Monday, July 16, 2012 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Nationalised banks: AMCON names advisers soon JOHNSON OKANLAWON

Chike-Obi

he Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, Mr. Mustapha

Chike-Obi has said that the 11 advisers for the nationalised banks would be announced in the next two weeks. The banks are Keystone Bank (formerly Bank

Vol. 2 N0. 404

PHB), Mainstreet Bank (Afribank) and Enterprise Bank (Spring Bank). Speaking with our correspondent yesterday, ChikeObi said the corporation

THE

BUSINESS SECTION

Senate sets completion date for PHCN N successor firms

MDGs to scale up activities in States, LGs Free inside insi nsiide de P.A4

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Monday, July 16, 2012

Oshiomhole:

N150

Victory, blow to riggers AYODELE OJO AND SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN

Gov wins landslide as PDP concedes defeat

overnor Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, yesterday recorded a resounding victory over his opponents in the Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governorship election in Edo State, as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared him winner of the poll. He described his victory as a blow to election CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

326 Nigerians evacuated from Libya

Again, flood ravages Ibadan P.8,52

Governor Adams Oshiomhole celebrating with ACN supporters.

ACN Oshiomhole

PDP Airhiavbere

ANPP Edebiri

CPC Izeobuwe

SDMP LP Ukonga Igwemoh

NCP Orunmwese

477,478 75.9%

144, 235 22.89%

3,642 0.57%

2,793 0.44%

807 0.12%

540 0.085%

604 0.095%

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ACN salutes ‘people power’ in Edo, slams PDP

he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has hailed the courage and determination of the people of Edo State, who defied all odds to vote and defend their votes in order to return Gov. Adams Oshiomhole to the state house for another four years. In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the good people of the state have shown, by the action, that true sovereignty lies with the people. “The courageous and determined people of Edo State refused to be intimidated by the massive deployment of security forces by the PDP-controlled Federal Government. They overcame the shenanigans of a colluding INEC and rendered irrelevant the dirty tricks of misguided moneybags. In the end, they shut out the do-nothing PDP,” it said. ACN said the lessons to be drawn from the party’s landslide victory over the PDP include that even one million soldiers cannot change the course of history when they confront a determined people, that there is always a reward for any elected official who truly serves the people, and that the people reserve the inalienable right to choose those who will lead them.”

See your victory as a challenge –NLC

he Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday urged Governor Adams Oshiomhole to see the victory as a challenge to take up the gauntlet again and consolidate on gains made in the last four years. In a statement signed by Mr Abdulwaheed Omar, the NLC President, the congress also congratulated all those who defied the ordeals of the elections to ensure justice in the country. “It is a victory well deserved for the people of Edo State and a triumph of democracy in our country. “We commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in spite of the hitches, for rising up to the challenge, regardless of all pressures to conduct a free and fair election,” it said. The statement also commended the security agencies for resisting pressure.

Monday, July 16 , 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EDO GUBER POLL

Jubilation greets re-election SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

s soon as Governor Adams Oshiomhole was officially declared winner, thousands of supporters defied the early morning downpour and trooped out to the streets of Benin and other parts of the state in jubilation as they embarked on victory procession. Supporters of ACN, wellwishers and voters, including literate and illiterate, young and aged, professionals and artisans, all poured into the streets, dancing and waving the blue and white-coloured flags of ACN along with brooms. Motorcycle riders, (Okada men) stood on top of their bikes and hooted on top speed while passengers stood on cars celebrating Oshiomhole’s victory with a shout of the man they fondly called Oshio-Baba. Governor Oshiomhole,

who joined the victory procession round the city, thanked the people of the state for turning out en masse to vote for him for a second term in office. The procession later moved into the Government House where Oshiomhole addressed them for about one hour inside the rains. The governor promised to work harder since “victory is an invitation to hard work.” Oshiomhole said: “The lesson of this election is that Edo people have decided to reject politics of ethnicity. They have decided to reject politics of chop-chop. Edo can never be same way. You are the best. You are the greatest. You are the strongest. God bless you all.” The governor said the result of the election, which he described as “landslide victory” was a true reflection of the wish of the people. He assured the people of the state that with his re-

election, more development would come to every part of the state as he promised during his campaigns. He said: “God has blessed our project, it is finished. Now is the time to give thanks to God, that today, a Holy Sunday, the people of Edo State have spoken across Edo South,

across Edo Central, across Edo North, our people are united by a common desire to build a new Edo State, to consolidate on our projects and together to take Edo State to the next level. “I thank you for standing on your feet. On our feet, we shall fight for freedom, we shall never go on our knees.

You young ones must remember that this fight was and is for your tomorrow. “It’s for your freedom, your right to choose who governs you. We must make a statement that election riggers are out of business. What we owe is to sustain the development programmes.”

An Action Congress of Nigeria supporter on a party-branded vehicle.

PHOTO:YINKA ADEPARUSI

PDP concedes defeat, may seek redress if... that though it received with mixed feelings the results of the election however it still await the reports of its monitors in different locations in the state in order to determine its next course of action. It, however, commended the people of Edo State for their enthusiastic participation in the exercise. According to him: “We congratulate the winner for this victory. This is, however, without prejudice to our right to seek redress if we observe from our field reports any foul play.

“In the course of our campaigns, we told the people that our entry into the race was not a do or die. We did our best to provide a credible alternative to the people of the state. We shared their hope for a re-entry into the main stream of Nigerian politics. We shared their sentiments in their yearning to join the list of progressive states administered by the PDP. However, to our disappointment, the results as declared by INEC did not go our way. “As a party that respects the institutions of democracy, and in demonstration of the spirit of sports-

manship which is the acclaimed principle of the PDP under the leadership of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, we call on all our supporters to accept this results as declared by INEC. “We therefore urge our supporters to remain calm, law-abiding and resist any temptation to take the law into their hands.” Similarly, the National Chairman of the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, has congratulated the ACN and Governor Oshiomhole for the victory, saying that it is a well deserved electoral victory. The party chairman, Ogbonaya Onu, also

thanked the people of Edo State for being resolute pillars of democracy by insisting and ensuring that the votes counted and the voter mattered as it should be in a participatory democracy. In its own congratulatory message, the Labour Party (LP) Chairman, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu said that “victory hard earned has brought the resolve of Nigerian people particularly this time around Edo people to the word honesty, dedication and hard work in governance by returning Adams Oshiomhole to do another four years in office.”

Rauf Aregbesola, has described Oshiomhole’s victory as a triumph of people’s will and aspiration in the nation’s democratic evolution. Aregbesola said the landslide victory of Governor Oshiomhole at the poll is a demonstration of the people of Edo State’s love for democracy and good governance exemplified by the ACN. Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State also congratulated Oshiomhole, saying it was a well-deserved victory. In a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, Ajimobi said Osh-

iomhole’s landslide victory at the poll was an appreciation of his outstanding performance in the last four years by the people of Edo State. Governor Kayode Fayemi Ekiti State also described the re-election of Oshiomhole as a well deserved reward for his purposeful leadership and the positive impact of his administration on the lives of the Edo people. Fayemi also hailed the Edo State electorate for coming out en masse and their boldness and courage in “taking their electoral decision based on critical evaluation of the ability, credibility and antecedence

of the candidates.”. Also Governor Ibikunle Amosun described Oshiomhole’s victory as “a reward for hard work and commitment to the welfare of the people of Edo State.” Amosun, in statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Mrs Funmi Wakama, said: “Comrade Oshiomhole has set a new template for governance, which has led to the transformation of Edo State in an unprecedented scale in the last four years.” Governor Peter Obi of Anambra described Oshiomhole’s re-election as a victory for democracy, Edo and Nigeria.

“I knew what Edo State used to be and what it is now due to Oshiomhole’s developmental strides. This is a good lesson of what politics should be – the promotion of the totality of the welfare of the people. “I am happy to note that in Oshiomhole’s case, he is doing exactly that and that his work and not the amount of money he was able to share, commended him to the people,” he stated. The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed also described the election of Oshiomole as another milestone in the collective efforts to strengthen democratic culture in the country.

... ANPP, LP speaks OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has conceded defeat in the Saturday governorship election held in Edo State but has also threatened to seek redress if evidence shows any fraudulent practices. But his party has conceded victory shortly after the result was announced. In a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party stated

Governors congratulate Oshiomhole WALE FOLARIN, ABIODUN NEJO, MURITALA AYINLA

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola yesterday said Oshiomhole victory was never in doubt, describing the victory as a sweet one for the nation’s democracy and the social contract on which democracy finds its voice. He said: “For too long, our people have suffered bad governance; the social contract is beginning to make its impact. It was not whether Oshiomole will win, it was by what margin. Osun State governor, Mr.

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Monday, July 16, 2012

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Monday, July 16 , 2012

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EDO GUBER POLL

Victory, pointer to electoral battles ahead –Tinubu AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, POLITICS

ational Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday described the electoral victory of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in the Saturday’s election as signals of a new phase in the electoral battles yet to come. Tinubu said: “The people of Edo have shown that the popular will can beat vested interests when the people organise to cast and then protect their votes. However, even amid today’s celebration of this democratic victory, I must speak a word of important caution. The political chicanery of the PDP has lost a major battle. Yet, the war is not over. They will regroup in their shadowy chambers and seek new more devious and effective ways to kidnap the people’s mandate in upcoming elections. “It is for people of other states to now take heart and learn lessons from what the people of Edo achieved. Edo has taught us we can have democracy if we want it badly enough and if we organise to defeat the machinations of those who would rather lord over rather than

serve us. The people of Edo have again given life to the words that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. We owe it to ourselves and the future of this nation, not to let this lesson go to waste. Thus, we celebrate democracy’s triumph in Edo but we shall also not lower our guard because we realise that antidemocratic forces still lurk underfoot.” The former governor noted that by handing Comrade Oshiomhole an

overwhelming victory in Saturday’s governorship election, the people of Edo state have served notice that “never again” in their state will the public’s mandate and right to pick the leaders of their choice be stolen. “I have talked to Governor Oshiomhole to congratulate him on this historic victory. He understands the weight of the moment and that now, even more than during his first term, he must do honour to the trust

the people have placed in him. He promised to be an even better servant of the people during these next four years. Governor Oshiomhole represents a break with the old. He represents a new brand of dedicated, intelligent and industrious leadership. He symbolizes the democratic mindset, the progressive ideals and the strong work ethic of the ACN,” he said.” Tinubu described the election as more than Governor Oshiomhole and Edo

State. His words: “It was a contest pitting democracy and the people on one side against the powerful and corrupt ruling political elite on the other. As such, this victory signals a new chapter in our democratic struggle. Try as they might, this elite employed every old election rigging trick and invented some new ones. It deployed the behemoth weight of government and party to break the democratic aspirations of the people of Edo State.”

The Returning Officer of Edo Governorship Election, Prof.Osayuki Oshodi (L), announcing the result of the governorship election yesterday.

Clark hails Oshiomhole SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

he Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark yesterday hailed the re-election of Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, in the last Saturday governorship polls held in the state. The former Minister of Information congratulated the governor, adding that his re-election was an acknowledgement of his good performance in his first term in office by the people of Edo State. Clark expressed satisfaction that the electorate in Edo State re-elected Oshiomhole in a free and free electoral contest. He urged Oshiomhole to sustain his tempo of his good performance which endeared him to the people. He added: “I congratulated Adams Oshiomhole for being re-elected for second term. I am happy that Edo people have decided and chosen whom they wanted as governor for the next four years. The people of Edo state have chosen who is good for them to continue the legacy of Samuel Ogbemudia.

Secrity agents at INEC headquarters in Benin after the announcement of the election results

Democracy, the winner, says Atiku

ormer Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said that democracy as expressed in the unfettered will of the people to choose their leader is the greatest winner in weekend governorship election in Edo State that saw the re-election of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The former Vice President made the assertion yesterday in Abuja while congratulating Governor Oshiomhole on his re-election. Atiku in a statement

made available to National Mirror yesterday said the decision of the people of Edo State to re-elect Governor Oshiomhole is a clear confirmation that the people are satisfied with the performance of their governor in his first term in office. Atiku said that it is becoming increasingly clear that Nigerians are ready to take full advantage of democracy as a system of representative government following the way in which the election was monitored by Nigerians via the social

media platforms. He commended the people of Edo State for the discipline and tolerance they had exhibited in expressing their choice in the election. “The way and manner the people of Edo State conducted themselves at the polling booths in weekend’s governorship election has further bolstered my confidence that democracy has indeed come to stay in Nigeria,” Atiku said. While also commending the candidate of his Peo-

ples Democratic Party, PDP, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) for making himself available as a formidable democratic alternative in the election, the former Vice President noted that the loss in Edo State should be taken in good faith as it was never a do-or-die in the first place. He said that the loss is not a referendum on the PDP, as some may want to posit, but offers unique opportunity for the ruling party to reflect on the way forward.

Oshiomhole’s re-election, a reward for service –Mark, Tambuwal GEORGE OJI AND TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

resident of the Senate, Senator David Mark, yesterday congratulated Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on his victory at the Edo gubernatorial polls describing his re-election as a reward for his service to the people of the state. According to Mark, “this re-election is a reward for service. It must serve as an elixir for greater performance. You must therefore continue to do only those things that have made you the best choice of your people. You must therefore continue to make service to your people the focal point of your administration.” Mark urged Oshiomhole to be magnanimous in victory, noting that the issue of election had come and gone and that Oshiomhole as well as his fellow contestants “must do the needful by joining hands together to build a new Edo State in the overall interest of the people. Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, has hailed the victory of Governor Adams Oshiomhole on his electoral victory for a second term. The speaker through a laudatory message signed by his media Aide, Imam Imam, acknowledged Oshiomhole’s win as a sign of his acceptance by the people, advising the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and other losing parties not to resort to illegal methods in challenging the governor’s victory. “Oshiomhole’s victory was a manifestation of the people’s trust and confidence in his leadership,” Tambuwal stated. He advised “Oshiomhole to see the fresh mandate given to him for a second term in office as a call to further duty in the service of his fatherland and an immense opportunity to carry forward the policies and projects initiated during his first term to promote progress and development of Edo State.”

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Monday, July 16, 2012

Oshiomhole: Victory, blow to riggers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

riggers. “We must make a statement that election riggers are out of business,” Oshiomhole said. According to the result announced by the Returning Officer, Prof. Osayuki Oshodi, at the INEC headquarters in Benin, Oshiomhole scored 477,478 votes to defeat five other candidates in the election, to clinch his second term in office. Maj.-Gen.Charles Airhiavbere of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, came a distant second, polling 144, 235 votes, while Chief Solomon Edebiri of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, secured 3,642 votes to come third. The Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, candidate, Mr. Roland Izeobuwe, came fourth with 2,793 votes and Mr. Frank Ukonga of Social Democratic Movement Party, SDMP, followed with 807 votes. Mr. Andrew Igwemoh of Labour Party, LP, scored 604 votes, while Mr. Paul Orunmwese of National Conscience Party, NCP, scored 540 votes in the contest. The incumbent governor won in all the 18 local government areas of the state and satisfied the requirements of the law to be declared winner of the contest. “I, Prof. Oshodi as the returning officer, hereby certify that I was the returning officer of the July 14 governorship election and hereby declare that Oshiomhole, having satisfied the requirement of the law and having scored the highest number of votes cast is hereby declared winner,” the INEC official said. The results clearly indicated a landslide victory, quite contrary to the close pace, two-horse race that political experts had predicted. The winner won the election in all the 18 councils in the state and scored about 73 per cent of votes to his closest rival’s 23 per cent. The total number of valid votes were 630,099; total number of rejected votes at 17,599 while total registered voters for the election stood at 1, 651, 099. The election was full of surprises as PDP bigwigs failed to deliver their respective wards for the party.

The leader of the party and former Works Minister, Chief Tony Anenih, was defeated by Oshiomhole’s ACN at the Uzenema Primary School voting centre in Uromi, where Anenih voted. At the end of voting, ACN scored 3,120 votes against PDP’s 1,004 votes in Anenih’s domain. Also, the PDP candidate, Airvhiavbere lost his polling unit to Oshiomhole. Airhiavbere voted at Garrick Memorial Grammar School, Oredo Ward 1, Unit 20, where he trailed far behind Oshiomhole’s 360 votes against his 38 votes. The winner extended the conquest to Owan, the voting territory of Airhiavbere’s running mate, Hon. Johnson Abolagba; to Fugar, the voting centre of the Chief of Staff to President Jonathan, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe; and to Ogbona, the voting centre of Edo PDP Chairman, Chief Dan Osi Orbih. Oghiadome could not deliver his polling unit for the PDP with ACN scoring 169 votes against PDP’s 129. The Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, lost his polling unit to the ACN. The senator representing Edo Central (PDP), Odion Ugbesia and Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen also lost their respective polling units. In his reaction, Airhiavbere said: “I have heard the result, but I am still studying the result.” Airhiavbere yesterday said he would not congratulate Governor Oshiomhole pointing out that the acclaimed winner had faulted the electoral process before his declaration by the same body on Sunday. Airhiavbere spoke yesterday during an interactive session with journalists at his Benin residence. According to him, “I won’t fully comment on the election because the acclaimed winner had earlier in the day about 1p.m. condemned the electoral system, he condemned the chairman of INEC for the process that has not ended. That process at the end of the day declared him the winner. “I will observe in the next few days before I make my comment. It could have been easy to congratulate him but he also had preempted the system that

brought him. He thanked the Edo People for their support during the exercise.“The election of Saturday has come and gone. I want to seize this opportunity to thank all the people of Edo State for coming out en masse to make yesterday’s exercise the most peaceful election ever experienced in Edo State. I also want to thank them for keeping faith with me. I want to seize this opportunity to thank the PDP faithful for coming to support me.”

The governor also addressed a press conference at the Government House where he hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for supporting the one-man-onevote campaign that successfully facilitated a free, fair and credible election in Edo State. Oshiomhole described President Jonathan as a statesman and a man of honour. The governor attributed the peaceful conduct of the governorship election in Edo on Saturday to Jona-

than’s determination to enthrone credible democracy in Nigeria. “I want to appreciate Mr. President with his resolve and public pronouncement that he would provide adequate security for the people and the INEC staff before, during and after the election. “I am glad that Mr. President kept to his words of assurance that there would be no thuggery, hooliganism and violence during the Edo governorship election.”

He said that the president had led by example, which is the hallmark of a statesman. “He is indeed a statesman, a man of honour because there was adequate and effective presence of security agents on ground. “I am impressed because the army actually played a neutral role in the election,” the governor said. On his victory at the polls, he congratulated his six opponents, saying he was willing to collaborate CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

L-R:Chairman, Journalists Estate Residents Development Association, JERDA, Mr. Gbayode Somuyiwa; Secretary-General, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Mr. Seyi Smith; Ogun State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Lekan Adegbite; Hon. Olumide Osoba; Sokoto State Commissioner for Information, Danladi Bako; Managing Director, Thisday Newspapers, Mr.Eniola Bello and President, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Garba Muhammed at the foundation laying ceremony of JERDA centre, Arepo, Ogun State at the weekend. PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Nationalised banks: AMCON names advisers soon CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

had concluded the process of selection and they would be made public. He added that listing of the banks on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, was one of the options being considered by the corporation. Chike-Obi had said in May that the corporation had selected 11 advisers out of the 44 who sent expressions of interest. He said: “We are now in the process of evaluating what the nationalised banks are worth. We received 44 Expressions of Interest from different advisers, but we shortlisted 11 entries that would soon

get requests for proposals. So, in the next four to six weeks from now AMCON will announce the advisors for the nationalised banks. “The shortlisted advisers will get detailed Request for proposals. In the proposal, we will specify what we want them to do and they will give out their fees. But this is going to take a while and will be very transparent.” Chike-Obi pointed out that the corporation would get the best return, adding that the whole process would be done in the best interest of the financial sector. The AMCON boss add-

ed that the corporation needed the advisers to know the present worth of the banks. He said: “Selling a bank is a serious matter. We don’t know what the banks are worth today. We need experts to go into the banks and value what their current worth is. For us to say this is how much we are selling this, we need to know the value. “Also, we need the experts to go into the banks to tell us the best options open to us. From there, we will come up with our plans. Selling a bank is not like selling a piece of corn, it’s a complicated process. So yes, we will

get advisors, look at different options available to us and come up with plans. People should be patient.” On the state of the nationalised banks, he noted that they were all profitable, adding that they were not living on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s lifeline. He said: “My concern is that they have too much liquidity, some of them have 90 per cent liquidity. What we are telling them is to start lending because they are sitting awash with cash. We want them to buy less government security and make more loans available to the real sector.”

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Monday, July 16, 2012

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Oil deposits in Chad, Bida basins excite northern govs OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

he Northern states can now heave a sigh of relief as the quantity of oil deposits in the Chad and Bida basins is said to be in commercial quantity and can be equated to the deposits in the South-South. Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu also hinted that the North is prospecting for crude oil. He told the Economic Confidential that there is oil in the Chad basin and the Bida basin in Niger State. Aliyu said governors of the Northern region have also started the process of prospecting for the oil not only to shore up their fiscal position but also to prepare the North against the continued threat of oil domination from the south. According to him: “We have not made any serious effort to tap these resources. We in Niger State have commissioned the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University at Lapai to carry out a survey of the Bida basin for the presence of oil and so far the report we are getting is cheering.”

The governor, who is the chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, disclosed that the financial situation in most states in the North is assuming a precarious state. He said that the situation has been compounded by the introduction of a new minimum wage for workers in all the states of the country irrespective of the fact that they are in a federation and the poor internally generated revenue base of most states after the payment of salaries. The governor regretted that most states have little resources to fund projects. “States have been looking for other sources of funds to enable them meet their obligations,” he said, adding that “some states have gone to the capital market to get money to finance capital projects dear to the people while others resort to loans from commercial banks. This is why we have been asking that the Revenue Allocation Formula should be reviewed. “As the case is now, there is too much money at the centre so we need to change the position because it is in the states and local government areas

that we have the people. I will still want the revenue allocation formula to be reviewed if for nothing it has outstayed its usefulness, especially when it is the law that it should be reviewed every 10 years.” On the recurrent communal clashes in the North, Governor Aliyu said that initially they thought the crises were

religious before they realised other dimensions to the violent. He said: “At first we believed that it was religion but with the dimension it has taken we need to carry out a thorough investigation into those behind these frequent attacks which have not only turned the North Eastern part of the coun-

try to ghost states and towns. “One thing I know is that the communal clashes and frequent bomb blasts portend great danger for Nigeria as a country. Now you can see people moving in large numbers from one part of the country to the other this is not the type of country we want.

L-R: Former Minister of State for Education, Chief Kenneth Gbagi; Rotary International President, Mr. Sakuji Tanaka and District Governor, District 9125 Nigeria, Rot. Felix Obadan, during a dinner in honour of Tanaka in Abuja, at weekend.

Oshiomhole: Victory, blow to riggers

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

with them with a view to moving the state to a higher and better level. He thanked the traditional institution, especially the palace of Oba of Benin. The governor said that “his majesty has shown and demonstrated true leadership qualities” since his assumption of office during his first term. He assured the people of the state of his continued development efforts, saying that their massive turnout at the poll is a testimony that there was a need for the people to rise above ethnic politics. “We are all Edo people and should live and think alike if we have to bring rapid development to our people rather than dissipate our energies over frivolities such as ethnic politics,” he said. Speaking on the challenge that was provided by his challengers, Oshiomhole said: “I believe they

have raised the stakes of election. I want to formally extend my hand of friendship to them.I believe each and every one of us who participated in the election believed in Edo State. There is really no loser. The people are the winners in a democracy. I have been elected to govern the whole of Edo State. I call on them all to work with me. There is enough space for everyone and together, we will take Edo State to another level.” Oshiomhole commended the two-time governor, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, as a “role model” and appreciated the personality of Chief Tony Anenih even as he attributed their political differences to seperate backgrounds. On Anenih, he said: “Let me put on record that I appreciate him as an elder of our state who deserves the respect of all of us. I appreciate him, I respect him and I will continue to respect him irrespective of our po-

“We want a country where people will live in peace with one another irrespective of their place of birth or religious beliefs.” The governor bemoaned the neglect of agriculture and industrialization by Nigerian elites and called for dialogue to resolve the nation’s problems.

litical backgrounds. I will continue to show respect to him and members of his political party.” In the meantime, the Edo State chapter of the PDP has said it is studying the outcome of the governorship election, assuring that the party will stand in the gap for Edo people. The party in a statement by the state publicity secretary, Matthew Urhoghide said: “Edo PDP wishes to congratulate Edo people over their decision of July 14, 2012 on who rules them in the next four years. This is, however, without prejudice to all other latent issues that may arise subsequently after a thorough study of all the issues appertaining to the election. “Our party being part and parcel of the people, will always feel their pulse and do their bidding. The PDP in Edo State will like to reassure Edo people that we have learnt from our immediate and past expe-

riences and promise to always stand in the gap for Edo people in their quest to achieve to the fullest, their aspiration of quality life. The party thanked INEC, law enforcement agencies and all those who assisted in making the election process a very peaceful one. Urhoghide also appreciated PDP faithful that have “remained resolute and dogged in their pursuits and determination to ensure good governance for our people.” President Jonathan yesterday described Oshiomhole’s re-election as an endorsement of his outstanding performance in his first term of office. The president, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, congratulated the governor for a deserved victory. He said: “The President urges Governor Oshiomhole to receive the fresh

mandate given to him yesterday by the people of Edo State as an endorsement of his outstanding performance in his first term and an expression of their desire for a continuation of his focused, purposeful and dynamic leadership. “He expects that the Governor will work even harder in his second term to justify the confidence in his leadership clearly expressed by the Edo State electorate yesterday and assures him that the Federal Government will continue to give all possible support and assistance for development in the state.” President Jonathan also commended INEC, its personnel and the nation’s security services for ensuring that the elections were free and fair in keeping with his administration’s commitment to continually strengthening democracy in Nigeria through the establishment of a more cred-

ible electoral system. “President Jonathan wishes the ComradeGovernor continued good health and a successful second term in the service of Edo State and Nigeria,” the statement added. In a related development, the new Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Femi Adenaike, said the body of one of the three police officers that died in a speedboat mishap while delivering materials for the election to a community in Ologbo has been recovered. Adenaike, who did not reveal the names of the three policemen and an INEC ad-hoc staff that died in the incident, told National Mirror that the body of the Inspector has been recovered while the search for the others, two of which are constables, continues. He declared the driver of the boat, who allegedly drove the boat under the influence of alcohol, wanted by the police.

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News

Monday, July 16, 2012

NMMA award: Judges begin work on 1, 279 entries TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

he assessment of entries submitted by journalists for the 2012 Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) has begun with a ceremony in Lagos. About 1,279 entries were received from 854 entrants in the print, radio and television categories and these were handed over to the 24-member Panel of Assessors.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony last week, Chief Administrator and member of the NMMA Board of Trustees, Mr. Yemi Akeju, who was represented by the General Administrator, Mr. Eniola Ashaolu, said this year’s submission marks the largest number of entries and entrants ever received in the history of the NMMA since inception 22 years ago. According to him, this year’s entries is about 90

to100 per cent higher than that of last year and this confirmed the growing interest and confidence of media practitioners and institutions in the vision, objectives and achievements of the NMMA over the years. Giving a breakdown of the entries, Akeju said while 1,102 entries were received from 720 entrants in the print categories, 105 and 72 entries came in from 87 and 47 entrants in the Radio and Television

categories, respectively. He said the award ceremony, where 51 category winners would emerge, was billed to hold between September 21 and 23 in Calabar, Cross River State. Receiving the entries on behalf of other judges, Acting Chairman of the Panel of Assessors, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, thanked the NMMA Board of Trustees for finding the members worthy

for the assignment, promising to do a thorough and satisfactory job. Meanwhile, the organisation has commiserated with the family of Ambassador Segun Olusola on the death of the veteran broadcaster who passed away at the age of 77 recently. Olusola was a member of the Board of Trustees of the organisation until his death. In a condolence letter delivered to the deceased’s

family, Chairman of the NMMA Board of Trustees, Hadj Alade Odunewu and Mr. Vincent Maduka extolled the virtues of the late Olusola, describing him as “a cultural icon, veteran broadcaster, nationalist, humanitarian, peace ambassador, philanthropist and active member of the NMMA Board.” According to the trustees, Olusola was a patriotic Nigerian, who gave his all to the development of the country.

34% pass UI post UTME, results out TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

he management of the University of Ibadan has released the results of its post Unified Tertiary Education Matriculation screening held last Monday, the institution’s Director of Public Communication, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo, said in a statement made available to National Mirror. According to him, trio of Adedoyin Ibukunoluwa (MB BS), Shuaibu Gideon Enebojo (MB BS) and Adepoju Adekunle (Electrical/ Electronic Engineering) scored 88 per cent which is the highest mark following by Fashola Oreoluwa (MB BS), Omozojie Samson (MB BS) and Adetayo Michael Babatunde (Law) who scored 87 per cent while Dagie Blessing Ebahi (Communication and Language Arts), Adaja Aba Emmanuel (MB BS), Efebame

Edeki (MB BS) and Jayeola Idris Olayiwola (Pharmacy) scored 86 per cent. Oladejo said although the university invited 7,237 candidates for the examination based on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s criteria of merit, locality and educationally less disadvantaged states, 162 of them did not show up. About the results, he said only 2,434 (representing 34.4%) of the candidates passed by scoring 50 per cent and above even as some who chose such courses as Political Science, Guidance and Counseling, Linguistics and African Languages, among others scored as low as 10 per cent, noting that the candidates were screened in the same subjects they offered and sat for in UTME. Oladejo added that the results were already on the university’s website for candidates to access.

Union leader condemns AIB report on Dana crash OLUSEGUN KOIKI

hairman of the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria, FAAN branch, Mr. Ekanem Ekanem, yesterday condemned the preliminary report on Dana Air crash of June 3, 2012 at the IjuIshaga area of Lagos by the Accident Investigation Bureau. Ekanem said for the agency to fully unravel the true cause of the crash, it needed to do more investigation. Ekanem noted that the report of AIB on the accident was too hasty and that there were still more gaps

to be filled by the agency, but declined to comment on whether the accident could be attributed to human errors. He said: “One has to be very cautious to know how the AIB arrived at the conclusion of the report, because personally, I think AIB still need to do thorough job to unravel the real cause of the crash. “I am not saying the accident might have been caused as a result of human errors, but what I am saying is that the report is too hasty. The finding is too hasty. I believe that more are still needed to be done to unravel the true cause of the plane crash.

L-R: Sister of the deceased, Mrs. Abiodun Olusola-Kehinde; niece, Yetunde Kehinde and Vice-President, Akesan Club, Mr. Tutu Buraimo, at the residence of the late Amb. Olushola in Iperu. Inset: Empty seat of the deceased. PHOTOS: OLUFEMI AJASA

Burial activities for Segun Olusola begin today ADENRELE NIYI AND OLUFEMI AJASA

tarting this morning, the seven-day programme of activities lined up for the burial of late Ambassador Segun Olusola will commence in earnest with Media, Arts and Culture Fair at the National Theatre, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos. Earlier, the Burial Planning Committee, chaired by Dr. Christopher Kolade, former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, announced, as decided by the Olusola family, that these activities would hold between July 16 and July 22, 2012. The late Olusola, 77, who died on June 21 after a short-lived illness, hails from Iperu-Remo, Ogun State, where he was until his death, a revered traditional title holder. The burial events have,

therefore, been scheduled to hold on varying days at both the city of Lagos and his home town, with the final phase of events - funeral service and interment, taking place at Iperu. The burial planning committee, also consisting of Mr. Kunle Bamtefa, Mr. Adebutu Kessington and Mr. Tutu Buraimo, amont others, has been holding several meetings with stakeholders in Lagos and Iperu-Remo in order to prepare a befitting programme for the icon. However, today, the Jibulu of Iperu will be honoured in Lagos with series of cultural shows extending far into the evening. Already, the National Theatre is brimming with people thronging the venue to participate in various events. The organising committee has put up banners branded with images of Olusola to set a cultural

tone to the day and environment. According to Mufu Onifade, chair of the Sub-Committee on Media, Arts and Culture, a Carnival flags off the programme at 9.00 am, followed by Crafts Exhibition showcasing affordable items sourced by National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) by 12.00 noon. Inside the Banquet Hall of National Theatre, stage performances will hold between 2.00 p.m. and 7.00pm before giving way to a Film Show (one of the classics from the stable of Tunde Kelani’s Mainframe Film and Television Productions) which concludes activities for Monday. Speaking on the guest attendance, Onifade said: “We expect every player in the arts, culture and entertainment industry and the media; dancers, actors, writers, film makers, artists, directors, amongst others. Musicians like Sir.

Dr. Victor Olaiya, Alhaja Salawa Abeni, Tee Mac and many others will also perform.” Tomorrow, the mood will be solemn and reflective as the Service of Songs for Olusola holds at the Shell Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos. Tributes and eulogies are expected to dominate the proceedings where distinguished Nigerians would be present. Meanwhile, Iperu-Remo monarch, Oba Adeleke Adelekun Idowa (Odoru Karun) has ordered every cultural society and the people of the kingdom to turn out massively to celebrate the life of the late Olusola. Speaking with National Mirror at the weekend, the Olotu Ile Eluku (custodian of the Eluku deity in Iperu-land), Chief Adesanya Adedeji, revealed that the highly respected drum of Iperu kingdom called “Gbedu” would be beaten to welcome the body of the icon.

News

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Flood ravages Ibadan, after seven-hour downpour KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

he August 26, 2001 flood disaster in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, which led to loss of lives and property nearly repeated itself in the city yesterday, save for the fact that no life was lost in the downpour which started on Saturday night and ravaged some parts of the city. National Mirror gathered that following a sevenhour non-stop rainfall, it was a tale of loss of property worth millions of naira, dislocation and immersing of residential houses by flood. The rain that started at

about 9.00pm led to overflow of many bridges, including Odo Ona Elewe, flowing into many houses, destroying the makeshift pedestrian bridge at Apete, thereby shutting the over one million residents of the area in. Also, many residents of Amuloko in the Ona Ara Local Government Area could not get to their houses in their vehicles as some of the bridges linking the community were over flown by flood. National Mirror learnt that but for the flood experience of last year, many people around Odo Ona Elewe, Agara area might have been killed yesterday,

if not that they quickly took precautionary step by moving out of their residences in the night to avoid being trapped in while in their sleep. During a visit to Odo Ona Elewe area, the major complaint among the residents was that the main bridge under which the river flows was too low and the depth of the river shallow. According to the residents, though the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi widened the banks of the river recently, it needed real dredging to make it deep so that the volume of water passing through it could have better passage without easily overflowing

the bridge and disrupting traffic flow, as well as flooding houses. One of the residents of Apete area in Ido Local Government Area, where many people were killed last year in the collapsed bridge that links the community with Sango and The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Mr. Najeem Raheem, bemoaned the loss of the only makeshift pedestrian bridge constructed to let people access to their homes. But in their reactions to the flood incident, the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Dr. Festus Adedayo, and the Ibadan South West Local Government Caretaker Chairman,

Hon. Abass Aleshinloye, blamed some people who build structures on waterways and thereby obstruct free passage of water, stating that “rain is a natural phenomenon that cannot be prevented”. While Adedayo visited the affected areas with members of the state Emergency Management Agency, led by Mr. Taiwo Mustapha, to review the extent of the flood, the council boss with a Town Planner in the state ministry, Mr Uthman Abiodun, spoke with journalists. Aleshinloye said: “The flooding was as a result of the convergence of many rivers in the Ibadan me-

tropolis on the Odo Ona bridge that was responsible for the constant overflow of the river. All the rivers in Ibadan flow to this local government. That is why we are having much pressure on the river and the Odo Ona bridge. The Ogbere Tioya, Ogbere Nla, Foworogi, Odo Ona Nla, Odo Ona kekere rivers- all flow to this place. “One thing, aside the fact that we are going to do the dredging of this river to make it much deeper, is that I am appealing to our people that they need to comply with the government directive by moving out of their houses.”

Don’t politicise our leaders’ death –Students HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

National Chairman of Forum for Local Government Nurses and Midwives in Nigeria (FOLGONM), Evang. Peter Oyebamiji decorating the wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, as the Forum’s Grand Patron in Abeokuta, at the weekend

Constitution review: Governors can’t stop LG autonomy –Rep FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

lawmaker representing Ifo/ Ewekoro in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Adekunle Adeyemi, has said that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) cannot stop the National Assembly from amending the Constitution in a way that will guarantee financial autonomy for local governments. Adeyemi spoke at the weekend during the empowerment programme held for members of his constituency at Methodist High School, Arigbajo in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State. The lawmaker said that the House had already begun work on the amendment, particularly Section 7 of the constitution whereby the independence and financial autonomy of

local government would be guaranteed. His position was against the backdrop of reports that some state Houses of Assembly have passed bills which empowers the governors to continually deduct money from the local governments’ monthly allocations. Adeyemi said that local governments, being the closest to the people at the

grassroots, ought to financially independent of any interference from the state. Commenting on the controversies surrounding the oil subsidy reports’ probe and the integrity of the members of the House, the lawmaker said the two characters involved in the blackmail trailing the subsidy probe reports are different from the entire members of the House.

Describing Farouk Lawal as one bad example of the 12 Apostles, he stressed that the saga would in no way rubbish the probe report. “Don’t forget that Farouk is not the only lawmaker in the House of Representatives, even among the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, there was Judas Iscariot, yet that does not rubbish the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.

Monarch seeks support for Yewaland development FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

he Olu of Ilaro in Ogun State, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, has called on stakeholders to support efforts aimed at developing Yewaland. Oba Olugbenle made the call at the weekend during the inauguration of a 50-man committee of the Oronna Festival Central

Planning Committee held at Oronna Town Hall in Ilaro. Stating that most nations, towns and communities did not attain their level of development overnight, he said that great development strides happens over a period of time through the collaborative efforts of patriotic men and women that have been selected to plan and organ-

ise the yearly festival. The 50-man committee is chaired by Chief Kayode Odunaro. Senator Iyabo Anisulowo is the committee’s adviser. Chief Odunaro, who is the Baaroyin of Imala (Traditional Information Minister), was at various time Chief Press Secretary to three administrations in Ogun State government.

he National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) yesterday called on politicians not to politicised the death of the three students’ union leaders who died in an auto crash on Friday. This was contained in a statement issued by the National President of the students’ body, Mr. Victor Oguntoyinbo, who described the death as unfortunate. Oguntoyinbo, however, regretted that some politicians had started playing politics with the crash. Three students’ union leaders died in an auto crash on Friday, which in-

clude the Student Union Presidents of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Mr. Dapo Awopegba; that of Adeyemi College of Education, Mr. Akintola Abiodun; and that of Ondo State School of Midwifery, Akure, Miss Oyikansola Olotu. The students were returning from an award ceremony organised by the National Association of Nigerian students in Abuja. Oguntoyinbo dismissed rumour that the students were invited to Abuja for the award programme by Governor Olusegun Mimiko, but said the students attended the programme based on the invitation by NANS national executives.

PDP to rule South-West in 2015 –Akinjide KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

inister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ms. Olajumoke Akinjide, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would defeat the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo State and other South-West states in 2015. She spoke at the weekend in Ibadan during the distribution of poverty alleviation materials and N10m revolving loan to PDP members from across the 33 local government areas of Oyo State. Akinjide said: “There will be no going back in the determination of the PDP leaders in Oyo State at

ensuring that the state returns to the nation’s mainstream politics in 2015.” The minister stressed that Oyo still remains a PDP state despite the antiparty activities by some ambitious members that recently confessed working for the success of the present administration during the April 2011 elections.

Akinjide

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Monday, July 16, 2012

Focus on grassroots’ healthcare delivery, Amosun’s wife tells nurses

he Forum for Local Government Nurses and Midwives in Nigeria has been advised to pay more attention to the health needs of people at the grassroots. Wife of the Governor of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, gave the advice at the weekend while speaking at the grand finale of the Forum’s 28th National Scientific Workshop and her investiture ceremony as the Forum’s Grand Patron at the Valley View Auditorium, Isale-Igbein, Abeokuta. Mrs. Amosun said the importance of nurses and midwives in the society could not be over-emphasised considering the huge responsibilities of ensuring

that doctor’s orders were executed and implemented to ensure that patient’s health and dignities were restored. She said: “Your role as health personnel has placed on your shoulders the onerous task of joining hands with government at all levels in providing quality healthcare delivery to Nigerians. This Forum has a significant role to play in taking good healthcare to the people at the grassroots level. “Your attitude, concern and care for the sick are a good foundation for how women can contribute immensely to the development of humanity and the nation at large.”

Agency gives out N350m loan for poverty alleviation

11,560 jostle for 400 admission slots at FUOYE

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

private development agency, the Nigerian Capital Development Fund, NCDF, at the weekend, announced the disbursement of N350m as poverty-alleviating loan to Nigerians at the grassroots. Its Director-General, Mr. Babatunde Oralusi, made the disclosure in Ibadan, at the launch of the pilot scheme in Oyo State. He said the fund was presently servicing 2,450 trust groups across the country. Disbursing fresh loan of N2.5m to 70 farmers in the state, Oralusi said NCDF had developed a new strategy to provide seed capital to the grassroots, using traditional method. He said the loans were being disbursed through trust groups and cooperative societies mainly for the development of community business centres, farmers export enhancement programmes, affordable housing schemes, ICT for poverty alleviation as well as community health management centres. The DG said other services of the agency included capacity building and technical assistance, small and medium-scale enterprises development and finance as well as agricultural inputs and support.

ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

bout 11,560 applicants are competing for the 400 admission spaces at the new Federal University, Oye Ekiti, FUOYE, for 2012/13 academic session. This is as the pioneer students of the institution are

A bridge on Arulogun Road, washed away by flood in Ibadan, yesterday.

expected to begin academic activities for the 2011/2012 session next week. The institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, told journalists at Oye Ekiti at the weekend that the applicants were seeking admission into the five faculties: Humanities, Sciences, Agriculture, Social Sciences and

Engineering at Oye Main Campus and Ikole Ekiti. Nebo, who spoke through the Acting Registrar, Mr. Abiodun Adeyemo, promised that students of the university would be exposed to skills acquisition programmes targeted at guaranteeing self-employment and selfreliance after the comple-

Alleged witchcraft: Ekiti demands justice in 70-year-old woman’s murder ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

kiti State Government has called for the arrest and prosecution of culprits in the killing of a 70-year-old woman, Madam Rebecca Adewunmi, in Omuo Ekiti by youths who had accused her of being a witch. The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi, who condemned the act, described it as “criminal, barbaric and a contravention of laid down laws in Ekiti State”. In a statement in Ado Ekiti at the weekend, Mrs. Richie-Adewusi regretted that such an unfortunate incident could still happen in this modern age. She said: “It is sad that the poor old woman was killed based on alleged dream by a little girl that she had a hand in the illness of her stepson.” Mrs. Grace Smith, daughter of the late wom-

an, had petitioned the police in the state to arrest and prosecute some members of Omuo Ekiti community in the Ekiti East Local Government Area who allegedly connived to kill her mother by torturing and beating her to death on the allegation of witchcraft. In the statement, the commissioner also faulted the failure of the police to make any arrest since June 30 when the incident occurred, just because some prominent leaders in the community reportedly advised the police against wading into a witchcraft case. She said: “It is clear that the perpetrators of this dastardly act have contravened the law and they should be made to face the full wrath of the law. This act is condemnable and we hope the law enforcement agents will live up to their responsibility and bring all the perpetrators to book.” According to her, the Gender Based Violence

Prohibition bill signed into law by Governor Kayode Fayemi last November had made such barbaric act a criminal matter in Ekiti State with great consequences. Mrs. Richie-Adewusi said gender-based violence included threats to commit, or acts liable to result in physical abuse, which includes slapping, beating, arm twisting, stabbing, strangling, burning, choking, kicking, threats with an object or weapon, murder and traditional practices which are harmful to health and well being.

Fayemi

tion of their courses. According to him, the institution is targeting training students who would turn out to be employers. Nebo, who said the university would always consider its capacity for admission to forestall overpopulation, disclosed that the institution had used

PHOTO: NAN

the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, post-UTME, test, as a study in e-learning process it intended to introduce. He said the institution would be fully automated for easy access to e-learning through effective and efficient Information Communication and Technology, ICT, system.

Fashola releases 1,000 title documents to house owners MURITALA AYINLA

overnor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, at the weekend, presented sub-lease title documents to 1,000 house owners in government housing estates, who have duly registered for the documents. The presentation came 40 years after some of them have acquired houses from the Ministry of Housing and the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation, LSDPC. Presenting the sub-lease documents at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, state Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Fashola said the beneficiaries were those who purchased government property, having only until now, letters of allocation of such property or other documents not legally recognised as documents of title. The governor said the government decided to register titles to assist property owners on assumption of office for the first term in 2007, adding that his administration was commit-

ted to registering titles to property acquired in Government Housing Estates before 2000. He said: “This government project of registering titles to property acquired in Government Housing Estates before 2000 is also another policy of government aimed at systematically reducing the number of unregistered titles of property in the state.” Fasola, who spoke through the Commissioner for Housing, Bosun Jeje, urged owners of unregistered property to quickly register. The governor said it was an economic fact that owners of such property would not be able to put them to optimal economic use for their benefit. He added: “This initiative is therefore aimed at making property to begin to ‘work’ for their owners, since such property with registered titles being legally recognised can seamlessly be used as security to obtain loans for the acquisition of other property and to raise needed finance to meet other needs of the owners.”

South East

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Imo workers shun posting, despite sanction threats CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

ivil servants in Imo State have continued to shun the deployment and posting to rural communities for the proposed fourth tier

of government despite the threat by government to invoke the public service rules against them. It was gathered at the weekend that the workers are adamant and determined not to reconsider their position, despite

the government’s threat to sack them. A visit to many of the autonomous communities showed that the workers posted there were yet to resume duties. The government,

however, has frowned at workers who have formed the habit of ignoring deployment and posting approved by the appropriate authorities. The Head of Service, HOS, Mr. Evans Uzokwe, said it was the responsi-

bility of the employer to deploy its employees in wherever it feels his services were required and where output would be maximised. The HOS added that it was a serious misconduct for a public servant to

disobey his deployment and posting as provided for in Section 04401 of the Public Service Rules. He said: “It is the responsibility of every public servant to support the policies of government in power.”

Boko Haram: Islamic group slams bishop over call for reprisal attacks MADU EZENOHA ABAKALIKI

he South-East chapter of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, has condemned a statement credited to the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, calling on Christians to carry out reprisal attacks on mosques and Muslims’ places of worship in the South-East. In a three-page statement issued in Abakaliki at the weekend, NSCIA said that whereas it strongly condemned suicide bombings, killings of innocent

Nigerians in worship places and reprisal attacks in some parts of the North, it viewed Chukwuma’s statement as inappropriate for a religious leader who should be preaching peace and unity at a time like this. The group said that killings of innocent Nigerians, even in the places of worship, were acts of cruelty to humanity and had no basis and could not be in anyway linked to any religion. The statement reads in part: “According to Islam, ‘any one that kills even one person unjustly is like killing all humanity’ (Qur’an 5: 32).”

L-R: Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko; Abia State Governor Theodore Orji and Deputy Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Asiforo Okere, during an inspection visit to Glass-force Industry in Aba, at the weekend.

Forgive us, church robbers beg God DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

t was like a drama from one of the Nollywood movies as three men, who robbed a church in Enugu burst into tears and asked God for help at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, of the Enugu State Police Command. Relating their nefarious activities in the house of the Lord, the suspects, who gave their names as Efe Best, Nester Uvieghara and Ben Kalu, said they had robbed St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Trans Ekulu, Enugu State on July 9, through the invitation of one of the parishioners who is said to be a member of Knight of Saint Lumumba. The suspects also dis-

closed the name of the Knight who invited them for the operation as Sir Joseph, who is said to be an in-law to the parish priest. The leader of the gang, Kalu, said: “Joseph used to be our gang member in Lagos where we used to steal car and vandalise all the parts and sell them at a place called Coconut in Lagos. We have been with him for the past eight years before he relocated to Enugu and we have been in touch since then. “About three weeks ago, he came to Lagos and met us and introduced this job to us but refused to disclose to us that we were going into the house of God to rob and steal cars.” The suspects added that on arrival in Enugu, they were checked into one hotel

in Trans Ekulu by the said Joseph waiting for the zero hour. They said that about 1.30a.m. on July 9, they were taken to the premises of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Trans Ekulu for the robbery. Kalu said they robbed the parish priest office and also attempted to move some cars out before they met resistance from the security operatives who were alerted by the public. He added that as a result, they escaped with some injuries sustained when they encountered the security operatives. On their way back to Lagos, they stopped over at Ore, Ondo State to eat but members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, who suspected them alerted the police from Ondo State com-

mand who rounded them up. “We regret every bit of our action because we never knew that we were going into the house of God to rob and steal cars although when we got there, Joseph told us that the priest is not in town. We want God to forgive us because it was not our intention to rob in the house of the Lord. It was Joseph who led us into this mess,” the gang leader added. Meanwhile, the Enugu State Police Command has commenced investigation into the robbery. The commands Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ebere Amaraizu, said the suspects would be made to face the music in accordance with the law after the investigation.

Nigeria’s air space is safe –Ekwueme

econd Republic VicePresident, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, has called on Nigerians not to jump into conclusion that the country’s air space is not safe because one place crash occurs once in awhile. But he warned authorities concerned to always take pro-active measures to avert air crashes. Ekwueme spoke with our correspondent at Ndiowu, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, shortly after the interment of the late Mr. Onyeka Collins Anyene, his wife and four children, victims of the June 3 Dana plane crash. He noted that it would be unfair to declare the Nigeria’s air space unsafe

Insecurity: Igbo Christians seek divine intervention DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

gbo converged on Enugu at the weekend for a two-day pre-convention summit to prepare for the three-day “Walking into the presence of God”. Speaking at the summit, the General Coordinator/ President, General Assem-

bly of all Igbo Christian Organisations and Ministries, GAAICOM, Apostle Chidi Macjossy, said that the Lord had commanded the Igbo to return to Him, shun acts of idol worshiping with its ungodly customs and traditions, set up a place of pilgrimage where there must be a sanctuary to reestablish the broken altar

of God’s covenant with the people. Also at the event, the Director of Media and Communication, GAAICOM, Prophet Obinna Akukwe, said, “the Nigerian state finds it expedient to use the intelligence and ingenuity of the Igbo but denies them the much needed federal presence”.

He disclosed that the activities of Igbo saboteurs who prefer the crumbs from the master’s table are another source of self-marginalisation. In his remark, Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Bishop Obi Onubuogu, queried why the Igbo have been made objects of target by

the dreaded Boko Haram Islamic sect. He bemoaned the killings of Igbo in various churches across the northern parts of the country and called on Igbo to seek God’s face and repent of their sins to attract God’s mercy as a way of forestalling the killings going on in the country.

Ekwueme

because of the Dana plane crash. He said: “In as much as we need to take proactive safety measures in the aviation sector, we can’t just jump into conclusion that our air space is unsafe for air transportation, after all, a lot of aircraft have flown within our air space before and after the Dana plane crash and yet they landed safely with goods and passengers.” On the ongoing probes of corrupt charges against some top politicians, civil servants and businessmen, the former vice-president said anyone found culpable should be punished according to the law. Ekwueme, whose wife, Ifeoma is a sister to the late Onyeka Anyene, described the death as unfortunate and painful.

North

Monday, July 16, 2012

Car bomb explodes in Kogi ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

car loaded with explosives yesterday exploded on Okene - Obehira Road near the Living Faith Church, otherwise called Winners’ Chapel in Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State. The blast followed the rumour of impending attacks on some locations in the state. A witness said that the worshippers at the Winners Chapel and the Deeper Life Church within the vicinity of the blast scampered to safety while some

sustained injury. A middle-aged man, who confirmed the incident, told journalists in Okene that the vehicle exploded just beside the Living Faith Church on Obehira Road. He, however, said the motive and destination of the vehicle could not be ascertained. But another witness claimed that the occupants of the said vehicle were waiting for the church service to commence fully before they lunched the attack. He said they ran out of luck when an argument ensued between them and the

manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mega Filling Station where the vehicle was parked started suspecting them. The source added that it was in the process of moving their vehicle from the station that it exploded, though he said there was no casualty. The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ile Simon, who confirmed the blast, said one person had been arrested in connection with the incident and was being drilled to get to the root of the matter. He said the second per-

son escaped. The police spokesman, who said information available to him was still sketchy, said the command had placed its men on 24 hours alert to prevent any eventuality. Also reacting to the incident, the chairman of the Joint Task Force, JTF, who also confirmed the blast, said they were still trying to unravel the mystery behind it. The incident led to a serious gridlock on the everbusy Okene - Obehira Road which is one of the links between the North and the South-West.

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Plateau: Evacuation order doesn’t target any tribe –STF

he evacuation order given by the Special Task Force, STF, maintaining peace in Plateau State to some communities in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas is based on “military necessity”. The STF on Saturday ordered the inhabitants of five villages - Mahanga, Kakuruk, Kuzen, Maseh and Shong 2 to vacate their settlements in 48 hours, to give way for a “military operation”. The residents, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, have given different interpretations to the or-

Aliyu assures residents of security of lives PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

overnor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has called on the residents of Niger State to go about their legitimate affairs without fear. The governor made the call when he received members of Non-Denominational Christian Choir Association of Nigeria, NCCN, Niger State chapter, in Minna. Aliyu said that government would continue to support the activities of Christians and others in the state with a view to developing the spiritual wellbeing of the people. The governor, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Daniel Clifford Shashere, said government would not fold it arms and allow any citizen to be molested or prevented from conducting any worthwhile socialeconomic venture, hence government was leaving no stone unturned in the protection of lives and property of the people. He also expressed happiness with the level of support enjoyed by the state from religious bodies, particularly in the actualisation of Vision 3:2020.

Aliyu

L-R: Former Military President Ibrahim Babagida, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, former Head of State, Gen.Mohammed Buhari, former Federal Capital Minister, Nasir el-Rufai, during the wedding Fathia of el-Rufai’s daughter in Kaduna, at the weekend. PHOTO:STATE HOUSE

20 jostle for UNILORIN VC WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

bout 20 candidates are vying for the vice-chancellorship of the University of Ilorin, UNILORIN. It was learnt that five of the aspirants have been selected for interview. Also, two of the top contestants are said to be from Ilorin, based on the alleged clamour that the successor to the incumbent, Professor Ish’aq Oloyede, must come from Ilorin, the state capital. The top contenders are expected to be interviewed this week by the University Council. Sources in the institution said that four of the five were internal candidates and one candidate presented by the Search Committee were all selected from a long list of

•Top five for interview this week accomplished professors seeking to occupy the seat come October. Those who scaled the initial hurdles, according to the source, are Professors Timothy Opoola, Hassan Salihu, Luke Ayorinde, AbdulGaniyu Ambali and Adesanya. With the exception of Adesanya, the other candidates are from the university. Opoola teaches Mathematics while Salihu teaches Political Science. Ayorinde is the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor while Ambali is head of the university’s Veterinary Medicine programme which has just been introduced to the institution. The selection is a first stage in the process of appointing a new VC for the university.

It is expected that each of the five candidates will now face the Governing Council. The Council will prune the list to three which is expected to be forwarded to the President, who, as Visitor, will pick one. Some of the candidates have begun intense lobbying at very high quarters to seek the listening ears of those who will help the Visitor eventually decide who to choose. “It is conventional and it is expected,” a source said last night. The source also confirmed that some names have been submitted to an official of the Presidency who is believed to have a lot of weight in the decisionmaking process in Aso Rock. He said: “One senior po-

litical office holder from the state submitted the CVs of two candidates while the other one was lucky to have someone in the Presidency who asked him to also bring his documents about three week ago.”

der with some alleging that specific groups were being targeted. But the STF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Henry Ayoola, told newsmen in Jos yesterday that the order to vacate the areas was “in line with international humanitarian laws and consistent with best global practices”. He said: “It should not be construed otherwise. The villages are not inhabited by one tribe; no one should see our action as targeted against any particular group. “We are an unbiased umpire in charge of maintaining peace and ensuring security of lives and property. We are not interested in the politics of the state and nobody should see us as favouring any group.” Ayoola said the STF was already aware that all the villages were deserted following the recent attacks in the area. “This notice is for the few people that are within the theatre of operation. The operation is expected to be swift and once the area is declared safe, the residents would return to their homes,” he added. The commander expressed regret for the inconveniences caused by the decision, adding that the state government had put in place some relief arrangements. Ayoola, however, advised the residents of Kura-falls, Kuzuk and Sharuk, Rim of Gashish and Bachit not to panic as they were not affected by the order. “But they must be careful and conscious of any movement in their localities,” he said.

82-year-old man marries woman, 70, in Kano

n 82-year-old man, Malam Uba Abdurrahman, was among the 250 men who married in the second batch of the planned group marriage organised by Kano State Hisba Board yesterday. The wedding Fatiha of some of the couples was conducted at the Kano Central Mosque under the supervision of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, who served as the father of the brides.

Abdurrahman told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in an interview shortly after the wedding that he met his 70-year-old wife, Malama Amina Usman, through one her sons. “After we had begun seeing each other, I went to Hisba Board and completed the necessary processes,” he said. Abdurrahman commended the board for initiating the programme and called on the other couples to live in peace.

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South South

Monday, July 16, 2012

US seeks advice on Alamieyeseigha’s suspected loot ISE-OLUWA IGE

he United State Department of Justice has sought advice from Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on “what the US should do with the proceeds of the civil asset forfeitures imposed against former Baylelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who has been convicted of money laundering and unjust enrichment while in office.” The request for advice was made last week by Jeffrey Benzing of the Department of Justice to SERAP’s

US Volunteer Counsel, Prof. Alexander W. Sierck. This followed the Department of Justice first Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative forfeiture judgment of $400,000 in assets traced to Alamieyeseigha in Nigeria. Prof. Sierck’s response reads in part: “On behalf of my client SERAP, the Nigerian NGO, I am responding to your question as to what the US Department of Justice should do with the proceeds of the civil asset forfeitures imposed against Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, the former Governor of Baylelsa State in Nigeria, who has been convicted in

Nigeria of money laundering and unjust enrichment while in political office.” According to the organization, “In the specific context of the Governor Alamieyseigha case, the US should establish a trust fund comprised of present and future civil asset forfeiture proceeds to be paid, ultimately to a future benefit of the people of Baylelsa state. As a practical matter this would mean payment to a Nigerian or foreign NGO which would, subject to anti-corruption safeguards, in turn spend the money on public health or education projects, for example, in the state. A direct payout from

the trust fund to the adult citizens of the state would seem to be, in my judgment, impractical and inefficient.” “SERAP notes that Article 79 of the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court provides for the establishment of separate trust funds into which criminal penalties and asset forfeiture proceeds are paid. These trust funds should benefit the victims of the crimes committed by the accused. They should serve as a model for the US doing likewise in its’ own civil forfeiture actions,” the response from Sierck added. The organization also said that, “Essentially,

of some or all of US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) disgorgement proceeds for the benefit of the victimized foreign government agency or the citizens of the affected foreign country like Nigeria.” Following the meeting, Professor Sierck was invited to the World Bank’s Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative meeting, which he attended on April 5 and made contribution to discussion on how to enhance victims’ rights in anticorruption investigations including restitution; and shared with the meeting SERAP’s proposal to SEC.

FG’s negligence responsible for Rivers tanker explosion –Senator

Delta IGR boss vows to checkmate sharp practices AMOUR UDEMUDE

GEORGE OJI

ASABA

ABUJA

he Executive Chairman of Delta State Board of Internal Revenue (DBIR), Mr. JoelOnowakpo Thomas, has vowed to tackle sharp practices among the board’s workers. Onowakpo spoke at the weekend during a parley with journalists in Asaba, the state capital. He said that several complaints of sharp practices by a few individuals had been received by the board, adding that a related case was been investigated by the board. Onowakpo said before he was appointed the board’s chairman, the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was N1.2bn, but as he assumed office, the IGR rose to over N4.2bn. Expressing gratitude to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for giving him the opportunity to serve, Onowakpo said that when the governor began the campaign on Delta beyond oil, the board saw it as a step in the right direction. He said the campaign was well articulated and complemented by the board. As a way of showcasing Delta’s potentials and attract investors, Onowakpo, a golfer, unveiled plans of the board to carry out a Golf Awareness Tournament billed to hold in the state. The tournament, which is tagged: “Delta State Beyond Oil Golf Awareness Tournament,” bill for July 20 and 21 at the Ibori Golf and Country Club, Asaba, will attract golfers from across the country.

SERAP’s response to your valid question tracks the rationale and framework of SERAP’s March 15, 2012 proposal to the SEC’s Enforcement Division concerning the proceeds of FCPA civil penalty and disgorgement payments. That proposal and this response are ones of general applicability and they’re not just linked to Nigerian situations.” It would be re-called that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently requested a meeting with SERAP “to discuss the implementation of our proposal to establish an efficient case-by-case process for the payment

L-R: Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio, Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka and his wife, Folake, in a chat during Soyinka’s visit to the state.

Activist threatens protest against over East-West Road EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

enowned rights activist in the Niger Delta, Ann Kio-Briggs, may be on collision course with the Federal Government, if the deplorable East-West Road is not completed in the next one and half years. Kio-Briggs is threatening a mass action against the Federal Government over the poor state of the East-West Road as she warned that oil firms would be stopped from extracting crude oil from the region. The activist, in an interview with National Mirror, blamed last Thursday’s tanker explosion at Okugbe, Rivers State, in which over 100 lives

were lost, on the deplorable road, stressing that she was worried over the frequent accidents on that particular road that had claimed several lives over the years. She flayed the government’s failure to complete the road, stressing that there would be weekly mass action in form of road blocks on the busy East West Road. Kio-Briggs attributed the scooping of fuel by the locals from the tanker, which eventually claimed lives in the explosion, to poverty in the region She said: “Defiantly, there will be mass action against the government if the road is not completed within the next one and half years. If the people that live off the East-West Road, the Niger Delta peo-

ple from Delta , Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, if we are willing to take action and taken days in a week where we will block the East-West Road, there should be no vehicle going either way, let business come to a halt, anybody that want to cross EastWest way should wait for another 24 hours, if these type of actions are carried out periodically, the government will listen to what we are saying. “The fact that the EastWest Road, a multi major road that leads the Niger Delta to the outside World is in a one lane. This is a one lane that is being used as two lanes, I still maintain that because we have an irresponsible and unaccounting system in our society.”

hairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Magnus Abe, has blamed last Thursday’s tanker explosion in which over 100 people were killed at Okobe in Ahoada Local Government Area of Rivers State on the Federal Government’s inability to make adequate investment in pipeline infrastructure to transport petroleum products across the country. The victims died as they rushed to scoop fuel from a tanker, which overturned, after the vehicle involved an accident. Describing the incident as avoidable and unfortunate, Abe said the lesson drawn from it was that the Federal Government could no longer afford to continue to ignore investment in pipeline infrastructure since this had been proven as the safest way of transporting petroleum products all over the world. Abe, in a statement at the weekend in Abuja, said that apart from constituting great danger, the movement of petroleum products by tankers was also unsustainable for longterm investment in the sector. The senator, who condoled with the Rivers State Government and the victim’s families, urged government and stakeholders in the petroleum sector to take a cue from other countries and break dependence on tankers at a mean

of transporting petroleum products. “Let us also use this sad incident to draw attention to the fact that we have said repeatedly that one of the greatest challenges facing this country is our inability to maintain, improve and police our pipeline infrastructure,” Abe said, adding: “Moving petroleum products in small quantities by tankers over long distances is simply too expensive, too dangerous and financially unsustainable in the long term. “Even countries that do not produce petroleum products have good and efficient pipeline networks to ensure speedy and cost efficiency in distribution. “Nigeria and its future cannot remain hostage to commercial tanker owners. This unfortunate incident offers us another opportunity to address the critical issue of our pipelines. “As we mourn, let us also pray that God Almighty will give us wisdom and courage to address issues of our pipelines so that this incident will be the last of its kind in our dear country. “May God Almighty grant their souls eternal rest.”

Abe

Monday, July 16, 2012

Anambra was a pariah state until I came into government – Obi

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Politics

Corruption: ‘Nigeria’s fastest growing industry’ 16

Gana tasks Jonathan to defend Nigerians JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

ormer Minister of Information and National Orientation, Prof. Jerry Gana has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to act quickly and

prevent further bloodshed in Plateau State and elsewhere in the country. Gana made the call in Jos, the state capital, yesterday when he led a delegation of Middle Belt Forum (MBF) on solidarity visit to Governor Jonah Jang

over the last week killings of over 100 Berom including Senator Gyang Dantong and Hon. Gyang Fulani. Among those in the delegation were Dr. Bala Takaya, Dr. Philp Salawu, Deacon John Dara, Gen. Joshua Dogoyaro, Gen. Za-

Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, presents a birthday card to the former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Nikki Tobi, who clocked 72 years on Saturday.

Wamako advocates policies on national cohesion

overnor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has advised his colleagues to initiate policies that will promote greater affinity among the various religious and tribal groups in their states. Wamako gave the charge yesterday in an interview with newsmen in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, at the end of his two-day working visit to the state. He said that the onus was on the governors to create a comfortable atmosphere for Nigerians to feel free to live and work in any part of the country they found themselves. He admonished his counterparts to play down on the indigene and non-indigene syndrome and to accord every resident equal opportunity as Nigerians. Wamakko described Sokoto as “the most peaceful state in the country,”

adding that his administration’s policies were designed for indigenes and non-indigenes “without any discrimination.” “God loves us to be one and made us one country. If God wanted us to be two countries he would have created us into two countries,” he said. He said that he had two special advisers from Anambra and Imo, and described the Igbo community in his state as peaceloving and enterprising. Wamakko said his visit to the state was in line with the objective of the “peer review mechanism” initiative of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, to promote national cohesion. He said such visits were meant to foster greater interaction among the governors and to encourage cross-fertilisation of ideas. “It is designed to enable

the governors to visit one another and for us to learn from each other. The essence is to enhance national cohesion, promote brotherliness and collaboration among the governors so that we can lead by example,” the governor said.

mani Lakwot, Chief Mike Abdul, Elder Ibrahim Bangulu among others. Gana, who met with Jang in his Du residence alongside members of his delegation, said: “We leaders of Middle Belt Forum met in Abuja last week over the unfortunate incidence that led to the death of two lawmakers and others from Plateau State and resolved to pay you this solidarity visit. “But we want to use this opportunity to tell Mr. President to act effectively and stop these killings here and there. If the Federal Government cannot defend our people, Mr. President should come out clearly and tell us. “If our people cannot be defended, they are ready to defend themselves. So, Mr. President should act effectively before the situation gets out of hands. We

are now being pushed to the wall and we are saying enough is enough. Our people lay down their lives to defend this country, we deserve to be defended as well, but if Mr. President cannot defend us he should let us know now,” said Gana. “The good Lord will comfort the Plateau State government and the good people of the state,” he empathised. He told Jang: “The MBF is standing with you at this period, we are praying for you, we are morning with you and we are grieving with you and the whole people of Plateau State. “As Middle Belter, it is time to act together, think together, be together and be united. We also carry the message of solidarity because we know what is going on on the Plateau; we know the game plan and antics being deployed.

Corruption: Bishop calls for stiffer punishment HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

he Bishop of Akure Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Revd Michael Ipinmoye, yesterday called for stiffer punishment for corrupt government officials in order to reduce the rate of corruption in the country.

Ipinmoye also called on the Federal Government to employ new security method in tackling and dealing with the dreaded Boko Haram sect in the Northern part of the country. This was contained in a communiqué released by the diocese at the end of the third session of its 10th synod in Akure, Ondo State capital.

Ripples in FCTA as Minister’s Chief of Staff resigns OMEIZA AJAYI

he power play within the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has taken a new twist as the Chief of Staff to the FCT minister, Alhaji Musa Yashi has allegedly resigned in controversial circumstances. National Mirror checks revealed that Yashi threw in the towel having sensed an impending move by the minister, Senator Bala Mohammed to sack him. Yashi was a former director in the Federal Minis-

“But we encourage our youth all over the Middle Belt not to take laws into their hands in spite of the obvious provocations.” In his response, Governor Jang said, “I am encouraged and consoled by this very visit. I thought Plateau is alone, but now I know we all are at pains over the attacks on the Plateau. “It is sad that since 1994 there have been consistent plans to destabilized Plateau State, but unfortunately the Federal Government is not doing anything. “Now terrorists have even come to occupy parts of the state illegally. We had cried to the Federal Government of the danger in allowing them to stay here, but our cries were never taken serious. Is the Federal Government waiting until the entire people of Plateau State are wiped out,” Jang queried.

try of Works. Even before his resignation, most of Yashi’s responsibilities had reportedly been re-assigned to the Senior Special Assistant on Administration to the minister, Ikemefuna Awodu. Known to be a close confidant of the minister, Yashi was said to have been accused of shutting the door of the FCT Administration to even top officials of the FCT. Top civil servants and political appointees in the FCTA were said to have constantly complained to the minister about the in-

creasing difficulty in accessing his Chief of Staff, a situation which was said to be gradually grinding the wheel of the administration to a halt. A top source in the administration said directors and political appointees found it difficult to access Yashi even as political allies of the minister from his home state of Bauchi were also alienated. The situation was said to be impacting negatively on the political fortunes of Senator Mohammed who is said to be interested in the governorship seat in his state.

Ipinmoye called on politicians across the nation to embrace peace, particularly in Ondo State, urging politicians to play the game according to the rules ahead of the October 20 governorship election in the state. He said: “On corruption, those who supposed to exercise supervisory roles to check corruption are themselves enmeshed in series of unwholesome practices. “We therefore call for the implementation of series of recommendations of probe panels, particularly the pension fund, capital market, National Examination Commission scam and petroleum subsidy amongst others. “Decisive action to punish those found guilty would serve as deterrent to others to show that Nigerians now have zero tolerance for corruption.” The Synod recommended a day of fasting and prayer by Nigerians against the scourge of corruption and insecurity in the country.”

Politics

One person that has continuously been fingered as stoking the crisis in the All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA is the Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi. But in this interview with Assistant Editor, OBIORA IFOH, he tried to exonerate himself. He also defended himself from allegations of non-performance, as well as corruption. Excerpt.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Anambra was a pariah state until I came into government – Obi fer us assistance that are not captured in the budget. What of Chudi Offodille’s claim that you have abandoned government? Please do not go there. It is not my wish to dwell on the objections from evident mischief mongers. Did he really raise any issue?

Can you give us an insight into why you constantly visit Abuja these days? Though I am here to attend the National Economic Council Meeting, I have also attended other meetings. This morning I was at the World Bank office to discuss issues beneficial to my state; and I must tell you, the meeting was good. Is your membership of different committees not more of a distraction? Not at all. They should be seen as opportunities to serve one’s country and humanity. As you may be aware, I belong to many federal and NEC Committees. In fact, I have just been appointed member of Committee on Mass Transit. I have this attitude of trying to attend all the meetings called by these committees as my contribution towards improving the state of things in our country. As a member of these committees I recognise the sanctity of our oneness as a country; I look at the position of the South -East in the national equation, and I seek the advancement of Anambra State. Some feel that your being in Abuja too frequently is affecting work at home, how would you react to that? It is ignorance and naivety at work. I am not in Abuja to frolic, I am always there for business and once I am through, I am back home. Some of our people are unpredictable. When you follow route A, they will say “Ahaa, why not route B.” Before now, Anambra State was a pariah state in Nigeria. A particular governor of the state could not even see the President of the country. Today we are changing all that; Anambra has ceased to be a pariah state. We strive so hard to restore peace and unity to the state. This has attracted a lot of goodwill which comes in various shades. Through our efforts, our people now get involved in roles that enhance the state in one way or the other. At my age, and with my exposure, do you think travelling thrills me? I only travel when it would add value to what I do, and my major interest today is ensuring that the state is founded on sustainable grounds. The last time the Inspector General of Police visited Anambra State, he made it clear that whenever I am in Abuja I visit him on security matters affecting the state. Organizations in Abuja that have the capacity to assist us will tell you the same story. Any trip I make outside the state is normally driven by the state’s interest. You seem to be passionate about Anambra achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the year 2015, how much of that dream have you achieved? We strive to remain on track. Very soon I shall swear in new set of commissioners to help us in the pursuit of our vision of attaining the MDGs by the year 2015. It is not an easy task but we are totally committed to it. As I have tried to explain, all we have done is adopt the MDG goals as our vision and the Anambra State Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS) as a vehicle to reach that. ANIDS helps us to plan properly, budget properly and execute our plans while receiving adequate feedback from the people. Through ANIDS, we are working on all sectors simultaneously. There is no sector you will mention to me that I will not tell you what we are doing. The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said that Anambra budget is that of misplaced priorities. How do you feel with the description? Quite unusual of me, I have taken time to educate him on the back page of a national newspaper of January 15, 2012 on what we are doing with our budget. I do not intend

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Obi

to comment on that again. I am not asking you to comment, but for example, he said Anambra under-budgeted on health. Is it true? Let us look at it this way; before I became governor, Anambra State did not have any accredited hospital or health institution, today Onitsha General Hospital and Amaku Teaching Hospital are accredited. Many health institutions such as School of Nursing and Midwifery, Nkpor; School of Health Technology, Obosi are now accredited. Many health institutions owned by the churches that lost accreditation are now accredited because of our support. We have renovated 15 of the general hospitals in the state and have even built new ones such as Anyamelum General Hospital, Anaku and Umueri General Hospital. We built new structures at Umunze Cottage Hospital. As I speak, we are building 10 hostels at the cost of N60 million each in 10 chosen missionary hospitals. A few weeks ago, the new Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine built from the scratch by our government got accreditation. In that hospital, we built over 20 new structures such as Consultants’ Clinics, General Out Patients’ Department building, House Officers’ Quarters, laboratory, Pharmacology/Emergency building, Mortuary/Pathology building, College of Medicine building, Laundry building, Catering building; Male, Female, Children and Special Wards among many others. In your own calculation, would a sector where we have done all these be said to suffer from under budgeting? The issue is that we have a lot of development partners who of-

ONE OF THE REASONS PEOPLE DO ALL SORT OF THINGS TO REMAIN IN POLITICAL OFFICES IS BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY NOTION OF TAKING POLITICS AS A JOB.

POLITICS SHOULD

ACTUALLY BE A VOCATION

He said you only complete projects started by others, that you should not, as a governor, engage in immunisation or visit schools and he questioned ownership structure of the brewery that SABMiller is building in Anambra State? You have seen the reason I wanted to refrain from answering. You and I know that immunisation is the aspect of medical healthcare taken most serious in all parts of the world. Today Bill Gates is committing billions of dollars and time to that and somebody said a governor should not concern himself with immunisation. Let us even apply elementary logic, as a person, would you want to devote time on immunisation against polio that will protect you from the disease or would you disregard it and strive to cure its actual infection? What the man is telling us is to disregard immunisation and face the real disease. It is tragic and unfortunate. As to a governor visiting schools, I am currently drawing up a programme that will enable me visit all the schools in Anambra State before I leave. I do not blame him; in the past, people were concerned with visiting godfathers and all of that, that the likes of Offodile now think it is the right thing to do. I liken it to Plato’s myth of the Cave when some people were put in a cave where they were lucky to see shadow pass by now and then, and being accustomed to the cave, they mistook the shadow for reality. When they eventually came out of the cave, they were confused by the true light. Anambra people of Offodile’s conviction were so accustomed to paying homage to godfathers that visiting small children in schools become trifles. You pity such people, because that is what they require. On the SABMiller matter, I say it at every forum that my government has invested over N12 billion for Anambra State in different businesses and SABMiller, where we invested N2 billion is one of them. You can see how crooked some people think, the 10 per cent Anambra is holding in that corporation means nothing to him. The over 1,000 direct and indirect jobs it will create is certainly not known to him. His headache is to know other people that invested in the company. Today, Anambra has also invested over N4 billion in Orient Petroleum and it is going on very well. The same people, rather than encourage the government for doing this, will only say the project was not conceived by me. Today, I complete projects abandoned in the past. There is one building in Onitsha, Ministry of Justice building, it was started by the Army, abandoned and used as refuse dump, I recovered it, completed it and it is put into use now. I completed ASUBEB building, SEMA building, among others. But should this blind somebody from recognising that I did the Secretariat, Teaching Hospital, Customary Court of Appeal, five classroom blocks in each town, including his own, among many other projects from the scratch? All I ask of Nigerians is to help those in authority to really serve the people. Criticise them when necessary and not blindly as some of us do. Can you compare Anambra when you came into office as governor and how it is now? You should be doing the comparison, not me. Nobody is a judge in his own case. But in comparing, bear in mind you are talking about a state that used to have three hotels, but now has over 30. We are talking about a state where bank branches and businesses have tripled since I became governor. Indeed, Anambra is now experiencing peace from the jungle it used to be. Today, dead industries are being resuscitated and new ones coming up, one can go on and on. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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Monday, July 16, 2012

Politics

Monday, July 16, 2012

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Corruption: ‘Nigeria’s fastest growing industry’ Save Nigeria Group, (SNG) recently held its state of the nation’s lecture series where salient issues on corruption were critically examined by eminent Nigerians. SINA FADARE reports.

rked by the prevalent insecurity situation in the country and the inability of the government to check the rising wave of corruption that is plaguing the country like a cancer, the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), a coalition of human rights activists, last Monday in one of its state of the nation’s lectures proffered solutions to the knotty issue of corruption. Eminent Nigerians from diverse backgrounds; who stormed the venue of the lecture, called for a concerted effort by all Nigerians to tackle corruption which has remain endemic and a way of life in the country from its root; otherwise we would all be consumed. Convener of the SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare in his welcome address lamented the wanton corruption the nation has faced in the last few months and how the power that be, pretended as if nothing is going wrong. According to him, “all the sordid revelations of the past six months have laid the arguments to rest as to the forces that are bent on freeing our people from the stranglehold of corruption and those who want to keep them in perpetual subjugation.” The cleric who lamented that “the attendant shenanigans of the fight back by corruption in Nigeria today has the potential to dampen the morale of the people if we don’t continue to give meaning to the meaningless situation we are in.” Bakare challenged Nigerians to rise up and face the naked facts that their fate is in their hands and the ....... they confront all the looters of “our collective wealth with all our zeal, anger and might, the desired freedom will not come on a platter of gold.” Speaking at the occasion, the guest speaker, Prof. Niyi Osundare in his lecture titled “Why we no longer blush: Corruption as Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” lamented that the country that was flowing with honey has been turned to one flowing with agony by the leaders who derived joy in accruing ill-gotten wealth at the expense of all. Osundare, who said the country is

WE MUST FIRST GET OUR RULERS TO CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE TO THE RULED VIA THE RULE OF LAW.

AND WE

MUST DO THIS BY CHANGING OUR OWN ATTITUDE TO THOSE IN THE POSITION OF POWER practising kleptocracy, regretted that those who are in position of authority have developed a thick skin; therefore it would take the collective efforts of all to stop the malady of corruption going on in the public sphere. “Why is it that Nigerians no longer blush? How did we come to lose our sense of shame after losing our sense of propriety and proportion? How did we come to develop a skin that is so thick that no arrows of degradation, no needles of dehumanisation are ever sharp and violent enough to penetrate our body and rouse our senses? How did our nerves slide into their present state of stupor? How did we plunge into this state of catastrophes that would shake normal societies to their very foundations hit and leave us unfazed?” he queried The university don pointed out that the SNG has taken up the initiative at a critical time by leading a coalition of civil society groups to confront the brutal monster which our leader want to force on us in form of oil subsidy, noting that it is not yet a promise land, “if corruption do not kill Nigeria, Nigeria will kill corruption” He regretted that tyrants in military uniform whipped us with scorpions; only a few of us protested. “Now their civilian inheritors are scourging us with serpents, and many of us respond with ‘ranka dede!’ Politicians and other public functionaries empty public treasuries and squander our patrimony right before our very eyes; we pray to God to aid their effort. Time there was when these public thieves stole our money in millions of naira; now they do so in billions and trillions; and many of us urge them on and envy their luck,” he explained. According to him, “To tackle corrup-

Bakare

Osundare

tion which is the fastest growing industry in Nigeria, managers of our collective wealth should be put to task and compelled to be accountable to the people and should be called to order when they are misbehaving.” The erudite scholar noted that people encourage the criminality of leaders to their whims and caprices, noting that they live a larger than life image while in government and want to continue outside it by stealing all they can laid their hands on in order to maintain their bogus life after leaving the office. Osundare, who queried the essence

of a government that could not provide basic infrastructural amenity to its citizen, asked: “Why has the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the principal artery connecting the rest of the country to its commercial heartbeat of Lagos, remained a death trap in the past 10 years? What has happened to the loudly touted plan in the past five years to rehabilitate and expand the expressway? Is the company called Bi-Courtney still interested in the concessioning arrangement? And, by the way, what about the billions of naira budgeted for road rehabilitation every year? What happened to them? ” The poet, who regretted that the country failed to learn from history, pointed out that to us as a nation, history frequently repeats itself as a running mix of tragedy and farce. “We are like that nanny goat in the tale whipped countless times for a repeated offence. Buffeted by political banditry, anesthetised by gross religiosity, inundated by injustices which stink to the high heavens; our senses have been dulled, our nerves critically undone, our sense of reality twisted to look like something straight out of the theatre of the absurd,” he said. He noted that those in positions of authority in Nigeria, especially in the political and economic spheres, have been waging an undeclared war on the country’s resources and general welfare. Osundare empahsised that, to fight corruption in Nigeria, “we must first get our rulers to change their attitude to the ruled via the rule of law. And we must do this by changing our own attitude to those in the position of power. Too often the Nigerian people encourage the criminality of our rulers by kow-towing to their every whim and caprice; we invite their disdain by denying ourselves any claim to self-respect; we court their oppression by readily offering them our backs to ride upon. We cow when we should kick; we temporise when we need to toughen up.” The university don noted that to get out of the cocoon of invisibility woven around us as a nation by corruption, all hands must be on deck to keep an eagle eye on all public officials and frequently ask them how far are they handling ‘our collective patrimony’ put into their care. In his earlier address, the chairman of the occasion, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) said that there is still ray of hope if all can come together as a formidable force to face the daunting challenges of corruption which few opportunist leaders have bestowed on the nation.

APGA crisis, a manifestation of human imperfection – Obi CONTINUED FROM 14 All is not well with your party, APGA. Some say it is the issue of who will succeed you that is brewing the trouble, how true is that? I am in love with Thomas Santayana’s saying that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. How many people who imposed their candidates are happy with the turn of events? I am the last person to try to impose any candidate on the people of Anambra State. Having said this, the question of succession should not be the issue. My prayer everyday is for God to raise among the people of the state somebody who will be better than myself in the management of men and resources to take over from

me. The way Anambra is today, I am sure they will, on their own, resist any move to impose anybody on them.

What efforts are you making to resolve the crisis in APGA? APGA has no problem. I have maintained that any organization manned by man, has its own imperfections. What you see is the manifestation of those imperfections. What we try to do is to ask our members not to allow APGA go under and we are confident it will not. Other parties in Nigeria also have their own imperfections. With less than two years to go, after governorship, what

next? I have a business I was doing before I became governor; I will go back to it. One of the reasons people do all sort of things to remain in political offices is because of this faulty notion of taking politics as a job. Politics should actually be a vocation. Those who take it as a job are concerned less with transformation. When this phase is done, I would have done my part and so I will go back to my family and business. Any message for Anambra people? As always let them remain prayerful for the state and for Nigeria.

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Monday, July 16, 2012

Worrisome depreciating value of life in Nigeria HeartBeat

CALLISTUS

OKE

Callistusoke@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275 (SMS ONLY)

n contemporary Nigeria, death has been stripped of all its surrealistic meanings and so it lives in the consciousness of the people even as unwanted companion. It is stalking and walking freely among Nigerians, who have resigned to their inglorious fate that it could strike anywhere and at will without let. Places of worship are no longer the comfort Nigerians have known because death’s agents have demystified the myth that God dwells among his children in His house. And for this reason, the solemnities of funerals have been desecrated by the unusual occurrences that they in turn have become the needed opportunities to create more deaths. I weep for the families of Senator Gyang Dalyop Dantong, Hon. James Gyang Fulani and those of others killed penultimate Sunday when on a funeral procession for the unfortunate scores of people massacred the previous day at Maseh, Riyom LGA of Plateau State. They were allegedly ambushed and wasted and thus shared the fate of the people they came to pay their last respect to

well-fed and trained dog is certain to perform excellently the assigned watchdog role over its master’s property. However, a hungry and maltreated dog can threaten its master. The Department of Petroleum (DPR) is Nigeria’s agency that monitors upstream and downstream oil and gas industry. Amazing is the marginalization of the cop of an industry that produces about 80 percent of the honey pot that should nourish estimated 160 million Nigerians. The DPR administers principal laws and regulations governing petroleum exploitation, yet multinational oil firms trample on petroleum laws with impunity, degrade the environment and endanger health of oil communities, and even steal crude oil with impunity. However, expecting officially crippled regulator to perform is a forlorn miracle. DPR officials in the oil jungle lack logistics to monitor rogue oil firms, exposing them to sumptuous temptations, which enable illegal bunkering vessels to overload. Crude theft has in the last 30 years grown to international status. Compromised are the nation’s defense systems by global oil rogue rings using sophisticated equipment to commit economic sabotage. The recent revelation that a British registered bunkering ship used such espionage technology to disable surveillance equipment of maritime security agencies is still officially treated with levity. Government gave the same careless treatment to Boko Haram when the United States warned six years ago that Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida terrorist group was not only setting up a foothold in Nigeria but also planting the ma-

before they were lowered into their graves. Nigeria has become a huge jungle where only a thin line separates the living from the dead. Nigerians are no more shocked with statistics of fatalities of wasted lives. Their senses have been dulled by screaming newspapers headlines announcing the scores and hundreds of victims of deaths by insurgents, deaths from pyromaniacs that petrol tanker drivers have become, and not mentioning other reprehensible professional malfeasance creators. What a country! Two photographs on page 2 of last Tuesday edition of National Mirror, for me, depict the admixture of horrendous nightmares and melancholic sobriety that have infused into the psyche of Nigerians since the current slide of the nation into Hobbesian state of nature. The first photograph has the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin and other security chiefs smiling out of the Security Council meeting called by President Goodluck Jonathan the previous to assess the deeping insecurity in the nation in the aftermath of the Jos bloodbath, while the second photograph has a sobered Senate President, David Mark consoling the wife of late Senator Dantong. I did not expect anybody to come out of that Monday Security Council meeting smiling given the fouled mood of the nation. Though you cannot put figure to the worth of a life, some deaths become more shocking than others. Life’s worth in Nigeria is seriously discounted by the cheap

NIGERIA HAS BECOME A HUGE JUNGLE WHERE ONLY A THIN LINE SEPARATES THE LIVING FROM THE DEAD way a serving senator and the majority leader of a state house of assembly were killed. And putting the entire issue in perspective, the federal government, of which Air Chief Marshal Petinrin is a strong voice, has responsibility for the security of Plateau State. It is instructive to note that on December 31, 2011, President Jonathan placed 15 LGAs in the high volatile states of Borno, Yobe, Plateau and Niger under emergency rule. The 15 LGAs included the very high risk LGAs of Jos North, Jos South, Barkin-Ladi and Riyom. More importantly, the security of the four states was put under the charge of Chief of Defence Staff and he was empowered to set up a special anti-terrorism task force for the affected areas. Their concomitant high militarization was complemented with the efforts of the SSS and the regular police, all federal institutions. Technically speaking therefore, the governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, is a bystander in the security permutations of his state. Who knows a state more than

its political chief executive officer? Why should Abuja claim omniscient power over events in Plateau? This is one aberration of the Nigerian nation. Could you therefore, appreciate why Plateau State House of Assembly want Abuja held responsible for the killing field the state has become? What is happening in the region is the result of the failure of intelligence gathering and the apparent lack of strategic thinking by the leaderships of the security agencies in the state. Many commentators have rehearsed the lingering indigeneship question in the state in their attempt to development explanatory schema for the orgies of violence that have wreaked havoc on humans and material resources in Plateau State. While the settler-indigene dichotomy could explain the deeply rooted animosity between the native Biroms and Hausa-Fulani settlers, it does not say why the security agents went to slumber to allow the agents of death free reins. The previous day’s mass killings ought to have raised the red flag for the security agents and thus make them build water-tight security for the people that were to take part in the funeral procession planned for the following day. This was not to be. I smell a rat. It is obvious there was high level compromise. Characteristically, nobody would accept responsibility and be sanctioned. The impunity continues. Meanwhile the Nigerian life continues to depreciate in value. In thy hand oh Lord, I commit my country!

DPR: Oil watchdog or lapdog? chinery to make Nigeria the hub of its West African evil activities. Unlike Nigeria, the US immediately set up a Gulf of Guinea military base to protect her oil shipments from Nigeria. Our complacency has translated into the equivalence of two million barrels per day crude export theft. Some foreign oil firms in partnership with NNPC secretly and illegally produce crude from so-called capped wells and pocket the entire proceeds. Besides, gaping holes are bored into the pockets of innocent consumers, fleeced by petroleum product marketers. Meters are adjusted to dispense less fuel. Worse still, the NNPC and marketers sometime sell petrol-bombs to innocent consumers as kerosene. Toxic, adulterated and off-specification products are distributed to wreak havoc every year because of a famished DPR. Kerosene is criminally dispensed as aviation fuel without removing dirt and water thereby risking jets to crash, kill and destroy properties, as being suspected in the recent Dana aircraft crash. Yet it is the job of DPR to reduce gas flares, ensure that oil and gas projects conform to environmental impact assessment and monitor oil spill cleanup. It has to make sure imported petroleum products meet standard requirements of quality and safety and monitor that proper keeping of oil sales’ records etc. But today, as it was in the past, nobody or institution knows actual crude oil sales. A National Assembly audit of oil revenues accruals to the Federation Account found gross inconsistencies in figures bandied by the CBN, the DPR, Ministry of Finance and RMFAC were contradictory. Unheeded is strin-

DPR IS CRIPPLED TO A LAPDOG THAN A WATCHDOG FOR ROTTEN BUSINESS TO PREVAIL gent call on government to dismantle NNPC; scrap duplicitous price-fixing PPPRA and PEF, both irrelevant in genuine deregulation for incoming private refiners to flourish. Yet, the DPR, whose men are at the loading depots, are unable to have the authentic figures because it is deliberately starved financially and denied autonomy to perform independently. It depends on regulated NNPC to pay staff salaries, depends on oil firms to mobilize to site. Now, can the DPR perform its watchdog roles on the NNPC, which feeds it? It is a dilemma. Worse still, heads of DPR are usually seconded from NNPC. Ex DPR director Macaulay Ofurhe admits that poor funding inhibits effective supervision of upstream and downstream operations. He lamented some years ago in my article, the Famished oil cop: “Everybody expects us to do everything: generating revenue, being the watchdog of the industry and (yet) not providing us with the requirements to do the job”. Autonomy for the DPR to run its budget and hire own staff, Ofurhe concluded, is the solution. Autonomy issue was why senior employees of DPR went on a productive four-day strike many years ago. The IBB regime,

Roadmap SONI EHI

ASUELIMEN

soniasuelimen@yahoo.com, 08023459055 (SMS ONLY)

about 19 years ago, had approved the upgrading of DPR to Petroleum Inspectorate Commission (PIC) to guarantee its independence and enhance performance of its watchdog functions, by freeing it from meddlesomeness of supervisory Ministry of Petroleum and corrupt NNPC. With 13 years of PDP rule, the PIC bill is stalled at the National Assembly. The oil theft and subsidies cabal in and out of bureaucracy have effective blocked the PIC bill just like the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), allegedly being doctored to prevent transparency of oil firms to publish what they earn and for government to publish what it earns. DPR is crippled to a lapdog than a watchdog for rotten business to prevail. The PIB and PIC bill must be considered together for oil reform deregulation full benefits to manifest. 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.

Editorial

Monday, July 16, 2012

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

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HEAD, GRAPHICS

Recurring bloodbath in Plateau State

he deployment of terror to settle scores in Plateau State got to a horrifying height on Sunday July 8, 2012 with the brutal killing of a serving senator, Gyang Dalyop Dantong; a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, James Gyang Fulani, and scores of others in very cruel circumstances. Though yet unresolved is the riddle of how the two politicians especially were cut down, it is incontrovertible that they and the rest victims massacred between July 7 and 8 in the renewed conflagration in Jos North, Barkin-Ladi and Riyom, three of the four Local Government Areas of the state that had been under emergency rule, are the latest victims of the virtual genocidal warfare that gripped the state since 2001. One painful deduction from the heart-rending killings is that the Federal Government, on whose shoulders the responsibility of providing security for the people of Plateau State rests, does not seem to have a hang on the job. Six months (now expired) of FG-directed emergency rule in the four LGAs and the FG takeover of security provisioning in the area turned out a woeful failure, with unmitigated insecurity in the region and the destructive tendencies of the belligerents unrestrained. It has, therefore, become imperative to review the FG’s emergency rule enforcement in Plateau State and other areas affected. From all indications, the problems the emergency rule option was meant to resolve appear deeper and more intractable than

WE CONSIDER IT SUICIDAL, DEPLOYING PARTISAN SECURITY OPERATIVES TO PROTECT PEOPLE AGAINST WHOM THEY BEAR GRUDGES OR

PERCEIVE AS ARCHENEMIES what militarization of the region and imposition of curfews could contain. Indeed, it is laughable that the Special Military Task Force on the Plateau Crisis (STF) waited until after the gruesome attacks of July 7 and 8, before it realized the need to evacuate endangered villages to enable it smoke out those behind the killings; when, according to reports credited to a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, the attention of the security agencies was drawn to an illegal arms depot at a suspicious location in BarkinLadi LGA before the killings, but no follow-up action was taken until the bloody attacks were perpetrated. That the crisis festered even when sections of the state were under emergency rule seems an unambiguous indication that the political leadership lacked the scruples to protect lives and property; and is probably on the tenterhooks, waiting for miraculous solutions to the awesome security

deficits confronting Plateau State and other parts of the North. The FG’s helplessness and inability to generously and firmly utilize the nation’s coercive instruments to secure lives and property have left a pervasive impression of insecurity in the citizenry and the resort to self-help at the slightest opportunity. The general ineffectiveness in law enforcement may be largely blamed for the palpable fear, even in official quarters, that anarchy is a hair’s breadth away. Nonetheless, the President Goodluck Jonathan administration still has the opportunity to save the situation in Plateau State from degenerating, with the rich reports on the Plateau State crisis at its disposal. All that may be necessary are setting up a committee to harmonise the reports, and the FG mustering the political will to act on the recommendations of the committee. The mindless bloodletting and violent strifes in Plateau State have been blamed mainly on ethno-religious intolerance which has its roots in the agelong “indigene” and “settler” controversy. Ethnic nationalities as well as Christian and Muslim leaders should be compelled to sincerely work hard at resolving the disagreement, to guarantee their peaceful coexistence. The 1999 Constitution (as amended) recognizes three processes of acquiring citizenship in the country - by birth, naturalization and registration. Citizenship by registration or naturalization could be obtained through

marriage and domiciliation. Why must any Nigerian be denied the “indigeneship” of the state of his birth and domicile for hundreds of years? The Constitution must be made to work in the resolution of the Plateau dilemma. In addition, the politics of Plateau State should consciously encourage inclusiveness and fairness across the indigene – settler strata, while public policies should take into account the sensibilities of all ethnoreligious divides to douse further bitterness and rancor. Besides, Plateau has become one of the high risk states where arms and weaponry are in many wrong hands. The state has joined the league of areas where illegal arms are freely wielded. The FG must take adequate measures to recover them. Moral suasion complemented by adequate compensation for returned arms seem the most profitable approach. It was done successfully in the Niger Delta region as part of the Amnesty Programme and could be replicated in Plateau State with positive results. More importantly at the moment, however, is the need for a thorough screening of the security operatives and members of the STF on special assignment in Plateau State, considering serious allegations of compromise and taking of sides against them. We consider it suicidal, deploying partisan security operatives to protect people against whom they bear grudges or perceive as arch-enemies; as complaints trailing the violence in the state strongly suggest.

ON THIS DAY July 16, 2007 The Chuetsu offshore earthquake: An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 and 6.6 aftershock occurred off the Niigata coast of Japan, killing 11 people, injuring at least 1000 and damaging a nuclear power plant. About 342 buildings were completely destroyed, mostly older wooden structures. The earthquake occurred at about 10:13 a.m. local time (01:13 UTC) on July 16, 2007 and shook Niigata and neighbouring prefectures.

July 16, 1999 John F. Kennedy, Jr., piloting a Piper Saratoga aircraft, died when his plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. His wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and sister-in-law, Lauren Bessette, were also killed. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr. (November 25, 1960 – July 16, 1999), often referred to as John F. Kennedy, Jr., was an American socialite, magazine publisher, lawyer, and pilot. He was the elder son of former United States President, John F. Kennedy.

July 16, 1973 Watergate Scandal: Former White House aide, Alexander P. Butterfield informed the United States Senate that President Richard Nixon had secretly recorded potentially incriminating conversations. The scandal resulted from the June 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration’s attempted cover-up of its involvement. The scandal eventually led to the resignation of President Nixon on August 9, 1974.

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Business Courage

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cover

Caught in the eurozo Football, one of the world’s most lucrative sports is having its fair share of the ongoing Eurozone debt crisis, negatively impacting on the fortunes of top European club sides, as international football transfer numbers and player buying fees have fallen sharply worldwide in the past six months.

Hazard

Angela Merkel, Germany Chancellor

Podolski

Alba

By Tayo Adeleke

s it is, it appears that the longer the eurozone’s debt crisis drags on, the more it resembles an instrument of economic torture. Like the medieval rack, every turn of the crisis tears Europe further apart. First, it was Cyprus that announced it would seek a bail-out, followed by Spain’s request for money to recapitalise its banks. The Greek limb is close to being ripped off and the Italian looks unable to hold its own. Monetary union was meant to be a blessing and the euro’s founders, like many of the world’s economic bloc, dreamed that the euro would end chronic and divisive currency crises, promote growth and multiply Europe’s economic power. After the creation of the single market, the euro was the next step towards political union. For decades, European integration worked. Through trade and regional aid, poorer members joining the club quickly started catching up with rich ones. But the euro has now set the “convergence machine” in reverse. Parts of southern Europe are in depression and must pay high interest rates, while Germany enjoys record low borrowing costs. The debtors plead for mercy, but the creditors think they must suffer

for their sins. Now, after first blaming speculators, then profligate states, then, more broadly, Europe’s lack of competitiveness, the cardinals of monetary union have belatedly come to understand that the main problem is the euro itself. A new report by a group of prominent economists—sponsored by Jacques Delors, the former president of the European Commission, and Helmut Schmidt, the former German chancellor—describes in telling detail how the euro is destroying itself. Away from the core banking crisis, the eurozone debt problem appears to be hitting one of the world’s most unifying factor, football. The debt crisis, coupled with the financial fair play rules introduced by European football’s governing body, UEFA to ensure that clubs only spend cash, including on bigname star signings, from revenues that they have created,

rather than through borrowing or handouts from rich owners is beginning to have negative consequences on the lucrative round leather game. As at the end of the first half of this year, completed player deals fell by nine percent while their total financial value equally plunged by more than a third, falling by 34 percent. In six months, total income from 4,973 transfers around the globe was $576 million (£371m). The data, revealed by FIFA’s Transfer Matching System (TMS) organisation, which uses modern electronic technology with the aim of making international football transfers more transparent and legally compliant, however says the months of July and August when European transfer windows will open will determine how well the football business has lost to the eurozone’s crisis. “We still have to see what happens in

July and August, when European transfer windows are open, to see if this drop is just a dip or part of a continuing trend,” said Isabelle Solal, head of integrity and compliance at FIFA TMS. “However, if I personally was asked to pick reasons, I would say it is still because of economic recession and the impact of the UEFA financial fair play sanctions. Clubs are making an

effort to balance their books, but things should be clearer by September,” said Ms Solal, speaking to the BBC News website at a World Sports Law Report conference into football player contracts. The big five European leagues - England, Germany, France, Italy and Spain - have transfer windows that run from 1 July to 31 August. Scotland

Business Courage A Publication of GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER SEMIU SALAMI BAMIDELE OBAFEMI ADEJUWON OSUNNUYI FESTUS OKOROMADU TAYO ADELEKE

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Business Courage

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ne’s debt mess

Mario Monti, Italy Prime Minister

has a similar transfer window. And with most of the deals done in the first half of the year taking place during the January transfer windows in Europe, July and August are the two months when most global trading in the second half of the year will take place. Despite the riches flooding into the Premier League in England - it recently renewed its domestic TV deal for a massive £3 billion. Newcastle United bought Papiss Demba Cisse for £10 million from Freiburg in Germany, and Chelsea bought Kevin de Bruyne from Genk in Belgium for £9 million. However many other clubs opted for loan signings, securing unattached players or cheaper purchases from the lower leagues in England. So far, the English Premiership, about the most lucrative in the eurozone has signed in twelve players for 131.05 million euros, with the highest so far being Eden Hazard’s move from Lille of Belgium to Chelsea for a whooping sum of 40 million euros. This was followed by Olivier Giroud and Shinji Kagawa’s 15 million euros move from Montpellier and Borousia Dortmund of France and Germany to Arsenal and Man United respectively. Lucas Podolski’s 13 million euros move from Kohl in Germany to Arsenal. In the Spanish La Liga, Jordi Albas’ 14 million euros switch from Valencia to Barcelona takes the lead, followed by Diego Lopez’ distant 3.4 million euro’s move from Villarreal to Sevilla in a current total transfer fee of 27.1 million euros. In the Italian Serie A which has so far attracted 82.55 million euros in transfer fees, the trio of Fredy Guarin, Rodrigo

Mariano Rajoy, Spain Prime Minister

Palacio and Sebastian Giovinco top the league with 11 million euros each. Guarin moved from Porto to Inter Millan and Palacio moved from Genoa also to Inter Millan, Giovinco moved from Parma to Juventus. So far, the German Bundesliga has amassed 84.4 million euros in transfer fee, with Marco Reus’s 17.5 million euro move from Borissia Mgladbach to Borussia Dortmund the top of the table, followed by the 13 million euros switch by Mario Mandzukic from Wolfsburg to Bayern Munich. Xherdan Shaqiri’s 12 million euros move from Basel to Bayern Munich completes the top three. Interestingly, of the eurozone countries, England which so far appears to be the least

affected has attracted the highest transfer fee of 118.88 million euros. Spain, Italy and Germany, the three countries that are currently battling the financial crisis are trailing far below with Italy recording 84.4 million euros, Germany so far earning 81.85 million euros, just as Spain, currently the best football nation and one of the worst hit in the euro debt crisis mustering a meagre 27.1 million euros. In the face of the worsening euro debt crisis, AC Milan is planning to offload the duo of Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Paris Saint-Germain for a sensational €60 million. Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has been planning to offload the pair for months in

order to wipe out a significant chunk of the club’s mounting debts, as well as remove two hefty salaries from the wage bill, with Ibrahimovic earning a reported €12 million a year, while Silva is paid a yearly sum of €6 million plus bonuses at San Siro. Galliani’s plan was initially undermined by the Berlusconi family, with club owner Silvio Berlusconi blocking the proposed sale of Thiago Silva to PSG for €46 million at the last minute before subsequently handing the Brazilian a lucrative new contract. On the other hand, Manchester United is also seeking to list on the US stock market in a share sale aimed at raising $100 million. The club had ear-

lier explored the possibility of a $1 billion flotation on the Singapore stock market. United, among the best-supported clubs in the world, said it would use money from the listing to repay debt. The club has been controlled since 2005 by the Glazer family, the billionaire US sports investors who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football franchise. The Glazers borrowed large sums of money to buy the club and the interest payments on this debt are onerous. In 2010, the owners converted these loans into a bond in order to reduce the interest, but analysts say the share sale demonstrates how the club remains weighed down by its heavy debts, despite its huge global fan base and promotional and marketing efforts. The club currently owes £423 million. In September, United received approval for a share sale in Singapore, but the process was delayed because of volatility in the stock markets. Several high-profile flotations have been pulled in recent months as investor appetite has been dampened by the European debt crisis and worries that Asian economies are slowing. While ManU is seeking stock market quotation to boost its finances, Arsenal, another English team is having a crack in its board, its second largest shareholder, Alisher Usmanov took a swipe at the running of the club after Robin van Persie, the club’s most prized player Continue on pg A4

Football Transfers 2012/2013 Player Country To English Premier League Transfers 2012/2013 Jan Vertonghen Belgium Tottenham Jose Manuel Flores Spain Swansea Olivier Giroud France Arsenal Lukas Podolski Germany Arsenal Karim El Ahmadi Morocco Aston Villa Marko Marin Germany Chelsea Eden Hazard Belgium Chelsea Shinji Kagawa Japan Man. Utd Nick Powell England Man. Utd Jay Rodriguez England Southampton Gylfi Sigurdsson Iceland Tottenham Ben Foster England West Brom Spanish La Liga Transfers – 2011/2012 Aritz Aduriz Spain Athletic Bilbao Daniel Diaz Argentina Athletico Madrid Jordi Alba Spain Barcelona Javi Hervas Spain Sevilla Diego Lopez Spain Sevilla Alban Bunjaku England Sevilla Joao Pereira Portugal Valencia Jonathan Viera Spain Valencia Italian Serie A Transfers - 2012/2013 Jonatan Lucca Roma Ahmed Hegazy Egypt Fiorentina Fredy Guarin Colombia Inter Milan Rodrigo Palacio Argentina Inter Milan Mauricio Isla Chile Juventus Martin Caceres Uruguay Juventus Sebastian Giovinco Italy Juventus Emmanuele Giaccherini Italy Juventus Kwadwo Asamoah Ghana Juventus Goran Pandev FYR Macedonia Napoli

From

Price

Ajax Genoa Montpellier Koln Feyenoord Werder Bremen Lille Bor. Dortmund Crewe Burnley Hoffenheim Birmingham

10 million 2.5 million 15 million 13 million undisclosed 8 million 40 million 15 million 3.75 million 8.8 million 10 million 5 million

Valencia Getafe Valencia Cordoba Villarreal Arsenal Sporting Lisbon Las Palmas

2.5 million 1 million 14 million undisclosed 3.5 million undisclosed 3.6 million 2.5 million

Inter Milan Ismaily Porto Genoa Udinese Sevilla Parma Cesena Udinese Inter Milan

0.7 million 1.5 million 11 million 11 million 9.4 million 8 million 11 million 4.25 million 9 million 7.5million

Sub Total (€mn)

131.05

27.1

Player Ishak Belfodil Marquinho Adrian Stoian Thomas Heurtaux Cristian Pasquato

Country France Brazil Romania France Italy

To Parma Roma Roma Udinese Udinese

German Bundesliga 2012/2013 Bayer Leverkusen Philipp Wollscheild Germany Dante Brazil Bayern Munich Xherdan Shaqiri Switzerland Bayern Munich Mario Mandzukic Croatia Bayern Munich Leonardo Bittencourt Germany Bor. Dortmund Julian Schieber Germany Bor. Dortmund Marco Reus Germany Bor. Dortmund Alvaro Dominguez Spain Bor. Mgladbach Peniel Mlapa Germany Bor. Mgladbach Granit Xhaka Switzerland Bor. Mgladbach Felipse Martins Brazil Hannover Rest Of Europe Transfers 2012/2013 Hamit Altintop Turkey Galatasaray Ryad Nouri Le Havre Anthony Mounier France Montpellier Daniel Wass Denmark Evian Dirk Kuyt Netherland Fenerbahce Ola John Netherland Benfica Niko Kranjcar Croatia Dynamo Kiev Marvin Martin France Lille Vedran Corluka Croatia Lokomotiv Ezequiel Lavezzi Argentina PSG Ivan Marcano Spain Rubin Kazan Dusan Tadic Sebia Twente Amount Spent so far in 2012/2013

From Lyon Fluminense Bari Caen Juventus

Price 2.5million 3.5million 1.2 million 2million 1.5 million

Nurnberg Bor. Mgladbach Basel Wolfsburg energie Cottbus Stuttgart Bor. Mgladbach Atletico Madrid Hoffenheim Basel Standard Liege

7million 4.7 million 12million 13million 3million 5.5million 17.5million 8million 3million 8.5million 2.2million

Real madrid Istres Nice Benfical Liverpool Twente Tottenham Sochaux Tottenham Napoli Villarreal Groningen

5.65 million 150,000 3.5million 2.5million 1.5million 9million 6.75million 10 million 5million 30million 5million 7.7million

Sub Total (€mn)

82.55

84.4

7.5 79.25 €411.85

A4 22

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News

Cover announced he would not be renewing his contract. The Uzbek billionaire sent a strongly worded letter to the board accusing them of a lack of investment. “Yet again, we are faced with losing our true marquee players because we cannot give confidence we can win trophies. As a top club we should, at the very least, match if not beat the offers that other clubs make to try and lure our very best players away and provide a more compelling vision for the future,” he was quoted to have said in a letter to the club. Usmanov’s Red and White Holding Company has a 29 percent stake in Arsenal while American businessman, Stan Kroenke, 64, is the Premier League club’s majority shareholder, owning 63 percent of the club. Kroenke tried to complete a full takeover of the club in 2011 but the 58-yearold Usmanov insisted he would not sell. In the open letter dated Thursday, 5 July, Usmanov accuses Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis of giving supporters the impression that the Red and White was in a bitter stand-off with the board. “In our view, it is clear you are trying to distract attention from the more fundamental issues facing the club,” he writes. “These are the financial model, the lack of investment and club’s future strategic direction.” The letter suggests the “real conflict is between the supporters’ expectations and your visions for the club. Mr Kroenke was sold a vision by the board at a time when the club could be successful without further investment,” it reads. “As a consequence of this policy, which is dressed up as prudent financial planning, it is down to our manager and not the shareholders, to have to deal with the club’s tight finances, carry the burden of repaying the stadium debt by selling his best players and having to continue to find cheaper replacements. “This policy is leading to the loss of our best players, often to main competitors, and even causes the players themselves to question their future at the club and the club’s ambitions. The situation with Robin van Persie sums this up,” he said. The club have signed two strikers this summer: Montpellier’s France international Olivier Giroud, 25, for a reported £12 million and Germany’s Lukas Podolski for around £11 million from Cologne. But Usmanov says Champions League qualification is the “pinnacle of the club’s ambition” and calls for investment to match that spent by Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City or face lowering expectations even further. BC

Monday, July 16, 2012

strategy for participating in this year’s festivities driven by our need to harness the best of ideas, inspiration and future-thinking in three focal areas: Consumer engagement - Turning consumers into fans and advocates of brands that they love; Brand torytelling – Engaging the human senses with compelling sounds, great visuals, distinct smells and stories that touch the heart; and Futuretainment – creating emotional experiences that drive participation”. For over three decades, Insight Communications, Nigeria’s foremost marketing communications agency, has recorded huge successes on practically every brand it has worked on. For marketers – past and present – who have given Insight the opportunity to work on their brands, tend to share similar tales of progression in market share, volume sales, and growth in brand health indexes. Ozekhome

Insight storms Cannes with Africa’s largest delegation

n a bid to further firm up its commitment of proffering world-class integrated solutions to clients, Insight recently sent the largest delegation from Africa to the 2012 Cannes Lions Festival to garner inspiration, hub-nub with like minds from agencies across the world and foster new ideas, business relationships, social networks and strategic alliances. Creative Director, Insight Nigeria, Chima Okenimkpe, who attended the two-week long Cannes Creative Leaders Programme, organized yearly by the Berlin School of Creative Leadership in conjunction with the Cannes Festival of Creativity, said, “The Cannes Creativity Festival is like the perfect question, one that can never be answered. This is my second time here and I’m still searching for the answer. The Berlin School didn’t give me the answers, but they showed me the questions to ask and where to look for answers. If you are in any way interested in creative brand management and business, Cannes should be on your bucket list.” In order to consolidate on its brand building successes with marketers seeking for neutral media solutions and to build a truly global digital competency, Insight has made annual attendance to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for almost a decade – amongst other global confabs like Advertising Age’s Digital Conference and GSMA Mobile World Congress. Franklin Ozekhome, head of marketing, Insight Nigeria said that “We adopted a deliberate

Obadara

Senate sets completion date for PHCN successor firms Stories By Tola Akinmutimi (Abuja)

he Senate has set the last quarter of the current year as target for the completion of the ongoing privatisation of the successor companies created from the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). The upper legislative chamber also expressed its readiness to work with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to ensure the successful conclusion of the privatisation process by the last quarter of 2012. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Olugbenga Obadara who set the timeline for the completion of the exercise when the Committee paid an oversight visit to Egbin Power Plc in Lagos, promised the

readiness of the Committee to work with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to ensure the successful conclusion of the exercise. The legislator allayed workers’ fears over what will become their fate after the privatisation exercise, assuring that their entitlements will be paid. “Privatisation is not to witch-hunt or shortchange the workers. When the investors buy the companies, we will make sure you smile to your homes. We are also looking at privatisation holistically. It will bring prosperity” Obadara said, On the workers’ agitation that the calculation of their severance benefits should not be guided by the Pension Act of 2004, a member of the Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Adamu Gumba, urged them to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the law. “The fear of leaving should not be there. You are the custodians of experience. Those that will leave will have a smooth exit. On the other hand, there is a legal provision governing pension in the country. Take another look at it. I advise you to negotiate with your pension administrator to pay you a certain percentage as lump sum, unless you change the law, what you are asking for is not possible. When negotiating, make sure you go with existing laws in the country. BPE must work in accordance with the law” said Gumba. In his remarks, the Chief Executive of Egbin Power Plc, Mike Uzoigwe, lamented the paucity of funds which, he said, was undermining efforts to improve the output of the plant and pleaded for support from the government to keep the plant in good operational standard. Uzoigwe lamented that while it requires about N5 billion to overhaul a turbine, the yearly budgetary allocation to the company is a mere N1 billion.

Standard Chartered launches global advertising campaign

tandard Chartered has launched an international advertising campaign encompassing TV, print, outdoor and digital to reinforce the bank’s commitment to making a positive impact on the communities in which it operates. The campaign steps up a level in Nigeria today with the broadcast of a new TV advert which illustrates how Standard Chartered’s continued support for trade has a direct impact on individuals across the Bank’s

Fedder

network in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The campaign, which demonstrates Standard Chartered’s Here for good brand promise, also calls on people to visit the campaign microsite on Standard Chartered’s website (www. standard.chartered.com/ answers) and tell the Bank which issues are really affecting their lives to enable the Bank deliver on its commitment to enhancing the communities in which it operates. The TV advert will be broadcast internationally on CNN, BBC, Discovery and TLC, as well as on major local channels in nine of Standard Chartered’s markets, including: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Taiwan Thailand and the UAE. Through a montage of scenes from the daily lives of four inhabitants of Dubai, Mumbai, Nairobi and Taipei, it shows how Standard Chartered’s ongoing support for trade throughout the financial crisis and beyond has allowed companies to continue doing business, employ people, and stimulate the economies in which they operate. “This campaign goes further than merely putting our logo on TV and billboards,” says Claire Fedder, Head of Brand at Standard Chartered, adding that. “We want to affect real change in the communities where we operate, and in this way, deliver on our “Here for good brand promise.”

MDGs to scale up activities in States, LGs

he Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Office has finalized plans to scale up investments on MDGs -related projects at the states and local Governments levels, as part of its strategies to fast track the attainment of MDGs. Giving the hint in Lafia, Nassarawa State, while on advocacy, sensitisation and projects assessment tour in the state, Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr Precious Kalamba Gbeneol said her office had concluded arrangements

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Business Courage

Monday, July 16, 2012

A5 23

News

( L – R) The Managing Director, Best Foods, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere; Managing Director/CEO, Okomu Oil Palm Plc, Dr. G. Herfer; Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Adewumi Adesina and Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema at CEO Quarterly Dinner organized by the NSE on Thursday in Lagos

Gbeneol

to scale up the conditional grants scheme (CGS) to more Local Government Areas and consequently requested the governor to begin preparations to build capacity and keep apart some funds as counterpart contribution for the additional LGAs to be taken on in the next phase of its programme. According to her, MDGs has spent over N1.2 billion in providing social basic needs for the people of the Nasarawa state in 2011. “In 2011, Nasarawa state received the sum of over N1.2 billion with the state contribution half of the amount as counterpart funding.” This is in addition to the intervention through the CGS. Specifically, the MDGs chief noted that in the current phase of the programme, three local governments areas, namely: Toto, Akwanga and Obi are currently benefiting

from the CGS to the tune of N100 million yearly. This is counterpart funded by the state and are channelled into projects such as primary health care in 90 locations, procurement and distribution of equipment to support PHC services in 90 locations, construction of VIP toilets in 90 locations and perimeter fencing for 90 primary health care centres. Gbeneol who availed herself of the opportunity of forum to pay an advocacy and sensitisation visit to key stakeholders in the state maintained that the OSSAPMDGs is not leaving any stone unturned in the quest to beat the target date of the global agenda. In addition to visits to the Governor, Umaru Tanko Al Makura and the Emir of Lafia, His Highness Isa Mustapha Agwai, Gbeneol also held a town hall meeting with the people to sensitise them on the need for them to own the projects, utilise and protect them. “In view of your exalted position that holds sway on public opinion, I will be glad if you could encourage communities to access available maternal and child healthcare services in order to reduce maternal and infant mortality. Mothers should be encouraged to make their children available for immunization against the killer diseases. Kindly use your good offices to impress it upon communities that the projects delivered by the MDGs office belong to them and as such they need to take ownership for sustainability.” she said. She also urged the state governors to enlighten communities on the need for them to participate in the process of planning,

implementation, evaluation and maintenance of MDGs projects and programmes through a unique structure that have been put in place from the local government level to federal government level. In his remarks, Governor Tanko Al-Makura, who stated that the ideology of the MDGs is an extension of his government’s agenda, was full of praises for the MDGs boss for the developmental initiatives geared towards rural transformation. He assured that state government would continue to pay its counterpart funding, adding that MDGs gesture is complementing state government effort in bringing to the people the much needed dividends of democracy.

We will give PIB an accelerated hearingLawmaker By Francis Ezem

he National Assembly has said it will give an accelerated hearing to the passage of the repackaged draft Petroleum Industry Bill, given the positive impacts the new legislation is expected to have on the oil and gas sector in particular and the entire economy in general. Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke, had announced last Wednesday after the weekly Federal Executive Council that the council has approved the re-packaged draft bill from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for onward submission to the National Assembly. PIB, which is an aggregate of about 16

related laws that define the operations, governance structure and tax regimes in the oil and gas sector, is also expected to enthrone a regime of transparency and accountability in crude oil production and lifting, allocation of oil blocks and concessions and oil revenue accruals and disbursements. When passed into law, it is expected to give the government powers to make and enforce regulations concerning the environment and pollution; issues affecting oil communities and promoting Nigerian content in the oil and gas sector, among several other issues. Chairman, House Committee on Commerce, Sylvester Ogbaga, spoke in an interview in Lagos, shortly after a working visit to the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistic Base, a fully indigenous oil and gas deep offshore base, incorporating the LADOL Free Zone and currently has a Floating, Production, Storage and Operation, FPSO integration contract with Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Limited. He disclosed that the National Assembly is anxiously waiting for the executive arm to forward the bill with a view to giving it an accelerated hearing. According to him, the bill was sent to the last dispensation of the House of Representatives before the present one and some vested interests doctored the original draft, thus necessitating its being thrown out. He noted that every patriotic Nigeria knows that the new legislation if passed and enforced religiously will transform Nigeria’s oil and gas landscape, especially in terms of more revenue to the government, enhancing the local content initiative and the creating of more jobs for the teeming Nigerian youths. It is the intention of the National Assembly to give the necessary bit it requires in terms of content considering what the bill portends for the oil and gas industry, which is the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy, he noted. Nigerians should know that the bill is still in the court of the executive arm and so has not come to the National Assembly, as soon as it comes, we will give it an accelerated hearing so that the effects will begin to manifest in the economic as soon as possible, he pledged. Ogbaga also assured that the two legislative arms are fully convinced that when passed into law, the PIB will help address some of the problems faced in the industry today and also help create more jobs for teeming Nigerian youths. Managing director of LADOL, Dr. Amy Jadesimi had while addressing members of the committee had disclosed that the logistic segment of the oil and gas industry needed improved operating environment, especially

LOCAL FLIGHT SCHEDULE Air Nigeria Los-Abj: 07.15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.30, 17.00, 17.20, 18.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 08.00, 12.40, 13.10, 20.00 (Fri) Abj-Los: 07.00, 09.30, 10.30, 11.15, 16.15, 19.15, 19.25, 19.35 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) 14.55, 15.15, 20.45 (Fri) 19.45, (Sun) 11.25, 13.35, 16.25 (Mon) Abj-Kano: 18.40 (Mon-Fri/Sun) Kano-Abj: 08.35 (Mon-Fri/Sat) Abj-Sok: 09.35 (Mon) 10.10 (Fri) 11.20, (Wed/Sun) Sok-Abj: 11.35 (Mon) 12.00 (Fri) 13.20, (Wed/Sun) Los-Owr: 14.25 (Tues-Fri/Sun), 12.40 (Mon/Sat) Owr-Los: 14.25, (Tues-Fri/Sun), 14.50 (Mon/Sat)

Arik Air Los-Abj: 07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50, 18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) Abj-Los: 07.15, 09.40, 10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15, 17.10, (Mon-Fri/Sat); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun) Los-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) Abj-Ben: 08.00, 12.10 (Mon-Fri/Sat) 08.55, 12.10 (Sun) Ben-Abj: 09.55, 13.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat) 10.50, 13.30 (Sun)

Aero Contractors Los-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) Los-Ben: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30, (Mon-Fri/ Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun) 15.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) Ben-Los: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/ Sat/Sun) 17:00 (Sat), 14.00 (Sun)

Alison-Madueke

in terms of providing a conducive legal and regulatory environment. She had noted specifically that the passage of the PIB will attract fresh foreign direct investment into the country, arguing that the new and prospective investors are just waiting for a legal backing for a new way of doing business in the industry as currently proposed by the government, which will be ushered in by the passage of the new legislation. BC

A6 24

Business Courage

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global News

Diop

World Bank approves loans for KenyaEthiopia power line

he World Bank has approved a $684 million loan for Ethiopia and Kenya to finance a cross-border power line, the first phase of a $1.3 billion project to develop a regional power grid in East Africa. The World Bank said the financing -- $243 million for Ethiopia and $441 million to Kenya -- will allow Ethiopia to sell surplus power needed in Kenya, which faces severe power shortages as its economy blossoms from new oil and gas discoveries. Oil and gas exploration in East Africa has surged in recent years, with hydrocarbon discoveries in Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda transforming the region. The electricity will originate from a large number of existing and future power plants in Ethiopia, the World Bank said in a statement. “It will expand access and lower the cost of electricity supply to homes and businesses across Kenya and help to reduce thermal power emissions in Kenya, a clear benefit to the region’s environment,” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank vice president for Africa. An estimated one in three people in Africa has access to electricity. The World Bank said Ethiopia would benefit from additional revenue from the sale of electricity to Kenya. Both countries will be able to create jobs from the construction and installation of the power lines, it added.

Burundi records eight percent tax revenues in half year

urundi’s tax revenue collections rose by eight percent year-on-year to 260.2 billion francs in first half of 2012, partly due to improved business and reforms by the central African nation to attract investors, its tax authority said at the weekend. The revenue authority (OBR) said in June alone, it collected

41 billion francs, up from 33 billion francs in the same month in 2011. Last month, the coffee producing economy cut its 2012 government spending to 1.1 trillion francs from 1.2 trillion francs after finding a 90 billion francs deficit on expected domestic and external revenue. Early forecast showed internal revenues will reach 545.3 billion francs this year against 471 billion francs in 2011. In order to plug the revenue shortfall, the government recently raised taxes on beer, liquors, mineral water, cigarettes, and second hand imported vehicles and on earnings from mobile telephone companies.

East Africa is set to become one of the world’s largest gas exporters, supplying energyhungry Asia with liquefied natural gas (LNG), a gas market in which Shell is one of the world’s biggest and most experienced players. “Both Shell and PTT really need Cove very badly. But Shell has more firepower than PTT, which is quite leveraged and has less means than Shell. We think there’s a good chance (Shell comes back with a higher offer),” said Anne-Sophie D’Andlau, co-founder of Parisbased hedge fund firm CIAM and a small shareholder in Cove. The battle has encouraged investors to expect a higher offer, with shares in Cove for the last month consistently trading between 10 and 15 percent higher than PTT’s 240 pence per share bid. Cove owns an 8.5 percent stake in a Mozambique licence containing some of the big gas discoveries, while U.S. explorer Anadarko has a 36.5 percent stake in the licence, meaning Shell could turn its attention to a deal with Anadarko should it decide against the Cove deal. Other points of entry to East Africa for Shell could include tie-ups with Italy’s ENI, which has also found gas in Mozambique, or BG Group and Exxon Mobil, which have discoveries off the coast of Tanzania. PTT is seen by analysts as not having as many options as Shell to access East Africa’s gas reserves.

participate in its offshore Mozambique project, where Eni has made significant gas discoveries expected to turn Mozambique into a key gas exporter. PetroSA may also participate in the next bidding round for blocks expected in Mozambique towards the end of the year. “In our upstream strategy we are looking at access to near-producing blocks. We are constantly looking at opportunities ... either by acquisitions or bidding for acreage,” she said. PetroSA is also in preliminary talks with Mozambique to build a gas-toliquids plant, which could be supplied by the offshore fields, although Mozambique will have to decide whether to pursue the project or any of the other ventures proposed by investors eager to benefit from its gas and mining boom. PetroSA’s key project at home is the construction of a refinery, which had been delayed for years due to lack of funds, but has gained momentum after a deal with China’s Sinopec Group. The refinery is meant to ease a shortage of refined fuel products in South Africa, now at around 100,000 barrels per day, and expected to double by the end of the decade.

Shell battles PTT over Cove Energy

il giant Shell and Thai rival PTT could be heading into the first formal takeover auction for a listed British company since 2008 as they battle for Cove Energy and its stakes in huge new east African gas finds. Britain’s takeover watchdog ruled last Friday that if neither suitor declared its current offer final before 1600 GMT on Monday, an auction would start the next day, which could see them submit bids to daily deadlines until a winner is found. The ball is in Shell’s court after its $1.8 billion, or 220 pence a share, bid for Cove was trumped by a $1.9 billion, or 240 pence a share, offer from Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production in May. Investors are betting the Anglo-Dutch group will raise its bid before a deadline at 1600 GMT on Tuesday, and believe it has the firepower to win the five-month battle.

outh Africa’s PetroSA is in talks to buy assets in Ghana from Sabre Oil and Gas, including a stake in the lucrative Jubilee field. Under new leadership since March, PetroSA has become more aggressive about new projects, scouting Africa for oil and gas and buying downstream assets to diversify its revenue beyond a gas-toliquids plant in South Africa. “We hope to conclude (the Sabre deal) in the near-term future,” Nosizwe Nocawe Nokwe told Reuters in an interview, but declined to disclose the potential value of the deal. Nokwe said the group was also in talks with Italian oil major Eni SpA to possibly

Nokwe

Dimon

JPMorgan Chase raises trading loss to $4.4bn

PetroSA eyes Sabre Oil Ghana assets D’Andlau

“that’s going to mean a very difficult second half for a lot of the manufacturers in this region”. However, despite last Friday’s slower growth figures, many analysts tried to allay fears of a so-called hard landing in China’s economy and its subsequent impact on the rest of the world. “If you get a drop in the growth rate of one percentage point per annum, that’s not a lot in terms of the world gross domestic product,” Edmund Phelps, a professor of political economy at Columbia University and a Nobel prize winner, told the BBC.

Hui

China’s economy in three-year low

hina’s economy has grown at its slowest pace in three years as investment slowed and demand fell in key markets such as the US and Europe. Gross domestic product rose by 7.6 percent in the second quarter, compared with the same period a year ago. That is down from 8.1 percent in the previous three months. In March, Beijing cut its growth target for the whole of 2012 to 7.5 percent. China accounts for about a fifth of the world’s total economic output and any slowdown may hamper a global recovery. At the same time, many of Asia’s biggest and emerging economies are becoming increasingly reliant on China as a trading partner. “China has been a big factor for the slowdown in Asia this year,” said Tai Hui from Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore. He added that if China’s growth does not pick up in the second half of the year then

PMorgan Chase has raised its estimate of the amount it lost in a recent trading error to $4.4 billion (£2.8bn). When it first announced the loss from its chief investment office in May, it said it had lost at least $2 billion. Even after those losses, the bank has reported threemonth net profit of $4.96 billion, down from $5.43 billion in the same period last year. It said it would restate its results from the previous three months because it had made $459 million less than it thought. Chief executive, Jamie Dimon said he had closed the division of the bank responsible for the losses and moved the remainder of the trading position to its investment banking division. The executive in charge of the closed division, Ina Drew, left the bank in May; days after the losses were announced. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that three other employees have left the bank following the trading blunders, including Bruno Iksil, who is known as the London whale. JPMorgan has lost about 15 percent of its market value since the losses were first announced. The bank said the restatement of first-quarter results was because it had found evidence that “suggests that certain individuals may have been seeking to avoid showing the full amount of the losses in the portfolio during the first quarter”. BC

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Monday, July 16, 2012

A7 25

The Humour Merchant He is a business administrator who never earned salary working for people. Rather, he followed his passion dutifully very early in life. Gifted in writing, drawing and singing, three hobbies that are at variant with his professional training, he took to the entertainment industry immediately after his graduation from the University of Lagos, where he bagged a B.SC in Business Administration. Interestingly, 36 years down the lane, he has emerged a colossus in the field of creative arts. This is the story of Wale Adenuga, a man that best describes himself as “a pencil in the hands of his creator.” By Bamidele Obafemi

ale Adenuga, Member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR), is a renowned cartoonist, publisher, play writer, film producer, trainer, educationist and business administrator. The son of a tobacco merchant, born in the ancient town of Ile-Ife in Osun State, Nigeria, some 62 years ago, he had his early education in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State. He attended Ibadan City Academy for his secondary education for his Ordinary Level certificate before proceeding to Lagos State to obtain a Higher School Certificate at Kings College. After leaving Kings College, in 1971, at the age of about 21, Adenuga got admission to study Business Administration at the University of Lagos, where he bagged the degree that equipped him not to go applying for jobs like most of his colleagues, but to immediately start up his own business in the entertainment industry. This was a time when

not many people were willing to choose the profession. For Wale Adenuga, the multiple award winner and Chairman and Chief Executive of Pencil Film and Television Institute (PEFTI), among other business interests, his journey into stardom started very early in life. At a tender age of eight, his budding talent especially in art and drawing had manifested. From his secondary school days at Ibadan City Academy, he was the leader of a musical band which he formed when he was in form four. Besides singing, the young Adenuga’s prowess in the art of drawing had also become prominent even at 15. His utmost desire at that young age was to grow the talents which he was able to discover at eight. “I was born with it in me. And I started manifesting it right from childhood. I was born like a normal human being. But at about the age of eight, I discovered certain talents in me. I discovered I could draw without

Adenuga

being taught fine arts. I could play musical instruments. I could also act. So, these were the elements of talents visible in me when I was even in primary school. So, on getting to secondary school, I decided to continue in the direction because the talents kept on growing inside me. Right from Form Four, in 1965 or so, I formed a musical group at Ibadan City Academy. And I was also the head of the drama group. Besides, I was still drawing very well,” he recounted recently. And since no other interests

was strong enough to dissuade him from fulfilling his destiny, after leaving Ibadan City Academy for Kings College in Lagos, where he enrolled for his Higher School Certificate (HSC), between 1968 and 1969, Adenuga combined academic works with playing music. He formed a juju musical group and at the same time carried on with his drawing hobby. “It went on like that until I entered the University of Lagos where I was drawing”, he said. But at the University of Lagos, Wale Adenuga decided to

concentrate his efforts on developing just one of his talents, and that led him to calling it quits with music and drama. “I dropped music because there was no opportunity to prove my mettle in music and drama,” he said. But then, with music and drama temporarily out of the way, Adenuga placed more emphasis on drawing, so much that soon, he was made the chief cartoonist of the campus magazine. “I was drawing so well and by the time I graduated in 1974, Continue on pg A8

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having published the campus magazine, a cartoon magazine, for about three years, I decided to continue drawing and publishing such comic materials even after graduation”. The experience inspired him to publish his own magazine. In 1975, after graduation and youth service in the old Bendel, now Edo State, his comic Ikebe Super was launched. Despite tough competition with other magazines, Ikebe Super proved to be popular among Nigerian readers due to the characters - womaniser Papa Ajasco, illiterate Pa Jimoh, and playboy Boy Alinco. A leading female character, promiscuous golddigger Miss Pepeiye, was later introduced. Adenuga’s other magazines were Super Story, which focused on satirical issues and Binta, a children’s publication.[It was that same popular cartoon magazine that transformed into a popular television drama series now known as Papa Ajasco. Adenuga, just like the typical entrepreneur, started very small and because he could not afford to employ persons that would assist him in the business, he ran the show all alone for a period of three years. For those three years, his living room served as his office while all its drawings were done on his dining table. “I was doing everything alone. It was a oneman company. I was drawing everything on my dining table. I would later go to the printer

and print before getting them to the distributors around Ibadan and Ile-Ife until, a year later, it extended to Lagos and beyond. Soon, it became a national thing. So that’s how I came into the arts,” he recalled with fond memories The enterprising Adenuga remained in the business of publishing as a private individual for about 16 years, publishing the Ikebe Super Magazine, which reportedly sold about 500,000 copies per edition, before thinking of changing the business model in line with the economic realities at the time. In 1982, he ventured into film production with the production of Papa Ajasco, the first Nigeria’s english comedy on television. And having realized that more and more of the consumers of his cartoon magazine stopped buying because of the economic hardship in the late 80’s, he decided to call it quits with publishing Ikebe Super, as he successfully adapted the characters in the magazine to the Papa Ajasco television drama. “It was Nigeria’s first comedy film in english. Before then, we had had yoruba comedy by dramatists such as Adeyemi Afolayan (Ade Love), I-sho Pepper (Ishola Ogunsola), Hubert Ogunde, Baba Sala (Moses Adejumo). But the first comedy film in english came from me. It was Papa Ajasco. And it was taken throughout Nigeria, West Africa, and Europe. It did very well. In 1995, I came out with a home

Monday, July 16, 2012

video called Binta My Daughter. Papa Ajasco film came out of the Ikebe Super magazine characters while Binta My Daughter came out of the characters of Binta Magazine. In 1997, we started having Papa Ajasco comedy series on television”, he enthused. Despite the ground breaking receptions enjoyed by Papa Ajasco and Binta my Daughter, the ever dynamic Wale Adenuga would not be tired of being creative and coming out with something new for his fans. Hence, in 2000, another Adenuga’s blockbuster, Super Story television series debuted. This was to be followed by Binta and Friends television series. “These are the things we have been doing ever since. And they have been waxing stronger and stronger”, he enthused. But Wale Adenuga’s voyage into the world of film making and the attendant fame and financial prosperity that followed did not come as easy as it was the publishing business. But for divine intervention and timely help he got from Ade Love, an old hand in the industry, his dream of becoming a household name in the film industry would have been dashed as a result of wrong association. “It was a spiritual thing. And I will tell you what happened. I had been publishing since 1976. By 1982, the magazine had become very popular in the country and the characters in the magazine had become well known. So, I

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wrote a script, got some money together and selected people to use and we embarked on production. So, during the production period, I discovered some things. I wanted to work with the Nigerian Film Corporation which promised a lot of assistance. Based on their promise, we planned something big. But we discovered that money was not forth coming. We got disillusioned; so, I just told the cast that they should go home because we had to start planning all over again. I disbanded the production crew. I decided to

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face my publishing for a while until the coast was clear for film production. There was a church along our street. One of the pastors there came to me and said that he saw a vision that I embarked on something and I got frustrated over it,” he recalled. Adenuga said the pastor said God asked him to “tell me that, that thing I embarked on was a special assignment from Him and that I failed because I surrounded myself with the wrong people. He said that God said very soon, He will show me the way and that the thing will be done.” Four days after that, Adenuga said that he was at his residence in Ejigbo, Adewale Adenuga Street on a Thursday when his security man called to inform him that he had a visitor. “I asked, who? They said Ade Love. I had never met him in my life. He said he was in London the previous Sunday when some people were telling him that I wanted to make a film but that I had surrounded myself with wrong people. And that he had come to show me how films are made, that it was not difficult; it was the same words that the pastor used the previous Sunday that he used,” he recollected. According to Adenuga, Ade Love told him he wanted to shoot the film - Taxi Driver and he had taken some blocks of flats at Orilowo Ejigbo there, very close to his house and he would want him to come along and see how films are made the following Monday. “So, that Monday, I went there. I saw him directing his own movie and, within few weeks, he made the film. I was able to sign on some of the artistes he used. I made my film in the same flat he used to shoot his own film. God used him to open my eyes in film making.” However, beyond the spiritual angle to Adenuga’s success in film making, what could be

Adenuga, just like the typical entrepreneur, started very small and because he could not afford to employ persons that would assist him in the business, he ran the show all alone for a period of three years

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considered a trade secret that has been instrumental to the success of his endeavour over the years is his ability to make his productions appeal to different age group. The magazine and his various television productions have proved the strategy very rewarding. “By the time I wanted to start the Ikebe Super magazine, I wanted a magazine that would cut across all age groups. I then said, ‘Let me create a young character that will interest young ones. I created Ajasco. Each of the characters represents a different age group. I created Boy Alinco to represent teenagers, who probably lived in America. I said again, ‘Let me create a young bubbling girl between the ages of 18 to 23,’ then I created Miss Pepeye. I remember the hair style I created on her head flowing down the forehead. Then I said, ‘I needed a man— around 40 years, who with his wife will be part of the story.’ I created Pa Ajasco — as a bald headed man. Then Mama Ajasco complemented him. I needed an old man to exhibit stupidity. I created Pa James. There’s no way you will pick up the magazine that you will not see your own age group. It was a strategy”, he revealed. In 2002, Adenuga won five awards at the Nigeria Film Festival for Best Producer, Best Script Writer, Best Director, Best Television Drama and Best Socially Relevant Television Production. In 2009, he was conferred with the Member of the order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria honour (MFR) as acknowledgement of his immense contribution to the growth and development of Nigeria. Apart from publishing and film production, Adenuga’s business interest includes education. On September 24, 1994, he and his wife, Ehiwenma, founded Binta International School, the institution he said was “built on the philosophy of balanced and excellent education, strongly derived from a burning desire to provide qualitative education at moderate, convenient and affordable rates; with an intent to making our pupils standard bearers and upon graduation competent citizens of unequalled moral rectitude”. In 2004, Adenuga opened the Pencil Film and Television Institute (PEFTI), where it runs courses like producing, directing, and cinematography. The school was once featured in De Film Industries van Nigeria, a Danish documentary on the Nigerian film industry. Ehiwenma Adenuga, wife of Wale Adenuga whom he married some 37 years back has truly proved to be his jewel of inestimable value as she has been very supportive to him in every aspect of life, especially in business. “When you talk of support, then, give it to

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Monday, July 16, 2012

madam — that’s my wife. For ated in the same year from the instance, when I started Ikebe department of Business AdminSuper, we got married in 1975 istration of the University of Laand I started the magazine in gos. 1976, a year after our marWale and Ehiwenma Adriage. You know it’s not easy enuga, both entrepreneurs, are starting a business. When you laying down a legacy of entrestart a business, the first year preneurship for their children, is usually difficult. And except as some of the children have you have an understanding gradually taken over the rewife or spouse, forget it. If you sponsibility of running the famdon’t have an understanding ily businesses from their ageing wife, the engine of your head parents. will knock. This is because by And for those young ones the time you go outside and that aspire to reach the height meet fatigue and you come Wale Adenuga has attained toback home to meet boiling wa- day and possibly surpassed it, ter, you will collapse. But this his admonition for them is that woman— my wife— has been nothing good comes easy. Talkgreat. From day one, she was ing from his personal experiall out to support my business. ence, he said from the moment Even when we were shooting he decided to venture into enmodels for the magazine, she was giving us her clothes. In fact, when we began the distribution of the magazine, she was an assistant lecturer at University of Ife. When it was time for her to take a car loan, she used the money to buy a commercial bus to help in the distribution of the magazine to show you that, right from day one, she had been working, not behind, but working beside me. She has been a valuable partner, up till today and till tomorrow”. Adenuga, who describes himself as a man with the third eye, with the ability to see beyond what many others cannot see, which has contributed largely to his success in business, says he counts himself to be very lucky to have been able to pick a woman that is compatible with his ideals. “You know there must be compatibility. One should marry his level. That is, someone that is compatible with your ideals; that have the same value system. Value system is very important in selecting a partner. If you look at me, I won’t say I am an introvert, but I do not go out. I don’t socialize. I don’t waste my time on irrelevant things. I have come to realize that time is very important and we don’t have much of it. In a day, how many hours do we really have to work? By the time we eat three times a day, sleep, receive visitors, discuss our country, how many hours do we have to work? So, I guard my time jealously. I don’t waste it. I have the same kind of value system in my wife. She doesn’t waste money buying things. When we were on the campus courting, if I suggest we should go to an eatery, she would ask: ‘Why do you want to waste your money? Why don’t we go to a buka and eat fresh fish or frozen fish’. We have the same value system,” he said of her wife. Adenuga The couple both gradu-

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trepreneurship, “I knew that it was a long distance journey and you needed a lot of stamina. And I knew I must possess a lot of patience and stamina of the Fulani man that reared cattle on foot from Maiduguri in the extreme north-eastern part of Nigeria to the southern city of Lagos. That’s the kind of stamina. That’s why a lot of people are running away from television production in Nigeria,” he said. The super story producer noted that going into television production and other forms of business is not something that anyone would expect to reap profit from in six months and this, he was prepared for. “I knew it would pay off. When-

Whenever I set my mind on a project, I always focus on the fruits and not the problems. If I believe in a cause, I must do it tenaciously. I know I will just suffer for one or two years. From the third year, I will start reaping fruits

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A9 27

ever I set my mind on a project, I always focus on the fruits and not the problems. If I believe in a cause, I must do it tenaciously. I know I will just suffer for one or two years. From the third year, I will start reaping fruits. It’s not easy to put a programme on television in Nigeria. To get adverts is very difficult. And without adverts, you cannot keep the programme going. We were there and, from one advert to two, to three, to the stage that we now reject adverts. To God be the glory. We have passed through the stage of painful circumcision. I think we are only starting to consolidate now”, he said. Wale comes from a deeply polygamous family. His mother is the fourth of his father’s fifteen wives while he is the fourth of his mother’s fifteen children. His father had 30 children in all. However, of all his life encounters, the one which he seems unable to find answers to is the circumstances of his mother and brother’s death on the same day. His mother died at 50 in 1978 in a mysterious motor accident on her way from Ife to Ijebu Ode along with the driver, Taiwo one of the twins, and the youngest child. As the story goes, at Gbongan, they branched at his father’s fuel station to re-fuel their car. “While this was going on at Papa’s, one employee came to greet her, and to show her his new car. They parked the car, and the five stood beside the car for a picture. But the guy couldn’t get the job done quickly and Taye frustratingly left the scene. The guy then snapped the remaining four. Thirty minutes after they had left Gbongan to continue their journey, they had an accident, some metres before Ijebu Ode. The four of them died except Taye that didn’t take the picture. It is strange, but that was what happened,” he recalled. However, despite his great achievement, Adenuga believes he is “still in the journey and since we are still in transit, it will be too early to begin to talk about success. In any case, it is glaring that we are successful, we thank God for that, but we are yet to reach the peak of our career. We may be popular in Nigeria now, but we still want to gain good prominence on the international scene, we intend to become most popular in Africa and even beyond. We see ourselves as beginning again,” he told a national daily in an interview. Despite his deep pocket, Wale Adenuga is such a busy man that never cares about his clothes or shoes. He’d rather have a designer brain than designer shoes. Though a personality so immersed in entertainment, he is rarely found in parties as social scene appear not to be his oyster. BC

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Monday, July 16, 2012

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10 Questions

Why govt’s oil sector deregula Engr. Martin Onovo, a petroleum engineering consultant in this encounter with Festus Okoromadu, asserts that the deregulation policy being canvassed by the present government is spiritually and morally deceitful, legally wrong and economically self destructive. He believes that the present level of rot in the oil sector in Nigeria vis-a-vis the economy is an issue of corruption that is more moral in nature and would want those in government to take a more proactive measure to address the fundamentals, rather than deal with the symptoms. Excerpts…

he petroleum industry has been enmeshed in so many controversies in recent times, ignited from the removal of fuel subsidy on January 1, 2012 to the revelations from the House of Representative Probe Committee. What is your view of the mess in the industry? The very first thing is that, what we’ve heard is an exposé. That is, the very first comment I want to make. This system as dysfunctional as it has basically been built on deceit and deregulation as proposed by the Jonathan government is spiritually and morally deceitful. It is legally wrong, it is economically self destructive. It is politically unacceptable and it is democratically unpopular. Why? There is a need to go back to the primary purpose of governance, which is to provide security and welfare for the people. Deregulation as proposed will subvert the security and the welfare of the Nigerian people. It will increase poverty, inflation, as well as increase the cost of living in the country. And because it is based on deceit, it directly subverts public morality. The Nigerian constitution is very clear that the economy of the country must be dominated by the public sector because the country is welfaristic. Deregulation as proposed is a subversion of the constitution. Now, talking about the exposé we have heard courtesy of the House of Representative’s Committee on Petroleum Subsidy. I would have say a big thank you to the House of Rep but even more thanks to the Nigerian people who rejected the unreasonable, untenable and unjustifiable increase in the prices of petroleum products. First, was there a subsidy or is there a subsidy? Simply speaking, you will say yes, but technically speaking, the answer is No. The cost of domestic production is less than N33.50 per litre, so if you are selling at N65 per litre, you are making a gain of almost 100 percent. That is the reality. That is why country like Venezuela can sell at 12 cent per gallon which is about N4.80 per litre. The facts are very clear, that is why we are talking about moral decadence. Corruption on a large scale. We knew all this before now, all this have been in the public domain, in the media, on the internet and everybody knows but the government went ahead with the instigation of the IMF and the support of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to implement this policy that is reprehensible, unjust, unfair and undemocratic, because the Senate did not support the policy, the House of Representative did not support the policy, Civil Society did not support the policy, Labour did not support the policy, so the entirety of the Nigerian people had rejected the policy but government went ahead thus showing you how alienated the government is from the reality. As an expert in the petroleum industry, what is your view on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)? And what impact do you think the committee recently set-up to overhaul the bill make? It is only a directionless government that will continue to set-up or take actions that contradict or dictate policies that will contradict its own fundamental policy direction.

Having said so, I want you to know that the Ribadu Committee is clearly a revenue tax committee, that is to say, it is for revenue, but the same government had said it was streamlining ministries, departments and agencies. The Ribadu committee is not supposed to do anything new, its terms of reference interfere or overlaps with that of the NNPC, DPR, PPPRA and Ministry of Petroleum. I think the problem is not technical, the problem is moral and you cannot also isolate the petroleum sector from the other components of the society. Let us look at the other sectors: Has education done better? Has health done better? Has power done better? These are the realities, I agree with those who say the petroleum sector is the chicken that lay the golden egg, but the question is, has the people even eaten from this golden egg? Has that gold ever been utilised for the benefit of the Nigerian people? Right now, with the recent discovery made by the EFCC, one civil servant in the pension department in the office of Head of Service had over N2 billion cash in his house. That is not the petroleum sector; it is the office of the Head of Service. So, when we do professional analysis, we do what is called root cause analysis (RCA), otherwise if you continue doing symptomatic analysis, the problem remains and you will be attacking the symptoms. And the fundamental, of course, of all this deviations across sectors is corruption. If you have read “The Problem with Nigeria” by Professor Chinua Achebe and you accept his concept, you will understand that the problem is not the process but it is with the persons (the practitioners). Now, if you also follow the public contributions of the late Chief Rotimi Williams, he was very clear when he said, even if you go to the moon to write a constitution and come back and give it to a rogue, he will abuse it. So, the issues of PIB and those committees are all distractions. The only two noble things in the PIB are the incorporated joint ventures and the part ownership by the communities. But let me tell you that the idea of community interest was already captured in the existing laws, but not by ownership which is even more technical to define than what they are now proposing in the PIB. When you say community ownership, what do you mean? Is it family? Is it ward? Or is it local government? Is it state? Because these issues are there, the bill is suppose to reconcile all these, but that is the difficulty they are facing, they have had the bill for two years, and it is almost impossible to pass. Whatever this bill was calculated to achieve could have been achieved by a minor modification of the existing laws, because the existing laws were made by nationalist and fundamentally, they are very effective. But let me restate for emphasis that the problem is not with the law but the problem is with the people because there is no law in Nigeria that says you should steal when you get to a political office. The criminal code in Nigeria makes stealing a crime, the constitution defined our national ethics or value system and it mentions integrity, it mentions dignity of labour, it mentions selfreliance. They are all there. So, the problem is not with the law, it’s

not with the system; it’s not with the process. There is no system of government that is not functional if you have people of integrity running it. Don’t forget we use to run a parliamentary system of government, but they said if we run an executive system it will be more effective because the parliamentary system was very subjected to deviations or disagreements, that if we have a strong executive system of government, then we can move in a particular direction. That was the basis and justification. Right now, I know people in the Civil Society that are saying let us go back to parliamentary system of government. But we’ve been there before, so as long as we do not correctly identify the source of the problem, we will keep chasing shadows. And Achebe has done an excellent work for us, don’t forget that this is a world class super genius. He stated clearly that the problem is with the leadership. I have also read Professor Wole Soyinka saying the same thing. The committee to overhaul the old PIB has submitted its work and we expect the executive to forward the bill to the National

Assembly. In reality, do you honestly believe that the PIB can solve the problem in the oil and gas sector? My view is that once you head-up in the wrong direction, you will continue to meet challenges. It is just like the theory about lie, that if you tell one lie to get something done, you need to tell two more to cover up and then you need to tell four more to cover until you go ahead to ten thousand lies to cover the initial one. The issue is that the direction itself is inadequate, because I know that in NDDC, we talk about oil producing states, when you go to the states mentioned, they start talking about oil producing community. Very soon, we will start talking about oil producing family and then we start talking about oil producing individuals. That is not the question. The Petroleum Industry Bill is an absolute and unnecessary distraction. In fact, if you read the existing laws, the Minister of Petroleum is so empowered to protect national interest that we don’t need an additional law but since they have failed in their duties, they will rather blame it on the process. But this same process, they blame it on forbids corruption

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Business Courage A11 29

Monday, July 16, 2012

ation won’t work – Onovo

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Whatever this bill was calculated to achieve could have been achieved by a minor modification of the existing laws, because the existing laws were made by nationalist and fundamentally, they are very effective. But let me restate for emphasis that the problem is not with the law but the problem is with the people because there is no law in Nigeria that says you should steal when you get to a political office

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yet corruption is endemic. What is your take on the Trans-Sahara gas project vis-a-vis the involvement of Gazprom? Gazprom? The last information I got is that Gazprom has left the country. This is a very terrible environment, it’s very unethical, and it’s very difficult to do business in Nigeria. It’s a dysfunctional environment, quote me. A pension officer has N2 billion in his

house! How? Every public officer is demanding for equity in every project. The level of corruption here is alarming, that is why I talk about using a root cause analysis. Every company has its own standard and criteria, apparently Gazprom couldn’t cope with the level of corruption here. So, you wouldn’t stop at what they say through the press release because that is public relations. Its only insiders that know what the real reasons are. Don’t forget that their criteria and standards are proprietary. So, it’s only an insider who can give details of what happened, I don’t work for Gazprom, but the last information I got was that they have left the country. And you must understand that that sends a wrong signal to the international community, because Gazprom is multinational and their exit under some undisclosed circumstances will scare other multinationals that would have come here to do business thinking that whatsoever happened to Gazprom that they do not know, could also happen to them. What are your views on the composition of the President’s Economic Management team? Are they adding any value to the economy at all? We have always had a national economic management team. I was telling you about conflicting and contradictory policies of the government. Do you know that deregulation directly subverted Vision 2020? What is Vision 2020? The vision is to grow the Nigerian economy to the level of top 20 GDPs in the world and the increase in fuel price, since 1978 that we started doing it has clearly shown a trend that each time there is a price increase in fuel, it has a negative impact on our GDP. That is also commonsensical! You know why? You need energy to drive the economy. So, if you overprice energy, you subvert GDP directly. To power an economy, you need energy. For example, the largest economy in the world, the United States of America (USA), consumes 25 percent of the world’s energy. One country consumes 25 percent of the world energy and there are over 200 countries in the world, so by overpricing energy, especially in a developing economy like Nigeria, we are undoing ourselves. And as I have said, the trend since 1978 when we started doing this shows that the impact is negative on the GDP. So, you see that deregulation is anti-economic growth, or if you change the name to increase in fuel price because deregulation in the first place was a misnomer, you will see that it subverts GDP and that is why I say that the policy subverts

Vision 2020, because the vision is about increasing the GDP to the top 20 level in the world. To do that, you need energy, you need employment, but the increase in fuel price directly subverts this.

You said the existing laws give the Petroleum Minister enormous power to manage the industry to the benefit of the nation, what will be your advice to her in the present circumstance? Well, the first thing is that fundamentally, across sectors ,everybody has agreed and everybody knows that corruption is a big problem; the only thing is that the government leaders are hypocritical in their agreement. They actually agree that corruption is the real problem but are hypocritical because they do otherwise. Now, as a way forward, assuming you can take care of corruption, I must emphasise that, then build new refineries, before you do the repair of the existing refineries, in the long term, Nigeria should stop exporting crude oil. Are you surprise that I say Nigeria should stop exporting her crude? How would a country like ours that depends solely on oil export survive without exportation? Very good. You will stop the crude export when you have enough refineries and you start exporting refined products, thereby you will make more money. You know why? The refining components alone, not the downstream components, is 50 percent of the value chain, so by losing out on the refining components, you have already lost out 50 percent of the value chain. Now, think about it, we go to import refined products, why should we? Let me tell you the installed capacity of the existing refineries is 445,000 barrels per day, when you discount for refinery loss, you can get about 70 million litres. Over 70 million litres of products, note that I didn’t say the utilised capacity, I am saying the installed capacity that is name plate capacity; Old Port Harcourt Refinery 60, 000 barrels, New Port Harcourt 150,000, Warri 125,000, Kaduna 110,000 and it adds up to 445,000 barrels per day from the existing refineries in Nigeria. Now, they say our consumption level is 35 million litres of fuel per day, so if the existing refineries work to full capacity, which is not a difficult task because all you need do is repair the existing refineries, we can meet our daily needs. But we’ve being repairing them and getting the same results, low performance? If you take your vehicle to a mechanic and you pay him to repair your car and he buys broken or disused parts, will the car work? That is corruption. You just find N2 billion in cash, in the home of a civil servant and you are asking technical questions, the question is not technical, address the real issues. These technical questions are diversions from the real issues, the real issue is moral and it has nothing to do with technical issues. The refineries in Ghana work, the ones in the US work, in Venezuela they work, why can’t they work here? Now wait, I must give you these numbers because am sure you are interested in them. With our current installed capacity, after you have deducted refinery losses, you are going to get about 70 million litres out of which about 40 million litres are PMS petrol. The government says we are consuming 35 million litres, so if we restore full existing capacity, we don’t have to import even one litre. Don’t let them deceive you with units; one barrel of crude produces about 159 litres. So, it simply means that with what we have, we are supposed to be able to take care

of ourselves. In addition to that, this is what every other member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC is doing; they build refineries, refine the products and export the refined products, except Nigeria, a dysfunctional country. Niger Republic has just completed the brand new refinery built by the Chinese, funny enough; Nigerian officers went there for the commissioning.

There are people who believe that this subsidy panel will end-up the same way the energy sector investigation panel ended, with all that has happened. Does it not appear like the skeptics are right after all? The cost of freedom is eternal vigilance. The Nigerian people have the right being the constitutional sovereignty to demand and to get government to act according to their dictate. That is constitutional and no matter dysfunctional this is, it is called democracy. Now, given that all we have to do as a people is to insist and to compel government to take action on those found guilty of subverting the system for their selfish interest, the same way we compelled government to stop the arbitrary fuel price increase to N140 per litre imposed on Nigerian on January 1, 2012, we have to insist and compel government the same way we compelled it to remove Eteh as speaker of the House of Representative, the same way we compelled government under President Olusegun Obasanjo not to go ahead with third the term agenda. That is why I said the cost of freedom is eternal vigilance. In the past, we have had a few successes, I have just named some of them when the people were able to compel government and the ruling party to do what they wanted, the same way we must compel this government to identify the culprits and prosecute them till we get convictions. Do not forget that when you talk about anti-corruption, one of the most important things is deterrence. The most important is the value system and next is deterrence and in common sense parlance, it is said that if you punish one, you teach a hundred. Now, with the information from the panel, we know that we have paid for 59 million litres per day, but the same government said we consume 35 million litres per day, putting the gap at about N700 billion. We also know that the refineries are not producing at full capacity but they still produce a little, therefore, if you factor in the local production, that figure goes to nearly N1 trillion. If you use the 2011 budget figure which approved only N250 billion, the balance needs to be accounted for. Again, don’t forget that in 2011, the total budget figure of the government was about N4.4 trillion, so in an N4.4 trillion budget if you lose N1.5 trillion extra budgetary, what does that tell you? It became clear from the expose in the fuel subsidy scam that almost all the funds for development were stolen. It is clear that the corruption problem cuts across sectors. Would you suggest that a probe like what happened in the petroleum sector be carried out across board? No, don’t forget that probe comes at a cost. We have to build a culture of doing things right. We had this culture in the past, where people see something that is irregular or inappropriate, they will write a petition, because they believe that the authority will take corrective action but today it is the political leadership that sponsors corruption because they don’t take corrective actions. After we have lost about $16 billion to the power sector scam, we have spent an additional $9 billion bringing it to about $25 billion so far, the question is, where is the power? BC

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Crackdown on pre-registered SIM card v Worried by the incessant sales of pre-registered SIM cards in various parts of the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and mobile network, MTN are collaborating to fish out pre-registered SIM cards and their vendors By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

hile the mandatory registration of the Subscriber Identity Module, SIM cards continues across the nation, the reported cases of open sale of pre-registered SIM cards in various parts of the country seems to be giving the telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as well as the service providers sleepless nights. This is more so, as experts have warned that such action called for a great concern in view of the security implications particularly at this point in time. Following the nationwide registration, the NCC had stopped the GSM operators from selling pre-registered SIM cards but the sale of pre-registered SIMs being reported in various parts of the country has been prompting market watchers to ask about the efficacy of SIM card registration in the first case. Determined to discourage the sale and distribution of pre-registered SIM cards, the Commission had since April, 2012 embarked on massive awareness campaign and enforcement action across the country, warning that the sale, distribution or use of pre-registered SIM cards is liable to criminal investigation, prosecution, fine and imprisonment. Unlike the situation where a subscriber is expected to personally register his/her SIM card upon purchase before it could be activated for usage, pre-registered SIM cards are those in which the biometric identity of a different person is used to register a number of SIM Cards before being sold, such that the identity of the user is not the same with the one who registered the SIM. According to the commission, while it is a criminal offence to sell pre-registered SIM cards, it noted that some SIM card vendors have continued to flout the order, reeling out large numbers of such pre-registered SIM cards for sale across the country. Investigations showed that what some of the vendors do is to register the SIMs in their possession with fictitious names so that it could be easy to sell the cards to prospective customers

without having to wait for registration before putting the SIM cards into use. Though part of the NCC requirements makes it mandatory for prepay consumers to provide proof of identity before registration, Business Courage investigations show that since many of the agents who registered subscribers were not insistent on personal identification, many have explored the loop-hole by using fake names and addresses to register SIM cards. To arrest the situation, the Commission had set up an enforcement team, which has reportedly made several arrests in collaboration with the law enforcement agencies while the suspects are being charged to court. For instance, a statement by NCC’s head of media and public relations, Reuben Muoka, said the enforcement team had arrested over 14 persons for selling pre-registered SIM cards in different locations across the country. In Makurdi, the Benue state capital, three people dealing in pre-registered SIM cards were arrested for allegedly selling fake SIM cards to unsuspecting members of the public. NCC’s Head of Enforcement, Efosa Idehem, while parading the suspects before newsmen, declared that their action violated some sections of the Commission’s Act, pointing out

Omogbenigun

SIM card registration centre

that by law, it was mandatory for individuals to personally go for registration so that their data would be captured for different purposes. Vowing that the suspects and their suppliers who were yet to be arrested must face the full wrath of the law, Idehen said the Commission was a on nation-wide tour to rid the country of fake SIM cards and to create awareness on the need to patronise accredited companies legitimately designated for the purpose. One of the suspects, Regina Agbo, told journalists that she was not aware of the implications of her involvement, adding that it was “one-man” that gave

her SIM cards for sale before she was arrested by the officials of the Commission. Another suspect, Godstime Nwaji, on his part claimed that he sold only two out of the five cards “a man” gave him, expressing the hope that because he was owing the supplier N2, 700, ‘there is a tendency that he will come for it.” But while analysts point accusing fingers in the direction of some of the operators in a rat race to desperately push their products into the market, it would also be recalled that in June last year, Globacom, one of the leading GSM operators in the country, was sanctioned for the sale of fully-activated new SIM cards in Abuja. According to NCC, some of the activated SIM cards were found in places like Anambra, Borno, Kano, Katsina and Plateau states as Globacom SIM cards purchased in April 2011 in these states were fully activated and calls were made unrestricted from the new SIM cards. Despite the NCC’s enforcement team’s arrest and threat of prosecution of culprits, some Nigerians who spoke to Business Courage call for the adoption of some basic strategies in tackling the matter in order not to make the registration exercise which started in March 2011 and had so far gulped over N6.1 billion become a mere charade. In this regard, one of the telecoms operators, MTN Nigeria said it has joined forces with the

NCC to combat the illegal sale of pre-registered SIM cards in the country. Akinwale Goodluck, the Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria said the telecoms operator had zero tolerance for the sale of pre-reregistered SIMs or any activity that contravened procedures laid down by the NCC. In view of this, he said MTN would work with the NCC and relevant law enforcement agencies to curb the menace. Goodluck noted that the subscriber SIM registration was aimed at helping the company to know its customers better and to support the government in safeguarding the public against acts of insecurity perpetrated by people who take advantage of the anonymity offered by prepaid mobile phones to commit crimes. He revealed that the record of subscriber details including name, date of birth, gender, address, phone number, the subscriber’s picture (face) and fingerprints, assisted MTN to segment its customers better and to design bespoke products and services to further enrich their lives. According to him, the exercise will also aid the relevant security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Police, to track and prosecute criminals. Goodluck disclosed that MTN was constantly monitoring activities on the registration boxes, at the back end, with a view to isolating pre-registered SIMs. Revealing that the company

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vendors

has developed methods of detecting pre-registered SIM cards and subsequently switching them to receive only mode. He said the company will send SMS to holders of such SIMs to register them properly before the lines will be reactivated. To this end, he called on prospective telephone users to enter MTN appointed offices to carry out all SIM related activities including purchase, and Swap as well as shun activities of touts who sell pre-registered SIM cards. Speaking in the same vein, the company’s general manager, corporate affairs, Funmi Omogbenigun affirmed that the company had at various times made its position known to its agents. “All our agents have received very specific instructions with respect to the SIM registration process. Any agent found to be acting illegally is dealt with summarily. We have zero tolerance for the sale of pre- registered SIMs or any activities that are in contravention of laid down procedure as advised by the NCC.” She said. The NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo said that advertorials have been placed in the media and that anybody caught violating the laws will be dealt with since ignorance is never an excuse in law. “Our enforcement department has made a number of arrests. Some people are doing it out of ignorance but that won’t stop us from prosecuting those caught violating the law,”

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the NCC spokesman said. Asked to explain other measures being put in place to check the activities of vendors contravening the NCC directive on sale of SIM, Ojobo said the Commission does not sell SIM cards, saying telecoms operators have been directed to ensure their dealers and vendors abide by the directives on the sale of SIM cards. Ojobo recalled that SIM card registration began on April 1, 2010, when the operators were directed to begin the registration of all new SIM cards being sold, adding that the operators, even without the permission of the NCC, also began to register old SIM cards from this date.“The commission did not at any time suggest that SIM card registration in Nigeria would imply stoppage of sales and registration of new SIM cards. The only condition is that any new SIM card purchased must be registered before it is admitted for use into the network,” he said. According to him, at the turn of 2010, the service providers had registered only about 11 million subscribers, and were also suggesting that they need more than three years to accomplish the exercise, as he explained that the nation could hardly afford three more years from 2010. “So when the commission began the planned registration of existing SIM cards through its appointed agents on March 28, 2011, the operators were then also empowered to register not only new SIM cards but also the existing SIMs. The combined registrations helped in no small measure in achieving very substantial registrations by the time the data collection stage of the exercise came to conclusion on September 28, 2011. “Nigerians were informed that there still exists a window of opportunity for those who did not register during the six months period to do so with the operators while the collected data were being uploaded, harmonised and cleansed,” Ojobo said. According to him, all registrations

by NCC-appointed agents, and those of the telecoms operators, have been successfully uploaded at the Commission’s back-end infrastructure as at end of February 2012. So far, the Commission has successfully uploaded 110,433,976 registrations. To Ojobo, while the ongoing phase of data harmonisation is expected to eliminate the problem of double registration, he noted that at the end of May, 2012, the Commission had cleaned up to 50 percent of the data collected. He explained that after the harmonisation, subscribers would be allowed to verify their data as it is at this stage that all subscribers would be able to affirm that the information they supplied during registration is correct or otherwise. Meanwhile, analysts want the NCC to adopt a more technologically inclined strategy in SIM card registration in order to prevent dubious registration. According to them, since GSM operators have authorised retail outlets through which their products are sold to the public, the experts maintained, it should not be a difficult task for the NCC or GSM operators to trace and hold accountable those found culpable of selling pre-registered SIM cards, if necessary precautions were adopted. In other words, SIM cards should be retailed only by authorized dealers who must take the biometric data of customers at the point of purchasing and not in the manner in which they are currently being hawked openly on our streets. Experts maintained that apart from ensuring that unregistered SIM cards are barred from making and receiving calls, and the serious security challenge in an era of overwhelming criminal activities like kidnappings, armed robberies and terrorism, the wider implication is that, the biometric data bank of subscribers has become defective and therefore may have become fundamentally unreliable source of information for future use. BC

Ammar

Etisalat offers special tariff with Talkzone in 30 States By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

s part of its commitment to provide services that enable its customers enjoy value for their money, Etisalat has announced the extension of Talkzone, its dynamic discount tariff offer that allows customers enjoy up to 98 percent discount to 14 more states in the country, thus bringing the number of states enjoying the discount tariff to 30. Talkzone offers flexible discounts on calls to any network in Nigeria at different times and in different locations. According to the company, subscribers can enjoy up to 98 percent on calls made on Etisalat lines enabling them make calls for as low as one kobo per second and up to 20 percent discount on calls made to other networks. The tariff was first introduced in October 2010 in five states of the north east, and later extended to other regions in February and May 2012. Etislat’s Chief Commercial Officer, Wael Ammar, said the offer was just one of the ways of delighting the brand’s teeming customers with affordable tariffs. “This is about giving the Etisalat subscriber value for money. With calls as low as one kobo per second, which is the cheapest discount on any network, our subscribers can do more talking and in turn, achieve more in business or pleasure each day,” he said. According to the telecommunications company, the discount tariff service is available to its Easystarter and EasyCliq subscribers in the selected states, and offers customers the opportunity to enjoy flexible discounts on calls made to all networks. In a related development, Etisalat has said it is launching an exciting new promo that offers discounted roaming call rates and lower SMS rates to all existing and new Etisalat subscribers travelling to the United Kingdom, France and United Arab Emirates during the summer holidays. This promo which kicks off on July 12 will run till September 30, 2012. For the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and France, the rates for local calls and calls back to Nigeria will go for N120 while SMS will cost N35 and data services will be N15 for every 70KB used. The rates are available to both pre-paid and post-paid customers who would roam their lines in the listed countries on the associated networks like Vodafone for UK, Etisalat for the UAE and Orange for France. Ammar explained that Nigerians travelling to these countries this summer will be able to stay in touch with friends, business associates and family members while enjoying their holidays.

Nokia partners NAMCO Bandai for classic arcade games on Asha touch phones

obile phone manufacturer, Nokia in partnership with Arcade Games manufacturer, NAMCO BANDAI has announced over 20 vintage games available on the recently launched Asha Touch devices to be downloaded through the Nokia Store. The new devices, Asha 305, 308 and 311, to be launched Ojobo

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this month, bring a colourful range of great experiences designed for young, urbane and aspirational consumers. With them, consumers are able to take advantage of a new touch screen experience that makes mobile web browsing fast, with easy access to social networks and, of course, a great gaming performance. Available through Nokia Store, the agreement includes some of the most prestigious titles in the gaming industry, such as PAC-MAN®, Final Fantasy, ACE COMBAT® and Flight Control. Others are SOULCALIBUR®, RIDGE RACER® DRIFT, BRAIN EXERCISE™ WITH DR. KAWASHIMAand GALAGA® SPECIAL EDITION. James Rutherford, Managing Director, Nokia WestAfrica says ‘We at Nokia are excited about the partnership with NAMCO Bandai. It truly brings to the customers the desired gaming experience that will truly excite them. Nokia will continue to add value to our customers through the devices we manufacture and the apps embedded in them.’ The titles are priced between $0.99 and $2.99. Mobile gaming fans in more than 52 countries will be able to purchase titles without the need for a credit card, but through Nokia’s extensive direct billing agreements with over 145 operators. James Kucera, head of mobile for NAMCO Bandai Games America Inc., said: “Our partnership with Nokia perfectly illustrates the strengths of our brand’s experience and leadership in the mobile games industry and fits our mutual resolve to bring games to all mobile users worldwide” These latest phones have been designed to provide an incredibly rich, smartphonelike experience to consumers who want to be set free from excessive data consumption costs and short battery life. The devices offer a new, fully re-designed touch user interface, combining the proven ease-of-use from Nokia’s heritage with digital design innovations specifically fit for the purpose. The beautifully crafted Nokia Asha 311 is a fast and

fluid 3.5G capacitive touchscreen device, powered by a 1GHz processor to provide a great internet experience. The bright and edgy Nokia Asha 305 is a fun and affordable phone, featuring the exclusive Easy Swap dual SIM. Its sister, the Nokia Asha 306, is a single SIM model, and becomes Nokia’s most affordable Wi-Fi handset to date. Nokia Store has just broken the five billion downloads landmark. From January to April, 42 percent of all content downloaded from Nokia Store was delivered to Asha and other Nokia devices based on the Java ecosystem. Just one year ago, that number was 10 percent. To date, more than 411 Nokia developers have with apps which have achieved more than 1 million downloads, while India Games, Pico Brothers and Inode have all driven more than 100 million downloads.

NCS harps on local content development in boosting job creation

he President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Demola Aladekomo, has emphasised the need to increase local content development in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector in order to meet the increasing need for job creations in the country. Aladekomo, who posited that the ICT industry has what it takes to boost job creation in Nigeria if well and adequately explored, said the society is focused on job creation and combating terrorism through IT while stressing that NCS and its members can play positive roles in the areas of security nationwide and boost job creation. “NCS is the largest group of Information Technology Professionals, interest groups and stakeholders in Nigeria. NCS is the national platform for the advancement of Information Technology Sciences and Practices in Nigeria. In carrying out its advocacy efforts, NCS adopts a national outlook in line with its commitment to accelerating the pace of IT development and promoting digital Aladekomo

Monday, July 16, 2012

inclusion. It is committed to facilitating the development of information and knowledge based economy in which all the people of Nigeria deploy and exploit IT to gain significant social, economic and educational benefit and fulfill their potentials”, he noted. The NCS president emphasised the need for government to support and encourage IT driven projects such as outsourcing and call centre operations to generate massive employment opportunities here in Nigeria. In his words, “importing payroll software into Nigeria is a crime against humanity. Any government agency doing that is working against the interest of Nigerians. It is a massive concern and all of us should condemn it. Insisting that government agencies should use Nigerians and local firms to execute projects instead of always importing products and solutions and creating jobs in other countries, he noted, “There’s no doubt about it. IT is the major tool for change and innovation today with massive potential to contribute to economic growth and development, and to improve the lives of people. For Nigerians to fulfil their potentials and diversity the economy away from oil, Nigeria needs to move beyond consumption and activity. NCS engages in several activities and organises important events to promote local content development in IT in Nigeria.” According to him, “Upcoming events are the Nigeria Information Technology Exhibition (NITEX) 2012, the Computer Science/Information Technology Research and Development Workshop, the International Research Consortium on Information Technology Innovations (ReCITI) 2012 and the National Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA) 2012.” The NCS boss affirmed that the events are all designed with the goal of promoting information and communication technology solutions that employ local capacity to improve the lives of Nigerians and move the nation forward.

Samsung urges Nigerian app developers to explore marketing opportunities

amsung Electronics West Africa has charged Nigerian young mobile application developers to explore the vast marketing opportunities in the country, stressing that this should be done with utmost concentration. Thabiet Allie, Head, Content

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and Services, Samsung South Africa, gave this advice at the recent edition of CcHUB’s ‘Developers Parapo’ sponsored by Samsung for Nigerian web and mobile application developers. Allie urged the young developers to combine marketing and business skills with their technology or coding background. “The essence of app developing business is recognising a niche market and matching it with a solution,” he said Samsung had also signed a memorandum of understanding with Co-Creation Hub, Nigeria’s technology innovation centre with the aim of providing expertise, resource, capacity building, and marketing support to local mobile app developers. The Head, Product Marketing, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Jude Omozegie, said it was as part of the partnership that Samsung sponsored the ‘Developers Parapo’ which provided the necessary platform for Nigerian developers to share and gain knowledge required for starting and growing viable businesses. “Learning, entertainment, social networking, health services, and financial services, among others, are going mobile. As a result, applications have emerged as a fundamental part of this evolution, as more and more consumers want to access relevant content on the go on their mobile devices.” He said. Omozegie added that Samsung was in tune with this dynamics as it recognises the pivotal role of mobile phones in facilitating innovation-based services. According to him, “At Samsung, our core business is app and technology solutions, but we still rely on different stakeholders to help provide content; hence our interest in building a strong mutually beneficial relationship with Cchub. Samsung recognises the need for partnership because fast-growing portfolios of mobile applications would be fuelled by efficient developer ecosystem.” The Chief Executive Officer, Co-Creation Hub, Bosun Tijani, thanked Samsung for supporting the community, which according to him, had availed local technology entrepreneurs of the opportunity to meet with Samsung to explore mutually beneficial opportunities. He said, “Our relationship with Samsung will enable members acquire new skills and leverage Samsung’s extensive reach in the market to promote their solutions. Opportunities available to members under this partnership will include the possibility of preloading their apps on Samsung devices and retailing them at Samsung apps store, among others.”

Karpe

Firm introduces new ICT training centres

n a bid to help Nigerians in ICT education in the country, a global retail and corporate training solutions provider headquartered in Mumbai, India, with a presence across five continents, Aptech Limited, has unveiled a new package called Multimedia and Animation training Brand Arena for the first time in Nigeria environment. The Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Aptech, Ninad Karpe, said having a strong foothold in Nigeria with over 12 Aptech Computer Education Centres, Arena Multimedia entered Nigeria with two centres in Lagos and one in Abuja, while 10 new centres are in view in Nigeria in the next few years. Karpe noted that with over 16 years of expertise in content development and training animation and multimedia, Arena Multimedia will offer Nigerians comprehensive career courses which are specifically designed for students to launch a career in the fields of Animation, Advertising, Television, Print and Publishing film content and many more. He stressed benefit to Nigerian students, these programmes have credit transfer arrangements with Middlesex University; enabling student’s to pursue a degree programme with significant cost savings. In his words: “We have been consciously developing newer products and markets to cater for students looking at career education in diverse geographies. Arena has an extensive network of centres across five continents and we see Nigeria as a favourable market for Arena’s growth. Arena has already taught more than 350,000 students in the past and is looking forward to offer the same skill-set that sets it apart in teaching animation. As has been seen, the universal appeal of an animated film is transcending all boundaries and hence we believe this is the right time to launch Arena in Nigeria. ” Aptech Limited, which commenced its IT training business in 1986, being a pioneer in IT and animation education, over the years, has trained over 6.4 million students. BC

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Reflections with Semiu Salami 07043280449 sms only

PIB: Another tortuous journey? A

t last, the re-worked Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) draft is out and if the word of Diezani Alisson-Madueke, the Petroleum Minister is anything to go by, the bill should be sent to the National Assembly later this week or early next week. Two weeks ago, the technical committee set up in January to review and harmonise the various version of the bill previously in circulation, had submitted the reports to the minister, several months behind schedule. The bill which many have seen as the key to unlock billions of dollars of stalled investment into exploration and production, will according to the minister, ensure the independence of the regulators in the oil and gas sector, as well as unbundle the NNPC. She said that the fiscal frameworks which delayed the bill in the past have been reworked and that when passed by the National Assembly, the country will remain an interesting investment destination for oil and gas investors as the PIB would make the oil industry more competitive and accountable. The bill includes plans to partly privatize and list the state oil company, tax oil company profits at 20 percent for deep offshore and 50 percent for shallow or onshore, and give the oil minister supervisory powers over all oil institutions. Said to contain in the draft bill is the un-

bundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the creation of an inspectorate unit, independent regulatory agencies, and the architecture of the fiscal regime in the oil and gas sector. The successor, national oil company which will also have shareholding, will be ceded acreages and will be also take over current infrastructure in the oil and gas sector - refineries, depots and certain downstream entities as well as production sharing contracts. The bill also provides for the creation of a National Frontier Exploration Services, which will be the technical arm of the minister’s secretariat in order to robustly and actively drive data acquisition for various inland sedimentary data over the next two years In addition, the PIB has provisions for a crude oil fiscal regime and the upliftment of the utilisation of domestic gas, through the establishment of a new National Gas Company, whose purpose will be to drive the Gas Masterplan. Besides, the ministries and parastatals existing now, like the Petroleum Trust Fund, Petroleum Equalisation Fund, Institute of National Content Development Board, Petroleum Host Community Fund, will continue to exist until they are no longer expected to do so as the industry evolves. Interestingly, by the time the PIB is for-

warded to the national assembly, the bill would have completed a three time legislative cycle, having been first presented to the lawmakers in 2008, during the fifth legislative sitting since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999. Following its failure to sail through at the time, the bill was represented to the sixth national assembly but got mired in politics as vested interests in the oil and gas sector dug in, thus, created a rather ridiculous situation where several versions of the bill found their ways into the national assembly. With the rebirth, whether the PIB would have a smooth sail this time around would depend, largely on the provisions as it touches on the interests of the contending stakeholders. Already, there are insinuations that the draft approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to be transmitted to the national assembly is a watered down version that was designed to favour the oil and gas majors at the expense of the Nigerian people. Should that assumption turn out to be true, it may then be safe to conclude that the bill is again set for another turbulent session inside the hallow chambers of the national assembly. Let’s come to think about, if truly, the bill has the antidote to tackle all of our ano-

mies, particularly corruption in the oil and gas sector, why are we finding it extremely difficult to institutionalise the right rule? If it is true that the genesis of the problems that stalled the passage of the previous bill has to do with what the International Oil Companies (IOCs) considered being the “unfavourable fiscal regime,” why should the IOCs’ consideration constitute a clog to our own progress? Why should Nigeria surrender her sovereignty to the whims and caprice of any multinational institution? Am aware that the oil and gas business is dominated by the multinationals, largely because of the depth of financial and technical requirements, but that, in my mind should not be the reason why Nigeria, as a nation should allow her faith to be solely determined by the multinationals whose major concern is born out of the pecuniary advantage which their operations offers. The only challenge I see in all these, is that, we seem to have found ourselves under a situation of weaker governance structure and inept leadership, where our leaders have clearly shown the lack of will to push through truly sovereign policies. What does it matters if the fiscal regime is unfavourable to the IOCs for as long as it satisfies our own national interest? If we are serious as a national, no matter the conditions we set as basic standards, the IOCs will have no choice but to flow with us, for as long as our God endowed resources still remains attractive. If that is our competitive advantage, why don’t we use it? BC

BELIEVABILITY INDEX

Emerging holdings structure and StanbicIBTC’s promises to investors By Festus Okoromadu

he vogue in the Nigerian banking industry now is the transition from universal banking entity to either of three options approved by the sector’s regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The apex bank had in September 2010 issued regulation which repealed universal banking guidelines with effect from November 15, 2010. The new operating guideline commonly referred to in the banking community as Regulation 3, defines the type of banks permitted to do banking business in Nigeria as Merchant Banks, Commercial Banks and Specialized Banks. The regulation requires banks currently operating under universal banking guidelines to reorganise their businesses to comply with the provision of the three permissible categories of licenses. The deadline for compliance has been tentatively fixed for September 30, 2012. The aim of the regulation, according to the CBN, is to promote a sound financial system by reducing deposit money banks’ exposure to areas of high operating risk, and by preventing banks from applying depositors’ funds to risky lines of businesses. As the deadline for the compliance draws nearer, many banks which hitherto operated the universal banking structure are striving to fall in line with the new agenda. This has resulted in the creation of a new entity termed “Holding Company (HoldCo) Plc” with the purpose of accommodating other subsidiary companies, which are by law, approved to belong to emerging financial conglomerates. But the questions now begging for answers include, how will shareholders who invested in the existing banks now transiting to holding company be affected? Will it benefit them or will they like in previous arrangements under the reform programme of the current administration

of the CBN lose out again? One of the banks that has secured the approval of both the CBN and a court ordered extraordinary general meeting to get shareholders’ go ahead to create a HoldCo, is Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc. According to a document titled ‘Notice of Court-Ordered Meeting of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc’ published in some national dailies recently, the bank’s shareholders are expected to meet in Abuja on Thursday August 9, 2010 deliberate on and if consider appropriate, approve the HoldCo structure. However, shareholders are expected to thoroughly study the document titled ‘Scheme of Arrangement’ which offers detail explanation of the emerging structure. It is heart warming to note that part of the “Letter from the Chairman” extracted from the document reads, ‘This proposed restructuring will result in no adverse changes to the rights and ownership of existing shareholders of Stanbic IBTC, while depositors funds will be fenced in the commercial bank’. But then, a scan through the scheme of arrangement document reveals that shareholders of the bank will indeed, be affected in five key areas which includes; transfer of subsidiaries, share cancellation, reorganisation of capital, exchange of post-cancellation shares for HoldCo shares and delisting as well as listing of the new shares of the HoldCo Plc. According to the document, the restructuring entails the creation of a new non-operating holding company called Stanbic IBTC Holding Plc. Subsequently, the five subsidiaries which includes, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited, Stanbic Trustees Limited, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, Stanbic IBTC Ventures Limited and Stanbic IBTC Assets Management Limited will be transferred to Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. Thus, Stanbic

IBTC Bank will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holding Plc and will then apply to CBN for a commercial banking license. On share cancellation, the document explains that the proposed scheme incorporate provisions of Section 106 of CAMA, and provides for the cancellation of four out of every five shares by the bank shareholders receiving 50 kobo for each cancelled share, being the par value of such shares. This simply means that each shareholder of the bank shall be left with one ordinary share in the bank for every five previously owned. Accordingly, the share capital of the bank shall be reduced by a total of N7, 500,000,000. However, such shareholders will on the completion of the scheme own shares of the subsidiaries as compensation without investing fresh capital. Following the share cancellation is reduction in the authorised share capital of the bank, which shall now be N2.5 billion divided into five billion Ordinary Shares of 50 kobo each; and the issued share capital of the bank shall not exceed N1.875 billion divided into 3.750 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each. An expected benefit that will accrue from the share cancellation is the more robust dividend pay-out to shareholders in the near future, resulting from more income from the subsidiaries and the reduced equity units. Meanwhile, the post-cancellation shareholders will exchange their postcancellation shares for shares in HoldCo, with each receiving HoldCo shares based on the post-cancellation ratio, credited as fully paid. As a result of the exchange, the post-cancellation shareholders shall become shareholders of HoldCo and HoldCo shall hold all but one of the shares of the bank. Finally, when the scheme becomes effective, that is after securing the approval of all the necessary regulatory authorities,

HoldCo will be the only legal and beneficial shareholder in the bank. As such, the bank will be delisted from the daily official list of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) while an application will be made for the HoldCo to be listed. The bank further explained in the scheme of arrangement that in the event that the application of cancellation ratio results in fractional post cancellation bank shares, the shares that would have resulted in such shall be cancelled. The bank will however pay for such shares based on the 360 day volume weighted average price of Stanbic IBTC on the NSE as at the effective date. Holders of such shares shall according to the document, receive the monetary value of their shares, based on earlier stated condition within 21 business days from the effective date. Some immediate benefits shareholders will derive from the completion of the scheme includes, the settlements of the nominal value of 50 kobo per bank share cancelled. The scheme document states that payment warrants for the nominal value will be dispatched to all the bank shareholders within 21 business days after effective date. The bank has also recommended a dividend of 10 kobo per share for the bank shareholders for the financial year ended December 31, 2011 The scheme as stated in the document shall become effective and binding on all the bank shareholders if five conditions including, it’s approval by a majority representing not less than three quarters in value of the ordinary shares of the members of Stanbic IBTC present and voting, either in person or by proxy at the Court Ordered Meeting among others. As the investing community awaits the impact of these new holding structures on the banking industry, it is believe that the more benefits proposed to accrue to them the more they will be willing to invest in the capital market. BC

A16 34

Business Courage

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Dangote Sugar surpasses profit projection By Stanley Ihedigbo

nvestors and other stakeholders in the Dangote Sugar Refining Plc (DSR) are in for a bumper harvest this year as the company has been on steady rise, high and above its performance projections since the beginning of the operating year. The company in a statement at the weekend said that the minor fire incidence at its bagging store notwithstanding, it would continue with its cutting edge business plans to achieve its set goals to the benefits of the investors. Managing Director of the Company, Engineer Abdulahi Sule allayed fears expressed in certain quarters that the recent fire that gutted a section of its Apapa refinery would lead to scarcity of sugar, stressing that, the impact of the fire was minimal and besides, the refinery has strategic reserve which could last for two months even if it does not produce at all. The sugar company is also expected to reap bountifully when it finally consummates its acquisition of Savannah Sugar company, from Dangote Industries Limited, a move that has been endorsed by the

Dangote

shareholders at the last Annual General Meeting of the company. Already, in furtherance of its

strategic action plan to consolidate the market expansion, Dangote Sugar has commenced export of the product to Ghana, Gambia, and Sierra-Leone with plans already afoot to enter other African countries. Sule added that the leading sugar company had entered into an agreement with Dangote Industries limited on the acquisition process and that all hands were on deck to actualize the final acquisition of the firm thus making Dangote Sugar refinery the first fully integrated sugar manufacturing company in Africa. According to him, the investors would have a good bargain this year as the company had surpassed its profit projection for the first quarter of the year and will likely sustain the trend in the second quarter despite the challenges and the inclement industrial climate. “Dangote Sugar controls over 70 per cent of the sugar market in Nigeria and with a sugar refinery which is the second largest in the world, it wouldn’t be a bad business strategy to step up our foray into West African markets having dominated the local market,

yet with more capacity for production” he stated. “We have started exportation of Sugar into Ghana, Gambia and other countries after a pilot scheme. Over all, we are seeing a more positive prospect than we had envisaged because we had thought upon acquisition of Savannah Sugar, our production would move up by 100,000mt per annum within three years, but with what we have put on ground, we would achieve that within a reasonable time frames. “The acquisition of Savannah sugar is very strategic, by the time we take off fully; we would be creating more jobs ten times we presently have. Then we will be producing ethanol from sugar molasses therefore increasing our profit margin”. He noted that Dangote Industries Limited, the parent company of Dangote Sugar Refinery bought the Savannah Sugar from government with 29, 000 hectares and then acquired 2000 more hectares bringing it to 31, 000 hectares, a development expected to move DSR production to 300, 000mt per annum. BC

Tin Can Customs fails to meet half-year revenue target By Francis Ezem

here is palpable fear over the ability of the Nigeria Customs Service to meet its N1 trillion revenue for the 2012 fiscal year, as Tin Can Island command, which is the second biggest after Apapa in terms of revenue generation fails to meet its N132 billion revenue target for the first half of 2012. The command was at the beginning of the fiscal year given a revenue target of N264 billion out of a total targeted for the entire 25 commands that make up the service, which translates to N22 billion every month. Records show that though Apapa Command, which accounts for over 60 percent of the entire revenue collection by the service has not released its half year report, it could not make the N72 billion targeted for the first three months of the year as only N27.7 billion was collected. Apapa was at the beginning of 2012 fiscal year given an annual revenue target of N300 billion, which translates to about N24 billion per month. Record of activities released by the Tin Can Island command at the weekend shows that a total of N103.5 billion was collected at the end of June, 2012, which is a shortfall of N28.5 billion. Details of the revenue figure according to the public relations of the command, Chris Osunkwo Jnr., a total of N14.6 billon was collected for the month of January 2012 as against the N13.7 billion collected in January 2011. Similarly, the command collected N19.3 billion in February of the review period as against N12.6 billion collected in 2011, which shows that for the first two months of the year, though it surpassed

Dikko, Customs Comptroller General

the previous year’s record, it failed to hit the N22 billion monthly mark for 2012. It however collected a total of N19 billion, which is about N3 billion lower than the N22 billion target but about N2.5 billon higher than the N16.5 billion collected in the comparative period of 2011. For the month of April, the command collected a total of N15.2 billion as against the N13.7 billion collected in the comparative period of last year while it collected N17.1 billion in May 2012 which is marginally higher than the N16.6 billion collected in May 2011. The records also show that the

command collected a total of N18.3 billion for the month of June, 2012 as against the N17.4 billion collected in the comparative period of 2011. The dwindling revenue fortunes of the prime commands is a pointer to the fact that the service might not likely make the N1trliion self-imposed revenue target by the service, which most stakeholders described as outrageous. Most stakeholders are also of the consensus that the decision of the service to impose the N1trillion target as against the N92 billion given by the Federal Ministry of Finance was because the service is entitled to seven

percent of its revenue collections, which they say is inimical to trade facilitation, as the service has resolved to meet the target either by hook or crook. For instance, the service had at the beginning of the year imposed a duty benchmark on a total of 26 imported electrical and electronic items, which implies all imported goods that fall under that category would pay a benchmarked duty irrespective of their quality and value, which are major factors that determine duty paid on imported goods. Sources close to the command, said that the major reason for the failure of most of the commands, including Tin Can to meet their target is the suspension of the controversial duty benchmark, which was the service’s last joker, but which was vehemently opposed by stakeholders. Experts disclosed that the service announced the suspension of the benchmarked duty following a presidential directive; many commands still collect benchmarked duty while others have resorted to imposition of debit notes. But generally, the inability of the commands to meet the target may not be unconnected with the global economic recession, which is also taking its toll on developed economies like the United Kingdom. It was probably on the basis of this that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala announced that there is a recession in the Nigerian economy, which might give rise to some austerity measures. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage A17 35

Monday, July 16, 2012

Internal fraud depletes Berger Paints accounts By Festus Okoromadu

he Chairman, Board of Directors of Berger Paints Nigeria Plc, Clement Olowokande, has acknowledged that the company experienced several cases of fraud during the 2011 financial year, which according to him, led to a negative impact on its performance in the period. He made the disclosure in the report presented to the company’s shareholders at the recent Annual General Meeting in Lagos. According to the chairman’s statement, a forensic auditor was appointed to investigate the cases which led to the employees involved being handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He further disclosed that several key personnel of the sales department were involved

Olowokande

and that the management has embarked on a restructuring exercise, which he said, will ultimately reposition the company to the part of

sustainable growth. Olowokande however assured that the board of directors has taken step to reduce such incidents in the future, through the establishment of a Risk Assessment Unit, which implemented a credit control process and Risk Assessment Policy for the company. The company has also established a Zero Tolerance for Fraud Policy.. Meanwhile, the company’s shareholders approved the recommendation of the board to pay over N152.16 million as dividend for the 2011 financial year. The amount will be disbursed on the bases of 70 kobo for every 50 kobo ordinary share held before the close of the company’s register for the year under review. BC

Financial services sector lifts NSE value by N5.4bn

turnover of 1.46 billion shares worth N9.62 billion in 18,276 deals was recorded last week, at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in contrast to a total of 1.007 billion shares valued at N8.51 billion exchanged hands in the previous week in 18,352 deals. Likewise, a total of 250 units of 4.00 percent FGN April 2015 valued at N183, 882 were exchanged in 5 deals. Also traded during the week were 2,180 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) valued at N5.400 million exchanged in 8 deals. At the close of trading activities for the week, the Financial Services sector of the equities market was the most active (measured by turnover volume) with 1.15 billion shares valued at N5.40 billion traded in 10,393 deals. This was followed by Conglomerates sector with 77.79 million shares valued at N140.50 billion traded in 680 deals. Two sub-sectors both from the financial sector were the most active during the week (measured by turnover volume) with 1.14 billion shares worth N5.40 billion exchanged by investors in 10,340 deals. Volume in the sub sectors was largely driven by activity in the shares of UBA Plc, Diamond Bank plc and Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc. Trading in the shares of the companies accounted

Market Indicators for Week Ended 13-07-12 All-Share Index 22,741.06 points Market Capitalisation N7,259,702,079,039.73 Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

DANGCEM

112.00

116.00

4.00

109.19

110.01

0.82

41.51

0.49

4.20

4.41

0.21

GUARANTY

15.98

16.18

0.20

COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

WAPCO DANGSUGAR

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

LOSERS

Nigerian Stock Exhcnage session

for 473.165 million shares, representing 41.62 percent, 41.32percent and 32.43percent of the turnover recorded by the sector, subsector and total equities turnover for the week, respectively. Meanwhile, The NSE AllShare Index (ASI) opened at 22,110.91 appreciated by 511.34 points or 2.37percent to close on Friday at 22,741 .06. Similarly, the equities Market Capitalization also opened at N7.04 trillion appreciating by 0.03 or 2.85percent to close at N7.26 trillion. Also, The NSE 30 index rose by 630.15 points or 9.70 percent while the NSE Consumer Goods Index also rose by 23.43 points or 2.27 percent. The NSE Banking-10 Index appreciated by 26.20 points or 1.43 percent, the NSE Insurance-10

Index appreciated by 1.48 points or 1.16 percent, while the NSE Oil/Gas-5 Index depreciated by -0.63 points or -0.36percent. However, thirty-two (32) equities appreciated in prices during the week, lower than thirty-nine (39) of the preceding week. Dangote Cement Plc led on the gainers’ table by 7.41 percent to gain N8.00 followed by Nigerian Breweries Plc by 4.08percent to gain N4.31. Similarly, thirty-three (33) stocks depreciated in prices higher than thirty (30) of the preceding week. Flour Mills Plc led on the price losers’ table, dropping by -6.69percent to shed N3.80 while Nestle Nigeria Plc followed with a loss of N3.04 or -0.61percent. BC

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

26.75

26.00

-0.75

CADBURY

14.35

14.00

-0.35

ETI

10.30

10.01

-0.20

UBA

4.50

4.33

-0.17

VITAFOAM

3.30

3.14

-0.16

Inter-Bank Rates TENOR

RATE%(PREV) 2-July-2012

RATE%(CURR) 11-July-2012

OBB

14.0000 – 15.0000

15.5000 – 15.7500

CALL

14.0000 – 15.7500

14.7500 – 17.0000

Primary Market Auction TENOR 182-Days

AMOUNT (N’mn) 65,403

RATE (%) 14.89

DATE 12-July-12

91-Days

30,159

13.75

12-July-12

364-Days

60,000

15.60

28-June-12

Open Market Operation TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

62-Days

70000

14.50

RATE (%)

01-June-12

DATE

77-Days

40000

15.00

31-May-12

63-Days

60000

14.50

31-May-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$180m

MARKET DEMAND $180m

$180m

11-July-12

$200m

$163m

09-July-12

A18 36

Business Courage

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

STOCKWATCH Stock Exchange weekly equities summary as at Friday, July 13, 2012 SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC 0.50 OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. 28.00 PRESCO PLC 16.15 Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. NT Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 1.49 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. 0.84 CHELLARAMS PLC. 6.43 JOHN HOLT PLC. 5.32 S C O A NIG. PLC. 5.52 U A C N PLC. 32.77 CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. 22.30 CAPPA & D’ALBERTO PLC. NT Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. NT G CAPPA PLC NT Non--Building/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. 27.63 ROADS NIG PLC. 8.26 Real Estate Development PINNACLE POINT GROUP PLC NT UACN PROPERTY DEV 9.85 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC 100.00 UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INV 50.00 CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC 0.50 Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. 3.29 GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. NT GUINNESS NIG PLC 228.00 INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. 5.98 JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. NT NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 110.01 PREMIER BREWERIES PLC NT Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. 42.12 Food Products BIG TREAT PLC NT DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 6.40 DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 4.41 FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 53.00 HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 1.90 MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC 1.10 N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. NT NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC 4.70 P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. NT U T C NIG. PLC. 0.50 UNION DICON SALT PLC. NT Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 14.00 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 495.00 Household Durables BETA GLASS CO PLC. 10.55 NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. NT VITAFOAM NIG PLC. 3.14 VONO PRODUCTS PLC. 2.88 Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. 26.50 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 31.50 Textiles/Apparel UNITED NIG. TEXTILES PLC. NT FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. 7.70 DIAMOND BANK PLC 2.47 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INC. 10.10 FIDELITY BANK PLC 1.31 FIRST BANK OF NIG. PLC 11.33 FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. 3.30 GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 16.18 SKYE BANK PLC 3.02 STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC 6.75 STERLING BANK PLC. 1.25 U B A PLC 4.33 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 4.65 UNITY BANK PLC 0.50 WEMA BANK PLC. 0.50 ZENITH BANK PLC 14.40 Insurance Carriers, Brokers & Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INS. COY. PLC 0.50 AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 CONFIDENCE INSURANCE PLC NT CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INS. PLC NT CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 0.68 CORNERSTONE INS. COY. PLC. NT CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC 1.50 EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC 0.56 GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC NT GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC 1.55 GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. NT INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INS. PLC 0.76 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INS. PLC 0.50 INVESTMENT AND ALLIED ARN. NT LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. NT LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. 0.50 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.55 OASIS INSURANCE PLC NT PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.52 REGENCY ALLIANCE INS. COY PLC NT SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 0.50 STACO INSURANCE PLC 0.50 STANDARD ALLIANCE INS. PLC. 0.50 UNIC INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 UNIVERSAL INS. COMPANY PLC 0.50 Mortgage Carriers, Brokers &Services ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC NT ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC 0.50 RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC NT UNION HOMES SAVINGS&LOANS PLC NT Other Financial Institutions CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. 0.50 DEAP CAPITAL MGT & TRUST PLC NT NIG SEW. MACH. MAN. CO. PLC. NT NIGERIA ENERYGY SECTOR FUND NT ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. 0.50 HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. NT Medical Equipment UNION DIAGNOSTIC &CLINICAL PLC 0.50 Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. 7.39 Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. 0.94 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 0.92 GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER PLC 23.10 MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 1.18 NEIMETH INT PHARM PLC 0.76

NOTE NT=Not Traded on 13-07-12

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

909 178 605 65 320

0.64 33.00 16.15

0.50 14.53 6.40

2 200 000 000 476 955 000 1 000 000 000

0.00 8.23 1.69

N/A 0.00 0.00

0.50 28.00 16.15

4.26

60 000 000

0.00

N/A

1 798 620

1.23

0.48

1 199 549 736

0.04

21.14

1.23

474 000 200 4 757 1 550 332 901

2.54 7.60 8.82 8.28 42.50

0.74 6.43 5.32 5.52 28.70

2 191 895 983 963 900 300 389 151 408 821 666 666 1 600 720 323

0.21 0.30 0.00 0.35 7.03

13.51 N/A N/A N/A N/A

0.74 NT NT 5.52 33.00

51 000 NT

26.00 95.49

22.30 95.49

148 500 000 196 876 000

0.00 4.50

N/A N/A

22.30 NT

NT NT

7.97 14.46

2.46 14.46

920 573 765 125 000 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

44 192 120 000

62.26 8.69

21.55 3.01

1 200 000 000 20 000 000

4.11 3.66

0.00 N/A

27.63 8.26

NT 133 069

7.28 20.15

7.28 8.82

1 375 000 000

0.00 1.66

N/A 11.68

NT 8.82

100 000 4 400

100.00 50.00

97.00 50.00

20 000 000 250 019 781

11.75 0.75

N/A N/A

100.00 NT

359 370

0.50

4 772 528 415

0.00

0.50

100 NT 60 214 500 NT 1 981 489 NT

4.63 0.68 255.00 7.10 3.20 110.10 0.97

2.23 0.68 186.00 5.23 2.26 72.50 0.93

900 000 000 272 160 000 1 474 925 519 2 112 914 681 562 000 000 7 562 562 340 126 000 000

0.00 0.03 12.04 0.07 0.00 5.21 0.00

N/A N/A 1.33 N/A N/A 4.08 N/A

3.29 NT 225.00 5.98 NT 105.70 NT

13 383

48.91

38.31

640 590 362

3.15

N/A

40.12

NT 908 830 7 301 879 169 228 833 000 2 000 NT 2 070 360 NT 100 084 NT

0.50 19.90 16.20 95.00 6.60 2.70 43.96 6.70 5.66 0.88 4.22

0.50 4.15 3.64 54.87 2.01 1.21 21.48 3.86 5.66 0.50 4.22

2 000 000 000 5 000 000 000 12 000 000 000 1 879 210 666 7 930 197 658 3 722 493 620 178 200 000 40 000 000 1 233 375 004 360 000 000

0.00 0.00 0.59 3.60 0.36 0.00 1.20 0.81 0.16 1.13 0.00

N/A -2.29 10.53 -6.69 -5.47 N/A N/A 2.17 N/A 0.00 N/A

NT 6.55 3.99 56.80 2.01 NT NT 4.60 NT 0.50 NT

914 931 23 078

29.20 498.04

9.15 367.83

3 129 188 160 792 656 250

1.24 21.21

-4.04 -0.61

14.59 498.04

9 130 NT 144 502 600

15.58 42.66 6.75 3.67

12.08 36.19 3.20 2.66

63 360 000 819 000 000 300 000 001

3.90 1.61 0.54 0.00

N/A N/A -4.85 N/A

NT NT 3.30 NT

1 436 292 155 373

43.50 31.25

22.07 22.56

3 176 381 636 3 783 296 250

0.51 1.32

0.00 1.42

26.50 31.06

0.97

0.57

843 284 027

0.00

N/A

8 755 436 52 023 665 525 472 14 630 375 15 060 058 652 955 5 998 583 22 151 079 2 941 300 20 074 743 21 875 940 2 858 525 26 223 50 034 465 8 804 433

11.10 9.27 17.05 3.20 16.12 8.30 16.00 10.17 11.38 2.91 4.10 10.07 1.92 1.75 16.70

4.76 2.01 9.97 1.14 8.50 3.23 11.64 2.88 6.40 0.97 1.64 1.96 0.50 0.50 11.70

17 888 251 479 14 475 243 105 9 873 614 567 28 974 797 023 32 632 084 358 16 271 192 202 29 146 482 209 13 219 334 676 18 750 000 000 12 563 091 545 32 334 693 693 13 509 726 273 33 675 576 085 12 821 249 880 31 396 493 790

0.63 0.00 2.61 0.19 1.37 0.60 0.59 0.39 0.54 0.43 0.01 2.20 0.00 1.34 1.41

2.67 8.33 -3.35 3.97 0.62 -1.49 1.13 3.07 1.66 7.76 5.61 22.05 0.00 0.00 -0.62

7.50 2.28 10.45 1.26 11.26 3.35 16.00 2.93 6.64 1.16 4.10 3.81 0.50 0.50 14.49

1 000 268 050 NT NT 2 636 177 NT 456 500 650 475 50 NT 2 401 500 NT 1 386 352 3 000 NT 51 650 NT 350 200 30 000 20 000 1 365 180 NT 60 300 NT 130 020 050 38 000 56 050 1 000 200 4 000

0.50 1.01 0.64 0.50 1.20 0.50 3.51 0.50 0.69 0.50 1.93 0.50 0.80 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 0.50 0.66 1.11 0.50 2.35 0.50 0.52 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 0.76 0.50 1.55 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.95 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

20 585 000 000 7 809 391 256 211 626 000 6 000 000 000 10 372 624 157 8 820 010 363 5 100 846 808 8 847 298 420 4 549 947 000 3 827 485 380 10 000 000 000 720 000 000 5 061 804 000 6 420 427 449 28 000 000 000 7 323 313 227 3 437 330 500 4 083 713 569 7 998 705 336 5 332 830 881 5 649 693 923 5 003 506 791 2 508 315 436 6 668 750 000 5 203 757 266 6 141 087 609 8 493 173 450 2 581 733 505 13 000 000 000 16 000 000 000

0.00 0.09 0.00 0.06 0.10 0.01 0.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.02 0.02 0.10 0.00 0.10 0.25 0.01 0.02 0.11 0.03 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00

N/A 0.00 N/A N/A 0.00 0.00 0.00 N/A N/A N/A 13.97 N/A 0.00 0.00 N/A N/A N/A 0.00 N/A 0.00 N/A N/A 4.00 N/A 0.00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

0.50 0.50 NT NT 0.77 0.50 1.55 0.50 0.56 NT 1.36 NT 0.76 NT NT 0.50 NT 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.61 NT 0.50 NT 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

NT 7 478 NT NT

1.51 0.50 0.50 0.99

1.33 0.50 0.50 0.50

4 200 000 000 8 679 148 676 13 175 732 404 7 812 500 000

0.03 0.10 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT 0.50 NT NT

50 NT NT NT 146 128

0.61 2.02 0.15 552.20 0.66

0.50 2.02 0.15 555.20 0.50

3 778 005 975 1 333 333 333 5 880 000 2 500 000 3 608 657 661

0.00 0.00 0.00 12.68 0.05

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

0.50 2.02 NT NT 0.50

5.31

5.05

498 600 908

0.12

N/A

480 000

0.50

3 553 138 528

0.00

N/A

0.50

110 000

10.54

7.39

152 178 750

0.00

N/A

7.39

31 650 3 746 920 46 650 120 646 25 050

1.45 3.20 29.65 5.61 1.96

0.50 0.76 19.30 1.90 0.76

486 473 856 1 500 000 000 956 701 192 980 000 000 1 925 717 268

0.19 0.27 2.41 0.21 0.09

18.99 2.22 0.00 -37.89 0.00

0.79 0.90 23.10 1.90 0.76

N/A=Not Avialable

SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. 8.59 PHARMA-DEKO PLC. 3.17 ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SLN PLC 0.50 Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC 0.50 Electronic Communications Services MTECH COMMUNICATIONS PLC NT IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. 13.12 TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. NT Processing Systems CHAMS PLC 0.50 E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC 4.04 Telecommunications Carriers STARCOMMS PLC 0.50 Telecommunications Services IHS NIGERIA PLC PREF SHARES NT IHS PLC NT MTI PLC NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. 2.85 ASHAKA CEM PLC 9.10 BERGER PAINTS PLC 8.54 CAP PLC 23.14 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 5.39 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 116.00 DN MEYER PLC. 0.52 FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC 0.50 IPWA PLC NT LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 42.00 PAINTS & COATINGS MANFACT.PLC 2.28 PORTLAND PAINTS & PRDT NIG. PLC NT PREMIER PAINTS PLC. NT Electronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC 2.00 CUTIX PLC. 1.59 NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. NT NIGERIAN WIRE IND. PLC 2.58 Packaging/Containers ABPLAST PRODUCTS PLC. NT AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS 3.10 GREIF NIGERIA PLC NT NIG. BAGS MANFACT. COY PLC 1.87 POLY PRODUCTS (NIG) PLC. NT W A GLASS IND. PLC. NT Tools and Machinery NIGERIAN ROPES PLC 8.26 STOKVIS NIG PLC. NT NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. 5.70 Metals ALUMACO PLC NT ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. 10.55 Non-Metallic Mineral Mining MULTIVERSE PLC 0.50 Paper/Forest Products HALLMARK PAPER PRODUCTS PLC. NT THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. 1.38 OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SER. PLC 0.65 Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC 14.45 Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors AFROIL PLC NT BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC NT CONOIL PLC 20.54 ETERNA PLC. 2.51 FORTE OIL PLC. 10.84 MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 131.00 MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 32.29 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 130.00 SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC 0.50 Apparel Retailers LENNARDS (NIG) PLC. NT Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 1.67 Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 2.99 TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. NT Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. 0.50 Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC 0.50 Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL PLC NT IKEJA HOTEL PLC 1.07 TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC. NT TRANSNATIONAL CORP. OF NIG.PLC 1.05 Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC 0.50 Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. 1.64 LEARN AFRICA PLC 2.30 STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. NT UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 5.92 Road Transportation ABC TRANSPORT PLCPLC NT Specialty INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC NT SECURE ELECTRONIC TECH.PLC NT Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 1.45 NIG. AVIATION HANDLING COY PLC 5.92 ASeM CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC NT CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC 1.02 Personal/Household Products ROKANA INDUSTRIES PLC. NT HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals AFRIK PHARMACEUTICALS PLC. NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Electronic and Electrical Products NT ADSWITCH PLC. 1.63 NATURAL RESOURCES Metals W.A. ALUM. PRODUCTS PLC. NT OIL AND GAS Petroleum & Petroleum Products Distributors ANINO INTERNATIONAL PLC. NT CAPITAL OIL PLC 0.50 RAK UNITY PET. COMP. PLC. NT UNION VENTURES & PET. PLC NT SERVICES Apparel Retailers UDEOFSON GARMENT FACT. NIG PLC NT Food/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers NT JULI PLC. 2.76 ETF’s Sector ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND 2 638.00

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

1 927 50

12.91 4.28

8.59 3.50

153 786 012 100 000 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

16 100

0.52

0.50

2 960 000 000

0.08

0.00

0.50

1 000

0.50

2 941 789 472

0.04

N/A

0.50

0.91

4 966 666 668

0.00

N/A

5 032 NT

18.28 3.59

3.25 2.94

108 000 000 492 825 600

1.82 0.00

N/A N/A

13.12 NT

50 100

0.50 4.97

0.50 4.47

4 620 600 000 4 200 000 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

500 000

1.47

0.50

6 878 478 096

0.00

N/A

0.50

NT NT NT

2.25 3.50 0.50

0.00 2.46 0.50

4 400 000 000 4 893 594 400

0.00 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A

NT NT NT

50 162 773 10 000 33 870 391 434 265 726 29 000 100 000 NT 277 515 145 605 NT NT

3.32 30.00 12.57 43.98 15.49 132.51 3.51 0.75 0.99 48.05 3.36 5.28 13.40

2.86 9.10 8.06 14.50 4.20 95.00 0.93 0.50 0.91 37.00 0.52 2.27 10.93

260 000 000 2 239 453 125 217 367 585 560 000 000 1 241 548 285 15 494 019 668 242 908 200 2 109 928 275 513 696 000 3 001 600 004 792 914 256 400 000 000 75 000 000

0.00 1.60 0.15 1.76 1.83 8.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.74 0.16 0.39 0.00

N/A 0.00 0.00 -3.58 -10.17 7.41 N/A N/A N/A 1.18 8.57 N/A N/A

NT 9.10 8.54 24.00 6.00 108.00 0.54 NT NT 41.51 2.10 2.27 NT

100 50 000 NT 15 000

2.00 2.50 0.73 2.58

2.00 1.33 0.50 2.58

510 396 608 2 220 000 000 15 000 000

0.03 0.11 0.00 0.00

0.00 9.66 N/A N/A

2.00 1.45 NT 2.58

NT 428 200 NT 2 224 093 NT NT

3.98 6.91 15.03 3.60 1.86 0.63

3.98 3.10 13.28 1.60 1.05 0.63

25 000 000 683 974 528 42 640 000 6 215 000 000 240 000 000 199 066 550

0.00 0.15 0.90 0.22 0.30 0.00

N/A N/A N/A -2.60 N/A N/A

NT 3.10 NT 1.92 NT NT

50 NT

8.69 0.14

8.26 0.14

265 409 280 2 918 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

105 000

9.20

5.70

393 120 000

0.93

0.00

5.70

NT 50

7.75 12.39

7.75 10.70

75 600 000 100 000 000

0.00 0.13

N/A N/A

NT NT

822 500

0.50

4 058 989 226

0.00

N/A

0.50

NT 1 000

3.22 1.38

50 000 000 220 000 000

0.04 0.00

N/A N/A

NT 1.38

2 534 114

1.87

0.54

6 262 701 716

0.16

-1.52

0.66

2 415 307

78.97

14.45

2 262 711 568

7.47

-1.70

14.70

NT NT 18 278 121 010 7 469 4 875 13 677 7 427

20.71 0.70 41.89 5.59 28.69 163.50 72.00 240.00

20.71 0.50 19.61 2.51 9.12 131.00 32.29 125.00

125 487 475 3 716 976 579 693 952 117 1 249 162 828 1 080 280 628 300 496 051 253 988 672 339 521 837

0.00 0.00 5.98 0.88 0.00 13.06 4.08 11.22

N/A N/A 4.74 -7.72 -5.00 0.00 N/A 0.00

NT NT 19.61 2.72 11.41 131.00 NT 130.00

100

0.72

0.50

4 035 497 307

0.00

N/A

0.50

3.48

0.19

N/A

165 187

3.65

1.12

980 294 400

0.22

-12.11

1.90

3 385 970 NT

3.67 6.40

2.11 3.28

589 496 310 198 819 763

0.63 0.26

0.00 N/A

2.99 NT

1 000

1.64

0.85

865 808 912

0.20

N/A

0.50

0.75

0.50

3 211 627 907

0.01

N/A

0.50

NT 473 380 NT 41 859 834

8.00 2.59 4.76 1.82

3.00 1.17 4.31 0.50

1 548 780 000 2 078 796 396 1 772 884 297 25 813 998 283

0.18 0.92 0.00 0.22

N/A -8.55 N/A 5.00

NT 1.17 NT 1.00

55 000

0.50

0.48

8 000 000 000

0.00

N/A

0.50

18 700 8 000 NT 334 947

3.68 8.00 2.92 6.82

1.64 2.30 2.78 3.09

403 200 000 771 450 000 425 641 111

0.14 0.29 0.01 0.50

N/A N/A N/A 39.29

NT 2.41 NT 4.25

0.80

0.50

1 507 000 000

0.00

N/A

NT NT

5.15 1.88

4.90 0.80

236 699 511 5 631 539 736

0.00 0.03

N/A N/A

NT NT

273 600 334 947

2.78 11.75

1.54 5.15

634 000 000 1 230 468 750

0.38 0.81

N/A 0.17

1.27 5.91

1.43

1.04

45 000 000

0.12

N/A

500

1.02

201 885 335

0.00

N/A

1.02

0.60

30 000 000

0.00

#VALUE!

0.50

24 898 850

0.00

N/A

NT 14 000

1.88

1.63

125 005 250

0.00

N/A

NT 1.63

0.50

6 650 000

0.00

N/A

NT 10 000 NT NT

0.21 0.50 0.31 0.63

24 200 000 5 857 500 000 15 000 000 98 600 000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT 0.50 NT NT

NT NT 16 000

0.50

20 000 000

0.00

N/A

3.05

2.76

194 700 000

0.00

N/A

NT NT 2.76

100

2 706

2 422

0.00

2 638.00

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage A19 37

Monday, July 16, 2012

Union Bank Plc: Still a shaky stallion By Tayo Adeleke

ear over year, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc has seen its performance shrank as the bank has not posted appreciable results in the last five years. Except for 2010, when it recorded profit with help of exceptional item, Union Bank has consistently posted negative earnings. It posted a pre-tax loss of N122 billion in 2011 compared with a profit of N36.5 billion the previous year. The bank’s gross earnings fell by 38 per cent to N80.7 billion, while net assets recovered to N196 billion during the period, from a loss of N115.8 billion last year. A large chunk of the losses are due to write down of bad debts left over from a 2008/9 banking crisis. Union Bank, last year, sold a 60 percent of its equity to a group of institutional investors led by African Capital Alliance private equity for $750 million to help it recapitalize. It was one of the nine lenders that the central bank bailed out to the tune of $4 billion in 2009. Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides various commercial banking services to corporate and individual customers in Nigeria and internationally. The company offers savings and current accounts, including personal, business, corporate, and time deposit accounts; and corporate banking products, comprising loans and overdrafts/guaranteed bonds, bankers acceptances, commercial papers, project finance syndication, equipment leasing, and stallion tenor bills. Union Bank of Nigeria Plc was founded in 1917. Financial Health In its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2011, Union Bank’s gross earnings decreased by 38 percent to N47.53 billion in 2011 from N64.81 billion in the previous year. The reduction could be attributed to the bank’s poor performance in the review period. In recent times, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc has seen its revenues shrank from N130.4 billion to N80.75 billion. The bank’s non-interest income, which also contributed to the crash in its gross earnings in 2011, closed at N19.39 billion, compared with N46.7 billion in 2010. This represents 58.5 percent drop. Similarly, the bank experienced drop in interest income indices, as it achieved a decline of 26.7 percent from N83.71 billion to N61.36 billion. Breakdown of the financial figures revealed that Union Bank got 75.98 percent of its revenue in 2011 from interest income compared with the 64.19 percent figure recorded in 2010. This means that, non-interest income to total revenue dropped from 35.81 percent in 2010 to 24.02 percent. The company’s operating expenses was higher

2011 from N1.13 trillion. Other contributors to the total assets are: treasury bills (growth of 605.9 percent); Trading Securities increasing from N23.3 billion to N29.94 billion. Fixed assets dropped to N50.53 billion from N58.23 billion in 2010. However, the proportion of shareholders’ funds to total assets improved to 18.41 per cent in 2011 from -9.76 per cent in 2010 as a result of high proportionate growth in most of the equity than the balance sheet assets. The bank’s total assets could accommodate 14.85 percent of the total loans and advances in 2011, down from 17.05 percent in 2010. Union Bank deposit with other banks grew by N26.86 billion to N51.32 billion from N24.44 billion in 2010.

Funke Osibodu, MD, Union Bank Plc

than gross income by 10.21 percent to close at N89 billion. Subsequently, profit before tax dropped by 435.79 percent to N122.41billion loss in 2011 from N36.45 billion achieved in 2010 while profit after tax also fell by 189 percent to N94.87 billion loss as against N106.47 billion profit recorded in comparable period 2010. Assets Quality The bank’s assets dipped by 10.02 percent from N1.129 trillion in 2010 to N1.068 trillion in 2011, aided by 21.65 percent Union Bank Financial Data

decline in loans granted in 2011. Loan and advances stood at N158.57 billion in 2011, down from N202.4 billion in 2010. The bank’s asset quality is as well weak, as it wrote off N79.84 billion as bad debt during the review period, compared with N37.16 billion bad debt in 2010. Thus, the bank wrote off N117 billion within two years. The implication of this to investors is that, 40.6 percent of the shareholders’ funds were impaired in 2011. Earnings assets dropped by 10 percent to N1.018 trillion in 2011=N=(‘000)

2010=N=(‘000)

Gross Earnings

80,754

Total Interest income

61,357

130,414 83,710

Interest expense

34,312

35,399

Net Interest Income

27,045

48,311

Loan loss Provision(net)

79,837

37,164

Fees and Commissions

11,258

15,366

Total Non Interest Income

19,397

46,704

Admin/ Operating Expenses

89,004

81,227

pre-tax profit Taxes

-122,409

36,454

27,531

70,018

Profit after tax

-94,878

106,472

Net profit

-94,878

106,472

loan& advances(net)

158,565

202,381

other Assets

619,042

856,163

1,017,585

1,128,786

Total earning assets Premises and equipment Total Assets

50,533

58,229

1,068,118

1,187,015

Total Deposit liabilities

500,199

645,987

Shareholders’ Funds

196,553

-115,788

Profitability Ratios

2011(%)

2010(%)

After Tax Profit Margin

-117

Return on total Assets

-8.88

8.97

-48.27

-91.95

Return on Equity Net Interest margin Interest income/ Loan &advances Interest paid/Total deposits

44.08

57.71

38.7

41.36

6.86

5.48

Operating Expenses/Gross Revenue

110.22

62.28

Non-interest Income/Gross Revenue

24.02

35.81

Liquidity Further analysis showed that Union bank’s liquidity also nosedived in 2011. Total deposit liabilities went down by 22.6 percent to stand at N500.2 billion in 2011. The bank maintained its firm lending strategy as the management gave out 31.7 percent of total deposit liabilities as loans and advances in the review period against 31.3 percent in 2010. In a similar development, the proportion of total assets that was channelled to loans and advances in 2011 also dropped to 14.85 percent from 17.05 percent in 2010. Profitability The bank’s poor performances in the review period continued as profitability ratios revealed downward trend. Net profit margin dropped significantly by 199 basis points to -117 percent from 82 percent while return on assets followed the similar trend, to stand at -8.88 percent, down from 8.97 percent in 2010. Similarly, the bank could not make money for its shareholders as returns on equity (ROE) remain at negative figure. It moved to -48.27 percent, compare with -91.9 percent in 2010. However, net interest margin stay put at positive, but it dropped to 44.1 percent, from 57.71 percent in 2010. The percentage of interest income to loan and advances stood at 38.7 percent compared to 41.36 percent achieved in

2010. Interest paid on deposit increase from preceding year’s figure as percentage of interest paid to total deposits grew to 6.86 percent from 5.48 percent in the previous year. Earning Power From all indications, Union Bank’s financial year ended 2011 of -560 kobo earning per share (EPS) fell short of stakeholders’ expectations, having recorded a positive figure in 2010. As a result, there is no dividend for shareholders of the company for the fifth consecutive years. Revenue per share stood at N4.77. We observed that one of the major contributors to the bank’s poor performance was unsuccessful right issue as the management might have channelled part of the funds as cost incurred during the offer. The rights issue, which was expected to fetch the bank about N9.6 billion, ended up been subscribed by 15.25 percent, well below the regulatory minimum subscription requirement of 25 percent as existing shareholders declined to take up their rights. The bank issued 1.41 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each, at N6.81 per share, in the ratio of five new ordinary shares, for every nine ordinary shares held, as at the September 30, 2011 to the existing shareholders. The rights issue, which opened on December 14, 2011, closed on February 10, 2012. Future The prospect of the old financial institution is shaky. The failure of the bank to raise addition capital to cushion the effect of the current zero working capital is a big blow for the management. From all indications, the result has clearly shown that the bank has lost larger part of its market share to its competitors as gross earning continues to drop. However, the management of the Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) is optimistic that it would bounce back to profitability in 2012 after its poor financial results in 2011. It said that the general public should not worry about the results, stressing that efforts were on to ensure improved performance in future. BC

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

“The courts should always be very cautious in not allowing technicalities to be used in perpetrating injustice. ” JUSTICE DAHIRU MUSDAPHER, FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA.

Task before new CJN, Justice Mukthar

FRANCIS FAMOROTI

Corrupt public officials should be publicly executed –Oyebode 42

Why five of Adelabu’s supporters were convicted 44

Who takes over NBA presidency from Daudu? 41

AND

WALE IGBINTADE

arely one week after the confirmation by the National Assembly of the nomination of Justice Aloma Mukthar as the 12th Chief Justice of Nigeria, lawyers have begun to set agenda for the new CJN. Specifically, some lawyers who spoke with National Mirror said the task before Mukthar, among others, included restoring the battered image of the judiciary. Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief O.C.J Okocha (SAN), in an interview with the National Mirror, said the reputation of the country’s judiciary and allegations of corruption levelled against judicial officers deserved attention. According to him, “Well, first and foremost is the restoration of the past glory of Nigeria’s judiciary. You know, in recent times all these stories are being bandied around and I wonder where they are coming from about the judiciary now being a place where anything goes. The reputation of the courts have been sullied, people even allege that judges and magistrates are all corrupt.’’ Describing the new CJN as a very decisive and focused jurist, Okocha charged Justice Mukhtar to ensure the restoration of the judiciary’s pride of place from the point where her predecessor had taken it. Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) said the CJN had zero tolerance for corruption, and all the vices associated with some of our justices and all the controversies surrounding them; we are not likely to experience that with her. He said, “one is very confident that her appointment would be a right step in a right direction. I am sure she will take decisions that will benefit the Judiciary and the legal profession. So, her confirmation is a welcome development. ‘’ Dr. Biodun Layonu (SAN), said, “Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar has made history already. She will set her own agenda in the light of current issues, which we all know, bedevilling the Judiciary and in the relatively short time available to her. ‘’ “Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), urged the CJN to halt the culture of impunity, the culture of corruption, the culture of double standard, the culture of conflicting judgments that has become the bane of the Nigerian Judiciary.” According to him, ‘’She has a track record of being a hard working administra-

Mukthar

THE CJN SHOULD HALT THE CULTURE

OF CORRUPTION, THE CULTURE OF CONFLICTING JUDGMENTS THAT HAVE BECOME THE BANE OF THE

NIGERIAN JUDICIARY

tor; she was the first Chief Registrar of the High Court of Kano State. From there, she became the first female judge in Kano State Judiciary and in the whole of the north. When she was denied from being the first female Chief Judge of Kano, they elevated her to the Court of Appeal. There

again, she became the first female Justice of the Court of Appeal.’’ He said with Mukhtar’s confirmation, he is hopeful that a golden era is in the offing for Nigerian Judiciary. Lagos lawyer, Mr Jiti Ogunye advised the new CJN to spearhead far-reaching reforms in the Judiciary, extricate the Judiciary from the compromising entanglement spurned by the executive arm of government, in which the Judiciary appears to be caught. He specifically urged her to fight corruption and restore the independence of the Judiciary, which had been eroded by the actions of the executive arm of Government. Besides, Ogunye stated that, “the NJC, CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

Law & Justice

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Restore past glory of Nigeria’s judiciary –Lawyers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39 under the chairmanship of Musdapher CJN has an unfinished business relating to the decapitation of the Court of Appeal.” “It is expected that the new CJN will be forthright on this matter and ensure that Justice Ayo Salami, the PCA, whose headship of the Court of Appeal was supplanted by the Federal Executive arm of Government, is restored to his judicial office. The Judiciary cannot be truly independent when the headship of the Court of Appeal is said to be in the hands of the President,” he added. Another lawyer, Mr. Ikechukwu Ikeji, said the major tasks before the new CJN included, but not limited to the reinstatement of the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami. Besides, Ikeji urged the CJ to facilitate the amendment of the composition of the National Judicial Council and ridding the Judiciary of corruption. His words, ‘’ Insisting and publicly so declaring on the immediate reinstatement of Justice Salami, draft amendment to the constitutional provision on the composition of the NJC, immediately looking for avenues to address the issue of locus standi and addressing the corruption in the Judiciary. He added that, ‘’The new CJN should address the length of time it takes to conclude cases, the digitalising of the judicial processes, addressing the practice whereby counsel and parties stress themselves to come to court, only for the judge not to sit and the case adjourned; The registry should have informed counsel upfront that court would not sit and a review of the employment procedure for judges.’’ Mr. Olajide Olagunju, lawyer and Di-

Chief Okocha (SAN)

rector, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Studies Programme, Salem University, Lokoja, Kogi State emphasised the need for the new CJN to maintain the independence of the Bar and Bench. He said Justice Mukhtar, “must live for the independence of the judiciary. Given the challenging polity that her boss inherited and passed on to her, the only saving grace for our nation, under God, is a jealously independent judiciary.’’ Olagunju said if she exhibits courage and maintains the independence of the Bench, she would leave her own legacy, which is far more important than the symbolic legacy of first female chief justice.

Dr. Layonu (SAN)

WE ARE INSISTING ON THE IMMEDIATE REINSTATEMENT OF JUSTICE

AYO SALAMI

Mr. Olufemi Botoku urged the new CJN to foster the independence of the judiciary and the administration of justice in the country. He also implored her to facilitate the creation of more courts of appeal to reduce the work load of justices of courts of appeal. Regarded as an independent-minded jurist, Mukhtar was one of the justices

who gave dissenting judgment that is widely acclaimed in legal circles and the academia in the Yar’Adua/ Buhari election result dispute in 2007. Justice Mukthar, who hails from Kano State, is the first female Justice to be appointed to the Supreme Court Bench. She was born in 1944 and was called to the Nigerian Bar on June 26, 1967. While Justices Idris Legbo Kutigi, Aloysius Katsina-Alu, Niki Tobi and Dahiru Musdapher dismissed the Buhari appeal and upheld the election of Umaru Yar’Adua and Jonathan in 2007, Justices George Oguntade, Mukhtar and Walter Onnoghen, who delivered dissenting judgment, held that there were substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2006 which vitiated the election. A thorough legal professional, Mukhtar had served as: Pupil State Counsel, Ministry of Justice, Northern Nigeria (1967); Draftsman, Office of the Legal Draftsman, Interim Common Service Agency; Magistrate Grade I, North Eastern Government (1969 – 1973); Chief Registrar, Kano State Government Judiciary (1973 – 1977); Judge – High Court of Kano State (1977). Justice – Court of Appeal (1987). In September 24, 1987, she became the first female to be elevated from the High Court to the Court of Appeal. She became a Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal between 1993 and 2005. She was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court since 2005. When the Senate confirmed her appointment to the apex court on May 10, 2005, she again emerged the first female justice of the Supreme Court. She is a life member of the International Association of Women Lawyers.

76 oil wells: Why S’ Court judgment can’t be final —C’ River ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

ast week Tuesday, the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher, led six other justices of the Supreme Court to give final judgment on the legal tussle between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states over the ownership of 76 oil wells and how the revenues accruing therein should be shared. The full panel of the Supreme Court, by a unanimous judgment, not only gave ownership of all the oil wells to Akwa Ibom, it also said that Cross River is no longer entitled to any revenue from the oil wells. The court, in its lead judgment delivered by Justice Olufunlola Adekeye, held that the Bakassi Peninsular which used to be part of Cross River state, having been ceded to Cameroun on the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had made it to lose its littoral status as the 76 oil wells were no longer in its maritime territory. Justice Adekeye also explained that the agreement which initially allowed

CROSS RIVER IS INVITING THE APEX COURT TO REVERSE ITS JUDGMENT IN THE MATTER Cross River to have the 76 oil wells had been frustrated by the handing over of Bakassi to the Cameroun. She held that the 13 per cent derivation revenue on the 76 oil wells between Akwa Ibom and Cross River States must continue to be attributed to the state on whose maritime territory they were found to be located by the relevant government agencies. According to her, Cross State no longer has any maritime boundary. It is landlocked. “The present position of the plaintiff cannot be blamed on any government agency, particularly the National Boundary Commission and the RMAFC. The two statutory bodies must perform their statutory duties based on facts and realities to compile the indices for the payment of the

derivation revenues to entitled states.” The agreement upon which Cross River based its claim for entitlement to the oil wells had been discharged by frustration, that is the handing over of Bakassi to Cameroun. She said that the court could not close its eyes to the existing situation and declares that the plaintiff should continue to enjoy the benefits and privileges of a littoral state when it was no longer one by subsequent legal changes. “This court cannot because of the influx of refugees from Bakassi into Cross River State give a legislative judgment. The government of Nigeria has a means of providing for the social needs of the people of Cross River State faced with the social problems thrusted on the state due to the cessation of Bakassi peninsula to the Cameroun,” she added. But Cross River has vowed not to relent in its effort to reverse the judgment of the court. The state, which said the decision of the apex court was not reflective of the situation on ground, said it would re-approach the Supreme Court for a review of the verdict.

According to one of its lead counsel, Mr Paul Erokoro (SAN), he said the legal battle on the ownership of the oil wells had just begun. He predicted his position on the fact that the crucial document relied upon by the court was doctored. He said that the implication of the alleged doctored document is that the apex court was misled to enter the judgment malafide. In a fresh application to be filed at the registry of the Supreme Court to canvass reasons its verdict would not stand the test of time and law, Cross River is inviting the apex court to reverse its judgment in the matter because the map allegedly submitted by Akwa Ibom State to the Supreme Court upon which judgment was given was doctored and did not represent the true position of NigeriaCameroun boundary. The state said that the map, which was heavily relied upon by the apex court, is an illegality which should not be relied upon to decide the dispute between the two states. CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

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Who takes over NBA presidency from Daudu? ….As lawyers go to poll tomorrow FRANCIS FAMOROTI

awyers from the 91 branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) will, tomorrow, converge in Abuja ahead of the association’s 2012 delegates’ conference. At the conference, the lawyers are expected to

elect a new President who will take over the mantle of leadership from the outgoing NBA President, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN). The three candidates vying for the office of NBA President are, Mr. Okey Wali (from the South-South), Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) from the South – East and Mr. Blessing Ukiri also (from

Emeka Ngige (SAN)

Okey Wali (SAN)

Wali studied Law at the University of Buckingham, United Kingdom and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984. He is a former Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Rivers State. He is an astute Bar man, who has played significant impact in the affairs of the NBA. He is also a one-time representative of the NBA on the Council of Legal Education. He became a SAN on December 12, 2007.

Ngige graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Nigeria, Enugu in 1984 and was called to the Nigerian Bar on August 23, 1985. Since 1991 till date, he has been a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NBA. A quintessential Bar man, he was elected the Publicity Secretary of the Lagos Branch of the Association between 1995 and 1996. Emeka was conferred with the rank of a SAN on September 9, 2002.

List of NBA past Presidents

Blessing Emonena Ukiri

Ukiri holds a Master of Law degree in Intellectual Property, Environmental, Energy and Natural Resources laws. He is a Bar activist and a member of the International Bar Association and the United Kingdom Energy Lawyers’ Group. Ukiri is the principal partner of E. B. Ukiri & Partners. The firm specializes in litigation, commercial, foreign investment, intellectual property, among others.

Alhaji Jubril Martins

1958-59

Chief F.R.A Williams (SAN)

1959-68

Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN)

1970-73

Dr. Mudiaga Odje (SAN)

1974-76

Chief Adebayo Ogunsanya (SAN)

1973-74

Chief Babatunde Benson (SAN)

1978-80

Chief Adetunji Fadayiro (SAN)

1980-82

Mr. Andrew Anyamene (SAN)

1982-84

Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN)

1984-85

Mr. Ebele Nwokoye

1985-87

Mr. Alao Aka-Bashorun

1987-89

Mr. Charles Idehen

1989-91

Sir Clement Akpamgbo (SAN)

1991-92

Chief (Mrs) Priscilla Kuye

1992

Chief Thompson Okpoko (SAN)

1998-2000

Mr. O.C.J Okocha (SAN)

2000-2002

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN)

2002-2004

Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN)

2004-2005

Prince Lanke Odogiyan

2005-2006

Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN)

2006-2008

Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN)

2008-2010

Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN)

2010-2012

Law & Justice

Monday, July 16, 2012

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Corrupt public officials should Professor Akin Oyebode was the former Vice- Chancellor, University of Ado-Ekiti, and at present, lectures International Law and Jurisprudence at the University of Lagos. In this interview with SINA FADARE, he speaks on corruption among public officers, growing insecurity and argues that a new constitution is desirable in the country. Excerpts. Is the 1999 Constitution our problem or the people operating it? The current constitution we are operating is an illegitimate constitution. The Abdulsalam constitution should not be governing our life. It was a military decree 24 of 1999 that is masquerading as the constitution of Nigeria. Nigeria is yet to have a constitution of her own, that is why we need a Constituent Assembly to fashion a new constitution for Nigeria. It is not a task for the National Assembly because they, as constituted as present, are product of a defective constitution. We say in law that no man can give what he does not have. Therefore, National Assembly is not competent to create a new constitution for Nigeria. They are in the process of amending it, but a constitution that attracts about 62 amendments, is worse than a terrible constitution. What we need is a brand new constitution that will address the fundamental crisis that afflicts Nigeria. Nigeria had a wrong-headed quasi-federal structure where too much power has been concentrated at the centre. We have to engage in devolution of power and unscramble the Nigeria federation, re -configure it, the 62 items need to be revisited and reconsidered. We have to collapse the existing states to six geopolitical units where we would have stronger basis for our federation. Tied to that is the question of fiscal federalism, we have to reorder the way the wealth of this country is shared and garnered so that we would not be operating a mono culture economy. Almost 95 per cent of our earning comes from oil; there are resources in every part of this country. The sharing formula should also be looked into, the goose that lays the golden egg, the Niger Delta people are short changed, they are getting the wrong end of the stick in terms of 13% derivation. That is nonsense. That is why we must talk about fiscal federalism in terms of ensuring proper rule on derivation like the one we had in the 1963 constitution. 50 per cent can be provided for the people that produce the wealth, so that other 50 per cent could be shared among the country. The country seems to be at a crossroad on the issue of a new constitution, what is your view on this? Let me remind the people of the National Assembly that power reside in the people. They claim to be in the possession of the sovereignty of Nigeria, it is just for a period. If they claim to be representing the people, the people have the right to go to hell if that is what they want. The people who are the ultimate master in this issue; have to take their destiny in their hands. Nobody is saying that the National Assembly should be dissolved, no, they will be there to do their primary assignment, but constitution- making, historically all over the world has been a task entrusted into a constituent assembly. If you look at the U.S, the congress of Philadelphia in 1787 formulated the constitution of the U.S. That constitution has been in existence since 225 years. It has suffered only 27 amendments. Our constitution, which is about 15 years old, has suffered more than 50 amendments. When you panel- beat a car always, it will be a time that you can no longer panel- beat it again. To that extent, that car should be replaced by a new one. There is no amount of panel- beating that can clean up the malady of the self-imposed military constitution we are operating. Everybody that will face the reality knows

Oyebode

IT IS IN NIGERIA THAT CORRUPT PEOPLE GET MEDALS, THEY GET FRONT ROW IN THE CHURCH AND ARE GIVEN THE HIGHEST TITLE OF THE LAND that the constitution we are operating is deficient and we have to redress the imbalances. The people themselves are the sovereign, the constitution that pretend that we the people meet, when? The Patriots said the constitution told a lie against itself and there is no amount of political gymnastics that the National Assembly can engage in that will cure those defects of the fundamental laws of Nigeria. So, the constituent assembly has to be convened, the National Assembly can pass the enabling legislation that will bring into being the constituent assembly. Their assignment is to elaborate the law of Nigeria, the product that comes from the exercise will be subjected to a national referendum and once the people embrace the referendum, it becomes a new constitution. Look at what is happening in Tunisia and Egypt. What we are doing is not unusual. The main basis of our co habitation, interâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;personal relation, group dynamics are what you call the fundamental of basic laws of Nigeria is an illegitimate law, a decree and a decree should not be the constitution of Nigeria. What penalties should be imposed on corrupt public officials in the country? We might need to try the Chinese formula, execution by firing squad for those who steal from the public purse. Even then, in China, we still have a face of corruption. Since corruption is inherent in man, all we can do is to limit the incidence of corruption, we cannot eliminate it. The second thing we have to address is the notion of impunity. People act corruptly, believing that nothing will happen to them, they act as if they are above the law. That sense has to be curtailed. Look at Singapore, people who know what happens in that country recognise the effort by that

county to keep corruption to a minimal level. We have all the laws with our anti-graft agencies, what we need is the political will to apply the law to the letter no matter whose ox is gored. I think there is too much tolerance for corrupt people. It is in Nigeria that corrupt people get medals, they get front row in the church and are given the highest titles of the land. It seems corruption has become the fundamental objective and directive of the state policy in this country. Corruption is threatening to subvert the entire polity. If we do not stop corruption, corruption will stop Nigeria. If we want Nigeria to go yonder, we will do something about it, because no amount of fasting and prayer would stop corruption. A drastic malady requires a drastic remedy. If we recognise that there is fire on the mountain, corruption is hanging on Nigeria like a sword of Damocles, the ruling class should be ready and willing to do what it needs to be done in order to salvage and sanitise the polity. What is the way out for Nigeria? See the wanton of corruption going on in Abuja, the pension scam, subsidy scam and a host of others. In advanced democracy, there is what we call the 11th commandment, though shall not be caught, you can break the entire first Ten Commandments, if you are caught, and you drink your hemlock. So anybody that has been caught red-handed should pay the price, if it is execution by firing squad, so be it if, it is life imprisonment, let us lock them up and throw away the key of the prison. We have a drastic situation in our hand and we need drastic solution to combat it. We are operating what l will call primitive capitalism and we are not ready to pay the price of capital development. Capitalism has a way of sanitising itself, but here in Nigeria, we do not allow the law to take its natural cause. Apart from Bode George, l donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know any big operator that was allowed to pass through the gamut of the law of the land. All the likes of Bode George that are parading themselves at the corridor of power should be in jail. What is urgent that we must do is to cage this sense of impunity. There must be sanction and it must be enforced,

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be publicly executed –Oyebode nominate who should take the honour. The moment you decide to be lobbying people for honour has demeaned the integrity of such an honour. Another thing is that it is losing its prestige; SAN is the most prestigious title that a legal practitioner could attain. It is the most celebrated people that should be elevated to that rank. But when somebody says he is a SAN, and you are thinking in your head where he got such a title because you have never heard of his outstanding performance. When some of them make submissions, you begin to wonder how and who confered such an honour on them. That means certain values have been compromised. We have to do a lot to reform that procedure. For instance, we have many brilliant solicitors who do not go to the court, but a force to be reckoned with in terms of their contributions, yet they do not qualify to be made SAN because we are talking about court appearances. But our profession is two traps; there is barrister and a solicitor. In U.S, there is nothing like SAN. The QC is something we borrowed from England; we just wrongly copied whatever happens in England.

no matter whose ox is gored. We are personalising the application of rules and law too much in this country. Here, there is what they call plea bargaining, somebody stole billions and you pat him at the back with a six-month jail term and after that, he goes back to his loot to enjoy, that is plutocracy. Are you advocating a special court to try corrupt people? We must make reforms to our law of evidence, not just a special court, but introduce adjectival laws in order to give tips to the anti- corrupt legislation. You are going to change the procedural rule for prosecution of those found guilty. You are going to increase sanctions and by then, you might have been seen by the world that you are making some progress. We should be mindful that the whole world is watching us in this jet age of Internet; everything you do now is subject to international criticism and observation This, at the long run, will affect the country to get direct investment which will increase the rate of development. We should go something about corruption before corruption put an end to us as a country. Do you still think that Judiciary is the last hope of a common man? In 1992 in a paper I presented at the conference of Nigeria Bar Association in Port Harcourt, titled: ‘’ Is the judiciary still the last hope of the common man? ‘’That was the question I asked in 1992. Some of us are very sceptical as to whether the judiciary, as constituted, can really be the last hope of the common man. Looking as the court as the last sanctuary for justice has a long history and tradition, When you look at the court you find the figurine of Themis, the Greek goddess of justice, blindfolded lady, sword in one hand, and scale in the other. The idea from the Greek mythology was that justice must be evenly dispensed without fear or favour. That was why the eye of the lady was covered, she does not see any person and she holds the scale of balance and the sword of justice. In Nigeria, it seems the lady of justice see through her covered eye and dispenses justice on the basis of who is before her and the scales are not balanced. About two weeks ago, somebody was sent to death for stealing N3,000 and some lawyers were angry that if a person could be sent to death as an armed robber for stealing such a token, what happens to those who steal billions? The rate at which people brazenly steal from the public purse is alarming. People think that the judges also have their price and could be compromised. That if you pay the right price, you will get justice according to the size of your wallet. People are fast losing faith in the judiciary, that is why today, there is growing incident of self-help; people are now abandoning the court. That is why you see high rate of assassinations and people going to the traditionalists to seek for self-help. The truth of the matter is that Nigerians are confused and our sense of identity seems to have been lost. There is hardly any African woman now that does not put artificial hair on their heads because they have no faith in what God gave them. Lack of self-esteem has permeated the entire existence of our people. We have to come back home, re identified ourself with African socio-reality. The judiciary have been far removed from justice as perceived by the people. The European sense of justice does not necessarily concise with African sense of justice, that is a problem for us because it was imposed on us. It does not capture our Africanness, our customology. Nigeria occupies a peculiar position in Africa, therefore we cannot afford to mess up in our polity. What is the implication of the President’s refusal to assent some bills pending on his table? The National Assembly has done its own job and passed it to the president’s table for his assent. Without his assent, a bill cannot become an act. If the President refuses to sign it which is tantamount to veto, the National Assembly can pass with two third majorities to override the president’s

I FIND IT OFFENSIVE THAT LEGAL PRACTITIONERS HAVE TO APPLY FOR THE SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA AWARD BEFORE THEY COULD BE HONOURED veto. The question is, can the National Assembly muster the political will to do such a thing? But l don’t see why they cannot. They want to assert themselves and don’t want to be seen as a rubber stamp to the Executive. They are trying to say that there is something called separation of power and you cannot take the legislature for granted. This might be an opportunity for them to earn the populace kudos that they are not mere robot but have their own will. Do you support that the award of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) should be abrogated? Honestly, l did not like the procedure of appointing legal practitioners to Senior Advocate with the notion that you have to apply before you could be honoured, l find it offensive. You should not apply for an honour, but people who see you fit and proper to have it should sponsor you for the honour. Just like the Nobel, people because of your good work and tremendous contribution nominate you. I think it is the Bar who should nominate people for such an honour. The title is honorific, therefore people should

Do you think the sacking of security chiefs will solve the problem of insecurity in the country? Every government has the right to change any member of his team from time to time, depending on how they perceive them to be effective or deficient in their task. I would see the whole thing as a routine and a deliberate attempt calculated to throw cold blanket on those who are criticising President Jonathan for travelling to Brazil when his home was burning. His visit to Rio has been heavily criticised and maybe it occurred to him that he had to do something dramatic to reduce the sense of disillusionment that seems to have enveloped the country. Whether he is playing the game of musical chair, l am not really sure, but the issue of Boko Haram has not been fully comprehended by Jonathan. He is not aware that the Boko Haram operatives are drawing circle around him, in order to embarrass him and show that he was incompetent. Certain people have sworn to make Nigeria ungovernable when he became President. Removing those security chiefs, to me, was tantamount to shadow chasing. How do you think the issue of suicide bombing can be addressed? Terrorism is a global phenomenon; it is not limited to Nigeria when we are talking about terrorism, we are talking about Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Kenya and place like Indonesia. It seems certain people believe that provision of certain explosive devices, is a means of delivering their political message. Terrorism, to me, is an effort to go for a broke by that country who does not believe in democracy or the rule of law. It is a quick fix by threat and intimidation; it is a thing that will not go in a hurry in Nigeria. Nigeria has lost its innocence, unfortunately nothing succeeds like success, for the fact that twice the terrorists have compelled the President to change his routine for not appearing at the Eagle’s Square and their presence in Aso Rock is an admittance of failure on the part of the presidency. Carrying the fact to the inner recess of the government is not a palatable experience for the country. How do you think the law can be used to check this act of terrorism and insecurity in the country? There are laws against terrorism, there is Terrorism Protection Act of 2011 which the National Assembly passed last year. We need to increase the sanction in order for the law to serve the deterrent effect. Definitely, the law exists to curtail treason or a threat to the survival of Nigeria. We do not lack in law, but what we lack is the political formulae that would address the crisis of the Nigerian nation state. The survival of Nigeria is not a question of lawmaking, but political realignment and readjustment and reconfiguration. Politically, Nigeria is living on a borrowed time. That is the bitter truth.

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Why five of Adelabu’s supporters were convicted Shortly after the demise of late First Republic politician, Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu fifty- four years ago in Ibadan, the Old Western Region, some of his followers decided to avenge his death by killing a member of the defunct Action Group (AG), Gbadamosi Oshuntoki. Five members of the N.C. N.C were subsequently tried and found guilty of the murder. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Ag. Head, Judiciary writes.

lhaji Adegoke Adelabu was a politician and frontline member of the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (N.C.N.C) in the country in the first republic. Reputed for his masterly command of English language, he was known to have imported into the nation’s political lexicon the expression ‘’Peculiar mess’’, which some people, especially the illiterates often called ‘’Penkelemesi’’. Unfortunately, Adelabu, the charismatic politician, was killed in a motor accident on March 28, 1958. Some of his supporters in Ibadan and its environs believed that he was killed by their political opponents. They, therefore, decided to avenge his death on members of the Action Group (AG). According to the evidence adduced in the Ibadan High Court and accepted by the trial judge, ‘’on March 28, 1958 between 10.00 and 11 a.m, a group of N.CN.C members, numbering about 60, approached Arulogun village in Ibadan shouting their party slogans.’’ They were said to have been armed with guns, cutlasses, axes and cudgels. They went into the market and attacked two men, Salawu Aboderin and one Napoléon. The latter subsequently died of the injuries he received at the hands of the crowd. Aboderin ran into his house and locked himself up in a room. The crowd chased him there and set fire to his house. When he could not bear the suffocation caused by the smoke from the fire, he jumped down from the ceiling and ran. The crowd caught hold of him, beat and cut him with cutlasses and cudgels and only left him when they thought that he was dead. He did not, however, die, but later recovered from his injuries. After they left Aboderin’s house, they went to Oshuntoki’s house which was nearby and attacked him. His left hand was completely severed from his body and as he ran they chased him and inflicted more wounds on him with cutlasses. Oshuntoki ran, into the house of one Alfa, where he fell down and died. Ten members of the N.C.N.C were subsequently charged with Oshuntoki’s murder. At the conclusion of the trial, four of them were acquitted and discharged while six others were found guilty of the offence. The court eventually held that it was not in dispute that a crowd of N.CN.C members attacked and killed the deceased.

Late Adelabu

FAMOUS CASES In finding them guilty, the judge relied on Section 8 of the Criminal Code to the effect that ‘’where two or more persons form a common intention to prosecute an unlawful purpose in conjunction with one another, and in the prosecution of such purpose an offence is committed of such a nature that its commission was a probable consequence of the prosecution of such purpose, each of them is deemed to have committed the offence.’’ Those found guilty were, Jimoh Amoo, Bakare Adeyanju, Amusa Aremu, Karimu Alao, Bandele Ajagbe and Faleti Disu. Dissatisfied with the verdict, the men lodged an appeal against their convictions at the Federal Supreme Court. The panel of jurists who sat on the appeal included Justices Abbott, Brett, and Mbanefo. Delivering judgment, the Federal Supreme Court said it could not be disputed that there was evidence from which the inference could be drawn that those who constituted the crowd that invaded Arulogun village on March 28, 1958, had a common purpose. Part of the judgment reads, ‘’They were members of the same party and their motive was to avenge the death of their leader. They were armed with lethal weapons and attacked and wounded or killed their opponents at sight. ‘’According to the 6th prosecution witness, Layiwola Ajagbe, when the crowd arrived at the village they said ‘’Kill everybody in the village’’. The 5th prosecution witness, Adebanjo Orekoya, who was himself attacked and wounded, said that as he ran, he heard some members of the crowd shout ‘’ Papa Ijebu is not dead-bring his head’’. ‘’ The defence has not suggested any oth-

er reason for the behaviour of the crowd. Indeed, appellants’ counsel in the court below opened his final address by saying that the illiterate members of the N.C.N.C wrongly believed that Adelabu, a leader of N.C.N.C, was murdered by his political opponents and after they had conspired to do so and in that belief began to attack their political opponents.’’ The Federal Supreme Court said anybody who knew the purpose of such a crowd and joined it could not escape responsibility for its criminal action. In the words of the court, the crowd in the present case, having formed a common design to attack and kill members of the AG, their political opponents, any member who joined it with full knowledge of the common intention was equally guilty of murder of the deceased who was killed in the attack. It said the trial judge did not, therefore, misdirect himself on the law when he held that ‘’anybody who joined in this hostile crowd with that knowledge was as guilty as the actual perpetrator of the crime.’’ The court, however, said from the testimonies before it, and having disregarded the evidence of the first prosecution witness, there was no other evidence to connect the sixth appellant, (Faleti Disu) with the crowd that killed the deceased. ‘’He was not mentioned by any of the other witnesses.’’ it added. According to the Federal Supreme Court, ‘’there is, however, overwhelming evidence that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th appellants were not only amongst the crowd, but were also armed. Each of them was identified by at least two witnesses as being amongst the crowd that descended on the village and attacked and killed the deceased. ‘’ It noted that at the hearing of the appeal, the appellants’ counsel, Mr. M. Agbaje, referred to two crowds and that being so, the members of one crowd could not be held responsible for what the other crowd did. The Federal Supreme Court said on a careful examination of the evidence, it was clear that the appellants were identi-

TEN MEMBERS OF THE N.C.N.C WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CHARGED WITH

OSHUNTOKI’S MURDER fied as being amongst the crowd that attacked the village at the time and place in question and that some members of that crowd, in fact, killed the deceased. The federal justices said, ‘’The crowds if, in fact they were two, were composed of members of the N.C.N.C, their purpose was the same- to attack their opponents- and they were operating in the same village at the same time.’’ They said on that evidence, the court could be justified in presuming that it was one crowd that split into two. The Supreme Court said, ‘’be that as it may, it is clear from the evidence that the appellants were in the same crowd.’’ ‘‘This is borne out in the evidence of the 2nd and 4th appellants as witnesses who identified the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th same crowd; the 5th prosecution witness who saw the 2nd and 5th appellants as being in the same crowd; the 9th prosecution witness who saw the 3rd and 4th appellants in the same crowd and the 10th prosecution witness, who identified the 4th and 5th appellants as being in the same crowd.’’ The Federal Supreme Court contended that these witnesses were talking of the crowd that killed the deceased. ‘’It is, therefore, an inescapable inference to be drawn from the evidence of these witnesses taken together with the same crowd. We are satisfied that there was ample evidence to justify the position of the trial judge in reaching the conclusion he did about the guilt of these appellants and their appeals were accordingly dismissed.’’ The sixth appellant, Disu’s appeal was allowed and his conviction and sentence were set aside.

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The judge was kind and understanding –Femi Daniel

Bar Jokes

“Jury trial,”

defendant was asked if he wanted a bench trial or a jury trial. “Jury trial,” the defendant replied. “Do you understand the difference?” asked the judge. “Sure,” replied the defendant, “That’s where twelve ignorant people decide my fate instead of one.”

Lawyer’s rates

man walked into a lawyer’s office and inquired about the lawyer’s rates. “$50.00 for three questions,” replied the lawyer. “Isn’t that kinda steep?” asked the man while dolling out the $50.00. “Yes,” answered the lawyer, “what’s your third question?”

Justice’s housekeeper

y first solo appearance was about 44 days after my call to Bar. It was during my Youth Service programme at Adamawa State. Incidentally, the matter was for adoption of written address. The judge was benevolent, I told him I was new at the Bar, hence he was kind and guided me throughout the proceedings. So, I think my first solo appearance was good. It was a relatively good experience because I had a judge who was kind and understanding. I read the file and tried to relate with the judge by making the court to like me. There are some soft kills that a young lawyer can use to help himself in court.

Daniel

However, while I was in school, I was involved in moot and mock society. I remember the first day I appeared before a judge as a student. As I was presenting my submission, I was having running stomach because of fear. Immediately, I finished I left the court, but the judge asked ‘’where are you going’’. I had to tell him ‘’ my Lord I am under pressure’’ and the whole court burst out laughing.

he Chief Justice of an Appellate Court invited the newly appointed Justice over for dinner. During the meal, the new appointee, Justice Johnson, couldn’t help noticing how attractive and shapely the Chief Justice’s housekeeper was. Over the course of the evening he started to wonder if there was more between the Chief Justice and the housekeeper than met the eye. Reading the new appointee’s thoughts, the Chief Justice volunteered, “I know what you must be thinking, but I assure you, my relationship with my housekeeper is purely a professional one.” About a week later the housekeeper came to the Chief Justice and said, “Your Honour, ever since your new appointee came to dinner, I’ve been unable to find that beautiful silver gravy ladle. You don’t sup-

pose he took it do you?” The Chief Justice said, “Well, I doubt it, but I’ll write him a letter just to be sure.” So he sat down and wrote: “Dear Justice Johnson, I’m not saying that you did take a gravy ladle from my house, and I’m not saying you didn’t take a gravy ladle. But the fact remains that one has been missing ever since you were here for dinner.” Several days later the Chief Justice received a reply letter from Justice Johnson which read: “Dear Chief Justice, I’m not saying that you do sleep with your housekeeper, and I’m not saying that you don’t sleep with your housekeeper. But the fact remains that if you were sleeping in your own bed, you would have found the gravy ladle by now.” Culled from Gavel.Gavel.com

NYSC deployment: A minister’s warped view on constitutionalism BAMIDELE ATURU

he position of the Minister for Youths Development overruling the Directorate of the National Youth Service Corps’ decision not to post or deploy young graduates as corps members to volatile parts of the country is extremely insensitive, unfeeling and demonstrates with the greatest respect an inscrutable lack of appreciation of the tragic security situation in those parts where people are being daily mowed down in their hundreds while the government of which the Minister is part watches helplessly and laments routinely. Is this a case of sadism or unguarded pretense on the part of a Minister? One probably would have ignored the statement credited to the Honourable Minister if he had not sought justification for his specious and indefensible position in the Constitution. He has completely stood the Constitution on its head and he must not be allowed to get away with it. First, while it is true that the National Youth Service Corps Act is one of the laws entrenched in the Constitution by virtue of section 315(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, that entrenchment simply says that nothing in the Constitution shall invalidate the NYSC Act and no more. Now, no one is saying that the NYSC Act is invalidated. The position of parents and most Nigerians even in the troubled parts of our country is that it is not safe at this time to post or deploy corps members to those parts of the country witnessing daily massacre at the moment. Second, and this is crucial, the Honourable Minister should be told plainly that the provisions of the NYSC Act preserved or entrenched by the Constitution is clkearly and manifestly against his narrow and extremely unsound interpretation. Section 1(4) (b) of the

Act provides clearly that: ‘as far as possible, Nigerian youths are assigned to jobs in states other than their states of origin’ The implication of this is that even corps members from the volatile states cannot be posted to their states. That section would be complied with simply by posting the corps members to any state other than theirs and other than the volatile state. Section 991) makes it abundantly clear that: ‘The Directorate shall determine the place and time each person qualified to be registered under the provisions of this Act shall be deployed’ Furthermore, section 9(5) of the Act says unambiguously thus: ‘in the discharge of its functions under this section (that is deployment or posting of corps members), the Directorate shall not be compelled in any manner whatsoever to deploy a member of the service to any par-

THE GOVERNMENT IS UNABLE TO GUARANTEE THE LIVES OF THE CORPS MEMBERS IN THOSE VOLATILE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND THAT IS EVIDENT ticular undertaking or project’ It is thus clear that it is the Honourable Minister that is violating a law entrenched in the Constitution by purportedly overruling the NYSC Directorate. It is his decision that is unconstitutional, indefensible, unsupportable, unpopular, unjustifiable, insensitive, unfeeling, and uncaring. Happily, he has now provided parents who would have

wanted a cause of action to sue him and his ministry for violating the NYSC Act in reposting their children and wards contrary to the NYSC Act. The Minister needs to be told that what Nigerians are saying is not that the NYSC should be invalidated but rather that at this time the government is unable to guarantee the lives of the corps members in those volatile parts of the country and that is evident. It would amount to a violation of the right of Nigerians to life to post young men and women to places from where even the indigenes in some cases are relocating. That sounds even more like a crime against humanity, particularly when it is coming from someone who should act in loco parentis to the young corps members. May God save Nigeria. Aturu, a lawyer writes from Lagos

76 Oil Wells: Why S’ Court judgment can’t be final —C’ River CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40 The State is asking the court to expunge the map which was attached to the affidavit deposed to by Alhaji Bashir Shettima of the National Boundary Commission from the proceedings of the court an exhibit because it did not represent the true state of affairs. It also asked the court to issue an order to summon Shettima for cross examination as to why as a Federal Government employee, he gave evidence that was biased in favour of Akwa Ibom State, contrary to the official position of his employer, the National Boundary Commission. Cross River is also asking the court to issue an order to compel former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief

Bayo Ojo, SAN as a witness so that he can give evidence on the advice he gave in 2006 that formed the foundation of the political solution agreed upon by the parties which was later reduced into an agreement. The State asked the court for an order compelling the current Attorney General of the Federation to produce in court for use by it, the written advice given by Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) in his capacity as AGF in 2006, as well as the minutes of the meeting of 27th October, 2006, which formed the foundation of the political solution agreed upon by the parties. It said that: Alhaji Bashir Shettima fraudulently concealed the fact that the map attached to his evidence was not an authoritative map but was merely a

sketch and proposal made by the NBC and was never approved by the Federal Government. “Shettima fraudulently concealed from the court that the map was made without the input of the Surveyor General of the Federation, the authority empowered to delineating boundaries within Nigeria.” It said that the evidence given by Shettima has compromised Nigeria’s territorial integrity and security, as well as the country’s position with respect to the ongoing maritime boundary negotiations between Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe and the Republic of Cameroun. The case will be one of the first controversial cases the new Chief Justice of Nigeria will tackle.

Monday, July 16, 2012

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Monday, July 16, 2012

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Community Mirror “If the other parts of the country are waiting quietly to be overrun by terrorists, then they deserve to be overrun.”

Rights group condemn Abonnema demolition

LEGAL ICON, PROFESSOR ITSE SAGAY

LASTMA speaks on Gawat’s disappearance MURITALA AYINLA

he Lagos State Traffic Management Authority yesterday broke its silence on the role it played in the recovery of the abandoned vehicle of the missing ace broadcaster and Chief Executive Officer of Gawat Communications Limited, Alhaji Rasak Aremu Gawat who was declared missing on Tuesday last week. The sudden disappearance of the renowned broadcaster, producer and presenter of “Edide Eji Saari”, an early morning TV programme during Ramadan period, has generated anxiety among Muslim faithful, especially with less than three days to the commencement of Ramadan fast. In the height of anxiety, there has been public clamour for detailed explanation on the role played by LASTMA officials who found the missing man’s vehicle, more so that the vehicle was driven to the spot where it was found by him. Yesterday, Gawat’s son confirmed to Community Mirror that his father was still missing, describing the information that he was found somewhere in Ibadan as romour. However, in a statement made available to Community Mirror, the General Manager of LASTMA Engr. Babatunde Edu, explained how LASTMA officials found the black jeep, a Toyota SUV with registration plate number RE 77 AAA which the broadcaster was said to have driven on that faithful day. According to the statement, the vehicle was discovered on the Eko Bridge inward Apongbon around 11:45pm on Tuesday night by LASTMA officials led by the Zonal head, Mr. Akinpelu Ayuba while conducting safety checks on the bridge. “The vehicle was parked with no visible sign of hit from other motorists except that the hazard light of the vehicle was on and the four doors were locked. “The officials were thinking whether the unknown occupant(s) had ran out of fuel and had gone to source for same or in dire need of assistance, the dedicated officers, in order to en-

sure the safety of the occupant(s) and also render assistance if need be, formed a search group to look out for the owner of the vehicle. The search went on for over an hour with no trace of the owner. “In order to guide against stealing of the vehicle and to ensure that in-coming vehicles and other road users did not run into the vehicle in the darkness of the night, the black jeep was towed in the early hour of Wednesday to the Olowu Zone of the agency’s office in Lagos Island. “On Wednesday, the base officer of the Zone, Mrs. Ganiat Ijaoba, while conducting routine checks

on all impounded vehicles discovered through the side glass, since the door were locked, that the passenger seat of the jeep had some religious materials such as: Qur’anic, Islamic materials, documents and complementary cards that had Gawat Communications written on them scattered on it. The statement further said: “A distant relative of Gawat who is also an official of the agency and familiar with the vehicle contacted the family. The presenter’s wife, Mrs Fatimat Gawat and three other men appeared at the zone and were later joined by the Nigeria Police led by the Divisional Police

Officer of Adeniji Central Police Station, Lagos Island, CSP Monday Agbonnika around 2:00pm on Wednesday. “On their arrival, a spare key was brought out in the presence of LASTMA officials with an attempt to open the jeep, after several unsuccessful attempts, the first son of the victim; Jubril Gawat invited a panel beater who forcefully opened the car doors in the presence of his mother, officials and relatives. “After the doors were opened, young Gawat entered the jeep to source for some documents which was observed to be missing together with his phone. Several unsuc-

An unidentified drunk taking a nap on a cullvert in Lagos.

cessful calls were made to the victim’s phone while at the zone. No other personal materials were retrieved aside the Islamic materials. “The team, consisting of Mrs. Gawat, other members of the family, including the officials of LASTMA and the police later visited the scene where the vehicle was initially towed.” LASTMA boss, however, added that a letter demanding for the release of the victim’s vehicle was written by the police to enable them further their investigations and this, according to him, was obliged and the jeep was taken away by the police.

PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Court orders packaging company to pay judgement sum MESHACK IDEHEN

Lagos State Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikeja has berated a company, Sonnex Packaging Nigeria Limited for its failure to comply with the court process and respond to court judgment. The court has also ordered Sonnex Packaging Nigeria Limited to pay a company; Management Mandate International Limited the sum of N570, 000 and N250, 000 respectively being

the amount the court said Sonnex Packaging Nigeria Limited owes the plaintiff, Management Mandate Limited. In the judgement delivered by Senior Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe over an application for default summons brought under Order 3 Rule 4 (1) of the Magistrate Court Civil Procedures 2009 by Mandate Management International Limited, the court ruled that the defendant neglected the court, in spite of being served the judgement of the court since August, 2010 by a

sheriff of the Lagos State Court. The Senior Magistrate explained that “a perusal of the file shows that the defendant never entered into any defence, nor took any action as required by the law”. According to the magistrate, the court proceeded on trial with the substantive suit by calling on the plaintiff to put up his evidence before the court, after which the plaintiff, who is the managing director of Management Mandate International Limited, testified on oath.

The magistrate said further that various exhibits, including agreements between the parties, termination of service of vehicle and copy of termination letter were all presented before the court. It would be recalled that the owners of Management Mandate International Limited had dragged Sonnex Packaging Limited to court over claims that Sonnex Limited has refused to pay for service rendered, including the hiring of the plaintiff ’s truck for 30 days.

Community Mirror

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Rights group condemn Abonnema demolition FRANCIS SUBERU

he Social and Economic Rights Action Center, SERAC has condemned in strong terms, the demolition of Abonnema community by the Rivers State government, saying the destruction of homes, properties and businesses of residents of the community without due process is callous and unjust. According to a statement issued and signed by SE-

… As over 25,000 people are displaced RAC‘s Executive Director, Felix Morka, demolition of Abonnema community was carried out in flagrant disregard for judicial process, as the rights group had on behalf of the community obtained an order of interim injunction restraining the Rivers State government from destroying the community. Community Mirror gathered that flattening of Abonnema Wharf commu-

nity on the order of the Rivers State government started on June 27, 2012 and it is still on-going. The action, it was gathered, has displaced over 25,000 families so far. The Rivers State Government had said the demolition exercise was necessary to rid the community of criminals. However, the rights group said the core of the decision to destroy the community lies in the unbridled quest

to acquire prime waterfront lands in favor of private businesses for upscale entertainment and other investments by the administration of Governor Rotimi Amaechi. The statement read in part: “Since his inauguration, Governor Amaechi has vigorously pursued a land grab policy that has resulted in painful and forceful displacement of hundreds of thousands of poor citizens. Forced eviction entails the

removal of people from their land and homes against their will and without provision and access to appropriate forms of legal or other protections.” The group said forceful eviction of residents of Abonnema Wharf constitutes a brazen violation of the people’s human rights to adequate housing, dignity of human person, fair hearing and right to life as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “We strongly urge the

NGO embarks on campaign against teenage pregnancy TONY ANICHEBE UYO

very Youth Educational Promotion Initiatives, a Non Governmental Organisation, NGO has commenced a campaign to reduce teenage pregnancy in Akwa Ibom. Mrs. Mabel Antie, Project Director for the organization who spoke with journalists last week in Eket shortly after one of the campaigns at Government Secondary School Eket said that teenage pregnancy was on the increase in the state. Antie explained that pregnancy by adolescents has snowballed into a social crisis and called for a collective effort from families, organizations and the society at large. According to her, adolescent sexuality has assumed a dangerous dimension in the state and required a specialised approach to ensure successful transition from teenagers to responsible adults in the society.

“We were compelled by the menace of teenagers becoming parents without any form of preparation at the expense of their education. When a teenager gets pregnant, it goes beyond the teenager and her family. It affects the entire society, from the local government to the state government,” she said. Community Mirror gathered that more than 1,000 students of secondary schools participated in the conference which featured lectures and interactive sessions with the resource person and community leaders. The resource person, Antie urged the youths to abstain from sexual activities at their tender age so as not to be derailed from their visions. “There is time for everything, you have to exercise restraint and control your emotions, because you are superior to your emotions, do not allow your emotion which is inferior to you to control you.

NDE trains 100 Imo women in confectionery

Commuters waiting for BRT bus at Oshodi, Lagos yesterday. PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Fidelity bank gives water to blind students FRANCIS SUBERU

n order to demonstrate its commitment to helping the less privileged in the society, staff of Fidelity Bank, Umuahia branch have reactivated two water boreholes for students of the Special Education Centre for the Blind, Afara Umuahia in Abia State. The gesture came under the platform of Fidel-

ity Helping Hands Programme, FHHP, an arm of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR. It was done to put smiles on the faces of blind students in the school. While commissioning the project, Hon. Grace Nkem Uche, representing Umuahia Central Constituency in the State House of Assembly expressed delight at the spirit of charity among Fidelity Bank’s management and staff, say-

government of Rivers State to immediately provide emergency shelter and other services to the displaced population and take expeditious steps to provide adequate compensation or resettlement to affected residents. “We further urge Governor Rotimi Amaechi to observe the rule of law in dealing with these populations and to bring his strayed administration back on a path of constitutional democracy”, the statement read.

ing such spirit is rare especially amongst people in the commercial sector who are mostly profit-driven in their operations. She commended the board and management of the bank for a job well done and called on other corporate organisations to emulate the bank. According to Hon. Grace, “this is my first time of seeing staff of a corporate organization use their own funds to help a com-

munity in need. This is the first, and it is a challenge to all of us in the state that we can do more. I will definitely take this back to the House and also convey this laudable act to the Governor later on.” Earlier in his welcome address, Mr. Reginald Ihejiahi, Managing Director & CEO, Fidelity Bank Plc had noted the passion the bank has for communities in which it does business. Ihejiahi who was rep-

resented by the Regional Manager, Imo and Abia, Mr. Enyinnia Uchenna, said the bank does not pretend to have solutions to all the problems of mankind but that it can contribute its quotas to making life better by affecting its immediate environment for good. He said: “We believe that though we alone are not able to solve the problems of mankind but we can do something and we have been doing something.

he National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has opened training for 100 women in Ahiazu-Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, an official has said. Mr Roy Isaac, the NDE Coordinator in the state, announced the programme in Owerri on Thursday in an interview with newsmen. He said the women, drawn from various communities in the local government area, would be granted loans after the two weeks of training to become self employed in confectionery. He decried the rate of unemployment in the country, saying the situation required emergency measures to resolve. Isaac said the youths, who were mostly affected by unemployment, were needed for nation-building. “How will the economy progress when the main people who will move the nation forward are unemployed? What we have in our country now are no longer youths, but powerless people because they are not trained. If we solve the problem of unemployment, we have solved 90 per cent of the problems in our country,” he said. The coordinator, however, commended the efforts being made by the Federal Government, through the NDE, to tackle unemployment, saying “we train primary and secondary school leavers, even illiterates, school leavers who think that life has ended,’’ he said.

Monday, July 16, 2012

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World News

“Ultimately, I think Mr Romney is going to have to answer those questions because if he aspires to being president, one of the things you learn is you’re ultimately responsible for the conduct of your operations.” PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA TO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, MITT ROMNEY

Sudanese leaders in first talks since border clashes TOBORE OVUORIE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

ince border clashes in April brought their countries close to warring paths, presidents of Sudan and South Sudan for the first time have met. The meeting was brought about as a result of the sitting position during an African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital. Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir had sat down with Salva Kiir, his Southern counterpart on the sidelines. But no information has yet been released about what the two men spoke about during their meeting in Addis Ababa, but they shook hands publicly for the first time at the end of it. The last official talks between Presidents Kiir and Bashir were at the previous AU summit in January. At this summit, AU delegates urged the governments in Khartoum and Juba to settle their differences on oil and border demarcation before the UN’s deadline. It would be recalled that South Sudan became independent from

South Sudan”s President Salva Kiir (C) arrives at a leaders’ meeting at the African Union (AU) in Ethiopia”s capital, Addis Ababa July 14, 2012. PHOTOS: REUTERS.

the north a year ago, and numerous issues remain unresolved between the two countries. However, a United Nations deadline for them to settle the dispute is set for 2 August. Among these issues include the deciding on the border demarcation, and there are disagreements over oilfields, trans-

port payments and divisions of the national debt. The UN introduced its threemonth deadline after cross-border clashes centred on the oilrich region of Heglig brought Sudan and South Sudan close to all-out war in April. South Sudan’s independence from Sudan in July 2011 was

Kidnapped Libyan journalists freed from Gaddafi stronghold

wo Libyan journalists kidnapped in a former stronghold of ousted leader, Muammar Gaddafi, while covering the country’s elections last week have been released, a colleague and an official mediating in the stand-off have revealed. Reporter-cameraman Abdelqadir Fassouk and cameraman Yusuf Badi disappeared on July 7 near Bani Walid - one of the last Gaddafi strongholds to fall during an eight-month uprising. The journalists, who work for the Misratabased Tobacts TV sta-

tion, had been covering Libya’s historic election for a 200-seat national assembly in the western town of Mizdah and were on their way back to Misrata when contact with them was lost. “They have left Bani Walid by helicopter to Jadu and later on they will travel to Misrata,” said Fathi Yussef, part of a team from the western town of Jadu which arrived in Bani Walid on Saturday to negotiate the journalists’ release. Yussef said some detainees from Bani Walid being held in Misrata would be released later

as part of the negotiations. Since the end of last year’s uprising against Gaddafi, the interim government has struggled to control a myriad armed groups who refuse to lay down their weapons and often take the law into their own hands and detain people. Misrata was one of the first cities to join the revolt against Gaddafi and has a history of rivalry with Bani Walid. Local media said the captors of the journalists demanded the release of detainees in Misrata in return for freeing them.

supposed to herald the end of more than 50 years of bitter conflict between the two, but tensions have lingered. Saturday’s meeting between the two leaders is unlikely to yield any immediate results, but it at least shows the two countries are feeling the pressure to resolve their dispute.

Deaths, arrests follow Ethiopia’s mosque sit-ins protest

rotesters against government interference in religious affairs staged the latest of a series of mosque sit-ins in the Ethiopian capital on Sunday, saying police had arrested dozens in the run up to this weekend’s African Union summit. Two activists told Reuters the sit-in - in protest at the government’s promotion of the moderate Al Ahbash branch of Islam over other doctrines - had already been surrounded by police although there had been no clashes as yet on yesterday. Online activists, who have been using social media to call for demonstrations, have reported

several deaths during previous clashes, and published several pictures of injuries they claim are those of victims. “They have arrested dozens, even hundreds, of protesters in the past few days, while police fired teargas and fired rounds to disperse the crowd,” one activist, calling himself simply Hassan, told Reuters. Two other activists gave similar accounts. Protests are uncommon in tightly-controlled Ethiopia and the unrest has caused concern in a predominantly Christian nation of 84 million that takes pride in centuries of coexistence.

WORLD BULLETIN African Union summit to tackle chairmanship stalemate The African Union is holding a summit in Addis Ababa expected to focus on another bid to resolve a deadlock over its secretariat. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma of South Africa and the incumbent, Jean Ping of Gabon, are to contest the election for the post of chairman of the AU commission. In January, neither got the required two-thirds majority, leaving Mr Ping in office for another six months. The dispute has overshadowed other issues, especially security and trade. It has broadly split the organisation along linguistic lines, with English-speaking countries tending to support Ms Dlamini Zuma and French-speaking countries lining up behind Mr Ping. If the election fails again, Mr Ping could be asked to stay until the next summit next January. Ms Dlamini Zuma is the former wife of South African President Jacob Zuma and one of her country’s longest-serving government ministers. Analysts say many feel her candidacy has broken an unwritten tradition that the chairmanship should not be occupied by one of Africa’s major nations.

Angolan police arrest 12 at anti-government rally Angolan police on Saturday arrested 10 youth protesters and two journalists at an anti-government demonstration in the capital Luanda, Portuguese state news agency Lusa reported, as tensions rise ahead of August’s presidential election. A youth movement has staged several demonstrations since March last year calling for long-serving President Jose Eduardo dos Santos to resign after 32 years at the helm of Africa’s second-largest oil producer after Nigeria. “This is a group of disorganised individuals that turned up to disturb the public order,” Lusa cited a police spokesman as saying. “We came here to contain them.” The police spokesman said the arrest of one the journalists covering the event for Portuguese TV network RTP, had been “a misunderstanding” and the reporter had been released. It was not known whether the second journalist was still being held.

World News

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Clinton in talks with Egyptian top General U

nited States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton yesterday was in secret talks with Egypt’s top general as the military continues its power tussle with the country’s newly elected president. The hour-long meeting with Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi came a day after she met Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, whose powers’ reports indicate had been clipped by the military days before he took office following the country’s first free leadership vote. After meeting with

Mursi, Saturday, Clinton disclosed to Reuters that her talks with Tantawi would cover the army’s return to a “purely national security role” as well as the issue of parliament. According to a U.S. official travelling with Clinton, she spoke of Egypt’s political evolution; while Tantawi told her what Egypt needed most right now was help overcoming its economic problems. In a brief emailed comment to Reuters, the official said they also touched on regional security issues such as the in-

creasingly lawless Sinai region and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. After meeting Clinton, Tantawi however disclosed that the army would keep a role in “protecting” Egypt but said it respected the presidency. “The armed forces and the army council respect legislative and executive authorities,” he said in a speech to troops in the city of Ismailia. “The armed forces would not allow anyone to discourage it from its role in protecting Egypt and its people.” Her first visit to Egypt

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi while walking with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to the meeting venue at the Ministry of Defense yesterday in Cairo, Egypt. PHOTO: AP.

since Mursi’s inauguration, Clinton appeared to recognise there were limits to what, if anything, Washington can do to influence events in Cairo and stressed that it was up to Egyptians to chart their future. However, she noted that Mursi’s success hinges in part on asserting “the full authority of the presidency”.

“They discussed the political transition and the SCAF’s ongoing dialogue with President Mursi,” the U.S. official wrote of Sunday’s meeting, referring to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the military council that took over from Mubarak when he was ousted in February last year, the culmination of an 18-day street

revolt driven by anger at poverty and corruption. “Tantawi stressed that this is what Egyptians need most now - help getting the economy back on track,” the U.S. official said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Monday, July 16, 2012

Gunmen arrested in Kaduna over attempt to kill monarch AZA MSUE KADUNA

ouths from Mahuta, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis, yesterday arrested two gunmen over an attempt to kill the District Head of Rigasa community. An eye witness said the gunmen raided Rigasa and Mahuta villages with an AK47 on motorbike at about 10am. National Mirror gathered that the gunmen stormed the Rigasa family compound of the District Head of Afaka, Alhaji Abdulwahab, and killed

a 20-year-old Muhammad Nura in their attempt to kill their target. “The gunmen came and said they were looking for the Hakimin Mahuta (District Head of Mahuta), disguising as members of his subjects. So, when they allowed them into the house, the Hakimin saw them and was not comfortable with them, so he ran back inside. “The suspects ran after him and shot severally, but they could not hit him, instead a young boy, Nura, was hit by bullets. When they discovered that the Hakimin had escaped

through the back exit, they came back outside and picked their bike and trailed him to Mahuta,” an eyewitness said. An elder in the community, who identified himself as Mallam Abdullahi, also corroborated the story. Abdullahi said: “The young gunmen came on bike and started shooting, but having discovered that our youths were ready for them, they started withdrawing into the bush and the youths were closing on them with bare hands. “At a point, their bullets got finished and they

loaded another round of ammunitions, but despite that, the youths were able to apprehend two of the three gunmen, while the last one ran away.” Abdullahi further said that the gunmen shot seven of the youths, who were said to be receiving treatment at undisclosed hospitals in Kaduna. Kaduna State Police Command Spokesman, Mallam Aminu Lawan, confirmed the incident. “Two gunmen were arrested by residents of Mahuta Community, near the National Eye Centre in Kaduna,” he said.

Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 4, Mr. Mike Zuokumor (left), with the Commander, Special Task Force, Maj.-Gen. Henry Ayoola, briefing journalists on the ongoing military operations in Barkin- Ladi and Riyom local government areas of Plateau in Jos, at the weekend. PHOTO: NAN

Nasarawa dismisses lawmakers’ resolution IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

he Nasarawa State Government has dismissed a resolution taken by the House of Assembly urging it to reinstate the suspended management of the state College of Education, Akwanga. The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Tanko Al-Makura on Public Affairs, Abdulhamid Kwarra, disclosed this to journalists in Lafia, the state capital. Kwarra said: “It is necessary for the Nasarawa State Government to respond to the prevailing political situation occasioned by the special sitting of the House of Assembly urging the reinstatement of the suspended management of the

College of Education, Akwanga, which government considered as an issue of urgent public interest. “In view of the above, the government hereby reiterates its eelier suspension order, which shall continue to be enforced on the suspended management.” The Nasarawa State House of Assembly recently passed a resolu-

tion at its special sitting that the state government should reinstate the suspended management of the College of Education, led by the Provost, Esther Amu-Nnadi. The resolution was sequel to the House Committee on Education’s report that the management team of the institution was suspended by the government following N25m

loan it received from UBA Plc for the completion of the school’s ICT centre and library. The House Committee discovered during it findings that the loan was applied by the former Provost, Titi Monde, who consequently cancelled it after her appointment as the Commissioner for Information by Governor Tanko Al-Makura.

Lokoja residents flee over flood disaster prediction ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

esidents of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, have been fleeing following the alleged prediction by a cleric, Prophet Temitope Joshua, that a heavy flood or unknown disaster may sweep the city. Because of the predic-

tion, many of the residents have been sending their children and wives to their villages. The prophecy, which, according to them, revealed that the disaster would be terrible that will make the whole world to mourn. Some locations, where people used to relax after working hours, have now been deserted.

When National Mirror visited the Synagogue Church in Lokoja yesterday to confirm the story, the pastor in charge could not be reached, but one of the church’s members, who simply identified himself as Mr. Joseph Banabas, said the prophesy was a rumour spread by mischief makers to cause panic.

Niger reaffirms commitment to free education

he Niger State Government yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to providing free education and empowering youths to contribute positively to national development. The Chief of Staff to the state Governor, Prof. Muhammed Yahaya, stated this in an interview with the Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in London. Yahaya was in London to represent Governor Babangida Aliyu at the graduation of 14 students from the state who studied Nautical Science in Newcastle, United Kingdom. He said that the students were sponsored by the state government, adding that eight other students were also sponsored by the Kaduna State Government for the course. Yahaya said the state had been issuing scholarships to encourage students in their studies. “So any child that wants to go to school has a chance to benefit from the state educational package either at the basic or secondary level, and this has led to a surge in the number of people now going to school,” he said. The Chief of Staff said the support was meant to offer equal opportunity to students in the state, irrespective of gender, social

or economic background to advance in life. He explained that the UK studies arose when the Nigeria Maritime Safety Agency (NIMASA) advertised that it had entered into partnership with some international organisations to train seafarers. Yahaya said this attracted the attention of the Northern Governors Forum, and that Niger and Kaduna states decided to explore the opportunity. “In spite of the intellectual challenges involved in the course, the two girls did well and should be commended. “For us in Niger state, the Chief Servant has tried to demonstrate that young people should be given the opportunity to excel. “Education is the foundation for development; I want to encourage other governments in Nigeria and leaders to do all it takes to create enabling environment for the youths to discover their talent and further develop them. “There are lots of potentials in our youth all they need is the encouragement. “These young graduates from this institution will now move to the international market because they have been trained with skills in seafaring which Nigeria has less than 10 per cent of the man power required,’’ he added.

Shettima sympathises with Shehu of Borno over attack INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

overnor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has urged the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, not to be deterred from performing his traditional role because of last Friday’s attack by a suspected 15-year-old suicide bomber. Shettima spoke yesterday when he visited the Shehu’s palace immediately he arrived from Abuja to sympathise with the Shehu over the incident. According to him, the monarch should accept what happened as an Act of God. The governor, however, appealed to members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect to

stop their violent activities and accept dialogue offered by the government. Responding, the Shehu of Borno thanked the governor for the sympathy visit and assured him that he would not relent in his efforts in performing his traditional roles. He appealed to the deputy governor, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha, not to be discouraged from praying at the Shehu’s palace, the scene of the attack.

Shettima

News

Monday, July 16, 2012

NBA lists key areas for new CJN •As she takes oath of office today

ISE-OLUWA IGE

s President Goodluck Jonathan swears in Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar as the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, today, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has listed three of the key areas she must urgently address in her two-year tenure if she must write her name in gold. The swearing-in ceremony is billed to hold this morning at the Presidential Villa, hours after her predecessor, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, bowed out of the bench having clocked the mandatory retirement age of 70, on Sunday. Although the NBA was full of praises for the former CJN, it identified three areas which the new CJN must address. According to the NBA President, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), the bench must be quickly rid of three categories of judges including all sick judicial offi-

cers whose medical conditions impair their ability to perform; over-aged judicial officers who are still in the system for under declaring their ages and cantankerous judicial officers who appear to be beyond the control of their heads of court. He said: “A number of Heads of Courts are faced with very sick judicial officers. These officers are afflicted with varying debilitating medical conditions that completely impair their ability to perform judicial functions. “These include loss of eyesight, hearing, terminal physiological ailments, chronic contagious diseases, etc. In most cases, these officers remain on the bench doing no work for years and collecting their salaries and perquisites without fail. It is time that strict rules must be devised to expeditiously, through appropriate Medical Boards of Assessment, determine the state of health and ability of such

sick nonperforming judicial officers to continue in judicial service. “The retention out of sympathy of these sick officers blocks the way for young aspiring persons to fill the vacancy. “Secondly, and this has become a worrisome source o embarrassment for the entire justice sector, is the case of those judicial officers who swear to false ages, popularly referred to as official age. “There have been instances of judicial officers supposedly retiring at the constitutionally prescribed age e.g. 65 years only for a bewildered public to read his obituary issued by his family two years later announcing his passing away at 80 years. Younger members of the legal profession seeking judicial appointments have been known to fiddle with their ages so as to guarantee what they anticipate will be a long stay on the bench. It is now becoming rampant and affecting the pro-

ductivity of judicial officers. “My lords, if this trend persists, then the Bar recommends that the data of aspiring judges be published so that (a) it becomes a permanent record for the future, (b) claims and objections can be raised, (c) agencies such as universities and the Law School can cross-check their records and post their own results. “If that fails, scientific evaluation of age which is foolproof (as employed in the discovery of over-aged footballers in age limit competitions) should be used to ascertain the ages of persons seeking or aspiring to any judicial office. “Thirdly, there is that category of judicial officers who appear to be beyond the control of their Heads of Courts. These officers travel at will, for family meetings and events out of jurisdiction; they engage in lucrative businesses and are mostly not in their stations at all material times. They even at times travel abroad with permission at the expense of their work.”

L-R: Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello and Speacial Adviser to the Governor on the Environment, Dr Taofik Lomani, during the Tree Planting Campaign, in Mushin, Lagos, at the weekend.

326 Nigerians evacuated from Libya

hree hundred and twenty-six Nigerians, including children, were brought back home from crisis-torn Libya at the weekend. The returnees arrived in Lagos international airport in two batches. It was learnt that some of the returnees had been tortured or imprisoned by the new government in Tripoli before they were evacuated. “At the weekend, 326 stranded Nigerians were evacuated to the country from Libya through the

effort of International Office for Migration (IOM), a United Nations body,” the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said. Libyan authorities have in the past years expelled thousands of Nigerian illegal immigrants and those with criminal records. Meanwhile, Nigerian returnees from Libya have called on the Federal Government to urgently rescue others who are still trapped in prisons, hospitals and different villages in the country.

The returnees, who arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on board a Tripoli Air Memphis SUBME Plane on Saturdaysaid that Nigerians were suffering in Libya. A returnee simply identified as Jennifer, who could not hold back her tears, told News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that she had left Nigeria in search of greener pasture, but only came back dejected and with a pregnancy. “Nigerian government should wake up because

so many of us are dying in Libyan prisons. Libyans do not want to see us at all. If you have somebody in Libya and you have not heard from the person for a long time, just know either the person is dead or in one of the prisons,” she said. Jennifer said the person responsible for her pregnancy, a Nigerian, was in one of the unknown prisons. Miss Isoken Idemudia said her travelling to Libya was a ‘wasted effort,’ blaming the different levels of governments in the coun-

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Let’s save 16m women, children, Jonathan tells African leaders ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan has called on leaders of developing countries to take bold and concerted steps to avert death of about 16 million women and children between now and 2015. He spoke yesterday in Addis Ababa in his capacity as the co-chairman of the United Nations Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children on the margin of the ongoing 19th African Union Summit. The President regretted that an estimated 800 women, most of them in developing countries, die every year. Jonathan, who is cochairing with the Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, spoke through the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Mohammed Alli Patte. According to him, most of the deaths are preventable. He said: “Recent studies conducted in 14 African countries show that critical-life saving priority medicines for mothers and children are available in only 35 to 50 per cent of public and private facilities, pharmacists and drug stores. “The time for action is now. I would like to call on my colleagues, fellow Heads of State and Presidents of African countries to make this issue a priority.” try for her predicament. “I think everything is well in Nigeria; none of us will want to go through hell on earth. I went to Libya through the desert. I trek night after night through the desert, but see where I have ended up. But, I still thank God I came back complete, and not detained endlessly in their prisons. Here I can start a small business to take care of my baby and myself,” she said. Idemudia urged the Federal Government to expedite action in evacuating so many Nigerians in Libyan prisons, hospitals and those hiding in different villages. Mr. Kola Ajanaku, who had a Plastic of Paris (POP) on his left leg, said that he

To address the shortage of essential lifesaving medicines, the President called for “increased availability, affordability and accessibility of priority drugs to improve the health of our women and children in our public health systems.” He called on the media to partner with the governments in their respective countries by making the governments and other partners in the private sector accountable for achieving this result. “Today,” the President said, “my message is simple: we need to strive more to save the lives of women and children in Africa. And this we can do by ensuring they have the essential life-saving drugs.” Also speaking, the UNFPA Executive Director, Nigeria’s Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, who was at the briefing, noted that commission was established to increase access to health supplies and medicine to save and improve the lives of women and children. He said: “The commission is expected to produce a set of recommendations for improving the accessibility of affordable, effective commodities for women and children’s health, with a focus on the needs of countries where most women, newborns and children under-five die from preventable causes.” was shot by a security officer while doing his business. Ajanaku said there was an increasing hatred for Nigerians and appealed to the Federal Government to act fast in saving the lives of young Nigerians in Libya. “Government should stop saying there are no Nigerians in Libya. There are many of us in prisons, hospitals and some doing odd jobs in companies, just to find a place to hide,” he said. Air Cmdr. Charles Adegbade, the Director, Search and Rescue, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said about 160 returnees had been received so far.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Giggs, 38, seeks gold medal

Fed Cup: Heartland, Rangers boast IKENWA NNABUOGOR

ixteen teams will from this afternoon, in four Nigerian cities begin the battle for the quarter-finals tickets of the 2012 Federation Cup. Defending champions, Heartland of Owerri are in the Port Harcourt centre, as the teams boast of their resolve to qualify to the next round of the knockout stage. Heartland star, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, said, “We are condemned to retain this trophy for a quick return to the continent. Last year, we beat all comers to the trophy and that is what we have set for ourselves this year.” League leaders, Enugu Rangers, have vowed not leave anything to chance in the Federation Cup as they aim to win the double this season. The Coal City Antelopes are drawn against Sharks, Prime FC and Dynamite Force of Benin City. Rangers’ chairman, Festus Onuh, said his team is angling for the double to end almost three decades of a poor run. “This is Rangers’ year to win a double. The league is almost in the kitty and we shall devote equal attention to the Federation Cup,” Onuh declared yesterday. He added, “We are not going to underrate any side in our group as every

team earned the right to play in the group stage. It will be tough but we have a capable team to do the government and good people of Enugu state proud.” Sharks skipper Odinga Odinga, who is a veteran of several cups with the Port-Harcourt side, said their results in the group stage would determine how far they go this year. “Sharks are in this to be winners. We have not been very lucky in the past editions but I strongly believe that we have all it takes to be champions this term,” he said. “It will be tough negotiating our way through the group stage, but once we are able to do that, other games will be mere formality.” Dynamite Force is one of the surprise packages in this year’s edition after the team sent packing NPL side, Akwa United. Dynamite boasts of such names as Charles Omokaro, John Ofomba and a host of other retired premier league players, who wish to prove a point or two. Enyimba, Warri Wolves, Lobi Stars and non-league Samba of Enugu are drawn in the toughest group of the cup competition in Bauchi. But the clubs have raised concerns over their safety in the northern Nigerian city following terrorists’ attacks that have left hundreds dead. However, Coach Austin

THE GROUPS: Bauchi, A:

Enyimba, Samba FC, Warri Wolves, Lobi Stars Lagos, B: Kano Pillars, El-Kanemi Warriors, ` Kwara United, Crown FC Ibadan, C: Rangers, Sharks, Prime FC, Dynamite P/ Harcourt: Heartland, Gombe United, Nasarawa United, Plateau United

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Sport

We are determined to use the National Sports Festival to set standards for the future

–LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR, BABATUNDE FASHOLA

Haliru Umar of Rangers (l) tackling an apponent in a league match

Eguavoen has backed his team to go all the way in the Federation Cup. “Surely it will be a tough one to navigate our way out a zone with Wolves, Lobi and little known, Samba. But, like you know, we have tasted the joy of victory some years back and we can do it again,” said the former Eagles coach.

Lagos will play host to Kwara United, Kano Pillars, El-Kanemi Warriors and Crown FC and Coach Kelechi Emeteole, who has successfully guided El-Kanemi back to the top flight for next season, will hope for luck to advance past this stage of the competition. “We are not new in this business.

so nobody can take us for a ride. We respect every team in our group, but we don’t fear any of them,” Emeteole said. The Federation Cup final will be played in Lagos on August 26 with the winners representing Nigeria in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup.

Rivers begins Aiyegbeni scores in China debut NSF: closed camping

Aiyegbeni

igeria forward, Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s late goal was all his new club, Guangzhou R&F needed to beat host Guangzhou Evagrande in a derby. Aiyegbeni hit target in the 86th minute to mark a goal-scoring debut and his club has now climbed to fifth place on the table with 27 points.

Vice-chairman of Guangzhou R&F, Li Yu, said they were happy to have signed a player of Yakubu’s quality as they know he will give d team additional value. The former Blackburn Rovers striker had earlier promised to make his debut a worthy one. Guangzhou R&F fans went into wild jubilations after the victory away over the city rival. A day earlier, former Chelsea star, Didier Drogba, watched as his own Chinese club, Shanghai Shensua, defeated Beijing 3-1.

he Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Fred Igwe, has disclosed that more than 1000 athletes have commenced closed camping for the 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos from November 27 to Decmber 9. Rivers hosted and won the 17th edition of the festival with 135 gold, 79 silver and 85 bronze medals in 2011. Delta was second with 82 gold, 89 silver and 81 bronze medals while Edo placed third with 46 gold, 41 silver and 43 bronze medals. Igwe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that the camping began last Monday in different locations in Port Harcourt. He said the athletes’ camping would be in phases to select the team that would represent the state at the Games. “We commenced preparations a long time ago, but the closed camping just started yesterday (July 9); that’s when we started closed camping. “And, all our coaches and our athletes are now in camp and programmes have been drawn up. They have commenced their programmes,” the commissioner said.

Sport

Monday, July 16, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

11 DAYS TO GO

‘D’Tigers’ll be like Dick Tiger’

igeria’s men basketball team, D’Tigers, were yesterday likened to boxing legend, Dick Tiger Ihetu, by former Abia State governor, Chief Orji Kalu, who urged them to perform more miracles in London. While describing the basketball team as the authentic Dream Team Four, Kalu, in a statement, urged Nigerians to shift all attention given to football to the basketballers. He said, “D’Tigers remind me of our own dear Dick Tiger. I do not know how they coined the name, but I am sure they will perform in the Great Britain like the former world champion did in 1958 when he won his first major laurel.” The ex-governor meant the British Empire Middleweight crown which Dick Tiger grabbed by defeating Pat MacAteer of Birkinhead in Liverpool. Now D’Tigers are in London to fight for an Olympic medal in the same Great Britain. “These boys can move mountains. The Americans? Bring them on. After dunking with the big names in Caracas, nothing is impossible. For now, let us forget football. Ike Diogu is my new Rashidi Yekini. Olumide Ayodeji is Austin Okocha, and Al-Farouk Aminu our Nwankwo Kanu. I want us to start dancing like Coach Ayo Bakare,” Kalu said.

s the Olympic flame gradually winds its way towards London, world soccer governing body, FIFA, at the weekend released the team lists of the 16 male and 12 female teams that will compete in the football event of the London 2012 Olympic Games. No fewer than 504 footballers - 288 men and 216 women – who are part of the over 10,000 athletes spread across 39 different sports, will compete on the football pitches with their hearts set on returning home with the gold medal. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s men and women teams led by Augustine Eguavoen and Eucharia Uche, respectively, are missing from the lists as they failed to qualify for the Olympics. According to FIFA, the men’s tournament will principally involve U-23 footballers, with each team allowed to include a maximum of three over-age players. The oldest male performer at the London Games will be Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs, who at 38 years and nine months is more than double the age of the youngest squad member competing in London, Gabon’s Muller Dinda, who is a teenager at16 years and 10 months. Brazilians Marcelo, Thiago Silva and Alexandre Pato will be aiming to improve upon the bronze medal they won at the Beijing 2008, as the Samba boys continue their search for the elusive gold in this competition. There are nine other male players making a return to football event in London. Japan’s Maya Yoshida, New Zealand’s Ian Hogg and Ryan Nelsen, and Korea Republic’s Jung Sung-Ryong, Ki Sung-Yueng and Park Chu-Young all starred in China four years ago. Information from FIFA also

Giggs, 38, seeks gold medal Giggs in Manchester United’s colours

says that New Zealand women’s goalkeeper, Jenny Bindon, is part of the same generation as Giggs, but having already turned 39, she would become the second-oldest player to take part in the Olympic

Football Tournament if she took to the pitch in late July. The oldest player to make an appearance to date is Brazilian keeper, Meg, who was well over 40 when she pulled on the famous

Ralph Lauren apologises to America

An American athletic displaying the controversial march-post uniform

alph Lauren has apologised to the American people after a firestorm erupted when it was discovered that the 406 Team USA’s Opening Ceremony outfits were manufactured in China. The clothing company has announced that the outfits for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi would be American-made, to appease the Congress that threatened to recall the uniforms and burn them. In a statement, the company said, “For more than 45 years Ralph Lauren has built a brand that embodies the best of American quality and design rooted in the rich heritage of our country. We are honored to continue our longstanding relationship with the United States Olympic Committee in the 2014 Olympic Games by serving as an Official Outfitter of the US Olympic and Paralympic teams. “Ralph Lauren promises to lead the conversation within our industry and our government to address the issue to

increase manufacturing in the United States. We have committed to producing the Opening and Closing Ceremony Team USA uniforms in the United States that will be worn for the 2014 Olympic Games.” USOC CEO, Scott Blackmun, also released a statement, saying, “We take seriously the concerns we’ve heard from members of Congress and the American public regarding the U.S. Olympic Team’s Opening and Closing Ceremonies uniforms. With athletes having already arrived in London, and the apparel distribution process beginning this weekend, we are unfortunately not able to make a change for London. “We are absolutely committed, however, to working with our sponsors to ensure that the concerns voiced are addressed. To that end, Ralph Lauren has agreed to domestically manufacture Team USA’s apparel for Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.”

yellow jersey at Atlanta 1996. There are no age restrictions in the female event, so countries feature their full senior national teams as demonstrated by reigning world champions Japan, whose 18-woman list contains the nucleus of the squad that lifted the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany in 2011. Fans will therefore see Formiga, the Brazilian midfielder who has been an ever-present at the Olympics since 1996 and will be participating in her fifth Games this summer. Formiga’s compatriots, Andreia and Rosana, as well as American defender, Christie Rampone and current FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year, Homare Sawa of Japan, will all be representing their respective nations for the fourth time. Rampone lays claim to the best overall record, having won two gold and one silver medals so far. Team-mates Hope Solo, Shannon Boxx and Heather O’Reilly have two gold medals each, and are out to make it three in London.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, July 16, 2012

WORLD RECORD

Most travelled ashes

Vol. 02 No. 404

The joy of normalcy

o each is own, there are many countries in the world wherein the hope of the people is to excel and lead in one thing or the other. In these countries, people feel great when their fellow citizens make discoveries in science and the world looks towards them for great arts. They are proud when their national flags are hoisted as wining flags in games and sports. They derive their joy from electing public leaders that set a tone for great transformations, individuals in these countries are happy because they feel they too are part of history. Unless we want to deceive ourselves, the Nigeria of today is far from offering any one of such joys. Science in the country is at best stale, national education needs saving, healthcare is based on miracles and works on exceptions and our sports of-

N150

Monday, July 16, 2012

ormer Zimbabwe cricket captain, Tatenda Taibu, has announced his retirement, stating that he wants to focus on working for the church, ending an 11-year international career for the wicket-keeper and batsman, during which he became the youngest Test captain in history. The 29-year-old played 28 Tests

The most travelled ashes in the world belong to Vera Anderson (USA, 1923-2001) when her son Ross fulfilled her dying wish to be a jetsetter by sending her ashes to more than 250 cities worldwide in May 2001. This included all 50 states and 191 countries.

NOTES FROM CAMBRIDGE Anthony A. Kila

anthonykila@mail.com fers no great promise. It has not always been like this and our hope is that it does not continue to be so. Giving the state of the country, the only source of joy now seems to be the joy of normalcy. It might sound too little a joy but if you humanize the country for a moment and imagine it to be a sick person, then you will quickly realize that just being normal can be a great joy for the sick that does not have the joy of normalcy. One of the greatest and perhaps most damaging idiosyncrasies of Nigeria is quest for greatness without ever striving for normalcy. There is a sort of a born to be great self-delusionary mindset that has induced Nigerian leaders and its people talk about achieving greatness when they have not even got the basics of normalcy right. For too long, one of the most recurrent rhetoric of Nigerian leaders has been centered on the greatness of Nigeria, some want to achieve it whilst others want to restore it. This weird obsession with the greatness of Nigeria is based mainly on factors such as the size of Nigeria, its population and the natural resources that country is littered with. It is a weird obsession because facts in hand, Nigeria is hardly famous for any greatness when compared to other nations in the world, rather as a country, we are famous for importing products and services and imitating rules and practices. By the

IT IS A WEIRD OBSESSION BECAUSE FACTS IN HAND,

NIGERIA IS HARDLY FAMOUS FOR ANY GREATNESS WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER NATIONS IN THE WORLD way, there is nothing particularly wrong with that; reinventing the wheels is almost always a useless exercise. The Nigerian obsession with greatness however becomes even more weird and reveals a lot of its eccentricities when we remember that most of the countries we imitate and import from hardly talk about greatness. All they do in these places is to operate a normal country wherein they get things done. Their flights arrive on time, their roads are constantly maintained and repaired when damaged, the most qualified people get the most important jobs, their public officers respect the law and are accountable to the people, their elections never require military presence, before elections one has a fair idea of who will

win and on election day no one is forced to close her business and no one is forced to renounce right to move about or forced to live in fear; because they are normal countries, things do go wrong and when they go wrong, most people know where to go to and who to hold accountable. The mission of those in charge of both public and private affairs is to make sure that things run normally and their duty is to identify and deal with anything or person that will be a hurdle to normalcy. In a normal system, election results come out and the winner is declared right after the voting. The system is simple straight and normal so there is no room and hence no fear of rigging. In such system, the defeated candidate understands that it is his or her civic duty to concede defeat and to wish the winner the best. In democracies, this is not just formality, it is an essential ritual conceived and practiced with the aim of legitimizing the winner and above all normalizing the system after a period unavoidable partisan acrimony. To each is own, whilst supporters of the reelected Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole are understandably and legitimately rejoicing over the victory of their candidate, those of us more interested in the system must not fail to notice three simple normal things. Firstly the predicted winner won the elections with little or no surprise, we may not consider that an achievement but imagine the violence if the declared results had been otherwise. Secondly the results came out on time, this is crucial because it makes INEC appear a normal electoral body capable of living in the days of modern technology. Last and not least in anyway, the PDP, from the President to the state candidate came out to swiftly recognize their defeat and wish the winner well. These very little joy of normalcy are what makes a system work and that is all we need to make the country great, pardon I meant to say normal.

Sport Extra

Zimbabwe star quits cricket for pulpit and 150 ODIs for Zimbabwe and is quitting at an age that is usually a cricketer’s prime. The decision comes as even more of a surprise as he was named in Zimbabwe’s provisional squad for the World Twenty20 in September.

“I just feel that my true calling now lies in doing the Lord’s work,” Taibu said yesterday. “Although I am fortunate and proud to have played for my country, the time has come for me to put my entire focus on that part of

my life,” the vastly talented player added. Taibu had treaded the controversy path in past when he altercated with the leadership of Zimbabwe cricket over players’ welfare, forcNFF President, Aminu Maigari ing his brief absence from the team. Tatenda Taibu

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