Friday, March 22, 2013

FG, states to share $2bn from excess crude account ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

Okonjo-Iweala

Vol. 3 N0. 583

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he three tiers of government are expected to share about $2bn next month

from the Excess Crude Account, ECA. Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the 49th National Economic Council, NEC, at the Aso Rock Villa,

Abuja, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, said the money would facilitate key critical projects in the country.

“The Council was also CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Newswatch: Judge fixes April 29 for hearing substantive suit P.4

Ekpu

Friday, March 22, 2013

N150

Boko Haram suspects arrested in Lagos Enough of this killing, Jonathan tells Kwankwaso Nigeria sitting on keg of gunpowder –Obasanjo

P.49

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST,

SINA FADARE, FRANCIS SUBERU AND OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

Prophet Obadare dies at 83

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Anxiety as Gov Chime travels again P.6,10

Telecoms subscribers to pay less from April African dance troupe performing before Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at the enthronement of Justin Welby (right) as Archbishop of Canterbury in London, yesterday.

Grid collapse triggers nationwide blackout

Power firms: FG pockets N88.3bn as bidders meet deadline

S’West PDP reconciliation deadlocked

P.2 P.13

P.7

Abuja Film Festival plans special 10th anniversary P.19

FRIDAY

Your

here was confusion in Lagos yesterday as men of the State Security Services, SSS, and operatives of the Operation Mesa (OP Mesa), a joint armed forces and police security unit, arrested two suspected members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect with explosives at Ijora Badia area of the state.

One of the suspects is from the North while other is a Chadian. Both were whisked away to Abuja by the SSS. When contacted, spokesperson for the 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Colonel

Flavour

16 PAGES OF ARTS, REVIEWS, LIFESTYLE AND BUZZ TO START YOUR WEEKEND, BEGIN ON PAGE 19

News

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Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Grid collapse triggers nationwide blackout UDEME AKPAN

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major system failure on the national power grid is responsible for the blackout that has engulfed most parts of the country in the past two days.

The system collapse, noticed on Wednesday, had compounded an already parlous power supply situation, which the government seeks to address through the implementation of the power sector reforms.

Sources at the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, which is responsible for evacuating generated electric power from generating companies and wheeling it to distribution companies, attributed the blackout to “grid system disturbance.”

“It (blackout) was a function of grid system disturbance, which the engineers have stepped in to address.

Very soon, improved electricity will be experienced in different parts of the nation,” the sources added.

The TCN was handed over to Canadian firm,

Manitoba Hydro last year under a management contract for a fee of $23m for an initial period of three years.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Power, Mr. Ibrahim Haruna, however said yesterday that he did not have facts on the matter as the Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, was on official assignment overseas.

Investigations, however, showed that power generation, which dropped significantly, was gradually being improved upon even though consumers were yet to feel the impact.

A reliable source in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, who confirmed the slow recovery said: “It is not possible for us to know the level of generation, transmission and distribution for now.

That can be later when the figures would have been put together.”

It was learnt that many parts of the nation were still in darkness, which has forced industrial, commercial and individual consumers to rely on private generators.

The spokesman of Union Bank Plc, Mr. Frances Barde, said in a telephone interview that the financial institution was relying on the use of generators to power its operations in recent times.

A source in the Manufacturers Association of Nige-

ria, MAN, who preferred not to be named, stated that the cost of private electricity generation was fast becoming unbearable for manufacturers.

He said: “It is not easy to operate in the sector because of many challenges, especially high cost of

running our generators.

The high cost of operations when added to prices, makes our products uncompetitive in the market.”

The power minister recently declared that the rate of system failure in the power sector was becoming too frequent and embar-

rassing to the government and would no longer be tolerated.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government yesterday recorded a major step forward in its power sector privatisation programme as all the preferred bidders CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

President Goodluck Jonathan (left) and President Obiang Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea (right) after Jonathan’s arrival at the Malabo International Airport, yesterday.

PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

Boko Haram suspects arrested in Lagos CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Kingsley Umoh confirmed the raid although he refrained from confirming if the suspects were Boko Haram members.

Umoh said the raid was a routine exercise on black spots within the metropolis similar to those carried out intermittently in Mushin, Agege and other parts of the state. He added that yesterday’s raid was based on a tip off from credible sources.

He said: “The Op Mesa as you know is a joint security body and they carried out their routine raids today (yesterday) and made some arrests. The raids are simply a part of those that are carried out everyday based on information at our disposal.

“The raids give the public a sense of confidence that we security bodies are working.

“It is the way the OP Mesa was designed and once our sources tip us off, we swing into action and our source has proven to be credible.”

However, efforts at contacting the SSS officials in Lagos to comment on the matter proved abortive.

National Mirror gathered that the arrested suspects had packed an unspecified number of explosives in bags, which were hidden in the ceiling of the house in which they were arrested.

A resident, who did not want his name mentioned, said: “Some SSS men and policemen came to our area early this morning and recovered some bombs. Those who are close to the house said that the bombs were packed in some bags and kept in the ceiling.”

The security officials also reportedly recovered two AK 47 riffles from the building, which were also taken to Abuja It was gathered that the suspected owner of the house had just about one month ago let out the apartment to the suspects.

The recovery of the explosives created panic among residents of the area, with most of them apprehensive of the fact that there could be more bombs in the community When contacted , the Lagos State Police Public Relatiosn Officer, Ms Ngozi Braide, said she was not aware of any explosives be-

ing recovered in Lagos The traditional ruler of the area, Oba Fatai Ojora, while speaking with National Mirror said that he had begun investigations into the incident and that efforts were on to identify the owner of the house.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that his government would no longer tolerate wanton destruction of lives and property as witnessed on Monday in Kano. He challenged the state government to deploy the resources and any other means available in dealing with the situation.

The President, who spoke through the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, who led a Federal Government delegation to Kano, lamented the effect of the rising conflict in the state and other parts of the North and declared that this situation would no longer be accepted, especially the destruction of human lives.

The minister met with Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso at the Government House, Kano to deliver the President’s message.

He said: “We are here as a delegation of the Federal

Government at the instance of President Jonathan to commiserate with you, the government and people of Kano State over the unfortunate bomb blast that shook the foundation of this state and claimed so many lives and property.

“I am to convey to you the heartfelt condolences of Mr. President and the people of Nigeria over this unfortunate incident and to say that Mr. President is saddened by the fact that in spite of spirited and determined efforts by government to contend the security challenges, this conflict continues to rear its ugly head occasionally.

“The President particularly has asked me to request that that this singular incident should still be resolved by the Nigerian people to ensure that we mitigate the consequences of this crisis and take steps to stamp them out.”

He added that cases of wanton destruction of lives and properties which took years to put in place would no longer be acceptable and called on all Nigerians, government at all tiers and levels, and friends of Nigeria to accept the reality that

security is a joint responsibility of everybody.

“The President also noted that the destruction of valuable and critical infrastructure in recent times in the state has depleted Kano, known for its huge commerce and to say that the great danger of continued conflict in this ancient city portends that investors that ordinarily would want to come to Kano to do business would be so scared that they would no longer want to patronise Kano and this would do an incalculable damage to the economy of Kano and indeed Nigeria.”

“Mr. President has asked therefore that everybody should be involved in necessary sensitisation to enable us as a government contend the security situation we have on hand and that I should give you the assurances of the Federal Government of its support to assist the state government to unravel the mystery surrounding these occasional attacks on the lives of our people.”

In his remark, Kwankwaso expressed gratitude to the president for raising the delegation to assess the situation, adding that the state

government has been doing its best in protecting lives and property of residents.

He said that before the devastating Monday attack on the motor park, there had been several attacks in the state The governor also frowned at the tribal sentiment being attached to the incident, saying that from the list of 25 victims at the hospitals, majority were natives.

Kwankwaso said both Christians and Muslims have been praying for the return of peace and unity in the state.

“We would continue to partner with the Federal Government and local government to find lasting solution to the conflict,” he said.

He said it is regrettable that politicians in Abuja have started politicising the issue for cheap political gains, adding that it is a wrong thing to do.

“We were already collecting names of those who died in the attack and from what we see they are composed mostly of natives and people from this part of the country,” he said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Friday, March 22, 2013

Good Health

Heading football can cause brain damage SAM EFERARO

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

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he nation erupted with cheers when Elderson Echejile opened the floodgate of goals with a perfect header at the semi-final match against Mali at the recent African Cup of Nations in South Africa. But unknown to most people, it was a huge sacrifice for the country as a research has now revealed that such heading of the ball may increase the risk of brain damage to football players.

The research conducted at the University of Texas, US, revealed revealed that heading a football repeatedly may cause mental impairment or “mild traumatic brain injury of the frontal lobes”. The researchers however point out that more research is needed to determine whether the changes are long-lasting or temporary. But the findings indicate that increasing amounts of playing time worsen performance.

The study involved a group of 12 teenage female football players and a matched group of non-players. Each undertook a simple computer screen task designed to test subtle levels of mental functioning. Participants had to react to the random appearance of a white square by touching a point on the opposite side of the screen. Performance was measured by timing the speed of the responses.

Before the test, girls who played football were given a practice session during which they headed the ball a number of times. The study showed that the football players were significantly slower at the task than non-players.

However, both groups performed equally well in another task that involved touching the white square where it appeared. This test involved a more instinctive response with less thinking required.

Factoring in the number of hours spent playing football each week showed that more games and practice sessions led to slower responses.

Long-term mental impairment is known to be a risk in high-contact sports such as boxing, which involve head jarring that can cause loss of consciousness. But until now it has not been clear whether the much less violent impact of a football on the head could be harmful.

Dr Anne Sereno, from the University of Texas, and colleagues wrote in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE: “These findings suggest that even subconcussive blows in soccer can result in cognitive function

Nigeria football star, Emmanuel Emenike heading the ball at the recently concluded AFCON tournament in South Africa.

changes that are consistent with mild traumatic brain injury of the frontal lobes.”

Numbers of hours per week playing football had a significant effect on response time, while the number of years taking part in the sport had a marginal effect.

The researchers added: “Further study is needed to track soccer players for longer periods to evaluate if these changes are transient or longer lasting, if they are dependent upon repeated sub-concussive blows, and if they generalise to male soccer players.

“To our knowledge, these results provide the first evidence that even subconcussive blows in soccer could lead to measurable, even if possibly transient, cognitive changes in young soccer players.”

YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

Sleep reinforces learning in children

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eb. 26, 2013 — During sleep, our brains store what we have learned during the day a process even more effective in children than in adults, new research shows.

It is important for children to get enough sleep. Children’s brains transform subconsciously learned material into active knowledge while they sleep -- even more effectively than adult brains do, according to a study by Dr. Ines Wilhelm of the University of Tübingen’s Institute for Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology. Dr Wilhelm and her Swiss and German colleagues have published their results in Nature Neuroscience.

Studies of adults have shown that sleeping after learning supports the long-term storage of the material learned, says Dr Wilhelm. During sleep, memory is turned into a form that makes future learning easier;

implicit knowledge becomes explicit and therefore becomes more easily transferred to other areas.

Children sleep longer and deeper, and they must take on enormous amounts of information every day. In the current study, the researchers examined the ability to form explicit knowledge via an implicitly-learned motor task.

Dr Serrano hailed the findings as a means of identifying possible neural disorders caused by playing sport.

She said: ‘The app used in our research may be a quick and effective way to screen for and track cognitive changes in athletes - it could also have broader applications in clinics or out in the field.’

This study comes just months after an extensive study of the brains of American football players showed than the majority had signs of brain damage as a result of repeated head injuries.

The study, carried out by the Boston University School of Medicine, posthumously tested the brains of 50 footballers. It found a link between head injuries suffered in the heavy-impact sport and degenerative brain disease.

Type 2 diabetes: Less sitting, movement more effective than vigorous exercise –study

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ew research led at the University of Leicester reveals that individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes would benefit from being told to sit less and move around more often- rather than simply exercising regularly. The experts suggest that reducing sitting time by 90 minutes in total per day could lead to important health benefits.

Currently, at risk patients are advised to engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for at least 150 mins per week. But the new study published in Diabetologia (The journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) suggests that patents should in fact be advised

to reduce their sedentary time (time spent moving very little or not at all, for example sitting or lying down).The research was led by Joseph Henson and colleagues from the Diabetes Research Unit, University of Leicester and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), UK. Henson and colleagues analysed patients from two studies: 153 from project STAND (Sedentary Time and Diabetes study, mean age 33 years, 29% men) and the Walking Away from Diabetes study (mean age 64 years, 65% men).

–ScienceDaily

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Photo News

Friday, March 22, 2013

L-R: Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed and former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, exchanging pleasantries, during Obasanjo’s visit to the Government House, Ilorin, yesterday.

L-R: Chairman, Economic and Statistics Committee, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mr. Adams Idufueko; Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu and National President, NACCIMA, Dr. Herbert Ajayi, at a stakeholders’ meeting on the New SON Conformity AssessPHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI ment Programme, SONCAP, in Lagos, yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; Mr. Kang Shu of Potevio International Cooperation Department and Mr. Bayo Olanrewaju, of the First Bank, China, during the governor’s business visit to Potevio, China, yesterday.

L-R: Movie producer, Chico Ejiro; Temitope Duker; Deputy Editor, National Mirror newspapers, Mr. Ayo Olesin; Festival Director, Abuja International Film Festival, Fidelis Duker; actor, Emeka Ossai and Ebiere Ajibola-Bodunde, during a courtesy visit to National Mirror head office in PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA Lagos, yesterday.

National News

Newswatch: Judge fixes April 29 for hearing substantive suit KAYODE KETEFE

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judge of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Justice Okon Abang, yesterday fixed April 29, 2013 for commencement of hearing of the substantive suit instituted by Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim-led management against four former directors of the Newswatch Communications Limited, NCL, publishers of Newswatch magazine.

Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim and Global Media Mirror Limited have brought the substantive suit, praying the court to declare that the four former directors of Newswatch magazine, Messrs Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, Yakubu Mohammed and Soji Akinrinade, have since ceased to be directors and, therefore, could not legally do anything on behalf of the company.

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to declare that the former directors have no competence to declare a trade dispute under the Share Purchase Agreement, SPA, between them

and the NCL. The plaintiffs are therefore, praying the court to restrain Ray Ekpu and the others from taking measures that may be inimical to the interests of the NCL. The hearing of the substantive case was initially scheduled to begin yesterday after the court had already struck out the interlocutory application of the defendants, praying the court to dismiss the suit, but the hearing could not go on as a result of the oral application made by the defendants’ lawyer, Mr. Adekunle Oyesanya, SAN. Oyesanya informed the court that he had just been served a copy of the plaintiffs’ further affidavit by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN. He added that by the rule of the court, he is entitled to seven days within which to reply and urged the court to adjourn the matter.

Oyesanya said; “I need time to study this process and also consult with my clients before responding to this process. It is for this reason I will be asking for adjournment.”

In response, Ayorinde said; “I will concede to the learned silk that he is entitled under the rule to take time to study the process and consult with his clients.”

Justice Abang, who urged the two counsel to agree on the adjourned date then stated; “With the consensus of the learned senior advocates on both sides that the case be adjourned till April 29, the case is hereby adjoined to April 29, 2013 for hearing of the substantive originating summons.

It will be recalled that Justice Abang had on March 6, 2013 struck out the preliminary objection of the defendants praying the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the plaintiffs had no locus standi; that there is no reasonable cause of action and that the suit was commended through faulty procedure.

The judge had dismissed the preliminary objection on all grounds, stressing that the plaintiffs had locus standi, that there was reasonable cause of action and the procedure the plaintiffs

adopted in instituting the suit was legally valid.

The court on that day also awarded the sum of N15, 000 in favour of the plaintiffs against the defendants.

On the issue of locus standi, the judge held that defendants were wrong because; “If anything done by the defendants is likely to affect a party in one way or the other, such a party has locus to bring a matter to court.”

Justice Abang further explained that since the de-

fendants, who had resigned as directors, are still claiming to have the right to declare a trade dispute, this is likely to affect the right of the majority shareholders and that gives the majority shareholders locus standi to bring the suit.

The judge concluded on this issue that both Dr. Ibrahim and Global Media Limited had locus standi to bring the suit when the first plaintiff (NCL) is wronged.

The judge said; “The suit filed by the plaintiffs was

properly instituted. There is presumption of regularity imposed on the defendants to show by positive evidence lack of authority of the Board of Directors to act on behalf of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs.

“The affidavit of the originating summons was the only information available to disclose the existence of a conflict. It is the duty of the court to decide on whether a conflict exists on its merit and not the parties to state if a conflict in actual facts exists.”

Jonathan appoints new Head of Service

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has appointed Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Aji replaced Alhaji Bello Isa Sali, who is due to retire from service at the mandatory retirement age of 60 on Saturday.

The new Head of Service, HoS, who was until his new appointment, the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Office of the Head of the

Civil Service of the Federation, hails from Yobe State and was born on January 13, 1959.

He attended Government College, Maiduguri, Borno College of Basic Studies, Maiduguri and graduated from the University of Maiduguri in 1984.

A career civil servant, Aji has held several key positions at the state and federal levels, including Chief Administrative Officer, Governor’s Office, Maiduguri (1989-1991), Principal

Secretary to the Military Administrator of Yobe State (1991-1992), Principal Secretary to the first civilian Governor of Yobe State (1992-1993) and Principal Secretary to the second Military Administrator of Yobe State (1993-1995).

Aji was appointed Director, Planning, Research and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in 1995 and moved to the Federal Ministry of Defence in 2000 as Director of Personnel Management.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Friday, March 22, 2013

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FG, states to share $2bn from excess crude account CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

briefed on the plan to share between $1 and $2bn next month to facilitate various development projects being executed by the different tiers of government across the country,” Akpabio said.

He disclosed that the Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Yerima Ngama, informed the council that $7.82b was left in the Excess Crude Account after sharing $1bn by the three tiers of government earlier in the year and payment of fuel subsidy commitments.

President Goodluck Jonathan had approved the release of $1bn from the ECA at the January 30 meeting of NEC. While speaking on broadband infrastructure at the briefing yesterday, Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, said that NEC gave its blessings to the recommendations of his committee, which reviewed the recent presentation by the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson.

The presentation was centred on a proposed, improved, broadband roadmap for the country to the effect that telecoms

service providers should partner with the federal and state governments to ensure proper harmonisation and integration of development projects with ICT infrastructure in the country.

According to Dankwambo, the committee made key recommendations meant to provide the requisite stimulus for accelerated ICT infrastructure roll out across the country.

He said that the committee recommended that all identified impediments such as multiple levies, charges and illegal taxes should be addressed to allow accelerated growth and development of ICT infrastructure.

The committee also recommended the harmonisation of all rightof-way processes and administration between the states and the Federal Ministry of Works guidelines for granting of Federal Highway Right of Way, with agreed prescription by the ICT Ministry It also recommended that the operators make additional commitment to the host communities/ states with respect to right-of-way.

Dankwambo also said

that the committee recommended a proper template for the implementation of the recommendations to be designed by the National Planning Commission, NPC, in conjunction with the relevant agencies.

Dankwambo, who also headed the Technical Committee on review of multiple taxation across the federation at various levels and its effects on the Nigerian economy, said the committee recommended a phased implementation programme with short term, medium term and

long term timelines.

According to Dankwambo, other recommendations of the committee include review and amendment of the taxes and levies; outlawing of the use of unorthodox means to collect taxes and levies; automation of tax operations by relevant tax authorities to eliminate leakages and ensure ease of collection.

NEC adopted the recommendations and mandated the NPC to work with the proposed committee and produce a

blueprint for implementation.

The Council also took presentations on the progress of work on the ongoing power projects across the country as well as government intervention in selected hydro power projects.

At the end of the presentation, NEC endorsed the recommendation for more investment in the sector to address the issue of transmission capacity needed for effective evacuation of generated power as well as harness the 20,000MW hydro power

capacity which remains largely untapped.

The Council also set up a committee headed by Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, to come up with final recommendations to be presented at the next NEC meeting.

Other members of the committee include the Governors of Gombe, Katsina, Kaduna, Ekiti, Benue, Anambra and the Ministers of Finance, Power, Water Resources, National Planning and the chief executive of Niger Delta Power Holding Company.

L-R: Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo; Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media, Mr. Umar Sani; Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Godswill Akpabio, at the National Economic Council meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Grid collapse triggers nationwide blackout CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

for the 15 PHCN successor companies met yesterday’s deadline for the payment of the 25 per cent of the offer value of their bids.

Total accruals from the sale of government equity in the companies, which represent 25 per cent of the sale yields from 14 bidders, stood at about $559.4m (N88.3bn.)

A statement by the BPE indicated that by yesterday it received $31m from 4Power Consortium being 25 per cent of the bid value for Port-Harcourt Distribution Company; $31.5m from Interstate Electrics Limited being the mandatory 25 per cent of the bid value for Enugu Distribution Company and $27.9m from North-South Power Company being 25 per cent of the bid value for Shiroro Power Plc. Bidders that had earlier paid the mandatory 25 per cent of the bid value of the PHCN successor company

they intend to buy are: Amperion Power Company Limited, the preferred bidder for Geregu Power Plc which paid $33m; Integrated Energy Distribution & Marketing Company, which paid $42.25m and $14.75m for Ibadan and Yola Discos respectively; NEDC/ KEPCO, the preferred bidder for Ikeja Distribution Company, which paid $ 32.7m and West Power & Gas, the preferred bidder for Eko Distribution Company, which paid $33.7m Others are Vigeo Consortium, the preferred bidder for Benin Distribution Company, that paid $32.25m; Transcorp/Woodrock Consortium which paid $75m for Ughelli Power Plc; CMEC/EUAFRIC Energy JV which paid $50.2m being 25 per cent of the bid value for Sapele Power Plc while Kann Consortium paid $41m being 25 per cent of the bid value for Abuja Distribution Company.

The BPE had also confirmed that Aura Energy

paid $20m or 25 per cent of the bid value for Jos Distribution Company; Mainstream Energy Ltd paid $59.4m being 25 per cent of the bid value for Kainji Power Plc and Sahelian Power SPV had paid $34.2m being 25 per cent of the bid value for Kano Distribution Company.

With the payments, the bidders’ bid security in form of a letter of credit or bank guarantee for 15 per cent of the transaction value deposited with the BPE under the terms of the payment mechanism set out by the National Council for Privatisation will now be returned to them ahead of the signing of Sale and Purchase Agreements between the parties.

The bidders will now be required to pay the outstanding 75 per cent of the share purchase price to complete the transaction within six months after signing of the Sale and Purchase Agreement or the Shareholders’ Agreement,

whichever is earlier or mutually agreed upon time.

After the completion of payment, the handover of the successor company to the preferred bidders will conclude the transactions.

In another development, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday presented share certificates to state governors for the investment of states and local governments in the National Independent Power Project, NIPP. Jonathan made the presentation shortly before the commencement of NEC meeting after which he left for Equatorial Guinea on trade mission. The NEC meeting is always presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

While presenting the certificates, valued at $8.8bn (N1.36trn), Jonathan explained that just like the certificates of investments of the states and local governments in the NIPP project, the certificates for the Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF,

would soon be ready.

He said: “This is just to inform Nigerians of what we are doing because a number of them don’t even know that there are investments of the states in the NIPP. You all remember that during President Obasanjo’s time, some monies were set aside from the excess crude and the Federal Government was directly funding the NIPP projects with that money” “Then, the chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, Engr. Tukur now took the Federal Government to court, not even the state governors, saying the Federal Government has no power to spend money belonging to the three tiers of government “Until when we came on board, the NIPP was stalled, we then decided to negotiate with the governors to do it in such a way that it will be a proper investment where all states and local

governments will have investment based on their own amount in the excess crude account.

“So those things were worked on under the Vice President and each zone was represented by one governor and the Federal Government also has a representative.”

Jonathan noted that the money belonged to all the three tiers of government, saying that any money that comes in belonged to all according to the ratio of their investment.

He explained that the state governments would hold those of the local governments in trust for them while the Ministry of Finance would hold that of the Federal Government in trust.

Jonathan noted that since the NEC is the highest decision making body as far as the nation’s economy is concerned; the country would progress and develop if the council continue to take some decisive decisions.

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News

Friday, March 22, 2013

Prophet Obadare dies at 83 HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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enowned World Evangelist and founder of World Soul Evangelist Ministry, WOSEM, Prophet Timothy Obadare, is dead.

Obadare, 83, died at his residence at No 65 - 67 Adinlewa Street, Oyemekun Road, Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Confirming the death of one of the pillars of the Christ Apostolic Church, CAC, one of his sons, Joseph Obadare, said the great evangelist passed on yesterday morning.

He said: “We thank God for Baba’s life as he passed into glory this morning (yesterday). Details of his burial will be communicated to the public soon.”

Joseph said the family

was still awaiting the arrival of the late prophet’s first son who resides in the United States of America.

Scores of sympathisers were at the late prophet’s house to confirm his death.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has described Obadare’s death as an example of the marching on of a saint.

Mimiko said in a statement made available to journalists in Akure that Obadare’s life, ministry and influence could be likened to those of saints that were rare and uncommon.

He said: “In his way of life, concern for the lost soul and uplifting of the name of God, Obadare stands tall among the prophets of his generation

and broke barriers that health attempted to place on his way.

“He was consistent and controlled, aggressive yet un-obstructive and had no pretensions about his faith and God. “Prophet Obadare made the life of the poor and the down trodden his and helped many to re-discover their connections to God. His strident cries against sin and warnings to those departing from what is right and just will be sorely missed.”

The governor recalled

the evangelistic exploits of the late cleric in the face of sight challenge.

He said: “Prophet Obadare’s mastery of Bible verses and lines underlines the fact that he was indeed a prophet called for a purpose by God. He, it appears, has discharged his duties and deserves blissful rest in the bosom of his maker.

“Our hearts go to his many disciples and members as well as family this period. We ask that the good Lord send consolation their way.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Forget fresh fuel price hike, NLC warns FG O LUFEMI A DEOSUN ABUJA

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he Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday told the Federal Government not to contemplate a fresh hike in fuel prices.

President Goodluck Jonathan had at a business forum in Lagos hinted on the full deregulation of the downstream oil industry, insisting that it was only in doing so that the generality of Nigerians would benefit from the Godgiven natural resources.

But responding, the NLC

Furore over Comptroller General of Immigration’s appointment OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

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risis is brewing in the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, over who becomes its substantive Comptroller General.

With a few weeks to her retirement, the Federal Government had sacked the former Comptroller General, Rose Uzoma, in a controversial circumstance, and replaced her with Rilwanu Bala Musa, a deputy comptroller general who has been in an acting capacity since January.

A top immigration official, who is miffed by recent happenings in the service, said the battle over who stepped in as Comptroller General of Immigration, CGI, had reached a “feverish height” with the top brass of the service divided along ethnic lines.

The contenders, he said, might have gone diabolical.

The development, the official said, had resulted in indiscriminate posting of officers despite proven competences in their present units.

According to him, the situation is worsened by reports that the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Patrick Moro, under whose purview the ser-

vice is, recently forwarded three names, including that of Musa, to President Goodluck Jonathan, from which a substantive CGI might be picked.

The other two names on the list are the Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, ACG, from Jigawa State, Mohammed Babandede, and the Ogun State-born ACG Ayotunde Oredipe.

The source said apart from the fact that the current acting CGI had less than a year to spend in office, he was part of the former administration, and his tenure was an extension of the past.

He said: “Granted that these are accomplished officers in their own right, the majority opinion here is that they are not the best that we need to really impact on the policy direction of the immigration service of today.

“The Acting CGI has less than one year to retire, and so has not got the time to really impact on the policy direction of the service. Aside that, he was part of the immediate past management, and has been around for quite a while at the top level of the Nigeria Immigration Service, and cannot claim that he was not part of the failings of that administration.”

L-R: Special Adviser to the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Hajia Aisha Mahmood; Deputy Governor, Operations, Dr. Tunde Lemo and Acting Director, Consumer Protection, Mrs. Umma Dutse, during the Business Plan Contest and Exhibition in Commemoration of 2013 Global Money Week in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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he House of Representatives again yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms. Arunma Oteh, from office for incompetence.

The motion to sack Oteh was sponsored by Deputy Minority Whip, Hon. Garba Datti.

It was entitled: “Motion on the Blatant Disregard of

said in a statement by its Acting President, Comrade Promise Adewusi, in Abuja, urged the Federal Government to bury the thought.

He said: “In the light of the above therefore, we call on the government to forget the unpopular idea or plan to further mark up the prices of petroleum products.”

This is even as the union applauded the judgement of the Federal High Court which declared deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry illegal.

NLC said the judgement was a victory for democracy and the independence of the judiciary.

The statement reads in part: “We commend the plaintiff, Barrister Bamidele Aturu, for his doggedness and the Honourable Justice M. Bello for his courage to stand by the constitution.

“However, we sincerely believe that the issues of deregulation go beyond the fixing of the pump prices of petroleum products.

“The adverse effect of an unconscionable high cost of petroleum products on the citizenry borne out of bad management of the petroleum sector is the crux of the matter.”

Fresh crisis looms, as Reps insist Oteh must go

Resolutions of the House of Representatives.”

In his motion, which was summarily passed, Datti noted “with grave concern the persistent and blatant disregard of the resolutions of the House of Representatives,” by the Presidency.

He said he was aware “that most of these resolutions, though products of motions, hinge on fundamental public duty placed on public officers by the Constitution under the Fun-

damental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy.

“The motion urging the removal of Ms Arumah Oteh, for instance, hinged on the fact that her appointment as Director-General of the Securities Exchange Commission was a gross violation of the Commission Act as she does not possess the minimum professional qualification prescribed for appointment to that position”.

Datti said he was surprised “that recently the executive has adopted the dangerous and vexatious approach of picking and choosing the implementation of resolutions of the Senate on the dismissed of Abdulrasheed Maina which was passed much later in time while still disregarding the long pending motion on the removal of the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission”.

Pension probe: Court fails to deliver judgement on Maina’s suit EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday failed to deliver judgement in suit filed by Chairman of the disbanded Pension Reform Task Team, PRTT, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina.

The Clerk of the court, however, announced March 26 as new date for judgement.

Meanwhile, Maina’s supporters yesterday besieged the entrance to the court to protest his travail.

The about 200 placardcarrying protesters, under the aegis of Civil Society

Action Coalition, wondered why the Senate issued a warrant for Maina’s arrest when according to them, the PRTT under his chairmanship recovered over N250 billion misappropriated pension funds.

The convener of the group, Abdul Mahmud, said in a statement that: “For

those who doubt the legacies of Abdulrasheed Maina, we can only ask them to cast their minds back to where we were four years ago, we can also ask them to remember that senior citizens of our country, otherwise known as pensioners no longer die on the endless verification queues.”

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Friday, March 22, 2013

Telecoms subscribers to pay less from next month KUNLE AZEEZ

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he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has concluded plan to begin new interconnection rates for voice services effective from April 1, 2013.

The new set of interconnection rates determination for voice services for the country’s telecommunica-

tions industry spanning 2012 and 2015, followed comprehensive consultations with various stakeholders by the NCC. In a statement made available yesterday to National Mirror by the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo, the commission said the new determination rates, which significantly reviewed prices downwards, are informed by the depth of competition in the industry

while taking into consideration the position of new entrants and small operators.

In the new interconnection regime, the NCC determines that the termination rates for voice services provided by new entrants and small operators in Nigeria irrespective of the originating network shall be N6.40 from April 1, 2013; N5.20 from April 1, 2014; and N3. 90 from April 1, 2015.

Also, the termination

rates for voice services provided by other operators in Nigeria irrespective of the originating network shall be N4.90 from April 1, 2013; N4.40 from April 1, 2014; and N3.90 from April 1, 2015.

The commission said this determination shall take effect from April 1, 2013 and remain valid and binding on licensees for the next three years until further reviewed by the Commission.

It said: “New entrant is

L-R: Head, Sustainability and Responsibility, Guinness Nigeria, Mrs. Adrianne Nwagwu; Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Serah Ochekpe; Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria, Mr. Michael Ojo and Acting Director General, Nigeria Television Authority, Alhaji Musa Mayaki, during the World Water Day Walk in Abuja, yesterday.

NSCDC arrests 18 secondary pupils for cultism “These seven students of Nazareth High School were arrested at the school premises while they were initiating new members into cultism by making incision on their bodies.

“We also arrested 11 pupils of Lisabi High School for conducting themselves in a way that breached peace in the School”.

Olanrewaju, who described the 18 pupils as “non-prosecutable,” said that NSCDC would meet with the state Ministry of

Education to decide what to do with them.

He said: “The command will meet with the Ministry of Education to decide what to do on the issue. We observed that they have been misguided, now that they have been caught, there is need to guide them aright.

“We want the government to introduce Civic Education in secondary schools so as to reduce the level of these immoralities among our children.”

US Consul General advises journalists on ethics

make government officials more responsible and accountable to the citizens,” the Consul General said According to the NGE President, Mr. Femi Adesina, the training was organised in fulfillment of parts of his campaign promises to train and keep retraining journalists in order to enhance their performance.

Adesina urged the participants to hit the ground running and put the knowledge acquired into practice.

FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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he Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Ogun State has arrested no fewer than 18 secondary school pupils for cultism and breach of peace.

NSCDC spokesman, Mr. Kareem Olanrewaju, disclosed this to journalists yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, adding that seven of the pupils were arrested at

SEKINAH LAWAL AND ADENRELE NIYI

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igerian journalists have been urged to uphold the ethics of their profession.

This advice was given by the United States Consul General, Jeffrey Hawkins, at the graduation ceremony of the training organised for journalists on “Best journalism practices in the

Nazareth High School, Imeko in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area.

Olanrewaju said that 11 others were nabbed at Lisabi High School, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.

According to the NSCDC spokesman, those arrested in Imeko were caught while trying to initiate other members.

Those held at Lisabi High School in Abeokuta metropolis were apprehended yesterday.

Olanrewaju said:

digital age: Enhancing reporting skills.

The training was organised by the United States Embassy in partnership with the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) at the Pan African University (PAU), Victoria-Island, Lagos.

The Consul General said: “With the Information Act in place, journalists can make use of the social media to improve on their reporting.

“As a journalist, you

should always remember that it is not just the Nigerian audience you are working for, but also the international community.”

He urged women participants to take advantage of the social media to enhance their reports and be more involved in investigative journalism as well as ensure that they occupy vital positions in the media profession.

“As the fourth estate of the realm, you should

defined as newly licensed operator entering an existing or new market within 0 to 3 years. Small operator is defined, for the purpose of the determination, as an existing operator with a market share of 0 – 7.5 per cent in terms of subscriber base.”

It will be recalled that the current interconnection rate regulation was implemented through the Commission’s Interconnection Rate Determination issued on December 21, 2009.

Since then, the Nigerian telecommunications market has seen tremendous growth in both, subscriber numbers as well as traffic volumes and available technologies such as Third Generation (3G).

The current rate which is symmetric to all operators is N8.2.

Speaking on the process adopted, Ojobo said: “In June 2012, the commission appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to undertake a cost study for voice interconnection.

A telecoms analyst, Mr. Akin Akinbo, said the implication of the crash in interconnection rates would means that telecoms subscribers will pay less for telecoms services in the next three years.

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Actors laud Jonathan’s interest in Nollywood NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

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group of Nigerian filmmakers has commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s interest in the local film industry popularly called Nollywood, describing it as encouraging.

According to the group comprising Fidelis Duker, Chico Ejiro, Emeka Ossai, Ebiere Aboderin and Gbenga Anigbe, which visited National Mirror as part of 10th anniversary of the Abuja Film Festival, contrary to the insinuations that the President was only using the platform to curry political favours, it was a wide practice everywhere in the world.

Speaking during the visit, Emeka Ossai, a producer and actor, said President Jonathan’s love for the industry actually pre-dated his election as the President.

He said: “People may say that the President is always announcing grants to the industry because he wants to gain political favours, while there is nothing bad with loving the industry, people should also be reminded that this man started supporting this industry even before he became the President.”

NUC asks EFCC to prosecute VCs running unaccredited programmes TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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he Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof.

Julius Okojie, yesterday called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute vice-chancellors who are running unaccredited academic programmes.

Prof. Okojie spoke at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on two bills and a motion namely: a Bill to Provide for the Establishment of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, and for Matters Connected therewith 2013; a bill for an Act to Amend the Federal Polytechnics Act 2013 and a motion on incessant students’ protest in the University of Abuja.

He said: “Taking money from applicants as school fees for un-accred-

ited programmes is an economic crime and the vice- chancellors doing that should be prosecuted by the EFCC.” Okojie was represented at the hearing by the Deputy Executive Secretary of NUC, Mr. Akinbode Agbaoye.

Responding to questions by the committee on the illegal programmes run by the University of Abuja, Okojie said: “We are not sleeping. A former vice-chancellor of the university told us he was putting us on notice on the programmes.

“In 2007, we conducted an audit of programmes in all universities. We told the University of Abuja not to start engineering programmes because it was not equipped to run it.

“Since 2009, the university has not been appreciable in resources to train engineering students, but it started admitting students illegally in 2005.”

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Why Oyo is yet to conduct LG poll –Commissioner

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L-R: Movie actor and producer, Mr. Kunle Afolayan; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and Cinematographer, Mr.Tunde Kelani, during a meeting on partnerships for the development of the Nigerian film industry in Mumbai, India, yesterday.

Dana: Lagos to demolish structures around crash site MURITALA AYINLA

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ouses around the Dana Air crash site will soon be demolished by the Lagos State Government to enable it construct network of roads in preparation for the first anniversary of the incident.

It was learnt that the houses, built on at least four streets around the crash site, would be affected.

Officials of the state

Ministry of Works and Infrastructure yesterday served notices to the affected houses.

It could not, however, be ascertained whether there are plans for compensation by the government and Dana Air for owners of the property.

But the state government gave three-day ultimatum to the landlords to remove their fences or structure that would obstruct the expansion of the network of roads.

The ultimatum expires today.

N1.6bn missing fund: Don’t frustrate trial, retirees urged KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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he Oyo State chapter of Nigeria Association of Local Government Retired Teachers (NALGRT) yesterday asked members to shun actions that could frustrate the ongoing trial of those accused of stealing pensioners’ N1.6 billion.

The body, which flayed what it called unguarded activities of some members, dissociated itself from a group led by Messrs Aderemi Babatunde and Tunji Ogunwale, who addressed a press conference recently on the matter, describing their action as “self-serving”.

NALGRT, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji M. A. Gbadegesin Raji, and Secretary, Elder Gbolagade Olarinde, said it was the only recognised association that could speak on matters affecting retired

teachers in Oyo State.

NALGRT said: “While we do not intend to join issues with this faceless group, the need to set the record straight in view of the blatant distortions, misrepresentations of facts and deliberate falsehood contained in the text of the press conference under reference is one that cannot be overlooked.

“We are therefore constrained as leaders of the primary school teacher pensioners in Oyo State, who are abreast of fact in this case to speak out, at great personal risk of being misunderstood, to correct the deliberate attempt by this group to whip up sentiment and poison the mind of unsuspecting members of the public on this issue.

“This is because we believe that every act or omission in this regard will someday receive a just recompense of reward either now or in the hereafter.”

Many residents have, however, removed their belongings, sensing that bulldozer may storm the area unawares.

The notice letter, entitled: “Demolition of obstructing structures,” reads: “The Lagos State Government has awarded the contract for the construction of the Okunsanya Network of Roads to Messrs HFP Engineering Nigeria Limited and the contractor is about to commence work.

“However, your structure, fence wall, shop, kiosk, building etc falls within the road right of way. Consequently, there

is need to remove same to facilitate early completion of the project. It will therefore be appreciated if the removal of the structure be effected within three days of this notice.”

The notice was signed

by Ifako Ijaiye Area Engineer, Mr. I.A. Olukoko.

Meanwhile, residents lamented the short notice given to them, saying the development would further worsen their already poor condition.

A 70-year old woman, Alhaja Ramota Akinwusi, whose house is marked for demolition, appealed to the government to leave her property alone.

he Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ojo Mutalubi Adebayo, has explained why the state is yet to conduct local government election.

Adebayo hinged the reason why the state is yet to conduct the poll on legal, rather than political considerations.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Ibadan, the state capital, he said the legal constraints, which hinder the constitution of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), had made the conduct of the local government elections to be put in abeyance until a competent court of law pronounces on the matter.

The commissioner said: “In 2007, former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala unconstitutionally sacked members and Chairman of OYSIEC appointed by

his former boss, Alhaji Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and replaced them with his own proteges.

Chief Oyemomilara Okunola and others appointed by Ladoja and who were sent packing

by Otunba Akala thus filed an action at the High Court, Ibadan, to challenge their unlawful removal from office because the constitution guaranteed them a fixed term of five years from 2003 to 2008.

“Oyo State High Court judge, Justice P.O. Ige and now of the Court of Appeal gave judgement in favour of Ladoja’s appointees and held that they were illegally and unconstitutionally sacked by former Governor Akala.

“The court declared their sack as null and void and ordered that all their entitlements up to 2008 be paid.”

FUOYE holds matriculation ceremony today

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he Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) will today matriculate its new students for the 2012/2013 academic session. This will be FUOYE’s second matriculation since inception in 2011.

According to a notice

signed by the Acting Registrar of the university, Mr. Daniel Adeyemo, the ceremony will commence in the university auditorium at Oye-Ekiti by 10am.

However students are expected to be seated at 9am before the Vice Chancellor’s procession.

ever, added to Oyinlola’s removal at the date of adoption of addresses by parties, when PDP opposed his application for stay of execution.

Signs that the party was making a volteface emerged when its counsel, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN), made an application to withdraw the earlier motion for stay.

In a counter-affidavit by Gadzama, the PDP told the court that “We are opposing the application for stay of execution both factually and legally.

“The executory order of the court was made on 11th of January, 2013 and the applicant slept and woke up on 21st January, almost two weeks later.

Against this backdrop, he urged the court to dismiss the application, saying since they had “slept and just woke up, it presup-

poses that if they get an order of stay, they will go and sleep.”

Arguing on the urgent need for the court to stay its order pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, Oyinlola’s counsel, Dr. Awa Kalu (SAN), told the court that since it did not make any order for the benefit of the PDP, the party could not have proceeded to enforce same, pointing out that they were just “volunteers” in the circumstance.

He said: “It is not in the place of any of the parties to claim that the order has been executed and so there is nothing to stay.”

But counsel to Dayo and Sodipo (plaintiffs/ respondents), Mr. A. Oluyede, urged the court to dismiss Oyinlola’s motion with cost.

Court defers judgement on Oyinlola’s sack till April 10 EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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ormer National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, will have to wait till April 10 for the determination of his motion, as a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja failed to deliver ruling yesterday.

Oyinlola had approached the court with an application for stay of execution of its earlier judgement of January 11 wherein the presiding judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati, ordered him to vacate his position as the party’s secretary.

Justice Kafarati’s order was sequel to a suit filed by Chief Adebayo Dayo and Alhaji Semiu Sodipo, both of whom are chieftains of the party in Ogun State.

The plaintiffs had, in

an originating summons, sought an order nullifying the South-West Zonal congress of the PDP that produced Oyinlola. This is even as they prayed the court for an order removing the former governor from the office of national secretary of the party.

Justice Kafarati had agreed with the plaintiffs that the South-West Zonal congress that produced Oyinlola was null and void.

The court also directed the PDP to hold a fresh congress to pick a valid candidate.

Dissatisfied with the court’s decision and his consequent replacement with the Deputy National Secretary, Oyinlola lodged an appeal before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal; the motion for stay is pending the determination of his appeal.

A new twist was, how-

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South West

Friday March 22, 2013

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Fear grips aides of ailing Ekiti deputy governor ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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ides of ailing Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, are now living in fear over the security of their jobs.

Sources close to the Ekiti State Government House said the aides are jittery as none of them knows what would become of their positions should another person emerge as the new deputy governor of the state, following the turn of events, occasioned by the anxiety over the illness of their boss.

Their fear is heightened by speculations in some quarters that the move by the state government to alert the public on the deputy governor’s health status on Monday was a ploy to ease the woman out of office.

Also aggravating their fear are insinuations that Olayinka’s family members want her to resign her position as deputy governor in order to have time to attend to her health.

It will be recalled that there was confusion in the state in January, when it was rumoured that the deputy governor had re-

‘We’ll not promote one religion over another’ ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

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sun State Commissioner for Information, Sunday Akere, has said that the present administration in the state would not promote one religion over another.

Akere, who said this yesterday while speaking in Osogbo, described the governor of the state, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, as a liberal minded person.

The commissioner said if truly the governor wanted to Islamise all schools in the state as alleged, he would have distributed hijabs along with 750, 000 school uniforms given to all schools free of charge in

the state.

Akere debunked any insinuation along this line, describing the allegation of a plot to Islamise the state as untrue, adding that out of the 32 cabinet members of Governor Aregbesola’ administration, 25 are Christians.

He also said that out of the 26 members of the state House of Assembly, 16 are Christians. He urged members of the public to disregard the rumour.

Akere assured that the state is a secular one where all religious worshippers are embraced, maintaining that “even in governance we don’t discriminate when it comes to policies that will engender development.”

FG gets 21-day ultimatum over hazards’ allowance FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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he Agricultural and Allied Employees’ Union of Nigeria, AAEUN, yesterday threatened to ground the nation’s agricultural sector if the Federal Government fails to implement occupational hazard allowance for its members within the next 21 days.

The union also asked the Federal Government to equate salaries of foresters with those of the services like the police and prison in the country.

Speaking at the 2013 Forestry Day organised by the Ogun State Ministry of Forestry that was held in Abeokuta, the state cap-

ital yesterday, the union’s President, Comrade Simon Anchaver, said their demands had been on for the past seven years and was due for implementation now.

Anchaver, who spoke through the union’s Deputy General-Secretary, Comrade Joseph Ndirang, blamed the delay on bureaucratic procedures, but demanded that FG should respect the yearnings of his members.

The union lamented that all necessary steps towards ensuring the implementation of the hazard allowance had been concluded, but that its approval was yet to scale through the National Council for Establishment.

signed her position in view of the fact that she could no longer continue in office due to her deteriorating health condition.

The tension that time was doused by the appearance of the deputy governor in office and the clarification by Governor Kayode Fayemi that the deputy governor did not resign.

One of the aides of the deputy governor, who did

not want his name mentioned, told National Mirror that the fear of job insecurity by the aides and others, whose fates hang around the deputy governor, was not unfounded as “another deputy governor, if appointed, will come with his or her aides.

“And definitely, some of us will lose our jobs, especially in view of our closeness and loyalty to her.”

The aide, who said there

might be some sinister reasons for the declaration that the deputy governor was on sick leave, said; “We are praying for her quick recovery. We believe she will be back to her seat at the end of her leave.”

It will be recalled that the state government, in a statement on Monday, said the deputy governor “has taken leave to attend to issues relating to her health,” and urged all

“well-meaning citizens of the state to remember her in their prayers.”

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state which, last week, raised the alarm over the whereabouts of the deputy governor, however, on Wednesday, praised the state government for having the courage to disclose Olayinka’s health state, and called for prayers for her recovery.

Five jailed 150 days for assaulting LASTMA officials MURITALA AYINLA

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ive persons were yesterday sentenced to 150 days imprisonment for assaulting officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, officials.

They were jailed without option of fines by the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Alausa, Ikeja, for attacking the officials in the course of doing their jobs.

It was gathered that 12 people committed the offence; seven were arrested while the others were still at large.

Two of the suspects, Philip and Obigwe, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bail by Magistrate Jade Adeyemi, in the sum of N100, 000 each.

Each of them is also required to produce two sureties, who would enter into bond in like sum, who must be, gainfully employed with proof of evidence.

Those arraigned include;

Ejike Obuke, Amos Philips, Eyo Edem, Abrah Sunday, Daniel Obigwe, Destiny Koseide and Ramsey Akpan.

They were all charged with unlawful obstruction of the officers from carrying out their official duties, assaulting the trio of Jimoh Yusuf, Ojabodu Jaiyeola and Adenuga Yusuf and breaching public peace.

Reacting to the judgement, LASTMA General Manager, Engr. Babatunde Edu, recalled that the patrol team of the agency ar-

rested a commercial bus driver for contravening the law at Ojuelegba. He said in the process of taking the bus to LASTMA office, no fewer than 12 men appeared and unleashed terror on the officers.

He added that they freely used sharp objects such as broken bottles, machetes and screw drivers to stab the officers, adding that it was during the chaotic situation that the bus was driven away from the scene by the offenders.

Six states win immunisation leadership challenge OBIORA IFOH

Politics

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Alamieyeseigha: Is Jonathan’s govt really Àghting corruption?

ABUJA

ix states of the federation yesterday emerged winners of the 2012 Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, immunisation leadership challenge instituted by the NGF and sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The six states are Ondo, Cross River, Kogi, Anambra, Borno and Zamfara.

A member of the panel of judges, Dr Shehu Sule, said this yesterday in a statement after briefing members of the NGF at its meeting which ended in the early hours of yesterday in Abuja.

The immunisation leadership challenge, which is supported by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the Ministry of Health, is geared towards eradicating polio from the county.

According to Sule, the emergence of the winners followed the evaluation of performance data by the panel of judges drawn from the health sector.

Woman

What is going on right now gives the picture of a government that is floundering and justifying the unjustifiable – Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate Corruption is our only ‘natural’ disaster and President Jonathan has said he doesn’t ‘give a damn’ about this –Mr. Denja Yaqub, Assistant General Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Jonathan’s decision has further blighted the confidence that people have in this government to fight corruption –Comrade Sunny Ofehe, Executive Director of Hope for Niger-Delta Campaign (HNDC) The pardon would not stop us from detecting corruption in high places –Mr. Olufemi Aduwo, national coordinator, Right Monitoring Group (RMG)

Ayo Adesanya People say my eyes are sexy

Living Black Monday in Kano Our luxury bus was beside a Lagos bound bus; suddenly I saw a Golf car on top speed heading towards our direction. All I heard was an explosion and I found myself in the hospital. Four of the friends I was standing with are now dead.

–Emmanuel Bassey, victim

x SeTalk

Getting the most of afterplay

This column is x-rated

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South East

Friday, March 22, 2013

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Alleged misappropriation: Impeach Okorocha, group tells Assembly CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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pressure group, Save Imo, has asked the Imo State House Assembly to immediately begin impeachment process against Governor Rochas Okorocha over alleged misappropriation of public funds and abuse of office.

The National Coordinator of the group, Nze Ebubagu Ekenulo, urged the House to commence impeachment process against Okorocha for gross abuse of office and other misconducts unbecoming of a state governor.

•Seven candidates jostle for deputy gov’s seat The call is contained in the letter addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, entitled: “Without prejudice, petition against Governor Rochas Okorocha (OON), a call for his immediate impeachment for abuse of office, diversion of government revenue and other offences.”

This is as the governor has received a list of possible successors to the Deputy Governor, Jude Agbaso, who is battling to escape impeachment.

In the letter signed by

Ekenulo, Save Imo urged the Assembly to commence impeachment process against the governor for allegedly misappropriating the state resources.

In the 13-point allegation against Okorocha, supported by a sworn affidavit from the state High Court dated March 20, 2013, the group accused the governor of “unlawful use and diversion of government revenue and funds to establish his private university at Ogboko, contrary to his oath of office, concealment of rev-

enue from proceeds of the concession of Imo Concorde Hotel, Adapalm, Imo Transport Company, Imo General Hospitals and conversion of proceeds of same to personal use, contrary to his oath of office as governor; approval of 100 per cent upfront payment for road contract to JPROS International Company without proper evidence of work completion, contrary to the public procurement laws.

“The unlawful use of the proceeds of the Imo State bond by diversion to unap-

proved projects contrary to the Imo State bond law; unlawful use of the proceeds of the bond to the tune of over N13.3 billion without appropriation; approval of award of contract to JPROS International without advertisement and other contract processes contrary to the Public Procurement laws.

“Unauthorised and unlawful use of local government allocation to the tune of N63 billion; unauthorised borrowing of N63 billion from the financial market contrary to the Imo State Appropriation law; approval for purchase of furniture to the tune of N4 billion for Government House without proper appropriation contrary to the Imo State Appropriation law; approval and award of road contracts without design, advertisement and public bidding, among other impeachable offenses.”

Save Imo added that the governor was not above the law, neither was he untouchable for breach of the law and the constitution.

It said: “The Imo State House of Assembly owes it as a duty to Imo people to proceed on the impeachment of the governor for the above listed abuse of office and diversion of government funds.”

The group threatened to sue the House of Assembly if it failed to carry out the process just as it did in the case of Agbaso.

Meanwhile, despite the hiccups in the impeachment proceedings against Agbaso, the state government has received the list of seven names shortlisted as possible successors to the office.

A source close to the Government House told our correspondent yesterday that two of the candidates were from Emekuku, Owerri North Local Government with the deputy governor.

They are to compete with the Chief of Staff to the governor, Eze Madumere, from Owerri zone for the seat.

The source, however, tipped Madumere as Agbaso’s likely successor.

Awka, Nnewi peaceful despite Kano blasts CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

L-R: Vice-President, Public Affairs, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Lady Claire Asogwa; representative of the Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Jonathan Ekeh and Assistant General Manager, Media, Mr. Odoh Onuh, during the NHIS Day at the ongoing Enugu International Trade Fair, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Anxiety as Chime travels again DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

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here was apprehension in Enugu yesterday over the possibility that Governor Sullivan Chime may have travelled again to Europe as a result of his health challenges.

An Enugu Government House source told our cor-

respondent that Chime went to Abuja but was not sure if he had left the country.

Attempts to reach the governor’s media aides proved abortive as they all refused to react to the question sent through text messages or pick their calls.

The Special Assistant to the governor on Media, Afam Okereke, promised

to call back to answer the question but he did not before press time.

But responding to the question, a commissioner, Joe Mmamel, wondered if Chime was prohibited from travelling out of the country.

Mmamel disclosed that the governor presided over the State Executive Council meeting this week.

Chime had admitted that he had nose cancer and stayed four and a half months in London for treatment. during an interaction with journalists after he returned to the country last month, the governor frowned at the speculations about his health status, saying that anybody could fall sick.

We’ll continue to ensure good governance –Obi CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

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nambra State Governor Peter Obi yesterday assured the people of his unflinching resolve to promote good governance and work for their welfare.

Obi restated his readiness to continue to execute developmental projects during his tour of communities in Anambra South Senatorial Zone.

During the tour, which took him to the seven local governments in the zone, namely, Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Nnewi North and South, Orumba North and South, and Aguata, the governor inspected ongoing water scheme projects at Oba, Umuoji and Obosi.

He reminded the people of the need to work for the progress of the state.

The governor said the aim of the routine tour was enable him interact with the

people freely.

He charged the people to monitor government projects and write to him on what the government was not doing well and how to make it work.

At Nnewi, Obi assured of more roads. He also explained the efforts his administration was making to improve power supply to boost industrialisation of the town.

At Ekwusigo, the governor disclosed that the road connecting the area

with Atani in Ogbaru Local Government would be reconstructed, starting with the flag off in the next two weeks.

He said: “As I speak, we awarded four road projects last week; we are going to award more. This is not showmanship; we have the money to prosecute them.”

Again, at Aguata, Obi promised that all ongoing projects would be completed before the expiration of his tenure.

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ays after terrorists bombed the luxury bus terminal at Sabon Gari, Kano, destroying properties and killing many people, peace has continued to reign in Awka, Nnewi, Ekwulobia and other major cities of Anambra State, where many northerners reside.

There has been no reprisal attack on Muslims in any part of the state, although there was report of initial attempt by some youths to attack northerners doing business in Onitsha.

Northerners residing in Onitsha have also been assured of their safety.

After the Monday bomb attack in Kano, many northerners living in Onitsha fled to Army Barracks and neighbouring Delta State.

Many of them took refuge at the 302 Artillery Regiment Barracks, Onitsha, the Onitsha Central Police Station and the Area Command in Onitsha.

Many of them are yet to return to their places of residence and businesses,

despite the assurances of safety made by key Igbo leaders and security agents.

Far findings show that shops at the popular foodstuff market and other areas where northerners used to carry out their businesses, including the bridgehead market, Ose area, Okwodu, have been deserted since Monday.

The leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has assured that there would be no reprisal attacks in the South-East and called for calm.

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Emeka Chukwuemeka, has said that nobody was killed in Onitsha, adding that there was no reprisal attack on anybody.

He said that the command had deployed adequate policemen throughout the state, especially in Onitsha to ensure peace and order.

Chukwuemeka said what people described as an attack was apprehension on the side of Hausa community who fled the town in panic.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, March 22, 2013

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South South

Friday March 22, 2013

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Delta commissioner escapes death Oyerinde: NGO accuses Adoke of hypocrisy as kidnappers kill driver, orderly SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

AMOUR UDEMUDE ASABA

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elta State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Ebifa Ijeoma, has escaped assassination, even as his driver and orderly were killed by some suspected kidnappers.

As at the time of filing this report, the commissioner’s whereabouts was unknown.

Sources said that the

commissioner may have been flown abroad for treatment following the bullet wounds he suffered during the attack.

It was learnt that the commissioner was attacked at Ebelle community in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State on his way to Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, where he registered for post-graduate studies.

The commissioner’s Prado jeep and Hilux van were

riddled with bullets by the attackers Two occupants of the Hilux van were critically injured and they are receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of St. Luke Hospital, Asaba.

Confirming the incident, the Edo State Command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ahwara Ejiro, said detectives had gone after the attackers.

He said that the suspects would soon be arrested.

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he last may not have been heard in the search for the killers of the Principal Private Secretary to the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, even after last week’s heated exchange of words between the governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN).

Reacting to the exchange that almost resulted into a

President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Adedoyin Owolabi (left), wiith Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), Prof Julius Ihonvbere, during a visit by the ICAN president to the SSG in Benin, yesterday.

Calabar monarch, others docked for alleged kidnapping RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

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he 60-year-old monarch of Calabar and two other accomplices have been arraigned before a magistrate’s court for allegedly kidnapping of other traditional rulers, Muri Francis Effa Bassey, Chief Archibong Okon and Chief Effanga Effiom Henshaw.

In the first of the fourcount charge brought against the suspects before Magistrate Kate Ephraim, they were alleged to have conspired to commit felony

on May 2, 2012 at Eneobong Avenue in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State by kidnapping the victims.

According to the police prosecutor, Mr. Augustine Timin, the offence is punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code of Nigeria.

In count two, the charge sheet stated that the suspects, on May 2, 2012 at No 1, Eneobong Close, unlawfully imprisoned Muri Francis Effa Bassey, Chief Archibong Okon and Chief Effanga Effiom Henshaw by forcing them into

a car and covering their eyes with black clothes and took them to the residence of Muri Maurice Okon Eyo where they were kept seated on the floor for three hours while inflicting them with severe beating.

The second offence is punishable under Section 314 (2) of the Criminal Code of Nigeria.

In count three, the Calabar monarch was singled out and charged with failing to use his powers to prevent the kidnapping of the three traditional rulers.

9,000 ad-hoc staff to participate in Bayelsa LG poll EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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ver 9,000 ad-hoc staff will participate in tomorrow’s local government election in the 1,805 electoral units in Bayelsa State.

In same vein, no fewer than 30 observers will participate in the poll in which 11 political parties are vying for positions.

Chairman of the State

Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC), Chief Blessing Izagara, who disclosed this in a press conference yesterday in Yenagoa, said 174 chairmanship and councillorship candidates would participating in the election.

The police had said that there would be restriction of movement of persons on the election day.

Izagara, however, assured that the turn out at the

poll would be encouraging, given the extent of mobilisation and sensitisation by BYSIEC. He said non- sensitive electoral materials had been deployed to the local government headquarters, while the sensitive electoral materials would be deployed to the local government tomorrow.

Izagara assured that the poll would free and fair.

physical combat between the two top public officials, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), blamed the minister for causing the spat, particularly for allegedly lying and deceiving Nigerians as far as the search for Oyerinde’s killers were concerned.

In a statement signed in Benin by ANEEJ Communications Officer, Mr. Kelly Umukoro, the NGO also accused Adoke of hypocrisy for the alleged transfer of Mr. Thompson Olatigbe, a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Justice, who appeared at the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions’ Public Hearing on the murder on February 27, 2013.

Olatigbe was transferred a few days after he claimed that at the public hearing that the AGF was confused over which of the two conflicting reports of the police and State Security Service (SSS) should be implemented.

The NGO’s statement reads: “The Ministry of Justice has redeployed the Deputy Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mr. Thompson Olatig-

be, from his position. This is coming just a few days after he told the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, led by Uzo Azubuike, on February 27, 2013 that the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation was confused on how to handle the case involving the murder of Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde.

“The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) sees the transfer of Olatigbe as callous victimization of an innocent man for speaking the truth as he was sent to do by the Minister himself.

“We challenge the AGF to make public the reason for transferring Mr. Olatigbe if not to punish him for coming out with the true position of the ministry in respect of the murder case of Olaitan Oyerinde.”

The NGO, however, urged the organisaed labour to prevent what it described as the willful punishment of Olatigbe for publicly speaking the truth.

It will be recalled that Oyerinde was murdered in his house at 2nd Ugbor Street in Benin in May 4, 2012, a day before Oshiomhole’s re-election campaign began.

Boko Haram suspects arrested in Lagos CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Minster of Police Affairs, Mr. Caleb Olabode, Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar among others were on the entourage However, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has said that President Jonathan and other stakeholders should take decisive action on the issue of incessant bombings in the country just as it strongly condemned Monday’s suicide bombing in Kano.

ACN made this call in a statement issued in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The party said that it is sad and very unfortunate that the Federal Government is helpless on the matter, noting that it has demonstrated that it lacks the capacity to confront the worsening acts of terrorism in the country.

The party explained that all religious, ethnic and political leaders must start by preaching restraint in their domains, “since it is now

clear that the end-gamers behind these senseless killings are bent on setting Nigerians against themselves.”

ACN pointed out, that the recent escalation in the attacks in the north follows the belated visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the states that have now become the epicentre of the Boko Haram crisis.

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, also yesterday described the Kano bombing as shameful and cowardly.

This is even as the union called on the Federal Government to strengthen the security forces in the country to forestall further attacks on defenseless citizens.

The NLC, in a statement by the acting President, Comrade Promise Adewusi, urged Nigerians to remain united with a view to defeating the orchestrated plan of the perpetrators of the heinous crimes, which is meant to destabilise the country.

While calling on the people to remain calm in the face of intimidation, the

Congress advised the people against carrying out reprisals.

Adewusi urged the people to forge a sense of community with their neighbours to overcome the temporary challenge foisted on the country by a group of disenchanted renegades.

“We also call on our law enforcement agents to rise to the challenge of combating terror and to especially focus on protecting defenseless and vulnerable people. To be able to do this successfully, our intelligence and security agencies need all the support they can get from government.

“In furtherance of the above, we wish to invite the government to, as a matter of urgency, do all that is necessary and explore all legitimate avenues to bring to an end this insurgency.

“We dare say this includes addressing the remote and immediate causes of this phenomenon, reequipping our intelligence and security forces to be proactive and also be able to cope with new challenges."

Friday, March 22, 2013

State pardon: Call for Jonathan’s impeachment divides politicians

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Politics

Alamieyeseigha: Between morailty and the law

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S’West PDP reconciliation deadlocked

OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

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he intervention of the governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the crisis rocking the South-West chapter of the party may have deadlocked, as they have told members of the party in the zone to go and seek solution to their crisis.

National Mirror gathered that the five-man PDP Governors’ Committee led

by Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State is not happy over the refusal of the South-West PDP stakeholders to shift their position on contending issues.

The Shema-led committee, had at its meeting on Tuesday, expressed anger over the inability of the South-West PDP factions to reconcile and move forward.

According to a source at the meeting, “it was as a result of the various camps at the meeting not shifting

their position that made the PDP Governors’ Committee to tell the group to go and reconcile themselves and inform them the decision reached.

“The forum only tried to ensure genuine reconciliation. I think their role was simply persuasive and they made that clear to us that they cannot usurp the functions of the party’s National Working Committee; that factions should go home to their different state chapters and ensure true reconciliation,” the source said.

The meeting, which adjourned sine dine had former Minister of Defence, Tokunbo Kayode; former National Legal Adviser of the PDP and later Ondo State governorship candidate of the party, Olusola Oke; former governors of Ekiti State, Segun Oni and Ayo Fayose; former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel; Musiliu Obanikoro; Ebenezer Babatope; the sacked National Auditor of

Osun PDP warns executive against extortion ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

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he chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa has warned party executives to distance themselves from politics of extortion.

Olaoluwa, who gave the charge while addressing party stakeholders in the state, noted that moneypolitics and imposition of candidates against the choice of the majority, is not the PDP’s style.

He warned that the party will distance itself from anyone caught, assuring that the executive under his leadership will conduct free and fair elections within the party.

The party chairman also assured that all actions or inactions that could cause acrimony would be discouraged among party members.

On the party’s governorship ticket in the

state, he said the PDP candidate will emerge either through consensus arrangement or primary election, as the party had initiated moves to reconcile all aggrieved members across the state.

“The PDP in Osun State will not have had the number of governorship aspirants we have now if the present administration in the state has performed well in the last two years.”

the party, Bode Mustapha among others in attendance.

Before the adjournment, the chairman of the committee, Governor Shema had cautioned the warring factions of the party in the zone on the need to imbibe politics of inclusiveness than the politics of exclusiveness.

He appealed to the PDP South-West stakeholders at the meeting to do way with

all politics of exclusiveness and encourage unity within the party for the purposes of achieving a greater unity for the overall good of the zone.

Meanwhile, the lead counsel to the party in the appeal challenging the sack of some members of the South-West zonal executive, Joe Gadzama, has refused to hands off the appeal, insisting that

he has the mandate of the party’s National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur to withdraw the appeal.

Gadzama in a letter dated March 19, 2013 to the sacked National Auditor, signed by Frank Egboh, head of JK Gadzama Lagos Chamber, said: “I have also drawn the attention of the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga

Tukur to your letter under reference and he has reaffirmed his earlier instructions to us in this matter.”

The letter further referred Mustapha to another letter dated March 7, 2013, which reaffirmed the directive of the PDP that the chambers of Gadzama should represent all PDP related matters in the South-West.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson (middle) flanked by the newly appointed Chairman of the Public Information Management Committee, Chief Boma Spero Jack (left) and the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Edmund Allison Oguru (right) shortly after inaugurating the committee at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa.

APGA crisis: Group asks NJC to reverse verdict OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

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he intra-party squabble rocking the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) deepened yesterday with a civil society organisation calling on the National Judicial Commission (NJC) to compel the Chief Judge of Enugu High Court, Justice In-

nocent Umezuruike, to reverse his judgement, which sacked the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

President of Abujabased Civil Society Forum, Comrade Okpowku Ogenyi, who made the call while addressing journalists on the protracted crisis in the party, warned that the judgement remained a danger

to the survival of democracy.

Ogenyi, who noted that the judgement was as good as killing the party, however, requested the NJC to expeditiously determine the petition instituted against Justice Umezuruike by the embattled National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh.

He said: “To add fur-

ther fare to the entire drama, the judge comically ordered for the conduct of fresh election

by APGA, given that the tenure of the dismissed national hierarchy had elapsed, according to Justice Umezurike, since 2010 even without telling Nigerians in clear terms if he has in his custody the authentic list of the members of APGA.

APC threatens to sue INEC over registration OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

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he African Peoples Congress (APC) has threatened to drag the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court if the electoral body fails to register it as a political party.

The political association also called on INEC to resist the emerging dark forces within the commission,

who are bent on scuttling its efforts to enthrone credible elections come 2015.

In an address by its acting National Chairman, Chief Onyinye Ikeagwuonu, at the commencement of its online registration excise in Abuja yesterday, the association said that information at its disposal have uncovered an ongoing manipulative, tampering and leakage of official documentations concerning the ongoing reg-

istration process of APC. “Let Jega INEC stand on the right path as APC has complied with all the requirements of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act. The sustenance of Nigerian democracy and the 2015 elections will start with INEC ability to preserve and implement the provisions of the law especially as it has to do with the registration of political parties. The noise

and instigated Lagos civil societies cannot overthrow the constitution.

“The requirements of the law have been complied with and we must forewarn that any tricks against our registration shall be resisted as even the same Electoral Act which gives INEC powers to register or not to register political parties equally gives us power to challenge the decision of INEC at the Federal High Court up to

Supreme Court where our constitutionally compliant application to register shall be upheld by the law court,” Ikeagwuonu said.

The association particularly fingered the legal department of INEC as well as some Federal Commissioners who leaked the commission’s information to the public without due process, warning that they may be forced to sue INEC should it fail to register it.

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Politics

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ixed reactions have trailed the call for President Goodluck Jonathan’s impeachment by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) over the pardon he granted to former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

A cross section of politicians across the country, who reacted to the call in separate interviews with National Mirror, failed to reach a consensus on whether Jonathan should be relieved of his position as advocated by the opposition party.

Former governor of defunct Kaduna State and Chairman, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Balarabe Musa, who declared support for the President’s impeachment, described the state pardon for Alamieyeseigha as pure manipulation against the wishes of Nigerians.

Musa insisted that Jonathan’s action contravened the constitution, adding that it was abuse of power and gross misconduct.

“I support the call for President Jonathan’s impeachment. Although he has constitutional power to grant state pardon, what he did to former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, especially, was purely manipulation, abuse of power and gross misconduct against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. President Jonathan’s action was against the wishes of Nigerians,” the former governor said.

He added: “I was impeached as a sitting governor of Kaduna State without justifiable reason. Even, Alamieyeseigha was impeached too. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo narrowly escaped impeachment because of his friends - former presidents in the North. It will be difficult but President Jonathan’s impeachment can be possible. We cannot continue like this; a nation where corruption rain supreme.”

Emeritus Bishop of Ekiti Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Michael Fagun and Bishop of Ekiti Catholic Diocese, Most Rev Felix Ajakaye, who also backed the impeachment call, hinged their position on the President’s “aiding and abetting corruption in the country.”

The clerics spoke at St Joseph Catholic Church, Usi-Ekiti at a mass to mark the centenary celebration of Catholic Church in Ekiti State.

Bishop Fagun particularly said the President ought to resign honourably in the face of his inability to tame corruption, but rather promoting it. He said: “If he does not resign and not impeach by the National Assembly, I urge you not to vote for him in the next election. By granting pardon to Alamieyeseigha, who is a notorious thief, the president has joined him in stealing public funds.”

Former presidential candidate of the National Action Council (NAC), Dr. Olapade Agoro, who contested the 2011 poll against Jonathan, said: “The call for the impeachment of President Jonathan is right. The CPC has only silently said the loud noise gaining ground all over Nigeria and the whole world. With the state pardon granted to Alams, Jonathan has demonstrated his incapability to lead not to talk of curbing corruption in the country. He is a dead wood. His granting of state pardon to a man wanted outside the country for corruption made nonsense of what he is and what he stands for.

“He has only demonstrated he is corrupt. Since he came to power, it has been one form of crisis or the other. Nigeria has not known any peace and for the man to wake up that he condones corruption, tells

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

State pardon: Call for Jonathan’s impeachment divides politicians

Following the state pardon granted former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has called on the National Assembly to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan. National Mirror spoke with stakeholders on the development.

Jonathan

us the type of character we have in power.

The best thing now is for the National Assembly to move in and throw him out of office. If he could grant state pardon to Alams, what of Cecilia Ibru, Bode George, James Ibori and Joshua Dariye?”

Secretary Secretary General of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), Senator Femi Okunrounmu, said that the National Assembly needed not be told before it commences such impeachment proceedings against the president.

He said: “In my opinion, if we have responsible National Assembly members who are clean; who care for accountability, honesty and integrity, nobody needs to tell them before they commence impeachment proceedings against the President.

“Jonathan should be impeached and if the impeachment does not proceed as fast as it should, every Nigerian; big, small man and woman should mobilise and be on the street, marching and calling for the resignation of Jonathan and his impeachment.

“What Jonathan has done is a fact to encourage corruption much more than any other former Head of State has done. It is like opening the floodgate to people and say that those of you in government can be as corrupt as you want as long as you are my supporters, you don’t need to worry about anything.

“In other countries, the whole society would have been on the street protesting, demonstrating against Jonathan. The whole society would have been mobilised to march on the National Assembly to remove Jonathan. The whole society would have also marched on the National Assembly itself if it fails to remove Jonathan; that they should go home, they are not representing us.

“So, I commend the CPC for advocating the truth that impeachment proceedings should be commenced against Jonathan.

The President is an embarrassment to Nigeria with the way he has been governing; he makes us feel ashamed, those of us who

Buhari

I SUPPORT THE CALL FOR PRESIDENT JONATHAN’S IMPEACHMENT. WHAT HE DID... WAS PURELY MANIPULATION, ABUSE OF POWER AND GROSS MISCONDUCT

voted him into power.”

However, former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, who dismissed the call on the grounds that it was a political statement and should be viewed from a narrowed perspective, however, maintained that state pardon is not an instrument that should be granted so easily to anyone convicted of corruption.

His words: “I don’t think they are justified on their demand for Jonathan to resign, but I think they are justified in raising eyebrows against the pardon because Nigeria has been described as a corrupt country. When you realise that the offence deals with corruption, we should be circumspective before we grant pardon to somebody who was convicted of corruption.”

Embatled National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, who spoke in like manner, told National Mirror that although President Jonathan’s action is not something that would warrant his impeachment, the reason for a state pardon to Alamieyeseigha is a lame one, as it is not in the nation’s interest to grant pardon to anybody who was involved in corrupt act.

He, however, advised Jonathan to be more careful in handling such national issues, adding sarcastically: “If actually they are rehabilitating all those Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains who were

convicted of corruption, they should have included Olabode George and James Ibori to make the list complete.”

Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson, told our correspondent that the impeachment call by CPC on Jonathan was not tenable. He said: “The impeachment call by CPC is not tenable. It is not surprising because they are opposition parties. What will your opposition demand of you all the time? The opposition parties are misrepresenting the facts; CPC is a major rival to the PDP and Mr. President. Have you heard one day that CPC said this is one area that was done well by the President?

For CPC, the President has not done well and this is not true. President Jonathan is humble and has a listening ear.”

To Senator Lekan Balogun, a PDP chieftain, the CPC’s call for the President’s impeachment is uncalled for. “It is uncalled for, for the CPC to call for the impeachment of President Jonathan because of the state pardon granted to Alams by the National Council of State (NCS). The call is stupidly political. What is important is that the party should have asked why the pardon was granted in the first place.

“Come to think of it, even in a civilised world penalising somebody for an offence committed is not meant to be a life long thing or stigma and I believed that ours should not be different, more so, when Alams punishment could have been politically motivated. The call for the impeachment can only be cheap politics which must not be taken serious by any right thinking person,” the PDP chieftain said.

Former military governor, Indongesit Nkanga, who spoke with National Mirror in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said the CPC has lost focus and should return to the drawing board to reorganise itself and convince Nigerians to vote it in the next elections rather than chasing shadows.

The former governor said noted that state pardon had been given so many people in the past including former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mallam Sanusi Buhari, and a former warlord and the ex-leader of the defunct Biafra nation, late Emeka Ojukwu.

Nkanga blasted CPC, describing it as one party without direction and always out to pick holes in government policies and programmes rather planning how to make impact in the next election. “Let the CPC go ahead and impeach Mr. President if they have the numerical strength in the National Assembly,” he said.

A former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Engr. Chris Ekpenyong, regretted that what is clearly a presidential prerogative is generating unnecessary melodrama.

His words: “Before now several people have received state pardon, why is that of Alamieyeseigha generating heat; is it because he is from the same place with Mr. President? This is one man that was humiliated, impeached, his property confiscated and all that, what is wrong in forgiving him after all these years?”

Reports by: Femi Oyeweso, Abiodun Nejo, Kemi Olaitan, Tony Anichebe, Emma Gbemudu, Charles Okeke and Aza Msue.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FELIX NWANERI writes on the moral burden over the state pardon granted to a former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, convicted of corruption in 2007.

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Politics

Friday, March 22, 2013

he state pardon granted to a former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, convicted of corruption in 2007 has evoked a moral burden for President Goodluck Jonathan as regards his administration’s commitment to the fight against corruption.

Though the President did not breach the constitution, as the prerogative of mercy that he exercised is backed by the nation’s law, he has come under the fire of those who believe that his action is a bad precedent.

Jonathan, in consonance with the National Council of State has relied on Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to pardon Alamieyeseigha and other former convicted personalities, including the former Chief of General Staff to late Gen. Sani Abacha, Gen. Oladipo Diya, indicted in a coup plot.

Section 175 of the constitution states: (1) “The President may- (a) grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence created by an Act of the National Assembly a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions; (b) grant to any person a respite, either for an indefinite or for a specified period, of the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence; (c) substitute a less severe form of punishment for any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence; or (d) remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence or of any penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to the State on account of such an offence.

(2)The powers of the President under subsection (1) of this section shall be exercised by him after consultation with the Council of State. (3) The President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State, may exercise his powers under subsection( 1) of this section in relation to persons concerned with offences against the Army, Naval or Air Force law or convicted or sentenced by a court-martial.”

These provisions explain why critics of the President’s action, Transparency International (TI) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), have not questioned the legality of the action, but only emphasised on its moral implications.

Akere Muna, the vice chairman of TI, in appealing to Jonathan to rescind his action, said: “This decision undermines anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria and encourages impunity. If the government is serious about uprooting public corruption, sanctions against those who betray the public trust should be strengthened, not relaxed.”

Similarly, the NLC, through its National President, Abdulwaheed Omar, averred: “It is totally unacceptable that those who committed economic crimes in such magnitude that affected public interest be granted state pardon. We still wonder what message the National Council of State is sending to Nigerians, if at the height of unprecedented corruption in the country those who have been

15

Alamieyeseigha: Between morailty and the law THE PARDON IS QUITE IN ORDER. IT IS WITHIN THE PRESIDENT’S POWERS TO GRANT THE PARDON TO ANYBODY WHO HAS COMMITTED OFFENCE AGAINST THE STATE...

I

FELT BAD THE WAY

ALAMIEYESEIGHA WAS TREATED

Alamieyeseigha

prosecuted and jailed for stealing public money are granted state pardon.”

But, between the law and morality, which, takes precedence? Foremost constitutional lawyer and one-time Secretary of Education, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN) and Second Republic AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), unanimously agreed that the President did not act in error.

To Nwabueze, “the pardon is quite in order. It is within the president’s powers to grant the pardon to anybody who has committed offence against the state.

In the case of Alamieyeseigha, there is nothing wrong in granting him pardon.

He saw me in London and engaged my services. I appeared for him in the London court.

“I felt bad the way Alamieyeseigha was treated. Alamieyeseigha was a state governor. Therefore, he represented part of the sovereignty of the country. For the Nigerian state to be party to the way Alamieyeseigha was arrested and handcuffed at Heathrow Airport in London was bad. He was a governor. You don’t disgrace him like that in the public in the view of passengers in the plane. You were disgracing Nigeria, not Alamieyeseigha alone. So, I felt very bad.”

Akinjide, on his part likened the pardon granted to Alamieyesiegha to that granted to the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who led a civil war against the Nigerian state.

According to him, the gesture was a worthy one which should be separated from sentiments.

The Presidency was not left out in the defence of Alamieyeseigha. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in justifying his principal’s action, insisted that former Bayelsa governor has done so much for the country, particularly working for the peace in the oil-rich region.

He added that Alamieyeiseigha had since his trial and conviction, not only served out his sentence, but has also forfeited the stolen property which led to his

conviction. Citing cases in advanced democracies, especially in the US to justify the action, Okupe likened the decision to the pardon granted to Fife Syminghton III, former Republican Governor of Arizona who was convicted of bank fraud by President Bill Clinton.

Okupe also explained that even after he had served out his sentence, Alamieyesiegha played a prominent role in restoring peace to the Niger Delta, which led to increase crude oil production rise from an abysmal 700,000 bpd to over 2.4 million bpd.

The presidential aide also cited the instance of General Yakubu Gowon, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Ojukwu, who were granted state pardon and were not insulted or molested even when they went into active partisan politics.

His words: “Many will not question the legality or lawfulness of the pardon granted by the National Council of Sate. Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution clearly empowers the President in consultation with the Council of State to do so. The major concern of many patriotic and reasonable Nigerians is whether the decision is morally right or if it will not send wrong signals on government anticorruption crusade.

“On the issue of morality, I want to state categorically here, that state or presidential pardon is not intended for nobility or saints. In general, a state pardon is for those who have committed crimes and breached the laws of the land and may or may not have been tried or convicted regardless of their social status.

“Alamieyeiseigha has been tried and punished for corruption and I believe that the travails of Alamieyeiseigha is not what any normal Nigerian would want to go through. He is in a position to contribute positively to the political development of the nation. Pardon can only be granted to a criminal. Acceptance of pardon means that the person has accepted that he was a criminal and so, we should not belabour this issue at all.”

However, beyond the government’s explanation, there are political consider-

ations said to have motivated the pardon.

For instance, some analysts still believe that corruption allegations were potent tools used against perceived opponents during the Obasanjo administration.

This was often assisted by a railroaded impeachment process.

The Alameyesiegha case was a prime example of this, despite whatever merit it had, due process of prosecution was largely circumvented. While the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) mentioned investigations against 26 governors at the time, just a handful were prosecuted.

Former Secretary General of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Udengs Eradiri, told National Mirror that “Ijaw people believe that the prosecution of Alamieyeseigha was political; therefore, there was pressure on President Jonathan and he had no other option than to drop moral standards to go ahead to consider the state pardon. The Ijaw nation never saw Alamieyeseigha as an ex-convict. We all know that the EFCC at that time was the political machinery of the then government to deal with its perceived enemies.”

It is also argued that part of the plea bargain agreement reached between the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and Alamieyesiegha included a pardon after conviction and jail term, this was not actualised due to Yar’Adua’s death.

This was the precedence in 2000, where a pardon was granted by then President Obasanjo, in the case of perjury and forgery against the convicted former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari, immediately upon his guilty plea and subsequent conviction.

Also, the incarceration of Alamieyesiegha and leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NPVF), Asari Dokubo, signalled the transformation of the Niger Delta conflict from one of peaceful agitation to pipeline vandalism and full blown armed conflict because of the widely held perception in the region that both individuals are selfless advocates of the common aspirations, which subsists to this day.

Another consideration is that Alameyesiegha has since his release from prison engaged the grassroots in the Niger Delta to the advantage of Nigeria’s economic security. “He is noted to have avoided personal and political controversy and actively involved in voluntary ombudsman and intermediary regarding wide issues of youth restiveness, pipeline vandalism and popular discontent across the entire Niger Delta,” a source said.

It is against this strategic initiative and in recognition of Alameyesiegha’s pivotal position as a rallying point for groups and peace in the Niger Delta that analysts advised that a requisite pre-emptory action to forestall the resurgence of a second frontier of violence in the Niger Delta, can only be in the interest of the nation in view of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North.

16

Editorial

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

All the Facts, All the Sides A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER

STEVE AYORINDE

MD/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

YELE AKINROLABU

ED OPERATIONS

SEYI FASUGBA

DAILY EDITOR

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SUNDAY EDITOR

GBEMI OLUJOBI

SATURDAY EDITOR

DOZIE OKEBALAMA

COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD

ADESOYE ADEKOYA

CONTROLLER, PRODUCTION

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EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

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SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

FRANK OBOH

HEAD, GRAPHICS

T

Hugo Chavez: A ‘leadership laboratory’

he demise, recently, of the strongman of Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez, means different things to different people around the world.

For the West, a villain is gone!

It is good riddance to another tyrant whose cantankerous and unbending stature made Venezuela impregnable for capitalist democracy. For fellow Third World countries, however, a mirror for leadership ingenuity is lost. Chavez was respected and served as an example in the school and laboratory of leadership. Leaders of other nations marveled at his ability to build an economically great nation without the usual western fulcrum. For Venezuelans, they have lost their hero: the man who could call the bluff of western imperialists and be unshaken by any threat of or real persecution by them. For them, they lost an irreplaceable demagogue.Chavez was deified because of how passionate he loved his people. He led and lived for the common good and happiness of Venezuelans, and the 58 years plus he spent on earth will remain evergreen in the memory of many for generations to come.

Born on July 28, 1954 (he died on March 5, 2013), Chavez emerged as President in 1999.

He was initially the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement from 1997 to 2007, when it merged with several other par-

ties to form the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), which he led until his death.

Born into a working-class family in Sabaneta, Barinas, Chávez became a career military officer, and after becoming dissatisfied with the Venezuelan political system, he led a secretive Bolivarian Revolution, also known as the MBR-200 in the early 1980s, with the aim of overthrowing the established order at the time, an attempt that failed and for which the then President Carlos Andrés Pérez’s administration imprisoned him in 1992.

On his release in 1994, Chavez founded the Fifth Republic Movement, a social democratic political party, and was elected Venezuela President in 1998.

Following his own political ideology of Bolivarianism (21st century socialism), he focused on implementing socialist reforms in the country as part of the revolutionary Bolivarianist social project, which saw to the implementation of a new constitution, participatory democratic councils, the nationalization of several key industries, increased government funding of health care and education, and significant reduction in poverty, among others. As president, Chavez redefined Venezuela’s media landscape, dismantling an industry dominated by the country’s business elite and taking on private media groups

TO HIS CREDIT, CHAVEZ USED OIL WEALTH, WHICH MANY NATIONS, INCLUDING NIGERIA, HAVE BUT CANNOT

MANAGE WELL, TO BUILD A MODERN AND

ALMOST SELF-RELIANT

VENEZUELA

positioned at the opposite end of the economic and political spectrum. Like some writers have said, Chavez “turned the cameras on the Venezuelan people as well as himself ”. To his credit, Chavez used oil wealth, which many nations, including Nigeria, have but cannot manage well, to build a modern and almost self-reliant Venezuela. The human development index under Chavez was one of the highest in South America. The United Nations report on Latin American development index shows that during his time, the quality of life improved tremendously and the poverty rate fell from 48.6 percent in 2002 to 29.5 percent in 2011.

One lesson the Nigeria leadership should learn from Hugo Chavez when he became sick was that his ailment was made

known to Venezuelans at home and abroad. They knew when he fell sick, when he was taken to the hospital and when he was flown to Cuba for intensive care.

They knew how he was faring, when he got better and watched him address them live from his sick bed. The authorities did not keep his ailment, movement or welfare a close government secret. That was an exemplary and rare show of leadership.

This should serve as a lesson for presidents, governors, local government council chairmen and other public office holders who keep their people in the dark and are even scared of their own shadows in such circumstances. Chavez was so open that everyone genuinely returned his love. During those trying times of sickness, the entire nation, collectively and individually, fervently prayed for him. In addition, Nigerian leaders should learn from Chavez’s humility, as well as his honesty in serving Venezuelans. He never kept a distance from those who elected him, unlike Nigerian leaders who chastise fellow citizens with brutal and ridiculous convoys. Chavez was not timid. Nor was he intimidated by the world powers that ganged up against Venezuela under him.

We commiserate with the Venezuelan people for the huge loss, and recommend his lifestyle and approach to leadership to his peers around the world.

ON THIS DAY March 22, 2006

March 22, 2004

March 22, 1945

Three Christian Peacemaker Team hostages were freed by British forces in Baghdad after 118 days of captivity and the murder of their American colleague, Tom Fox. Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is an international organization set up to support teams of peace workers in conflict areas around the world. These teams believe that they can lower the levels of violence through nonviolent directaction, humanrightsdocumentation,andnonviolence training.

Ahmed Yassin, co-founder and leader of the Palestinian Sunni Islamistgroup,Hamas,twobodyguards,andninecivilianbystanders were killed in the Gaza Strip when hit by Israeli Air Force AH-64 ApachefiredHellfiremissiles.Hamas(IslamicResistanceMovement) is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist organization, with an associated military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Since June2007HamashasbeengoverningtheGazaStrip.

The Arab League was founded when a charter was adopted in Cairo, Egypt. The League of Arab States, commonly called the Arab League, is a regional organization of Arab states in North Africa, Northeast Africa (Horn of Africa) and Southwest Asia (Middle President Jonathan East). The founding members were Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (renamed Jordan in 1949), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Yemen joinedasamemberon5May1945.Itcurrentlyhas22members.

Letters to the Editor

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Views

Friday, March 22, 2013

17

Okorocha’s world press conference: Matters arising ETHELBERT OKERE Continued from last Tuesday

O

f course, the consequences of the administration’s lack of grasp of environmental and health related issues are palpable. Today, there is no hamlet or village in Imo state which does not bury one of its own every week.

Today in Imo State, private mortuary and ambulance services are becoming the most lucrative business. There is the erroneous impression that most of the diseases plaguing the state are due to dietary habits or poverty. Poverty, yes but the situation is compounded by the extremely filthy environment. Recently, there were media reports on expert study that reveals that over 200,000 people may die in the next one year in the state because of toxic fumes emitted from the burning of wastes, a very ill-advised method of waste disposal.

In answer to another question on the controversy surrounding the administration’s request for the approval by the State House of Assembly to source for N81.7 billion loan, Okorocha outrightly denied that there was any such plan, let alone a controversy. He said the speculation was the handiwork of his enemies.

But the Governor was only being economical with the truth. He should have

been bold enough, as with the issue of waste disposal, to admit that he, indeed, made a proposal to the State House of Assembly to go for a loan of N81.7 billion in the 2013 budget. We invite Imolites to page 31 of the governor’s 2013 budget speech. There, the provision of N81, 753,063,163 for “Internal Loans” under projected “CAPITAL RECEIPTS” is there in black and white.

It amounts to lack of transparency and a collective insult to Imolites for the governor to throw it back to imaginary enemies.

He should not go home with the impression that Imo people are ignorant of the nuances of key policy issues in the state.

Even more intriguing is that after denying that he ever asked for a loan, Okorocha went ahead to say that he needed money to run the state, asking whoever knew where he could obtain loans to tell him. Although that particular episode sounded like a joke, the import of the glaring gubernatorial impropriety was not lost on those who are familiar with the fiscal affairs of the state.

Recall that recently the governor had during a similar live television outing told the visiting Labaran Maku-led “Good Governance” team that there was so much money in the state; and that he was merely employing prudence to channel the resources judiciously. Less than three weeks later, the governor lamented paucity of funds. So, which do Imo people take?

WHEN HE NEWLY ASSUMED OFFICE, OKOROCHA TOLD IMO PEOPLE THAT THE STATE WAS VERY RICH BUT THAT HIS

PREDECESSOR, IKEDIA

OHAKIM AND HIS MEN, SQUANDERED THE ENTIRE THING

When he newly assumed office, Okorocha told Imo people that the state was very rich but that his predecessor, Ikedia Ohakim and his men squandered the entire thing. He said he was saving N150 million every day from Ohakim’s profligacy. At the rate of N150 million per day, the administration, which is now in its 22nd month, should have saved close to N100 billion. This means there would have been no need for a loan proposal of N81.7 billion.

In previous outings, we had drawn the attention of Imo people to the dangers inherent in the administration’s habit of taking loans from commercial banks and at exorbitant rates. Some critics derided

us for not wanting to give the governor a breathing space to perform.

Now, the truth is that the state was already saved the problem of going to the commercial banks through the window opened by the Ohakim administration with the N40 billion bond approved for the state by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Out of the N40 billion approved, N18.5 billion was drawn down and out of which a balance of N13.3 billion was left behind by the Ohakim administration. Of course, Imo people are quite familiar with this, but the point here is that the Okorocha administration has closed that window. As things stand, it cannot even access the balance of that bond because SEC has blacklisted the state after the administration misapplied the N13.3 billion left

by Ohakim into purposes for which the money was not meant. If the governor had not closed the bond window, the state would have been able to access the balance of N21.5 billion bond proceeds at very cheap rates as against loans from commercial banks at cut-throat rates.

When next Governor Okorocha convenes another live television show, the least Imo people should ask for is that they should get value for their money.

Concluded Okere wrote from Owerri, Imo State

Save Okpe from PHCN darkness BOBSON GBINIJE

W

hen the choreographer loses his terpsichorean clan and the conductor his dexterity, the dancers and the philharmonic orchestra becomes cocooned in salmagundi and cataclysmic contretemps. This scenario continues to play out itself in the power sector in Nigeria.

Right from 1953 to 1960 with the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) in charge of power, Nigeria had regular and constant supply of power. As soon as the corporation became the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), hell was let loose in the power sector and NEPA was pejoratively renamed by harangued Nigerians as Never Expect Power Always.

Today, under Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the nation’s power supply situation has become unthinkably and diabolically disastrous, hence the rechristening of PHCN as Please Hold Candle Now. What a shame! The socio-economic consequences of the inability of successive corrupt regimes to rejuvenate the power sector after 53years of independence is too gruesome to contemplate.

Indeed, lack of power supply and corruption are the omnibus bane of our problems in Nigeria for which all governments right from independence have collected trillions of Naira to salvage to no avail and corruption still bestrides the horizon like a gargantuan colossus and with nihilistic revisionism. We have tried all remedies to no avail not because the remedies are mere placeboes and Barmecidal – dishes, but because the providers of the remedies are not

THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR HAS BEEN BEFUDDLED BY

POLICY SOMERSAULTS, LEADERSHIP SKULLDUGGERY AND CHAMELEONIC PRESTIDIGITATION sincere and patriotic.

The leadership is dramatizing the Emperor Nero’s syndrome: He slept whilst Rome burnt and the reflections in Homer’s ILLIAD that “the gods have so spun the thread for wretched mortals that they must live in pain”. This sordid situation continues to be the portion of the vast majority of Nigerians over power supply.

A perfect exemplification of the government and PHCN’s brutal assault on the psyche of the citizenry in terms of power outage is Okpe Kingdom in Delta State.

Okpe Kingdom is one of the largest kingdoms in Delta State and nay Nigeria. It has two local government areas with littoral boundaries. It is an oil producing kingdom, but in constant darkness. As a dialectical amalgam, the people have numerical superiority over most ethnic groups in the state.

Sapele in Okpe Kingdom houses the Ogorode Power Plant that supplies power to other states and towns, but the politicization of the ‘step down’ mechanism which has now brought in unforeseen consumers has robbed Sapele of power supply and the

economic and social consequences are too terrible to recount here. The transformer at Okpara (not in Okpe kingdom) is tapped to give seven streets in Orerokpe (ancestral home of Okpe people and the headquarters of Okpe Local Government Area) candle – like light.

It is indeed a pity beyond all telling that a drive through the virtually unmotorable roads in Okpe Kingdom to Oha, Ugolo, Odjedi, Amuokpokpo and Umiaghwu reveals that the people have been left behind by the civilization march of the 21st century. The towns of Okobia, Elume, Evwriyin, Amuabude, Okuokoko, Egbeleku Adagbrassa and Oviriokpe are in crass darkness and facing troglodyte extinction. What a shame in an oil producing Okpe kingdom. This is broad daylight oppression.

In his historic speech on majority and minority interests, William Ewart Gladstone (1809 – 1898) said “the oppression of a majority is detestable and odious, the oppression of a minority is only by one degree less detestable and odious”.

In the Okpe kingdom situation, it is absolutely detestable. The towns of Aghalokpe, Aragba, Ovwori 1, Ovwori II, Ohorhe I, Ohorhe II, Ugborhen, Ugbukurusu, Obotie, Okegborode, Ikeresan, Egborode, Ekoko I, Ekoko II, Okuloho, Okuovo, Oduado I, Okuovo II, Idegele, Ogirisen, Emereje, Ukuokolo, Okuoke, Okuodjeba, Iriama, Amuotomewo, Ovuri – court, Opuradja, parts of Adeje, Jeddo, Amukpe, Okirighrew, Ughoton and Osubi have not known light for over six months.

But the people of Okpe Kingdom have no comfortable place they can call their homes, because of gross underdevelopment in terms of no light, no motorable roads, no drinkable

water, no hospitals, no industries, massive unemployment, no security and no food security. It must, however, be mentioned that the Delta State government recently donated a generator to be used in Orerokpe. Much as we commend them, we appeal for more assistance as this is mere pittance in relative terms.

We appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to come to the aid of the Okpe Kingdom as both PHCN and the Delta State Electricity Authorities have abandoned their statutory duties of providing light for the citizenry.

History will be made if light and other pressing social amenities are provided in Okpe Kingdom.

Finally, from Obasanjo to President Jonathan, from Barth Nnaji to Professor Chinedu Nebo, it has been one electricity road map to another. The electricity sector has been befuddled by policy somersaults, leadership skullduggery and chameleonic prestidigitation. We need strategic repositioning and a fixed national developmental agenda to refurbish and rekindle a potent frame work for redeeming the comatose electricity sub-sector, and Okpe Kingdom should not be left out Chief Gbinije, founder of Mandate Against Poverty (MAP), wrote from Warri 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 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bombs falling like rain

T No to fresh increase in petroleum prices

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan is definitely stretching his luck too far. At a time Nigerians do not know what to make of his administration in terms of service delivery, he is contemplating a complete deregulation of the oil industry. What this means is that he wants market forces to determine the prices at which petroleum products should be sold.

We are not surprised at all given that he has a woman deeply rooted in Bretton Wood Institutions’ economics and traditions as his minister coordinating the economy and finance. She has sold her body, soul and spirit to World Bank and IMF’s inspired international best practices, whatever that means, and Nigeria would be a laboratory to experiment with them.

The late Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez proved in his life time that there were viable alternatives to economic policies spawned by the Bretton Wood Institutions. Venezuelans were grateful to him even in death.

It will be a big irony that a man that knows what poverty is, and a man that relies on mother luck to catapult to him to the apogee of power with the accompanying perquisites, would be responsible for the greatest misfortunes that would befall Nigerians. Not even the late General Sani Abacha was so abrasive and insensitive in his leadership approach. The Petroleum Trust Fund he set up to cushion the biting effects of increased prices of petroleum products had some dividends to point at.

President Jonathan should tell Nigerians what his dubious SURE-P has achieved. It has only ended up as conduit for siphoning billions of naira to minister to the needs of the new men and women in power. Nigerians cannot deter him because he has the nation’s instruments of coercion lined up behind him.

But our people have indomitable and resilient spirit. They will pour out into the streets as they have always done to demonstrate their rejection of any death pills the Federal Government wants to force down their throats.

Comrade Andrew Okoh, Abuja

he last Tuesday bombing of passenger buses in Kano and the resultant carnage are pointers to the vacuousness of the Boko Haram’s leaders. I have thought seriously about the cause the Islamic militant sect is pursuing and come to the conclusion that it stands for nothing.

The leadership of Boko Haram would want us to believe that it stands for a puritan government at the centre and in all the northern states that should be rooted in Islamic theology, but its activities at best express the direct opposite of what it projects.

Which religion sanctions the killing and maiming of innocent people; which religion pushes its adherents to destroy the means of livelihood of people; and which religion preaches the extirpation of other religious persuasions?

I am Igboman who hates to see his people being hounded in the North like criminals. We are a highly mobile people who see everywhere we settle as our home and so contribute to its development. This was why we lost billions in the North during the pogrom which started after the July 29, 1966 counter coup.

Many of my people are yet to recover from the carnage and the civil war that followed.

Let those beating the drumbeat of war know that no nation survives two civil wars. I appeal to my northern brothers to rein in Boko Haram. Their activities are seriously harming social relations in the country. There

is restiveness in the East and the patience of my people has reached its elastic limit. Implo-

sion could erupt any moment and when it does, I am afraid Nigeria might become history.

Emeka Chidi, Anambra State

I

Letters to the Editor

Onitsha,

Up Gov Obi at 7

O

ur action Governor and leader par excellence, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi (CON) marked his seven years on the leadership seat of Anambra State this week. The entire people of Anambra will always live with the memory of his purposeful administration.

He has brought a new meaning to leadership in the state; he has given hope to the people, and he has established a solid benchmark for all incoming leaders of the state to follow and even surpass.

Hillary Akabogu, Anambra State

Nkpor,

Banning and unbanning Dana Air

President Jonathan to resign.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State and national leader of ACN, has specifically called for his resignation. This is very unfair.

Kano State has a governor who is the chief security officer of the state; there is a commissioner of police who is a member of the state’s Executive Council and the there are other security agencies, such as Department of State Security in the state. The state governor has the responsibility of coordinating the security machinery of the state. And for the management of the Central Motor Park, it has the responsibility of taking appropriate measures, including the deployment of technology, to deter such unwholesomeness like that of last Tuesday where

L

scores of intending travelers died.

We do not expect Mr. President to personally take charge of the nation’s entire security template and be in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja at the same time to ensure that all those paid to do their bit do so. Please, let us give Mr. President a break.

Tinubu is a leader in his own right. While he was governor of Lagos State for eight years, he had 57 council chairmen that reported to him; and they were held accountable for their actions and inactions. Why would he now expect President Jonathan to be crucified for the bombings in Kano and elsewhere?

ast Monday, the federal government literally had to beg Dana Air that was earlier banned the previous Saturday to swing into action and fly its planes. What a country, what a minister of aviation. To say that Dr. Harold Demuren, the immediate past Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority boss, fell on account of this airline who he had staked his reputation to defend and absorb of any criminal negligence over the June 2011 Lagos air mishap involving one of its aircraft, makes the latest action reprehensible.

President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the National Assembly should apologise to Dr. Demuren. He may not have to be recalled (and I do not believe he would accept such an odious option), but propitiation acts must be done by the authorities to enable them get his forgiveness.

Taiwo Anjorin, Maryland, Lagos State

Tunde Atiba, Owo, Ondo State

A commercial motorcyclist pleading with policemen after stripping himself naked to protest arrest in Itamaga area of Lagos. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Stop playing politics with Nigeria

t is true that a leader carries the burden of a nation, and among the burden of leadership is accepting responsibility, either for good or bad. In that wise, there is justification to hold President Goodluck Jonathan responsible and accountable for all the actions and inaction of the Federal Government.

However, it is stretching the logic of leadership accountability too far to think that Mr. President should bear the brunt of Boko Harams rapacious killing, maiming and mayhem across the country.

The last Tuesday bombing of some buses in the Central Motor Park, Sabongari, Kano is instructive. The success of the suicide bombing and the devastation caused are being used by the opposition to call on

Let the Sultan of Sokoto, the ruling elite in the North and all the pro amnesty-for-Boko Haram groups and individuals meet to find the way out of this catharsis. Boko Haram is a northern creation that needs a northern solution. The solution would only need the instrumentality of the federal government to execute.

President Goodluck Jonathan and his security chiefs believe in the use of force. This could have been the result of the ghoulish character of the leaders of the sect. Those who criticize this approach should come up with a better alternative. Delay is dangerous.

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.

Psuedonyms may be but used, butbe must be clearly marked as such. only). The reserves the right edit to and reject or photographs.

Psuedonyms may be used, must clearly marked as such.

Your

FRIDAY

VOL. 3 No. 583

Friday, March 22, 2013

19

Flavour

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

NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

Escape

P. 32-33

P

special to me”, Duker said. “On several occasions he attended the Abuja Film Festival with his own money. He started associating with us right from the onset. We hope to use this opportunity to honour him and a whole lot of other artistes who have passed on in the course of doing this job. We at the Abuja Film Festival recognise that these artistes have done a lot to project the industry, and so must be so honoured.”

The team also explained why the premier film festival decided to adopt Abuja as its home when, in actual sense, most of the movies in Nigeria are made in Lagos and Enugu.

“In actual sense, most of the films used to be produced in Lagos and Enugu, but when this Festival was conceived, the idea was to get a neutral ground where the movie practitioners should take out time and network for the improvement of the industry. Had we adopted Lagos then, we would have run into the problem of always having the artistes shuttling between locations and the festival venue. That was why we took it to Abuja.

But over the years, the artistes have also arrived Abuja to notice that it has beautiful mansions for filming and so Abuja is increasingly becoming popular amongst filmmakers in Nigeria now. Another

WEEKEND STARTERS MUSON in 2013 Easter concert

T

he Musical Society of Nigeria, MUSON, will hold its Easter Passiontide concert on Sunday, March 24 at the Agip Recital Hall, MU. Titled Passion: The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross by Joseph Haydn, the concert is a reflection of the Christian holy week and Easter celebration. It is a sacred work, which includes solos and choral forces.

This concert will feature the internationally acclaimed MUSON Choir conducted by Emeka Nwokedi.

Night, stars take over

T

he board of Matchmakers Consult International Limited and Nigeria Football Federation present The Night of Stars, a glamorous event that will precede the Nigeria Pitch Awards to celebrate and honour the best of football. The event will be hosted by Nollywood starlet, Uru Eke and comedian Julius Agwu. The highlights of the event will be the

Nollywood producers and funding challenge the memoirs Nollywood unveiling of the Nigeria Pitch Awards Julius Agwu plaque, rendering the theme song and unveiling of the Award Ceremony Stage in 3D. Scheduled to attend are Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, among many other important personalities.

WED Expo Lagos 2013 Expo Lagos 2013. Already

W

ED Magazine, one of Nigeria’s foremost magazines is back with the second edition of what is referred to as Nigeria’s largest wedding exhibition, WED

on, the exhibition end on Sunday, March 24 at The Palace, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

This is an opportunity for those intending to get married to learn a thing.

O

n Sunday, the ongoing iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival, iREP 2013, will end with an art stampede featuring Nollywood producers who will discuss their funding challenges.

It will be a fitting end to the third edition of the festival that screens sev-

eral documentaries by filmmakers on the continent and in the Diaspora.

Taking place every day from 9a.m. at Freedom Park in Lagos, this last event will have Tunde Kelani, the country’s top cinematographer and filmmaker and Charles Novia, director, producer and author of

Till November, which inspired the theme of the conversation on the panel.

The event is the Committee for Relevant Arts, CORA’s 100th Quarterly Art Stampede, and the theme of the conversation is ‘Nigerian Films and the Challenges of Corporate Funding and Partnerships’.

The Naming Ceremony comes to Terra Kulture

T

hose who missed the excitement at the Nigeria House, London Olympics 2012 courtesy of Lufodo Productions at the 30 Nigeria House, Theatre Royal Stratford East London, have another opportunity to

see the three plays. The plays include Sefi Atta’s, The Naming Ceremony, featuring, Olu Jacobs, Joke Silva and Bimbo Akintola, among others.

The said play will be staged by the same production company every Sunday in March at

Te r r a Ku l ture, Vi c toria Island Joke Silva from 3p.m. to 6p.m. by the same production company in March 2013.

Denrele’s Day

...honours late actors; celebrates Centenary

good reason for Abuja is also the several hotels and the security. The truth is also that in several places in the world like Cannes and Berlin, availability of such facilities like hotels is important in making a film festival successful.”

Abuja Film Festival, which started in 2004, has run on an annual basis since then, screening an average of 500 films and videos from all genres of cinema every year. It has also attracted dignitaries like President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Raji Fashola (Lagos), Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), late Amb. Segun Olusola, late Hubert Ogunde, Eddie Ugbomah and Kate Henshaw, amongst others.

This year’s edition will open on September 24 and run until September 27.

P. 24-25

Abuja Film Festival plans special 10th anniversary

P. 34

Ossai

Inside FCT

Ejiro

P. 26

Duker

Mirror Mongers

lans are underway to ensure a grand 10th anniversary for the Abuja Film Festival, Anglo West Africa’s pioneer film festival. This came to the fore when the Abuja Film Festival team, led by its founder, Fidelis Duker, visited the National Mirror yesterday at her headquarters on Broad Street in Lagos. Duker, who came in the company of Chico Ejiro, Emeka Ossai, Gbenga Anigbe, and his wife, Temitope Duker said that the festival, which will hold in September, is being packaged to make it retain its prime position in West Africa.

During an interactive session with the editorial team of the newspaper, which lasted about one hour, Duker pointed out that this year’s festival will take into consideration issues such as the Centenary celebration, as well as honour to some of the actors who have passed on in Nollywood.

“I was part of the team that had an interaction with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim , as regards the Centenary and we are targeting to have films that will portray the Centenary. We have plans to come up with four films, at least with such themes, because the Abuja Film Festival is thinking of legacies in the movie industry now. This year’s festival will also run film screenings for 24 hours. Entry shall also be free; so that as many people as possible will participate in what we are doing this year.”

He further stressed that aside the usual seminars, trainings, and networking which the Abuja Film Festival is noted for, this 10th version will also set aside a special session to honour all the late icons of Nollywood who have died in the recent past, especially Justus Esiri.

“An actor like Justus Esiri was so

20

Artman In The House

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

IREP strives to redefine African In Nigeria, documentary film is breaking into the mainstream consciousness of film discourse and one of the figures behind this awakening is Femi Odugbemi, Executive director/cofounder, IREP Documentary Film Festival.

Among other issues, Odugbemi, a documentarist, speaks extensively in this interview with ADENRELE NIYI about the impact of the annual IREP on the continental filmmaking sphere and how this influence is being extended to international regions. EXCERPTS: Can you give a 12-month scorecard of the 2012 festival held under the theme Democracy and Culture? What dividend has been recorded?

Our core goal at IREP is to bring about awareness and a consciousness of the power of documentary films to mediate our experiences as individuals and as a nation. Through documentary, we not only create a historical record of our times but we are able to discern the key turning points in our evolution politically, socially and culturally. Documentaries influence cultural, political and social changes in our environment and that was the focus of the festival theme of last year.

In practical terms, last year we showcased how the video documentaries from the fuel price increase mass demonstrations of January 2012 shaped the capacity of the people to express themselves and the depth of their concerns for the direction of the country at that time.

That has led directly to a massive overhaul of the oil sector and the investigations that have exposed the corruption in that sector. If nothing else, it has imposed a new transparency to how the resources of government are managed in such a vital sector to our economy.

From our perspective, the more people acquire that consciousness to document their experiences and to use them to mediate and capture their personal and professional experiences, the better our society will be. Corruption and mismanagement thrives in secrecy. Poor and perverted leadership thrives on secrecy. Everything plaguing our communities has been sustainable to the extent that they have remained unexposed and uninterrogated.

Our effort to raise awareness for documentary received a big boost with the recently-concluded Afrinolly Short Film Competition created by the Fans Connect Online Limited led by Chike Maduegbuna. We partnered the organisers to create a documentary section with a prize of $25,000 for the winner. MTN was a partner as well as Google and the Goethe Institute. It is a major breakthrough to have these reputable private sector giants recognise the need and necessity to promote documentary filmmaking.

Also, there has been a noticeable rise in interest of filmmakers seasoned and upcoming, who attend our training workshops and festival which is reflected in our participation database which now boast over 2,000 attendees. Also more documentaries – some that will be provided by IREP for partner stations – of local content are now being screened.

Beyond these, our yearly festival themes delve into issues in our environ-

ment and expand on the role of documentaries in this melee. It strives to impart the importance of documentary films and also to reveal its influence and power that can used to reshape and redefine the African identity. I am gratified to say I see this being reflected positively in recent narratives produced.

The 2013 guest lecturer, Prof Awam Amkpa appears to be a festival favourite.

Aside his scholastic responsibilities, what other duties are expected from him at the festival?

We are honoured to have Professor Amkpa as our Keynote Speaker this year, because as you have noted, he is a heavyweight and an internationally celebrated artist, filmmaker, intellectual. He is a Director of Africanna Studies at New York University. Our theme this year is Reconnections reflecting issues of Identity for and of Africans. That is Amkpa’s area of study and specialisation. He is a specialist in all things Africa and its Diaspora.

Beyond that, he is an exciting speaker and an inspirational documentarist wellregarded internationally. We believe he will energise the festival with very insightful ideas and thoughts surrounding the festival theme. Beyond his speaking role, he is also going to be attending the filmmakers’ round-table and be available for individual festival participants to network.

This year’s theme, Reconnections, as in previous editions, continues in the direction of provoking transformation in our collective sense of identity as Africans; what would be the challenge for film makers in the next 12 months after the dust has settled?

Well, I believe the biggest challenge for African filmmakers in this sense is coming to a personal understanding of the power of images and how as filmmakers or artistes, or any other kind of artistic content provider, you carry a measure of responsibility for how we subconsciously shape the image and perception of Africa through our images and stories, and how that affects the economic, social and cultural profile of the continent. Identity inspires and shapes content.

The art and identity of Africans are interconnected and feed each other. Documentaries are critical to helping us express our individualities within the blurred boundaries of the global community.

In three years, IREP has done far much more to promote documentary films of African origin than any other festival or forum of this makeup. Is there any

Odugbemi

OUR INTRODUCTION AS A NATION TO DOCUMENTARY WAS RATHER UNREMARKABLE IT WAS USED AS A COLONIAL TOOL FOR BRAINWASHING likelihood of the festival being staged in other nations apart from Nigeria?

IREP is an international festival and we have always had an international audience with participants from Europe, Africa, United States and the UK. Our schedules of film screenings also reflect the global vision of the festival. In this edition, we will be screening over 30 documentaries from filmmakers in over 10 countries. So, we believe our impact is felt and will continue to be felt beyond Nigeria. But we like Nigeria as the home of the festival. Nigeria is an important nation culturally and it is proper that we are providing a home for this important initiative.

At the onset, IREP enjoyed support from

some relevant government institutions; are these partnership being sustained into its third year?

The festival has been fortunate to have partners who believe in our vision and who understood the importance of creating this forum. But principally, they have been partners out of the private art sector – Terra Kulture, Freedom Park, Goethe Institute, DVWorx Studios, Barollo Productions, Committee for the Relevant Arts and many others. The support we have received from government agencies have been minimal at best, principally from the National Film and Video Censors Board when Emeka Mba was the DG. He was progressive and supportive of fresh ideas and we could always run to him for help. This year though, we will be providing a platform for the launch of a few publications by the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), and we have received support to cover lunch on our opening day. But the cost of an international quality film festival like this runs into tens of millions and we have all our partners I earlier mentioned to thank for making it possible.

Using Nigeria as an example, what would you say are the challenges of government and the level of priority it gives

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Artman In The House

Friday, March 22, 2013

identity –Odugbemi

FACT FILE

•

IREP is an international touring Documentary Film Festival initiated with the objective of promoting independent documentary features in Nigeria and on the continent of Africa.

•

Femi Odugbemi was born in Lagos on May 24, 1963

•

He holds a B.SC, Film and Television Production from Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA.

•

His professional experience includes working with KUSM Channel 9 TV Bozeman, Montana (Producer/Director); NTA Kaduna (Producer/Director); Lintas Advertising (Film/Radio Producer)

•

Currently, he is CEO/Executive director of DVWORX- a production outfit and also teaches at the University of Lagos.

•

The creatively talented Odugbemi is the producer of the award winning documentary Bariga Boy and of Panorama, a popular current affairs documentary.

•

For leisure, Femi likes to read, travel and experience new places. He listens to jazz music, watches football from the perspective of a ‘long-suffering Arsenal fan’.

Cross section of participants at a previous IREP film fest.

to the culture sector seeing this is one of the windows through which we relate with the world?

I am sure the government faces several challenges in promoting the cultural scene of Nigeria; but I wish more can be done – the culture industry is critical and vital in so many respects that it requires deliberate investment and strong interventions.

Recently, I was delighted to learn that the President, who is a big supporter of the film industry, has given a further grant of $200 million or so to the film industry. I hope and pray the money gets channelled to sustainable efforts to build the industry especially in the areas of Film education and training. The country needs more film schools; we need internationally standardised new media schools with the right curriculum. We have too many filmmakers who need education so we wouldn’t keep doing more of the same. I also hope that within that context, documentary advocates such as IREP will be given support to sustain our efforts.

The President’s generosity towards the local film industry is unprecedented by any Nigerian leader before now. Will IREP be looking to access this N3 billion industry fund for any of its film projects?

We will definitely look to access the

funds. We are in dire need of support to sustain the value and quality of the festival. I am hopeful that those in charge of disbursing the funds will soon provide the details of how to apply and we will put in an application as needed.

It appears feature films are taking centre stage in Nigerian cinemas and the audiences are enamoured with entertainment. How can we take documentary away from the high art arena onto the TV screens of the average Nigeria?

It is already happening; we are now seeing more documentaries on TV screens every day. The basic difference between a documentary and a feature film is that one is fact-based and the other is fiction.

But all fiction find their stories in factbased stories don’t they? Documentaries are true stories; they are a truthful representation of environments, lives, cultures, political social and economic issues. But the basic of any film stands true. Content is key. There are many interesting stories out there that capture and have continued to captivate audiences. If a filmmaker was to do a documentary on Boko Haram, for instance, I think people will be interested in watching, if for no reason than to find perspective.

There’s always more to our experiences

than the daily news reports can cover.

Documentary films, as any well written narrative can be stylish, artistic, entertaining as well as informative. Unfortunately, our introduction as a nation to the genre was rather unremarkable – it was used as a colonial tool for brainwashing, and what followed after that were politically influenced documentaries hence this perception.

With winners emerging from Afrinolly competition and new talents discovered, what is your perception of the next generation of African filmmakers as one of the judges of that competition?

I have high hopes for this new generation of filmmakers; I believe with the right skills and training, they have the potential to compete with the international world of filmmaking. Their generation has easier access to information, more structured environments as compared to the past ones and also several platforms to exhibit their works. Hopefully, in the coming years, we will see properly equipped institutions with the right facilitators that can impart the necessary technical and academic skills for filmmaking. The passion is there, the stories are there, the capacity is what is work-in-progress.

In some quarters, it is perceived that the maiden African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, AMVCA, is in competition with the older African Movies Academy Awards, AMAA. What is your take on this as a judge for AMVCA?

21

AMAA has established itself as a pioneer in a good way. There is absolutely no competition and Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards is not out to displace or replace AMAA. It is narrow thinking to see it that way; they complement each other and in time, they may even cooperate with each other. In the United States, you have the Oscars but you also have the Golden Globes. One is not greater or better, they are both working towards the same goal. AMVCA’s aim is to raise the bar of quality in the content industries of Africa covering online, television and film. It also aims to do that by celebrating and incentivising excellent works and excellent performances and performers.

According to the director of Otelo Burning, which won a slew of awards at the recent AMVCA, it took about eight years to produce this film. Meanwhile, we know the average Nollywood production is shot somewhere between two to eight weeks.

Is this trend reflective on the quality and quantity Nollywood churns out?

Well, I am not sure the length of time it took to produce Otelo Burning has anything to do with its quality. There are many films that have taken a long time to make and yet were badly received by audiences. I think credit goes to the director of Otelo Burning more for staying with her passion to make the project despite challenges and difficulties that I am sure were about raising the finance for the project. The inspiration of that film’s journey is that passion wins in the end no matter how long it takes or how many obstacles come your way.

As to your indication of how short the production circle of Nollywood films are, things are already changing. More and more of our filmmakers have bigger creative and artistic ambitions now than before. So, I am hopeful that as we focus on better training and changing the consciousness of our filmmakers, that rush to produce films at the expense of quality will disappear soon.

Can you remember exactly how IREP directors namely you, Jahman Anikulapo and Makin Soyinka met and began to share culture advocacy ideals?

This story dates back to the days when Mr. Soyinka, Mr. Anikulapo and I travelled frequently as visiting guests and facilitators at film festivals all over the world. IREP was borne after visiting Ghana for the Reallife documentary film several times – at which point we realised that there were no documentary film festivals in Nigeria. And thus, IREP was born.

I remember at some point during preparation for the first festival, we found out that invites had already been delivered to our guests and we at that point had not finished planning. We grew some white hairs in the process but it came through in the end.

Finally, is there an author in you emerging sometime soon?

I wish I was talented enough to author books! I write well and once considered authoring fiction but that was way back.

I like expressing myself in images and maybe someday in the future when carrying cameras is getting impossible, I might sit down and write that book. (Laugh)

22

Critics

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Book

Kalakuta Diaries: Fleshing out the story of Fela ATANE OFIAJA

W

e like neat narratives, stories we can remember and recount easily. But neat narratives sometimes leave us unaware of context, limiting our understanding of the full story. The story of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the venerable Nigerian afrobeat maestro and his home and communal compound, the Kalakuta Republic, is a perfect example of a narrative that has often been rudimentary simplified, robbing music fans of a more complex web of stories. The author, Uwa Erhabor looks to rectify this with his new book, Kalakuta Diaries. He fleshes out the stories, gives them full context and provides the back-story for a lot of what we know and a lot of what we don’t know.

Erhabor didn’t write this book from the outside looking in. This is not a book based on second hand interviews, hearsay or articles written in the western press.

The author was right there with Fela at the Kalakuta Republic, as a friend and, later, a personal aide. He describes the book as “a personal narrative of events and characters that propelled and defined an African socialpolitical setting in the heart of Lagos, Nigeria. Kalakuta was a creation of an iconic rare-breed par excellence, whose enduring legacies have left an indelible footprint in the sands of Africa and the world’s political times and consciousness.

This narrative, apart from the well-known battles against the establishment, is also an attempt to emphasise the roles played by the different characters that shaped the actions and policies of a die-hard Pan-Africanist who had an uncanny ability to read and predict exactly, outcomes of diverse political and economic actions of the ruling elite years ahead most of his fellow countrymen”.

The book touches a wide range of issues and topics, from his beef with Obasanjo (Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria from 1976 to 1979, and later president of Nigeria), to Fela’s exile and expulsion from Ghana, to incidents like the author breaking the news of Thomas Sankara’s assassination on October 15 to Fela (the date also happens to be Fela’s birthday), to the interpersonal relationships and struggles within the Kalakuta Republic compound.

However, for the sake of brevity, I will focus on the two topics below.

• Fela’s decision to focus on African music.

• Fela’s intense rivalry with politician and businessman M.K.O. Abiola.

The narrative usually given is that Fela became socially -and politically- conscious and changed direction, musically, when he went to the US and his AfricanAmerican girlfriend Sandra Izsadore introduced him to the Black Power movement. While it is indeed true that Izsadore introduced Fela to America’s Black Power movement, the shift in the direction of his music came about because of his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

Fela’s music initially was more western inclined, as his idols were jazz icons like Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie. At the time, he played the trumpet and would play his horn with a white handkerchief, emulating some American trumpeters. But his mother didn’t understand why his music sounded so westernised, so she asked him “Fela, why don’t you use African rhythms in your music instead of this oyinbo, oyinbo you are playing?”. The question apparently occupied Fela the whole night and he began the next day to experiment. The change came naturally to him and he started to compose and record songs that tapped influences closer to home.

In addition to the usual guitars, bass and horn heavy sections, he now included congas, as well as backup singers,

THIS NARRATIVE...

EMPHASISES THE ROLES PLAYED BY THE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS THAT SHAPED THE ACTIONS AND POLICIES OF A DIE-HARD

PAN-AFRICANIST

with the explicit purpose of lacing his music with heavy African rhythms. This was the birth of Afrobeat and it happened before he went to the US in 1969.

Depending on whom you ask, M.K.O. Abiola is either a hero of the people or a dirty rotten scoundrel. For Fela, he was most definitely the latter. When Fela was arrested on trumped up hash charges, he was taken to jail and forced to excrete in a bowl so his faeces could be tested for hash. He wrote the song Expensive Shit following that incident. Upon his release, he became even more ardent in calling out the powerful elites for their corruption and there were few more prominent than M.K.O. Abiola. At the time, Abiola had close ties to the military top brass and was awarded a telecommunications contract by Murtala Muhammed’s government.

Abiola, allegedly, pocketed most of the money and, with what was left, procured cheap, old, second hand telecommunications equipment from Brazil for use in Nigeria, thus lumbering the country with a communications grid more suited to the Stone Age. Despite this, Abiola was later appointed to be the Vice President of the Africa and Middle East division of the ITT Corporation.

Livid, Fela penned the song ITT (International Thief Thief) as a direct attack on Abiola.

Their tumultuous relationship didn’t end there. Abiola was also the head honcho at Decca Records West Africa. Feeling invincible, he proceeded to release 10 Fela records without a valid contract. Upset at being financially cheated, Fela and members of the Kalakuta Republic stormed Decca Records, chased everyone out and took over the building. Left with no other options, the Inspector General of the police told Abiola that he would have to pay Fela his money. Abiola was afraid of Fela.

In another instance, Fela confronted Abiola in person when he went to visit the office of his friend Sam Amuka, the then editor of The Punch newspaper in Nigeria, and saw Abiola there. The conversation apparently went as follows: Amuka: Eh Fela, how nice to see you.

Fela: Yeah Sam, I was just passing by and thought to say hell… (Sighting MKO), what is this thief doing here?

Amuka: Fela please don’t start any problems.

Fela: (Now facing Abiola) Oga Mr. Big man, now you look like a frightened rat. There is nothing that would give me more pleasure than to blow your fucking face.

But I am going to let you be for my friend’s sake.

After Fela left, a frightened Abiola thanked Sam Amuka immensely for saving his hide. However, Fela wasn’t done with Abiola. Fela got an idea to give Abiola ‘sh-t’, literally. The idea came from his daughter Yeni, who felt that the police and powers that be weren’t going to do anything to apprehend Abiola, despite his crookedness.

Fela agreed to go to Abiola’s luxurious home in Ikeja to throw ‘sh-t’ at it, but he wanted to do it in an epic way. He arranged for his pianist, Duro Ikujenyo, to organise the collection of as much ‘sh-t’ as possible. Ikujenyo went to the Waste Disposal Unit in Lagos Island and procured 10 buckets of shit. Fela, covering his face and dressed as an Agbepo (shit disposer), then drove with the buckets to Abiola’s compound. When security officials at Abiola’s home came to see who the guest was, a bucket

of shit came crashing down into the compound. Realising what it was, they all ran. Abiola and his family were forced to evacuate the premises. Fela had no fear of even the most powerful, and that was why he was considered such a threat.

At 148 pages, Kalakuta Diaries is a brief yet thorough account, a reminder of the social-political atrocities that have been committed -and are still being committed- by the elites in Nigeria. It is a must for anyone interested in African social-political history, and for Fela and Afrobeat fans.

Atiane is a New York-based music enthusiast and critic. Culled from www.thisafrica.me

Poetry

Mind Mantra, Beautiful poetry; words dancing in the wind and stirring emotions. Whenever one encounters such poetry, you will know, because the impression it give, like fragrance, lingers a long while after reading it.

IZUCHUKWU OKEKE

N

ot often does one meet this kind of poetry, because in the modern times when vulgar is becoming all the more popular, words often commit suicide the spheres of usage. Those who love the beautiful way of words are a few. Especially in the digital era of chatting in the cyberspace, words are now being stripped of beauty in favour of brevity.

For readers who still love to indulge the beautiful words and hallow the sacred grounds of poetic aesthetics, these are also days of austerity. People actually write, but many of them write things that are not really poetry, because creativity is scarce in them.

But once in a while, one gets to meet beautiful poetry—and it indeed takes a semblance of oasis in the desert, where the writer takes his or her time to polish the edges of usages and preen some helms of meanings.

This is how I felt reading the latest published

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Critics

Friday, March 22, 2013

23

Dara Ju: Something Nollywood can look up to Anthony Onah’s short film, Dara Ju has clinched the ultimate prize at the maiden edition of Afrinolly short film competition. Aside the $25,000 cash reward, this honour deserves more than a mention.

WATCHING THIS FILM, IT IS

N GOZI E MEDOLIBE

W

hen Afrinolly and MTN announced a short film competition in November 2012, the mission was clear: to unveil budding filmmakers in Africa and give them the platform o unleash their talents.

After three months and a supposedly competitive process, which deployed top of the range technological platforms involving online master classes and voting procedures, the judges have announced Dara Ju as the ultimate winning entry.

Dara Ju, is a 15-minute long film with a 10-member cast written and directed by Nigerian filmmaker, Anthony Onah who is based in the United States. It is the story of Tunde and his mother, Gloria and portrays a young man (Tunde) who is not only in conflict with his cultural identity but his social class as well. Like most stories about African immigrants, the film dwells on one fundamental problem African immigrants who have spent time abroad usually encounter in an attempt to actually define who they are. Incidentally, this experience and concept which has won prizes even in the literary circles can only be imagined by people who have had the opportunity of living abroad.

The idea of the film to infuse Yoruba language into some of the dialogues appears reasonable, considering the fact that cultural influence is one of

EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE JUDGES AND VOTERS SETTLED ON

DARA JU

the underlying factors in the production. However, the fluency of the characters in the language leaves little to be desired.

While this kind of trend (poor pronunciation of words) is common amongst Africans who have lived long in foreign lands, the film could have compensated for this flaw with a line of dialogue suggesting that they have lived long abroad. The director may have overlooked this aspect considering that he has less than 15 minutes to tell his story according to the guidelines of this competition.

This constraint is also noticeable on the dinner table, where the camera failed to highlight what the gathering was all about. Showing Tunde scooping ‘something’ into his mouth was not enough as the camera could have panned the table to show that it was a dinner table.

Watching this film, it is easy to understand why the judges and voters settled on Dara Ju. From the opening shot, which highlights superb camera movement of Tunde dressing up, to the crisp picture and sound quality, it is obvious

beautiful poetry! work of Mubarak Oladosu, an Ilorinbased author and journalist. The book, Mind Mantra, is a collection of poetry, in which words were used like glass, with care taken not to break or misuse its beauty, suggesting that even a crack could spoil the whole tuneful aesthetics.

This is the first time in a long while a Nigerian poet pays attention to internal rhythm and external rhyme scheme in the lines of his poetry, something most writers feel has expired with the romantics.

The book, 114 pages in all, is subdivided into six segments: Intro, Devotion, Reminiscence, Musing, Forlorn Songs and Defiance, and each contain a cache of poems that defines the idea of the segment.

In Intro you meet poems like, ‘I am Word’ and ‘Ilorin’. In Devotion are collections like; ‘Prayer for my pen’, ‘Pilgrimage’, ‘Let the rain not beat me’, ‘Be my heroine’ and ‘Cupid prayer.’ In Reminisces are: ‘I beheld your bespectacled eyes’, ‘When leaders die’, ‘Alice of malice’, ‘Ah, Latif ’, ‘If you were a star’, ‘Way to Lagos’, ‘Of cows, gada and genius’.

Also, in Musings are poems like; ‘Ode to the crowned king’, ‘Great ex-

A scene in Dara Ju

pectations’, ‘Though they say your name is gloom’, ‘Gods of naira’, ‘It is yet another moon’, ‘White wedding in black world’, ‘This President, is he ours?’ and ‘Boko Halal’.

In Forlorn Songs are poems like, ‘Stranded notes’, ‘Lagos blues’, ‘Casket’s guest’, ‘The cowardice in them smiled at you’, ‘Cancer’, ‘Soul mates’, ‘Semites as termites’. And in Defiance are: ‘This your delicacy,’ ‘Death I dare you’, ‘Identity crisis’ and more poems in each of the segments.

Reading through Mind Mantra brings you very close to understanding the writer. His poems cut through many pulses. There are philosophical poems, love poems, emotional, society, and of course, protest poetry, focused mainly against the stifling Nigerian/ African socio-political systems.

The poems have depth of thought and reflection, which leaves the reader in great meditations after reading each poem. Contextual allegories, metaphorical representations, strong simileic allusions, leave the reader hauling in laughter in some of the poems and moody in others.

One can accept a few other poets have had cause to employ this framework casually in their works, but I

that this film would has left impressions as regards technical quality. Great commendation must be given to the sound-mixing and visual-effects team. Their contributions were impressive to say the least. As the film opens one would hear some background sound of vehicles, birds and winds, which captured the ambience of an American city.

Particularly excellent was the synchronisation of the wind with the video of the tree showing from a glass window in the scene where Tunde was talking with his mother.

This sort of technical input is a notification to Nollywood to raise the bar in the production quality of their films.

But Dara Ju’s outstanding performance would leave some controversial remarks especially as regards how African the entire film crew is. While the principal characters (Tunde and Gloria) are Africans, the technical crew is dominated by whites.

But this will not be as controversial as how much of a beginner Anthony Onah, the director is. Although he started out some five years ago, he has so much under his sleeves to be considered an ‘aspiring filmmaker’.

With films like The Cure, True Colours, A History of Violence, and Dara Ju and two awards from the Directors Guild of America, Onah, who hails from Benue State, does not come across like a green horn whom this competition is supposed to thrust to the limelight.

IN THE COLLECTION, THE POET BECOMES A COOK FOR THE

MIND, AND FEEDS HIS AUDIENCE WITH

SATIATING POT-POURRI OF BEAUTIFUL POETRY find the entire gamut of the collection -in form and content- structured as an aesthetic mode sketched out in a simple artistic vision that tenders a morality interface of opposites; spiritual, sensual, moral, in their eternal conflict.

In the collection, the poet becomes cook for the mind, and feeds his audience with satiating pot-pourri of beautiful poetry. His voice may yet be emergent, but it came off the start with a strong showing, very authentic, and with this, it is certain he will soon knock on the door of admittance among the distinguished Nigerian poets.

But despite these glowing attributes, the book suffered with packaging. Perhaps the publisher will have to explain why pages were unevenly arranged. Any page can suddenly be anywhere! If this had happened with a novel, surely it cannot be read. And

it was rather unfortunate that at this period in time, such a thing would still be mentioned in a Nigerian published book.

That notwithstanding, the book stands out as a quality output from a cub-craftsman; he serves us an enduring feast of poetry that deserves all the commendation it can get. He commands a very original voice amongst the emerging poets writing in Nigeria today.

Okeke is an Abuja-based writer, critic and freelance journalist.

24

Inside FCT

Friday, March 22, 2013

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Land swap: Panacea for Abuja infrastructural deficit?

T L S N I o doubt, after 37 years of existence, Abuja has come a long way. The dream of the founding fathers of the territory was to resettle original inhabitants found within the precinct of the 8,000 square kilometres outside the designated Territory.

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has a comprehensive Master Plan covering the entire 8,000 square kilometres; adequately taking care of the Federal Capital City, FCC, which is 250 square kilometres defining by the phases of the city’s development as well as the Area Councils and the Satellite Towns expected to be feeding the city centre.

Documents from the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, showed that the entire Master Plan of the FCT which includes the FCC, Area Councils/Satellite Towns are projected to cater for 3.1 million people in a land of about 8,000 square kilometres when it is fully developed by the target year 2000.

Unfortunately, today, it is not certain what the exact population of FCT and in particular the Abuja metropolis, which can conservatively be put at five or six million people is.

Consequently, the physical development of the Federal Capital City, FCC, is structured into four phases with about 74 districts including the Three Arms Zone, Central Business District and Kukwuaba National Park taking care of the Green Areas, transportation corridors, as well as other services needed for any modern city.

Hitherto, the FCT planned to be completed within 24 years with the Phase 1 of the FCC expected to accommodate 230,000 people while the Phases II, III and IV were expected to provide for about 585,000; 640,000 and 1.7 million people respectively. But sadly, it is only about 25 percent of the city’s development that has been completed to date. The reason advanced by various FCT Administrations is paucity of funds.

The Federal Government has been able to provide infrastructure in almost all the seven districts of the Phase I of the FCC namely; Maitama, Asokoro, Garki I, Garki II, Wuse I and Wuse II. Others that recorded appreciable percentage of infrastructural presence are the Central Business District Utako, Jabi, Gudu; while the provision of infrastructure in districts such as Mabushi, Katampe, Katampe extension, Jahi, Wuye, Guzape and a host of others in the Phases II and III have infrastructure partially

HE

AND

WAP

NITIATIVE WILL

SOLVE MYRIADS OF PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY ASSOCIATED WITH PROVISION OF BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE provided.

According to experts, over N30 billion is required to provide a world class infrastructure in a single district and the resources is not forth coming as about N46 billion is only being provided in the 2013 appropriation for all services in the FCT including the much needed basic infrastructure. These appropriations in the past were hardly released fully.

The question is; should the FCT Administration wait for the ever-diminishing Federal allocation to provide infrastructure in the districts? Will it be wise for the FCT Administration to fold its arms to wait for manna to fall from heaven?

The Land Swap simply means, provision of infrastructure in exchange for land by the investors that have the financial muscle and technical expertise. The investor is expected to recoup his/ her investment from the sales of plots of land at premium price.

Meanwhile, the primary infrastructure which the investor is expected to provide in the earmarked areas include detailed district design and the bill of engineering; agreed kilometres of roads of varying specified sizes within the districts; storm water drains; sewer lines, water distribution lines, street lightening; electrical power distribution stations; telecommunication ducts as well as mini sewer treatment plants.

The fear, however, is that some developers might abandon the project midway. However, Chief Press Secretary to the FCT minister, Muhammad Hazat Sule has allayed such fears. “A situation where such projects may be abandoned midway has been ruled out because the developers have delivered their business plan that shows their technical capacity, financial capability and managerial competence to the FCT Administration before commencement of the project”, he said.

According to the swap agreement, the investors from the outset paid the FCT Administra-

tion the sum of N350 million on presentation of business plan to fund physical plan, preliminary design, detailed engineering design, survey plan, feasibility studies and preparation of legal agreement which is a pointer to the fact that these 10 districts under the Abuja Land Swap Model have been conceived to see the light of the day.

In order to guard against sharp practices on the side of the developers, the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed at a stakeholders parley recently in Abuja warned that no developer should commence real property development or sale of any plot of land in the district until he/she achieves at least 35 percent of functional infrastructure works. All these are no doubt a win-win situation to all stakeholders in the ‘Abuja Project’.

“In order to safeguard the interest of the government and people of Nigeria by not allowing the investors to short-change them, Senator Mohammed revealed that 15 percent of the Rights of Occupancy shall be released to the developer on evidence of transfer of 15 percent of the infrastructure cost to the Project Account; 80 percent of the Rights of Occupancy shall be released on the basis of interim measured certificates, the minimum value of which shall not be less than 20 percent of the infrastructure works.

“While insisting that 5 percent will be retained till after the retention period of 12 months, the Minister announced that the Rights of Occupancy would be deposited in a bank mutually agreed by the parties.

“He emphasised that the structure of the total project cost shall consist construction cost, financing cost, professional fees, Resident Supervision Cost, 12 months operating cost, Resettlement and Compensation cost as well as Return investment”, Sule stated.

Aside the FCDA appointing a consultant for the project, it will also retain at least 40 percent of buildable plots in the district to be allocated to Nigerians through the Land Use and Allocation Committee.

The Abuja Land Swap Initiative will definitely solve myriads of problems previously associated with provision of basic infrastructure especially inadequate funding, springing up of shanties in the heart of the city, deliberate abuse of the Abuja Master Plan, daily migration of people into Abuja from the 36 states of the federation, which has of course, led to overstretching of the existing facilities and services.

Sachet water hawker

FCT Election: GEORGE OJI

L

ast Saturday, March 16 was the day the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, set aside for the conduct of the council polls for the six council authorities in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

Rather than use the day for the purpose it was meant, residents rather used the day as unofficial holiday and remained at home without really participating at the polls. The result was that the streets were completely deserted that day as voters were conspicuously absent at the various voting centres.

There was general apathy towards the election. Many polling centres recorded abysmal turnout of voters.

Electoral officers, who were mainly National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members, spent the day waiting for voters that never turned up at the end of the day.

In most of the polling centres, INEC officials and security personnel, which included officials of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corp, Federal Road Safety Commission, Police and Vehicle Inspection officers clearly out-numbered voters at the polling centres. They spent the greater part of the day chatting and discussing issues at their various duty posts.

At the various boundary posts leading in and out of the city, there were heavilyarmed security men preventing people and vehicles that were not concerned with election duties from entering or leaving the city.

At the boundary between the FCT and Nasarawa State, the security personnel had a tough task controlling the horde of people wishing to enter the FCT for one business or the other. While the security personnel were busy dissuading vehicles from entering the city, some people desperate to enter the city

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Inside FCT

Friday, March 22, 2013

25

Pure water sale booms in heat wave HAWKERS WHO

IJEOMA EZEIKE

PREVIOUSLY SOLD

F

or Abuja-based sellers of satchet water popularly called pure water, the era of loud shouts advertising their products to attracts customers has passed. People are now craving and searching for them at bus stops, in the middle of road traffic and in markets.

This time around, pure water hawkers no longer jump into traffic, run several miles or fight over customers just to make a sale. Rather, they stand at strategic posts waiting for prospective customers to make their sales. Mostly children and women make up the people that engage in sachet water business in Abuja.

The importance of water to humans cannot be overemphasised. It has been discovered that human beings can live without food for more than seven days, whereas, nobody can live for more than seven days without water. In this regard, the scorching sun in Abuja has doubled the demand for sachet water on the streets of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Hawkers who previously sold fruits

FRUITS LIKE ORANGE, HAVE DIVERTED TO SELLING WATER DUE TO HIGHER DEMAND FOR THE LATTER like orange, have diverted to selling water due to higher demand for the latter. Miss, Funmi Olokoya, one of the hawkers around Garki Market told Inside FCT that she sells up to eight to 10 bags a day.

“It’s a very lucrative business. I normally sell oranges but I started selling pure water due to high demand especially from the month of February to April. Anybody visiting the market must drink water because of the harsh weather. This is our season and I am happy because the market is moving”.

Funmi said further: “I want to go back to school, so I’m saving money for it. You can see yourself, I’m not

searching for customers, I’m just standing here and passersby usually stop over to drink water before buying things. When this period passes, I will go back to my orange business”.

Mr. Paul Onyeche who usually sells near the city gate said: “I started selling water three years ago; since that year till date, the kind of profit I have made from it has helped me start a provision store for my younger sister”.

Onyeche also spoke about challenges of hawking under the sun inspite of the high profit margin. “Though it is not easy to stand under sun to sell water, but it requires a lot of determination and strength to make it. I usually sell around Wuse Market but whenever evening comes, I will rush to city gate to sell to those that are returning from work. We are making it this period because commuters buy a lot of water from us”.

Unlike other states, especially in the south east and south south where weather condition is considerably cool, the heat wave and scorching sun in the FCT will cause a first-time visitor to wonder if he or she is in the desert.

Voters desert streets, absent at polls resorted to trekking to beat the security checks.

The situation was not different at the Zuba end of the boundary between the FCT and Niger State as well as the Abuja airport end where security men fought real hard to stop commuters from flooding the city.

Some polling centres with high number of registered voters ended up not recording a quarter of such voters turning up for the polls.

For instance, by 3.00 p.m when **Inside FCT** visited one of the polling centres in Garki 11, with 7,000 registered voters, only 78 voters had come for accreditation. When asked what could be responsible for voters’ apathy, the INEC official simply said that, “the voters are not just coming and there is nothing we can do about it, we cannot go to their houses to drag them here”.

The INEC official further explained that the voter apathy may have been as a result of the fact that many residents of the city were not interested in the council polls. According to him, the situation would have been different if it had been a general election, which would have involved the election of a new president or new Senators and new House of Representatives members.

Along some streets, residents, particularly youths, turned the empty streets into playgrounds as they gathered in groups to play football for the greater part of the day.

Other residents used the day to carry out other domestic duties and visiting. It was also an opportunity for some to do their shopping as

IN MOST OF THE POLLING CENTRES, CLEARLY OUTNUMBERED VOTERS AT THE POLLING CENTRES so many neighbourhood shops opened for business on that day.

A post election report filed by the Nigeria Bar Association Election Working Group (NBA EWG) on the FCT council polls also confirmed general lack of interest and voter apathy at the polls. The report, which was signed by the group’s Chairman Dafe Akpedeye and alternate chair Reuben James noted that, “The voter’s turnout was generally poor. Rachel Eye Clinic

by Gimbiya Street polling unit had 2419 registered voters but only 29 voters were accredited and voted. Some of the voters attributed this to the late arrival of INEC officials and the materials”.

The reporter said further, “In Garki II, NNPC Main gate polling unit had 658 registered persons on the voter’s list. As at 3.00 p.m., no voter had turned up for accreditation even though INEC officials, voting materials and security agents were present”.

Furthermore, it noted that, “In most of the polling units observed, voters conducted themselves properly and in an orderly manner but the turnout was relatively poor especially in Abuja Municipal Area Council”.

Deserted Abuja street on election day.

26

Mirror Mongers

Friday, March 22, 2013

Conflicting reports on 2nd Niger Bridge W hen it comes to the second Niger Bridge, people from the southeast and some areas of the south south regions, know how to frown when they remember their agonies on the aged Niger Bridge especially during the Yuletide season. That is why it has always been part of the manifestoes of politicians seeking support from people of the zones, when elections are close.

Some local government chairmanship aspirants had in the past wooed voters with promises of making sure that a second Niger Bridge is built when they can actually do nothing in this regard.

Perhaps that is why the issue of the bridge is still trending in this administration headed by President Good Jonathan. There have been several assurances that this regime is ready to make the bridge a reality.

But there are conflicting reports in some quarters that are also getting the residents agitated.

Two weeks ago, when Tunde Ekusimi, a director in the Federal Ministry of Works was on a live radio

programme, he was asked to offer a time table for the completion of the bridge.

After ‘dodging the question’ for a moment he was boxed into a corner to admit that the bridge would be ready in 2017.

But last week, when his boss, Mike Onolememen, the Minister of Works was in Anambra and Delta States for sensitisation about the bridge, he came up with an entirely different timetable.

According to the minister, whose speech is superior to Ekusimi’s, the bridge would be ready in 2015.

Onolememen

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

A hero called Shem

O

Obafaiye

bafaiye Shem is currently enjoying the fame (or is it notoriety?) he never bargained for. In the past few days, his issue has been a subject of discussion at every gathering and has spawned works of arts like songs, cartoons and even Tshirts. The popular slang ‘My Oga at the Top’ is also part of the buzz that came from the infamous live interview Shem had with a Lagos-based news television. But contrary to the expectations of Nigerians who have

been calling for the sack of Shem, the Lagos Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, his colleagues at the Abuja office are calling him a hero. One of them told a national paper thus: ‘But how can this hero, who means business in fighting oil theft, be paid this way? Those vandals should stop crying wolf over nothing?’

Shem’s name may appear on the list of 2013 national honours’ list, it seems.

Camouflage of trouble

T

wo weeks ago MM highlighted the ill-wind blowing in the Nigeria Police as regards the new camouflage uniform introduced by the Inspector General of Police, M.D Abubakar. Like most accessories for policing, MM gathered that officers, especially those on the lower rung of the ladder were being asked to pay ten thousand naira in order to get the uniform, while it costs two thousand naira to get the sky blue type.

Well the buzz is that the office in charge of the camouflage uniform has gotten irascible over the whole matter and has gone really tough on junior officers using the uniform.

At the moment officers spotted with camouflage uniform are being arrested. The reason is that they are being suspected to be the ones telling people that they paid ten thousand naira to buy the uniforms.

Since the spate of harassment got out of hands, those who bought the uniforms have since gone to tuck them inside their boxes.

ONE-SECOND Q&A

2face

Blackface

2face and friend, Blackface

2

face Idibia’s wedding will be part of the news for a while. The internet crowd calls it a trending story. Perhaps no wedding in the entertainment circle has brought to the fore some salient things like how generous the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, God swill Akpabio is or how brides who stay commi434tted to the boyfriends are rewarded.

On a serious note, it has also highlighted what the relationship between 2face and his buddy, Blackface is. Since 2face came to international consciousness courtesy of his monster hit, African Queen, Blackface, his friend has always told whoever cares to listen that he is

the originator of the song and has often asked that credit be accorded him for the success of the musician.

But something that could be seen as ‘minor beefing’ in the musical circle may be larger than life indeed.

MM gathered that Blackface who started music with 2face right from their days at a secondary school in Benue State was conspicuously absent at 2face’s marriage ceremony in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.

As if that is not enough, 2face has released the names of his groomsmen for the wedding holding this weekend in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Blackface’s name is also missing.

AHMED ALI GULAK

The merger of opposition political parties to form the All Progressive Congress (APC), has dominated the polity with the opposition accusing PDP of usurping state powers to bungle the efforts. Ahmed Ali Gulak, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, reacts to the issue: General Buhari said while APC is merging, the PDP already has its own merger with the police, INEC and SSS. What have you to say about this?

W Gulak

ith due respect to General Buhari, there are certain levels when someone attains in life that certain statements are not expected from such individuals. General Buhari has served this country one time as head of state in military uniform. He was not head of state of a particular region; he is a statesman in the Council of State.

Today, he is a member and the Council of State is a constitutional body in Nigeria. So such utterances must be guided, such statements ought not to come from Buhari; these are very inciting statements. As a leader or statesman, you cannot make statements that you cannot verify or prove. If a loafer or street urchin makes such a statement, even those he wants to provide leadership for will begin to question his leadership capabilities.

Yaum al-Jumu’ah, Jumadal Al-Awwal 10, 1434AH Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

T

he BaitulFutuh Mosque (House of Victories) is claimed to be the largest mosque complex in Western Europe. Completed in 2003 at a cost of approximately £5.5 million, entirely from donations of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the mosque covers an area of 5.2 acres (21,000 m2) and the full complex can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers. It is located in the south-west London suburb of Morden, London Borough of Merton, next to Morden South railway station, approximately 700 yards from Morden Underground station.

The foundation stone was placed by MirzaTahir Ahmad, the then head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community on 19 October 1999, in a ceremony attended by 2000 guests, and inaugurated by the current head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, MirzaMasroor Ahmad, on October 3, 2003. Although based at Fazl Mosque, MirzaMasroor Ahmad delivers his weekly Friday Sermon from this mosque. Over 600 guests attended the opening ceremony; those present included High Commissioners, Deputy High Commissioners, Members of European Parliament, Members of Parliament, Mayors of London boroughs, councillors, university lecturers and representatives of 17 countries.

Several events are held at the Mosque to serve both the Muslim and greater community. In addition to regular prayers, its services include annual Peace Symposiums, school tours, other local community events, as well as the ‘Merton Youth Partnership Annual Conference’, hosting the BBC Radio 4 Programme; Any Questions?

And is included in Open House London.

Quiz Corner debuts NOTE: Islamic Schools can be part of The Quiz Corner by encouraging their students to be part of this as they stand the chance of winning valuable gifts.

Also, Islamic organizations, corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals can be part of this through gifts and promotional items. For further information, please contact SEKINAH LAWAL on: 08055102994 or email: sakinah207@yahoo.com.

Our aged can live happier life 28

Inside House of Victories Hadith

It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:”Shall I not tell you something by means of which Allah erases sins and raises people in status?” They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Doing ablution properly at times when it is difficult to do so, taking many steps to the mosque, and waiting for prayer after prayer. That is constant readiness.”

Narrated by Muslim, 251.

House of Victories

Be part of Mirror MusliMart We are introducing a Muslim Shoppers’ Guide, showcasing Islamic fashion, halal foods, finance, arts and music, inspirational and motivational CDs, books, events, conferences, Muslim social diaries, seminars, matrimonial, household items, medical/health materials etc.

For further information, contact +234-8055102994 or email: sakinah207@yahoo.com

Abuse over Hijab: Learning from history 29

Law in this Life and the Next (3)

S

o, in these oaths God Almighty draws attention to this firm and eternal law of nature, and calls for reflection upon it that all the vegetation of the earth depends upon the water of heaven. Thus, for the hidden law that governs divine revelation, the obvious law of nature is a the testimony of this witness and do not make reason alone your guide, for it is not a water that can continue without heavenly water. As it is a characteristic of heavenly water that it pulls up the water of all the wells, whether it falls directly into a well or not, in the same way, when a recipient of divine revelation appears in the world then, whether a wise person follows him or not, reason is illumined and clarified to a degree not witnessed before. People begin to search for the truth and their faculty of reflection is stirred up from the unseen.

Thus, all this upsurge of reason and of the

Every Friday with

Khalifatul

Ahmadiyya heart is initiated by the blessed advent of the recipient of divine revelation and the waters of the earth are pulled up by it. So, when you find that everyone has started a search for religion and an upsurge has stirred earthly waters, then rise up and be warned and know for certain that heavy rain has fallen from heaven and that the water of divine revelation has fallen upon a human heart.

Abuse over Hijab: Fashola should act now –MICA 30

28

Call to Worship

Yaum al-Jumu’ah, Jumadal Al-Awwal 10, 1434AH Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Our aged can live happier life

A

08055102994

nd your Lord has decreed that you worship none, but Him and that you be kind to parents. If one or both of them attain old age during your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor repel them. But address them in terms of honor, and lower to them the wing of humility, out of mercy, and say, ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy, as they did bring me up when I was young’” (Qur’an 17:23–24).

Prophet Muhammed said: “He is not one of us who does not show tenderness to the young and who does not show respect to the elder.”

“Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD. –Leviticus 19:32 Based on the above evidence from the scriptures, Wellcare Home Medicals (WHM); the pioneer professional homebased caregiver in Nigeria and winner of the Diamond Bank Bright Ideas Award, has been helping to ameliorate the plight of the elderly in the society. Dr. Jumoke Odunsi, Managing Director, WHM said that lack of state provision for eldercare in Nigeria requires the family to provide the needs for the survival of the older people.

Unfortunately, the decline in the economy, gradual disintegration of the extended family system, unemployment, increasing female employment, as well as urbanisation all contribute to the noticeable decline

in the level of care provided by the family in recent times.

Making effective contributions to the wellbeing of older people through homecare services, WHM offers a variety of medical and non-medical related services through their trained care-givers (trained with the UK Care Modules) that allowolderpersons to continue to enjoy their independence and live happy and dignified lives.

According to her, the WHO Key Fact indicates that the world’s population of people 60 years of age and older has doubled since 1980 and is forecast to reach 2billion by 2050.

Around 4-6% of elderly people have experienced some form of maltreatment at home which can lead to serious physical injuries and long term psychological consequences and elder maltreatment is predicted to increase as many countries are experiencing rapidly ageing populations.

WHM provides home support services to the old and frail, chronically ill, terminally ill, post-hospitalisation, nursing care, personal aides/care giver services, doctor’s visit, physiotherapy services and hospice care. Research has shown that Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and the ninth in the world, has the highest older persons population in Africa. It is estimated that by the year 2025, the population of Nigerians aged 60 and above will constitute 6 percent of the entire population.

It is a well-known fact that a sizeable percentage of elderly people experience some form of maltreatment at home, which can lead to serious physical injuries and long term psychological consequences. This is predicted to increase as many countries are experiencing rapidly ageing popula-

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT BY THE YEAR 2025, THE POPULATION OF NIGERIANS AGED 60 AND ABOVE WILL CONSTITUTE 6 PERCENT OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION tions. With their quality of care, they are poised to be the undisputable leader in home healthcare, helping individuals and families to live well, and ensuring that dignity is maintained even at the end of life as well as to provide affordable personalized healthcare in the comfort of the home that will regenerate lives and give comfort even to the end of life with both medical and non-medical home support services to the

Act Wisely!

T

he Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “The first thing that Allah made obligatory upon my Ummah was the five prayers; and the first thing from their acts of worship that shall be taken up will be the five prayers; and the first thing that they will be questioned about will be the five prayers.”

“The prayer is the pillar of religion and its parable is that of the prop of a tent – when the prop remains upright, the pegs and ropes remain straight and upright, but when the prop bends or breaks neither the pegs nor ropes remain straight.”

The Noble Prophet (PBUH) has said: “The good deeds of one who, without any appropriate excuse does not offer his prayer until its time passes away, are annulled.” He then said: “The divide between a believer and disbelief is the abandonment of prayers.”

He (PBUH) said: “One who adheres to the five (daily) prayers diligently, they shall be a

old and frail, chronically ill, and persons returning to the country after major medical interventions abroad. These include helping with bathing, toileting, incontinence issues and grooming as well as performing other reasonable duties as assigned.

Dr. Odunsi revealed that this is provided by qualified registered Nurses who work with the client’s personal physician to ensure that all prescribed medications and procedures are carried out accordingly.

This is provided by a team of personnel to assist both the patient and family cope with the challenges of the inevitable. This comprises of doctors, nurses, pain therapists, clergy and others as might be required.

Having this kind of services would bring a big relief to many homes now considering the situation of countless number of the aged currently experiencing loneliness, pains, fatigue, stress among others. means of illumination and salvation for him on the Day of Judgment.”

The Prophet (PBUH) said: “The prayer is the standard of Islam. Whosoever loves prayers, and observes their limits, timings and methods, is a true believer.”

“One who desires to know whether his prayers have been accepted or not should observe if his prayers have restrained him from evil and sinful acts. (If yes,) then the measure in which they have restrained him is the measure of his prayers that have been accepted.”

Allah, the Exalted has said: “I shall accept the prayers of one who: exhibits humility before My Greatness; restrains himself from his base and carnal desires for My sake; passes his day in My remembrance; does not seek to show his greatness over My creation; feeds the hungry ones; clothes the bare ones; acts with kindness and mercy to those in misery and trouble; provides shelter to those who are strangers (in his city) and away from their homes.”

‘Iraq war intelligence based on fabrication’

V L-R: Pharmacist in sharge of Heart to Heart Clinic, State Hospital Ota, Ogun State, Taoheed Ambibola; Chief Medical Director, Dr. Babatunde Fatai Banuso and National Secretary, Audio Video Department, Muslim Television Authority, Nigeria, Engr. Abdul Waheed Adeoye, during the courtesy visit to the Medical Director at the State Hospital, Ota Ogun State recently.

L-R: Managing Director, Wellcare Home Medicals Limited, Dr. Mrs. Jumoke Odunsi; General Manager, Business Development and Brand Communication, Mr Akinmade Akinrolabu and General Manager, Admin/Operation, Ms Tosin Adewale at a briefing to sensitize media executives on the contribution of the company in providing homecare support services to the old and frail, held recently at Zen Garden, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.

ital intelligence used to justify the invasion of Iraq 10 years ago was based on “fabrication” and “wishful thinking”, a new documentary claims.

A BBC Panorama investigation, broadcast to mark the 10th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, suggests that US and UK security services relied on several pieces of questionable information, while dismissing others that were contradictory.

The war, which started on March 20, 2003, lasted over six years, claimed the lives of 179 UK personnel, more than 100,000 Iraqis, and and cost more than £9 billion. Britain ended combat operations in 2009 but a decade on, the war remains unfinished business, with ongoing questions about the legality of the invasion, and the conduct of British troops.

Panorama, the Spies who fooled the world, documents the chain of secret information that contributed to the decision to invade, including new testimonies from intelligence sources, telling how claims from a few sources that Iraq was manufacturing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) spiralled into ap-

parently sound intelligence used to justify the war.

The programme alleged that certain intelligence was relied on out of wishful thinking, with one source telling the programme the Iraq War was borne out of “choice” rather than “necessity”.

In his first TV interview on the subject, August Hanning, former head of German Intelligence, said Iraqi spy, Rafed Al Janabi, codenamed Curveball, told German secret services he had witnessed the manufacture of chemical and biological weapons, including mobile facilities to produce them.

The information was passed by the Germans to American and British intelligence, along with concerns about its reliability, he said.

Former CIA Europe Division chief Tyler Drumhelleralso claimed he passed warnings about Curveball’s claims up the chain of command, while MrHanning said he also sent a personal cable to then CIA director George Tenet. Mr Tenet denies receiving the warnings, the programme says.

ZAKAT IS 2.5% OF YOUR TOTAL WEALTH KNOWN AS NISAB AFTER HAVING FULFILLED ALL OBLIGATIONS, PAY YOUR ZAKAT

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Friday, March 22, 2013

Yaum al-Jumu’ah, Jumadal Al-Awwal 10, 1434AH

Call to Worship

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Abuse over Hijab: Learning from history T H M T G CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

o the best of my knowledge, I have not heard a single case where a Muslim maltreats or harasses any Christian sister in her head cover. They are always respected wherever they go, Then, why is it every time, that the Muslim lady who want to fulfill the injunction of her Lord by covering her head in schools or offices are always subjects of ridicule or inhuman flogging as in the case of what happened in Kadara Junior school, Ebute Meta Lagos. There are many ladies wearing indecent dressing which are regarded as normal or human right these days!

It is highly unscientific and barbarically illogical to ascribe that wearing of the Hijab disfigures the Uniform! What of countries where students wear any dress to school? People are seriously taking advantage of their positions as principals, Commissioners, etc to speak ill of Islamic Hijab (head cover). It is very unfortunate.

The case is further exacerbated when the so-called inept Muslim leaders in their shoes do same!

My sincere exhortation through this medium is that all those concerned in managing affairs of the People should be sensitive. Many issues are bedeviling the nation. We should respect people’s religious rites or symbol. Wearing of Hijab does not in any way infringe on anybody’s right or affect academic performance, it rather boosts it as the wearer is morally conscious not tempt the male counterpart with what she wears. There is less distraction, unlike other girls who plait different hair styles on their heads which automatically attract the boys.

The Internet today has given unrestrained access to the youths to learn a lot of

HE

IJAB WORN BY A USLIM GIRL IS IN OBEDIENCE TO OD

things. Day-in-day-out, the Muslim youths are getting more enlightened about their faith. So, if the status quo continues without redressing of injustice and victimization, they may start to resist and become uncontrollable. This will not pay anybody.

A state of peace, even if people do not get what to eat, is never like that of war even when the food is in abundance.

Let us all be sensitive and sensible. The Hijab worn by a Muslim girl is in obedience to God. If we do not believe in that, then we should force our own unbelief on the wearer. The government does lose anything if it clearly states that any Muslim girl who wants to cover her head should do so as long as it conforms with the colour of the school uniform.

Putting the use of Hijab in schools, as championed by the Punch Newspaper, to vote is a slap and insult on Islam. They could as well put our five daily prayers to vote, whether we should pray five times or two times. We can excuse the ignorance of the Masterminds. The Constitution grants every citizen the right to religion and its rites. Voting does not arise at all, it will if such thing is alien and they want to populate opinions. Issues like this will always trigger dissatisfaction because there is a clear injustice.

A Principal for that matter trampled upon a minor’s fundamental human right, was said to have given an innocent girl 43 strokes (or at least she admitted 6 strokes)

because she is a Muslim wearing Hijab!

The best she could have done was to ask her to remove it (another violation) or send her home. Instead she called an emergency assembly to disgrace her, instilled hatred in others against Hijab.

The Punch opinion poll should be talking of what kind of punishment to me meted out to the woman in question for her unconstitutional act. I personally recommend that she should repent, apologise to the girl and the whole school and allow all Muslims girls in the school to start using Hijab. Otherwise, since the young girl has only worn it please her Lord based on her orientation, Allah (SWT) will in no long distant time show the woman His great-

ness.

Where injustice is the order, there can never be peace. It does lead to several problems or even wars. The Government of the day must act rightly and define some things clearly. As a nation, Muslims and Christians are realities in its entire polities. The rites of each must be clearly respected.

Dr. Zafaran is the Director, Vanguards Academy

L-R: Guest Lecturer, Lagos State Missionary, Missionary Qasim Oyekola; Additional Finance Secretary, Alhaji Dauda Shokunbi; National Secretary Maal, Alhaji AbdulGaniyyi Idris; National Secretary Tarbiyya, Alhaji Abdul Ganiyyi Ahmad and Naib Amir, South West, Maulana Zikrullah Ayyuba, during the Lagos State National Tarbiyya/Finance Seminar 2013 in Lagos recently.

Ablution: Cleanliness is next to godliness

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n ablution is a form of ritual washing. Muslims have been given specific instructions on how to make ablution in both the holy Qu’ran and hadith (sayings & teachings of Prophet Mohammed (SAW). Muslims are obliged to perform Solat five times daily but before we can make these prayers, Muslims must be in a state of cleanliness.

It must be noted that there are various types of ablutions but this piece will limit itself to the one required before a Solat can be observed.

Furthermore, Muslims must be sure that their bodies are free from any form of dirt and all impurities, or else, the ablution becomes invalid. It means purifying the body helps to prepare the mind for a state of worship.

There is a consensus among the Muslim scholars that ablution is part of Islamic law.

Therefore, it is a recognised fact of the religion. The ablution must be made with clean water but if water is not available, Muslims can perform tayammum with sand.

Chapter 5, verse 6 of the holy Qur’an says that “Oh you who believe! When you prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands [arms] to the elbows. Rub your heads [with water], and wash your feet to the ankles….

Allah does not wish to place you in difficulties, but to make you clean, and to complete His favour upon you so that you may be grateful”.

Muslim first takes a moment to concentrate in preparation to clean up for prayer. Then he rinses hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, to the elbows, head, including ears and feet, starting on the right-hand side. Once ablution is done, Muslim remains in a state of purity until something is done to break the ablution. Actions that can break ablution are sexual intercourse, touching of one’s private part, falling asleep, excretion, urination, bleeding, vomiting, releasing of body gas, etc. In these cases, ablution must be redone before the next prayer.

In order to further buttress the importance of ablution in Islam, Abu Hurayrah narrated that Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said that “Allah does not accept the prayer of one who nullified his ablution until he performs it again.”

Muslims are hereby enjoined to perform ablution before going to sleep in the night because there is a reward for this.

Finally, Muslims should ensure that purification of physical body is different from the purification of mind. All of us must abide by the dictates of Almighty Allah and Prophet Muhammed as enshrined in the holy Qu’ran and Hadiths.

Sheikh Abdul Ganniyy Umar Arikunkewu is the Founder/National Chief Missioner of JubatuRohfatuLlahi Islamic Society Of Nigeria (JUBFAT).

L-R: The guest lecturers, Missionary Noorudeen Idris; Missionary Dhunoorain Bello and Missionary Musbaudeen Adewale at the seminar.

L-R: General Secretary, Lajna Imaillah, Nigeria, Mrs. Monsirat Owolabi; former Sadr, Hajiya Biliqees Abdul-Qadir and Sadr, Sister Basirat Dikko, during the National Tarbiyya Seminar organised by Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Lajna Imaillah, Nigeria in Lagos.

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Call to Worship

Yaum al-Jumu’ah, Jumadal Al-Awwal 10, 1434AH Friday, March 22, 2013

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Abuse over Hijab: Fashola should act now –MICA SEKINAH L AWAL

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he Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA), has called on Governor BabatundeRajiFashola to act without delay, over the abuse of an underage over the use of Hijab.

Miss Aisha Alabi, a 12-year old student was flogged 43 times by the Principal of her school

for adhering to her faith. .

In a press release signed by the MICA Secretary, SulaimonOlokodana, MICA requested Governor Fashola to investigate and ensure justice under the 1999 Constitution and the Laws of Lagos State, review administrative policies and programs that inhibit religious pluralism, consult with and

convey a summit of faith leaders to identify and address the concerns of various groups; and take practical steps to uphold and facilitate the multi religious status of Lagos State and implement/enforce programs and laws that protect vulnerable people from abuse and discrimination.

Miss Alabi’s alleged offence was that she ‘dared’ to wear the hi-

jab, a mandatory modesty covering for Muslim women. It did not matter to Mrs. E. C. Ukpaka that Aisha wore the hijab after official school hours or that the choice to wear hijab is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution of 1999, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The actions of Mrs. Ukpaka not only constitute an infringement on Sections 34(1)(a), 38 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution but also an illegal act under the Laws of Lagos State which banned the flogging of students and apprentices in 2011.

By flogging Miss Alabi, Mrs. Ukpaka abrogated Miss Alabi’s right not to be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment; her right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and her right to freedom of expression.

“When Lagos State, under Governor Fashola’s administration, passed the law outlawing the ‘caning, beating or physical torture of school students, and of workplace apprentices’, the law was hailed as ‘one of the most constructive, progressive

and profoundly humanitarian initiatives ever set forth into law by any elected official in Nigeria since independence.’

However less than two years later, the same law is being flouted in a most egregious manner and despite the peaceful, orderly and legitimate protests embarked upon by members of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (Lagos Chapter) to register their displeasure over same matter, we note, with concern, the slow and unsure response by the Lagos State Government (LASG). This is most unfortunate, because it gives the impression that despite the unambiguous protections of the law – females, Muslims, young persons are not considered to be citizens of Nigeria deserving of this protection.”

World Muslim leader congratulates Pope Francis

Participants at the Peace Conference in New Zealand with the theme: “Justice and Equality - A key to Global Peace”

AMC New Zealand celebrates 25 years

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he Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC) of New Zealand will be hosting their Silver Jubilee Celebratory Conference on Sunday 24th March at the Mount Eden War Memorial Hall asthe finale of a long list of events that commenced in March 2012.

The National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in New Zealand, Mr. Mohammed Iqbal said, “In line with our efforts to promote awareness and understanding of peace, tolerance, love and understanding among all communities, we are inviting guests from all communities and Civic leaders to join us in these celebrations”.

The Jama’at New Zealand Inc. was established in March 1987 and the registration process completed as an incorporated society on 5 April 1988. As part of the thanksgiving celebration, the community commenced on a 12-month plan of key events across New Zealand, ranging from ‘Feed the Poor Day’, to spreading peace pam-

phlets to at least 25 percent of New Zealanders, completion and launch of the Holy Qur’an translated in Te Reo Maori and holding a Peace Conference in Auckland.

The community’s Central Missionary, Mr. ShafiqurRehman said, “Our community’s existence in New Zealand is a fulfillment of a prophecy conveyed to our Holy Founder, HadhratMirzaGhulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian, India when Almighty God revealed “I shall cause thy message to reach the corners of the earth”. New Zealand geographically is considered furthest country from where the revelation took place, and therefore we consider this country to be most fortunate in receiving the true message of Islam said Mr. Rehman.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a religious organisation, international in its scope.

With its sincere desire for peace, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community has grown and is established in more than 200 countries

with membership exceeding tens of millions. It is internationally renowned for its services to humanity by providing disaster relief, medical facilities, energy and education worldwide.

Also, the Ahmadiyya and other Islamic sects in Sierra Leone including Shiite and Sunni have agreed to speak with one voice on Islamic issues. This agreement was reached at the Cultural Centre of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Cultural Centre, Garrison Street, Freetown where fruitful discussions aimed at coming together and speaking with one voice were held.

The chairman of the occasion AlhajiIssaCatcoKamara thanked the spiritual leaders of the various sects, Imams, and other distinguished Muslim leaders for honouring their invitation at a short notice. He said the Forum of Islamic Organization in Sierra Leone is committed to stronger partnerships with religious groups and International organiza-

tions for the promotion and protection of religious tolerance.

AlhajiIssa Cato Kamara noted that this organization has been holding meetings and over the years developed and build stronger partnership with religious sects (Shiite, Ahmadiyya and Sunni) based on the understanding of the role religious plays in the lives of people.

Khalifa Ahmad and Pope Francis

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he Khalafa of Islam and the Supreme head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, has extended his prayers, best wishes, and congratulations to the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal-Priest of St. Roberto Bellarmino, Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio who assumed Papacy upon his election on March 13th.

Dr. BasharatNazir, national spokesperson of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, UK posted the

congratulatory message on Twitter. In the message, Hadhrat Ahmad was quoted as saying “May the new Pope lead the Church towards the true teachings of Christianity, and proved to be blessed not just for Christians but for all people across the globe” Papal change came about when the former leader of Rome, Pope Benedict XVI, announced a surprise resignation citing his advanced age and frail health. In his retirement, former pope will retain the title of “Pope Emeritus of the Catholic Church.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

MTV’s Alex Okosi named Global Young Leader

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lex Okosi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Viacom International Media Networks, VIMN Africa, (formerly MTV Networks Africa), has been named by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as a 2013 Young Global Leader (YGL).

Each year, Economic Forum recognises the most distinguished leaders under the age of 40, nominated from around the world as a “…recognition of your record of professional accomplishments, your commitment to society and your potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world through your inspiring leadership”.

Okosi was named by the Selection Committee, chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which screened thousands of potential young leaders from every region of the world and from a myriad of disciplines and sectors. Okosi will become an active member of The Forum of Young Global Leaders, a global network of peers from diverse backgrounds and fields, with the goal of significantly impacting world affairs and shaping the global agenda.

To achieve its mission, the FYGL acts as a platform for young leaders to be both a voice for the future in global thought processes and a catalyst for joint action when appropriate.

Commented Okosi, “I am proud to have been named a Young Global Leader and look forward to working with my peers in the Forum of Young Global Leaders to ensure that African affairs, issues and ideas are key priorities for action on the global agenda”.

Okosi, a Nigerian based in Johannesburg, South Africa, heads VIMN’s pan-African business operations; managing the growth and development of iconic kids, youth, music, comedy and general entertainment brands on the African continent, including MTV, MTV Base, VH1 Classic, BET International, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.

Okosi

Arty News

Friday, March 22, 2013

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NAIJAZZ artistes release singles ADENRELE NIYI

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hree music artistes, Dapo Dina, Afro Jazz Pianist; Victor Ademofe, Highlife/Afro-Jazz trumpeter and Imole Afrika -Afro Fusion Band, all signed on to NAIJAZZ Records have released their much-awaited singles.

The artistes’ released singles with accompanying videos and full albums are expected to hit the market soon. Dapo Dina’s tracks include Ile l’abo simi oko, Aiye and Adura; Victor Ademofe’s tracks include No one like you, Jehovah and Ma Kanju while Imole Afrika’s tracks include Losajo, Ope and Ewi. Dina comes from a classical music background, having studied the piano before turning to his love affair with jazz. A songwriter, arranger, composer and producer, his compositions and playing draw on influences from many parts, yet not forgetting the spiritual and artistic wealth derived from his roots.

Ademofe is a trumpet maestro, composer, percussion virtuoso and singer. A leading exponent of African culture, it re-

flects in his music which has the elements of highlife, jazz, soul, pop and gospel all wrapped in the garment of African soul.

Ademofe is one of the highly sought-after trumpet players in Nigeria.

Imole Afrika is an Afro Jazz fusion band of young talented musicians led by Joshua Fashina and Segun Atoyebi. Imole Afrika blends West African musical styles with a deeply traditional tone and aim to convey the true sounds and color of African Jazz music all around the globe. Imole Afrika has performed at several venues in and out of the country.

NAIJAZZ Records is a subsidiary of leading entertainment company, Inspiro Productions, managed by Ayoola Sadare.

In a statement released by the record company, Sadare expressed satisfaction with the artistic content and quality of the artistes’ singles sayin, “This falls in line with our objectives for NAIJAZZ Records which is the identification, development and presentation of distinct, identifiable and indigenous Nigerian music”. He said NAIJAZZ Records further aims to produce truly exportable music through these cultural ambassadors.

Victor Ademofe performing

Orpheus Music founder honoured EMEDOLIBE NGOZI

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anaging director of Orpheus Music, David Nwamara has continued to garner accolades due to his years of distinction in promoting classical music in Nigeria.

The latest in the list of awards for the classical music promoter is that which he got from Rodgers Organs, a German firm reputed for building world class music instruments who recognised Nwamara and the management of Orpheus Lagos for promoting the idea of good music.

The event, which held at the Shoprite Alausa Ikeja, was marked by brief oratorical presentations. At the venue, the mood was light and lifted as selected classical musical renditions rent the air before Orpheus received the award.

Among the master composers whose songs were used to serenade the selected audience at the event with Odedeji Babajide on piano, were Mozart and Puccini.

The spokesman for Rodgers Organs, who flew in from Amsterdam, Holland, for the award ceremony, while commending Orpheus Music in Nigeria, said they were surprised with the development strides of David Nwa-

mara, describing it as ‘worthy of emulation’.

He expressed his company’s appreciation for the wonderful contribution Orpheus has made to the growth of Rodgers instruments and music generally in Nigeria. Schuster also reasoned that after monitoring the activities of Orpheus in 2012 and their performances, the company decided to come and honour him with the award.

Schuster, who presented Nwamara with a plaque, said: “We are glad to present this award to Orpheus Music Nigeria. We think Orpheus should be encouraged to do more.

This is in recognition of your contribution to the promotion of Rodgers music instruments in 2012, which have endeared you to all good music lovers not only in Nigeria but all over the world .’’

Expressing his appreciation after receiving the award, a highly elated Nwamara, said that he felt happy his organisation has succeeded in laying a solid foundation for good music in Nigeria. ‘‘Our vision is to be a world class music company, catering to the musical needs of Nigerians. It is our wish that this will enable an ever growing and uplifted music culture to emerge and impact positively on the moral values and well being of the land,” he said.

Babawale

NANTAP Lagos celebrates WTD, Babawale TERH AGBEDEH

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he Lagos State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, NANTAP, will join the rest of the world in celebrating the World Theatre Day, WTD, which holds on March 27 every year. It is a day set aside by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO to celebrate the convergence of thespians across the globe. The WTD was initiated by the International Theatre Institute, ITI in Paris, France under UNESCO for the celebration of theatre arts and its relevance in positive global development.

NANTAP Lagos will celebrate the Director General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, CBAAC, Prof. Tunde Babawale, and has put together a two-day programme of activities to make this year’s edition of WTD a grand one. The theme for WTD 2013 is: ‘Sustainable Environment in Reaction to Climate Change’.

Day one, Tuesday, March 26, at 8:30 a.m. will feature the planting of the First Entertainment Tree by NANTAP/Nollywood celebrities at the Mini Garden of Queen Amina, Entrance C’, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

There will also be a WTD seminar on the same day at 10 a.m. with the topic: ‘The Entertainment Industry as Catalyst for Response to Environmental Change’ at Cinema Hall I, National Theatre, Lagos.

The guest speaker will be the Managing Director of LASPARK, Lagos, Mr. Olukunle Sotade.

Day two, Wednesday March 27, will be a Variety Day/ Investiture of WTD Distinguished Personality for 2013, Prof. Babawale of CBAAC; Cultural Ambassador Awardees: Honourable Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism & InterGovernmental Relations, Mr. Disun Holloway; Mrs. Ego Boyo, Otunba (Dr) Sola Fosudo, Mr. Dele Morakinyo. Others are Certified Thespians: Mr. Steve Ogundele, Mr. Olu Adeniregun, Mr. Edmond Eniabe, Mrs. Hassan Adesina, Mrs. Sola Oniyiga, Mr. Kayode Odumosu, Mr. Francis Onwuchie, Mr. Zik Zulu Okafor, Mr. Abiodun Aleja, and Mr. Seyi Fasuyi.

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Escape

Friday, March 22, 2013

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One night in Nairobi TERH AGBEDEH

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he Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, JKIA is no doubt a hub for Kenya Airways, which planes we travelled in on our way to Lilongwe, Malawi for the African Movie Academy Awards, AMAA nominations event weekend of March 15.

The Kenya Airways flight took off from the Muritalal Mohammed International Airport, Lagos at 10.30 p.m. Nigerian time. One hour late if one were to go by the information provided by the airline’s office at the airport which checked us in at 5p.m.

Twenty minutes after takeoff the plane landed in Cotonou, Benin Republic to fuel, drop off some passengers and carry those travelling to Nairobi from there. The plane was on the tarmac for 40 minutes, within which time the crew provided passengers with blankets. The Nigerians who had Glo and Etisalat phone numbers were able to contact their families just to hear their voices. That would be the last time those lines worked during the trip which next stop was Nairobi except for those who had and Airtel or MTN line.

Connecting to the Kenya Airways flight to Lilongwe from Nairobi was almost seamless, almost lasting less than 30 minutes.

We were all to return to the JKIA on Sunday afternoon, and except for the Ghanaians in our midst everyone paid $20 for a transit visa since the Kenya Airways flight to Lagos was to board at 7a.m. the next day. It took another two hours to get a vehicle big enough to ferry our group out of the airport to Hotel Central Park in the Nairobi business district. That was time enough for those who wanted to change the dollars they possessed into Kenyan shillings, use the ATM or buy an Airtel SIM card.

It turned out to be 82 shillings to the dollar and an Airtel SIM sold for 100 shillings and started working as soon as you could pay for it and provide identification. In the case of foreigners, the international passport.

Being a Sunday, the driver said the traffic would be light. That was the case until we were a few minutes to the Hotel Central Park, where a lot of shops were open selling all manner of goods. The buildings there some 25 minutes drive away from the airport off Mombasa Road looked something like the buildings along the Marina on the Lagos Island. There is no doubt that the same colonial architects designed the buildings in that part of Nairobi as well as the ones from the early 1900s still standing on the Lagos Island. Hotel Central Park itself had that look.

Perhaps, this is one reason apart from the fact that no one in the party wanted to miss the 7 a.m. flight having been away from Lagos all weekend, a search for another hotel started in earnest. That search ended at the prestigious Eka Hotel located along Mombasa Road. But that was not before dinner at Hotel Central Park, which featured rice with source, deep fried chicken and chips and a local delicacy called ochoma, which only one person dared to try.

Eka Hotel felt like home away from home with a welcome ambience that enveloped anyone who stepped within the tall glass doors. No doubt a fourstar hotel most everyone in the group wished they could stay longer than the one night allotted. For the journalists in the party, the complimentary WiFi access was like stepping into heaven. The rooms also featured a flat-screen television with satellite connection, plug-and-play panels, direct dial international telephone, tea and coffee-making facility among many other luxuries. Of course, there was the air conditioner missing at the other hotel, and

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS ONE COULD DO IN NAIROBI IN ONE NIGHT

FACT FILE •

Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also form the Nairobi County. The name “Nairobi” comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyrobi, which translates to “cold water”.

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Population: 3,038,553 (2008)

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Area: 264.1 sq miles (684 km²)

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Founded: 1899

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Weather: 23°C, Wind E at 34 km/h, 69% Humidity.

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Nairobi points of interest include: The Karen Blixen Museum, Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre and Hell’s Gate National Park.

as we were told, many hotels in Nairobi because of the clement weather.

The staff were courteous, too calling to wake each and everyone up at the agreed wake-up-time of 4.30a.m. as well as bringing a book forgotten by a member of the group to the airport when the hotel was called and notified.

There are a lot of things one could do in Nairobi in one night including shopping all night at the 24hour mall Nakumatt Mega on Nairobi’s busy Uhuru Highway, which some members of our party visited to buy knick knacks for loved ones back home in Nigeria.

One would have loved to visit the Nairobi National Park reputed to be the only one located in a city the world over but that was not open at night.

A lot of game is to be seen at this park. But there were a lot of hangouts opened in Nairobi whose envious nightlife reputation is second only to that of its crime. Another reason why only a few members of our party dared to braze the night in the city once nicknamed ‘Nai-robbery’.

Those who ventured had only good things to say about Nairobi, how the cab drivers are willing to go the extra mile, how the girls like to enjoy themselves and how beer and other forms of alcohol are widespread and easily available in the city.

Our party discovered that nightclubs are open late in Nairobi till the sun up the next day. Hitting Nairobi at 9 p.m. we were to find out, was too early so we made a stop at a bar before heading to the our destination for the night. At the club, except for one of us being mistaken for the Nollywood actor, John Okafor a.k.a. Mr. Ibu, every other thing went well, with drinks and all else that characterises nightlife in Nairobi.

Modern trendy clubs play a mixture of dance / house music and international hip hop. Other clubs are dedicated to popular local East African hip hop tunes. Also, really local bars in some areas of Nairobi play a combination of Kenyan guitar music and the widely popular Lingala music from Congo.

We were also to find that small neighborhood bars, guest houses, or just the side of the road are good places to get started before moving on to a nightclub.

All said, if one is looking to party in Kenya, Nairobi and the areas around Mombasa have you covered. Interestingly, Mombasa road didn’t have street lights until we got close to the airport when we left the hotel that early morning.

Fura de nono, a local drink made from guinea corn, on sale on a street in Kaduna main market

Eka hotel

Hotel central park

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Escape

Friday, March 22, 2013

33

Travel News

Man embarks on Robben Island balloon run

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n April 2013, Matt Silver-Vallance will attempt to fly from Robben Island to Cape Town, South Africa using 200 helium balloons as his mode of transport.

Mr. Silver-Vallance is one of just 13 people in the world to attempt the feat of ‘cluster ballooning’; he’ll be flying from Robben Island to Cape Town strapped to a large bunch of helium balloons. SilverVallance says this daredevil stunt is all for a good cause –he aims to raise R10 million (South African rands) to assist with the building of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital.

The idea to fly was inspired from his time as a paramedic in the Western Cape Ambulance Service when he witnessed the incredible work done by the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. Nelson Mandela is also one of his heroes, so Robben Island (where Mandela was incarcerated for 18 years) seemed a natural choice for an airborne excursion that would create a media buzz both locally and internationally. Vallance says, “Nelson Mandela, and the previous political prisoners of South Africa that sacrificed so much to make our country a better place and

people that help me along the way…give me so much encouragement”.

Sibongiseni Mkhize, Chief Executive Officer at Robben Island Museum, says he thinks Silver-Vallance’s initiative is ambitious but, in the spirit of Robben Island, also achievable. “The history of Robben Island has shown us that nothing is too difficult, as long as people work together, have a common goal and determination to succeed”.

The Robben Island Balloon Run will take place between April 1 and 27. “We can’t set an exact date as yet”, explains Vallance. “We literally have to wait for the correct wind…as it will control our direction”. He has an experienced support team who will assist in the journey, managed by Mike Howard, a pilot for Emirates Airline and a Guinness World Record holder, careful technical planning has gone into ensuring a smooth flight.

Currently in the planning stages, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital will be built in the Johannesburg suburb of Parktown, close to the Wits Medical School. Plans are that the hospital will open in 2014.

Eka hotel room

Robben Island Balloon

Monarchs align with brand for supporting indigenous festivals

T Traffic on Mobasa road

Dancers at a club in Nairobi

he Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun and the Olubadan of Ibadan Land, HRM Oba Samuel Odulana have praised the Eagle Aromatic Schnapps brand for re-igniting the relevance of indigenous traditions by supporting two enduring traditional festivals.

The two festivals are the Eebi Epe Festival, in Epe, Lagos State, and OkeIbadan Festival, in Oyo State.

Speaking in Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun, the paramount ruler of Epe kingdom, during a visit to the palace, by the brand’s representatives, on Tuesday, March 12, said he appreciates “the respect the brand accords traditional institutions and royalty”. The King poured libations to the ancestors using Eagle Aromatic Schnapps before each of his chiefs got a shot of the traditional drink.

In a similar gesture, at the OkeIbadan Festival, held on Thursday,

March 14, the representative of the Olubadan of Ibadan, High Chief Eddy Oyewole, the Ekarun Olubadan, appreciated the effort of Intercontinental Distillers Limited, IDL, the producers of the drink, for its support to traditional institutions. According to him, “this is a rare gesture that shows that the company holds African culture and tradition in high regards”.

Eagle Aromatic Schnapps Brand Manage, Mr.Kingsley Anuebunwa, promised that the brand will not relent in its effort to make indigenous festivals worthwhile events by according them a place of importance at all times. “The brand will continue to support and uphold indigenous festivals, with the full support of your traditional drink Eagle Aromatic Schnapps, I can assure Nigerians that celebrating traditional festivals, in Nigeria, will always be a glorious thing,” he said.

34

Denrele’s Day Adenrele Niyi Denrele’s Day is a collection of witty & sincere articles inspired by a zany imagination

denrele@nationalmirroronline.net Follow on Twitter@MizNiyi

M

y regular workday goes something like this: Take the underground bullet train from the Lekki terminal, alight at the Marina Terminal in exactly five minutes and get whisked away to the office by a waiting chauffeur-driven car.

Arrive at my ultra-modern office and be met at the parking lot by a retinue of assistants –my intern, my P.A. and my P.A.’s intern. Settle behind my desk in the climate-controlled, air-conditioned suite, turn on the internet-connected desktop and dig into researching, newsgathering and editing. Midday, I might have to attend one or two high-powered and intensely-challenging strategic meetings and leave such lengthy brainstorming sessions brimming with ideas that can literarily change the world. Lunch? Basically I’m spoilt for choice; do I order Chinese, African or Continental European cuisine from the lavish menu at the in-house restaurant ruled by our debonair chef ?

Later in the evening, when the paper is safely in bed, I catch up on life news and information with African music and film stars at swanky Lagos Island restaurants.

The exciting pattern returns every workday, only with slight variations occasionally. Work is never dull and never a routine.

Screeeeeeeech!!! Back to reality!

All of the above is fictional expression from imagination, but not too far off from the future I hope and pray for. However, at the risk of sounding servile because I assume my ‘oga at the top’ is reading this, I honestly do believe that I have one of the best jobs ever! Now, before you snidely remark that I’m being a typical employee who is afraid of losing their meal ticket, read me to the end.

Human attitude to the personal work conditions has typically revealed that whenever you are on your side of the ‘fence’, you think the grass is greener on the other side. However, it would stun you if you heard what people had to say about their grass in comparison to your grass, its lushness and vitality.

How often does the average job expose its employees to all-expense paid travel, experiencing the myriad of world cultures, hotels, restaurants and leisure activities, hobnobbing with leaders in arts, culture, entertainment and even the smattering of government officials? Plus receiving a torrent of invitations to attend high profile, star-studded events and academically exposed to the finest educators, trainers through workshops and training programmes.

The cherry on top of the cake?, space to interface with the general public!

For a paid employment, that’s a lot of complementary benefits and fringe ones inclusive and some others I can’t even remember. Now, do you understand why I think I have one of the best jobs?

Yesterday, I completed an intensive training for female journalist

Friday, March 22, 2013

All in a day’s work facilitated by an award-winning American journalist, Lucinda Fleeson. Details of which I wouldn’t bore you with but it has seriously enhanced my capacity to perform effectively and maximally as a press person in this digital age. No small thanks to this platform on which my career in the media is being built.

The other significant event I recorded in the course of the training week was an interview date I had with Yvonne Okoro, one of African films industry’s emerging leading lady. The 2013 African Movie Academy Award, AMAA, nominee for Best Actress in a Leading Role had been in Lagos since last Friday for the premiere of her production ‘The Contract’ which held the same day (she returned to Ghana yesterday). This writing isn’t a review of ‘The Contract, which by the way I think is an engaging comedy, in which Yvonne starred alongside Hlomla Dandala (for those wondering who the heck this is, he’s the ‘hot’ actor who plays ‘Jacob’ in MNet TV series Jacob’s Cross) and Joseph Benjamin. We met for drinks and chit-chatting at the second floor open bar of Four Points Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. In the course of our spirited conversation, we delved into the most unbelievable aspects of her professional and personal lives – I went as far as asking her to recount the experience of kissing one of African movies’ sexiest male actor… she gave me an upfront and revealing reply! (Yvonne’s and Hlomla’s romantically-involved characters in The Contract were in a very steamy sex scene). We also spoke about her Nigerian-Ghanaian parentage, her love life and other fascinating details.

My overriding perception is that at 28, Yvonne comes across like she’s living a rich and fulfilling life already; trust me when I also say look out for subsequent editions of Artman in the House in the Friday edition of National Mirror newspaper. You don’t want to miss the full transcript of my interview with Yvonne Okoro.

Footnote: For Femi, my unfailing reader since this column debuted; I appreciate. I hope you find this more mentally fascinating and engaging than the last three.

For Adeola reading in Oyo: Thanks for making me feel like a celebrity writer but all I am is a word pusher who is grateful to be blessed with the words to write and readers interested enough to read.

For Abayomi: Hard on the criticism but quick with the praise, the cocktail is just what I need to be inspired.

Love and peace for the weekend.

‘Denrele (L) and Yvonne

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CLAPPERBOARD with

Eddie Ugbomah www.edifosafilm.com

N3bn gift with tribalism N3 ; N igeria is a nation God has given everything but denies us of good leadership.

How can the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, kindly give N3bn to Nollywood and this money is causing argument in the House of Representatives?

Imagine the standard of camcorder films coming out of Kannywood that has the largest market along North Africa. All Kannywood has to do is to write good stories and dub in English, Arab and use original tracks in Hausa. For the Yoruba film industry, who are still churning out cheap films from good stories and selling only one thousand copies, they continue to go to location again. The Yoruba industry pays two main stars their fees, while others are there free of charge. They also have these native doctors and voodoo men in most of their movies. They should make up their minds whether they are shooting English or Yoruba films. They have to cut off all these American T-Shirts and jeans in costuming.

As for the so-called Asaba-based film makers, most of them have just refused to improve technically and their storylines are mainly lifted from novels. These films; Last Flight to Abuja, Mirror Boy, In the Cupboard, The Meeting etc, are TV soaps or tele-movies. The people get good scripts and together with their best directors, producers, technicians, actors, they bring out a Nigerian film, with touches from foreign crew which they learn from.

As far as I am concerned, N3bn is no joke; we can shoot three epics with only N1bn, build structures like the Film Village with N1bn and equip it with the balance of N1bn. The three epics will refund N2bn in one year and another group of joint producers will be given a single interest loan to make their own film.

Unfortunately, this money is causing tribal war in the House where you expect them to know better. The members are asking for immunity, totalling forgetting the bad aspect of immunity. If they are attacked by anyone they can’t go to court, if they should kill somebody either by mistake they can’t be arrested. People, including Nigerian lawyers, are watching and busy laughing at them. I was expecting members of House to suggest how the N3bn can be spent on improving the movie industry in Nigeria.

Mr. President has been very good to Nollywood and other parts of the entertainment sector. When he found out that they couldn’t access the two-year-old, $200m loan, he gave another gift of N3bn; now, the Motion Picture industry must be grateful. While the ill-advised ‘woods’ and politicians are talking tribalism, the entire Nigerian film industry and broadcasting TV stations are being disgraced. Late last year and early this year, technically cheap Nigerian films were being rejected in Berlin, Los Angeles and Burkina Faso, because what we have is mere home video with no technical improvement.

Today, they are top HD cameras that shoot like celluloid, but how many Nigerians know what to do? The films, 300, Hotel Rwanda and Blood Diamonds were all shot in HD and 3D videos, and they all won awards. We don’t have the money to shoot world-accepted film and this makes it impossible to be represented in

BN IS NO JOKE WE

CAN SHOOT THREE EPICS

WITH N1BN, BUILD FILM

VILLAGE WITH N1BN AND EQUIP WITH N1BN

Cannes. The House members should help us to present private members bill to set up the governing body of the industry called Motion Picture Practitioners Council rather than the Honorable members having tribal war and making things hard for us.

There was a body set up eight years ago, by the Nigerian Film Corporation, NFC, that presented a doctored version to the Ministers of Information. We need to review that paper, draft a new one and send it to the House. The President, with the support of his governors, can use films to conquer Africa like America did, but he must make an African accepted film. There are one billion blacks in the world; 150 million in Nigeria. If 30 million Nigerians pay N2000 in Nigerian cinemas, 10 million in Ghana and 15 million in South Africa, that is 55 million. We are talking of N110 million in three major African countries. If we then go into the world’s major festivals, we will make the foreign revenue NEXIM Bank and Bank of Industry are asking for.

We have to make highly-technical films that are very African with black history and culture. We must try not to allow the cankerworm to enter into arts. A nice film can be made about Sharia Law or the father of the Fulani’s “Uthman Danfodio”. The Igbos can make their “Oyema the Great” or the “Aba Women Riot”.

The Yoruba has so many events to shoot- Afonja, Oduduwa, Iyalode and the Delta people have the great true Epic on Adakaboro, Saro Wiwa or even the making of a film called Jonathan: From the Creek to Aso Rock.

I hope a honest, unbiased committee will be picked with genuine professionals like Eddie Ugbomah, Sadiq Balewa, Jimi Odumosu and Tunde Kelani to join the government people to guide and execute the spending of the 3bn. I know people still remember The Boy is good, Black President, Oyenusi and Oil Doom, these are 20 to 30-year-old films with Nigerian contemporary stories. I beg, we must not fight and allow them to share the money while the ‘woods’ are busy running themselves down.

The Multichoice, DSTV, Africa Magic show is running down our Nigerian AMAA; not if we are proud and stop being gullible.

We say we are the giant of Africa, the South Africans have mesmerised us with their communication reach, their razzmatazz, yet I still believe in AMAA. Although, we may have differences of opinion with the organisers. AMAA says they have 617 entries of home video: But of what content and technicality? Winners of the Africa Magic awards won for content, technicality and simple productions. Nigeria still won the best actor award, so we are told to sit up Nollywood.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

People In The Mirror

Friday, March 22, 2013

35

AMAA takes Malawi by storm The African Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, held its annual nominations night last Friday with the announcement of nominees for the 2013 awards at a Gala Night at the Bingu wa Muntharika International Conference Centre in Lilongwe, Malawi.

At the event were Malawi’s President Joyce Banda, business and political class as well as Nollywood stars. Here are some of the dignitaries at the event.

Chairman, Association of Movie Producers and Marketers of Nigeria, Emma Isikaku.

Producer of the AMAA 2013 nominated film, Alan Poza, Charles Novia.

South African gospel artiste, Dr. Rebecca Malope, performing at the event.

L-R: AMAA CEO, Ms. Peace Anyiam-Osigwe; Honorary Consul of the Republic of Malawi to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Anyiam-Osigwe and his wife; President of the Republic of Malawi, Mrs. Joyce Banda.

Head of the AMAA College of Screeners, Mr. Shaibu Husseini and founder of Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, Miss Chioma Ude.

L-R: Mr. Michael Anyiam-Osigwe; Ms. Peace AnyiamOsigwe; President of the Republic of Malawi, Mrs. Joyce Banda; Former Chief Justice of Malawi, Mr. Richard Banda; Vice President of Malawi, Hon. Khumbo Kachali and his wife.

Nollywood actor, producer and television presenter, Frank Dallas.

L-R: Producer and AMAA executive, Sunny MacDon; Nollywood actors Kanayo O. Kanayo and Victor Osuagwu.

Veteran Nollywood actor Livinus Nnochiri

Actor, OC Ukeje, nominated in the Best Actor Category for the AMAA this year.

L-R: Ms. Peace Anyiam-Osigwe; President Joyce Banda and MD/Editor-inChief National Mirror and member of the African Movie Academy Awards, AMAA Jury, Mr. Steve Ayorinde.

L-R: Members of the AMAA jury, Ayuko Babu and Asantewa Olatunji.

President Banda flanked by some members of the AMAA Jury.

From left, Ayuko Babu, Asantewa Alatunji, Shaibu Husseini, Berni Goldblat and Keith Shiri; and right, former president of the Association of Nigerian Producers, AMP, Paul Obazele, AMAA CEO, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe and Mr. Stave Ayorinde.

L-R: Director of Administration of AMAA, Mr. Tony Anih with an AMAA colleague, Irene Ohiri and Mrs. Anih

Former president of the Association of Nigerian Producers, AMP, Paul Obazele (right), and a guest.

PHOTOS: TERH AGBEDEH

Friday March 22, 2013

36

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mirror Drive

McLaren’s P1

Geneva Motor Show 2013:

Futuristic cars wow enthusiasts OLUSEGUN KOIKI

WITH AGENCYREPORTS

T

he Geneva Motor Show 2013 might have come and gone, but its impacts in the global auto industry cannot be over-emphasised.

Apart from the fact that the annual 10-day show is an avenue for stakeholders, professionals and shoppers in the auto industry to meet, exchange ideas and plan for the subsequent years, the show also showcased some of the weirdest looking cars of the year and the most bizarre news related to the event is that some of the car makers have decided to actually bring the concept models into production as early as 2014.

The Volkswagen XL1 is one such weird looking creation. The XL1 runs on a diesel electric hybrid platform that is designed to deliver efficiency.

It may not be the most powerful ride in the segment, but it definitely is the most fuel efficient. Volkswagen claims that this vehicle can run 127 MPG while featuring a drag coefficient of 0.189 CD. This vehicle is powered by a 47 BHP displacing 800 cc engines along with an electric motor. The vehicle is made out of carbon fibre and weighs just 795 kg.

This could be the beginning of the next generation vehicles.

Mitsubishi’s CA-MiEV is an urban crossover concept and is based on the I-MiEV urban car. The I-MiEV was the most fuel efficient vehicles in its class when Mitsubishi launched the vehicle a few years back. The battery power has been enhanced since and the vehicle provides more fuel efficiency as a result.

The overall weight has been reduced while the general ergonomics have been improved.

The Roding Roadster 23 was first showcased at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012 and the vehicle was back at the same venue this year however with a few modifications. The vehicle now sports a body made out of light weight carbon fibre and aluminium and this enhances the general ergonomics. However, just 23 units are expected to be manufactured and interested people are expected to book the vehicle as soon as possible.

Land Rover has showcased the Defender Electric however the vehicle will not be sent to production as of yet.

The vehicle shows great promise in the electric SUV market, but Jaguar Land Rover has its own reasons for the moment. The electric motor powering the

Bentley

vehicle displaces 250 ft lb. of torque while the vehicle can run over 50 Miles on electric power alone.

The Mitsubishi GR HEV is another futuristic electric car showcased at Geneva and this could be brought to the mass market within the next few years.

Mitsubishi is keen on launching this vehicle. However final tests are being conducted at the moment. The vehicle runs on a diesel hybrid power train and

THE ANNUAL 10DAY SHOW ALSO SHOWCASED SOME OF THE WEIRDEST LOOKING CARS OF THE YEAR

displaces 149 g/km of CO2.

Volkswagen’s new ECO Motion is an all-electric vehicle and is perfect for the low emission urban standards. The chassis to gearbox ratio of this vehicle has been adjusted to enhance power supply and delivery and Volkswagen could bring this vehicle up for production quite soon.

The Toyota I-Road is a three wheeler running on electric power and is designed to facilitate urban driving. The battery is charged within three hours and uses plug in as well as regenerative braking to replenish the charge. Active Lean technology is used to balance the car while cornering and this is a new technology, which needs to be tested in real world conditions.

Gone are the days when a regular old Ferrari turned heads. Nowadays you need some kind of crazy fancy new Fer-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mirror Drive

Friday March 22, 2013

37

Ferrari-LaFerrari

Display arena

rari to get the neighbours to hate you.

Another ride that got the most attention, the Lamborghini Veneno, costs a sickening $3.9m. Many of the other cars do not even have prices yet, but, definitely, they are prices that will send shivers down the spin of auto shoppers.

The fact the Ferrari ‘LaFerrari’, the more logical McLaren P1 and the deliberately outrageous Lamborghini Veneno are not as fast as Bugatti’s Veyron didn’t seem to matter as the stands disappeared under swathes of humanity.

Technically speaking, the Ferrari is a hybrid in that it has both petrol and electric power, but the electric motor is there to boost performance and all 499 cars to be built have already all been sold, so there’s no point mugging your bank manager for a million quid.

The McLaren is slightly more restrained, with more fluid lines and an exquisite finish, though the obvious mechanics of that rear wing jar in comparison.

McLaren says it will make only 375 P1s, but has double that number of people wanting to buy.

“You really need to control supply. If it doesn’t have a degree of exclusivity you can undermine the whole cache”, said Mike Flewitt, chief operating officer of McLaren Automotive.

The Lamborghini;, it is worth remembering fantasy cars like this are capable of such brutal acceleration (zero to 188mph in around 15 seconds) that unless you are as fit as Triathlon specialist Jenson Button, the performance is not just frightening, but physically unpleasant.

Rolls-Royce’s owners, with their eyes on Volkswagen-

Lamborghini Venano

owned Bentley, seem to have woken up to the performance possibilities for the brand and are showing the 624bhp Wraith, but it’s clear the styling needs works.

Volkswagen’s XL1 is no fire-

ball, but could be the world’s most economical ‘car’. The tandem two-seater betters 300mpg in official laboratory tests and should manage 127mpg in the real world with its combination of diesel and electric power.

Winners emerge in MAINTENANCE TIPS Toyota car contest Radiator and cooling system flush

T

oyota Nigeria Ltd recently held its second annual ‘Toyota Dream Car Art Contest’ organised for primary and secondary school students.

The contest, which attracted participants in all the six geo-political zones in the country, began in the last quarter of 2011 to the first quarter of this year and ended with two candidates emerging as winners of the contest in Nigeria.

The two finalists converged at the head office of the motor company with their parents and guardians to receive their certificates of participation from the Managing Director, Mr. Chandrasheker Thampy and other officials of the company.

In addition to the certificates, they also received prizes such as water purifiers and Toyota branded gifts that will make memories of the moment linger for a long time in their minds.

The contest, an initiative of Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan, holds annually all over the world cutting across three different categories viz: Category one: children under 10 years, Category 2: ages 10 to 12 and Category 3: ages 13 to 15. For any entry to be adjudged good for the world final, which holds in Japan, it must have fulfilled environmental friendliness, safety and futuristic requirements.

The two winning entries from Nigeria had since been forwarded to Japan to contest with other successful entries from other parts of the world. Ultimately the overall winner in each category will have the opportunity to travel to Japan to attend the award ceremony.

latory system in your body. The water pump acts like your heart, and circulates the coolant through the passages of the engine in order to wick away the heat of internal combustion. Neglecting cooling system maintenance is the vehicular equivalent of a steady diet of saturated fats. Scale and deposits on the walls of the cooling system passages prevent the transfer of engine heat to the coolant. The cooling system can suffer a loss of efficiency due to neglect, and overheating can occur. Overheating can cause expensive internal engine damage. Yet, thanks to the miracle of modern chemistry, it’s easy to keep your cooling system passages clear and free-flowing.

I

n the same way one’s arteries will clog up with the consumption of too many double bacon cheeseburgers and chocolate shakes, the passages in your vehicle’s cooling system can get clogged due to neglect. When it comes to humans, proper diet and exercise will keep the arteries in good shape and circulating blood like they should. Like proper diet and exercise, preventative maintenance will keep your automobile’s cooling system in good shape.

System Functions The cooling system in your vehicle is similar to the circu-

Long-term approach Just as waiting for a heart attack to occur before switching to salads is waiting too long, waiting until your vehicle overheats before servicing the cooling system is not the best strategy to take. Coolant should be changed according to the service maintenance schedule requirements of the vehicle, and this is the perfect time for a cooling system flush since removal of coolant is the first step in the introduction of the coolant flush.

The coolant is replaced with the chemical flush, and any scale and deposits that have managed to stick to the insides of the passages will be cleared away in the process to bring back peak cooling system efficiency.

Keep in mind that like long term proper diet and exercise, a cooling system flush should be considered preventative maintenance, and not a cure for a cooling system that’s in rough shape. The radiator, water pump, thermostat, hoses, cap, and overflow system must be working properly for the flush to be beneficial. Be sure to follow instructions, and completely remove the flush before reintroducing coolant back into the system.

Cocktail

38

xx

Friday, March 22, 2013

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (115)

“It Is never too late to be who you might have been.”

–George Eliot *** Never Too Late!

The beauty of life is this: we can start all over again. We can reinvent ourselves. We can think new thoughts. We can take new steps. We can dream new dreams.

I, personally had the opportunity at one time to begin again. I had some longing to do certain things I am passionate about which I couldn’t find a way to do for more than 40 years of my life. But then one day, it became a reality!

Any dream can become a reality if we hold the believe that it is never too late to step forward in realising it. I read that Grandma Moses began painting in her eighties and went on to do more than 1500 paintings before she was 100 years old!

Step forward today and pick up that dream. You Will Succeed!

TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

Girl, 7, sprays pepper on store workers

P

olice say a Philadelphia-area woman returned to a dollar store where she’d been banned and pepper-sprayed employees who tried to escort her out before giving the can to her 7-year-old daughter and asking her to continue the fight.

Upper Darby police say 27-year-old Delaina Garling went to the Family Dollar Store on Monday, a place

she’d been banned from for alleged theft. When employees tried to escort her out, police say she doused them with pepper spray.

Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood says after employees tackled Garling, she handed the can to her daughter and said: “You know what to do, baby. Spray it!” Chitwood says the girl never used the spray.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

Obama’s limo sidelined in Israel

O

ne of President Obama’s official limousines, nicknamed “The Beast” was trucked away on a flatbed Wednesday after breaking down in Israel before he arrived.

“One of our protective vehicles experienced mechanical problems in Israel earlier today,” U.S. Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan said in a White House pool report. “We experienced mechanical trouble with one of the cars. We don’t know the cause.”

There were reports it was a fuel issue. CNN said the armour-plated Cadillac limo failed to start because it was refuelled after arriving in Israel with gasoline rather than diesel fuel. However, Cars.com said the vehicle had been filled with diesel rather than gasoline.

An Israeli journalist tweeted: “turns out presidential limo driver put gasoline instead of diesel.”

In any case, a backup

limousine was being readied for the president.

Cars.com said if the vehicle has a gasoline engine and was filled with diesel fuel its fuel tank would have to emptied, fuel lines, spark plugs and oxygen sensor replaced and it probably would be

OK. The damage would be much worse if the vehicle has a diesel engine and was filled with gasoline, which would damage the engine’s pistons, wrist pins and connecting rods and destroy the fuel pump.

“This is why we bring

multiple vehicles and a mechanic on all trips,” the Secret Service spokesman said. “Situations like this are planned for extensively by our advance teams so that the president’s itinerary is unaffected by these types of issues.”

A Secret Service agent walking beside the US presidential limousine parked outside the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, recently.

PHOTO: UPI

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

39

Business & Finance This payment is only for PHCN staff and in determining who should benefit, labour and government conducted a biometric exercise. The number of people benefiting is clearly defined by this agreement.

Let us put in place enough resources that will allow value addition so that post harvest wastages can be minimised Former consultant to UNESCO, DFID, Professor Sola Aliu

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN, RUEBEN ABATI

SEC suspends Ecobank from capital market

JOHNSON OKANLAWON

T

as collateral for a “Global Margin Facility” that was granted to it (Arian Capital Management Ltd) by Ecobank Nigeria Plc in a tripartite arrangement.

Dissatisfied by the explanation offered by Arian Capital Management Limited, the SEC in May 2012 said it suspended Arian Capital Management Limited from all capital market activities for withholding the said shares and accruals thereon.

“In July 2012, the SEC pursuant to Section 13 (r) and (t) of the Investments and Securities Act 2007 requested further explana-

tion from Ecobank Nigeria Plc on the consent of Avil Services Limited in the ‘Global Margin Facility’.

This explanation is yet to come from Ecobank Nigeria Plc despite repeated demands for it,” the statement read in part.

It stressed that the suspension was imposed on Ecobank Nigeria Plc on February 5, 2013 for its perceived connivance with Arian Capital Management Limited to convert the 555, 555 units of First Bank of Nigeria Plc shares belonging to Avil Services Limited.

According to the SEC, the suspension will continue to

be in force until the bank clears all the issues relating to the use of Avil Services Limited’s shares as collateral for the Global Margin Facility it granted Arian Capital Management Limited.

Reacting to SEC, Ecobank said it has fulfilled its obligations under SEC directive, saying that the bank did not connive with Arian Capital or any other party to convert any shares.

The bank said, “Sometime in 2007, the bank granted a margin loan facility to Arian Capital Management Limited (Arian Capital), for on-lending, secured by quoted shares and

the shares were to be in the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), account in the joint names of Arian and Ecobank.”

It explained that the margin loan to Arian Capital became delinquent and this debt was sold to Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) together with the collateral, adding that part of the collateral used by Arian on the CSCS were shares in the name of Avil Services/Arian Capital which Arian moved to the joint account in the name of Arian/Ecobank and which Ecobank transferred to AMCON.

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has suspended Ecobank Plc from acting as a receiving banker and from all capital market activities.

The suspension is as a result of the role played by the bank in a complaint by Avil Services Limited relating to a margin loan transaction with Arian Capital Management Limited.

A margin loan or a margin account is a loan made by a brokerage house to a client that allows the borrower to buy stocks on credit.

In a statement posted at its website yesterday, SEC explained that under the said transaction, Arian Capital Management Limited(a fund manager) advanced margin loan to Avil Services Limited, which was secured by 555, 555 units of First Bank of Nigeria Plc shares belonging to Avil Services Limited.

The statement said that at the termination of the margin facility, Avil Services Limited demanded for the lifting of the lien placed on the shares but was informed by Arian Capital L-R: Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. John Ugbe; General Manager, GOtv Nigeria, Mrs. Elizabeth Amkpa; General Management Limited that Manager Regulatory Affairs, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Shumani Gereda and Head of Human Resources, Mr. Ayo Ajala, during a breakfast meeting of the Nigeria South Africa Chamber of Commerce in Lagos, yesterday. the said shares were used

Zenith Bank lists shares on London Stock Exchange UDO ONYEKA

Z

enith Bank Nigeria Plc was yesterday listed on London Stock Exchange introducing the bank into the main market of The Exchange.

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The listing would give it opportunity trading on some receipts such as Global Depository Receipts (GDRs).

LSE said in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday that the GDR listing in London would give the bank access to a wide range of major institutional investors and significantly raising its international profile.

Head of Primary Makets, Africa at London Stock Exchange, Mr. Ibukun Adebayo said: “Zenith Bank’s listing highlights London’s leading role in supporting Nigeria’s burgeoning financial sector.

Three major Nigerian banks have listed in London demonstrating UK and international investors’ appetite for exposure to this fast growing and increas-

GE plans to localise operations, says MD

40

ingly diverse economy.”

According to the statement, Zenith Bank’s market capitalisation at listing was $4.24bn and it is admitting 125 million GDRs which will trade on London Stock Exchange’s International Order Book, the world’s largest and most liquid GDR market.

Each Zenith Bank GDR represents 50 ordinary shares.

“Zenith Bank is the third Nigerian bank to list GDRs in London following Guaranty Trust Bank and Diamond Bank. Zenith’s listing means that the two largest Nigerian banks by market capitalisation are now listed in London.

The company joins a vibrant community of 58 emerging market banks listed in London, valued collectively at just under $75bn,” LSE said.

Multiple government charges encouraging cargo diversion

42

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

40

Business News

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

GE plans to localise operations, says MD

UDEME AKPAN

T

he President and CEO of General Electric Nigeria, Mr. Lazarus Angbazo, has unveiled plans by the company to localise its operations in Nigeria through development of in-country expertise, which he said was a key element to the success of the power sector reforms.

Speaking at the just concluded summit in Lagos, he said, “Nigeria is positioned to be Africa’s bread basket and the biggest economy by the year 2020.

There has been a lot of focus and investment by the Federal Government in developing the power sector in Nigeria and we as the private sector should ask ourselves, what role can we play? How can we contribute to government’s vision for an improved power sector?” he noted.

According to him, “GE is playing a significant role in the on-going power sector reforms

Executive Director, (Lagos Businesses), Diamond Bank Plc, Mr. Uzoma Dozie (Left), receiving award for the Best Credit Card Product of the year from Managing Director, Intermac Consulting Ltd, Mr. Adeyinka Adeyemi, at the Card and e-Payment Africa Awards 2013 at Michelangelo Hotel Johannesburg, South Africa recently.

because Nigeria is a very important market for us, that is why at GE we are committed to filling the huge supply gap in the power sector.”

He said GE’s Nigeria strategy is hinged on three pillars

TUC urges EFCC to arrest, prosecute pension fund thieves MESHACK IDEHEN

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he Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), said it wants the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to ensure that individuals or groups standing trail for the embezzlement of pension fund be brought to book and punished with the maximum penalty.

In the same vein, the leaders of the umbrella body for senior staff associations in the country said the National Assembly must urgently review laws which allow for pension fund fraudsters and other public service criminals to get light judgments in the nation’s court.

- building infrastructure solutions that are relevant to the local market, localising GE’s capability in terms of personnel, suppliers and expertise and building financing capabilities through GE Capital which has

TUC President, Mr. Peter Esele, in a communiqué at the end of its National Executive Council, said it is particularly miffed at the ridiculously ‘friendly’ sentence that was awarded Mr. John Yusufu, the confessed pension thief some weeks ago.

It said TUC is reiterating its earlier stand that the said sentence be appealed against by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and that the provisions of the laws under which Yusuf was charged and sentenced be reviewed by the National Assembly and sufficiently commensurate punishment be given for the offences and crimes he has committed.

“The NEC-in-session also

notes with keen interest the development in the pensionrelated matters. In particular, the case of Dr. Abdulrasheed Maina’s refusal to honour the Senate’s invitation, thereby provoking calls for his sack and dismissal” the congress added.

Speaking further, the congress observed that an individual nay public official, no matter how highly placed, should not be allowed to denigrate the nation’s public institutions.

“The Mainagate (Maina scandal) tells a sad story of the deep seated corruption that has become endemic in Nigeria. To this end, the NEC-in-session vows to employ all arsenals within the control of labour towards resisting any attempt to impose incompetent nitwits to head the National Pension Commission,”Esele added.

case till 8th May, 2013.

Addressing the workers at the secretariat of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) at the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, the National President of Air Transport Senior Staff Servies Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Benjamin Okewu, advised all the workers to resume to work tomorrow (today) as usual.

Okewu enjoined the workers to go about their duties lawfully without resorting to violence, warning that if they were restrained from

resuming, the unions would then take the matter up.

The union leaders however declined to talk to the media pending when some legal issues were resolved by their lawyers.

It will be recalled that Aero management had last week issued sack letters to about 600 workers, representing 80 per cent of the total workforce.

The workers commenced protest against the management of the airline on Wednesday 13, 2013 over some irregularities in their employment.

Court stops Aero from sacking workers OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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he National Industrial Court (NIC), yesterday restrained the management of Aero Airlines from sacking any of its workers.

The court said that since the case was still pending it would be wrong for the management to issue sack letters to the striking workers.

The court said that both parties should maintain the status quo pending when the court sits on the matter again. The court adjoined the

the ability to work with the local banks to achieve the company’s objectives.

Already we have signed an agreement with the Federal Government to invest $1bn in building a manufacturing as-

sembly plant in Calabar. We also intend to employ 2,300 Nigerians to power GE’s operations and to this end, we are instituting training programmes to build capability to deliver on our goals.

“This investment will make Nigeria a regional hub for manufacturing, service, and innovation with an improved ability to support a broader range of product lines in power generation as well as oil and gas exploration and production,” he said.

He added that GE hosted an Engineering Fair for local Nigerian suppliers who have the capability to partner with GE in delivering on this five year project.

“GE plans to provide training locally and internationally for repair engineers, welders, fabricators, machinists, special processing (coating) etc. We plan to build a training facility on our manufacturing site to ensure on-going employee development”, he explained.

Airtel spends N225bn on network expansion KUNLE A ZEEZ

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irtel Nigeria, one of the country’s mobile service providers, said it had invested $1.5bn (N225bn) in network expansion in the last 30 months of its operations in Nigeria.

This was disclosed by the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, during the unveiling of a new campaign in Lagos.

The new campaign was to capture the company’s numerous corporate milestones and emphasise its readiness to take advantage of the huge benefits of the soon-to-begin Mobile Number Portability (MNP).

Ogunsanya said the company has made huge investments in its network, upgrading it to the largest and widest 3.75g coverage in the country with a total spread across the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal capital Territory, Abuja.

“In the last 30 months, Airtel Networks Limited, has invested over $1.5bn dollars to expand and deepen our network capacity and quality in Nigeria, in pursuit of world class Quality of Service. It is on record that Airtel was first to call for the implementation of MNP way back in 2010, when we launched our brand in Nigeria. That call was made based on the fact that we were making significant in-

vestments in our network and customer service, which are critical success factors in MNP,” he said.

Ogunsanya said the new advertising campaign on its network was necessary to draw attention to the enormous capacity of its network and its sweeping coverage of the length and breadth of the country which has given the company the confidence in its chances of success in the likely competition that would be occasioned by the imminent take off of the impending Mobile Number Portability.

He further reiterated the fact that the Press Conference was designed to show the level of preparedness of Airtel Nigeria for the opening markets pointing out that the company had just successfully completed Nigeria’s first Long Term Evolution (LTE) trail in Lagos and some selected states of the Federation.

“We are the first Telco to complete LTE (Long Term Evolution) trial in Lagos and we are also the first to introduce High Definition (HD) Voice Service to telecoms consumers. So, the unveiling of our new network campaign today bears testimony to our great efforts in terms of our massive investment and desire to empower Nigerians with innovative and relevant telecommunications services and solutions,” he said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

Friday, March 22, 2013

41

Omolayole bemoans utilisation of expatriate managers NCC warns about fake job website MESHACK IDEHEN

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ioneer President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Managers (CIPM), and renowned management expert, Dr Michael Omolayole, has criticised the use of expatriate managers in key sectors of the nation’s economy, describing it as a bad omen for the country.

He said it is incomprehensible amid the unemployment problem facing many citizens of this country, and highly worrisome that expatriates are still holding key and non-key positions in some Nigerian companies despite the number of management professionals and acclaimed human resource experts that the nation has produced.

Speaking with National Mirror on the sidelines of the recent groundbreaking ceremony of the CIPM’s Millen-

nium Building project in Lagos, Omolayole described the trend where expatriates still occupy middle and top management positions in Nigeria as an attempt to “de-Nigerianise” the country, adding he said it was high time all Nigerians rejected the preference of foreign managers and directors to competent Nigerians, and to challenge the unwholesome trend.

According to the highly respected expert, it is shocking to open the pages of newspapers today and see faces of expatriates who are top executives in Nigerian companies, while also recalling how CIPM started as a personnel management association of Nigeria some seven years after independence and saddled with the task of elevating what is today known as human resource management among Nigerians.

He explained that the objective was to promote Nigerianisation, by creating suitable

replacements for foreigners who dominated the work environment at the early stages of Nigeria’s independence. While this was difficult initially, he said that pioneers managers of Nigerian background did their best and the implementation of the policy was successful.

“So, it is now shocking, to see in the newspapers faces of expatriates who are managers, human resource directors, and director of marketing and so on.

They are looking so young and in their late 20s.It shocks many of my generation to see these non-Nigerian in our country where there is high unemployment. What hope do we have for our Nigerians and the future?

“The challenge we had with us about 45 years ago has not entirely been defeated. After all the progress we thought we have made, it would appear now that this country is having a creeping de-Nigerianisation in our community,” he said.

MESHACK IDEHEN

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ob seekers and employment hopefuls have been warned by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) not to respond to false recruitment adverts purportedly placed online and other public mediums by criminals and fraudsters with the aim of duping potential job seekers.

The commission said its attention had been drawn to a recruitment advertisement placed on an online website known as “joblistnigeria. com” by some suspected criminals and fraudsters all over the country.

The Director (Public Affairs) of the Commission, Mr. Tony Ojobo, told journalists on Thursday in Lagos,

CBN rewards student entrepreneurs with N.5m TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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L-R: Manager, Operations Oando Marketing Plc, Mr. Temidayo Adeboye; Head, Environmental Health, Safety, Security and Quality Assurance, Dr. Gogomary Oyet and Manager, Terminal 1 Apapa, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Aliyu, at the inspection of newly acquired LPG bridging trucks in Lagos recently

Glo unveils new payoff as subscriber base hits 25m KUNLE A ZEEZ

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igeria’s ingenious telecoms service company, Globacom, has unveiled a new strap line to reaffirm its brand promise to consumers, even as the company’s subscriber base crosses 25 million mark, making it the second largest network in the country.

The unveiling of new payoff was in preparation for its 10th anniversary planed for August 29, this year.

Aptly tagged “Unlimited”, the new strap line encapsulates Glo’s commitment to enabling the subscriber achieve his dreams and desires.

It embodies Glo’s attitude towards its stakeholders and its commitment to be always

there for them; facilitating the realization of their desires anywhere in the world, through the company’s worldclass network.

Speaking at the launch of the new strap line in Lagos, Globacom’s Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mohamed Jameel, said the new pay-off line marks a natural progression in the growth of the Glo brand identity and represents the unparalleled commitment of the company to its subscribers.

He explained that “Glo will offer subscribers the power to achieve and excel. It means that with Glo, they can realise their dreams and achieve infinite possibilities. To do this, Glo will give them unfettered access to the best tools that will enhance their productivity and energize their pro-

fessional and social connections”.

“Unlimited” underscores the essence of the brand’s belief in the consumer in the sense that our subscribers are operating without boundaries in their attitude and altitude towards what they can achieve in life. It means that consumers can therefore go all out, pulling out all the stops in the drive towards achieving their objectives because Glo is always there to make it happen”, he said.

He said that the new pay-off line also represents Glo’s attitude towards its management, staff and indeed all stakeholders because anything positive they seek is possible and Glo shall always be there for them, facilitating the achievement of their desires.

that job scam by criminals and other individuals and groups with bad intentions using the name of the commission is becoming worrisome.

Ojobo said that the advertisement had called for applications from qualified persons to fill positions for economists, accountants, lawyers, project managers and other openings in the commission, adding also that the commission wholly disassociates itself from this publication on that website.

According to him, “For the avoidance of doubt, our (NCC) recruitments are usually advertised on the commission’s website and in the national dailies. We (NCC) are also advising job seekers to ignore such adverts.

he Central Bank of Nigeria yesterday rewarded five budding student entrepreneurs with N500,000 for their exemplary performance in the Business Plan Contest and Exhibition event organised to mark the global 2013 Child and Youth Finance Week in Abuja.

At the end of the Business Plans presentation, Faith Samuel Fajilo of Junior Secondary School, Garki- Abuja came tops and received a cash prize of N200, 000, Austine Ojeabuo of Government Secondary School Jikwoyi came second and took home a cash prize of N150,000 while Winnifed Chinwendu of Jikwoyi Junior School came third with a cash prize of

N100,000.

Two other students who came 4th and 5th in the Contest carted home each with N25,000 cash prizes.

In his remarks at the grand finale event, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, restated the importance of financial literacy to Nigeria’s ongoing transformation agenda, saying that in the pursuit of the agenda students and youth must be specially focused on.

He pointed out that prioritisation of children in the national financial literacy drive was necessary to build a strong financially literate human capital base for sustainable development and to enable the children make informed choices and better utilise financial products and services.

SON strengthens SONCAP STANLEY IHEDIGBO

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o ensure that imported products in the country meet the acceptable specifications the, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) said it has strengthened the SONCAP, for more effectiveness to achieve the desire goals.

SONCAP, Standard Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme, was introduced in 2005 by the Federal Government of Nigeria to address the challenges of the incessant influx of substandard and unsafe products into the country.

Making the disclosure at the One-Day stakeholders’ forum on the New SONCAP guidelines, Yesterday, in Lagos, the Director

General of SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, said that the strengthening of the SONCAP is critical to the campaign of Zero tolerance to substandard products in the country.

Odumodu noted that under the new regime of scheme , importers are expected to undergo verification and testing at country of supply and a SONCAP Certificate (SC) issued demonstrating that the product met the applicable standards and regulations.

According to him , the conformity assessment elements undertaken in SONCAP includes but not limited to physical inspection prior to shipment, sampling, testing and analysis in the accredited laboratories, audit of product processes and systems.

42

Maritime

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Multiple government charges encouraging cargo diversion Though substantial volume of goods imported into West Africa ends up in the Nigerian market by virtue of her population size, bulk of these imports are diverted through neighbouring seaports due to multiple charges imposed by the government, FRANCIS EZEM reports.

I

t is no longer news that Nigeria operates one of the highest port tariff structure in the West and Central African Sub-region. What might probably be news is that most of these charges and tariffs are imposed by the government itself and its agencies.

Immediate past managing director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Omar Suleiman, had admitted that the cost of shipping in Nigeria is 10 times higher than any other port within the West African sub-region. This development leads to the diversion of Nigerian bound cargo through the seaports of other West African countries.

Available records show that though more than 75 percent of imported cargo end up in Nigeria, less than 25 percent of this volume come through her seaports while the rest are diverted through sister seaports. This entails loss of revenue to the government.

A major cause of this development is the imposition of multiplicity of charges by the government and its various agencies, some operating at the seaports.

For instance, apart from the statutory charges like the Import Duty, Fees, Common External Tariff Levy and the Value Added Tax, which are paid into the Federation Account of the government, importers are also made to pay a myriads of charges under different sub-heads, classified as non-federation account charges.

They include the seven percent port levy, 0.5 percent Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), one percent Comprehpensive Import Supervision Scheme, which is the Free On Board value of imports, from which the service providers under the Destination Inspection Scheme are paid and the Rice levy.

Others include the Cigarette Levy, National Automotive Council Levy, Port Development Levy, Sugar Levy, Port Surcharge and other sundry charges paid to the government before the imported consignment would be allowed to leave the port.

In addition to these, government agencies that take part in cargo inspection such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, among others impose one form of levy or the others.

These unjustifiable charges have made the nation’s seaports uncompetitive with their peers in the subregion.

Import statistics released by the Nigeria Customs Service for the 2012 fiscal year shows that the Federal Government generated a total of N8.9billion through Apapa Ports Complex alone from the seven percent port surcharge and other sundry fees.

The government had in the review period of 2011 generated a whopping N108.3billion from VAT and other levies imposed on imported goods through the port.

Importers and consumers have over the years been grappling with excessive and duplication of charges on imported goods at Nigeria’s air, seaports and land borders, which had given rise to massive diversion of Nigeria-bound cargo to neighbouring African seaports, since her seaports had become uncompetitive.

National president of Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (CMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero, who spoke on the development, expressed fears that if urgent steps were not taken to address certain problems associated with Nigeria’s seaports such as multiple and excessive charges, bureaucracy

An oversized truck used in ferrying goods into Nigeria at the Seme Border

IMPORTERS AND CLEARING AGENTS HAD, OVER THE YEARS, CRIED OUT TO NO AVAIL AND HAD TO RESIGN TO FATE.

MANY OF

THEM HAVE DECIDED TO BRING IN THEIR CONSIGNMENTS THROUGH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY’S SEAPORTS and cumbersome clearing processes, the country may loose substantial volume of West African cargo traffic, which she currently controls.

Citing the examples of Ghana and Cote’d Ivoire, which are building millennium port facilities that would berth mega ships that are capable of carrying over 10, 000 TEUs of cargo, arguing that in the nearest future, Nigerian importers would have to use smaller ships to take their cargo from these two seaports.

“Importers and clearing agents had over the years cried out to no avail and had to resign to fate. Many of them have decided to bring in their consignments through neighbouring country’s seaports, which are currently siphoning Nigeria’s cargo traffic gradually”, he noted.

He also said: “The cumulative effect of this multiplicity of charges is that most of them are aggregated and added to the cost of importing the consignment, which is ultimately passed to the final consumer in terms of higher price.”

President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Mr. Eugene Nweke, who spoke on the development, particularly picked hole in the collection of VAT on imported, describing it as double taxation.

According to him, most of these imported goods somehow find their way into the various markets in Nigeria where they are subjected to another round of VAT collection at the counter.

“The government should determine at what point should an importer or freight forwarder pay VAT on a consignment so that he goes ahead and pays and obtain an official receipt, which he would use for the entire clearing process for the consignment.

Nweke, who also insisted that the government should no longer allow Customs to collect the VAT, argued that collecting it at various cargo processing stage amounts

to multiple billing, which is unfair. .Expectedly, one of the direct consequences is the galloping inflationary trends in the country with the fluctuation it causes to the macro economy.

Statistics released recently by the Monetary Policy Committee, which comprises of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria, among others shows that the inflation rate stood at 12.9 percent, a figure some market watchers believe is far higher than that.

It also on record that over the years the government had unsuccessfully made frantic but fruitless efforts at reducing the inflation rate in the country to one digit.

But some stakeholders, who commented on the imposition of multiple charges by the government, argued that the same government is losing more on the long run through diversion of Nigeria-bound cargoes to neighbouring seaports to avoid these multiple charges.

Minister of Transport, Malam Idris Umar, recently restated the commitment of government to realising Nigeria’s dream of becoming a hub port of destination for the sub-region.

The minister believes that the reform of the seaports has recorded huge success in the last few years especially in terms of improved efficiency and increased volume of cargo into the country as well as reducing cargo dwell time at the ports.

The minister noted that the nation will achieve the hub port status for the West and confidence in the present management of NPA to take Nigeria’s port system to the promised land.

According to him, the reform of Nigeria’s seaports about seven years ago has put overall operational efficiency of the ports on a steady growth, added that appreciable infrastructural development and modernisation of port facilities was recorded in most of the terminals operated by private concessionaires.

He noted that NPA, which emerged the landlord/ technical regulator of the industry following the concession programme under the landlord port model has recorded many milestones in its new regulatory capacity.

“If we sustain this momentum in the on-going reform of the port system, Nigeria will definitely emerge the hub of maritime business in the West and Central African sub-region”, he assured.

But stakeholders insist that the thriving cargo diversion occasioned by the imposition of multiple charges by the government would continue to work against this dream. The earlier these charges are reviewed, the better for Nigeria’s port system.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

STORIES: FRANCIS EZEM

F

oremost maritime lawyer and senior partner, Mike Igbokwe & Co, Mr. Mike Igbokwe (SAN), has decried the increasing menace of piracy and armed robbery on Nigeria’s territorial waters, insisting that Nigerians are at the receiving end in the whole saga.

United States Consul General, Mr. Jeffry Hopkins had said recently that the worsening cases of piracy and robbery within Nigeria’s maritime domain was a disincentive to the needed inflow of foreign investment to develop the economy.

According to him, the increasing cases of piracy, armed robbery and hijacking at sea in Nigerian ports and offshore, constitute a major disincentive to investors in the industry.

He also noted that these activities have made Nigeria notorious among the comity of maritime nations as very dangerous for navigation and has led to increment in war risks insurance premium on goods and ships coming to Nigeria.

“One major adverse consequence of this is the increased cost of goods and preference of vessels for Ghanaian or other foreign ports at the expense of Nigerian ports”, he noted.

He regretted that these ad-

Maritime

Friday, March 22, 2013

Nigerians, greatest losers to increased piracy attacks –Expert

Mobile Scanning Operation At Apapa Port, Lagos

ditional costs more often than not are passed down to the final consumer of the imported goods, with the attendant inflationary trends that come with it.

“Going by the reports of the Malaysia-based global maritime watchdog, International Maritime Bureau (IMB), 56 piracy cases were recorded on Nigeria’s territorial waters off the Gulf of Guinea in 2010 and 119 in 2011, as at September 2012, 37 attacks were recorded, an aver-

age of about four per month”, he said.

Experience has shown that the modus operandi of these criminals is that they attack vessels, forcefully remove or destroy cargo and sometimes hurt or kill members.

“News of kidnapping and killing of staff of multinational companies and expatriates in the creeks of the Niger Delta for ransom no longer come as a surprise.

While it has become insecure to

Appoint Shippers’ Council commercial regulator, stakeholders tell FG

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gainst the background of proposed passage of the Ports and Harbour Bill, stakeholders have made a strong case for the transformation of the in the Nigerian Shippers Council into the commercial regulator for the port industry.

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Marine Transport, Mr. Emeka Ugwuanyi and Minster of Transport, Mallam Idris Umar had recently engaged in bitter exchange of words over proposal by the minister to forward another Port and Harbour Authority Bill.

The chairman, who took a swipe at the minister had wondered why he should come up with such bill designed to create a technical regulator when the original Port and Harbour Bill had been at the National Assembly for over seven years and has passed the second reading stage.

The stakeholders, who therefore called on the Federal Government to take steps towards allowing the council transform into a commercial regulator, also cited increasing cases of of imposition of illegal charges and fees on hapless port service users by multi-

national shipping agencies and terminal operators.

Meanwhile, a shipping consultant, Dr. John Adebowale, one of the stakeholders, who spoke at a public hearing at the National Assembly, observed that Nigeria’s reformed port industry urgently requires a commercial regulator required to ensure that the terms and conditions of the port concession agreement were followed.

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had during the public hearing stressed the need to sustain the reform in the ports by early passage of the Ports and Harbour Bill.

While citing the communication industry, he argued that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has through quality regulation enhanced development in the telecoms industry.

Adebowale said: “NSC should be fully equipped in terms of international tariff regulations, expertise in ports operation, including the deprivations suffered by importers and exporters as a result of the excesses of multinational shipping companies and terminal operators”.

Another stakeholder and former rector of Maritime Academy

of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Mr. Olu Akinsoji who also spoke on the issue, noted that the need for a commercial regulator for the ports cannot be over-emphasised.

Akinsoji, who was also representative of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for Nigeria, observed that everyone has realised that there cannot be accelerated progress at the ports without a regulatory body.

“Government should move fast in establishing one and the Nigerian Shippers Council is the best option as a regulator”, he said.

He also argued: “I cannot see any reason why the NSC cannot be transformed into a regulator because it is not directly involved in any of the sides, it is not an operator neither is it a landlord in the entire scheme”.

He had argued that the council is already on ground as a government agency with interest in the facilitation, ensuring the right freight is paid and will fulfil the purpose of establishing them as a regulator.

“So, instead of re-inventing the will and setting up a new body, I don’t see any reason Shippers Council cannot be appointed”, he said.

carry on maritime business on Nigerian waters, the recent killing of seven foreign construction workers although related to the construction industry by Ansaru, a suspected offshoot of the Boko Haram network is illustrative of how unsafe it can be to do business on land in Nigeria”, he noted further.

Apart from fueling inflationary trends as a result hike on insurance premium and other freight charges, the menace of sea piracy

43

and robbery pose a major constraint to the operators as many seafarers have either been maimed or killed in the process as well as theft of oil and products, money onboard and also discouragement of investment in the sector.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, however, expressed the hope that the new legislation being put in place by NIMASA would go a long way in checking the menace.

He said: “NIMASA in conjunction with the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Navy are now in the process of sending an Executive Bill on Piracy, Unlawful Acts at Sea and Other Related Offences through the Federal Minister of Transport to the National Assembly for an urgent enactment, which will curtail the menace”.

IMB had earlier this year issued another security alert on Nigerian waters, which it described as a danger zone for navigation, which may have informed the decision of NIMASA, Navy and Air Force to commence the process of enacting legislation.

But stakeholders have observed that Nigeria is not in short supply of the relevant laws that could help in fighting piracy and other illegalities on the nation’s territorial waters, arguing that the greatest problem has remained the political will to strictly enforce these laws.

New Port Police Commissioner visits Ikorodu Terminal

N

ewly appointed Commissioner, Port Authority Police Command, Mrs. Sherifat Disu-Olajoku, has said she is committed to restructuring the unit.

The CP, who inspected the guard of honour at Ikorodu mounted by officers and men of the Lighter Terminal unit of the service, said she was impressed by the performance of the unit.

On ground to receive the CP, who resumed duty penultimate week, was the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the unit, Mr. James Navoki, a Chief Superintend of the service.

She was also accompanied by Mr. Bashir Abdullahi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police and area commander in charge of Apapa..

The new CP had during her visit to Police formations in Apapa pledged to rid the ports of miscreants.

She spoke against the background of worsening security situation in Nigeria and the urgent need to protect the nation’s maritime infrastructure.

While fielding questions from newsmen shortly after a tour of the Lagos Ports Complex, which houses the command headquarters, the new commis-

sioner warned that it will not be business as usual for miscreants and other unauthorised persons, who throng the seaports daily in search of ‘greener pasture’.

According to her, the command will no longer tolerate a situation whereby people who do not have any business at the ports would use the ports as a market to sell their wares, warning that any miscreant seen around the ports would be in a serious trouble.

“We will enforce access control to the various seaports. We will no longer allow non authorised persons to access the seaports. We will also sensitise other stakeholders in order to seek and get their cooperation and understanding on the matter, without which no progress would be made”, she said.

Olajoku

44

Global Business

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cassava bread initiative on course despite challenges The cassava bread initiative of the Federal Government may not have achieved much progress, but with new measures being applied to ensure the success of the initiative, there seems to be hope that it will be embraced as initially anticipated. STANLEY IHEDIGBO reports

O

ne of the key strategies that the Federal Government of Nigeria has adopted in reviving the agricultural sector due to the increasing need to diversify the economy away from oil revenue is the Cassava initiative first started under President Olusegun Obasanjo. It however recorded limited success due to lack of outlets for the increased volumes of produce.

This is what the current admistration is trying to address to boost the internal market for cassava by encouraging flour millers and bread producers to make it a major input in their products The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, believes that adding value in cassava production will revive the fortunes of Nigerian agriculture and the country needs to have an aggressive strategy to achieve this and expand markets for farmers.

The cassava bread policy is also aimed at saving the country billions of naira on wheat importation for bread which puts so much pressure on naira at the foreign exchange market hence, the emphasis on the importance of cassava as a critical crop for ensuring national food security.

According to Adesina, while other crops such as wheat and maize are highly susceptible to droughts, with highly variable yields, cassava yields are less variable, which makes the crop a crucial component of our national food security strategy.

“This rising dependence on wheat poses several challenges for our economy, as we spend hard earned foreign exchange on wheat imports. Because of our import dependence, any global shock to the global wheat supply leads to a direct impact on our economy, especially on the price of food and inflation.

“It is therefore, important for us to decouple, gradually, our food consumption from this dependence on wheat imports.

That is why, as part of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the present government, we launched an aggressive strategy to substitute cassava flour for wheat flour in bread and confectionaries,” he stated at a recent industry gathering.

Cassava crops

GOVERNMENT WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF MASTER BAKERS AND CASSAVA FLOUR PROCESSORS TO ACCESS THESE FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR MASSIVE EFFORTS Adesina

He pointed out that the substitution of cassava flour for wheat flour in the country is not a political decision, but an economic decision. According to the minister’s estimates, the substitution of up to 40 per cent wheat flour with cassava flour will save the economy N254billion annually.

In his words, “Nigeria is also one of the largest importers of food in the world, spending about N635bn annually, importing wheat and wheat flour, for use in bread, confectionaries and other foods. This level of importation of wheat is economically non-sustainable”.

To support the use of cassava flour substitution in bread, he added that government has put in place a number of fiscal policies.

These include tariff increases on the import of wheat and wheat flour while duty on the import of enzymes for the production of cassava bread and on all equipment and machinery for the production of cassava bread has been removed.

Government is also to establish the Cassava Bread Development Fund, to be funded through the tariff on wheat flour. The fund will be used to support research and development efforts on cassava bread, training of master bakers, support for master bakers for the acquisition of new equipments for producing cassava bread, social marketing to boost demand for cassava bread, es-

TO GET CASSAVA BREAD DOWN TO ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY pecially through school feeding programs and improved production of cassava flour by small and medium scale processors.

According to Adesina, government will work closely with the National Federation of Master Bakers and cassava flour processors to quickly access these funds to support our massive efforts to get cassava bread down to all parts of the country.”

“To ensure that bakers have access to pre-mixed cassava flour, government is facilitating the acquisition of Compact Modular Milling systems that will allow them to mix their own cassava flour with wheat flour in the right ratios. These Compact Modular Milling systems will be operated by some of the existing master bakers and other entrepreneurs. The first set of compact modular milling systems will be established in the country by the second quarter of this year”, he stated.

Lending her voice on the development of the cassava bread, the Managing Director of UTC Nigeria, Mrs. Folusho Olaniyan, said her company was the first private sector company in Nigeria to commercialise bread made with 20 percent Cassava flour in April 2012 and the star loaf has seven days shelf life.

According to her, we have the 400g starloaf and the 200g Starkid loaf targeted

IFAD disburses N180m to 36 farming communities in Jigawa

T

he International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has disbursed N180 million to 36 farming communities in Jigawa, the Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Alhaji Rabiu Isa, said in Dutse while presenting cheques to the beneficiaries.

He added that the gesture was under the Community-based Agriculture and Rural Development Programme (CBARDP).

The commissioner said the programme was designed to fast-track the implementation of the IFAD-CBARDP in the state.

According to him, the beneficiaries were selected from the nine participating local government areas of the state.

He said the amount was provided to enable the communities execute projects of their choice in line with the programme’s objective.

“The main objective of IFAD-CBARDP is to promote the adoption of a communitybased approach in addressing the lingering problems poverty, land degradation and low agricultural output within the nine participating local government areas, thereby leading to improvement in the livelihoods and upgrading the living standard of the rural poor with special consideration on women and other vulnerable groups.

specifically at children. UTC also makes a range of 12 other products using high quality cassava four for cakes, sausage rolls, pastries adding that it had trained some bakers on the use of cassava flour.”

However, the Chairman Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, of the Lagos State Chapter, Mr. Prince Jacob Adejorin, said that any training his members received from any organisation or government has nothing to do with the cassava bread production rather as usually, they normal training they do for them every year.

He said they are waiting for government to train and equip them for the cassava bread production if they want the policy to be a success, adding that without the support of local bakers that have direct contact with a large population of consumers, the policy will remain elitist in nature.

Speaking with National Mirror on the cassava bread, a trader Mr. Isaac Njoku, said that he has not seen the bread talk less of eating it.

According to him, the companies that are baking the bread are not for the poor people, “Have you heard the companies?

UTC, Food Concepts, Park and Shop, my brother to tell you that cassava bread is not for us, it is for the rich men.”

“To ensure smooth implementation of the programme, a state monitoring committee was inaugurated and technical committees at state and local government levels were constituted; none tangibles activities were removed and after which the work plan was also redesigned jointly with Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning .

“In view of the above development, I hereby launch the disbursement of N180 million to the nine participating local government councils,” he stated

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Friday, March 22, 2013

45

DAAR Communications restructures N7.5bn debt TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

D

AAR Communications Plc has restructured a N7.5bn owed Fidelity Bank Plc even as the board assured shareholders of rewarding years ahead in terms of dividend payment and other benefits to them.

Chairman of the Board, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who disclosed these positive developments in the affairs of the company to investors yesterday at the 4th Annual General Meeting of the company in Abuja, said all issues relating to loans had been amicably resolved and all cases in court withdrawn by both parties.

Dokpesi said that with the debt issue tackled and strategic repositioning programmes of the company being pursued vigorously, the future of the company is bright and assured investors of better returns on

their investments.

While describing the domestic business environment as generally unfriendly to most businesses, an ugly situation which, he said, impacted negatively more on the media industry, said that despite the harsh environment the company increased its turnover from N4.8bn in 2010 to N5.1bn in the 2011 financial year.

However, he reported that the net loss position regrettably in increased from N1.5bn in 2010 to N4bn in 2011, an increase he attributed largely to interests and similar charges on loans which accounted for about 76 per cent of the 2011 financial year loss.

Dokpesi said the financial situation therefore made it difficult to declare dividend to shareholders.

“The unstable power supply situation in the country, the security challenges, the unstable economic policies of the government, inade-

quate infrastructural facilities, unstable exchange rate of the Naira and other spice economic variables adversely affected the company’s operations,” the DAAR boss lamented .

On the positive side of the year’s operations, Dokpesi told shareholders that AIT and Raypower stations had been established in 12 states of the federation and the FCT while work on other states has reached advanced stage to enable them join AIT and Raypower networks.

He assured that with the expansion, AIT and Raypower, they would soon be the largest private TV and radio network in Nigeria and indeed the continent of Africa.

In addition, Dokpesi said arrangements have reached advanced stage to resuscitate DAARsat operations and that necessary steps have also been taken to ensure its uninterrupted operations for global competi-

Index rises by 0.47% on earnings expectation DAMILOLA AJAYI

T

he benchmark index of equities closed on a bullish note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as some investors took position on stocks with good earnings.

The All Share Index rose by 0.47 per cent to close at 33,361.96 points, as against the decline of 0.27 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 33,207.21 points.

Market capitalisation increased by N5bn to close

at N10.67trn, in contrast to the depreciation of N3bn recorded the preceding day to close at N10.62trn.

Lotus Islamic index led the sectorial indices with 1.98 per cent to close at 2,172.13 points, followed by the NSE 30-index with 0.36 per cent to close at 1593.39 points.

The Consumer Goods index appreciated by 0.25 per cent to close at 967.56 points, but the Banking index shed 0.40 per cent to close at 410.54 points.

The Insuraance index dropped 0.12 per cent to close at 152.86 points,

while the Oil and Gas index lost 0.09 per cent to close at 197.65 points.

Wema Bank Plc led the gainers’ table with 12 kobo or 9.84 per cent to close at N1.34 per share, followed

by Royal Exchange Plc with five kobo or 6.33 per cent to close at 84 kobo per share.

Presco Plc rose by N1.20 or 5.04 per cent to close at N25.00 per share, while Unity Bank Plc added four kobo or 5.00 per cent to close at 0.84 per share.

Nestle Nigeria Plc gained N36.00 or 4.32 per cent to close at N870.00 per share.

Cyprus, European data rattle shares, euro

G

lobal equity markets, crude oil and the euro fell yesterday on fears of a potential banking collapse in Cyprus and signs the economic downturn in Europe is deepening.

Several upbeat United States economic reports on housing, future economic activity and business conditions in the mid-Atlantic region and improving Chinese factory output failed to lift investor sentiment.

Prices of US Treasuries and German Bund futures rose as investors tried to gauge whether Cyprus would reach a deal to en-

able it to avoid default and a possible financial meltdown.

The benchmark 10-year US Treasury note was up 6/32 in price to yield 1.9372 per cent.

The European Central Bank gave Cyprus until Monday to raise billions of euros to clinch an international bailout or face losing emergency funds for its banks and inevitable collapse.

“There’s a little bit of wait and see on Cyprus,” said Lou Brien, market strategist at DRW Trading in Chicago. “If they can’t come up with anything and

the odds of Cyprus leaving the euro zone rise, then I think that will create a flight to safety in Treasuries.”

Gold rallied to its highest in almost a month, with nervousness over Cyprus fuelling sentiment for the safe-haven metal. Spot gold prices rose $6.85 to $1,612.70 an ounce.

A severe miss by Oracle Corporation and a number of brokerages’ cutting of their price targets on the tech icon pulled Nasdaqlisted stocks down. Oracle fell $8.71 to $32.64.

But the broad US stock market pared losses, as

tiveness.

It would be recalled that the N7.5bn debt owed Fidelity Bank Plc was incurred by the company following the facility granted it by the bank to acquire technological and other broadcast facilities it needed to broadcast the FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria in 2009.

The project suffered a major setback following Federal Government’s failure to fulfil its contractual obligations to the company.

A Federal High court in Lagos had in 2011 ordered Chief Raymond Dokpesi and his company, DAAR Communication Plc to repay a debt of N7.5bn debt owed Fidelity Bank Plc. The court also ordered Dokpesi and his company to pay the bank 21 per cent per annum on the amount owed from May 31, 2011 until judgment and 21 per cent interest per annum from the day of judgment until final liquidation.

On the flip side, Airline Services Plc lost 39 kobo or 7.80 per cent to close at N4.61 per share, while Wapic Insurance Plc shed seven kobo or 4.96 per cent to close at N1.34 kobo per share.

John Holt Plc declined by eight kobo or 4.88 per cent to close at N1.56 per share, while May and Baker Plc dropped by 12 kobo or 4.80 per cent to close at N2.38 per share. IPWA Plc fell by four kobo or 4.49 per cent to close at N0.85 per share.

A total of 409.8 million shares valued at N4.71bn were exchanged in 5,311 deals. underlying strength of a recent rally once again seemed to be prevailing.

“There is definitely more momentum left to the upside. In many days, we see the market start off lower but we manage to cut that by the end of the day. That’s market strength,” said Frank Gretz, chief technical analyst at Shields and Company in New York.

European shares fell after Germany, the region’s leading economy, showed signs of fatigue and French businesses turned in their worst performance in four years. France, the euro zone’s second-biggest economy, likely fell into a recession.

Source: NSE

Source: FMDA

Market indicators All-Share Index 23,105.05 points Market capitalisation 7,354 trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

WEMABANK

1.22

1.34

0.12

% CHANGE 9.84

ROYALEX

0.79

0.84

0.05

6.33

PRESCO

23.80

25.00

1.20

5.04

UNITYBNK

0.80

0.84

0.04

5.00

NESTLE

834.00

870.00

36.00

4.32

CILEASING

0.57

0.59

0.02

3.51

UTC

0.76

0.78

0.02

2.63

NEM

0.88

0.90

0.02

2.27

CORNERST

0.50

0.51

0.01

2.00

DANGCEM

147.11

150.00

2.89

1.96

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

AIRSERVICE

5.00

CLOSING 4.61

0.39

-7.80

WAPIC

1.41

1.34

0.07

-4.96

JOHNHOLT

1.64

1.56

0.08

-4.88

MAYBAKER

2.50

2.38

0.12

-4.80

IPWA

0.89

0.85

0.04

-4.49

JAPAULOIL

0.67

0.64

0.03

-4.48

UAC-PROP

14.90

14.24

0.66

-4.43

NEIMETH

0.94

0.90

0.04

-4.26

NAHCO

7.98

7.69

0.29

-3.63

FTNCOCOA

0.57

0.55

0.02

-3.51

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Days

33,266.32

13.60

21-Mar-13

182-Days

63,730.99

13.40

21-Mar-13

-

-

-

-

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

113-Days

111,903.43

13.60

21-Mar-13

101-Days

28,441.25

13.40

21-Mar-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$280m

N/A

$280m

20-Mar-13

$300m

N/A

$300m

18-Mar-13

46

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

World News

“There are groups that are fed by terror in our country. This (ceasefire) process will ruin their game” –Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Rwandan President vows to help Ntaganda transfer to ICC PAUL ARHEWE,

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

R

wanda’s President Paul Kagame has given his backing for the speedy transfer of Congolese war crimes suspect Bosco Ntaganda to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Known as “The Terminator”, he surrendered to the US embassy in Kigali on Monday.

Rwanda would help facilitate his transfer to The Hague “as fast as possible”, Kagame said.

Gen Ntaganda has been a key figure in the conflict in eastern DR Congo.

The ICC has charged him with 10 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, accusing him of using child soldiers, keeping women as sex slaves and participating in the murder of at least 800 people in 2002 and 2003.

Gen Ntaganda denies the charges. He has fought for various rebel groups as well as the Congolese army in a country riven by ethnic divisions and a battle for control of its mineral resources.

Most recently, he was believed to be one of the leaders of the

Bosco Ntaganda, seated centre, holding a press conference with Congo’s Interior Minister Celestine Mboyo( right) in Goma, in 2009.

PHOTO: REUTERS

M23 rebel movement, which is fighting government troops in the east.

He has also fought for the army of Rwanda, which denies UN accusations that it backs the M23.

“We will work to make what the US embassy needs in relation to Bosco Ntaganda’s case happen as fast as possible,” Kagame said in a statement.

His comments came a day after US assistant secretary of

state for African affairs, Johnny Carson, said it was important that Gen Ntaganda’s movement from the embassy to the airport was “in no way inhibited”.

Carson said he hoped that ICC officials, who were en route to Rwanda, would be allowed into the country.

Neither Rwanda nor the US recognise the ICC. On Wednesday, the court’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensou-

da, said she expected Gen Ntaganda to be handed over in “a couple of days”.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Gen Ntaganda seven years ago.

The DR Congo government said Gen Ntaganda, who comes from the Tutsi ethnic group, crossed into Rwanda on Saturday after he and some of his followers were defeated by a rival faction of the M23 group.

Obama urges Palestinians to return to peace talks

P

resident Barack Obama voiced opposition yesterday to Israeli settlement building, but pressed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to drop his demand for a freeze before Middle East peace talks can resume.

After an effusive welcome in

Israel, Obama travelled to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where disillusioned Palestinians held out little hope that their moment in the spotlight of a U.S. presidential visit would speed their quest for statehood.

At a news conference with Abbas, Obama said he had “been

L-R: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. President Barack Obama reviewing the guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony in the PHOTO: REUTERS West Bank city of Ramallah, yesterday.

clear” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington did not consider continued settlement activity to be constructive to “the cause of peace”.

But Obama stopped short of calling for a halt to settlement expansion - a demand he had made early in his first term - and signalled his frustration over the failure of Israel and the Palestinians to find a way to resume talks stalled since 2010.

However, he offered no new ideas on how to get Israelis and Palestinians negotiating again at a time when prospects for a peace deal are grim in a region destabilized by the West’s nuclear standoff with Iran and civil war in Syria.

“My argument is even though both sides may have areas of strong disagreement, may be engaging in activities that the other side thinks is a breach

of good faith, we have to push through those things to try to get an agreement,” Obama said.

The core issue now, Obama said, is how to achieve sovereignty for Palestinians and security for Israelis.

“That’s not to say settlements aren’t important. That’s to say if we solve those problems, the settlement issue will be resolved,” Obama added.

Some 150 Palestinian demonstrators gathered in Ramallah to protest against Obama’s visit.

They were held back by ranks of police who prevented them from nearing Abbas’s compound.

A smiling Obama, accompanied by Abbas, was met by mostly stern-faced Palestinian officials along a red carpet - a stark contrast to the broad grins and backslapping during an elaborate welcoming ceremony on Wednesday at Israel’s Tel Aviv airport.

WORLD BULLETIN

Gaddafi’s family not in Algeria –Libya

Three of Muammar Gaddafi’s children and his widow have left Algeria, its ambassador to Libya has said.

Aisha and Hannibal Gaddafi are wanted by Interpol following a request from the Libyan authorities, unlike a third child, Mohamed and his widow, Safia.

Abdel-Hamid Bouzaher said the family had left “a long time ago” without giving further details.

Earlier this week, one of Gaddafi’s cousins, Ahmed Gaddaf al-Dam, was arrested in Egypt.

Gaddafi’s four close relatives sought refuge in Algeria in 2011 after the rebels reached the Libyan capital Tripoli during the war that ended his 42-year rule.

There are current whereabouts are not known.

News of the departure of the Gaddafi family from Algeria first surfaced in Arab media in November, citing unnamed sources.

This is the first official confirmation by Algerian authorities.

Indian court sends Bollywood actor back to jail India’s Supreme Court has ruled that Bollywood actor, Sanjay Dutt, must return to prison for his connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts.

The actor has been on bail since 2007 when he appealed against his original sentence of six years. Yesterday, the Supreme Court reduced it to five years.

Dutt was convicted in 2006 of buying weapons from bombers who attacked Mumbai. He spent 20 months in jail.

The serial bombings killed 257 people and wounded 713 others.

In 2006, a special anti-terror court had convicted 100 people for the blasts - 12 of the convicts were given death penalty and 20 others were given life sentence.

British Commission modifies process for visa application The British High Commission has modified the process for its visa application.

Beginning from 25 March 2013 all UK visa applications must be completed online, a statement from the Commission yesterday announced.

Advice on the visa application process and a link to the online application system can be seen on its webpages at www.ukba. homeoffice. gov.uk/countries/ nigeria.

The visa application centres in Abuja and Lagos run by its official commercial partner, VFS Global, will no longer accept visa applications which have not been completed online.

48

Transition

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, March 22, 2013

Samuel Adegbite

Chief Bayo Akinnola

ormer Managing Director of Wema Bank Plc, Dr. Samuel Igbayilola Adegbite passed on in the early hours of Sunday at the age of 73.

He started his career in banking in 1960 when he joined the employment of Standard Bank of West Africa (now First Bank of Nigeria Plc) as a clerical officer.

His entry into First Bank with a GCE London certificate in spite of keen competition among young Nigerians to secure jobs with financial institutions in the country at the time was regarded by Adegbite as an act of God, as he got a slot in the industry without any hassles.

He later furthered his studies by taking a programme in banking. He decided to expand his career horizon by registering for a law programme in a University. The decision to study law, according to him, was informed by his exposure to banking related laws while in the service of First Bank. Again, after his study in law, Adegbite proceeded on his knowledge acquisition spree, this time, in accounting.

After he finished from the law school in 1970, seven years after he left Nigeria for studies in the United Kingdom, he returned home to take a job with the erstwhile National Bank as a bank officer. But before then, he worked briefly with the government of the then Western Region for six months where he earned an annual salary of 720 Pounds Sterling.

From National Bank, he moved to NAL Merchant Bank (now Sterling Bank Plc) where he was on 1,500 Pound Sterling per annum salary. But after an eight years meritorious service at NAL Merchant Bank Limited, Adegbite again decided to call it quit.

He was later invited to take up an appoint-

T

F

ment as Managing Director of Wema Bank, which according to him then was in a very bad shape.

Under his leadership, Wema Bank’s ownership structure was broadened, which buoyed investors’ confidence in the financial institution. Indeed, he led the management to acquire Wema Towers on Marina, Lagos, in 1997, which has since been serving as the bank’s corporate headquarters.

Before his death, he was the Chairman of Oasis Insurance Plc and Oasis Capital Portfolio Limited. He was also the Chairman of Council and President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria from 1987 to 1989. He won several laurels especially as a banker. These included Bankers Merit Award (1994); Business Merit Award (1995); and NTA Award for Excellence (1996).

He is survived by wife, children and grandchildren.

Ashikiwe Adione-Egom

P

eter Alexander Ashikiwe AdioneEgom passed on March 3 2013, at the aged of 70.

He attended King’s College, Lagos from where he proceeded to Cambridge University in the UK. Ashiki had traveled through much of the world, living for some time in Denmark and serving as trusted economic adviser to former Tanzanian leader, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

Upon his return to Nigeria, he was detained as a Biafran intelligence operative. Following his release, he went

to Denmark where he did post-graduate studies, married a Dane and, together, they raised a family.

Adione-Egom started his journalism career at The Guardian and moved on to The African Guardian as economic editor in 1985.

Ashikiwe Adione-Egom, as he later preferred to be called, joined the Editorial Board of Daily Trust newspaper after some academic endeavours in Anthropology at Cambridge University, in England.

Announcing the burial arrangement in a statement, his son, Pierre Egom Aagaard, said a service of songs held yesterday Thursday, March 21, at King’s College Hall, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, at 6pm while a requiem and funeral Mass would hold today Friday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Victoria Island, Lagos, at 10am.

His interment follows at the Vaults and Garden, Ikoyi, Lagos, while a reception will take place at The Daisy Centre, Victoria Island.

He is survived by seven siblings and his two children — Eva, business controller at the University College Capital, Copenhagen; and Pierre, the head of road infrastructure, market development and project procurement, The Danish Road Directorate — and three grandchildren Laerke, Magnus and Kasper.

he Lisa of Ondo Kingdom and former Chairman of the Lafarge West African Portland Cement, High Chief Bayo Akinnola is dead.

A Knight of John Wesley and Chairman of Multirex Intergratex Foods Plc, Akinnola died on March 20, at the age of 78 years.

Born on August, 1934, late Bayo Akinnola, father of Minister of Information Technology, Mrs. Mobolaji Johnson, was educated in Ondo and Ibadan.

A devout Christian, he was knighted in the Methodist Church on July 19, 2009 by his Eminence, Dr. Ola Makinde, Prelate of the Methodist Church.

He was, at various times, Commissioner for Information and Home Affairs in old Ondo State. He had substantial interest in companies like Atobi Enterprises Ltd, Atobi Metal and Paper Industries, Aurora Enterprise Ltd, Okegun Farming Enterprise, Culter- Hammer (Nig) Ltd and Need Energy Global Services.

He was awarded the national hon-

our of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2003. He is survived by many children, grandchildren and other relations.

Bassey Udo Ndiokho

F

ormer Chairman/Managing Director United African Company of Nigeria PLC, Bassey Udo Ndiokho died on February 21, 2013 at the age of 74.

Bassey who worked for the UAC Nigeria PLC for close to three decades was also the Pro-Chancellor

Prophet Obadare

A

n unconfirmed report has claimed that that a renowned pastor, Prophet Timothy Oluwole Obadare aka Baba Obadare founder of the World Soul-Winning Evangelistic Ministries (WOSEM) and Christ Apostolic Church leader is dead.

The man of God was said to have died yesterday at about 10am in a London hospital.

of Akwa Ibom State University of Technology.

Ndiokho is from Onna Local government of Akwa Ibom State. He attended Walthamstow-South West Esex Technical College where he trained as an estate surveyor.

His first job after training in England was to work as a lands officer with the Land and Survey department of the Federal Ministry of Works. While working with the dept, he met a UACN expatriate who was also an old friend of his.

The expatriate asked him whether he wanted to work with the United African Company and then linked him with the general manager. In March 1971, with higher pay from UAC, he left the Land and Survey department to join the property division of UAC. In 1984, he went on attachment to the United Kingdom as a beneficiary of UAC’s technical agreement with Unilever UK. On his return in 1985, he was appointed head of personnel, a position that enabled him gain a wide knowledge of the UAC divisions with responsibility for recruiting, motivating and disciplining the company’s employees. This is a Herculean task, given that UAC is one of the largest employers of labour in corporate Nigeria today.

At UACN, Ndiokho worked as various divisions within the company prior to his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, his assignments were in the property department, Kingsway Stores, and serving as general manager of GB Ollivant.

He is survived by wife, children and grandchildren.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

JAMES ABRAHAM AND INUSA NDAHI

N

o fewer than 13 people were yesterday killed by gunmen in an attack on Attakar community in Ganawuri, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The killing came barely 24 hours after a communal clash between Taroh and Fulani herdsmen in Wase Local Government Area of the state, left at least 35 people dead.

A member representing Riyom Constituency in the state House of Assembly,

North

Friday, March 22, 2013

Again, gunmen kill 13 in Plateau •Residents renew call for STF’s withdrawal Hon. Daniel Dem, who spoke with journalists on phone yesterday, said in the latest onslaught, the village was attacked at night by people suspected to be hired Fulani militia.

He added that there has never been any attack on the village, so there was no security presence. He said the militia took advantage of the situation and set all the houses in the village ablaze.

While Hon. Dem commended the Divisional Police

Officer, DPO, of the area for taking charge of the situation, he said if not for him, the entire village would have been levelled by the gunmen. He added that corpses of the dead littered the village’s square.

Meanwhile, residence of Mavo community in Wase council area that came under attack on Wednesday, have started relocating to other communities in the area.

A source who spoke to our correspondent said he saw villagers moving out with

their properties, some were moving out with their livestock.

The state government yesterday said it was saddened by the attack on Mavo community that led to the death of some people.

A statement issued by the state Commissioner of Information, Pastor Abraham Yiljap, said “the tragic incident in Mavo, Wase LGA is saddening, all the more as the feud is between neighbours who had lived together for

many years.”

The statement said Governor Jonah Jang has directed the deployment of military and special police forces to take charge of the situation, urging the people to remain calm.

It added that.

Meanwhile, residents of Riyom Local Government yesterday renewed the call for the Federal Government to withdraw members of the Special Task Force, STF, from the state.

The LGA has been under attack by gunmen since last

Elections must hold in North in 2015 –Shehu Sani A ZA MSUE KADUNA

P

resident of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, CRCN, Mallam Shehu Sani, yesterday said elections must hold in the northern part of the country in 2015 despite the continued activities of insurgents in the region.

He said any attempt not to conduct elections in that part of the country would be interpreted as a ploy to favour President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking in a telephone interview with National Mirror over the bomb blasts in Kano, which claimed several lives, Sani while describing the incident as barbaric, said if Pakistan and Iran, among others, held their elections as at when due, there would be no reason why Northern Nigeria’s case will be different.

Sani, who once led former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the Boko Haram enclave in Maiduguri, to broker peace, said the unfortunate incident in Kano, was a clear indication that the government has failed to tackle the security challenges facing the country.

His words: “The bombing in Kano is barbaric, it is condemnable, it is destructive and it is a serious threat to our peace and stability in this country.

“If there were elections in Pakistan, Afganistan and Iran, I see no reason why there won’t be elections in northern Nigeria; we must have elections even if we are in a state of war. The bombers and insurgents should not hinder our democratic aspirations.

49

The building where the Boko Haram suspects were arrested in Ijora Badiya, Lagos yesterday

Nigeria sitting on keg of gunpowder –Obasanjo WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

F

ormer President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday described Nigeria as a country sitting on “a keg of gun powder” over the high rate of youth unemployment in the country.

But he said that there was a ray of hope in the area of commercial agriculture, if necessary steps are taken in that direction.

Chief Obasanjo said if the interest rate on agricultural loans could be

brought to a single digit, the country would be able to go far in commercial agriculture as no African farmer could break even outside a single digit interest rate.

The former President was delivering the 16th annual lecture of the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute, ARMTI, in Ilorin, where he lamented how the little gains his administration had made in 1979 was almost eroded due to bad policies on agriculture until his return to power in 1999.

His words: “We are sit-

ting on a keg of gun powder in this country due to the problem of youth unemployment. We have almost 150 universities now in the country turning out these young Nigerians, but without job opportunities for them.

“ARMTI has a bigger role to play here. We are not saying agriculture will make you a billionaire; in fact if you want to be one don’t go into agriculture. Nevertheless, if we practice agriculture well, it will make you comfortable.”

Going down memory lane, Chief Obasanjo said he

had to enrol at Moore Plantation, Ibadan moments after relinquishing powers to a democratically elected government in 19 79 to learn modern techniques in agriculture before venturing into a large scale farming.

He added; “Sometimes in 1979, when almost all gains in agricultural progress in Nigeria seemed to have been destroyed through indiscriminate importation and dumping into Nigeria of foreign goods, I was skeptical if we could ever make it in the area of agriculture.”

CBN clears 50, 915 cheques worth N36bn in Katsina JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Katsina State branch says a total of 50, 915 cheques worth N36.71 billion were cleared in 2012 by its clearing house.

This is against the 77, 674 cheques, amounting to N144.39 billion that were cleared by the bank in 2011.

CBN’s Branch Controller, Adamu Hassan Moh’d, stated this during the state’s 2012 Bankers Award Night.

Moh’d said the disparity in value and volume was due to ceiling which limited single cheque transaction to maximum of N10 million in all clearing houses nationwide.

He said Deposit Money Banks, DMB, withdrew N35.65 billion and depos-

ited N8.78 billion in 2012 as against N42.93 billion and N17.66 billion withdrawn and deposited respectively to and from CBN in 2011.

He also said that the bank had in 2012, processed 106 e-payment schedules worth N690 million from federal agencies to their contractors’ accounts.

In the area of agriculture, Moh’d said the CBN branch guaranteed 6, 590 loans

worth N1.2 billion, while a recovery of N821 million was made last year.

He said the bank empowered 592 male and female future entrepreneurs in 2012 through its Youth Empowerment Programme, YEP. He, however, added that the number of future entrepreneurs represents 6.57 percent of the targeted 9, 000 that were to be trained in the state.

year which has led to the death of dozens of people.

Chairman of Riyom Local Government, Mr. Sam Gyang Audu, who led other council members to address a press conference at the NUJ secretariat in Jos, said the call has become necessary in view of the unwholesome activities of the task force members.

The chairman who narrated how his people have suffered in the hands of the STF said; “My people are crying everyday because of the unwholesome activities of the STF members.

Since we assumed office last year, we have been burying people killed by gunmen who attack innocent people.

“Having carefully followed the activity of the STF in Riyom LGA, the council and the people are of the opinion that the STF has overstayed its welcome, arising from the unpatriotic activities of some of its personnel in performing their duties.

Meanwhile, scores of people were killed in Biu, Borno State, yesterday when gunmen, suspected to be armed robbers engaged security operatives in a shootout.

National Mirror gathered that two of the attackers, a security operative, and some innocent civilians were killed during the gun duel.

The civilians were caught by stray bullets, while several houses, shops and vehicles were also set ablaze.

It was gathered that the robbers who were armed with sophisticated weapons, had stormed a Cocoa Cola Shop/Depot at the Abba Liman Shopping Complex within the heart of the town and collected an unspecified amount of money.

After the operation and in the process of escaping, they had an encounter with some soldiers, which resulted in open confrontation.

An eyewitness told our correspondent on phone that the gunmen succeeded in killing one of the soldiers, adding that two of the gunmen were also gunned down, while innocent civilians were also killed by stray bullets.

However, efforts made to confirm the incident were abortive as the telephone number of both the JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa and the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Gideon Jubrin, were unavailable as at the time of filing this report.

50

North

Friday, March 22, 2013

Flood: Vacate water plains now, Kogi warns residents WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

K

ogi State Government has asked those living in flood prone areas in the state to relocate now and heed to the early warning signal to avoid being victims again.

This followed persistent warnings by the

Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NIMET, that there would be plenty of rains this year.

The Deputy Governor, who is also the Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency, Yomi Awoniyi, made the appeal while speaking on the possibility of evacuating those living in water plains following NIMET

forecast.

According to Awoniyi, the government has been proactive in ensuring that the state does not record huge losses like last year.

He said those living in water plains were doing so illegally and as a matter of choice.

The deputy governor noted that while the state government would con-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Disburse FG’s N420m now, NUJ tells New Nigeria A ZA MSUE KADUNA

tinue to sensitise people on the dangers of living in flood prone areas, the onus to relocate, according to him, lies with those who build in such places.

Awoniyi pointed out that the state government did not allocate flood prone areas to those presently living there neither were they given building approvals.

T

he Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Kaduna State Council, yesterday called on the management of New Nigerian newspapers to urgently disburse the Federal Government’s N420 million grant to its distressed workers.

Commending VicePresident Namadi Sambo for the grant, NUJ expressed disappointment over the continued delay in disbursing the money which was meant for the payment of liabilities, pensions and gratuities of the workers.

In a statement signed by its Secretary, Comrade Dominic Uzu, the union said Sambo’s intervention was timely as it would relieve the suffering of New Nigerian newspapers’ retirees and the serving staff.

NUJ, however, said

the management had no right to delay the disbursement for one day, adding that it was regrettable that after more than four weeks that the money had been lodged into the newspaper’s bank account, the management had refused to disburse the money to the beneficiaries.

The Federal Government, former owners of the New Nigerian newspapers, recently released part payment of N420 million out of the N850 million originally approved for payment of pensions, gratuities and other liabilities which it did not settle before handing the company over to the 19 northern states in 2006.

The statement reads in part: “The council hereby strongly advises the management to disburse with immediate effect, the N420 million to the beneficiaries as further delay is unaccept-

Nigerian’s health needs, challenge to doctors –Jang A filling station destroyed by rainstorm at Omu-Aran In Kwara State, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Gunmen attack PDP secretariat, steal electoral materials WALE IBRAHIM

LOKOJA

A

bout 300 thugs wielding guns and other dangerous weapons yesterday invaded the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Secretariat in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

The armed men stole voting materials meant for the councillorship primaries in Ijumu Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that PDP members in Ijumu Local Government could not hold

DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

T

he Gombe State Criminal Justice Committee, headed by the state Chief Judge, CJ, Justice Hakila Heman, has set free 21 inmates of the Gombe Central Prison.

Heman said after reviewing 445 cases during the committee’s visit to the prisons, 21 inmates were released on the grounds of long stay on detention beyond what might be their sentences.

The CJ said the commit-

the chairmanship and councillorship primaries held on March 14 and 19 respectively due to litigation.

A source disclosed that a faction of the party had dragged the other to court over alleged irregularities in the delegates’ election.

The court, however, ordered that the party primaries be held yesterday and today.

But it was learnt that when both factions gathered at the PDP secretariat yesterday morning to collect materials for the councillor-

ship primaries, thugs loyal to one of the chairmanship aspirants invaded the secretariat with guns and a dangerous weapons and seized the election materials and fled.

Members of the other faction, who were taken by surprise, later reported the issue at the police headquarters.

Confirming the incident, a source close to state PDP Secretariat said the party leadership in the state was shocked over the development.

He, however, said another

set of voting materials had been issued to enable all the contestants participate in the primaries.

It was learnt that over 1,500 policemen were already in Ijumu for the primaries while about 15 armed anti-riot policemen were detailed to escort the new voting materials to Ijumu.

When contacted on phone, one of the chairmanship aspirants, Funsho Olumoko, denied the allegation, saying no thugs were hired to hijack the materials.

Gombe CJ frees 21 inmates tee was charged with the responsibility of reviewing cases of inmates to ensure that they were given adequate hearing and justified detention.

He explained that congestion of prisons was a national malady, adding that the commitment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, to reverse the trend gave birth to the committee.

Earlier in her address, the Controller of Gombe Prisons, Dorothy Atajiri, said

the prison was designed for 379 inmates but presently had 570 and only one third of that figure was convicted while other inmates were standing or awaiting trial for various offenses.

According to Atajiri, prisons are congested because Magistrates’ Courts usually hold on to cases beyond their jurisdiction without transferring them to appropriate courts while the Department of Public Prosecution, DPP, do not

notify the Prisons Service of some of those transferred thereby leaving such inmates longer than necessary in custody.

She added public holidays and strikes in the judiciary usually affect court dates.

The controller said when such happened, the Prison Service was not always informed of new dates and such cases would keep pending until the service was able to find out on its own.

JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

T

he 69th regular meeting of the Committee of Chief Executives of Federal Tertiary Hospitals yesterday ended in Jos, the Plateau State capital, with a charge to rise up to the challenge of health needs of Nigerians.

Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, who gave the charge, said the level of medical practice in the country was below average and as such the need for the top medical personnel to change the trend for the benefit of Nigerians.

He said: “The level of medical practice in Nigeria is below average. What has marvelled some of us is not that there are no qualified personnel but poor facilities.

“At the last count, we have over 3,000 qualified medical doctors practicing outside the shores of the country. We are a nation so well endowed, but we never get things right.

“If we don’t put a stop to corruption, we can never get things right.”

Jang told the tertiary hospitals’ chief executives who drawn from 54 federal

health institutions across the country, including teaching hospitals, medical centres and specialist hospitals, that his administration was doing everything possible to improve the health needs of the people.

The governor added that the Plateau Specialist Hospital was being upgraded to a referral hospital.

On his part, the Minister of Health, Prof. Christian Oyebuchi Chukwu, who was spoke through Mr. Alex Anayoma, urged participants to take interest in the clinical governance.

Chukwu said there was need to reduce morbidity and mortality rate attributable to professional incompetence and or negligence.

The minister urged every Chief Medical Director, CMD, to hold meeting with consultants to address issues pertaining morbidity and mortality rate.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chairman of Committee of Chief Medical Directors, Prof. George Ugbede, commended Jang for the assistance the state government had rendered to the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, especially in the development of infrastructure.

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

51

Community Mirror Court jails two for stealing planks

“We don’t think we are going to see inflation above double digits this year.”

CBN GOVERNOR, MALAM LAMIDO SANUSI

52

Fake drug manufacturer arrested in Lagos FRANCIS SUBERU

T

he Ejigbo Police Division has arrested a 58year old suspected fake drugs manufacturer, Ikenna Nne while confiscating large quantity of drugs.

Among the recovered exhibits were two packing machines and five cartons of counterfeited Albendazole tablets.

Also, a large quantity of printed packets for Albendazole tablets and Levonorgestrel (postinor 2) tablets and 37 cartons of leaflets for Zentel were also recovered.

Parading the suspect at the office of the Police Public Relations Officer in Ikeja, spokesperson for Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, said the suspect converted his residence at No. 5 Arochukwu

Street, Ilamoshe, Ejigbo, into a factory for counterfeit drugs.

She said, “When the house was raided, we saw big machines for producing counterfeit drugs in the four bedroom apartment that was converted into a factory.

His arrest was sequel to a tip off by the house owner and the case would be transfered to NAFDAC for further investigations and possible prosecu-

Two women carrying loads with children strapped to their backs waiting to board vehicles at Oshodi, Lagos.

Katsina to sell subsidised grains JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

T

he 34 local government areas of Katsina State are to sell 1,020 tons of assorted grains at subsidised prices to the less privileged in urban and rural communities.

This is to help cushion the economic hardships being faced by many of them.

Speaking at the inauguration of the grain sales in Jibia Council Area, the Deputy Governor, Barrister Abdullahi Faskari, said each council should ensure they reached those in need, even as he said they would be sold for N80 per measure as directed by government.

He said each local council is

expected to purchase 30 tons of grains and sell to the public as this will greatly reduce the sufferings of the people.

Faskari, however, warned that any government employee found diverting the grains would be sanctioned, as the sales will be closely monitored.

He assured that the state government would continue to initiate measures aimed at minimising poverty among the populace, as he stated that the programme was initiated to assist disabled persons, orphans and widows.

He said a similar programme was recently introduced to assist the youths with loan facilities to set up their own businesses.

tion.”

However, the suspect denied that the drugs were counterfeit, adding that they were being manufactured in India and China but repackaged in Lagos.

He disclosed that he has no technical know-how for drug manufacturing, even as he maintained that he only knows how to package them for marketing.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Bauchi donates food to disabled persons EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

T

he Bauchi State Gover nor, Malam Isa Yuguda, has donated more than 8,400 bags of assorted food items to disabled persons in the 20 local gover nment areas of the state.

Yuguda, who distributed the items through his aide, Alhaji Salisu Garba Maisuga said, they will go a long way towards alleviating their suf fering .

He said the items will be distributed to the blind, lepers, cripple, and deaf and dumb, with a view to dis-

couraging them from street be gging.

The food items include 4,100 bags of maize, 2,300 bags of sorghum and 2,000 bags of rice.

Receiving the donations, the Sarkin Makafin Bauchi, Alhaji Abdullahi Jibrin said, the items will be distributed in all the local gover nment areas for subsequent distribution to disabled persons.

Jibrin, thanked the gover nor and reassured the gover nment that disabled persons will redouble their ef forts at praying for peace and prosperity in the state and country.

Security agencies urged to be proactive OKAY OSUJI

T

he Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke has enjoined security agencies to be proactive in tackling safety of lives and property in the state.

Imoke stated this when he received Service Commanders who paid him a courtesy call.

They include the Commissioner of Police, Kola Sodipo, Assistant Inspector General, AIG,of Police Zone 6, Jonathan Johnson, Commanding Officer, 207 Special Mobility Group Nigerian Air Force, NAF, AVM Andy Giwa Tsakr, Commanding Officer, NNS Victory, Commodore James Oladapo Oluwole and Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Benito Eze. He said the state would not have been the safest in the country if the agencies were not proactive to security situations, even as he maintained that with the state of tourism and investment, there is need for peace to be maintained.

He called on them to exhibit a high level of discipline to enable them perform their duties, while pledging support and assistance to ensure Cross River remains safe for investment.

Imoke observed that the Air Force station at Calabar has grown in size since his assumption of office and said it was proper for it to be equipped with sophisticated gadgets, jets and manpower not only for security of the state but for Nigeria.

According to him, the armed forces should have the right resources at their disposal and work together to ensure peace, while assuring them of a strong partnership.

On NSCDC, he averred that their role is important to the community and urged them not to compromise, as they carry out their assignments,even as he promised to provide them with logistics and accommodation to enable them perform their duties.

Earlier, the newly-appointed commanders, commended the governor and pledged to ensure security for tourists, investors and citizens in the state.

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Community Mirror

Friday, March 22, 2013

Court jails two for stealing planks FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

A

n Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, the state capital has sentenced two persons to two years imprisonment each for stealing planks valued at N40, 000.

The convicts; Ahmed Sabitu, 22 and Kazeem Oluwole, 18, who were given an option of

N10,000 fine, were said to have committed the offence on March 3rd, 2013 at Lafenwa Sawmill.

The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Augustine Ozimini ,told the court that the convicts stole planks at the sawmill while assaulting the guard on duty, one Seun Ojelabi who accosted them.

He said the offence contravened Sections

561,355 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

“The convicts hit Ojelabi with sticks on the head, injuring him seriously when he saw and challenged them.

They were apprehended by the police when the guard identified them as touts who constitute nuisance at the sawmill area,” he said.

At the court how-

ever, the convicts, who claimed to have had no traceable or fixed address as well as any means of livelihood pleaded guilty to the two count charge of stealing and assault.

Delivering judgement, Magistrate Idowu Olayinka sentenced them to two years imprisonment with an option of N10, 000 fine each.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Plateau to construct dam in Riyom JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

T

he Plateau State Government has paid N38 million as fee for the feasibility of building a multimillion earth dam at Riyom.

The Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Idi Waziri, who disclosed this while signing the contract in the office of the Council Chairman, Sam Audu, said the project is to be completed in six months.

Represented by ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ahmadu Dantong, the commissioner said it was the desire of government to provide potable drinking water to its citizens.

He said the government was worried at the lack of potable water in the local government, hence the initiative to ameliorate the situation,even as he disclosed that the contract was awarded to, BCC Tropical Nig Ltd. “We shall commence work on the earth dam as soon as the feasibility studies are completed, `` he said.

Responding, Managing Director of the firm, Mr Plamen Illiev, said the feasibility studies will be completed as scheduled.

Friday, March 22, 2013

53

Sport

I will be with tthe team in spirit and suppo support them all the way to beat the Harambee Stars

Kaduna United honour Ambrose

55

- SUPER EAGLES STRIKER, IKE UCHE

AYC: F/Eagles miss Kayode against DRC

Africa in W/Cup rumbles

A

fter this weekend’s matches in the CAF preliminary tournament for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the 40 remaining teams will be halfway through the group stage.

With the knowledge that only the 10 group winners advance to the final stage of qualifying, teams will be desperate to claim as many points as they can.

Five African nations will qualify for the World Cup in Brazil after three rounds of qualifying matches.

The first round saw 24 teams trying to make it into the second round of competition, from which the present 10 groups of four teams emerged.

In the third round, the 10 group winners will play off over two legs to determine who will travel to Brazil.

F

lying Eagles’ striker, Olanrewaju Kayode, will miss tomorrow’s African Youth Championship (AYC) final Group B clash against DR Congo after he received his second booking of the competition.

The all-action striker was booked by the Tunisian referee, Youssef Essreyaryi , in Wednesday night’s 1-0 victory against Gabon, for ignoring his whistle by putting the ball into the net after he was blown offside.

His first booking was against Mali in their opening game, which the Nigerians lost 1-0.

Though he has yet to find the back of the net, Kayode has been the livewire of the Flying Eagles strike force with his persistence and speed.

The former Asec Mimosas of Abidjan star has impressed several scouts in Algeria for the U-20 championship.

His likely replacements are Enugu Rangers front man, Alhaji Gero, who was the team’s joint leading scorer in the qualifiers with four goals, and Umar Aminu, who plays as a second striker for Wikki Tourists in the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Today’s Matches Algeria

v

Ghana

Benin

v

Egypt

Kayode

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mikel, Martins plot Harambee’s fall

…As NFF dismisses Kenya’s complaints

Obi Mikel of Nigeria (right) getting away from Yaya Toure of Cote d’Ivoire in a match during the Africa Cup of Nations, South Africa 2013. Below: Obafemi Martins

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

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helsea star, Mikel Obi and newly acquired America Seattle Sounders’ striker, Obafemi Martins, have been businesslike since they joined the Super Eagles’ camp on Tuesday evening.

While Mikel trained with the rest of the squad and expressed readiness to give his all in tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier against Harambee Stars of Kenya, Martins started training with rest of the squad on Wednesday and his impact was felt immediately, going by his quickness on the ball and general concentration throughout.

“There is no small team anywhere ywhere in the world, but we will give our bestt against Kenya and hopefully we can win”,, Martins said.

“We have decided not to do too much talking, but we have the he capacity to beat any team in the world and we heard what our opponents ents have been saying. By Saturday ay, we shall know who is the better er side,” Mikel declared.

Yesterday, the Nigeria Foottball Federation (NFF) dismissed ed complaints of the Harambee ee Stars delegation, that it wass not received on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Wednes-

day, as pure fiction.

In a statement sent to National Mirror, NFF’s Assistant Director (Media), Ademola Olajire, said, “We really didn’t want to be seen to exchange words with the Kenyans on non-existent issues. Nigeria is known to be good hosts at any time and we have not done less for the Kenyan delegation.

“Our protocol officials were at the Lagos airport to receive them, and took them to the Silver Grandeur Hotel, which is not a substandard hotel as being claimed.”

Olajire disclosed that the Kenyans were economical with information on their trip to Nigeria.

“For more than one week, we sent several mails to the Football Kenya Federation but they refused to respond to any. The NFF was forced to be relating with them re through the Kenya Kenyan High Commission in Nigeria.

“Strangely, they the arrived with attitude and they have carried on that way. O On Thursday (yesterday), we flew them to Calabar Calaba and they were received like royalty, receiv with a performance by a cultural troupe thrown in. Yet, they thr carried on with comcar plaints about almost pla everything, including ever questioning why the NFF question took the match to Calabar.” m

Weekend Fixtures South Africa

v

CAR

Ethiopia

v

Botswana

Tunisia

v

Sierra Leone

Eq. Guinea

v

Cape Verde

Cote d’Ivoire

v

Gambia

Tanzania

v

Morocco

Ghana

v

Sudan

Lesotho

v

Zambia

Burkina Faso

v

Niger

Congo

v

Gabon

Nigeria

v

Kenya

Namibia

v

Malawi

Egypt

v

Zimbabwe

Mozambique

v

Guinea

Algeria

v

Benin

Rwanda

v

Mali

Cameroun

v

Togo

DR Congo

v

Libya

Senegal

v

Angola

Liberia

v

Uganda

Dosu counsels Eagles

E

x-Super Eagles’ foremost goalkeeper, Joseph Dosu, wants the team to put their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) victory behind them in order to defeat the Harambee Stars of Kenya on Saturday.

Dosu spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, on the World Cup qualifier.

He said the Eagles must play as if they were starting all over and go all out against the Kenyans when they meet in Calabar to make victory certain.

“All the Eagles need to do is concentrate on the match and remind themselves that the Nations Cup is over so as to come into the game without underestimating their opponents.”

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Sport

Friday, March 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Shell Cup semi-finalists battle at Teslim Stadium ANDREW EKEJIUBA

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he semi-finalists of the ongoing NNPC/ Shell Cup will take to the field today after the successful completion of the draw yesterday in Lagos.

National Mirror gathered from the venue of the draw that Purple Crown College, Enugu, will battle Government College, Ibadan, Oyo State, in the first semi-final at 2pm, while Government Arabic College Gwale, Kano, will confront Government Secondary School, Wuse, Abuja by 4pm in the second semi-final.

Both matches will be played at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Reacting to the draw, captain of the Oyo State team, Abraham Johnson,

expressed the readiness of his team to win the trophy.

“I feel excited getting to the national finals of the competition this year after overcoming our toughest opponents from Edo State.

And from the draws, our target is to overcome Purple Crown College, Enugu and get the opportunity to show the stuff we are made of in the final game which comes up on Sunday. I’m optimistic we will lift the trophy this year.

“I thank the NNPC/ Shell for sponsoring and giving us this opportunity to display our skills through this competition,” he enthused.

Meanwhile, the losers of today’s semi-finals will play on Saturday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, for the third place trophy, while the final comes up on Sunday at the same venue.

Cricketers shape for Botswana IFEANYI EDUZOR

N

ational cricket team began preparations for the International Cricket Council-World Division 7 league 50 overs format slated for next month in Botswana on a good note when it defeated Club Cricket Committee League’s selected eleven in a friendly match at the TBS cricket oval by 194 runs.

The national team batted first, scoring 320 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 50 overs. Kunle Adegbola scored 146 runs off 95 balls, Ricky Shalma had 52 runs off 72 balls, Segun Olayinka scored 34 runs while Ademola Onikoyi had 30 runs off 33 balls.

From the bowling side, Sola Anyia took 3 wickets for 49 runs in 9 overs; Osita Onwuzulike took 2 wickets for 46 runs in 5

Coach Uthe Ogbemi

overs, while Femi Oduyebo took a wicket for 48 runs in 9 overs.

In the second innings, Yemi Adegbola had 30 runs off 34 balls, Leke Oyede scored 21 runs off 18 balls, Yemi Amusa scored 17 runs off 26 balls with Femi Oduyebo having 16 runs off 27 balls.

From the bowling side, Joshua Ogunlola took 5 wickets for 19 runs in 7 overs while Seye Olympio got 2 wickets for 17 runs in 51 overs.

National coach, Uthe Ogbemi, who expressed delight at the result, assured Nigerians of a good outing in Botswana.

“We are working hard to improve on the players’ deficiency ahead of the competition,” Ogbemi told National Mirror yesterday.

Nigeria will meet Fiji, Vanuatu, Germany, Ghana and Botswana in the ICC-World Cricket League.

Tit bits...

Ferdinand Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, has defended his controversial decision to jet to the Middle East to be a television pundit on England’s clash with San Marino.

Ferdinand will fly to Qatar to work on a television broadcast of Friday’s World Cup qualifier.

Ferdinand withdrew from England’s upcoming qualifiers to look after his chronic back problem but has sparked fresh controversy over his marathon trip.

Suarez

W/Cup 2014: Zambia hunts points in Maseru Midfielder Rainford Kalaba has returned from injury to boost Zambia’s chances against Lesotho in Maseru on Sunday

AFOLABI GAMBARI

WITH AGENCY REPORT

C

hipolopolo of Zambia yesterday rounded off preparation for the World Cup 2014 qualifier with Crocodiles of Lesotho scheduled for Maseru on Sunday under pressure from Zambian fans still recovering from disappointment of the team at the recent Africa Nations Cup finals.

The 2012 African champions, who plays their first game after the South Africa fiasco, will seek nothing but total redemption as the team battles to consolidate at the top of Group D which also has Ghana and Sudan.

“A lot of comments have been said by a lot of people,” Zambia Coach, Herve Renard, said in the capital Lusaka yesterday.

“I am aware of what the people ex-

pected of the team as well as myself,” the Frenchman added.

There have been no major changes to the team made by Renard since January, with captain and striker, Christopher Katongo, retaining his place despite his below par showing in South Africa.

There is however much anticipation now that midfielder Rainford Kalaba has fully recovered from a groin injury after struggling with fitness in Nelspruit and whose form symbolised Zambia’s poor AFCON. But Renard has injury worries regarding the fitness of defender Stopilla Sunzu who arrived in camp with a knee problem and did light training.

Victory over Lesotho will keep Zambia top of Group D and move them from six to nine points from three games played.

T/tennis: Lagos juniors set for Tunisia YEMI OLUS

A

n 18-man team will represent Nigeria at the 2013 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) African Junior Championship holding in Nabeul, Tunisia from April 1 to 6.

The squad, sponsored by the Lagos State Government and to be led by the Chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association (LSTTA), Femi Sokoya, will depart Lagos on March 26 with four cadet players who will take part in the ITTF Junior Circuit, preparatory to the ITTF-Africa Juniors.

According to the Secretary General, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Segun Oguntade, the remaining players will join up with the team on March 30 for the AJC which serves off on April 1.

Oguntade expressed the federation’s appreciation to the Lagos State gover-

nor, Babatunde Fashola, for the latter’s belief in grassroots development.

“This confirms Lagos as shining example for others, especially as this set of young athletes also participated at the 18th National Sports Festival and unprecedentedly won five of the seven gold medals in table tennis,” Oguntade said.

“I also want to commend the Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Wahid Oshodi, for ensuring the team’s trip to Tunisia and we hope that the players make Nigeria proud.”

The ITTF-Africa Junior Championships serves as the qualifiers for the World Junior Championships scheduled for Rabat, Morocco from December 1 to 8 this year.

The continent will be represented by four teams each in both categories made up of the top three boys’ and girls’ teams while host Morocco will pick the fourth slot.

Liverpool has no desire to sell striker Luis Suarez, according to Managing Director Ian Ayre. Suarez’s future at Anfield has made headlines this morning after it was reported he would be willing to talk with other clubs following an interview in his native Uruguay.

Ayre has, however, played down any notion the striker may be about to leave Liverpool after signing a four-year deal last August.

Gerrard

Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, is determined to fire England to Brazil in 2014 and get a chance to eradicate some of his personal demons.

Gerrard is desperate to make up for past failures at big tournaments and have one last shot at becoming a “hero in an England shirt”.

The 32-year-old midfielder admits he has underperformed for his country in European Championships and World Cups and is keen to prove himself among the world’s finest footballers.

Johnson

QPR striker, Andrew Johnson, admits it is frustrating knowing that he will not be able to help his team-mates out in their bid to avoid relegation.

Johnson could be back in action within a month, but the severity of his knee injury meant he was left out of the club’s 25-man Premier League squad at the end of January.

Lindergaard Out-of-favour Manchester United goalkeeper, Anders Lindegaard, remains focused on the present, but his agent admits talks have been held with the club regarding his future.

Speculation has suggested that the Danish goalkeeper will look to secure a summer switch after finding his route to the Red Devils’ first team blocked by David de Gea. Lindegaard is concerned that a lack of regular footballer will cost him his place in the Denmark squad.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Friday, March 22, 2013

55

Win Window on Nigerian p players abroad

with IIKENWA NNABUOGOR ikenwa.nnabuogor@gmail.com

Kaduna United honours Ambrose C

Olerum escapes Iranian cleansing

F

ormer Iran-based Nigerian striker Daniel Olerum has declared that he’s happy to finally leave Iran to have a taste of European football, following his short term contract at Serbian side Sloboda Užice. The Enugu-born striker, who made headlines in Iranian football with his amazing goal bursts, says he’s relieved to finally land a contract in Europe after attempts at some European clubs notably in Germany.

Olerum told National Mirror that he was happy to leave Iranian football which he said was not getting conducive for African players. He said he was delighted to escape from what he described as ‘systematic cleansing’ of African players in Iran. Olerum, who won triple individual awards including the Best Foreign player title in the Islamic nation, was fast getting unpopular after his superlative season at Aboo Moslem and struggled to find his scoring touch.

He arrived at the Antalya, Turkey camp of the ambitious Serbian club during their winter build up for a short trial and impressed the managed for a short contract. However, his debut for his new club is delayed as his paperwork is being sorted. He’s seriously eyeing his de-

Olerum

but as he’s expected to make his first bow in the next few days.

“I’m delighted to sign for a European club because Iran was not getting popular for African players any longer,” he said.

“Iranian football is financially rewarding and one of the best leagues in Asia attracting players from all over the world.

“But since they started to clampdown on African players, I knew it was just time for me to leave and seek fresh challenges in Europe.

“Despite achieving so much in Iran and banging three consecutive hat tricks, a record, I was no longer getting right again.

“I’m happy to be here in Serbia though, they are a very small ambitious club, I will continue to knock my career back into shape again.

“I was with the team for a month in Turkey and the training was good. I’m just looking forward to my league debut which is expected to happen soon as my paperwork is expected to come through.”

Olerum is also remembered for the huge role he played in bringing back the corpse of former Rangers and Flying Eagles goalkeeper Sam Okoye who died while on trial in Iran.

eltic defender Efe Ambrose will be honoured with a novelty game organised by his former club Kaduna United in celebration of his winning the AFCON title with the Super Eagles. The game which squares up the Friends of Efe and his former club Kaduna United,will be played at a primary school ground at Barnawa area of the northern Nigerian city.

The Warri native born and bred in Kaduna, who was originally named in the Eagles squad that will take on Kenya this weekend in a World Cup qualifier in Calabar, arrived in Nigeria ahead of the game before he was shocked to learn of his ineligibility due to accumulated yellow cards.

Former Celtic mate Rabiu Ibrahim will lead the pack of Efe’s friends that will tackle the Kaduna side. Efe’s team will also feature some of his Kaduna United mates notably the former Kaduna United captain, Papa Idris, who is now at Kano Pillars. The team is expected to play Kano Pillars star Rueben Gabriel Ibrahim now playing at

Efe Ambrose

Aneke returns against Petrojet

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ormer Nigerian Premier League top scorer Jude Aneke has returned from a slight leg pain and is expected to return for action for his Egyptian club El Daklyeh FC in a league fixture against high-flying Petrojet on April 3. Aneke, the record top scorer in the local league, missed the last two games for his team due to the injury.

He had earlier played three games and netted once since he arrived on loan from troubled El-Masry FC that willingly excused themselves from taking part in the current Egyptian Premier League season because of the hundreds of fans that lost their lives in the infamous league game against AlAhly in 2011.

Aneke and his mates were shipped on loan to different clubs when the league resumed after suffering multiple suspensions that crippled the league for a year.

Aneke told National Mirror that he was glad to be back playing again and promised a good outing against Petrojet.

“I was sad to miss the last two games due to injury but that’s football. Injury is part of the game but I’m good to go now,” Aneke declared.

“I had looked forward to scoring more goals since my first goal in our 2-1 defeat at home to Ismaily last month but it was unfortunate the pain prevented me.

“But I’m back and better now. Petrojet are a solid club this season and we must go into the game with utmost seriousness.

“I hope to return with a goal and God’s willing, it will happen for me.”

Aneke is expected to return to his original club with whom he penned a three-year contract at the end of the season when they will stage a comeback to the league.

Kilmarnock, is expected to hit Kaduna from his base in Abuja for the big occasion.

The former Eaglets star who was declared surplus to requirement at Celtic, also breezed into the country for a short holiday to observe the FIFA Free day.

Close sources told National Mirror that Efe would not be travelling to Calabar to cheer his mates. He’s equally spending the FIFA free day with his family.

“Efe is elated with the grand reception his former club is organising for him because of his immense contribution to the team, having served them for seasons,” the source added.

“He brought honour to the club by winning the AFCON title and the team is pleased to honour him. He’s also expected to be presented with other gifts.”

Efe spent the better part of his career at Kaduna United before he took his game abroad, joining Israeli side Ashdod in 2011 before the Scottish giants snapped him up last summer. He’s currently attracting interests from top spenders in England.

‘IK’ Uche warns former club

A

s Villarreal face Recreativo Huelva in the 31st round of matches in the Segunda Division on Sunday, March 24, Ikechukwu Uche has warned his former club.

Respected Spanish sports daily Marca quoted Uche as saying: ‘’We are in a good position and we must strive to achieve our fourth consecutive victory.’’

The 29 -year - old Nigeria international has admitted that the game with Recreativo Huelva will not be easy as the club are looking for points having lost their last four matches in the championship.

Uche was a cult hero at Recreativo where his goals ensured their promotion to the top flight in the 2006/07 season after many years in the lower

Ikechukwu

rungs. He also claimed the Pichichi award (top scorer award) netting a total of 20 goals.

With eight goals in 22 matches, Ikechukwu Uche is the top scorer of the Yellow Submarine in the league.

WORLD RECORD

Oldest seed germinated Vol. 03 No. 583

Friday, March 22, 2013

The Kano luxury bus killings

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he last Monday multiple bomb blasts in a major luxury park in Kano, in which scores of innocent Nigerians died, have again ignited the fear of reprisal attacks on northerners in other parts of the country; and possible civil war if nothing is quickly done to tame the Boko Haram monster. In his speech when the Senate deliberated on the callous waste of lives on Wednesday, Senator Uche Chukwumerije told his colleagues that based on several phone calls he received from Ohanaeze and the leadership of the Igbo in Kano, as well as eyewitness reports, between 100 and 120 Nigerians died as a result of the bomb attacks, and that 80 per cent of them were of Igbo ethnic background.

The Senator said: “The feedback is that the target this time seems to be undoubtedly ethnic and regional and this has to

SO, THAT MAKES YOU COMRADES?

FRIDAYS WITH Dozie Okebalama

dozieokeama@yahoo.co.uk 08164966858 (SMS only) be addressed as ethnicity and religion are tense areas in Nigeria… Five buses were involved and all five buses belong to owners of the same ethnic group… More dangerous still, they believe that the Monday mayhem was a pre-meditated attack primarily aimed at Igbos...” He said some of the implications were the possibility of extreme alienation and resort to the option of withdrawing allegiances from the government, since the most crucial of the obligations of a state is the protection of life and property. Chukwumerije stated in conclusion: “The fight against terrorism is like a football match. The people are not interested in stories of efforts being made, but in actual results like victory goals in a football match”.

Not surprisingly, down in the East, reports speak of persisting tension, with panic-stricken non-indigenes from the North hurriedly shutting down their businesses in Onitsha, the eastern commercial capital and running away to safety in police barracks and military formations in the city and Asaba, the Delta State capital and next-door neighbour to Onitsha. Reports said the quick intervention of the security agencies saved the situation.

For its part, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a panIgbo socio-cultural organization was quoted as saying that it could no longer guarantee the civil response of its people to the continued killings of the Igbo in

H

PRESIDENT

JONATHAN SHOULD RETURN TO THE

DRAWING BOARD; AND MUST NOT WAIT UNTIL HE IS ASSASSINATED BEFORE HE ACTS some northern states. Secretary General of the group, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, was quoted as saying: “These Islamists fundamentalists’ murderers must be tackled with the same ruthlessness with which they destroy lives.”

However, despite reports credited to some Igbo governors and the leader of the militant Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, shortly after the latest killings in Kano, that there would be no reprisal attacks on northerners resident in the South East, it has become obvious, from all indications, that reprisal attacks capable of snowballing to another civil strife cannot be ruled out if the reckless loss of human lives in the North continues unabated. And when it unfortunately commences, no Igbo leader – governors, Uwazurike and eminent persons may be able to contain

the conflagration, just as northern leaders have failed woefully in reining in the cruel and unprovoked assaults on innocent lives in the North. When early last year, the Boko Haram sect gave southerners resident in the North a three-day ultimatum to quit the region, Ohanaeze, at a meeting it held in Enugu, instructed the Igbo up North to send their wives and children back to the South East, while the men should stay behind and overlook their investments pending what happens next. The hope had been that after a little while, the Federal Government would take decisive steps to halt the ongoing pogrom in the North. Since halting it has become a mirage, the FG should expect the worst henceforth if it does not still understand the horrible intentions of the northern insurgents for the nation.

The legitimacy of the FG has largely been eroded by the government’s inability to protect life and property in the North.

The unhindered attacks on innocent Nigerians in that part of the country seem to be justifiable grounds for fresh agitations for federating units wishing to secede.

It is no longer sufficient to keep preaching non-reprisals, or for President Goodluck Jonathan to be wringing his hands in utter surrender. Government’s lip service and platitudes about ending the bloodbath should now give way for a firmer and more concrete determination to restore sanity to the North. It is the bounden duty of the president to protect life and property. But having allowed the insurgents to ridicule and portray him as a castrated, and therefore, impotent President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Jonathan should return to the drawing board; and must not wait until he is assassinated before he acts.

Consequently, reclaiming the North might involve such bold and courageous steps as temporarily evacuating non-indigenes from all the strife-torn northern states; and thereafter, sitting back to determine what emergency measures can avail in flushing insurgency out of the North.

Sport Extra

w eavyweight boxer, David Haye, is reported to be planning a return to the ring for the first time in a year on July 6.

Rumours had been circulating that Haye was looking to become a legitimate challenger to the

N150

The oldest seed germinated is a 2,000-year-old date seed originally discovered at Masada in the 1960s and planted by Dr Sarah Sallon (Israel) of The Louis Borick Natural Medicine Research Centre in the Hagasa Medical Organization, Jerusalem, and Dr Elaine Soloway of Kibbutz Ketura, Israel, in 2005.

Boxing: Haye eyes July ring return world heavyweight titles after failing to secure a date with WBC champion Vitali Klitschko.

The 32-year-old has had just one fight since his woeful attempt to beat Wladi-

mir Klitschko in the summer of 2011, beating Dereck Chisora at Upton Park last July.

Haye fought under a Luxembourg licence on that occasion having ‘retired’ fol-

lowing the Klitschko loss.

However, latest reports said the British board has agreed to re-licence the Londoner pending the usual medical tests.

Haye is still highly

ranked by the sanctioning bodies but must work his way into a mandatory position after talks with both Klitschkos reached a stalemate.

Elder brother Vitali now eyes a political career, while Wladimir searches for victims in the ring.

David Haye

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