissolution into one united and vibrant nation.

Diversity underlies the very essence of our politics. The PDP, by its very composition, ought to hold the prospect of a more unified Nigeria. It is a big disappointment that it has turned itself into a cauldron of hate politics. However, a most assured way of fulfilling its destiny is the adoption of the principle of internal democracy in running its affairs; it must also ensure that justice, fairness and equity prevail in its policies and programmes preferences and implementation.

ON THIS DAY March 1, 2008 Prince Harry, the 23-year-old son of Prince Charles and third in line to the British throne, who was sent secretly to Afghanistan with his regiment in December at his request, returns to Britain after news of his deployment leaked out. He was met on arrival by his father, Prince Charles and Prince William, his brother at a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire, northwest of London.

Letters to the Editor

March 1, 2007 The Swiss Army has been accused of invading Liechtenstein, a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe of an estimated population of 35, 000. The troops had incorrectly map-read their way into it during a military exercise. The 171-strong Swiss company had travelled two kilometres into the tiny country before realizing their error.

However, Liechtenstein made light of the intrusion.

March 1, 1973 The Palestinian terrorist group, Black September storm the Saudi Arabian embassy in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, during a formal reception in honour of George Curtis Moore, Chargé d’Affaires at the American embassy that President Jonathan was due to be reassigned. Altogether, 10 diplomats, including Moore, US Ambassador to Sudan and Belgian Chargé d’Affaires to Sudan were taken hostage.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Friday, March 1, 2013

17

Another look at communal clashes ABU BABA

O

n an assignment that took me across Erinle and Offa in Kwara State recently, I came first hand with the destruction that took place during the recent clash between the two communities. Before now, I never had the opportunity of witnessing the scale of destruction the Offa/ Erinle crisis has spawned, though it has been on for over a decade.

I also remember other similar crises that have dotted the landscape of Nigeria. They are too numerous to mention. The sheer number and frequency of this type of problem are largely seen as features of a nation groping for identity and a people that are yet to recognise the reality of nationhood.

It is therefore, not too surprising that we have them. What is, however, surprising is the propensity to violently destroy, not taking into consideration the attendant costs that may accompany such acts.

One unfortunate thing in all these crises is that in most cases the perpetrators go unpunished, that is if they are identified.

What we do know are their root causes.

The lingering Offa/Erinle crisis, for example, has its root in boundary dispute. It has been there and can always come to the fore under various guises. But for how long must we allow people who have propensity for violence to hold us to ransom?

The obvious inability of security forces to track down the perpetrators, identify the individuals who threw the stones, who struck the matches and those who pour the petrol, has hardened these criminals. The solution is to incapacitate this type of people and force warring communities to rely on peaceful means of resolving their conflicts.

A long time ago in a community, an indigene attacked and disrobed a masquerade, a taboo. In the community’s belief system masquerades are heavenly beings that should not be touched or seen physically. It was therefore, considered a sacrilege to unmask them; such acts do not go unpunished.

Without much ado, the man who unmasked the masquerade was declared guilty.

The youths of the community invaded the offender’s compound, killing all animals and birds and destroying everything of commercial value insight. According to tradition, the offender would pay the price for all the items destroyed. However, he resisted.

While the mayhem was on, the offender rode his bicycle to the Divisional Police Headquarters where he met a single a corporal. After listening to him, he directed the man to go back home in peace and shun all temptations to react to the provocation.

Not long after the man had returned home, the corporal also arrived on his bicycle, well dressed in his short knickers from which his weapon, a stump, hung. He rode to the king’s palace and summoned him to the

WHENEVER THE YOUTH USE VIOLENCE

TO SEEK JUSTICE, THE KING AND COMMUNITY UNION LEADERS MUST BE READY TO INDEMNIFY THOSE WHO SUFFER LOSSES WITHOUT DELAY Divisional Police Headquarters to answer to charges of willful destruction and taking laws into his hands. The king was shocked, but the police officer did not wait for explanation. He rode back to the headquarters.

The whole town was thrown into confusion and distress. As it was not the days of lawyers, the king had no option than to obey.

The following day, this king sought a fellow king to broker peace between him and the policeman. He was told to produce the men who carried out the destruction, which he did. Invariably, the community had to beg the complainant to get off the hook. That was the last of self-help justice in the community.

We can learn from this experience. All these warring towns have kings and development associations. The king must guar-

antee peace in his domain and refrain from using violence to seek justice, irrespective of the level of provocation. Whenever the youth use violence to seek justice, the king and community union leaders must be ready to indemnify those who suffer losses without delay, while the king could face the prospect of losing his crown for ineptitude.

In essence, let leaders take full responsibility for their leadership; once they know that there would be repercussion, there would be restraint.

You can be sure that all the internecine crises among union leaders, especially the transport workers would simmer down since they know that they will account for their actions and may pay dearly for situations where they express their complaints with destructive tendencies.

About a decade ago, when armed robbery attacks along Lagos-Ibadan Express road became widespread, it was arrested by warning the leaders of the communities along the express road. Each community knows the hoodlums, thieves and urchins. They know those who will throw the first stone in every crisis situation and are better placed to check them.

Once leaders know that they would be taken to task, they will avoid breeding thugs and ensure that people with propensity for crises are kept at bay.

Baba, abubabayes@yahoo.com, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Ilorin, Kwara State

Endorsing 2015 Igbo Presidency AUGUSTINE CHUKWUDUM

N

igeria does not have the kind of bond that would make any person assume any political office in a region other than his/her own, irrespective of place of birth. Frankly speaking, that ‘state of origin’ thing will one day tear the country apart.

It is common knowledge that in 1914 the British colonialists formally forged the Southern and Northern protectorates, and Lagos Colony into a united country called Nigeria. Administratively, the country remained divided into northern and southern provinces. The people in the south, with more interactions with the British and other Europeans due to the coastal economy, adopted western education. This facilitated the development of a modern economy in the province, faster growing than the north’s.

Soon, regional differences continued to be expressed in our political language as well. For instance, Northern Nigeria did not outlaw slavery until 1936. We went on to fight for political independence, which we now agree came prematurely in 1960. The government at independence was a coalition of conservative parties - Nigerian People’s Congress (NPC), a party dominated mainly by northern Muslims and led by Alhaji Ahmadu Bello and Igbo and Christiandominated National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. The main opposition was the comparatively liberal Action

LET US DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN OUR ECONOMY TO ADDRESS THE WELFARE OF

THE IGBO.

LET

THE GOVERNORS CHALLENGE THE

VIBRANT MINDS, THE CREATIVE ONES AND THE INNOVATIVE ONES TO COME HOME AND CONTRIBUTE Group (AG), which was largely a Yoruba party led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

The cultural and political differences among the major ethnic groups: Hausa (northerners), Igbo (easterners) and Yoruba (westerners), were sharp and lethal.

They established a porous foundation for the newly independent nation.

Now the country is a federal republic of 36 states and the FCT, Abuja. It is roughly and equally split between Muslims and Christians with some small minority being adherents of traditional worship and rites. However, an imbalance was created in the polity by the result of the 1961 plebiscite. Southern

Cameroon opted to join the Republic of Cameroon while the Northern Cameroon chose to remain in Nigeria. This made the northern part of the country far larger than the southern part.

The nation parted with its British legacy in 1963 by adopting a republican constitution, with Azikiwe as its first president, howbeit a ceremonial president. Political power was effectively in the hands of the Prime Minster as head of government.

When regional elections were held in 1965 in Western Nigeria, the Nigerian National Democratic Party led by Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, bull dozed its way into power. The disequilibrium and perceived corruption of the electoral and political processes were the excuse needed by the military to cause a coup on January 15, 1966. Planned by a collection of young leftists under Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, the coup led to the death of Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Premier Ahmadu Bello of the Northern Region and Premier Samual Ladoke Akintola of the Western region.

In the melee that followed, the Senate President, Senator Nwafor Orizu was pressured to hand over government to the most senior Nigerian military officer. That way, Major General JTU AguyiIronsi, assumed the position of Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Six month later on July 29, 1966 a counter coup was executed by northern military officers to bring in the military administration of Lt. Colo-

nel Yakubu Gowon. The rest is history.

Suffice to state that a bitter 30 month civil war to arrest the secession bid of Igbo of Eastern Nigeria in what is known as Biafra War ensued.

Igboland has not experienced any massive infrastructural development since the end of the war in January 1970. Till this very moment we are still being marginalised. We can only advocate and call on the south eastern governors, politicians, and indeed Ndigbo to come together so we can fully harness our potential to the fullest. Let us declare a state of emergency in our economy to address the welfare of the Igbo. Let the governors challenge the vibrant minds, the creative ones and the innovative ones to come home and contribute. Let us as a people challenge our politicians to create an enabling environment in our communities/towns so as to reduce rural-urban migration. Let us challenge our politicians and lawyers to see that justice is done as Nigeria owes the people of the south east for the years we suffered fighting for a just course.

To be continued Chukwudum, ndigbounityforum@ yahoo.com, President, Ndigbo Unity Forum, wrote from Onitsha 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, March 1, 2013

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Aregbesola’s giant stride

K Bring to book killers of varsity students

H

istory was repeated last Monday at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi when four students of the institution were felled by the bullets of trigger happy soldiers sent to there to quell the demonstration of the students over water scarcity and power outage in the institution.

The university’s authorities should be held responsible for the ugly development because they should have known the implications of inviting soldiers to quell civil disturbances. However, it is bad public relations for the military for the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru to deny what the whole world knows is true. Let him deny also the presence of soldiers in the varsity campus.

The time has come for the security agencies to understand that Nigerians are not enemies in their own country and so should not be shot at with live bullets even when they embark on justified protests.

There are more decent crowd and mob control ways to safeguard the sanctity of lives.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives should probe this new assault on Nigerians by security agents paid by the tax payers. Enough is enough.

Christopher Abegunde, Owo, Ondo State.

House cleansing in the judiciary

T

he Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhta deserves the gratitude and commendation of Nigerians for launching the new offensive to cleanse the nation’s judicial house. There is no denying the fact that she is behind the recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for the sack of two high court judges, Justice Charles Archibong of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court and Thomas Naron of the Plateau State High Court, for corruption and incompetence.

For once, President Goodluck Jonathan demonstrated a sense of urgency when he promptly acceded to NJC’s request and by so doing, Justice Archibong has become history. It is hoped that Governor Jonas Jang would similarly approve the sack of Justice Naro.

Ahead the 2015 general elections, we need a strong judiciary that would be bold to arrest the shenanigans of our corrupt politicians.

Barr. Steve Uffot, Abuja

UNDER BRIDGE TO THE REAQUE: Women resting under a pedestrian bridge in Lagos.

PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Murder of Nasarawa Varsity four

T

he Education Rights Campaign (ERC) received the shocking news of the brutal killing of four students of Nasarawa State University by armed soldiers invited by the university management to quell the protest of students against water scarcity and power outage. We condemn in strong terms this shocking killing and arrest of the unarmed students. No official explanation or excuse can erase the guilt of the army as this is brutal murder of unarmed protesters demanding improved and decent welfare conditions. We place the responsibility on the university management who invited soldiers to quell a legitimate protest and the state government whose neo-liberal capitalist policy of education underfunding is the root cause of this killing.

We offer our condolence and most importantly our solidarity to students of the university as well as parents and families of the slain students. This killing has again thrown to the fore the ruthlessness of the capitalist ruling elite in preventing every effort

Letters to the Editor

by students to organise to fight for improved conditions on campuses and in the education sector.

Notwithstanding this, the fight for improved welfare conditions on campuses, against fee hike and the criminal anti-poor policy of education underfunding must continue.

Rather than a deterrent, this killing has to be a lightning rod for a more determined resistance of students on all campuses against anti-poor education policies.

To prosecute this struggle, it is very crucial that local unions are rebuilt with leaders capable of fighting.

Equally vital is the need to build a democratic and radical national student leadership that can unite all students in a common struggle against neo-liberal attacks on public education, and in the demand for the provision of free and quality education at all levels.

We urge all student unions, student groups and activists to offer solidarity to Nasarawa state students through actions like parliamentary and/or congressional resolutions and public

statements condemning the killing as well as to organise immediate protests and demonstrations to lend support to their struggle. This is essential to ensure that this brutal killing is not swept under the carpet like numerous others in the past.

We also call on all the academic and nonacademic unions in the university to condemn this vicious action of the armed soldiers and the university management and give solidarity to students in their demand for justice and improved welfare conditions.

The ERC demands justice for the four murdered students. We demand the immediate removal of the Vice Chancellor and dissolution of the management of Nasarrawa State University for inviting soldiers into the campus to kill protesting students; the immediate and unconditional release of the arrested students; the re-constitution of a new management through a democratic electoral process in which members of staff and students of the institution can have a say in who

become principal officers and members of Senate of the University.

Furthermore, we demand the immediate arrest and trial of the soldiers and/or their commanding officers responsible for the shooting of unarmed protesting students; the setting up of a democratic panel of inquiry composed of elected representatives of staff unions, the trade unions in the state, students union, and civil societies to investigate the immediate and remote circumstances surrounding the killing, identify members of management responsible for the invitation of soldiers, recommend punishment as well as recommendations to forestall future occurrence; the immediate granting of the demands of students for adequate water supply and improved welfare condition which led to the protest in the first place; and the immediate reopening of the University.

Hassan Taiwo Soweto, National Coordinator Education Right Campaign, Lagos

indly permit me to commend Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on the report of his recent trip to the United States where he among other things delivered the guest lecture at the prestigious Whether head Center at Harvard University, USA. The lecture, wherein he discussed the problems in the way of Nigeria’s development, was widely reported in the dailies. According to him, ethnicity, poverty, unemployment, lopsided federalism, neocolonialism and other factors have hampered the country’s development and fuelled the spate of violent Ethno- religious strife is the country and that unless these are wheel addressed, the problems will continue and escalate.

I am very proud of the governor of my state when I watched him deliver the lecture live on the internet. He has distinguished himself and he is indeed a great leader. Many governors travel outside the country to attend to their harem and engage in capital flight and have left their states in ruins. But our governor was consumed by state service and his itinerary was published every day and has promptly returned to the country.

It was also reported that he was able to connect to the Osun in Diaspora and is mobilising them for massive investment at home.

I am happy for this. He was also able to showcase his IT invention, the computer tablet for use by secondary school called Opon Imo. We were told that the Chief Executive of the city of Pittsburgh has bought into this and has expressed his readiness to purchase for all the schools in his county. This is an unprecedented development in Nigeria that a white man will emulate any state governor in innovation.

Thank you very much sir for upholding the glory of our state and portraying us as true Omoluabi, the virtuous.

Wishing you many more years of successful service to our people.

Francis Bamidele, Osogbo, Osun State

Gov. Aregbesola

Send your letters or or mails mailsto toPMB PMB10001, 10001,Ikoyi, Ikoyi,ororour ourEmail: Email:mirrorlagos@yahoo.com mirrorlagos@yahoo.com and info@nationalmirroronline.netor or 08056180209, 07033375481 and info@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275, 07033375481 (SMS (SMS only).Editor The Editor reserves thetoright edit and letters reject letters or photographs.

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Flavour

Friday, March 1, 2013

FINALLY EMBRACED THE AWARD AS THE BEST AND BIGGEST IN

AFRICA

work, Hussein explained that the College of Screeners started full camp on February 25 in Banjul capital of Gambia while the 15-member screening body has members from Nigeria from Ghana, South African, Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroun, Benin Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso and Togo.

“Before the camping stage which has started in Gambia, all the films have been pre-selected by members of the academy’s pre-selectors scattered all around Africa. At the pre-camp stage films are pruned down and films weeded out were those that do not meet entry rules, like films that are more than two hours long; films that are inconclusive, language films or films in vernacular that are not subtitled and films that are generally of poor quality”, explained the College of Screeners boss.

The first edition in 2005 was a Nigerian affair with Dickson Iruegbu’s The Mayors clinching the award for Best Picture and four other awards. The 2004 film also won Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Supporting

WEEKEND STARTERS Ajigbe on stage

Emem Ema launches multimedia facility

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toroso Odido Productions, a theatre company with a vision to showcase Nigeria’s creative minds to the world, is set to stage Ajigbe, “The Face behind the mask” tomorrow at the German School, Beach land Estate, Apapa, Lagos.

Time is 4.00 p.m.

The performance, which recently concluded its tour of Germany, is an African dance piece that talks about the good, bad and beautiful parts of Nigeria. It is choreographed

by Victor Erebifa Phullu, an award winning choreographer and produced by Michael Ejinkeonye.

O

Emem

ne of Nigeria’s leading entertainment outfits, One Management will, tomorrow, officially launch their new office and multimedia/state of the art audio and video recording studio facility (The Cave) in Dolphin Es-

tate, Lagos.

The company is run by Emem Ema of the former KUSH band and also a trained entertainment lawyer and business consultant and its clients include Joseph Benjamin, Ebisan, Wizboy, Provabs, Kemi Lala and Styl Plus.

The Bar opens for Yaw, Jenifa

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he fifth edition of Yaw Back2stage Project will feature Steve Onu a.k.a. Yaw of Wazobia FM in the play titled: The Bar on Sunday alongside award-winning actress, Funke Akindele, otherwise known as Jenifa. Produced By Steve

Onu, there will be two shows at the Muson Centre at 3.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m.

The Bar is a satire on everything that has happened in the country in the last one year, Yaw said.

The idea is for people to laugh, learn and ulti-

mately make the country a better place. The project was designed to revive live theatre and in the last four editions, Koffi, Mc Abbey, Owen Gee and Jude Orhorha took part. The play is directed by the producer of Stand up Nigeria, Bunmi Davies and written by Obi Martins.

Onions Make Us Cry at Freedom Park

O

n Sunday, from 6.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. at Freedom Park, Broad Street, Lagos, the Crown Troupe of Africa will present Zainabu Jallo’s topical play, Onions Make Us Cry directed by Segun

Adefila. In November 2011, Onions Make Us Cry was announced as one of the six winning plays of the National Studio London, Africa Project.

Jallo is one of the playwrights whose work got featured at the Ninth Women Playwrights international conference in Sweden, August 2012.

Holy Night, her new play, has made it to the final round of the internationalist Playwright Contest with readings in New York late in 2012.

P. 32-33

Escape P. 34

Denrele’s Day

THE FRENCH-SPEAKING AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAVE

Actor. It starred Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sam Dede, Segun Arinze and Mike Ezuruonye. Most, if not all of the films in that maiden edition of the awards were made in Nigeria or by a Nigerian cast and crew.

Such films as Yesterday, Mastermind and Osuofia in London, among others were the rave then. But all of Africa was watching and bidding its time for the day when it would show up.

Nigerian moviemakers would continue to rule the awards in the next edition in 2006, which had films from Gambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Burkinafaso making a showing with Tanyaradzwa (Zimbabwe) and My Mother’s Heart (Ghana) wining in the Best Cinematography and Visual Effects categories, respectively. But, a Nigerian film, Rising Moon won Best Picture at the end of the day. Nollywood had after all taught the world to make films on video and it would continue to clear the awards in most of the categories. Not quite, as the case was in 2007, which was the first time a South African film made it to the AMAA, the country entered two films actually, Bitter Water Mara and Bunny Chow. Though Sitanda, a Nigerian film produced from the Amstel Malta Box Office talent show won Best Picture in the 2007 edition the awards have not been the same since.

In 2008 it was the turn of Ghana, which won Best Picture with Run Baby Run. In 2009 Kenya won with From a Whisper. It was clearly Kenya’s year but South Africa also reared its head winning in three categories next to Nigeria’s eight. But not one of them could stand the sweep staged by Kunle Afolayan’s The Figurine, which won in five categories with Ramsey Nouah winning Best Actor in a Leading Role the film also won; Best Cinematography, Best Achievement in Visual, Heart of Africa Award for Best Film in Nigeria and Best Picture.

In 2011, it was Viva Riva’s turn to scoop six awards after being nominated in 13 categories. It won in Best Film, Best Directing, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress categories.

Last year Nigeria and South Africa locked horns but it was Nigeria which eventually had dominance.

P. 24-25

AMAA 2013: Francophone filmmakers shoot ahead

Inside FCT

E

very year since 2005 when the first edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, held, there has been a dominant country which often forfeits its lead to another filmmaking country in the next edition.

This may well be the turn of French-speaking filmmaking countries to dominate as they lead the pack of films submitted from across Africa and the Diaspora. Also, for the first time this year is an unprecedented upsurge in the number of films submitted totalling 671 films, as against an average over 300 in the earlier editions.

This was made known by Mr. Shuaib Hussein, a member of the awards jury and chairman of the College of Screeners who released the entries statistics on February 25.

“This year is a milestone for AMAA as the award will hold its ninth edition and surprisingly, the French-speaking African countries have finally embraced the award as the best and biggest in Africa”, he said.

He further explained that before now, no more than two or three films came from the francophone countries. “We have entries from Togo, Congo, Cote D’voire , Mali, Niger Republic, Benin Republic, Guinea, Senegal and Cameroun. We are happy about this development. The promoters of AMAA have ensured that the integrity of the award remains unassailable and this accounts for the level of huge participation across Africa and the Diaspora”, he stated.

Hussein also revealed that filmmakers from South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Gambia, Zimbabwe and Sudan entered their films for the most prestigious reward system for the motion picture industry in Africa.

“From Diaspora filmmakers we received entries from the United States, Brazil, Singapore, United Kingdom, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica. This is a fitting way to celebrate the ninth edition of AMAA”, he said.

Giving the breakdown of the entries, the chairman of the College of Screeners said 184 short films, 108 Diaspora features -documentaries and shorts films, 60 documentaries from Africa and 319 feature films from within and outside Africa including films made by Africans living abroad were received.

On how far the screeners have gone with their

P. 26

TERH AGBEDEH

16 PAGES OF ARTS, REVIEWS, LIFESTYLE AND BUZZ TO START YOUR WEEKEND

Mirror Mongers

VOL. 3 No. 568

19

20

Artman In The House

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Rating Nollywood as second largest Madu C. Chikwendu started out as a scriptwriter, but today, he is one of the formidable voices in the Nigeria film industry fondly called Nollywood, partnering in many fora to bring about genuine change in African cinema, a reason he is also the regional secretary of the Federation of African Film makers, FEPACI. He talks about his life, works and experiences in this interview with NGOZI EMEDOLIBE. Excerpts.

Let us begin with the state of the movie industry in Nigeria vis a vis the music industry. Why is the movie industry lagging behind the music industry?

I don’t think the music industry is necessarily doing better than the movie industry. That would be a matter of perception. Even if it is doing better, you need to also examine some factors. Save from the big bands, which are fast fading away in the country, (you could count Femi and Seun Kuti as the ones still thriving), music is individually-centred. You have one single figure who commands attention which makes it easier to promote. Apart from this, music is cheaper to produce.

I just launched a music label, and I can tell you that the cost of producing two artistes is less than one-fifth of an average Nollywood film.

Could this account for why many movie producers have turned music prompters?

No. I am looking at it at the level of Biology. Really, creative genes are creative genes. Perhaps at the Molecular Biology level, one could further break it down to the fact that the gene you have is for music or for movies. But I think it runs across all genres of the creative endeavours expect perhaps in drawing or sculpting. Basically, most guys who can write well, would have the tendency to act and direct well.

The difference may be in terms of skills, not talent.

Talent is the basic ingredient, but the next element after this is the skill. The point I am trying to make here is that most people would draw towards music because it is just cheap to produce music with digital technology. For music, you need to book a few sessions in the studio then set aside some money for promotion, and the musician is all over the place. It is not like this in the movie industry. If you want to make a traditional Nollywood movie, you will be looking at something close to N5million. But movies in the new Nollywood order come in the range of N15million for cinemas releases and this money used for one movie can produce a long list of music artistes. It is far cheaper in music.

Music seems to be commanding more corporate sponsorship?

Yes, in recent times, the music industry has witnessed what I would call more corporate intervention than the movie industry. Take for instance, 2face Idibia, working with Now Music and getting corporate sponsorship. It is not like what happens in the movies, where most of the interventions are centred on the stars. And these stars are not the owners of the businesses. They are just employees. Most of them do not own anything in the industry aside their faces. Take for instance, the Glo ambassador thing happening in Nollywood; the money goes to the stars who are not the real business owners in Nollywood. The implication is that Glo only made millionaires out of the stars and that money has not in any way translated into growth for the movie industry. Those investments by these corporate bodies for the movie stars end up in boutiques on items like Brazilian hair, shoes and handbags. But the interventions in the music industry come to those who are in the position to use the money to improve the industry.

Chikwendu

SOME NOLLYWOOD ACTORS ARE PAID MILLIONS JUST TO

APPEAR ON BILLBOARD, BUT WRITERS ARE NOT RECOGNISED Why can’t the guild heads attract this kind of intervention in the movie industry?

I do not want to sound like the typical Nigerian who would tell you that since he left office, things have fallen apart. But I left guild leadership in Nollywood in 2007.

But your name keeps coming up as a stakeholder?

Yes, I will explain it this way. I am one of those who have said in the past that the crisis in the industry is not an issue but at some point, it is also an issue. There are some issues that can only be tackled by the industry speaking with one voice. As far as filmmaking in Nigeria is concerned, there are different roles for different people. There are roles for the individuals. There is a role for the association. There is a role for the government. In terms of attracting corporate intervention, that is the role of the guild heads. The guild heads can challenge Glo to stop giving money to individuals because that sounds exploitative. In my time as a guild head, there was so much cohesion and then you could use threats to make everyone including the big stars to stay in line. These people only present themselves as the ambassadors of Nollywood when in the real sense they are ambassadors of themselves and their families.

The industry has so far become disintegrated that you now have different camps. This has been worse since

the crisis that rocked the producers.

When you say crisis that rocked the producers, what do you mean?

I mean the crisis that started with Paul Obazele to make sure that he was re-elected. It affected the industry so much. It was at that point that the crisis started. That was the source of the disintegration amongst producers.

That was when Association of Nollywood Core Producers, ANCOP took off?

Yes, a lot of producers who felt bad about the situation decided to leave the Association of Movie Producers, AMP. At that point, I was invited to join the board of ANCOP and I did. A producer is very important in the movie making chain. The production starts and ends with him. He is in the works from the beginning to the end. But there is really no end to the film making process. In London, there is a renewed interest in films made in the 1930s currently. Those films must have producers, who would also be involved in what is going on now. The producers bear the brunt. Recently, a group met me and asked me to get them a star that would feature in their Christian drama presentation. I got one of the female stars, and she collected money and vanished. They stared calling me.

Who is this female star?

Please do not ask me the name of the person.

If you won’t mention her name, may I ask why such characters are not punished in the industry?

That is because there is no mechanism to effect this control anymore. It was there before. The dictionary

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Artman In The House

Friday, March 1, 2013

21

film industry is mockery –Chikwendu

L-R: Fidelis Duker, Fathia Balogun and Madu Chikwendu at a film workshop in London.

At Cannes Film Festival 2012 with Ejike Asiegbu

FACT FILE

meaning of a professional involves not only the training but also the code of ethics of that profession. People must begin to see professionalism from a perspective higher than only training.

May be this is because Nollywood admits everyone?

I have often said that we must throw the gates open to admit more people. It is not because people come into the industry. It is more of a function of getting the people who come in to abide by the rules. If you are a prostitute and come in, you must abide by the rules. It is similar to the issue of corruption. There is corruption everywhere but the difference is that in Nigeria, you get away with brazen corruption. In the western world, you would spend a long time in jail.

Can any part of these woeful attributes be blamed on government agencies?

Let the truth be told. We have come up with a draft of what should have been the Motion Picture Practitioners Council of Nigeria law, MOPPICON. I was the secretary of the steering committee that packaged this law, and it was handed over to the government yet, nothing has happened. It is not a matter of regulation. The only place where you see slight regulation still in place is in France. In the USA, which is the biggest film industry, there is no such thing as regulation. The strength of the industry is not determined by the number of films made but by the value of films. I still see the rating of Nollywood as the second largest film industry as mockery. When I go to Cannes or Berlin festivals can I stand beside a producer from a poorly rated Holland and compete with him? What is the size of my pocket? Let me tell you that the internal politics amongst Nollywood

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Hails from Uratta, Isiala Ngwa North, Abia State.

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Attended University of Port Harcourt and University of Lagos.

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Founding national president of Directors Guild of Nigeria.

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Chief Executive Officer MCM Group.

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Has authored two books: Film Making in Nigeria: The History, Ideology, Aesthetics and Techniques of Nollywood; and Tales From the Streets, a collection of short stories.

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Director at Lagos Film Institute.

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Married to Daisy Chikwendu and blessed with two boys and one girl.

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Drives Volvo 940 and Volkswagen Golf.

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Favourite quote is: “I will gladly sink with honour than swim in infamy”.

people has also affected the fruition of the MOPPICON Act. People are scheming on how to become the director general and chairman of the body.

Investors are really scared of some Nollywood producers because of the bitter experiences in the past?

Yes, so many of them have been duped. I know some instances where investors put money down and the first thing the producer would do is to buy a new car, marry a new wife and change apartments. Some of them went unpunished but consider the implication for the genuine producers.

From your submissions, Committee of Nollywood Guild Associations, CONGA is ineffective, right?

I don’t know about CONGA. To me, CONGA is a misfit; it is a product of mischief; it is an effort by a few elements to aggrandise power. It is absolutely unnecessary. You cannot gather two of your friends in a beer parlour in Sururlere and call yourself CONGA and claim to be representing Nollywood.

For prospective investors would you say that moviemaking is still profitable?

Of course, but I have conducted a research and have found out that for would-be investors necessary factors need to be taken into consideration. Take the ECOBank initiative for instance, how come the four producers involved are from the South South? All these investments are a result of cronyism, and they tend to lose the investments at the end of the day. My advice to investors is to invite experts to draw up a chart, which will show how these things will flow. MTN can support the industry by calling for scripts that would support

their brand, and call experts to help analyse and pick the script they would bankroll. That is how it is done all over the world. It is not by meeting the managing director of MTN at a PTA meeting and begging him.

Is the television industry faring better?

It is the same song. They will tell you how they cope with the TV stations that have turned themselves to vendors of air time. They will tell you how they pay bribes to advertising agencies after which the money will be exhausted. It is the same vicious cycle.

What is happening to Igbo language home videos?

The truth is that the producers felt there is need to reach a wider audience, but certain statistics in the Yoruba home video sector is proving this wrong, because the producers there are surviving. I was at a workshop in Cannes where this question was posed to the experts.

The panel wanted to know what language is most suitable for film production and they arrived at the conclusion that it is your native language: shoot in your language and thereafter you can subtitle in any language of your choice. Since then, I have become a convert. But to be honest with you, a lot of Igbo films are being made now. My next film is going to be in Igbo language.

How did this journey into the movies start?

I am not one of those who would tell you they started from their mother’s womb. My parents were popular teachers. My father studied literature and at an early age, I started reading his books. I was a stubborn child.

That got me punishments most times. Out of boredom, I was reading. There were cinemas, but my background did not permit me to be going to cinemas. My own inspiration was from the novels I read.

What theatrical figures were your ro9le models as a child?

I did not have. But I really liked Peter Igho’s Cock Crow at Dawn. During my national service, I wrote a script which I wanted to adapt to television, so I brought it to NTA. That was how I got involved in the industry. I started writing for Third Eye, New Masquerade and Tales by the Moonlight. At the early years of the home video thing I collaborated with Nkem Owoh and Obi Rapu the director of Living in Bondage to do some scripts.

What is the situation of things at Lagos Film Institute?

We collaborate and train actors. It gives me the opportunity to tell the younger ones how to get into the industry. I often tell them that it is easier and better to enter the industry as a sound or lighting man because they are not enough in the industry. The industry is littered with frustrated actors. Most of the comedians are frustrated actors; that is why they always make jest of the industry. John Okafor, Mr Ibu started as a production manager. He was never an actor.

22

Critics

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Performance BLACK HISTORY MONTH:

Connecting Africa, America through dance

GEORGE OJI

A

s part of programmes to celebrate this year’s Black History Month in Nigeria, the United States Mission in Nigeria put together a dance show in Abuja on Friday, February 22, tagged, Celebrating Connections through Dance.

The event, which held at the Rockview Hotel Royale, Abuja, featured different dances from America and Africa including hip-hop, house, break dance and open mic singing from America, and various traditional dances whereas from Africa.

Also from America to drive the performance were two dance specialists; Yung Chris and James ‘Cricket’ Cotler. Yung Chris is trained in dance styles such as African traditional music, jazz, hip-hop, B-boying and house music and has taught and danced in dozens of countries ranging from Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. On his part, Cotler is known round the world as respected professional street dancer.

With the assistance of the US Mission, Chris and Cotler got connected with the Open Music Forum, Abuja and in partnership they put up a show that thrilled Abuja residents. It was clearly a wonderful dance performance that evening.

Working with 30 young and talented Nigerian artistes, MCs, song writers, musicians, dancers etc., the visiting American artistes said they were amazed at the great potentials that abound in Nigerians.

“These 30 are the top talented dance and performing artistes of the city and what they can do is so amazing. They have the dance, the rhythm, the language and all we do is to add the flavour”, a

Film

clearly excited Chris said.

Commenting on their commitment to the dance performance, Chris said, “Everybody came, they worked really hard… three hours a day for the past five days because we had to put up a show for our guests. I promise you this is the future of entertainment in Nigeria”.

After just four days of training, it was amazing how the group, which was hurriedly put together for the performance, got their acts near perfectly. The dancers performed dance routines ranging from hip hop, locking, popping, house and breaking.

The visiting Americans could not hide their excitement at the titillating performance of the Nigerian artistes; it was simply amazing. The performers wowed the audience who showed excitement and approval by cheering loudly and applauding the mesmerising dance styles.

The two-hour long evening performance climaxed when the group rendered the closing African dance performance. It featured African musical instruments rendered by a local dance group in Abuja. All the dancers, including the visiting American artistes filed out at the podium for a free style rendition. The audience erupted in applause as the dancers moved round, hugging and kissing one another.

Before commencement of the dance performance, Chris did a brief introduction of some of the dances. In his historical introduction of hip hop, Chris said; “In the hip hop culture we have the cipher also known as the basic circle; this is where information is shared. If we have a conversation and I want to share some basic information, we will stay in a cipher –two or

Chris (with microphone) and other performers at the event

IT WAS AMAZING HOW THE GROUP, WHICH WAS HURRIEDLY PUT TOGETHER FOR THE

PERFORMANCE, GOT THEIR ACTS NEAR PERFECTLY more people we will gather together and share the information. So, when we want to share information, we stand in a circle or a cipher. In other words, cipher is a social dance circle”, he explained.

He added that hip hop music came from the style called funk. “Funk music was popular in America way back in the 60s and 70s. Funk artistes like James Brown influenced young people around the world and in America. Hip hop originated out of New York City among poor black children who had little chances or opportunity of success. So, they collected their talents, met regularly and started to create art”.

Talking about house music, the visiting artiste stated that: “House music comes from Chicago and it is called ‘house’ because then, it was played in difference warehouses in an area. House involves intricate foot work flowing with the rhythm in the music. However, house is not popular because it is not commercialised”.

Chris also gave a little insight into how these various dances being celebrated today in the US originated from Africa.

“When the slaves went to America, they

kept their traditions, their music, their languages and dances”. According to Chris, much has not changed since then, it just keeps evolving into different styles of music like rock ‘n’ roll, R’n’B, hip-hop and pop music.

“All of these came from the influence of Africans who went to America and made huge impact on entertainment. We are here to show you what you have created. This thing has not changed. This thing we call hip hop is worldwide, this thing we call music is worldwide, this thing we call entertainment is worldwide.

The Black History Month, also known in the U.S as the African-American History Month, has its beginning in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter Wooden and the Association for the study of Negro and Life History announced the second week of February to be Negro History Week.

The second week was chosen because it marked the birthday of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Wooden created the holiday with the hope that it would eventually be eliminated when Black history became fundamental to American history.

In 1976, the Federal Government acknowledged the expansion of Black History Week to Black History Month by the leaders of the Black United States students at Kent State University in February of 1969.

Former American President, Gerald Ford spoke in regard to this, urging Americans to “seize the opportunity to honour the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavour throughout history”.

Omoremi: Waiting IZUCHUKWU OKEKE

I

Actors on set of the film

t was a fortuitous trip I made to the remotes of Ekiti State just to see a friend who informed he was on location for a film production and it turned out a beautiful experience. Not only for the enchanting mountainous landscape of Efon Alaaye and the ornamental rainforests of Ikogosi still richly green at this time of the year, but also the challenging concept of a film in the making.

For the first time in a while, I saw a movie creation that challenges the

shallow screenplay of Nollywood movie makers and one cannot wait to have this flick tilted Omoremi from the staple of Artfreakers Entertainments see the light of the day.

Omoremi is not just movie, it is more like a documentary or more suited to be called a medical satire, written and being directed by poet and cinematographer, Stevie Abiola Taylor. At the moment, he is shooting on locations in the hills and valleys of Efon Alaaye and Ikogosi warm springs.

Set in the 1960s, the movie pitches medical science against African

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Critics

Friday, March 1, 2013

23

Book

A glimpse of rot or opinion The much-awaited The Accidental Public Servant, a book written by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, was presented to the public recently. And as expected, the book is generating a lot of controversies what with the can of worms the author spewed out in the publicspace. IZUCHUKWU OKEKE looks at the issues, strengths and weakness of this book.

W

hile reading the book, The Accidental Public Servant, my mood fluctuated often; from humour to sadness to laughter, anger and depression. This happened so frequently that the interval between a smile and a tear could be less than a minute. But let’s dwell on the book, for now.

The sight of this book gives a reader instant appeal.

The packaging is excellent and the size –a grand 627 pages which might have made reading it scary to even a fast reader, is mitigated by the title which somehow makes the reader feel that the strength of the content will cream over the volume and the quality of presentation will oil over the verbose pages. Yes, these are true; to a large extent.

Despite the huge volume, the book contains only 17 chapters, complemented by Forward (written by political activist and pastor, Tunde Bakare), Acknowledgments, Introduction, Prologue and at the end an Epilogue, Afterword (written by one of the editors, Dele Olojede) and a 134-long page of End Notes.

What then does a reviewer call this book? A biography? Not really, because, though there is a sequence of narrative, it did not follow the pristine, open-end narrative style with a central theme and supporting themes. Rather, the author often drifted in each paragraph with longish explanations, trying hard to explain his involvements and the fall outs after each scenario.

Is the book a kind of memoir then? Not really, too, because, the book is more episodic than sequential, with the episodes capturing events at particular times and each event can be fully isolated from other episodes. One can read the book from any of the chapters and not necessarily from the beginning of the narrative. Wherever one chooses to read from, understand is guaranteed. The back references are not so strong as to obscure understanding of the narrative and its many drifts.

In the end, the book can be conclusively termed ‘a true life story’ of El-Rufai’s involvement with Nigeria public service, the beginning and the journey through it; how true the story is only left to the author’s conscience.

Discussions of issues raised (which was paramount to the author) in the book are strong and well done.

THE BOOK CAN BE TERMED ‘A TRUE LIFE STORY’ OF ELRUFAI’S INVOLVEMENT WITH NIGERIA PUBLIC SERVICE...

HOW TRUE THE STORY IS LEFT

TO THE AUTHOR’S CONSCIENCE In most cases, the author was too verbose but he went this way because he knew, by hindsight, the controversy the issues would generate. To this extent, he could be indulged.

Since the book was released, it has festered controversy in the political firmament of Nigeria, as most people—Nigerian politicians and their locust private sector friends—mentioned in the book have joined the long queues of denials; “El-Rufai is lying”! The cries are shrill and high-pitched. Is anybody paying attention to the hordes of denials? One cannot tell! But the book cannot escape the attention it is getting going by the strength of these revelations, especially the wheeldealing of Nigerian politicians, the constant pillaging and buccaneering of the resources of the Nigerian nation by these few privileged people in the domain of power and their friends in the private sector.

Following the many revelations, the question a reader constantly asks him or herself is whether everything written in the book is true. Are these allegations even floating on the verges of facts? Looking at the person and personality of the author, the answer maybe yes; for El-Rufai is a man many hold with integrity, going by his antecedent. But then again, when you consider that he too has become a politician you begin to wonder whether politics has coloured the sincerity of the man whom many once held as a saint.

One fact cannot be taken away –this book has opened a Pandora box of the kind of leadership Nigeria has been burdened with since 1999. How the politicians, from the executive to the legislature, have taken this country as a petty kettle of porridge and they settle to share it as loot while the generality of the population trudge around in confusion, in the face of collapsing

for the dance in the woods trado-medicine, as well as dwelling majorly on infant mortality and paediatrics as a whole. But Sickle Cell Anaemia is the focus; in a society pitched in the contest of supremacy between faith in the supernatural and logic of science.

But there is twist in Emeka, the Igbo Youth Corps member who thinks he knows too much.

Emeka’s attempt to wrestle tradition and redefine living around the mythical stigma of Sickle Cell hits the plot to a powerful climax. How will a ‘government property’ be dealt with when he challenges the powers of the gods?

This work is packed to full with plots and subplots of love, racism, tribalism, traditional naiveté and scientific pomposity and a lot of flashback. It is also being given a total theatre package, with music, dance and drama.

A well-researched script that aligns myth with fact; the movie parades an array of intellectuals and professionals alike. Afro American Dr. Rebecca Holmes stars alongside Bayo Bankole (of the Alinco fame); Dupe Jaiyesinmi, Anita Hogan, beauty queen Atinuke Badmus and a host of others.

Omoremi is a challenge to Nige-

rian scripting; a perfect blend of the creative arts and medical sciences. One cannot but hail the concept by Stevie Abiola Taylor, who was the producer of Ramirami a recently released political satire.

The young director told me as I was leaving his location, “I believe that films should do more than merely entertain. It should give enough information to the viewers, to change their lives. It should challenge norms; it should probe into belief systems and even question science”.

Well said, but I wait to see the final output and the entire African continent waits too.

infrastructure and quagmire of increasing poverty.

However, the book still has its editorial problems.

There are a few pages where the elusive printer’s devil was at work. With the calibre of the editorial hands that worked on the book and experience of the publisher, one should not expect to see these.

Also, there are instances where the explanationdrifts became just too verbose. The problem with this is that a section of readers will find this extremely boring. The editorial team would have straightened this out with the author. He should say whatever, but in fewer words.

Then also one questions the thematic integrity of the work? Why such a book at such a time? The author seems set out to beatify himself and invariably demonise others, I can allege. While much of the work is true life story, the drifts carries a lot the authors judgments of what could be the intentions of the actions of other characters (especially political characters) on many issues discussed. To what extent could another person who does not claim power of clairvoyance, rightly judge the intentions of others? And to make such categorical statements in a book makes the whole attempt seem ostentatious. Is El-Rufai not using this book to score a political point?

No wonder the book has been generating a buzz of mixed reactions. Both friends and enemies of ElRufai cannot keep quiet. They cannot wish away the bubbles of concern and the heat the book has generated, especially those characters that still harbour political ambition.

But in writing the book, El-Rufai has thrown a challenge to other politicians to also pick their pen. They all, especially the central characters mentioned in the book, owe Nigeria to tell their own side of the story.

Else, one has no other choice than to believe that El-Rufai is saying the truth. But one can say further though, that if the intention of El-Rufai is to generate public attention to himself, find relevance at this strategic period of political realignment, the future will decide that. To a reviewer like me, my interest in not the simplistic purview of the political gains or losses that may be tied to the book. My interest is in the worth of the book– content and aesthetics.

The author wrote somewhere that the authorial voice is subjective; opinions expressed are his. To this extent, we will indulge him for being frank and also show our gratitude for his showing us a glimpse of what our leaders are doing with us. Not because the lethargic masses will take action, but at least, posterity will note.

24

Inside FCT

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lugbe, Kuje, others groan over prolonged power outage TOLA AKINMUTIMI

F

or many FCT residents, particularly those in Lugbe, Kuje, Yanyan and other satellite towns, the past two months could be described as very traumatic and socioeconomically devastating as prolonged power outage continues to deny them the muchflaunted achievements of the present administration –stable power supply.

Indeed, 2013 has become to most traders and artisans in Lugbe, Kuje and some parts of Jabi in the FCT metropolis, a year of lamentation in view of hardships they are going through daily in the absence of power supply and the attendant negative implications for their survival and healthy living.

Worse hit are business owners selling perishable goods who pay so much for shop rent, particularly in the Corner Shops zone, and have had to daily throw away spoilt food and other items in stock since last December when power supply in the town, like other cities, appeared relatively stable. Today, theirs is a story of woes and regret over what many of them consider the failure of government to fulfil its promises.

Investigations by Inside FCT revealed that since this January, most of the residents have never enjoyed uninterrupted electricity for up to three hours per day.

The situation was described as worse last month when for several days, many of the satellite towns have not experienced any supply of electricity.

Indeed, it is reliably gathered that even at PHCN office in Yanyan Federal Housing Authority, official transactions involving issuance of receipts and other forms of documentation are carried out with generators.

One of the residents and owner of water processing plant who simply identified himself as Wale, said over the past two months businesses have continued to suffer as power supply remains terrible, pointing out that if government claims it is doing well in electricity supply, then it should send a team two visit Lugbe, Kuje, Yanyan FHA,

PEOPLE...

LEFT SCHOOL WITHOUT A

JOB...WENT INTO WELDING WORK YET, WE STILL

CAN’T SURVIVE BECAUSE GOVERNMENT IS FAILING US some parts of Jabi and some other satellite towns in the FCT area to know what is on ground He explained: “I don’t think this government is serious about its promise to alleviate poverty. How do you talk of poverty alleviation when there is no power supply in a place like this for more than one month?

“If Labaran Maku wants to know whether government is working or not, he doesn’t need to go too far. Let him visit Kuje and other satellite towns in the FCT and get his verdict.

For him to keep going all over the place and telling stories of democratic dividend is deceitful. If we don’t enjoy light right in Abuja, then where is there achievement?”, he added.

Wasiu Kazeem, a Lugbebased welder, who appeared to be exasperated with the situation in the town based on his business losses, told our correspondent that the Federal Government’s claims of improved power supply was nothing more that sheer ‘deceit’ which was ‘unbecoming of a government that has consistently promised the poor of better life’.

“I want to say that we are worse in 2013 than we were a year ago. Government has not done anything to improve the lot of ordinary Nigerians. If people like us who left school without a job could decide to go into welding work and yet, we still can’t survive just because government is failing us, then this will tell you that the present government cares less about the poor”, Kazeem said.

Another resident, a mother of three who preferred to be addressed as Mummy Faith, engages in sale of ice block at the Corner Shop side of Lugbe. She

lamented her ordeal over poor supply of electricity which she claimed had almost turned her into a ‘beggar’ in order to feed her family. She blamed government for her predicament and of others like petty traders and artisans who are finding it extremely difficult to survive in the past two months.

“I sell ice blocks and before I started the business, I had to borrow money from friends and relatives who I promised to pay back in six months. As I speak with you today, I have not been able to produce for two months and the lenders are already asking for their money.

It is very wicked for the government to deny us opportunity to survive by doing our little businesses.

“If you go to the other street, you will see some men idling away because they don’t have power to run their businesses.

If they say crime is on the increase, are they not responsible for that?... it said that an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.

President Jonathan should do more than what he is doing now to create jobs; already jobs are being destroyed now as we don’t have any power to run our operations”, she lamented.

While recounting his experience, a resident in Yanyan, Katherine Samuel, a hair dresser, said immediately after Christmas, power supply dropped significantly and that most business operators have to depend on generators to run their operations. She pointed out that running businesses on generator is hugely expensive and only few shop owners can afford that without running into losses.

“I want to tell you that power supply has dropped in Yanyan here, especially in the evenings when we experience peak of customers. We are suffering in silence. We thought what we experienced in December when there was stability in power for several days will be sustained.

“But in the past few weeks, we have been going through serious problems and I don’t know how we can keep going under this stress. If we don’t enjoy electricity in the heart of Abuja, then where are they supplying?

May be their own homes!”, she blurted out in anger.

Abuja ‘landlords’ use mud bricks to construct to save cost and minimise loss from demolition.

PHOTO ROTIMI OSASONA

MARCUS FATUNMOLE

O

ne of the wheels on which life has progressed over the centu-

ries is the perseverance of humans in the face of daunting challenges.

But, there seems to be crisis where personal will to excel conflicts with the law of the

Election fever OMEIZA AJAYI

B

arely two weeks from now, precisely on March 16, residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, would be filing out to vote their candidates of choice in the Area Council elections.

With a landmass of about 8000 square metres and six area councils, elections are usually fiercely contested and even where winners have been sworn in, litigations continue to dog the tenure of the incumbent.

With few days to the election, various political parties have continued to organise rallies or grant press interviews in an attempt to sway the voting public to their side.

Indeed, if elections were won on the altar of electioneering campaigns, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), might be

coasting home to victory in the six area councils going by the strength and quality of its campaigns across the six councils.

However, it is left for the electorate to decide.

With the merger of opposition parties, the PDP faces an uphill task in retaining its seats and as well making in-roads into the strongholds of the opposition.

In all the councils, the APC has shared all contestable positions among the partners in the merger in such a way that no party is left out. At one of the campaigns recently, National Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change, one of the parties in the merger, Chief Tony Momoh vowed to ensure that PDP is chased out of power beginning with the Abuja council polls.

However, FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed sees Momoh’s boast as empty words,

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Inside FCT

Friday, March 1, 2013

25

Demolition of shanties: ‘Life goes on’ in Abuja ACCOMMODATION REMAINS MOST CHALLENGING... MANY RESIDENTS BUY LAND FROM VILLAGE HEADS WHO SELL AT VERY LOW PRICES

state. While the state plays major role in the realisation of good dreams of its people, the supremacy of the law, which defines the state, must be acknowledged by both the leaders and the led.

The foregoing is apt to define the various demolition exercises in the nation’s capital and decisions of victims of such exercises thereafter. Torrent of appeals from residents often trail government’s decision to em-

bark on tearing down of illegal structures in the city.

They plead that government be humane in its determination to ensure the law is obeyed. Few would resolve to name-calling, mudslinging, bickering, or litigation.

Abuja has a Master Plan which government resolves should remain sacrosanct. This is the reason the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCDA), embarks on routine pulling down of structures not approved by it since the era of erstwhile FCT Minister, Nasri elRufai.

In Abuja, accommodation remains most challenging and this development forces many residents to buy land from village heads who sell at low prices, compared to what government would demand on a commensurate plot of land.

The knowledge of eventual flattening compels these buyers to engage the services of non-professionals and also, as in most cases, use sub-standard materials to erect such structures. This resultantly reduces cost of building and helps such house owners save larger percentage of what they could have paid out to caretakers of estates where they would have secured accommodation.

Inside FCT investigations gathered that a 2-bedroom flat in some old generation estates such as Lugbe and Kubwa go for between N400,000 to N500,000 per annum, while new estates such as Lokogoma, Sun City, Sunny Ville put price tag between N600,000 to N1m per annum for the same bedroom flat.

Our reporter also discovered that many residents of

the city prefer to invest such huge amount of money (which could have been spent on a year’s rent) in building their own homes in satellite communities. This perhaps has led to rapid emergence of satellite towns and villages in the capital, as over 300 communities are now in the city.

There is persistent astronomical growth in population and government policies on housing does not favour low income earners, whose services help drive all social-economic activities in the city. Even though estates spring up every day in the city, they are not affordable to the common man. FCDA is the only agency of government vested with the power to sell and allocate land. Allocation of land by any party other than the FCDA is considered illegal; while government is empowered by the law to pull down whatever structure is erected on such land.

Given the vast number of houses being built daily in the city’s satellite communities, it is safe to say that many FCT landlords have their homes in villages. Interestingly, there are some residents who have built in Abuja more than three times– having had previous homes demolished by government.

“It is better for me to continue this way”, said Mr. Adetokunbo Akindele who is now living in his fourth and only home in Abuja. “I have built houses in three communities in Abuja since I came in 2000. Government keeps demolishing and I cannot afford the rent in any of the estates. At this age, I can’t leave Abuja for my village when there is no war. Who will believe me that it was accommodation that drove me and my family out?

They might think I lost my job or I have some spiritual problem. I appeal to government to be lenient and look on our plight. People are not leaving Abuja despite all the communities where demolition took place last year.

Everybody is looking for a place to keep their head. No matter how many times government demolishes, if the people do not leave the city, they must live somewhere and life goes on”, he said.

grips residents WE KNOW THE PAIN BOTH PASSENGERS AND MOTORISTS ARE

GOING THROUGH...WE ARE DETERMINED TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR ALL describing the recently-formed All Progressives Congress, APC, as a “still born baby that has no eyes, no sense and no legs” and therefore, constituting a political liability.

Mohammed, who spoke on Tuesday in Abuja while flagging off the Peoples Democratic Party PDP electioneering campaign in Gwagwalada and Kuje Area Councils for the forth coming council election in the territory, said the APC should know that there was no way it could remove its ‘corrupt and dictatorial toga’ despite its change of name.

He stated that he was not in any po-

sition to speak on the credibility of the forthcoming election as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), remains the only authorised body to conduct the election.

“This election is between me and the so-called APC; you will see how we are going to bury that so-called stillborn that has no eyes, no ears and no sense. It is just a political liability”, Mohammed told thousands of PDP supporters.

While in Gwagwalada, the minister noted that the forth coming election is “operation take back Gwagwalada”, adding that, the Area Council was now ready to do away with the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP).

Party faithful and candidates have continued with different political activities in the run up to the polls. With the current security situation in the country, the FCT Administration would do well to scale up security measures in the territory. It is gladdening to note that the minister has pledged to provide a level playing field for all political parties to canvas for votes even as he has warned against intimidation and harassment of

PDP campaigning in Bwari area council

the electorates.

At one of the rallies, the minister said the FCT Administration would not shy away from its responsibility in providing adequate security for residents in the Territory before, during and after the elections.

However, as posters and other campaign bills dot the landscape of Abuja in preparation for the election, it is instructive to ensure that such bills are placed

in a way that they will not deface the city.

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), should swing into action to arrest and prosecute anyone who is found contravening the city’s environmental laws.

And how Bala Mohammed utilises security agencies during that period would determine the success of the polls. For indeed, FCT and Bauchi residents are watching.

Mirror Mongers

26

Friday, March 1, 2013

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One too many for NIMC

N Modu-Sheriff

Shettima

Another godfather-son war brewing

T

he fight between godfathers and their godsons are a familiar story in Nigerian politics. While this became commonplace since 1999, when the fourth republic took off, Nigerians have always been amazed as ‘these birds of the same plumage often turn to strange bed fellows’ on account of who controls what. Examples like Chinwoke Mbadinuju-Emeka Offor; Chris Ngige-Chris Uba; Orji Kalu-Theodore Orji; Victor Attah-Godwill Akpabio; Peter Odili-Chibuike Amaechi and Sullivan ChimeChimaraoke Nnamani are classic examples. But MM gathered that ‘soon’, the buzz will shift to Maiduguri, Borno State, where the emerging ‘Alpha and Omega’ of Borno politics, Ali Modu-Sheriff, who was the governor until 2011 is angry with his godson, Kassim Shettima, who succeeded him.

For some months, the two have been avoiding each other like a plague, amidst the speculation that the ex-governor is already shopping for a replacement. But Shettima is not resting as he is in talks with the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for possible realignment. Shettima was not in the picture as one of the successors of Modu-Sheriff; he only came in as a substitute when Modu-Sheriff ’s first cousin was assassinated in the wake of the 2011 general elections.

On account of this frosty relationship, Kassim Shettima, MM learnt, is now mostly in Abuja than in Maiduguri.

IMC is the acronym for National Identity Management Commission, an agency charged by a 2007 act primarily to foster ‘the orderly development of an identity sector in Nigeria through the development of a modern and universally acceptable identity management infrastructure in Nigeria’.

Now that you know their job specification, it is worthwhile to also know that the issue of ID cards always spin controversies in Nigeria and there is the likelihood that something similar is about to happen. A few months ago, the NIMC

put up newspaper adverts regarding recruitment of qualified Nigerians into some vacant positions. While the grapevine said that the vacancies available at all offices of the commission are 1500, NIMC has received applications from over 400,000 candidates out of which it pruned it down to about 170,000. But this is the beginning of the problem.

As at early this week, the commission was still grappling with examination halls to conduct the aptitude test scheduled nationwide this week. MM gathered from some applicants that those who were

expecting to sit for the test in Lagos were moved to Niger or Kwara State, without any provision on how they would survive there. But that is not as worrisome (for most candidates) as the issue of ‘letters from top politicians’. Time will tell.

Elechi’s conflicting projects

Oh Airtel… oh blimey

A

irtel may not be about to change its name again, after doing that severally in the past. But something happening there is making Nigerians wonder. MM learnt that since Indian telecoms giant Bharti acquired huge stakes in the company, so many suppliers from Nigeria have been replaced with companies that have Indian undertone. The first step towards this trend actually started shortly after the acquisition when the company outsourced their customer care services to New Delhi, India, leading to the loss of

NIMC boss, Chris Onyemenam

O Manoj Kohli

about 3000 jobs in Nigeria. Then, when Nigerians made a call to the customer care unit, an Indian voice would answer from New Delhi. Although some notable figures spoke out against the trend, it has continued unabated.

From advertising to sponsorships, the telecoms company now relies on links to Indians to make their decisions.

f course, the south east chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, earlier this week, raised an alarm over the poor compliance of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs in the south east.

But some aides at some of the government houses are currently running up and down to address this issues in the media, but how far can they go considering what happened in Ebonyi State, where the governor, Martin Elechi has water treatment projects that have refused to be completed. MM gathered that the issue of the

ONE-SECOND Q&A

treatment plant came to the fore some days ago when three teenagers who went to fetch water from a ditch fell into it and got drowned in the process! The buzz is that the governor has been more concerned with who takes up the Ohaneze Ndi Igbo presidentgeneral position zoned to his state than getting these projects flagged off.

Elechi

ANTHONY NYIAM

Lt. Col. Anthony Nyiam, one of the arrow-heads that plotted to overthrow Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s military government in April 1990, now has a book: True Federal Democracy or Awaiting Implosion: An aide-memoire stressing his belief in true fiscal federalism. He reacts to the Nigerian project.

How do you think Nigeria can move forward without trust?

I

Nyiam

think you are right and this has been an issue since Aburi. At Aburi, a decision was reached and people came back and advised government which then went back on what was reached. But we have examples to learn from.

In South Africa, they started by having a truth and reconciliation commission, but here what do we do? No, you cannot discuss that, you are overheating the polity! I don’t know where this terminology came from. We pretend to ourselves, we lie to ourselves and we believe the lies. You have a constitution in a democracy which says that someone’s resources beneath the soil are not his; ab initio, you have attempted to steal those people’s resource. That is why I have nothing against illegal bunkerers because from the beginning, the Federal Government itself is the biggest thief. I have to put it straight because you go to Pakistan, you go to India and nobody would go and tell a man that what is yours is not yours.

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Yaum al-Jumu’ah, Rabi Al-Thanni 19, 1434AH Friday, March 1, 2013

27

Call to Worship

On the authority of Anas bin Malik, the servant of the Messenger of All, the prophet said: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”

RELATED BY BUKHARI AND MUSLIM

Y

ateem Mosque in Bahrain is located just footsteps away from Bab Al Bahrain Manama and next to the Batelco and Al Yateem Centre. It is small, yet beautiful and rich with Islamic architecture both outside and inside the mosque. Al Yateem mosque features four large clocks facing all the directions on its square shaped minaret. However, the mosque does not offer Jumat/Friday prayers.

Bahrain is a small island country situated near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway. Iran lies 200 km (120 ml) to the north of Bahrain, across the Gulf.

The peninsula of Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain. The planned Qatar Bahrain Causeway will link Bahrain and Qatar and become the world’s longest marine causeway. The population in 2010 stood at 1,234,571, including 666,172 non-nationals.

Bahrain came under the rule of successive Persian empires, the Parthians and Sassanids empires respectively. Bahrain was one of the earliest areas to convert to Islam in 628 AD. In the late 1800s, following successive treaties with the British, Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom. Following the withdrawal of the British from the region in the late 1960s, Bahrain declared independence in 1971. Formerly a state, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.

Since early 2011, the country has experienced sustained protests and unrest inspired by the regional Arab Spring.

Bahrain Yateem Mosque

Hadith

“O my servants! I have forbidden injustice to Myself and have forbidden that for you as well, then do not commit injustice to each other”.

(Muslim)

Bahrain Yateem Mosque

Quiz Corner debuts

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Beware!

Allah’s punishment is severe

28

I

Don to parents: Invest all resources in your kids 29

Absolute oneness (3)

n the case of Zoroastrianism, we find the concept of “Duality” or what may be perceived as ‘Bitheism’. Zoroaster (as) (Hadhrat Zartusht) was most certainly a Prophet of God, who preached and taught in the name of the One God who revealed Himself to Zoroaster under the name of ‘Ahura Mazda’. With the passage of time, Zoroaster’s monotheistic message failed to retain its original purity. The concept of the ‘Force of Evil’, mentioned in the Qur’an as “Shaitan”, with the passage of time, began to be seen as a god, named “Ahraman” or “Angra Mainyu”. Therefore, in the case of Zoroastrianism, the ultimate force of negativity, due to its immense influence, became a deity itself.

This is a classic case of the doctrine of Oneness changing into Duality. However, there

Every Friday with

Khalifatul

Ahmadiyya are still some groups among the Zoroastrians who profess strict monotheism.

The other case worth examining is of Christianity. Jesus (as) (Hadhrat Isa), a Messenger of the One God, was deified and made into a god. The literalistic interpretation of the expression “son of God” eventually led CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Child abuse: MURIC petitions Lagos Commissioner 29

28

Call to Worship

H

aving firmly established and made the foetus developed till an appointed term, Allah makes the mother undergo the pang of labour and thereafter, the child is born. This is another crucial stage in the life sojourn of man. The appointed term during pregnancy vary from individual to individual. There are those who may dwell therein for six months only. Generally, others fall between this and nine months or even sometimes more. The significance of Allah making man to stay for an appointed term in the womb is that only Allah has power over the destiny of man. His being brought out as a little child shows weakness and infirmity and the dire need for a helper. This Helper is neither the mother nor the father; it is Allah.

He is the One who makes the little child to grow from strength to strength. The parents are helpless. They cannot emphatically say that the little baby will grow into adulthood.

In fact, it cannot express itself; it cannot do anything on its own and may not even know the parents before they die or until after some time. It is feeble in its body, eyes, senses, hands and brain.

Thereafter, Allah starts to grant it strength and makes the parents have mercy over it without being tired of its inconveniences.

This is contrary to the belief that a woman suffers the pang of labour as a punishment for the sin of making man eat the ‘forbidden fruit’. Part of the wisdom, behind a woman carrying the pregnancy for nine months or thereabout and her subsequent pang of la-

Yaum al-Jumu’ah, Rabi Al-Thanni 19, 1434AH Friday, March 1, 2013

Dead earth, dead man ONE WHO READS THE QUR’AN SHALL NOT SUFFER THIS CONDITION bour is to make her committed to the child’s upbringing. Logically, it is expected she would not abandon the baby to die away after she has laboured for it. In Islam, a woman is assured of rewards for undergoing the pangs of labour.

After a successful completion of the transition from infancy to childhood, Allah again makes man attain physical and intellectual maturity. With these, he is able to subjugate his environment to different uses. This is the stage of man’s prime existence. It is at this stage that a meticulous account is taken for all his deeds. Here, his physical growth gets to a limit. His intellect blossoms to the extent he is able to avail himself of it. That informs why what a generation thinks impossible is made possible by another. It is a matter of inquiry and exploration of the universe. A technological climax of a generation may be the starting point for another.

Allah destines when a man will die. Death is not a function of whether you fear Allah or not, or doubt the resurrection or not; it is a matter of what Allah has destined for you.

It is thus wrong to ascribe it to some forces or be aggrieved when somebody dies to the ex-

Beware! Allah’s punishment is severe

I

t is right to say that injustice is the summation of sins, source of evils, and incentive of corruption. Polytheism is grave injustice because instead of believing on one and only one God, it promotes the worshipping of several gods. God says: (On the Day of Judgment) to redeem oneself of one’s injustice, one would gladly spend the wealth of the whole earth if it were possible.

On seeing the torment one will try to hide his regret. They will all be judged fairly and no wrong will be done to them. (10:54) These are some Qur’an verses regarding injustice; Do not think that Allah is unaware of what the unjust people do. (14:42). We destroyed certain generations who lived before you because of their injustice. (10:13). The unjust will face a painful punishment. (14:22).

Allah does not love the unjust. (3:57). Allah does not guide the unjust. (6:144). The unjust will certainly have no happiness. (6:21) The Prophet (PBUH) said: For anyone who begins his day without having the intent to oppress anybody, Allah will forgive his sins that he committed against his Lord. Selfwronging is the negligence of the obedience to God. Injustice towards the family occurs when parents neglect the true Islamic education, refuse to guide their children to virtues, use excessive severity and violence, and prevent them from having the necessities of good livelihood. Such matters cause material and ethical shortcomings to the family members.

Injustice towards relatives occurs when they are deserted, disappointed in misfortunes, and deprived of feelings of kindness.

Such matters bring about enmity and disregard of relations. Injustice towards the society occurs when the individuals of a society are treated proudly, their rights are neglected, dignities are disrespected, and

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interests are disregarded. Such behaviours cause social corruption. The most hideous forms of social injustice is wronging the weak individuals who lack the ability to defend themselves and have no weapon other than complaining and supplicating to the All-merciful Just Lord.

Injustice of the rulers is the gravest. Imam as-Sadiq (a) said: The wrongdoer, his supporter, and the one who accepts his deed are partners (of the same crime). To stand by the oppressed people and protect them from inequity is one of the best acts of obedience to God that leave nice traces and good marks on the spiritual and material existence of humankind.

To overlook acts of injustice encourages the oppressors to go beyond the limits in aggression and criminality. It also enjoins the oppressed people to revenge themselves upon others. Such being the case, disorder will be common. All this will certainly produce dissolution of nations as well as loss of security and luxury.

Sheikh Abdul Ganniyy Umar Arikunkewu is the Founder/National Chief Missioner of JubatuRohfatuLlahi Islamic Society of Nigeria (JUBFAT)

tent of forgetting Allah, the Taker of life. So, when people die, it is a natural path ordained for them, be they young or old. Nobody negotiated his coming into this world. It all happened that you were the lucky one out of the millions of sperm that swam towards the ovum in the oviduct. Neither of the parents was aware which would fertilize the ovum.

Allah alone determines that. Since only He determines your ‘zygotic existence’, only He also has the sole power to determine your non-existence.

Another reality is the return of man to where he started his journey. When he was a little child, he did not know anything. He may be returned to this same condition after reaching old age, with his senses failing him, his hands and legs becoming feeble and unsteady (having to walk with the aid of stick or not able to walk at all), his failing to see well and his brain completely functioning like that of a child. It may be worst to the extent that he can be urinating or defecating over his body. Ikrimah has however said that: “one who reads the Qur’an shall not suffer this condition”. Indeed, agedness is a disease without cure. No wonder then, the Prophet used to pray against being returned to miserable life. He had, however said that the life span of the people of his Ummah is between sixty and seventy, that only a few can exceed it.

The growth and development of man at different stages and subsequent death is an incontrovertible pointer to his resurrection.

If perhaps, he is not convinced; his attention is directed to the earth from which he was originally created. The earth becomes a dry land in the absence of rain. No sooner than rain falls on it that it blossoms to life. The plants that had since died will sprout and start to grow beautifully and increasing in their different species.

Let us compare the similarities between the dead earth and man and the subsequent

M

uslims have been urged to harp strongly on the unity of mankind and strive at all times to make sure that strong interpersonal relationships are maintained as enshrined in Q3: 103-104.

The Chief Missioner of Quareeb, Dr. Fadlu-RahmonKehindeTijani, gave this advice at the 2nd national mission board meeting of the society held Lagos recently.

Dr. Zafaran is the Director, Vanguards Academy

L-R: Managing Director of Ultimate Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, Ustaz AbdurRasheed Akinsanya; Director of Vanguards Academy, Dr. Zafaran Adeniyi; Al-Hikmat College’s PTA Chairman, Alhaji Tiamiyu and the school principal, Mallam Musbaudeen Bishi at the just-concluded Parents’ Summit of Al-Hikmat College, Agege, Lagos.

‘Invite all to unity and good’ OLADELE LUQMON

blossoming of the earth and rising of man from the grave to a greater life. Man was at a time nothing to be mentioned, this was just like a dry land without plant or any sign of life. Thereafter, there occurred the coming together of a man and a woman through intercourse, which can result into conception.

Man’s seed through ejaculation (which is accompanied by other liquid) is like rains, which waters the ovum and thus the beginning of man’s growth as a tiny seed in the womb of the uterus. This is like the rain, which falls on the earth and brings about the germination of seed in the womb of the earth. Just as man is later born and grown to maturity, so the same the plant grows to its height.

On completing his life span, diminishing return sets in; then man dies and returns to the earth. Plant too after harvest withers away and returns to sand. Man and plant are originally from the earth. Both have feeble background at the inception of their life.

Man later grows from the uterus and the plant from the earth. On attaining their life spans, both die. Man, after burial, rottens away in the grave while plant does too after harvest or due to drought. Just as rain will fall on the earth to make it blossom with life, so will resurrection rain fall to facilitate the growth and rising of man from the grave.

This comparison is elegantly embedded in this verse. Thus, Allah makes it clear that as man was kept in the uterus and later brought to the earth surface, so shall he be brought out from the womb of the earth after his death for accountability.

In his words: “The purpose of the annual meeting is to remind us of our duty to the members in the area of uniform conduct of the weekly Sunday and other programmes of the society.

“Lectures should be deep, short and straight to the point, we should dwell on topics that will benefit our members, topics that will keep them on their toes all the time, waiting patiently to hear another lecture in no distant time as the purpose of coming to weekly programmes is to seek Allah’s fa-

vour, learning and make friends.

“Meanwhile, missioners should relate very well with ourselves, there should cordial relationship between us, love and harmony should be our watchword, no room should be given for any form of acrimony.

We are bound to disagree to agree, this is to ease our work. Executives should also be involved in the mission work so that they can have a sense of belonging and they should also carry missioners along in the day-today running of the organization.

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STORIES BY SEKINAH LAWAL

A

clarion call has gone to parents to invest all available resources in their children.

Director of Vanguards Academy, Dr. Zafaran Adeniyi gave this advice at the just concluded Parents’ Summit of Al-Hikmat College, Agege-Lagos, adding that it is very essential to invest our time, money, love, prayers and others on our children in order to ensure they grow up as responsible individuals.

According to him, Allah,

Friday, March 1, 2013

Call to Worship

Yaum al-Jumu’ah, Rabi Al-Thanni 19, 1434AH

Don to parents: Invest all resources in your kids …says girls need special attention

the Most-High has honoured the parents and this should be replicated by nurturing the gifts of Allah, our children, on the path of the Creator, using all resources at our disposal.

Dr. Adeniyi also called on parents, especially mothers, to give quality time to their children and pay special attention to the girl-child because of her peculiar nature.

“Women must engage

in jobs that will make them come home on time to take adequate care of their children, bearing in mind the various effects of internet, music, TV, mobile phones, bad environment among other evils.”

He pointed out that many parents don’t realize that the education world has changed drastically since they were in school and urged them to go to school too as their children do, because there are

“lions” in the schools.

“Do not leave everything to teachers or boarding schools. We need to be their best friend and interact with them in order to get the needed information from them.

America is now saying that women should come back home to train their children because of the increasing crime rate, prefering the family income to reduce, Do thast they could have Godfearing children. Hence, we

need to train our children on the path of the Creator, give them proper orientation on all issues and let them value God and fellow human beings.”

Quoting copiously from the glorious Qur’an, as parents, he enjoined them to always pray, advice, reward and punish accordingly, lead by good examples, provide for their needs and spend quality time with them, take them for excursion, do sports together, among other recreations. Describing parenting

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as a full-time job and a big trust from Allah, he said children are trials and fruits too who must be well-nurtured in order to reap avoid the trials and also reap good fruits in this world and the hereafter.

In order to help the school functions well, Adeniyi called on parents to inform the school authority about any complaints they have about the school. “We should take responsibility for our children’s education. And the first injustice to a child is to born a child illegitimately out of wedlock.”

Suleija agog for humanity

S

Proprietress of Al-Bayan Schools, Hajia Fatimah Idris (right) making a point at the just concluded Parents’ Summit of Al-Hikmat College, Agege-Lagos.

Child abuse: MURIC petitions Lagos Commissioner

T

he Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has sent a petition letter against the Principal of Kadara Junior Grammar School, Ebute Metta-Lagos, Mrs. C.E. Ukpaka to the Lagos Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Yinka Oladunjoye.

Ukpaka reportedly administered 43 strokes of the cane on a female Muslim student, Aisha Alabi a JSS 2 studnet. The principal’s grouse was that the student wore hijab at the time. MURIC called the Commissioner’s attention to the reckless action of this principal.

“The fact that a minor is given 43 lashes of the cane

is very disturbing. We are of the humble opinion that children should be protected from this type of school official. We affirm that Mrs. Ukpaka’s action tantamounts to blatant child abuse. It is unethical and highly provocative. This school principal has subjected an innocent child to immense psychological trauma, thereby impugning upon her personal dignity and infringing upon her Allah-given and fundamental human rights, contrary to the provisions of Article 18 of the United Nations Charter and Articles 9 and 14 of the European Treaty of Human Rights and Articles 18 and 19 of the Treaty of Civil

and Political Rights all of which Nigeria is a signatory.

Her action also constitutes a breach of Section 38 (i) & (ii) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

We demand an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this ugly incident. We also appeal to the Honourable Commissioner to use her good office in taking actions and making pronouncements capable of dousing tension on this unfortunate incident. Lagos has been peaceful over the years, we have all benefitted from the peaceful atmosphere and we intend to maintain the status quo.”

According to the peti-

tion signed by the Director and Public Relations Officer respectively, Prof. Is-haq kintola and Abdul Razaq Uthman, tension is mounting and Muslims in the state are demanding for justice.

Those copied include the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN) Lagos State Chapter, the Nigerian Muslim Council, the Criterion, the Companion, Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), Lagos Chapter, Muslim Teachers Association (MUTAN), Lagos Chapter and Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN).

ultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III has tasked the Muslim community in Nigeria to be united in order to tackle the numerous challenges facing the community.

The Sultan gave the advice in Abuja recently during the reception held in honour of immediate former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof.

Is-haq Oloyede by the Muslim Consultative Forum, (MCF). The Sultan, who was represented by Prof.

Sheik Abdullah, said there are many challenges facing the Muslim community in Nigeria which coming together as one would solve.

He criticised the violent nature in which some unidentified Muslims went about agitating, saying such attitude was not in line with the teachings of Islam.

Also, Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, represented by his Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ibrahim Sule,

said there can’t be any development where there is no peace. He urged the leaders and the led in Nigeria to borrow a leaf from the Medina Model, where Prophet Muhammad presided equitably and justly over the affairs of a multi-ethnic and multireligious society.

Speaking on the lecture entitled: “Peace as a springboard for national development: The Medina Model, the former governor of

Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, canvassed mutual respect and consensus building as a way out of the current spates of violence and other associated crimes in Nigeria.

(Shekarau) represented by Professor Bashir Galadanchi, said restoring the good old days require individual resolve as “Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in them.”

S

Our unity will solve many problems –Sultan

aturday, 24th February, 2013 was an epochmaking occasion in the lives of people living in kuchiko village, a suburb in Suleija Local Government of Niger State, when Ahmadiyya Muslim, Abuja Jamaat, in collaboration with Humanity First, brought medical camp into their doorstep.

Villagers started trooping in as earlier as 7.00am to enjoy the facilities brought to them by the Jamaat. When the contingent arrived, it was a big welcome, the mammoth crowd was so happy that they were screaming and dancing, the doctors mounted their duty post while some officials of the Jamaat went to greet the Hakimi (village head).

Kuchiko is a village that has over ten thousand residents, they have oil depot where fuel is distributed to nearly all the northern states and it is situated along Minna Express way.

Three experienced medical doctors were on ground;

Dr. Mudassar from Kano. Dr. Ibrahim Yakubu and Dr. Ibrahim from the National Hospital, Abuja. Many nurses and pharmacists were also on ground, assisted by the Khuddam. The Suleja Jamaat performed wonderfully, while their Lajna were in the kitchen to provide launch for those in attendance.

It was a big day for the villagers, as drugs were given free of charge, free tests and tracts printed in Hausa language for further knowledge on Ahmadiyya. The President of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Abuja, Dr. Busari, in collaboration with the Naib Amir, north, Dr. Y. A. Habeeb, put the programme together while, members like Circuit Chairman, Alhaji K. M. Atanda, Surveyor S.A Ajijola, Alhaji Owolabi Abbas, Barr. Qadir Mustapha, Missionary Habeeb, Suleja Missionary, Bro. Abdul Ganiyy Salawudeen, Bro. Yahaya, Majlis Khuddam from Abuja Jammat and host of others were on ground to grace the occasion.

OIF prays for peace

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t was prayers galore at the 29th edition of Maolid-Nabiyy by Ona-Ara Islamic Foundation (OIF) recently at Sango-ota, Ogun State, where three whole Qurans were specially recited for peace to reign in Nigeria and the world at large. The recitation started from the preceding Friday through Saturday and finally ended on Sunday.

In what seemed as if the celebration was a Mecca of sort, different Islamic clerics and notable personalities all around Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo trooped in with their members for the yearly celebration. To them, it was not just a celebration, but an opportunity to offer special prayers for Nigerians.

Sheikh Babatunde Sulai-

man Ona-Ara, while giving his address, dwelt on keeping the ties of brotherhood. He noted that God has blessed us as a nation with both natural and human resources, but some of our political and religious leaders have refused to take up the responsibility bestowed on them.

“In my sojourn as a religious leader for the past 30 years, I have come to the realisation that hypocrisy, lack of trust and suspicions are the bedrock of conflicts in our society, which starts from our individual homes, to our various levels in the society.

In religious groups, one finds people whose trademark is to peddle rumour and falsehood in order to achieve cheap popularity, thereby causing conflicts among members.

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Call to Worship

Yaum al-Jumu’ah, Rabi Al-Thanni 19, 1434AH Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Absolute oneness (3) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 to a prophet being worshiped. The proverbial “son of God”, meant only to signify the bond of love between Jesus (as) and his Maker, was transformed into a genetic relationship, hence rendering one of the greatest advocates of monotheism an idol himself. Then by including the Holy Ghost too into Divinity, the original monotheistic concept of God’s Oneness in the message of Jesus (as), transformed into Trinity.

The most interesting case perhaps, is that of Hinduism. In Hinduism too, there is a different concept of trinity - the ‘Tridev’ - meaning the three gods. Brahma the god of creation, Vishnu the god of sustenance and Shiva the god of destruction, together make the One God of Hinduism. One cannot but help notice that the attribute of Allah, Rabb, incidentally has three meanings. The word Rabb, an Arabic word, means the Creator, the Sustainer and the Perfecter, and since perfection cannot be attained without crossing over the threshold of death, into the next life, it follows that the Perfecter is in that sense is indeed the Destroyer. He puts an end to one phase of life and causes man to move on to the next phase of life, in the direction of eventual perfection. So essentially, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the three aspects of the Divine attribute of Rabb.

When viewed in this perspective, we begin to see how belief in One Rabb - Rabb the Creator, Rabb the Sustainer and Rabb the Perfecter, eventually got modified into the doctrine of ‘Tridev’. Interpolations, extrapolations and amendments, spanning a period of three millenniums, thus changed a true Divinely revealed monotheistic religion of India, into an idolatrous one. Briefly speaking, this is how some revealed religions, all of whom were originally monotheistic, regressed into polytheistic ones.

The most fundamental doctrine in the Religion of Islam is the ‘Absolute Oneness’ of God. This doctrine, in the Islamic terminology is known as Tauheed and one who believes in Tauheed is known as a Muwahhid. According to Islamic philosophy, Tauheed is the basis of man’s spiritual prosperity. Man, on the other hand, tends to forget, slacken and even lose sight of things that matter most to his spiri-

MAN TENDS TO FORGET, SLACKEN AND EVEN LOSE SIGHT OF

THINGS THAT MATTER MOST TO HIS SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY tual prosperity. The establishment of Tauheed in our hearts and lives, therefore entails a continuous process of rejuvenation of mental orientation. This in turn requires Zikr or rememberance. In every single rak’at or unit of the Salat or Muslim prayer, one is required to recite the opening chapter of the Qur’an - Sura Fatihah. The fifth verse of this chapter reads, “Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help.” (Ch.1:V.5). It is obvious that God does not need to be reminded of the fact that He alone is worthy of worship or that He alone is worthy of being implored for help. It is the believer who needs this reminder. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said, “The greatest way to remember God is by means of the words ‘laa ilaaha illallaah’.”

Mere incantations and utterances clearly mean nothing. Zikr or Remembrance, needs to be an act of the heart. In compliance with this teaching of the Holy Prophet(saw), the words “laa ilaaha illallah”, meaning “none is worthy of worship except Allah”, would have to be recited from the depths of the heart and with an accompanied rejection of all apparent and hidden idols. A believer cannot attain the enviable state of Ikhlaas or purity, until he or she absorbs the essence of the message of Sura Ikhlaas, which is the “Absolute Oneness of God”. This chapter of the Qur’an has been termed “the heart of the Qur’an” by the Holy Prophet (saw). This is how this Sura, or chapter, runs: In the name of Allah, The Gracious, The Merciful. Say: He is Allah - The One Allah - the Independent and Besought of all.

He begets not, nor is He begotten And there is none like unto Him. (Ch.112:V.1-5) Sayed Hameedullah Nusrat Pasha is presently serving as Dental Surgeon at Fazle Omar Hospital Rabwah, Pakistan.

ZAKAT IS 2.5% OF YOUR TOTAL WEALTH KNOWN AS NISAB AFTER HAVING FULFILLED ALL OBLIGATIONS, PAY YOUR ZAKAT

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Sheikh Babatunde Sulaiman Ona-Ara (middle) with other dignitaries at the 29th edition of MaolidNabiyy by Ona-Ara Islamic Foundation (OIF) in Sango-ota, Ogun State, recently.

The Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, receiving her certificate from the Pro-Chancellor, Lagos State University, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, when she bagged a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in Curriculum Studies at the 18th convocation ceremony of LASU held in Lagos recently.

Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on Water Resources, Hon. Waheed Ottun (second right) presenting a cheque to Mutairu Sodiq at the Third Zakat Distribution Hall, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State .

With them are ZSF Chairman, Prince Sulayman Olagunju (right) and ZSF Executive Director, Alhaji Abdullahi Shuaib (left).

L-R: Mr. Chukuka Chukutem, Head, Pharma Sales & Marketing, May & Baker Nigeria Plc presenting a plaque to Dr. Ojikutu Moninuola Seliat, one of the best graduating students of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, 2013 while Mr. Eugene Olewuenyi, Head, Corporate Communications, May & Baker Nigeria Plc watches.

May & Baker partners young doctors

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raduating medical and dental doctors from Nigerian Universities will receive basic practice tools free from May & Baker Nigeria Plc to enable them start off smoothly in their new profession.

This is the package of a partnership between the premier pharmaceutical manufacturing company in the country and leading Nigerian Colleges of Medicine According to a press release signed by the Head, Corporate Communications of the company, Eugene Olewuenyi, the project which is designed to run in 11 Colleges of Medicine in 2013 kicked off with the graduating medical and dental doctors of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) on February 7, 2013. On that day, about 150 graduating doctors of LUTH received their first Stethoscopes and ward coats from the company. In addition, the best graduating students of medicine and dentistry also received cash prizes and plaques as a form of encouragement for academic excellence.

Speaking on behalf of the Managing

Director of May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Mr. Chukuka Chukutem, Head, Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Division, said the project is a Corporate Social Responsibility undertaking by May & Baker and the idea is to support the students with basic take-off tools to give them a good start.

He said the company intends to run this project in phases. Phase one comprises of 11 Colleges of Medicine with LUTH as the pilot roll out. Other institutions in the first phase include Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Awka, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto and University of Jos Teaching Hospital. Others are University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of Benin. He said other Schools and Colleges of Medicine will be enlisted in the next phases of the programme.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Friday, March 1, 2013

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‘Laffmatazz’ in Ibadan on Easter Sunday ...sponsors rally behind Gbenga Adeyinka’s premium show

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affmatazz, the premium comedy show organised by popular MC and comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka GCON (Grand Comedian of Nigeria) will be visiting Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Easter Sunday, with the backing of several companies.

The event, which is in its third year, will be staged at the upscale entertainment hub, Jogor Centre on Sunday, March 31 with several headlining acts due to perform like Davido, Funke Akindele-Oloyede,

Seyi Law, Seyi Shay, Capital Femi, Dammy Krane, LKT, Skales, May D, Jaywon, Seriki, Jayru, Kayefi, SB Live Band, Isaac Geralds with DJs Van Vicki and Sexy on the wheel of steel. Others are Omo Baba, Owen Gee, Lepacious Bose, Baba Gboin, Bash, Laffup, Obama, Eteye, Peteru and Shete with cameo performance from Adetoun of Project Fame.

The highly anticipated event is being supported by several reputable companies such as First Bank Plc, Arik Air, Beat FM, Squadron

and Action Bitters.

Speaking on the readiness of the Laffmatazz team to host another spectacular event this year, the ace comedian, through his publicist, Seun Oyedele, said: ‘’This year’s Laffmatazz will be the biggest so far; we thank the companies that are supporting this year’s event, they have helped us in no small measure. Ibadan is a very big place to stage a massive event of this nature after Lagos as the fans here love entertainment too”.

Ola Balogun hosts Africana feast

Fatai Rolling Dollar

TERH AGBEDEH

S

ome people may consider the Valentine season of love to be over, but not filmmaker

and musician, Ola Balogun, who together with his musical group, Iroko, will this Sunday thrill music-loving Lagos residents.

A statement released by the organisers said apart from Iroko, the show will feature the evergreen highlife maestro, Fatai Rolling Dollar, as well as a leading Congolese band, the Mukando All Stars of Kinshasa, led by Tino Mukando, a well known and highly appreciated saxophonist and vocalist.

This year’s Iroko Valentine season music show is due to take place at Hall One of the City Mall Shopping Centre, Onikan, Lagos, between 4.00 p.m. and 11.00 p.m.

“Dubbed ‘Africana : A feast of music and love’, the show’s primary purpose will be to promote

and propagate authentic contemporary African music, as well as provide music lovers with an opportunity for relaxation, dance and enjoyment”, the statement further said.

Part of the African music show will be broadcast live on Metro FM for the benefit of all Lagos-based music enthusiasts, while the totality of the concert will be specially recorded on high definition video by the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, for subsequent broadcast in Nigeria and Africa, as well as in several overseas countries.

Also to perform at the event is a dynamic and popular Lagos-based dance troupe, known as the Rainbow dancers that combine traditional Nigerian dances and free style contemporary African dance.

Negro Art Gallery berths NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

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ike a dramatic return to her first love, Funmi Ogbogu, daughter of renowned artist, Ernest Azubuike Emdim, aka Negro Arts, has opened a new art gallery for business.

The art enthusiast, who studied Micro Biology at the University of Benin, said she opened the gallery in order to meet the demands of many art collectors in Nigeria, especially those living on Lagos Mainland.

“We are bringing the beauty of African creativity to art lovers in Surulere and environs. Our vision is to have art appreciation in every home and business environment while growing and developing our local artistic talents. We are doing this through exhibitions, buying, selling and promotion of African artworks

and artists. We want to build a clientele that believes in beauty and in artworks that speak to their emotional, intellectual and creative cores”, she explained.

The gallery, which is situated on Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulure-Lagos, is already stocked with different art works of varied media that can meet collectors’ demand any time as the gallery gets set to host its maiden exhibition from April 1 to 6.

Funmi, who is the Managing Director of Negro Arts Gallery, said that she joined the gallery business in memory of her late father and to raise budding art talents in society.

“Negro Art Gallery also provides an avenue to discover and nurture the creative talents in young people by providing role models for them in the art world”.

According to her, the gallery

A sculpture in the gallery’s collection

features works from well-known professional artists with many years of experience as well as budding artists with lots of potentials. They include: Tony Nwalupue, Demola Tukuru, Lucky Isaiah, Wahab Aromire, Marshal Nwanwu and Anthony Emdin, among others.

Wizkid performing at the Star Music Launch

Wizkid, 2Face, others launch ‘Star Music’

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t was a gathering of Nigeria’s pop stars, entertainment icons and industry chiefs at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos on Wednesday, in celebration of the launch of ‘Star Music’ a first of its kind mobile application and the latest brand offering from the makers of Star Lager beer, Nigerian Breweries.

The star-studded event, hosted by superstar Wizkid, was an exciting experience as Star took the audience on a journey through its numerous accomplishments in the Nigerian entertainment sector.

Celeb guests included 2face Idibia, Weird MC, Kunle Bakare, Toni Kan, Ruggedman, Mai Atafo and many others.

Speaking at the event, Marketing Manager of Nigerian Breweries, Mr, Walter Drenth, assured consumers that there’s plenty to use and share on the app. “We are so excited by the introduction of Star Music and by the fact that this will revolutionise the way people use and share music. We are constantly on the search for new, fun and exciting ways to help Nigerians relax and Star Music promises to become a major part of our lives”.

WizKid who compered the event, and also performed some of his hits to an enthusiastic audience, said he is proud to be associated with a brand that strongly supports entertainment culture in Nigeria. “It’s really great to be a part of this, to know that corporate organisations like Star care enough to reach out to music lovers in such unique ways”.

The famous singer also released his new video Azonto exclusively at the event.

Star Music, a first of its kind music portal, will provide 100% entertainment content and is partnering with some of the biggest names in the Nigerian entertainment sector namely; MTV BASE and Nigerian Entertainment Today, NET. It will also have some of the most prolific writers and some of the trendiest artistes in the Nigerian entertainment circuit as part of the team that will deliver exciting content to users 24/7.

Star Music is available on several mobile operating systems, including Android, Java, Blackberry, iPhone, iPAD andGoogle Play; as well as on a dedicated mobisite.

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Escape

Friday, March 1, 2013

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At Iresi fest, Oyeladeniran Foundation honours cultural roots ONE MAJOR ATTRACTION OF THE FESTIVAL, WHICH

AGO AGOZINO

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ecently, Iresi, a sleepy community in Osun State was alive as it hosted the second edition of Iresi Socio-Cultural festival.

Initiated by Oyeladeniran Foundation for Community Development, OFCOD, the three day-cultural fiesta was highpoint of activity as it thrilled indigenes of the community. Several sons and daughters of the town converged on Ebekun Town Hall in Boluwaduro Local Government of Osun to mark the festival with displays and other theatrical activities.

Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who was the special guest of honour at the colourful event, while talking on the significance that makes the festival unique, reasoned that it is one of the important festivals that his administration will continue to support.

Considering the significance of the festival, especially the fact that it was initiated to immortalise the handwork of two people who contributed to the socio-cultural growth of the community without resorting to fraudulent practices, Aregbesola promised that his government would support the festival every year. He promised to place the festival in the State’s tourism map as one of the rich cultural festivals (alongside other cultural thrills) which make Osun State the heartbeat of Yoruba culture.

The recent festival was an improvement on the first edition. For four days, culture was, indeed, alive at the event, bringing joy to participants and awakening memories of the past for people who had eagerly awaited the next edition of the festival. A lot of activities were incorporated into the festivities, which included marathon race, art and culture display, inter-lineal cultural competition, mountain climbing, colloquium, exhibition and many more. The event also featured Oriki, songs, dance, drama, trade and food competition which saw participants going home with one prize or another.

The mini marathon race was a huge success without hitches as young athletes ran through a route which took off from Orita Igbajo and terminated at Oke Odo Iresi. The winner of the marathon race , Ismaila Oladapo got N10,000; the second place winner, Bode Odewale got N7500 and the third place winner, Akinriade Michael, went home smiling with N5000 cash.

For the mountain climbing, Akinriade Michael a24-year-old student of Baptist Grammar School Iresi, won the first prize of N10,000. The second position went to Adebisi Adedeji with cash prize of N7500, while the third place position went to Alalade Alaba,who went home with N5000 cash. Winners of the cultural show were Agbe Group, N10,000 first prize; second prize of N7500 went to Ajegunle Drama group, while Egbe Ode won the third prize of N5000.

Some other participants who received consolation prizes included Afolabi Sodiq, Odewale Taofeek, Fagbemi Isaac, Adegboye Deji, Fasipe Shade, Adeoye Ruth and Raji Azeez.

One major attraction of the festival, which added a lot of glamour to the event, was the various cultural dance performances. Apart from talent dance competition, the entire cultural dance group from the town were given an opportunity to showcase their rich culture through dance and drama. There were various renditions eulogising the community and its beauty.

Amongst the troupes that thrilled people was the Orobe cultural group. The Orobe dancers made their entrance with an inspiring cultural performance blending with soul lifting songs of praise to the Yoruba people Speaking at the event, coordinator of the festival,

ADDED A LOT OF GLAMOUR TO THE EVENT, WAS THE

VARIOUS CULTURAL DANCE PERFORMANCES

FACT FILE •

OFCOD was founded in 2011 in memory of late Mr. and Mrs. Adeniran and Oyeladun Awoniyi a couple who during their lifetime contributed to the socio-economic development of the town.

•

Oyeladeniran is an acronym of their first names.

•

The vision of the foundation aims at reawakening the socio-cultural heritage of the Iresi community as well as that of the Yoruba nation.

Ogbeni Debo Adeniran said, “The advent of civilisation in Africa, most especially Nigeria, has made our people to jettison our culture. The religion that came with the civilisation brought by the White man has brainwashed many people to believe that our socio-cultural activities are primitive and should be done away with. Unfortunately, there had not been a good replacement for the teaching of morals among our youths”.

He said, “This is why all the vices prominent among our youths today know no bound. We have cultist activities, “yahoo-yahoo”, sexual immoralities, stealing, armed robberies, suicide bombings, rape and loss of a sense of belonging taking pre-eminence in their minds”. He also condemned those who are in the penchant of abandoning Yoruba culture for Western modernisation. According to him, “The coming of modernisation has so much influenced our youths in negative ways because there has not been complete integration between our culture, social values and modernisation in the process of globalisation”. He however cautioned youths to embrace African culture. “What is prominent among our youths are borrowed culture and imitations which are really not done correctly therefore making their output inferior to the conventional standard. This had terribly affected their mode or dressing and has brought total disrespect for elders, criminal behaviours and total disregard for the rule of law”.

Also speaking at the festival, Prof. Samuel Ayodele of Ayo Babalola University, noted that people’s identity as documented in language, religion, arts and artefacts are their biggest resources over the ages. He observed that a race that fails to discover its roots and pattern itself alongside the dictates of its environment will not prosper. He particularly emphasised the use and preservation of Yoruba language by the youths.

“Let it be noted that language is one of the most obvious indices of culture. Indeed, some experts say that language is culture and culture is language. So, it is rather saddening that a lot of our youths are losing their language; for the simple reason that the more of the Western education they acquire, the less competent they become in their mother tongue. Indeed, there are today many young ones who can hardly speak any Nigerian language because they have not been properly taught. At

Masquerade display

Folorunsho Adeniran spraying a traditional singer with naira notes

home, they discuss with parents and relatives almost solely in English. At school they use almost nothing else but English, on the electronic media, they hear English most of the time. Indeed, there are several schools today, especially the fee-paying private ones, in which no indigenous language is used at all. All these are despite the Federal Government’s education policy that the language of the community should be used mainly at the lower level. Our recommendation is that this should be revisited. Let us realise that most of the technologically-advanced countries of the world do not use English at all. At school, English is taught just as a foreign language, but we are still shy of the reality by not adopting the almost exclusive use of the indigenous languages at all level”.

In his remark, one of the organisers, Folorunso Adeniran highlighted the significance of the event and described as great and wonderful the life of two people that the festival aimed to immortalise. He thanked the Osun State governor for supporting the event every year. He hinted that plans were underway to make the event an attractive cultural festival of the town.

The event featured so many thrills and apart from three days dancing and drumming that rent the air, there were a plenty of sumptuous meals to eat and refreshing beverages to drink.

Ago Agozino is a Lagos-based travel writer and journalist.

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Travel News

OPC lauds women at ‘Grandmothers’ Festival’ OLUFEMI AJASA

T

he Oworonshoki Youth Recreational Center at Kosofe area of Lagos was filled with exciting moments as the Olokun Festival Foundation’s presented “Grandmothers’ Festival 2013”. Organised by the Odua People’s Congress, OPC, it was an event which entertained the community with series of engaging traditional activities ranging from exhibition of native wares to cultural performances and a lecture titled: “The Role of Mothers in Nation-Building and Sustainable Development”.

Speaking at the occasion, Chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Oyo State chapter and guest speaker at the ceremony, Mr. Akin Bello, stressed the importance of mothers in the society, saying they are naturally imbued with instinctive feelings that equally position them favourably for the role of catalysts in the arduous task of nation-building and in particular, propagating the immense benefit derivable for sustainable development of a struggling country like Nigeria.

Mr. Bello commended efforts of members of the Olokun Festival Foundation for organising an event in celebration of grandmothers and described the gesture as one that directly contributes to nation-building.

Bello concluded by quoting former American Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton: “What we are learning is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish; if women are free from violence, their families will flourish and it is only when families flourish that communities and nation flourish”.

Meanwhile, National Coordinator

of OPC, Otunba Gani Adams, opened a new vista to the topic after describing mothers as covens who are empowered to ensure people’s protection and to fight for the oppressed.

Gani, furthered: “The festival is to endear the coven to us. With the persecution of European witches between 1450 and 1750, their crafts were still employed to support the technological advancement of the world today. Let us use this opportunity to show respect to the Yoruba covens.

“Our interest is that we want the Yoruba land to be peaceful and united.

I can credibly tell you that one of the ways we are using to invoke the Yoruba esoteric women in creating the pacific ambience for which we yearn, is Grandmothers’, Festival”, he explained.

A Sango worshipper displaying his fire eating skills at the event

MTN pledges support for culture, tourism Adeniran (in eye glasses) with some Awoniyi descendants

...celebrates Ndigbo at Igu Aro festival

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Orobe cultural dance troupe of Osun performing during the festival

elecoms company, MTN, has pledged its unflinching support for initiatives directed at promoting and projecting the country’s cultural heritage, even as it threw its weight behind one of the biggest cultural festivals among Ndigbo, “Igu Aro,” recently at Nri, Anaocha LGA, Anambra State.

Samuel Arewa, the Regional Marketing Trade Manager, South East, MTN, while reiterating MTN’s commitment to enriching lives, stated that MTN, through its KultureFest initiative, has been able to identify and get involved in cultural festivals, across the country.

“MTN prides itself as a caring brand that enables people do more of what they love. Our culture and tradition are part of who we are; they play a significant role in our lives and so, we are very passionate about them. MTN recognises these facts and that is why, year -in year-

out, we support different cultural festivals, across the country, through our KultureFest initiative”, he explained.

Outlining activities for the year, His Royal Majesty, Eze Nri, Obidiegwu Onyesoh drew attention to the gradual decline of culture and tradition.

He maintained that the loss of values in the society is as a result of the decline in cultural values. Admonishing Ndigbo, the Eze Nri, stated that there is the need for the re-awakening of Igbo culture, especially, among the youths.

In his pronouncement for the year, Onyesoh declared bountiful harvest and abundance of farm yields.

The 2013 Igu-Aro festival witnessed a large turnout of sons and daughters of Igbo origin, from all works of life, including the former Vice President of Nigeria, Chief Alex Ekwueme. Nri is the ancestral homeland of Ndigbo and the citadel of Igbo culture and tradition.

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Denrele’s Day Adenrele Niyi Denrele’s Day is a collection of witty & sincere articles inspired by a zany imagination

Friday, March 1, 2013

Pain of fame

denrele@nationalmirroronline.net Follow on Twitter@MizNiyi

O

n a quiet early evening three Fridays ago, I was home unwinding after the work week and mentally bracing up to do some reading before hitting the sack. Then, my Smartphone’s ringing shattered the sleepy reverie I was in; one of my female friends in the neighbourhood was on the line, inviting me for a hangout at her friend’s place also in Lekki-Lagos. Not an out-of-place invitation- we randomly met for impromptu hangouts and since I didn’t mind pecking up my Friday evening anyway, I jumped at the invitation.

Alas! I was to arrive at the address given to me over the phone to discover an internationally-famous Nigerian artiste lived there and was to be my host for the evening. Oh! Believe me, I was excited to say the least!

But more marvelling awaited me inside. I walked into the tastefully furnished bachelor pad (ooops! gave a clue away) and evidence of an ongoing feast starred me in the face. Jostling for room on the lacquered mahogany coffee table were two large pizza boxes with a single slice sitting inside one box forlornly, a couple of empty Chinese take away packs, two open bottles of Cuvee Clicquot Champagne (one empty, the other apparently just popped), two bottles of diminishing Jack Daniels and Black Label and three open cans of Coca-cola.

I took all of these in and two giggling girls curled up on the plush leather sofa placed against the wall amused by something they were watching on the giant LCD TV hung on the wall directly opposite.

Between the sofa and TV sat the goodiesladened coffee table. The house owner sauntered out of an adjoining door leading from the kitchen along with my girlfriend; she did the introductions and I, of course,

patronised my host on his work in the music industry. However, as we talked shop and he discovered I was a career journalist, his mien transformed from amiable to hostile in seconds. He was so intolerable of my presence that it took my friend’s intervention for him not to throw me out of his house. I knew my presence wasn’t welcome anyway, so I gracefully left the premises after a mere 15-minute stay.

Are you wondering why the display of aggression..? His fear was that whatever I was privy to be privilege of being in his home during a let-down-your-hair moment could become information for public consumption in newspapers.

I understood instantly.

A sizeable portion of celebrities are wary around journalists, especially those of us who cover the arts, lifestyle and entertainment beats and it is understandable why so. They fret that journalists are forever sniffing around to unearth ‘secrets’ or are on the lookout for ‘unflattering’ stories about them. Unfortunately, this is not a true representation of how an ethically-guided journalist goes about his or her business of news gathering. But on the flip, it isn’t too far from the truth. Whether on their best or worst behaviour, celebrities are ‘cannon fodder’ for much of the content which goes into relevant pages of the newspaper. Thankfully for journalists too, celebs -even the best-behaved of them- are humans and periodically prone to folly.

Naturally, this sort of misbehaviour is exactly what we tend to latch on to and ‘milk’ dry until the scandal or misact blows over or loses interest with readers.

Well, the interesting development is that three weeks after our first encounter, I’m hanging out with the same artiste again tonight on special request –his way of making up for the rude reception I was accorded previously. Whether he’ll be on his best behaviour or I will do tatafo of everything I see is another tale entirely!

Love and peace for the weekend.

Tribute to Mrs. Oluwabimpe Susan Harvey (nee Filani) Denrele’s remark: In the course of the week, I received this moving tribute from Goldie’s maternal uncle who wishes to share with readers his family’s final goodbye to the deceased music star who died on Thursday, February 14. She was interred during a private funeral on Monday, February 25 at Vaults and Gardens Cemetery, Ikoyi-Lagos.

O

luwabimpe, 19 years less by about a month ago, God took your mummy, Mrs. Olabisi Betty Filani (nee Olaiya) to Himself. We wept, cried and asked questions, why God will take a sweet, gentle, caring soul at that early age. We got no answers, but understood that the creator can do whatever He wants with his creation. In addition, we were consoled that she lived a true Christian and exemplary life and left wonderful children to continue where she left.

And now, our beloved Oluwabimpe, the first fruit, has also been called home. So, dear God, we ask, again, why her? why now? and why us? Oluwabimpe is in her prime, and doing well in her chosen career– talked about the world over!! She has a lot more to offer, many more successful songs to compose, yet you have called her home!!! Bimpe had committed herself to taking the role of her late mother within the family and was actually doing her best to our admiration. She was just as

caring, warm and helpful like her mother.

Heavenly Lord, you have asked us not to mourn like unbelievers, so we hold firmly to your Word. However, we thank you for who you are,and know you can do all things and trust that you will reveal the goodness you have in this episode to us.

And so, we commit our dear Oluwabimpe to the Lord, assured that she is resting with her maker. . .till we meet again at the Lord’s side, good night.

From Engr. Victor Olaiya, on behalf of the Olaiya Family.

L-R: Goldie’s best friend, Denrele Edun and Ovation Publisher, Dele Momodu at the funeral

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CLAPPERBOARD with

Eddie Ugbomah www.edifosafilm.com

Nollywood impersonators

D

o we realise who Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade, Victor Uwaifo, Victor Olaiya, Dan Maraya Jos, Morocco, Dele Abiodun and Dele Ojo are that these boys with the ‘noise’ they call music think they can ignore. As for Onyeka Onwenu, I like her song featuring music stars, but they are singing the same monotonous song of ‘Unity’.

There are so many great musicians, actors and other artistes existing, so somebody should tell these kids to mind themselves and make sure this 100 years celebration doesn’t end with some greedy musicians collecting the cash and doing nothing. Another problem is the letter marketers and ex-president of Directors’ Guild wrote to the Minister of Information nominating Mahmoud Ali Balogun and Peace Anyiam-Owsigwe for the jobs of Managing Director National Film Commission, NFC, and Director General of Censors Board. As for the Censors Board, there is no vacancy because the woman there now Patricia Bala, is an experienced lady who has learnt a lot.

As for Peace, how can she run AMAA and Censors Board?”. I have always argued about the pedigree of Peace and her AMAA jamboree. I cannot see why not other experienced people that have better reputations and have helped to build Nollywood (not exploit Nollywood).

There are two names that come to my mind like Paul Obazele who with Madu Chikwendu brought Nollywood up and was one of the best presidents for Association of Movie Practitioners, AMP. Paul supported other Guild presidents.

I was told that Bond Emeruwa told the marketers to write to the minister and nominate these two. It is the same marketers that ruined Nollywood with piracy, over production and cutting film into parts one to four. They have caused so much damage to the industry and I will suggest as the father, pioneer and icon of this industry that for reputation, Paul Obazele or Zeb Ejiro should be appointed.

For the growth of the industry, the marketers should clean up their piracy, go back to investing in home video and forget the supervision or management of the industry.

It is the marketers that destroyed Emeka Mba at the Censor Board. All the ideas and programmes he introduced were always attacked by those ‘film illiterates’.

Zik Zulu, Andy Amanechi and Ibinabo Fiberesima were duly elected presidents; Zik is planning to celebrate Nollywood with the entire stake holders, Peace and K.O.K want to celebrate themselves. They want to grab NFC and Censors’ Board all for their own personal gains. What can ‘Madam AMAA’ do for the improvement of the industry..?

I want to advise the President, who

I’M ADVISING GOVERNMENT TO

REACH OUT TO ICONS...

NEW ARTISTES ARE INEXPERIENCED is a friend to Nigerian artistes, to stop dealing with greedy individuals. Every artiste in Nollywood who belongs to the Guilds must toe the line and not go behind to make claims as anointed or appointed representatives of the Guilds.

This is what two past Presidents of the Directors’ Guild did and caused problem with Dora Akunyili which confused the poor lady. I am saying to those who want to listen that Patricia Bala is a well-tutored staff of the Censor Board who has served two Directors-General; so, let us face who will salvage NFC. Paul Obazele should be challenged to work his wonder and salvage the dying movie industry. The marketers have shot themselves in the leg; they gave their brother Emeka Mba ‘horrors’ at the Censors Board, so they are not in the position to recommend or nominate anybody.

These men don’t have any respect for experience, age or achievement, only for their greedy, selfish self.

For sincere contribution of Nigerian artistes, the elders who were there at the beginning and the heads of Guilds should be carried along. Whatever alliance these men want to set up, they should carry everybody along, not collecting cash for themselves and dishing out rubbish they call music or video films. We are talking of 100 years of a nation not 20 noisy years. We must present our history to the world –not all these drugs, drinks, rap and naked presentations, which are not Nigerian culture.

I know some fools misleading these artistes will say we are in a free world. But American, British, French and Asian artistes are proud of their culture and they do their best to sell it to the world. As an icon in the entertainment industry, I am praying for better days and the growth of the industry but if I should look back at the insults and financial loss I have endure with Nollywood and marketers, I should be celebrating their downfall.

I am advising the federal and state governments to personally reach out to the icons because the new artistes are inexperienced in the industry. Also, NFC or the Censors Board should not be dumped with another tragedy called a Managing Director. This country must use the entertainment to celebrate and let us try to smile and learn to listen, respect and appreciate ourselves.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, March 1, 2013

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Friday March 1, 2013

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mirror Drive

2014 Bentley Continental convertible:

The ultimate grand tourer

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

D

esigned in true Bentley style for those who accept no compromises, here is the British luxury automaker’s latest, fastest and most thoughtfully-executed open-top performance flagship, the 2014 Continental GT Speed Convertible! The car offers unrivalled luxury and refinement of a coupé yet transforms into a gorgeous open ‘tourer’ at the touch of a button.

Taking its place at the pinnacle of the Bentley Continental GT range with peak power of 625PS or 616 horsepower, this GT Speed Convertible, which has an impressive top-speed of 202 mph, will appeal to discerning drivers seeking the sensory thrills of the world’s fastest four-seat soft-top and the practicality of a year-round grand tourer.

Unveiled in January this year at the North American International Auto Show, Detroit, the ride’s subtle sporting design cues include exclusive 21-inch alloy wheels, dark-tint grilles and ‘rifled’ exhaust tail pipes.

On the inside, it features the Mulliner Driving Specification with its distinctive diamond-quilted hide upholstery as standard, blending contemporary luxury with a distinctive sporting character.

Boasting muscular lines and sporting hand-crafted

THE CAR HAS BEEN EXHAUSTIVELY TESTED IN ALL SORT OF EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS, THEREBY

MAKING SURE IT MAINTAINS LUXURIOUS, COMFORTABLE, DRAFT-FREE WARMTH

luxury, the Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible offers exhilarating supercar performance from uprated 625 PS W12 engine and 8-speed transmission, which not just powers the vehicle to 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds, but also delivers a 15 per cent improvement in driving range, fuel-efficiency and emissions.

Notably, the body-shell of the Continental GT Speed convertible is exceptionally rigid, laying the perfect foundation for a more engaging driving experience.

The auto company claims that the car has been exhaustively tested in all sort of extreme weather conditions, thereby making sure it even resists snowfall, monsoon-force rain and maintains luxurious, comfortable, draft-free warmth even on the coldest days.

Before the 2014 model was unveiled, there had been some of the other finest Bentley models like the Bentley Mulsanne Diamond Jubilee Edition, which is a royal car by every means, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, besides the most expensive Bentley ‘1929-32 model’.

The new GT Speed Convertible combines the sensory pleasures of roof-down luxury touring with the shattering performance of a 625 PS (616 bhp) twin-turbocharged 6.0 litre W12. Permanent all-wheel drive ensures optimum traction and power delivery whatever the road conditions.

From outside, the Bentley Continental GT Speed convertible is distinguished by a matrix radiator grille and bumper air intakes in a dark-tint chrome finish.

The 21inch speed alloy wheels are unique to this model and are available in silver or an optional dark tint.

Large, elliptical exhaust tailpipes feature a rifled interior, while a further, subtle design touch is revealed when the bonnet is opened – the black inlet manifold is unique to the Continental Speed models. As with the GT Speed coupé, the winged ‘B’ badge, which crowns the radiator shell, is set upon a black enamel background.

Inside, exclusive tread-plates featuring the ‘Speed’ legend welcome you to a four-seat cabin that features the hand-craftsmanship of the Mulliner Driving Specification, with its distinctive diamond-quilted hide upholstery.

For the 2014 Speed Convertible model, Bentley offers an exclusive Dark Tint Aluminium ‘engine spin’ finish, inspired by the dashboards of the Le Mans winning Bentleys of the 1920s. Its understated shade is the perfect complement to the exterior’s dark tint chrome radiator and bumper grilles. Other optional finishes include the full range of fine wood veneers and a satinfinish Carbon Fibre option for fascia and centre console.

Just as the latest Continental GT and GTC sit on a carry-over platform, so too is this new Flying Spur.

That said the four-door get entirely new sheet metal.

The fake Benz gear strapped to the test mule covers up

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mirror Drive

Friday March 1, 2013

37

Ford launches new distribution centre in Africa OLUSEGUN KOIKI

T

he leading American auto company, Ford is increasing its presence in the continent with the recent launch of new parts distribution centre in Africa.

The auto company said that with the opening of the new centre in the continent, it is taking action to improve parts availability by expanding service of its Middle East Parts Distribution Centre, PDC, to dealers in Sub-Saharan Africa, SSA. An online statement signed by the auto company’s media consultant in Nigeria stated that Ford’s goal for the facility was to help expedite the delivery of parts to dealers throughout SSA, and improve customer satisfaction in this region where its brands sales are on the rise.

The statement stated that the capable new PDC is ca apable of stocking unique up to 50,000 uniq que types of parts, or six million ttotal pieces from

a few of the same cosmetic tweaks that already hit the GT and GTC, including reshaped headlights (with inboard lamps growing larger in diameter and the outer units shrinking in size), new front and rear fascias, a reshaped hood and the addition of fender “shoulders” over the rear wheels. There is also a new trunk lid that now incorporates a license-plate mounting area—it previously lived in the Flying Spur’s rear bumper.

all of Ford’s production locations around the globe.

It recalled that before now, Ford dealers ordered parts from each vehicle’s country of origin (North America, Europe, South Africa and Thailand), which resulted in lengthy delivery and shipping times that varied greatly, depending on the source location. More regular shipments from a single location the statement added will significantly reduce the time customers will have to wait for parts to arrive at their service locations, as approximately 92 per cent of the parts most often used for vehicle service or repairs will be in stock and immediately available at the PDC and estimated that parts would get across to the end years within two days.

The statement reads in part, “Ford is committed to providing customers throughout Sub-Saharan Africa with exceptional customer service and an improved ownership

experience. By providing a onestop-shop resource for parts for our dealers, Ford is demonstrating its commitment to customer service in SSA”, said Ford Customer Service Division Regional Manager, John Earp.

The facility began servicing 25 Sub-Saharan Africa countries this month. With the SSA launch, Ford’s facility now services more than 35 countries throughout Africa and the Middle East.

Earp informed that a group of dealers from Sub-Saharan Africa visited the PDC last year and came away pleased at the prospect of onestop shopping for all of their parts needs. Dealers believe the PDC’s service to Sub-Saharan Africa will allow them to grow their businesses and improve service to their customers by enabling them to stock a wider assortment of parts.

It will be recalled that Ford sold 13,371vehicles in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2012, representing a 16 per cent increase from 2011.

Hyundai appoints independent sales agent

T

he authorised distributors and marketers of Hyundai automobiles in the country, Hyundai Motors Nigeria Ltd. HMNL, earlier in the week named Real Point West African Limited in Warri Delta State as one of its sales agents in Nigeria.

This brings to 13 such Hyundai sales and service facilities spread across strategic locations in Nigeria.

A statement signed by the media agent of the company in Nigeria stated that the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Parvir Singh said the appointment of an independent sales agent is crucial to the growing clientele of Hyundai brand in Nigeria and the urge to carve a niche for stylish and efficient Hyundai models.

Singh noted that has become a prestigiously brand and a toast of automobile freaks worldwide due to its exceptional performance, reasonable pricing and emotional elegance, which are aimed at providing new values and experiences to yet more customers.

He said, “The essence of pushing boundaries is to emphasise Hyundai brand direction geared towards providing new values and experiences to yet more customers of today through ways that are unique to the brand and go beyond customers’ expectations”” Singh reassured customers of excellent service delivery, stating that the newly appointed agent is remarkably equipped to operate optimally without sacrificing Hyundai’s basic principles of customer satisfaction.

An autonomously managed shop, Real Point West African Ltd. has state-of-the-art diagnostic and repair equipment for after sales support.

The facility, like every other Hyundai outlets, has cordial relationship with finance institutions that can help customers finance any choice Hyundai model after pledging the mandatory down payment.

Also, the Chief Executive, Real Point W.A. Ltd., Prince Vincent Odinigwe reaffirmed his commitment to excellent service delivery.

MAINTENANCE TIPS

How to check joints of a car Continued from last week

I

f you cannot find a wear indicator or if the indicator does not give a clear enough sign, proceed to the next step.

Raise the front end of the car. Refer to the service manual for the procedure to check ball joints. If recommended by the manufacturer, place the jack under the lower control arm of the front wheel, as close to the ball joint as is possible and raise the auto until the wheel leaves the ground. Note that many front wheel drive cars with strut suspensions should not be jacked up using the lower control arm.

Make sure there is no compression in the suspension when you check the ball joint.

If you have control arms of unequal lengths, make sure the upper bump stop does not touch the control arm.

Rock the wheels and check for play. Refer to the service manual to find out how much movement, if any, is allowed.

For side-to-side play, place a dial indicator (a tool that measures the amount of play) inside the wheel rim close to the ball joint. Grab the wheel at either side to push in and pull out the wheel laterally.

For vertical play, place the dial indicator against the steering knuckle stud nut or the ball joint housing, depending on the manufacturer. Grab the wheel at the top and bottom to lift up and pull down. Read the dial indicator and check against the manufacturer’s specifications. If the movement is beyond specifications, replace the ball joint.

Besides, repeat steps to check the ball joint on the other front wheel.

Concluded

Cocktail

38

x

Friday, March 1, 2013

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (104) Oh man! There is no planet sun or star that could hold you, if you but knew what you are.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson * * * The Power Of Identity The secret of dominion is in knowing who you really are. The battles of life come to us mainly to make us doubt our identity in God. Once you lose a sense of who you are, failure is inevitable.

There is no greater revelation than to know that you are created in the image of God; that you are a spark of the divine! And that you are a piece of the MASTER. It is the I AM THAT DETERMINES THE I CAN! (Please meditate on this).

We must do EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to realize our identity in order to emerge winners in the numerous battles of life. When you know who you are, nothing and no one can intimidate you.

TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

Singapore players go doordoor to-door to bring in crowds

F

ed up of playing in front of sparse crowds in Singapore’s poorly attended S.League, players from Balestier Khalsa are going door-to-door to try to drum up their fan base.

“The more often the players go knocking on doors, the higher the chances of them becoming familiar with residents,” Balestier chairman S Thavaneson told Monday’s Today newspaper.

“Who knows, they may become curious and decide to watch a game or two.”

While Singaporeans are huge football fans, they are far more interested in watching English Premier League giants Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal on television rather than going to see local teams like Balestier, Woodlands Wellington and Tanjong Pagar United.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

Goldfish influx threatens to cloud Lake Tahoe

G

iant goldfish have mysteriously found their way into the famously crystalline waters of Lake Tahoe, America’s second-deepest lake, alarming researchers and raising questions about the invasive species’ long-term effects.

Goldfish weighing as much as 4 pounds and measuring up to a 1-1/2 feet in length have recently been caught in Tahoe, which straddles the CaliforniaNevada border, and scientists say the influx threatens native species while posing a potential waste pollution problem.

“These fish are competing with the native fish, and that’s a big part of the problem,” said Heather Segale, spokeswoman for the Tahoe Environmental Research Center at the University of California at Davis.

A group of researchers from Davis, the University of Nevada at Reno, and the fish

and wildlife departments of both California and Nevada were the first to study the presence of goldfish in Lake Tahoe, beginning an annual survey in 2006.

In 2011, the group began a project to reduce the number of goldfish and other nonnative fish from the lake

through “electrofishing,” dangling metal wires from the bottom of a boat to stun fish with electrical current, then capturing the fish as they float to the surface.

Researchers then sort the fish, releasing native species and sport fish such as trout, and removing the rest.

Researcher Christine Ngai is seen with a Lake Tahoe goldfish in 2009.

The project has rid the lake of 50 to 60 goldfish a year since 2011, but their foraging abilities and potential to multiply means removal efforts must continue to keep populations under control, said Christine Ngai of the University of Nevada.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

39

Business & Finance The concept of Delta Beyond Oil is something that remains solid in our vision and we shall plan and execute projects to achieve such.

Chairman, Delta State Economic Advisory team, Bismark Rewane

I am an incurable optimist on Nigeria. I believe the future is so bright you may need to wear a shade. But then it’s all about choices we make as a nation in respect of leadership options and development strategies. If we make the right choices, the future is unbelievably great Former Minister of Finance, Remi Babalola

Lotteries: NCC strikes again, fines GSM operators N22m KUNLE A ZEEZ

T

N10m on account of five promotions at N2million for each promotion while Etisalat is to pay N6m for three promotions in its network.

Similarly, Airtel is to pay N4million for running two promotions against the ban while Globacom will pay N2million for one promotion.

The notice of the sanctions was signed by the

commission’s Director of Legal and Regulatory Services, Ms. Josephine Amuwa.

According to Amuwa, all the operators have seven days to pay their respective sanction amounts from date of receipt of the sanction notice.

The four Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), operators

are liable to payment of the sum of N1million for any day that the contravention persists.

The commission also stated specific contraventions of each of the operators.

According to the commission, “Sanctions on MTN were as a result of five promotions such as Free Airtime for MTN to MTN calls (8AM – 5PM),

MTN to MTN SMS and free MB for Data. Dial *559#; Free N100.00 airtime for MTN to MTN calls, Airtime Bonus valid for life. Dial *559#; MTN Super Saver, get 500 percent bonus valid till midnight. Dial *507#; Recharge with N100.00 today and get N500 free credit instantly. Hurry and recharge before January 22nd.”

he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has again wielded the big stick, slamming a N22m fine on four telecoms operators in the country.

They are expected to pay the fine within one week, beginning from February 22, 2013, when the NCC sent the sanction notice to the erring operators.

The affected mobile service providers are Airtel Networks Ltd, Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (Etisalat), Globacom Limited and MTN Communications Nigeria Limited.

The operators are to pay the sanctioned sum being the cumulative amount in sanctions for contravening the ban on promotions and lotteries in their respective networks as placed by the Commission.

L-R: General Manager, South & Sub-Saharan Africa, Intel Corporation Mr. Sven Beckmann; Vice President, Sales and Marketing MTN Nigeria is to pay Group, Intel Corporation, Mr. Greg Pearson and a staff of Intel Corporation Nigeria, Mr. Bunmi Ekundare, during the ribbon cutting to open the new Intel Headquarters in Ikoyi, recently.

AfDB approves $300m loan for Nigeria to fund economic governance reforms JOHNSON OKANLAWON

T

he Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group approved on Wednesday in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, a loan of $300million to finance

ADVERT HOTLINES: For advert bookings and information, please contact the following:

LAGOS: 08037272933 01-8446073, 08094331171, 08023133084, 08034019884

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the Transport Sector and Economic Governance Reform Program and the Nigeria Country Strategy Paper (CSP) for the period 2013-2017.

The loan aims to support the Nigerian Government to accelerate reform implementation in the areas of transport sector governance, and public expenditure management, an AfDB statement

said yesterday.

Reform measures include the establishment of a Federal Road Authority, National Road Maintenance Fund, Road-Tolling Policy, and Axel Load Control Policy.

In the areas of public financial management reform, the program involves the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Stan-

BOA, Cassava farmers seal agreement on N4.1bn facility

40

dards (IPSAS), Internal Audit Modernization Plan, Treasuring Single Account (TSA), Government Integrated Public Financial Management (GIFMIS), and Transparency and Compliance in Procurement and Audit Practices.

The programme will also create fiscal space for increased investment in road infrastructure

development. It is an integral part of a broader set of interventions of the Bank designed to support Nigeria’s Transformation Agenda with emphasis to economic governance and infrastructure development.

“The Country Strategy Paper outlines the bank’s engagement and assistance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

‘Foreigners’ inroad into cargo clearing is a security risk’

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Arik Air Lag-Abj:07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 13.05, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50,18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun).

Abj-Lag: 07:15, 09.40,10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15,17:10, (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun)Lag-PH: 07:15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.10, 17.15 (Mon-Fri) 07.30, 11.40, 15.50 (Sat) 11.50, 3.50, 17.05 Sun) Abj-PH: 07.15, 11.20, 15.30 (Mon-Fri) 07.15, 16.00 (Sat) 13.10, 16.00 Sun) PH-Abj: 08.45, 12.50, 17.00 (Mon-Fri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) AbvBeni:08.00, 12.10 (Mon-Fri/ Sat)08.56, 12.10(Sun)

Aero Contractors Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun), 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) LagBenin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat)

IRS Lagos-Abuja 7.30 8.30 7.45 8.45 09.30 10.30 10.30 11.30 12.30 13.30 14.30 15.30 16.30 17.30 Lagos-Kano 08.00 09.15 10.30 11.45 14.30 15.40 18.15 19.30 Los-Maid&Yola (Mon-Thur) 09.30 11.30 Fri- Sun 10.30 12.30 Kano-Lagos 07.30 08.45 14.00 15.15 17.30 18.45 Kano-Abj 10.45 11.30 Abj-Lagos 09.00 10.30 11.00 12.00 12.00 13.00

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Business News

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

BOA, cassava farmers seal agreement on N4.1bn facility TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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he Bank of Agriculture and Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria, yesterday sealed a N4.1 billion financing pact that would enable cassava farmers to access funds at lower interest rate.

Under the arrangement, the farmers are expected to pay not more than 12 per cent interest on the facility, amongst other benefits of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by them and endorsed by the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, in Abuja.

About 20,000 cassava farmers are expected to benefit from the loan with each accessing about N205,000, according to the management of the Bank.

Speaking at the forum, the National President of the association, Pastor Segun Adewumi, said the financing partnership represented the first of its kind in the annals of cassava farming in the country when initiatives of growers are enjoying government endorsement and support.

L-R: Assistant Vice President/Global Key Account Manager and Channels for Mahindra Comviva, Kaustubh Kashyap; Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Steven Evans and Chief Regional Officer-Africa, Etisalat Group, Mr. Essa Al Haddad, at the signing of a partnership agreement between Etisalat and Mahindra Comviva in Barcelona on Wednesday.

He said from the loan from the BOA, the farmers would acquire the needed inputs including 300 tractors with implement with each state allocated 10, to cultivate 6O,000ha planned for cultivation in 2013.

He said: “This is a great occa-

sion and the first of its kind in Nigeria where a body of farmers designed her programme and the programme received the approval of the government and the Bank.

“We formed ourselves into cooperatives that will procure all our inputs for mechanisation,

Identity: NIMC begins enrolment of Nigerians soon KUNLE A ZEEZ

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he National Identity Management Commission appears set to begin full-blast enrolment of the over 167 million Nigerians and legally resident foreigners in the country before the end of second quarter of this year.

This was disclosed by the Director General of NIMC, Dr. Chris Onyemenam in Abuja during a facility tour of its National Identity Management System infrastructures of the commission located at its head office in Abuja and its worldclass Data Recovery Centre in Minna, Niger State.

Onyemenam said in the past, Nigeria had focused on issuing

of Identity cards, noting, however, that the current mandate

by NIMC is not to issue I’d cards but to issue National Identity Numbers to duly registered persons in the country.

NIN is a non-intelligent set of uniquely assigned numbers to individuals upon successful enrollment.

The enrollment consists of the recording of an individual’s demographic data abd capture of 10 fingerprints, head-toshoulder facial picture and digital signature, which are all used to cross-check existing data in the National Identity Database to confirm there is no previous entry of the same data.

Though the pilot exercise on the scheme started in in Abuja on February 23, 2012, Onyeme-

nam, said the pilot exercise has been extended to each state and now to the 774 local government area, saying that the nationwide enrollment will commence before the end of June.

“By the end of second quarter of 2013, we expect the actual nationwide enrollment exercise will be launched by the Presidency. From the time it is launched, it is our target to have hit 100 million enrolments in 30 months.”

He said after the enrolment, the NINs would be issued. “This will be followed by the issuance of cards that are Chip & PINbased and designed with more than 18 security features embedded, making it difficult for the cards to be cloned by fraudsters.

Developer canvasses synergy to bridge 16m housing gap by 2020’ DAYO AYEYEMI

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here is need for synergy between government and private sector in order to increase the housing stock in the country.

Group Managing Director of Adron Homes and Properties Limited, Mr. Adetola Emmanuel, while canvassing this, said such synergy is needed to boost housing production, promote growth and employment among the youth in the country.

According to him, 100 per

cent commitment to housing provision should be of interest from the local government to the federal levels, noting that low participation of government in housing sector has weakened the private framework.

He said, “There should be a strong synergy, enabling environment and friendly housing/land policies. 100 per cent commitment to housing provision should be germane from the local government to the federal. Low participation of government in housing sector has weakened the pri-

vate framework.”

He explained that policies formation was not the problem of housing sector, but the implementation and execution of such policies over the years which had failed to receive enough attention.

“Nobody is serious in reducing the 16 million deficits.

Though there are potholes in the new housing policy and the PPP initiatives, however 50 per cent implementation of these policies can take us far.

But as at today, hardly have we achieved 10 per cent implementation,” he said.

cultivation and where necessary, processing.

“From the loan for 60,000ha, we shall procure 300 tractors with implements and give ten to each of the participating states. We have ordered fertiliser to ensure adequate and timely delivery”, he

added.

The Managing Director of BOA, Mallam Dr. Mohammed Santuraki, assured the Minister of the bank’s readiness to provide loans to farmers on the agreed terms of the MOU as a way of demonstrating the bank’s total support for the Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Santuraki, who was represented by the Bank’s Executive Director, Mallam Waziri Ahmadu, assured that the new partnership with the farmers will be mutually beneficial.

He said:”This ceremony today, is the culmination of a lenghty dialogue and discussions that have been going on between the Bank and the NCGA. We have both agreed on modalities for members of the NCGA to access the facility in the Bank of Agriculture through mutually benefitting partnership and collaboration.

“Not long after this signing ceremony, the bank expects NCGA to screen its members and then forward to it, list of its members that are eligible to access loans”, he assured.

‘Nigeria’s oil output may drop by 20 % in 2020’ UDEME AKPAN

WITH AGENCY REPORT

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he nation’s oil output may drop by 20 per cent in 2020 as a result of low investment required to boost exploration and production.

The low investment which the nation has experienced in the past few years is occasioned by the delay in the passage of Petroleum Industry Bill, (PIB), into law.

Reuters that made the projection quoted Energy consultants Wood Mackenzie as forecasting that Nigeria’s oil production could drop because the industry has been denied investment worth billions of dollars.

The agency stated that oil majors say they can’t invest in major new projects until the PIB is passed and if it is passed as it stands with higher taxes, and then new investment will be deterred.

It maintained that: “The Chinese have some interest in Nigeria through Addax, owned

by Sinopec, which has said it wants to buy more onshore fields. Two Nigerian oil firms last week said they did not think the PIB will ever become law because of vested interests blocking progress and an insurmountable gulf between oil firms, lawmakers and the oil ministry over terms.

Reuters stated that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC is at the centre of the country’s energy business but is blighted by under-funding and corruption, according to several government probes.

The agency stated that about half of sub-Saharan oil output still comes from Nigeria and oil firms say it could comfortably double crude production and unlock the world’s ninthlargest gas reserves if AlisonMadueke comes good on her promises.

It stated that the nation will earn less for its oil and struggle to replace reserves unless it can end years of industry stagnation, at a time its biggest customer is becoming self-sufficient and African rivals are boosting supplies.

Reuters stated that a domestic energy boom in the United States has already sharply cut demand for Nigerian oil, while legal uncertainty, political wrangling, corruption and insecurity plague an oil industry which is still Africa’s biggest.

It stated that: “In addition, rivals on the continent - both East and West - are fast catching up, and hungry for returns to boost their smaller economies they are tempting foreign oil and gas companies with better terms and fewer bottlenecks than Nigeria.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

Friday, March 1, 2013

Warri Industrial Business Park to take off in Q2 to create 50,000 jobs within five years STANLEY IHEDIGBO

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he ground breaking ceremony to signal commencement of work at the Warri Industrial Business Park (WIBP), would take place in the second quarter of this year, Chairman of the Delta State Economic Advisory team, Mr. Bismark Rewane, has said.

Addressing journalists after a meeting of the team in Lagos, Rewane stated that all arrangements have been put in place to ensure the commencement of work at the park.

He disclosed that the location of the park has made it such that a lot of economic activities would take place at the area in line with the Delta Beyond Oil policy of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration.

He observed that the current

administration has about two and half years to go and as such, all hands must be on deck to ensure that his vision of positioning the state for prosperous years beyond oil was achieved.

Rewane, who spoke alongside the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah and his Economic Planning counterpart, Mr Kenneth Okpara shed light on the outcome of the meeting saying, “the meeting was very constructive, we evaluated where we stand and we are satisfied that the team is working hard to achieve our goals.”

“The concept of Delta Beyond Oil is something that remains solid in our vision and we shall plan and execute projects to achieve such,”Rewane said. “The ground breaking ceremony for the Warri Industrial Business Park would take place by the second quarter of this year,” he added.

He stated that the WIBP which has the potential to create 50,000 jobs within five years is a massive investment that “involves a significant commitment from the government and the private sector,” noting that telecommunication, office blocks, industries, among others would be at the park.

“I can assure you that we will have a power plant, we will have a broadband internet access, we are close to the Warri port and have access roads to the park,” he stated, noting that efforts are also on to ensure that moribund companies in the state are revived to boost employment and economic activities.

On how to revive the ailing companies, he said, “It is a long term strategy and know too that the companies belong to private individuals, but, what we are doing is to encourage them to open up their business by providing infrastructure.”

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ACCA partners SMEDAN on IFRS education for SMEs KUNLE A ZEEZ

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he Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), said it would partner the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency to educate the SMEs in Nigeria on the desirability of adopting the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS).

This was disclosed by the Country Manager, ACCA, Mrs. Toyin Ademola, on the sideline of its annual fair organised for students to get proper understanding on the requirements for getting ACCA qualifications in Lagos.

According to her, the quest for Nigeria to adopt the IFRS has been described as positive development for the accounting profession and its adoption by the SMEs, who constitute greater percentage of the nation’s economy.

In her assessment on the rate IFRS adoption, Ademola said though the big corporate organisations have been making efforts to comply, the SME sector has not been doing anything.

“I think a lot of organisations are working towards being IFRS-compliant. However, do they understand the standard. I think we can look at it from an angle. Already, the big organisations are already complying but then, it is SME sector that makes most of Nigerian economy. The question is: are those SMEs even complying? So, the truth is that they don’t even have proper understanding of what IFRS is all about.

“So, I think there is a need to make sure that not just the corporates are the ones making moves. That’s why we are working with SMEDAN to properly educate the SMEs to that they can begin to adopt it,” she said.

FAO moves against illegal fishing STANLEY IHEDIGBO

F

L-R: Field Sales Manager, Lagos, Warm Spring Waters Nigeria Limited (WSWNL), Mr. Olu Joseph; Winner of 2012 Happy Times Promo, Mrs. Josephine Fasuyi; Managing Director, WSWNL, Mrs. Folake Oshinyemi and National Sales and Marketing Manager, Mr. Emmanuel Shodipe, during the prize presentation in Lagos yesterday.

FCTA unveils new outdoor advert and signage system OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

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he minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, has approved a new outdoor advertising and signage system for the FCT. With the approval, a new Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage is to be created which will ensure a successful and sustainable implementation of the system.

According to a statement from the ministry, the new system is to be implemented by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), in collaboration with the six area councils of the FCT and reputable advertising consultants. The system will be flagged off by its initiator, the FCT Minister on a date to be announced soon.

The aim of the new advert policy is to standardise all mat-

ters concerning Outdoor advertising and signage, improve the aesthetic beauty of the Federal Capital Territory and sanitise the territory’s environment. It is also intended to improve the internally generated revenue (IGR) profile of the FCT Administration.

In consequence of this approval, all outdoor advertising practitioners, formal/informal businesses and the general public should note that enforcement shall commence three (months from the date of the publishing of the FCT Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage (DOAS) Guidelines.

The decision of the FCTA to re-position and strengthen the Outdoor Advertising and Signage system of the FCT was informed by the minister’s commitment to transparency, orderliness, professionalism and sanity, the statement added.

Upon assumption of office in

2010, the minister had found the outdoor advertising and signage system of FCT to be weak; a situation that forced him to put necessary machinery in place towards its re-positioning and reformation.

The minister found unacceptable the weak and disorganised state of affairs in the sector which had resulted in poor revenue returns, proliferation of illegal and substandard billboards and other forms of signage, indiscriminate posting of posters and flyers and lack of clear administrative structure for outdoor advertisement.

Thus, the take off of the new outdoor advertisement and signage regime together with the establishment of a department to oversee the affairs of the sector is expected to reverse the past haphazard state of affairs and restore beauty, legality and orderliness to the sector.

ood Agriculture Organization (FAO) has developed guidelines concerning illegal fishing after several years of negotiations with many countries over illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

The organisation said illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, are the greatest threats to sustainable fisheries and related livelihoods.

According to the statement

by FAO, international guidelines developed through an FAO-led consultative process aim to cut down on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by improving the accountability of flag states - those countries

which register fishing vessels and authorize them to fly their flags.

It also stated that the guidelines will be presented to the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI), for endorsement at its next session in June 2014.

The guidelines include recommended approaches to encourage and help flag states comply with their international duties and obligations regarding the flagging and control of fishing vessels. They also present possible actions in response to non-compliance.

The Technical Consultation was funded by the governments of Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United States of America, and by the European Commission.

Lagos reaffirms commitment to partner CSOs on development

L

agos State government has said that the administration will remain committed to existing partnership with relevant public and private sector organisations that are working toward the development off all citizens especially persons living with disability in the state.

Speaking at a stakeholders validation workshop on Lagos State civil societies citizens assessment of the position of the state on access integration and inclusion of persons with disabilities, the Director General of the office of transformation in the state, Mr. Toba Ofusanya said the state government share in the daily throbbing of disabled persons and would like

the private sector to engage effectively in the process of rehabilitating them.

The D-G who was represented by the programme management officer, Mr. Ligali Adeleke said the government is poised to tackle the challenges of such people and has taken bold steps to enact a legislation on special persons with the view to protection them and engage them positively so that they would be useful for the themselves and society.

He said this has become imperative as many of them have shown practical innovative ideas that can add value to administration in the area of job creation and discoveries.

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Maritime

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Foreigners’ inroad into cargo clearing is a security risk’ Nigeria no doubt is facing serious security challenges. Security operatives in 2011 foiled an attempt to smuggle rocket launchers and other sophisticated arms and ammunition into the country through Apapa Port. National President of Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Ukor in this interview with FRANCIS EZEM insists that the entrance of foreigners into cargo clearing business in Nigeria will further worsen the security situation, especially given that all the shipping lines are foreign owned.

How do you rate the freight forwarding industry in terms of international best practice?

There is a growing awareness, growth in capacity building now than before. More people are aware of the need for capacity building, training and professionalism and the creation of CRFFN has further boosted professionalism because people are trained. Recently, there was a training programme by the council for the professionals but it started with the chief executive officers. The council has also appointed institutions that would train people so that they become professionals, this makes the operators to know and apply the rudiments of the profession to the benefit of the economy.

In neighbouring countries, foreigners are not allowed into the Customs Processing Centre but in Nigeria.

What do you think?

That is what we have been fighting. For 19 years, I operated as a clearing agent at Seme Border, I was doing jobs in Cotonou, I was never allowed to enter their CPC but here in Nigeria, you see Indians, Chinese, Lebanese and others at the CPC. The Nigeria Customs is trying to introduce something that would make them come in and take over the clearing business from us. Customs wants to replace indigenous clearing agencies with foreign Customs Representatives and they want to bring in foreigners as their representatives. Customs is conniving with the terminal operators to bring in these foreigners.

In the recent past, operatives of the service have been raiding freight forwarders and clearing agents. The aim is to intimidate and force them out of business so that foreigners will take over. If Nigerians were not allowed to enter the CPC in Benin Republic why would Customs allow Asians to take over our business?

What is CRFFN doing about this?

I do not know. We thought CRFFN came to register Nigerians alone but foreigners are taking over. You will also be surprised that some of the individuals registered by CRFFN were foreigners. But the fact is that CRFFN registers freight forwarders but you need Customs license to clear goods, to be able to enter the CPC. The question you ask yourself is how do these foreigners get Customs license to clear goods? The CRFFN can register you but you need a Customs license to go into the CPC or any Customs area to clear goods. We do not blame CRFFN. Foreigners are taking over our business, it is not good for us, it is not good for the country and Customs is aiding them.

Are you not going to court to challenge this?

You know this is something we have seen practically but we are working towards getting documented evidence. As soon as we do that, we will go to court. You know if we go to court without substantial evidence, Customs will mess you up and they are looking for someone to lock up as they did to Lucky Amiwero.

More than five years after, CRFFN is still described as a toothless bulldog. Is this true?

CRFFN has gone through several litigations, which crippled its operations, what is your take?

After the election, Lucky Amiwero took the council to court because he believed Shippers Council made a fundamental mistake in the conduct of the election, we had expected that the council should have used persons for the election but it used companies. People voted for companies not the individual freight forwarders. He believed he would have won the election if persons were used. He tried to stop the CRFFN, but I keep telling people, you cannot stop the government. Secondly, Boniface Aniebonam went to court to ask for the interpretation of some sections of the Act and my association also went to court when they refused to register us, having met all the requirements and when they asked us to withdraw the matter so that we are registered, we did.

When did you assume duty as president?

When the association commenced operation in 2007, I was not really interested in becoming the president, we looked for someone who will assume that position, it looked like no one was ready to take up the position because running an association is capital intensive, no body was ready. We registered the association and we needed to go ahead, so I took up the challenge after all, I was qualified. So in 2007, I became the pioneer president.

Ukor

FOR 19 YEARS, I OPERATED AS A CLEARING AGENT AT SEME BORDER, I WAS DOING JOBS IN COTONOU, I WAS NEVER ALLOWED TO ENTER THEIR CPC BUT HERE IN NIGERIA, YOU SEE INDIANS, CHINESE, LEBANESE AND OTHERS AT THE CPC Rome was not built in a day. All the challenges the council is going through now are teething problems.

It took Rome a long time to get to its current position.

CRFFN work arrive if people allow it. Let us agree with the fact that the initial governing council members did not know much of what the council was all about, they made all the mistakes then but we are ready to correct them now. You know elections would soon come and it is not any person that presents him or herself for election that would be voted for. I tell you, it is not going to be money politics as it was in the past. Everybody is complaining and we are sensitising people. Just watch out.

I assure you, it is not going to be business as usual. We are working towards bringing the right people this time to make things better. Mind you, the right people might not have money, but we will go for them wherever they are. The best thing to do is to cede the existing positions to the various associations so that they select their best.

I know you doubt the workability of this because the CRFFN Act does not provide for that but the Minister of Transport can give a directive to that effect. Section 5 of the Act provides for that. The Act is five-years old now, so it can go for amendment What do you see as the role of Nigerian Shippers Council in the emergence of that executive?

The council was charged with the responsibility of organising that election, they tried the best they could.

They are not clearing agents; they are not freight forwarders so they did not know anybody. We do not blame them.

What are the challenges facing the association?

One of the greatest challenges is acceptability. The other associations do not want us, they do not want to give us the chance to survive. This is the greatest challenge. Right from the first day that we got our certificate, there was a case in Abuja and all of us went, those of them who saw when we collected the certificate since then, there has been that challenge. Do not forget I was a member of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), it was the injustice done to me in ANLCA that made me to leave. I wanted my voice to be heard in the industry but they were oppressing me and I felt that if I remain in ANLCA, I won’t make any head way, so I left in order to remain relevant. When we were making efforts to be registered so as to be accredited by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, the president of ANLCA then boasted that over his dead body will the CRFFN accredit us because they were instrumental to the irregularities that led to my leaving the association. The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), does not want us to survive; they see us as mushroom association. It is only the recent ones such as NAFAC and Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents that want to give us a chance.

The CRFFN insisted that having met the requirements, it will register us. The other associations are not ready to give us a chance.

Don’t you think there are too many freight forwarding associations in the industry?

No. I do not think so. In the United States of America, there are over 120 associations. In Ghana, there are over 26 associations. So, what is too much about five associations in Nigeria? Let me tell you, these 26 are those that are bold and could come out and say regulate us, there are so many others. Five associations are not too much for a population of over 160 million people. In the maritime industry, there are over 10 million operators, so five is not too much at all.

Why do you think your association should be registered?

Our vision is to be the best maritime association by making international best practice our watch word, we want to build capacity and we want to be an association that has international connections. It is our vision to bring the young ones together.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

STORIES: FRANCIS EZEM

T

op security sources have linked the increasing cases of piracy and sea robbery in Nigeria to the decision of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), to accommodate ex-militants numbering over 500 from the oil-rich Niger Delta region at the Regional Maritime Rescue Centre (RMRCC).

The Malaysian-based International Maritime Bureau (IMB), the global piracy watchdog had for three years rated Nigeria’s waters second highest after Somalia in terms of sea robbery and piracy attacks.

In reaction to this rating, most shipping companies and seafarers had declared Nigeria a warzone, which attracts high freight charges while the seafarers ask for higher pay each time they ply the Nigerian waters in view of the increasing incidences of piracy, which increases the risk of being kidnapped or killed.

Security sources have, however, blamed the worsening insecurity in Nigeria’s maritime domain on the former militants living at the resource centre, which experts say is a strictly security area and should not play host to unwanted persons, especially former criminals.

“The Maritime Resource Cen-

Maritime

Friday, March 1, 2013

‘Ex-militants’ presence at NIMASA Resource Centre responsible for piracy upsurge’

DG NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi

tre ideally should be a restricted area, where access should be seriously restricted because such former criminals living at the place might bug into discussions with the ship captain and crew, which places them at the risk of successful attacks”, the source said.

“There have been recent reports that such criminals bug into the Automated Information System of vessels through which they listen to every communication between the Captain, other crew members and the resource, which eventually become their most undoing”, source further

Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar

argued.

The increasing spate of piracy, especially since the last quarter of 2012 has become a major source of concern to most maritime stakeholders, especially given the bad image given to the country, which constitutes a clog in Federal Government’s efforts at attracting investment into the country.

“The recent upsurge in maritime kidnaps off the Niger Delta has not been witnessed since 2010.

It is easy to underestimate the debilitating effect such a situation can have, even on larger corpora-

Shippers’ Council bemoans transport regulatory vacuum

T

he Nigerian Shippers Council has said that the absence of regulatory framework in the transport sector nearly eight years after the conclusion of the port reform in the country accounts for most of the challenges faced in the sector.

Shippers Council is government’s statutory agency charged with the responsibility of protecting the interest of shippers.

The Bureau for Public Enterprises had following the completion of the port reform without a legal framework forwarded two bills, the Ports and Harbour Bill, which was to give legal backing to the reform and the National Transport Commission Bill to the National Assembly, none of which has been passed nearly seven years later.

Newly appointed Executive Secretary/Chief Executive officer of the council, Mr. Hassan Bello, who spoke with newsmen, noted that the unregulated nature of the transport industry accounts for most of the challenges faced in the sector, which negatively affects the maritime industry.

“The Federal Government regulated the insurance industry, the banking sector and even

43

the telecommunications sector so the transport sector should not be different”, he insisted.

He noted that most of the challenges and hiccups experienced on the nation’s ever-busy roads was primarily because the sector is not regulated.

“Safety is key, most of the containers on the trucks are not properly latched, which often results in these containers falling off the trucks either killing other road users or causing heavy traffic congestion on the roads”, he further argued.

On the absence of a commercial regulator for the port industry, he argued that as an agency charged with the responsibility of protecting the interest of shippers and with offices scattered across all the geo-political zones of the federation, the Shippers Council remains the best suited for that responsibility.

He also observed that both the service providers such as the shipping companies and terminal operators on the one part and service users such as clearing agents and freight forwarding are all complaining, arguing that it is now the duty of the regulator to attend to the needs of all the stakeholders.

The NSC-boss, who was appointed on an acting capacity December last year had also disclosed that many land locked countries like Niger and Chad would resume shipping their imports and export through the Nigerian seaports.

Both countries, which were before now making their shipments through the nation’s seaports, especially those in Lagos had to route their imports and exports through ports of neighbouring African countries such as Ghana and Republic due to the inefficiency at the Nigerian ports and the attendant high cost of doing business.

Bello disclosed that following the completion of the port reform programme, which brought about a substantial level of efficiency, the countries would resume shipments through Nigeria.

“You know Niger is a major player in the international market arena this time around following the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantities in the country. What this means is that Niger will ship its crude exports through Nigerian seaports, which will bring about increased revenue”, the NSC-boos further argued.

tions,” source added.

For instance, last weekend, pirates demanded a N200 million ransom for the release of six foreigners kidnapped, which is the latest in at least five attacks in Nigerian waters this month.

Exxon Mobil and Shell officials had said this week that security was a major factor in Nigeria, and it was one of the most expensive oil-producing countries to operate in.

Reuters had reported recently that oil and shipping companies have to hire crisis management teams, pay huge insurance premi-

ums and face the prospect of ransom payments, as well as brace themselves for damage to their reputations. At the same time, pirates are becoming more ambitious, Reports also show that three crew members were kidnapped on February 7 from the British flagged cargo ship, Esther C, around 80 miles offshore, the furthest pirates have reached in the Gulf of Guinea.

Only last month, gunmen killed a Filipino crew member when they attacked a chemical tanker. Three days earlier, in the first confirmed case in Nigerian waters of crew being killed on a vessel that deployed a private armed team, among several other cases.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director, Public Relations of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka, who was most unconcerned when contacted merely said: ‘Really.’

Nigeria had also last year had an unfair share of piracy attacks, as statistics show that early in 2012, there were reports of a ship captain and his chief engineer who were killed by armed robbers off the coast of Lagos.

Maersk projects 8% growth in Nigeria’s import volumes

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aersk Nigeria Limited has projected between six and eight percent growth in Nigeria’s import volume and between eight and 10 percent growth in her export volume for the year 2013.

Managing Director of the company and head, Central West Africa cluster, Mr. Jan Thorhauge, said in a trade report released by the company recently.

“Our expectations for the 2013 import market are conservatively optimistic, and we expect the market to grow 6-8 per cent. The export market is subject to harvest conditions and global market prices, but we foresee an increase of 8-10% in 2013”, he said.

According to him, forecasting in general in Nigeria remains a challenge and 2013 is no different, arguing that the market development will as always depend heavily on unpredictable macro-economic factors as well as stable oil prices, oil production, security issues in Northern Nigeria, stability in Eastern Nigeria, rate of exchange fluctuations for the naira, among others.

While reviewing trading activities in Nigeria in 2012, the report indicated that the tradi-

tional commodities including electronics, cars, food items, chemicals, machinery and paper among other goods covering industrial needs and private consumption dominated items imported into Nigeria in 2012.

The report also indicated that agricultural products including cocoa, cashew nuts, sesame and cotton dominated the list of containerised commodities exported from Nigeria. “We see very few finished products being exported”, said the report.

“The 2012 containerised import market to Nigeria is estimated to have ended at 383,000 FFE (forty foot equivalent units) which, following the significant 22 percent increase observed in 2011 over 2010 would represent a relatively marginal year on year four percent growth”, the report also said.

It was also gathered that the East Nigerian market outperformed West Nigerian market in terms of growth in percentage, while the first half of 2012 saw the import market remain above the 2011 level, which changed during the second half of the year where volumes dropped and for the last five months of the year were consistently below the same period in 2011.

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Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, March 1, 2013

Infraction: NSE sanctions 3 stock-broking firms JOHNSON OKANLAWON

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he Nigerian Stock Exchange has sanctioned three stock broking firms for engaging in acts that may throw the capital market into a crisis akin to that of 2008.

The NSE in a notice posted at its website yesterday said that the Disciplinary Committee of the National Council of the Exchange met on February 21, 2013 and directed that the three dealing member firms caught should be made public The firms are Apel Securities Limited, EDC Securities Limited and Calyx Securities Limited.

According to the notice,

the three firms were allegedly caught manipulating the market and influencing price movement in some stocks.

The notice explained that the NSE suspended each of the three firms from carrying out trading on the floor of the Exchange for one week while they are expected to cough out a fine of N21.5m.

Specifically, Apel Securities was fined N15m, EDC Limited N5m and Calyx Securities N1.5m.

“Calyx Securities Limited for the infraction of price manipulation was sanctioned a fine of N1.5m and it was reduced to N1m given that Calyx admitted its infraction, fully co-operated with the investigators,

pleaded for leniency and is a first time violator,” the notice added.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, said market operators should know that the NSE is closely monitoring activities at the market and would detect any infraction or abuse of rules.

“We are watching those perpetrating the crime. Let me use this opportunity to tell anybody that wants to manipulate the market that we are watching very closely and if we catch you, we will come after you with everything we have,” he said.

Shedding light on the effort put in place to protect companies listed on the Exchange from infraction,

Onyema said a surveillance department was created to monitor the affairs of the trading floor.

Explaining the nature of their job, he said they do a lot of work that shouldn’t be known to all, except those guilty of the offence.

“They will come after you,” he said.

So far, he said the management is satisfied with the number of cases that were reported because the people that were perpetuating it were not aware they were being watched.

The market, he said, should be a level playing ground for all. “Things like insider trading and general market manipulation will not be tolerated in this market,” he said.

JOHNSON OKANLAWON

S

harp sell-off by some investors halted bullish run in equities trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday.

Market analysts attributed the decline to the speculators who increased profit-taking activities towards active stocks across the board.

The All Share Index lost 1.96 per cent to close at 33,075.14 points, as against the increase of 0.37 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 33,736.82 points.

Market capitalisation

close at 187.32 points. Lotus Islamic Index depreciated by 1.76 points to close at 2,135.52 points.

Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc led the gainers’ table with N1.00 or 9.95 per cent to close at N11.05 per share, followed by Fidson Healthcare Plc with 15 kobo or 9.68 per cent to close at N1.70 per share.

Prestige Insurance Plc appreciated by six kobo or 9.23 per cent to close at 71 kobo per share, while Wema Bank Plc rose by nine kobo or 9.09 per cent to close at N1.08 per share.

Unity Bank Plc gained seven kobo or 9.09 per

All-Share Index 10,583.8 points Market capitalisation 33.1 trillion

cent to close at 84 kobo per share.

On the flip side, Transcorp Plc lost 18 kobo or 10 per cent to close at N1.62 per share, while Guinness Nigeria Plc shed N17.00 or 5.80 per cent to close at N276.00 per share.

Dangote Cement Plc fell

by N8.98 or 5.79 per cent to close at N146.02 per share, while Livestock Plc depreciated by 12 kobo or five per cent to close at N2.28 per share. Multi Trex Plc dipped by four kobo or 4.82 per cent to close at 79 kobo per share.

A total of 411.3 million shares valued at N7.59bn were traded in 5,529 deals.

Global stocks, Brent oil rise on data, central bank hope

G

lobal equity markets and Brent crude oil rose yesterday, pulled higher by encouraging United States economic data and renewed confidence that major central banks will keep taking steps to support the global economy.

Italian bonds pared recent losses on reduced worries about the country’s political deadlock, helping to whet the appetite for riskier assets such as stocks, oil and other commodities.

A drop in new claims for jobless benefits last week and a sharp rise in factory activity in the Midwest in February added recent data that suggests an improving US economy early this year.

The US Commerce Department said gross domestic product rose 0.1 per cent in the fourth quarter - reversing a previous reading showing a contraction, but less than a 0.5 per cent gain forecast by analysts in a Reuter’s poll. Investors, however, ignored the GDP data on anaemic growth.

“The jobless claims continue to show further signs of improvement in the labour market. It’s encouraging,” said Andrew Wilkinson, chief economic strategist at Miller Tabak and Company in New York.

Wilkinson said the GDP report was largely history, and that the data was unlikely to impact investor sentiment.

“We knew that it was a

bad quarter, and we knew that there was a confluence of negative inputs such as from government inventories. We don’t expect this to continue in 2013,” he said.

The Dow Jones industrial average finance/markets/index was up 15.98 points, or 0.11 per cent, at 14,091.35 points. The Standard and Poor’s 500 Index was up 2.83 points, or 0.19 per cent, at 1,518.82 points.

The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 7.89 points, or 0.25 per cent, at 3,170.14 points.

In Europe, the FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 of top regional shares rose one per cent to provisionally close at 1,171.66 points.

MSCI’s all-country world equity index rose 0.48

Source: Afrinvest

Market indicators

Index slide by 2% on profit taking shed N21bn to close at N10.6trn, in contrast to the rise of N4bn recorded the preceding day to close at N10.8trn.

All sectorial indices closed negative except the Insurance Index which gained 0.92 per cent to close at 151.98 points.

The NSE 30-Index dropped by 1.84 per cent to close at 1,580.75 points, while the Consumer Goods Index dipped by 1.45 per cent to close at 976.96 points.

The Banking Index declined by 0.63 per cent to close at 409.00 points, while the Oil and Gas Index fell by 0.41 per cent to

Source: NSE

per cent to 354.51 points.

In oil markets, Brent crude for April delivery gained 41 cents to $112.28 a barrel.

In contrast, US oil for April delivery slipped 22 cents to $92.54 a barrel.

Gold headed toward its longest run of monthly declines in more than 16 years as an improved economic backdrop and reduced concerns about inflation blunted its appeal to investors.

Spot gold fell 0.9 per cent to $1,582.50 an ounce, on course for a monthly drop of about four per cent. The embattled precious metal has been in the red for five straight months - the longest such losing streak since late 1996 to early 1997.

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

CCNN

10.05

11.05

1.00

9.95

FIDSON

1.55

1.70

0.15

9.68

PRESTIGE

0.65

0.71

0.06

9.23

WEMABANK

0.99

1.08

0.09

9.09

UNITYBNK

0.77

0.84

0.07

9.09

AIICO

1.01

1.10

0.09

8.91

REDSTAREX

3.59

3.80

0.21

5.85

CILEASING

0.60

0.63

0.03

5.00

JOHNHOLT

1.82

1.91

0.09

4.95

UAC-PROP

14.00

14.69

0.69

4.93

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

TRANSCORP

1.80

1.62

0.18

-10.00

GUINNESS

293.00

276.00

17.00

-5.80

DANGCEM

155.00

146.02

8.98

-5.79

LIVESTOCK

2.40

2.28

0.12

-5.00

MULTITREX

0.83

0.79

0.04

-4.82

UTC

0.83

0.79

0.04

-4.82

CUTIX

1.90

1.81

0.09

-4.74

ROYALEX

0.81

0.78

0.03

-3.70

CORNERST

0.55

0.53

0.02

-3.64

ABCTRANS

0.57

0.55

0.02

-3.51

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Days

30,647.21

12.40

21-Feb-13

182-Days

20,000.00

15.08

21-Feb-13

364-Days

85,000.00

15.55

21-Feb-13

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Days

30,647.81

12.40

21-Feb-13

182-Days

20,000.00

15.08

21-Feb-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$200m

N/A

$200m

27-Feb-13

$150m

N/A

$150m

25-Feb-13

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, March 1, 2013

45

46

Friday, March 1, 2013

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Friday, March 1, 2013

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47

Community Mirror Driver jailed for defiling six year old girl

“Let me tell you, it is in order in politics. Jonathan is the President under our party and what is wrong if he decides to run?”

PDP NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, DR. BAMANGA TUKUR

48

Three girls drown searching for water DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

T

he Umuigboke community of Oriuzor in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has been thrown into mourning following the drowning of three girls from the area.

The deceased, Chinonye Peace Mgbada, an OND, graduate, Alice Nwokwu, and Uzoamaka Nwinyima died while fetching water from an abandoned mining hole.

One of the girls was said to have slipped and fell into the hole

and while trying to rescue her, the other two slipped in and drowned.

Some community members, said the hole was dug and abandoned by illegal miners, who never filled it up in spite of entreaties from the people.

Over the years, the hole served as major source of water to Umuigboke despite the construction of manual boreholes in the area by the local government council.

According to the account, it took several hours before the girls’ bodies were recovered from the hole

Sympathisers who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the deaths have brought to the fore, the need for the government to immediately complete the reticulation of water from Oferekpe and Ukawu water treatment plants to all communities in the state.

A resident in Abakaliki, Engr.

Okey Agbo, said: “It was painful to lose such promising young girls, especially in a circumstance that they were searching for a social amenity that has become a luxury in Nigeria.

“The incidence ignites my memories of the slain students at

ACN leader makes case for Nigerian youths

the University of Port Harcourt.

Do we blame the girls who went in search of water in such dangerous terrain?

“The blame lies in the system that has continuously made promises for water, but failed to bring them to reality.”

“Recently, the government claimed to have spent N36 billion on water for which the late girls never benefited.”

Confirming the incident, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sylvester Igbo, said that the command had begun investigations into the matter.

A crowd waiting to buy kerosene at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mega Station on Jos Road in Bauchi, recently.

PHOTO: NAN

A

women’s leader in the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and social worker in the United Kingdom, Pastor (Mrs.) Margaret Falodi-Apoeso, has urged governments to support and protect the vulnerable Nigerian youths. She said, they could be vulnerable for a wide range of reasons including alcohol or other substance misuse, family circumstances, homelessness and crimes as well as illiteracy, ill training or unemployment.

While announcing the programme of the Federation of Ijesa Students’ Union, Mrs. FalodiApoeso, said Nigerian youths need support and assistance both individually and collectively to safeguard and protect them from any form of abuse. She advised governments to get them involved in decision making regarding their well-being.

As part of the three-day competition starting tomorrow, there will be quiz competition among secondary school students in the six local government areas of Ijeshaland; visit to palace of the paramount ruler of Ilesha, the Owa, as well as visit to the motherless babies’ home in Ilesha. On March 3, the last day of the programme, there will be a lecture organised by the national body of the Federation of Ijesa Students Union at the Ilesa Grammar school by 12 noon.

National President of the Federation, Adesola Adenipekun, said the yearly programme is to raise awareness and unite youths in Ijeshaland so they can speak with one voice on issues affecting them.

Ondo spends N5bn on community

NAOWA disburses loan to members

HAKEEM GBADAMOSI

JAMES ABRAHAM

AKURE

A

total of N5billion has been spent on various community projects in Ondo State in the past three years.

The Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperative Services, Mr. Clement Faboyede, disclosed this in Akure, Ondo State capital.

He said 644 projects have been executed in 345 communities, adding that most communities have been transformed while giving the people a sense of belonging.

Faboyede, said most of the projects executed by his ministry were at the request of communi-

ties that had been neglected by past governments.

The commissioner said most of them are life changing projects which also are improving the economic activities in the respective communities.

He listed the projects to include construction and renovation of 105 health centres, even as 2,627 antenatal was recorded with 1,064 deliveries.

He also said 268 water projects which include manual, solar power boreholes and mono pumps have been constructed to reduce water related diseases in the state.

Other projects include building of 31 markets, renovation and building of 31 schools to improve

basic education in areas like Ilu Abo, owode, Owena Idi Mango and others.

He pointed out that most rural communities have access to electricity, while 60 town halls have been put in place for social activities.

He said “Projects are carried out according to community demands and we will continue to preach the gospel of transformation.”

The commissioner, however, called on contractors handling projects within the state to go back to site, saying funds have been made available, pledging that all monies would be paid on certification.

JOS

T

he Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association, NAOWA, 3 Division Chapter, Jos has disbursed N10 million as loans to its members for skills acquisition.

The facilities, which were obtained from Hedgeworth Group were given to 47 beneficiaries by the General Officer Commanding 3 Army Division, Maj. Gen. Ebi Awala , assisted by his wife and president of the association, Mrs. Sophia Awala.

The micro credit scheme was categorised into eight to include, tailoring, beauty care,

soap making and photo processing. Others are catering and fast food, ICT and embroidery.

Speaking at the occasion, Gen. Awala charged beneficiaries to endeavour to pay back the loans so that others could benefit.

“As a revolving scheme, you are expected to pay the loans as at when due, to enable other members benefit, as you are expected to use it judiciously to assist your family”, he said.

Speaking, the NAOWA President, thanked the Hedgeworth Group for the loan facility, which she said would go a long way in positively affecting members and their families.

48

Transition

P

a Sanu Williams Soroh was born to late Mr Soroh Famoh and Mrs Indeke Soroh in May, 1924 at Amassoma.

He spent his early days in Amassoma working with his father, Mr Soroh Famoh, who was a prosperous farmer in his days.

Williams Soroh, as he was popularly known, was a very hardworking and enterprising man; disciplined and out-spoken.

He later travelled to Lagos to work as a fitter to indigenous companies. Pa Sanu Soroh also spent some time in Accra, Ghana as a Chef.

He finally settled in Treihville, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where he worked variously as a fitter in the American Embassy, and as a chef to different expatriate workers in Abidjan.

He married Ms Akeswa Fiepere in 1958 and was blessed with eight children;

Friday, March 1, 2013

Pa Williams Soroh

four boys and four girls.

He was a self motivated man and took calculated risks in his sojourn on earth. As a foreigner in Ivory Coast, he was not intimidated by the government, and severally took them to court to defend his fundamental human rights.

In 1973, when he decided to relocate to his home

town, Amassoma, before the advent of the freedom of movement by ECOWAS citizens, the government of Ivory Coast gave him a permit, laissez-passé, to enter into the country at anytime.

He had undiluted passion for education. He believed education was the key to a prosperous life. His

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Pa Michael Obafaiye outspokenness defined his life; with him, you always knew his stance on any issue.

He was also known for this popular saying that, “If God loves a man, He will give him a good wife that will help build his destiny.

And you can assess how God loves you by looking at the type of wife you have”; has remained a veritable assessment of individual marriages.

He will be laid to rest tomorrow, Saturday March 2, 2013 in his hometown amassoma Left to mourn him are: two wives, a sister, Mrs Sokorikumo Bekebo, eight children, several grandchildren, cousins, nephews, nieces, sons in-law and daughters in-law; brothers and sisters in-law, including Sir and Lady Abrakasa Fiepere.

T

he Lagos State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Shem Obafaiye, has lost his father at the 82.

The deceased, Pa Michael Orungbeminija Obafaye died in Kabba, Kogi State on Friday, February 8, 2013 after a brief illness.

Funeral arrangements kick off with Christian Wake Keep on Friday March 15, 2013 at Ayetoro; Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, Kogi State. Interment holds on Saturday March 16, 2013.

He is survived by eight children including Mrs Becky Sangodere and Samuel Obafaiye.

ed guilty to the offence.

The Magistrate, Banji Ayeomoni, therefore sentenced him to three years in prison with hard labour and without option of fine based on the evidence before the court and the confession of the accused.

Not represented by any

legal defence, the accused pleaded for leniency, begging that he was pushed by the devil to commit the crime.

Community Mirror

Driver jailed for defiling six year old girl OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

A

36 year-old timber lorry driver, Segun Akintola, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment by the Ore Magistrate’s Court 2 for raping a six year-old girl, Joy Avognon.

The convict was said to have, on February 11, 2013 at ‘Show boy Express’ near Ore in Ore Magis-

trate District had unlawful carnal knowledge of Joy Avognon.

The offence was contrary to and punishable under section 218 Criminal Code, Cap 37, vol 1, laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

The prosecutor, Inspector Johnson Agboola, told the court how Segun lured six year Joy from her parents’ house to the scene of the crime.

He said the convict took

the girl to his friend’s (one Bose) house where he defiled her, adding that, “Although Bose was not around, but being her boyfriend, Segun was in possession of the keys to the room.”

Agboola, said the accused warned the girl never to relate her experience to anyone, including her parents even under threats.

The cat was, however, let out of the bag, when

Lawmaker donates N2.5m to students

A

lawmaker in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Mrs. Agatha Goma, has donated N2.2 million to 40 final year students from her Ekeremor Constituency in tertiary institutions, under the Constituency I, Educational Trust Fund Initiative.

Hon. Goma, who described education as the key tool for human capital development, said that knowledge is an invaluable means of addressing structural inequality and disadvantages in youths, informing that the Ekeremor Constituency I, Educational Trust Fund initiative was floated by her constituency office as her little contribution towards the socio-economic growth of the area.

According to the only female lawmaker in the House, her educational trust

fund initiative has nothing to do with politics, saying that providing free and quality education to children reflects the fact that every child is entitled to fundamental human rights and is to be treated with dignity While giving herself as an example of beneficiary of early childhood educational opportunity from her parents, she reiterated that primary education provides children with life skills that will enable them to prosper later in life.

The lawmaker explained that good education equips children with the skills to maintain a healthy and productive life, to grow into resourceful and socially active adults, and to make cultural and political contributions to their communities, hence her passion for support for

students in the area at all levels.

While commending the free education policy of the Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson’s administration, Hon. Goma pointed out, that education transmits more abstract qualities such as critical thinking, healthy living, resilience, and self-confidence in young persons.

She said an educated adult population is vital for strong economic development, as it lays the foundation for greater overall economic productivity and the full use of new technologies for development, adding that a system of compulsory schooling helps to fight child labour.

Stressing on the importance of education of the girl child, the lawmaker noted that the education of

the girl’s parents went searching for her and was seen coming out of Bose’s house and narrated her ordeal to the parents, who reported the matter to the police.

It was gathered that Segun made confessional statements which were recorded in both English and Yoruba languages.

It was also learnt that Joy was taken to the hospital for confirmation and treatment,as Segun plead-

women is a powerful means of sustaining improved health in the long run and that the lack of gender parity and equality in education, is often a critical factor in underdevelopment.

She said the education of women, would address entrenched cultural views about traditional female roles, as they are empowered and equipped with skills to enable them make full contribution to their communities.

Responding, a beneficiary of the Education Trust Fund Initiative from Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Comrade Okporu Akpoeyinmowei, thanked the lawmaker for the kind gestures, informing that the assistance was even higher than the bursary payments from the state government.

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

World News

Benedict pledges obedience to new pope

“It seems to me that we would need to sit over a bottle of vodka — a bottle of good wine wouldn’t be enough — to sort things out (for Syrian crisis).”

50

–Russian President Vladimir Putin

Al Qaeda commander, Abu Zeid killed in Mali PAUL ARHEWE,

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

F

rench forces in Mali have killed Abdelhamid Abu Zeid, a leading field commander of al Qaeda’s North Africa wing AQIM, Algerian Ennahar television reported yesterday.

The station said 40 militants including Abu Zeid were killed in the region of Tigargara in northern Mali three days ago. A French Defence Ministry official declined to comment on the report. Algeria did not confirm the killing.

France launched a whirlwind assault to retake Mali’s vast northern desert region from AQIM and other Islamist rebels on January 11 after a plea from Mali’s caretaker government. The military intervention dislodged the rebels from several main towns they had occupied and drove them back into desert wilds.

AQIM, which stands for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, has earned tens of millions of dollars in ransom payments for Western hostages taken to its strongholds in northern Mali.

Abu Zeid has been regarded

Zuma takes anti-rape campaign to South Africa’s classroom

P

resident Jacob Zuma launched an anti-rape campaign targeting South Africa’s 10 million schoolchildren yesterday, an attempt to tackle some of the world’s highest levels of sexual violence in a country where many are inured to reports of such crimes.

Girls and boys suffer sexual abuse, bullying and rape in the classroom and playground on a regular basis, according to domestic media reports, and researchers say many youngsters do not know what is right and wrong.

“What we are launching today is not a women’s campaign. It is everybody’s campaign,” said Zuma, who was himself acquitted in a 2006 rape case while serving as deputy president.

Police and the justice system notoriously fail to do their part in protecting victims and prosecuting perpetrators. Even when rape suspects are caught, only 12 percent of cases end in conviction. This month, a 2-year-old girl was raped by a man out on bail for two other sexual offences, local media reported.

as one of AQIM’s most ruthless operators. He is believed to have executed British national Edwin Dyer in 2009 and a 78-year-old Frenchman, Michel Germaneau, in 2010.

Canadian diplomat Robert Fowler, in an account of his kidnapping by another Islamist cell in the Sahara, recounted how Abou Zeid refused to give medication to two hostages suffering

from dysentery, one of whom had been stung by a scorpion.

A suicide car bombing killed six government allies in the northern city of Kidal, as French confirm that they are engaged in heavy fighting in northern Mali.

The suicide bomber exploded his vehicle Tuesday evening at a checkpoint at an entrance to Kidal, said Ag Alghabas Intalla, a leader of the Islamic Movement

of Azawad, or MIA, reached by phone in Kidal. He said he counted six dead and others wounded.

The MIA group is fighting with the Malian army and French troops against Islamic extremists.

Responsibility for the suicide attack has not been claimed, but it is suspected to be the work of the Islamic extremists of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, or MUJAO.

Malian soldiers looking on as weapons, munitions, and other paraphernalia seized from radical Islamist rebels are displayed at the French army base in Gao, Mali, recently.

PHOTO: AP

Fresh violence threatens DR Congo’s peace deal

L

ess than a week after the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring African nations signed a peace accord to hold off hostilities, a fresh wave of violence has erupted in the central African nation.

Fighting erupted yesterday between the Congolese troops and the rebel group Alliance of Patriots for a Free and Sovereign Congo (APCLS) in Kitchanga, about 90km from Goma, Al Jazeera’s Nazanine Moshiri reported.

It is not known if the latest fighting has resulted into casualties, but at least 3,000 civilians have

sought refuge near a UN base in Kitchanga, according to Moshiri.

On Sunday, DR Congo signed an agreement with 10 other African nations including Rwanda and Uganda, which were accused in a UN report last year of aiding M23 rebels, who swept through eastern Congo and captured the key city of Goma in November. Both countries have denied the allegations.

Under Sunday’s agreement, Congo’s neighbours agreed not to tolerate or support armed groups.

The Congolese government pledged to prevent armed groups from destabilising neighboring

At least 3,000 civilians have sought refuge near a UN base in Kitchanga following the recent fighting.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

countries, and agreed to fasttrack security sector reform, particularly within its army and police, and to consolidate state authority in the east.

A looming leadership struggle also threatens to split the more prominent rebel group, M23, which some fear could lead to more waves of violence there.

An “internal fight” is going on between M23 rebels loyal to Bosco Ntaganda and his rival leader Sultani Makenga, according to Moshiri.

Ntaganda, who is in hiding, is a former Congolese general wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court at The Hague and publicly had very little to do with the group.

Makenga, on the other hand “is far more cautious type of leader” who wants to wait for a peace agreement currently being discussed in Kampala in Uganda.

“We are hearing credible reports that Ntaganda is trying to persuade M23 to take Goma again, and we understand he has the loyalty of several top commanders as well as some rebel troops,” Moshiri said.

WORLD BULLETIN

Experts urge review of EPA negotiations with West Africa

West African experts have recommended a comprehensive review of the market access offer to the European Union (EU) in order to break the deadlock between the two parties in the negotiations of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) for the creation of a free trade area between them The negotiations have been stalled mainly due to disagreements over the size of the West African market to be open to the EU and the timetable for dismantling the existing tariff, the EPA Development Programme (EPADP) funding to enable the region cope with the cost of adjustment to the EPA, the non-execution clause and the most favoured nation status.

While West Africa is requesting for the injection of nine billion US dollars in fresh funds into the EPADP, the EU is offering six billion US dollars in funds already committed under the European Development Fund (EDF) as well as existing bilateral and other sources.

The draft offer, one of the outcomes of a three-day meeting of the experts called to consider proposals to reinstate the negotiations, would be forwarded to Member States for their comments as part of the process of generating a consensus behind a desired offer.

West Africa, which includes ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania, initially made a 60-per cent market offer over 25 years for the dismantling of the existing tax regimes against EU?s 80 per cent over 15 years.

West Africa has since adjusted its position to 70-per cent market offer but over same the transition period as a gesture of flexibility in the negotiations.

S’ African police drag man in vehicle to death

South Africa’s police watchdog is investigating the death of a Mozambican taxi driver who was allegedly handcuffed to the back of a police van and dragged through the streets.

Video footage taken by a bystander of the incident, near Johannesburg, has been shown in the local media.

A spokesman for the Police Investigative Directorate said he was “shocked” by the footage.

Rights groups often accuse South African police of brutality.

Local media reported that police initially assaulted the 27-year-old Mozambican, a taxi driver, accusing him of parking his vehicle incorrectly in Daveyton, east of Johannesburg.

The video shows a large crowd gathering, as uniformed policemen tie him to a van, dragging him as they drive away.

“We are investigating an incident involving the death of a man, allegedly at the hands of the police.

50

World News

WORLD BULLETIN Fifteen die during protests against Bangladeshi death sentence A Bangladesh tribunal convicted an Islamist party leader and sentenced him to death yesterday, the third verdict by the court set up to investigate abuses during the country’s independence war, triggering widespread protests by supporters in which at least 15 people were killed.

Delwar Hossain Sayedee, 73, vice-president of the Jamaat-eIslami party, was found guilty of mass killing, rape, arson, looting and forcing minority Hindus to convert to Islam during the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan, lawyers and tribunal officials said.

The religious party, known simply as Jamaat, had called for a day-long countrywide strike in anticipation of the verdict against Sayedee, the third senior party member convicted by the tribunal.

Police, witnesses and media reports said at least 15 people were killed and around 200 wounded in clashes between Jamaat activists and police as violence erupted in more than a dozen districts.

Protesters set fire to a Hindu temple and several houses in Noakhali district, south of Dhaka, reporters said.

Series of bomb blasts kill 22 in Iraq A series of bombings struck Baghdad and towns south of the Iraqi capital yesterday, killing at least 22 and wounding dozens in areas that are home to mostly Muslim Shiites — the latest evidence of rising sectarian discord in Iraq.

The attackers struck a day before tens of thousands of Sunni Muslims are expected to take to the streets in what have become weekly protests against the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The rallies are exacerbating long-simmering tensions between Iraq’s Sunnis and the Shiite majority nearly a decade after the U.S.-led invasion.

The deadliest attack occurred around sunset when a pair of bombs exploded nearly simultaneously in Shula in north-western Baghdad. One was a car bomb that was detonated outside a fast food restaurant and the other blast occurred near a soccer field. The twin bombings killed 15 people and left at least 40 wounded, officials said.

Two Palestinians in Israeli jail end hunger strike Two Palestinian prisoners held

by Israel have ended their hunger strike of nearly three months and two other hunger strikers have been hospitalized, an Israeli official said yesterday.

The prisoners who ended their fast did so because an Israeli military prosecutor told them that he would not seek to extend their detention at a hearing next week, said their lawyer, Jawad Boulous.

The two prisoners, Tarek Qaadan and Jafar Ezzeldeen, are being held without charges or trial, in so-called administrative detention.

This means their detention can be extended repeatedly.

Sivan Weizman, a spokeswoman for Israel’s prison service, said the two started eating on Wednesday, ending a fast that began Dec. 3.

Friday, March 1, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Benedict pledges obedience to new pope ...flies to papal retreat in helicopter

The helicopter taking Pope Benedict XVI to Castel Gandolfo leaves the Vatican in Rome, yesterday.

PHOTO: AP

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enedict XVI left the Vatican for the last time as pope, flying by helicopter yesterday to the Vatican’s vacation retreat, becoming the first pontiff to resign in 600 years.

As his closest aide wept by his side, Benedict bade farewell to Vatican officials gathered in the San Damaso courtyard of the Apostolic Palace, a corps of Swiss Guards standing by at attention.

Benedict travelled by car to the helipad on the top of the hill of the Vatican gardens and boarded a helicopter along with his secretary, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, for the 15-minute trip to Castel Gandolfo. Bells tolled as the helicopter took off.

Meanwhile, Pope Benedict yesterday pledged unconditional obedience to whoever succeeds

him to guide the Roman Catholic Church at one of the most crisisridden periods in its 2,000-year history.

Benedict, who left the Vatican later yesterday for temporary residence at the papal summer villa south of Rome, bade an emotional farewell to cardinals before he was to become the first pope in six centuries to step down.

“I will continue to be close to you in prayer, especially in the next few days, so that you are fully accepting of the action of the Holy Spirit in the election of the new pope,” he told cardinals in the Vatican’s frescoed Sala Clementina.

“May the Lord show you what he wants. Among you there is the future pope, to whom I today declare my unconditional rever-

Pope Benedict XVI delivering his final greetings to the assembly of cardinals at the Vatican yesterday, before he retires.

PHOTO: AP

ence and obedience,” he said.

The pledge, made ahead of the closed doors conclave where cardinals will elect his successor, was significant because for the first time in history, there will be reigning pope and a former pope living side-by-side in the Vatican.

Benedict appeared to be sending a strong message to the top echelons of the Church as well as the faithful to remain united behind his successor, whoever he is.

Some Church scholars worry that if the next pope undoes some of Benedict’s policies while his predecessor is still alive, Benedict could act as a lightning rod for conservatives

and polarize the 1.2 billion-member Church.

With the election of the next pope taking place in the wake sexual abuse scandals, leaks of his private papers by his butler, falling membership and demands for a greater role for women, many in the Church believe it would benefit from a fresh face from a non-European country.

A number of cardinals from the developing world, including Ghanaian Peter Turkson and Antonio Tagle of the Philippines are two names often mentioned as leading candidates from the developing world who listen more.

US to give Syrian rebels medical, food aid, not arms

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he United States will send non-lethal aid directly to Syrian rebels for the first time, Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday, disappointing opponents of President Bashar al-Assad who are clamouring for Western weapons.

But in a change of emphasis, the mainly Western and Arab

“Friends of Syria” group meeting in Rome “underlined the need to change the balance of power on the ground”.

A final communique said participants would “coordinate their efforts closely so as to best empower the Syrian people and support the Supreme Military Command of the (rebel) Free Syrian

L-R: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaking with Syrian National Coalition President Mouaz al-Khatib, next to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, PHOTO: REUTERS and Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign, Yesterday.

Army in its efforts to help them exercise self-defence”.

More than 70,000 Syrians have been killed in a fierce conflict that began with peaceful anti-Assad protests nearly two years ago.

Some 860,000 have fled abroad and several million are displaced within the country or need humanitarian assistance.

Kerry, after the talks in Rome, said Washington would more than double its aid to the Syrian civilian opposition, giving it an extra $60 million to help provide food, sanitation and medical care to devastated communities.

The United States would now “extend food and medical supplies to the opposition, including to the Syrian opposition’s Supreme Military (Council)”, Kerry said.

In their communique, the “Friends of Syria” pledged more political and material support to the Syrian National Coalition, a

fractious Cairo-based group that has struggled to gain traction inside Syria, especially among disparate rebel forces.

Riad Seif, a coalition leader, said before the Rome meeting that the opposition would demand “qualitative military support”.

Another coalition official welcomed the result of the talks.

“We move forward with a great deal of cautious optimism. We heard today a different kind of discourse,” Yasser Tabbara said.

But the continued U.S. refusal to send weapons may compound the frustration that prompted the coalition to say last week it would shun the Rome talks. It attended only under U.S. pressure.

Many in the coalition say Western reluctance to arm rebels only plays into the hands of Islamist militants now widely seen as the most effective forces in the struggle to topple Assad.

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2015: Constitution, electoral law’ll determine Jonathan’s eligibility –Tofa AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

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he presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention, NRC, in the 1993 Presidential election, Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, yesterday in Kano, declared that the eligibility of President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2015 Presidential election should be determined by the constitution of the country, rather than by individuals or groups.

The former Chairman

of the Elders Committee of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, noted that the controversy over the eligibility of the President to remain in office beyond 2015 was unnecessary, because to him, the constitution is clear on the tenure of elective officers, including that of the President.

This was even as he urged the newly formed All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders to shun the temptation of zoning elective offices, particularly the Presidency, to avoid the rancour and confusion associ-

ated with such action.

According to him, the party should decide its flag bearers through the ballot and not by zoning, pointing out that every region should be allowed the chance to pursue its ambition on the platform of the APC in line with the constitutional provisions and the electoral law.

The elder statesman’s advice came against the back drop of calls on General Muhammadu Buhari and former Governor Bola Tinubu to insulate themselves from the 2015 presi-

dential race on the platform of the party, to pave way for younger politicians to emerge as candidates for the presidential race.

His concern was that if any of the geo-political zones is schemed out via zoning of elective offices, it will breed crisis in the new party as it may derail its focus.

The former presidential candidate insisted that the opinion of individuals on whether President Jonathan can contest in 2015 does not matter and should be dismissed as hear say, irrespective of the caliber of

persons involved.

“What we need to know as stakeholders is what the law says about President Jonathan’s situation and not what someone else says he heard or saw Jonathan sign. Our constitutional experts should be brave enough to speak on relevant sections of the appropriate law.

“If the law allows Jonathan to contest the election, then it is up to him and the PDP to decide whether he should or not. But, if the law says he cannot, either because he is now serving

Jonathan congratulates new Attah Igala

PDP tasks Al-Makura on provision of amenities IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

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ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

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resident Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday congratulated Prince Idakwo Michael Ameoboni, on his emergence as the new Attah of Igalaland.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President also applauded the adherence to due process and Igala native laws and customs by the Igala Traditional Council and the Kogi State government to ensure a peaceful and orderly succession to the revered late Attah of Igalaland, Alhaji Aliyu Obaje, who passed on last year.

The President said as Prince Ameoboni prepares for his formal coronation and ascension to the ancient and highly-respected throne of his fore-fathers, he should do his best to foster peace and progress in his domain.

The President also urged the new Attah Igala to put the vast knowledge and experience gained from a successful career in the armed forces and public service to very good use in the service of his people.

He wished Prince Ameoboni a successful tenure and assured him of the full support of the Federal Government as he strives to build on the commendable legacies of his worthy predecessor.

his second term, or because he cannot be sworn-in as President three times, or because he cannot serve for more than eight years, then he just cannot contest and must forget about it.”

“It is not for Jonathan or anybody to decide whether he can contest or not, that it is for the law to determine that. The bottom line is that all this debate about what Jonathan said or what he promised is just a waste of time. We are not a banana republic, as those who spread this hear-say seem to believe.”

Cross section of district heads in Misau Local Government Area, during a routine immunisation and child health campaign in Misau, Bauchi State on Wednesday.

JTF kills middle-aged man in Katsina JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

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yet to be identified middle-aged man was yesterday shot dead by men of the Joint Task Force, JTF, in Katsina State.

The man was shot at a military check point at Lambar Rimi in Rimi Local Government Area, for allegedly trying to exchange gun fire with JTF

operatives.

The incident occurred at the Katsina-Kano Road when men of the JTF, who were on routine vehicle search, stopped the man to search his Volkswagen golf car.

Eyewitnesses said they heard gunshots shortly after the vehicle conveying the deceased and one other person stopped at the check point.

One of the eyewitnesses

said people around the area immediately took to their heels on hearing the gunshots while some bold ones hid behind trees to see what had happened.

The body of the deceased was said to have been left by the road side and covered with leaves while the car he was driving was riddled with bullets.

The corpse was, however, said to have been moved

away later, possibly to a hospital.

Confirming the incident, JTF spokesperson, Ikediche Iweha, said soldiers killed the man in self defence and that the deceased pulled out a weapon and tried to fire at the military men at the check point.

Iweha said his men responded accordingly and one person was killed while the other was arrested.

Agric sector to generate five million jobs –Minister OYEWALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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inister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has said that the agricultural sector in the country will generate five millon jobs by 2015 as the Federal Government will use agriculture to create wealth for the people.

He, therefore, charged states of the federation, especially Kogi State, to intensify efforts in its agricultural pro-

grammes as the state is capable of feeding the nation and generate more employment opportunities for its youths.

The minister, who disclosed this while speaking at the official ground-breaking of the Accelerated Rice Programme at Okunmi Oworo in Lokoja Local Government Area of the state, said Kogi State is richly endowed with natural resources.

Adesina explained that presently, Kogi State is leading in rice and cassava pro-

duction, stressing that the state has attracted interest of about $8 million on cassava alone.

He commended the initiative of the state governor, Idris Wada, for his initiative in agriculture.

The minister pointed out that Nigeria is expected to be an exporter of food, stressing that that was why the Federal Government launched the agricultural transformation agenda to ensure food security.

Adesina noted that the transformation is an alliance between the federal, state and local governments, adding that there was no database for farmers in the country, but that the ministry has been able to record about 4.5 million farmers.

“This year we are expected to have five million farmers. Each of the farmers will get identification number.

The government is set to eliminate faceless farmers in the country,” he stressed.

he Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Nasarawa State, Mr. Yunana Iliya, yesterday urged the Governor Umaru AlMakura-led CPC government in the state to step up efforts at providing basic amenities for the people.

Iliya gave the charge in an interview with journalists in Lafia while reacting to the recent protest by students of the Nasarawa State University in Keffi over water scarcity, which led to the killing of four students with several others sustaining injuries.

He said until basic infrastructure such as water and electricity promised by the state government are provided, the much needed change the people had been yearning for, would only be a farce.

He commiserated with the families of the deceased students and urged them to take the loss of their wards as an act of God and take solace in the fact that death is inevitable.

The chairman said the university authority and the security agents should expedite action on their investigation and bring those involved in the killing of the students to book in order to serve as deterrent to others.

He noted that the arrest and punishment of those involved in the dastardly act would go a long way to pacify the students and the families of the deceased, that justice was done.

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Friday, March 1, 2013

Levante asks Martins to buy out contract

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Sport

The lion does not die; it only sleeps. It is only a matter of time before Cameroun bounces back - FORMER CAMEROUN INTERNATIONAL, PATRICK MBOMA

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AFCON success: Oboabona gets house in Ondo HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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or his brilliant performance at the 29th Africa Cup of Nations held in South Africa, Super Eagles’ defender and captain of the Sunshine Stars of Akure, Godfrey Oboabona, was yesterday presented with a bungalow and sum of N1million by the Ondo State Government Presenting the gift to Oboabona during a dinner organised in his honour, Governor Olusegun Mimiko said the footballer had been a good ambassador of the state.

Oboabona, born and bred in Ondo State, was a member of the victorious Super Eagles at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa.

Speaking on the footballer’s feat, Mimiko said he’s grateful to God that Godfrey’s parents are alive to witness the success of their son.

He advised Oboabona not to allow success get into his head and tasked him to embrace humility, fear of God and hard work, which according to him, are the recipe for success.

The governor, however, reiterated the commitment of his administration to invest in sports development and make Sunshine Stars of Akure the best in Africa.

Responding to the governor’s gestures, Obaobona thanked the state government and promised to be a good ambassador of the state at all times.

L-R: Marketing and Innovation Director, Guinness Nig. Plc, Austin Ufomba; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nig. Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu and Corporate Relations Director, Mr. Sesan Sobowale, at the presentation of the Guinness World Record Certificate for the largest football jersey in the world to the media, in Lagos, yesterday.

Guinness Eagles’ jersey makes world record EVEREST ONYEWUCHI SPORTS EDITOR

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he Nigerian jersey unveiled by Guinness Nigeria Plc as part of its strategy to drum support for the Super Eagles during the 29th Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, has entered the Guinness Book of Records as the largest jersey in the world.

Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu, disclosed this yesterday, at his company’s head office, while having an interaction with a section of media executives.

The jersey measures 294.2ft or 89.67m (length) and 241.3ft or 73.55m (wide) and was part of Guinness’ Fly with the Eagles campaign in support of the reigning African championsIt was unveiled at the Teslim Balo-

gun Stadium Surulere, Lagos and the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt in a bid to galvanize millions of fans of the Super Eagles in their quest for victory in South Africa.

Adetu, who said that over 40,000 fans autographed the jersey at the two venues, explained that his brewing company had no relationship with the Guinness World Records as the largest jersey set the new world record.

The Nigerian jersey, has thus, erased the last record held at a size of 234ft1in x 259ft 8i. created and displayed in Sukru, San Istanbul Turkey in 2009.

“We are elated as a company to have greatly contributed to these successes, putting Nigeria on the world map once again with this feat. Initially, there were doubts as to whether we had broken the world record when we started out.

“However, today, I am proud to present to you the Guinness World Record Certificate for the largest football shirt in the world proving that we actually did break the world record,” an elated Adetu announced.

On the authenticity of the record, the Marketing and Innovation Director, Mr. Austin Ufomba, said everything was done to meet the requirements for the Guinness Book of World Records.

“The jersey was measured by the quantity surveying firm, Billings Cost Associates and vetted by renowned audit firm, Alexander Forbes. So there was no issue on the claims,” Ufomba assured.

The Guinness Nigeria Plc MD said that his company’s five-year-old support for the NFF and the senior national team was still intact and ongoing.

W/Cup qualifier: We don’t fear Nigeria –Kenya

N Oboabona

ewly appointed Kenya coach, Adel Amrouche, has said that he is not afraid to face AFCON champions, Nigeria, in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on March 23 in Calabar.

Kenya is bottom of Group F with one point, three points behind leader, Nigeria.

But Amrouche has insisted playing

Nigeria is like playing any other country and that against the likes of Nigeria, the motivation is normally there whether it’s a qualification game or not.

“As I coach I don’t fear Nigeria although I know they are a good team. As a team we must have belief in ourselves and work hard on winning matches without getting worried of the opposi-

tion,” he said Speaking about the demand for results by most fans, the former Burundi coach said it is the case everywhere.

“This is a problem not only in Kenya, but also in the continent. Don’t believe and rely always on what people say, when you don’t work with passion you cannot achieve results,” he offered.

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Pepsi blends sports, music A FOLABI GAMBARI

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Nigerian young athletes during a recent domestic championship

CAA: Eighty athletes to represent Nigeria YEMI OLUS

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igeria is expected to present the highest number of athletes at the maiden edition of the Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA) Youth Championships which will take place in Warri, Delta State from March 27 to 31.

The Championships are open to athletes who are under-17 as at this year.

AYC: Botswana team arrives for Eaglets

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he U-17 National Team of Botswana will arrive in Nigeria today for a two-match friendly with the Golden Eaglets.

Both matches, which will take place at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar will hold tomorrow and Monday, 4th March.

The Nigeria Football Federation has organised the games as part of the Golden Eaglets’ final phase preparation for the African U-17 Championship taking place in Morocco between 13th – 27th April.

Eaglets will fly out of the country to Qatar on 13th March, for a four-week final preparatory programme ahead of the continental showpiece in Morocco. They will be availed of the exquisite training facilities at the world-renowned Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha.

Nigeria takes on Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and debutants Congo Brazzaville in Group B of the African U-17 Championship in Morocco.

Manu Garba’s boys are unbeaten in 20 friendly and competitive matches since coming on stream last year, and swept into the African U-17 finals by winning all six qualifying matches, scoring 21 goals and conceding only one.

In contrast, Botswana’s cadets only squeezed past Malawi, Rwanda and Algeria to reach the eight-nation finals.

Prior to their qualifying race last year, the Eaglets played a similar two-leg friendly against the Rwandan U-17 Team, also in Calabar, both of which they won comfortably.

Secretary of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Maria Worphil, told National Mirror yesterday that about 500 athletes would feature in the event even as over 421 athletes from 32 countries have so far confirmed their participation.

“We are still expecting more entries as the deadline closes on March 4,” Worphil said.

The CAA confirmed Nigeria as the host last year at its congress in Porto Novo, Benin Republic. Some of the countries that have registered include traditionally athletic nations like South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia and Algeria.

Ethiopia has the second largest delegation with 42 athletes, South Africa has 30 while two athletes each will represent Cape Verde, Guinea, Zimbabwe and Comoros Islands.

At a recent inspection in Warri, the CAA had urged Delta State to set a standard in hosting the maiden AYC, even as the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, urged the Local Organising Committee to make the state proud.

FIFA President, Blatter

Costa Rica loses W/Cup rights

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ue to a number of unforeseen circumstances leading to heavy stadium construction delays, FIFA, in agreement with the Costa Rica Football Federation, has had no other option than to relocate the hosting of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup next year.

In a statement yesterday, FIFA expressed its thanks to the Costa Rica Football Association for its efforts and commitment.

FIFA is now looking at various options to evaluate potential hosts for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2014 as soon as possible.

The recommendations will be presented to the FIFA Executive Committee, which will decide on the new host of the competition during its next meeting on 20-21 March 2013 in Zurich.

ead of Marketing, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Mr. Norden Thurston, has said that the company decided to take 10 contestants in the season 3 of the Nigerian Idol, a reality TV show to the gym to physically prepare them for the rigours of the show.

Tagged ‘Day Out with Wizkid’, the event featured Nigerian Hip Pop Star, Wizkid, who is also a Pepsi music ambassador, leading the pack of the contestants to various exercises at the gym.

“Music and sports go together.

Music and dance exert lots of energy. Anybody that is not physically fit may not prove of his or her career in entertainment,” Norden remarked.

“We decided to champion this initiative through Wizkid who is also young and about the same age grade with the contestants,” he added, stressing, “Wizkid is a role model to many upcoming young artistes.”

At the end of about three hours of workout at the gym, the contestants said they were ready to face the show’s rigours.

“The gym experience is great. I am mentally and physically alert

Pepsi music ambassador, Wizkid, flanked by some of the Nigerian Idol Season 3 contestants Abasiakan, Debie Rise, Efezino, Jay-feel and Amara at a Gym session of Wizkid’s day out with the contestants in Lagos yesterday

now for the remainder of the challenge,” Amara, one of the contestants said.

Pepsi has over the years been involved in the development of music and sports in Nigerian and around the world. The Pepsi Football Academy has helped discovered many youngsters that have proved their worth at home and abroad at different times.

Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi, as well as Sunday Mba, Elderson Echiejile, Osaze Odemwingie and Solomon Okoronkwo, are among the many international footballers that have passed through the Pepsi academy.

The soft drinks company has also branded music icons as Michael Jackson and Britney Spears, with Beyonce as the most recent brand ambassador.

UCL: Eguavoen warns Gunners on ‘Munich War’ AFOLABI GAMBARI

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ormer Nigeria international, Austin Eguavoen, has urged Arsenal fans in the country to brace for their club’s possible exit from the UEFA Champions League’s round of 16 when the second leg matches of the round gets underway next week.

Visitors at Heineken Champions Planet are still relishing their experiences and the outcome of the first leg matches.

Eguavoen, who visited the Planet during the week, contended that the Gunners faced a uphill task of surmounting Bayern Munich at the Alliance Arena after the Bavarian shot down the London club 3-1 at the Emirates last week.

“Bayern Munich dominated play in the first leg and deserved their win,” Eguavoen, who guided Super Eagles to a bronze finish at the 2006 African Cup of Nations in Egypt, told the large gath-

ering of mainly Arsenal loyalists at the Planet.

The 1994 AFCON gold-winning Nigeria captain, however, gave a ray of hope to the Gunners’ fans.

“The UEFA Champions League has thrown some funny results in the past and there could still be hope for Arsenal if they go into the match with the right attitude and Bayern fail to play at their optimum,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, an elated visitor remarked that AC Milan had duplicated the Chelsea and Celtic pattern to demolish favourites Barcelona 2-0 at the San Siro.

“The world is beginning to find a way round the Barca’s dominating style and I think it’s a matter of time before other teams take over,” he said.

World Footballer of the Year, Lionel Messi, was completely anonymous at the match with only one shot at goal by Andres Iniesta while goals from KevinPrince Boateng and Sulley Muntari in the second half wrapped up historic celebration at the Milan city.

Former Super Eagles’ coach, Austin Eguavoen (2nd left), flanked by visitors at the Champions Planet, Lagos

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Win Window on Nigerian p players abroad

with IIKENWA NNABUOGOR ikenwa.nnabuogor@gmail.com

Odibe targets former club

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Levante asks Martins to buy out contract Martins

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he hierarchy at La Liga side Levante are discussing with Obafemi Martins on his proposed move to Seattle Sounders, according to authoritative Spanish sports daily Marca.

Martins met with club president Francisco Catalan, who was accompanied by sporting director Manolo Salvador, for a private discussion at a Valencia hotel.

Levante has refused to continue negotiations with Seattle Sounders, who are believed to have sent their representatives to Valencia.

In case Martins wants to leave the club for the United States, he must buy out the remaining period of his contract valued at 3 million euros.

The Nigeria international is

unhappy with Levante after they reneged on payment of 68,000 euros for his image rights. Again, he is being heavily taxed in Spain.

Martins, who has scored six goals so far in La Liga, had been a subject of transfer target for the MLS side, who made a bid for the former Newcastle striker last week.

Gianluca di Marzio, widely regarded as Italy’s number one voice on the transfer market, said Martins was close to linking up with Seattle Sounders. ‘’There’s a very interesting proposal from Seattle, is an offer that can satisfy my needs and those of the club. ‘’I want to leave Levante because I am not happy, I was promised something that is not currently met. I arrived on a free

transfer, so the club will make a good profit through my sale,’’ Martins said.

It was reported by Gianluca di Marzio that Martins’ arrival at Seattle Sounders will reduce the bank balance of the MLS club by around ten million euros.

Note that Martins has a buy out clause of three million euros.

Logically, it means the remaining seven million euros (=N=1.4 billion) is for his wages.

In addition, if the transfer materializes, Levante would pay Martins one million euros (=N=0.2 billion) being his share of the transfer fee remitted by Seattle Sounders.

The ex FC Ebedei starlet will move to the United States with pregnant girlfriend and Mario Balotelli’s sister Abigail.

kraine-based central defender Michael Odibe says he’s eyeing a mouthwatering outing for his current club Arsenal Kiev against his former on-loan side Dnipro this weekend as the Ukrainian Premier League resumes after the winter break. Odibe is expected to return to base from their Antalya, Turkey winter camp well on time ahead of the big clash against Dnipro.

Odibe spent six months on loan at Dnipro, currently placed third on the log, from Arsenal and shone brightly in the Ukrainian Premier League and UEFA Europa Cup but had to return to Arsenal after the loan contract expired. Several other clubs courted the young centre back including clubs from Germany, Italy and Turkey but the 24-year decided to return to Arsenal.

“I’m set for the top of the drawer clash against Dnipro because of the importance of the game,” Odibe said.

“I had a short but memorable stint at Dnipro playing under Spanish coach Juande Ramos but I had to leave because of some personal issues.

“I have long settled back in at familiar base at Arsenal where the fans still worship me. I want to repay their confidence with a solid outing against Dnipro.

“Mixed feelings will surely to play in the clash and what a great way to start the resumption of the league and I want to give it my all.”

Odibe, arguably one of the best central defenders in Ukraine, had a great first season at Arsenal, netting four goals in 17 league appearances.

The former AC Siena star

Otorogu replies critics with goals in Israel

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igerian striker Ezenwa Otorogu has hit back at his critics with his goals since he teamed up with Israeli second division club Hakoach Ramat Gan last month. The former Orlando Pirates striker netted his second goal in three games last week to prove he still got a lot of goals left in his boots.

Otorogu tried to knock his game back into shape back home in Nigeria after he was released last summer at South African side Bloemfontein Celtic, but was not offered a contract at Enugu Rangers and Heartland.

He would be shipped to Israel

by his agent who brokered the deal that earned the former NPL top scorer a six month deal. Otorogu lived up to the occasion and scored on his debut in their 3-1 win over Hapoel Jerusalem and hit his second goal in a back-to-back scoring feat a week later in their 2-2 draw against Maccabi Yavne.

Otorogu told National Mirror he was happy with his fine scoring form, sending warning signals for Rangers and Heartland for refusing to give him a contract.

“It couldn’t have asked for a better way to tell Rangers and Heartland that they were wrong to let me go, than scoring two

goals in three games” Otorogu thundered.

“After scoring goals in the preseason for Rangers, they started telling me stories when it came to signing me on a contract. But I have moved on to prove to them that I still had goals in my boots.

“Their loss ultimately became Hakoach Ramat Gan’s gain as things are really happening for me. I’m happy with my form and my aim is to continue doing well and lifting my club.

“My agent told me that I would move to a bigger club after the initial six month deal should I continue to score goals.”

Otorogu

says he’s targeting a return to the Super Eagles squad, maintaining that he will surely catch Keshi’s eye with his all-round performance.

“I want to play my way back to the Eagles team because I believe it will happen for me with my performance.

“I’m one of the most consistent defenders in Ukraine and I want to transform same for my country and I hope I will return soon.”

Belarussian top side offers Olanrewaju a trial

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igeria youth - teamer Olarenwaju Kayode is in Belarus undergoing tests with Dinamo Minsk, National Mirror has learnt from sources in Belarus.

The 19 - year - old striker played the last 30 minutes of Wednesday’s practice match between Dinamo Minsk and Russian Premier League outfit Dynamo Moscow.

Kayode tested with Championship side Charlton Athletic last December. And despite impressing during trials, he was not offered a contract due to work permit issues.

He was a member of the Flying Eagles squad to Colombia 2011, in which he scored three goals.

If Kayode impresses manager Oleh Protasov at the end of trials, he would join Nigeria international Christian Obodo at the seven - time Belarusian champions.

New signing Christian Obodo played for 90 minutes against Dynamo Moscow. The match ended in a score-less draw.

WORLD RECORD

Most multi-discipline technical Oscars Vol. 03 No. 568

Light in the power tunnel

he Goodluck Jonathan Administration has just gained significant confidence of the power sector investment community with the signing of a range of industry and transaction agreements that will pave way for successful generation and distribution companies to take control of the new corporate entities unbundled from the PHCN. With this development, in the next 15 days the 15 bidders that have emerged are expected to make a 25 percent down payment of the share purchase price and in 90 days pay the outstanding 75 percent to complete the transaction in keeping with the terms of the sale and purchase agreements or shareholders’ agreements they signed in Abuja recently.

The process that formally commenced in 1999 with the inauguration of the Electric Power Implementation Committee and the development of the National Elec-

WAEC CANCELS RESULTS

FINAL MATCH BE REPLAYED?

Guest Columnist

he Nigeria Football Federation yesterday rescinded its decision on Monday to bar two sports journalists, Ezeocha Nze and Romanus Ugwu, from covering its events and activities.

Following a meeting with the leadership of the

Abdullahi Garba

tric Power Policy two years later had been literally crawling along until President Jonathan gave it a much welcome jolt of commitment and action that brought it to virtual fruition in barely two years. No wonder the atmosphere at the agreement signing event was alive with investor glee amid strong optimism about the timely completion of all the pending processes simultaneously with other aspects of the administration’s acclaimed power reform agenda, especially attainment of stability and sufficiency in power supply, which are also progressing according to plan.

Highlights of significant achievements recorded in implementing the reforms are hinged on the enactment of the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act of 2005, establishment of the PHCN and identification of 18 successor companies in generation, transmission and distribution categories as well as three agencies relevant to the provisions of the Power Policy and the Power Act viz. the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader Plc. It is noteworthy that the transaction and industry documents were developed during interaction with relevant investors and other stakeholders organized to carry them along in defining the transaction structure and process against the background of absence of relevant industry agreements in the nation’s power sector which had been identified as contributory factors to the nagging problems of underperformance and other lapses associated

IT IS NOTEWORTHY THAT THE TRANSACTION AND INDUSTRY DOCUMENTS WERE DEVELOPED DURING INTERACTION WITH RELEVANT INVESTORS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS to the hitherto unimpressive record of PHCN successor companies.

The drafting and signing of agreements are regarded as necessary safeguards, especially when the private sector is being involved in handling the country’s power sector, which is of critical strategic impact on the development and progress prospects and aspirations, requiring well-defined relationships, agreed performance targets and other terms and conditions relevant to the smooth execution of the agreements. The process involved several weeks of consultations and interactions, being a first-ever feature in the nation’s power sector.

The industry agreements now cover gas sale and aggregation, gas transportation, bulk power purchase for thermal and hydro, vesting, transmission use of system, grid connection and ancillary ser-

vices, while transaction agreements include share sale, shareholder agreement, performance and concession.

The attainment of these world-standard documentation, structure and process as a precursor of the much-anticipated power sector reform and privatization, will go down in history as among the most significant outcomes of the Jonathan administration’s bold interventions that broke the jinx seen to be impeding progress in the power sector for several years despite disheartening consequences on investors’ confidence and delivery of democracy dividends to the Nigerian people. It is also a good omen pertaining to the prospects for smooth and successful implementation of other important components of the power sector reform agenda.

Observers would recall the repeated assurances by Mr. President that by the time he is through with implementing his acclaimed Transformation Agenda, there will be more commendations than condemnations of his administration across the land, pointing out that the record of performance in the power sector is indicative of the justification and accuracy of his presidential prophecy.

It is also necessary to draw attention to the oft-forgotten fact that the enormity of the decay of the nation’s infrastructure that the Jonathan administration has decided to address does not lend itself to a hurried approach, which impatient critics demand either out of ignorance of the reality on ground or are only being politically mischievous or both. If only the current administration at the centre would be free of these and other numerous unwarranted distractions, we could have helped ourselves and our nation tremendously, but even with these nuisances, the Jonathan administration’s achievements are remarkable.

Garba can be reached through abdullahi_garba@yahoo.com

Sport Extra

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Richard Taylor (NZ), effects supervisor at Weta Workshops in Wellington, New Zealand, has won technical Oscars across a record three disciplines: Visual Effects for King Kong (NZ/USA/Ger, 2005), and Costume Design and Make-up for The Return of the King (USA/NZ/Ger, 2003).

NFF makes U-turn on barred journalists Sports Writers Association of Nigeria and its FCT chapter in Abuja yesterday, the NFF said it had resolved to overlook the attitude of both reporters to enhance the cordial relationship be-

tween the football body and journalists, as well as the respect for the professional standing of the overwhelming majority of members of the chapter in particular, and the Nigeria sporting

media in general.

“The NFF President has opted to overlook the hate campaign of the two persons in question and rather focus on the onerous task of moving Nigeria football

to higher heights,” NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, said.

NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari was at the meeting that also had Barrister Amadu, NFF’s Assistant Director (Media), Ademola Olajire, and Abuja SWAN officials.

NFF boss, Maigari

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