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Protest against herdsmen killings in Benue: Gov Ortom escapes death

Ï Buhari orders arrest of perpetrators Mathew Dadiya with Agency report

ÏÏÏ Benue State Governor Sam-

uel Ortom on Wednesday escaped death when he was stoned while trying to calm protesters at Wurukum in Makurdi, capital of the

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state. The protesters, who were aggrieved as a result of the fresh killings by suspected herdsmen, also booed Ortom, who had earlier raised the alarm over the attack. The governor had gone to plaContinued on page 5

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018 VOL. 3. NO. 542

N150

GLOBAL FINANCIAL/COMMODITY MARKETS

CURRENCIES/CBN: CBN: N305.90 PER DOLLAR, Parallel Market: USD N363 POUND N475 EURO N421 NSE: ASI 36, 930.83 MARKET CAP 12.78 FMDQ O/N 38.92 OBB 37.50 COMMODITIES: Wheat US $427.60/MT Rice US $11.22/MT Cocoa US $2,099.00/Bag Coffee US $125.90/Scoop Cotton US $68.61/Unit Sugar US $14.41/Ounce METALS: Gold US $1272.90/Ounce Silver US $16.79/Ounce Copper US $3.15/Ounce ENERGY: Brent US $63.10/PB, N/Gas US $3.09/CB

Blackout looms as another TCN system collapses Myke Uzendu & Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ Power outage being experi-

Ï Agency begins investigation over incident, appeals for patience Ï We’re working with DisCos to overcome challenges of power distribution- FG

enced in some parts of the country will soon extend to more parts of the country as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported another System ColContinued on page 6

Low visibility: NCAA reviews weather minimal for 18 airports 7 Lagos seals off hotel, filling station of Badoo cult kingpin 5 Onyeama, NAPTIP DG, Dabiri-Erewa in Libya to evacuate Nigerians 6 2019: Arewa youths back Igbo Presidency 5

Some of the sealed off properties of suspected Badoo cult kinpin, Alhaji Alaka Abayomi Kamal by the Lagos State Government... on Wednesday

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners:

CEO of the Year - Nnamdi Okonkwo

Ï The banking wizard at Fidelity Bank Okonkwo

See full list of DTN Award Winners

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

News

Lagos seals off filling station, hotel, event centre of Badoo cult kingpin Benjamin Omoike, Lagos

ÏÏÏ The Lagos State Government on Wednesday sealed off a Petrol Filling Station, an Hotel and Event Centre belonging to a suspected Badoo cult kingpin, Alhaji Alaka Abayomi Kamal. The structures, situated along Ijebu-Ode-Itoikin

Road in Sabo area of Ikorodu were sealed for violating the State’s Urban and Regional Planning Law of 2010. The Police, had on December 22, 2017, declared Alaka wanted in connection with series of well-orchestrated killings and nefarious activities of the Badoo cult group in Ikorodu and Epe area of the state.

Alaka is believed to be the ring leader of the Badoo menace. In a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, the state government said the order sealing off the structures was in pursuant to Section 60 of the said Law. The Daily Times recalls that the Commissioner of

Police, Lagos State Command, Mr Imohimi Edgal, on Tuesday, paraded a Badoo kingpin arrested in Ikorodu axis who confessed to the killings and took Police to their shrine in Imosan, a suburb of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State where the group’s chief herbalist, Fatai Adebayo was arrested. Adebayo, who is popular-

ly known as Alese, was said to specialize in administering oath on Badoo members before they go for any operation. Ayorinde said: “The Lagos State Government is joining the Nigeria Police in asking the said Alaka to come out of hiding and submit himself to the law in his own interest. “The State Government

has also enjoined the Police to offer the public a reward for any useful information on the owner of the Alaka Filling Station, Hotel and Event Centre in Ikorodu. “The government is once again asking its citizens to go about their businesses without fear. We will leave no stone unturned in keeping the state safe in 2018.”

2019: Arewa youths back Igbo Presidency ÏÏÏ Ahead of the 2019 gen-

eral elections, over 10 Arewa Youth groups have declared support for the next Nigeria President to come from the South-East. The groups, including Arewa Youth Forum, Arewa Youths Coalition for Peace, Northern Central Youth Club and Youths for One Nigeria, stated this in Imo State yesterday during a youth summit. Apart from the Arewa Youth groups, several Afenifere and Igbo youth groups, who were also at the summit, toed same line. The Spokesperson of the Arewa Youths, Alhaji Haruna Waziri, stated that the decision would engender national unity and cohesion. Waziri, who noted that the convener of the Nigeria Youth Summit, Mr. Iheanachor Ezeakor, an indigene of Arondizuogu in Imo State, would be backed by the Arewa Youths for the presidency, saying that the best thing Nigerians should strive for is to have an Igbo man as President in 2019. He said, “Today we are making history by endorsing a youth to run for the number one sit in Nigeria. Mr. Iheanacho Ezeakor is a youth who has cut the barriers of ethnicity and religion, a youth the Northern youths believe in, a youth who is a true Nigerian”. When asked how such an aspiration would come to reality, Waziri said, “Yes, it is a difficult task but, Insha Allah, we shall change the status quo. We do not believe in things not working out; we believe that this is time to change the narrative in Nigeria. This community, Arondizuogu is a place where democracy started in the country and that is why we are here today to correct all that have

gone wrong. “We made this statement in Enugu, Lagos and Abuja; today the climax of it all is taking place in Ezeakor’s village here in Arondizuogu. “We took this step because our leaders have failed us; they are old and tired; we can do it because the youths contribute the major votes during elections. “I personally campaigned for President Muhammadu Buhari but we are not happy with him; the entire Northern youths are not happy with him, forget all the propaganda.” On the choice of an Igbo man, the youth leader said, “It is no longer about ethnicity or religion now; it is about who you have confidence in, Ezeakor is a detribalized Nigerian; we don’t want fanatics; we want a true Nigerian. “His victory will not only quel the agitation for Biafra but would further unite Nigerians, bring us together, whether you are from the South or the North; if you are a Nigerian, you are a Nigerian and you can practise your religion everywhere, that is what we want.” Also speaking, leader of Igbo groups at the summit, Mr Ogbonna Okoro, said the youths would push for the project in a different political platform outside the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Responding, Iheanacho said “I’m quite humbled over these endorsements. However, I do hope that another youth will have a bigger endorsement. My own as the convener of Nigerian Youth Summit is to make sure that things will not remain the same because we are tired of hearing that youths are the leaders of the tomorrow.

Protest in Makurdi, Benue State against Fulani herdsmen killings… on Wednesday.

Gov Ortom escapes death over protest against herdsmen killings Continued from page 1

cate the restive youth who vowed to remain on the streets until a decisive action is taken against the attackers. The soldiers drafted to quell the protest and prevent mayhem are finding it difficult to control the crowd. Residents trooped out in their thousands on Wednesday morning. Wielding placards with inscriptions such as ‘Presidential Intervention needed’, ‘Why value cows more than Humans’, ‘Stop this incessant bloodbath’, they chanted anti-government songs. They barricaded major roads leading in and out of Makurdi. Terhemen Anum, one of the protesters, said that res-

idents of Guma and Logo local government areas did not have the exact figure of the number of peasant farmers, women, children and the aged who were killed. Ruth Agba, another protester, said the killing of Benue farmers and destruction to their homes and farms was not different from Boko Haram activities in the north-east. Meanwhile, the police have confirmed the arrest of eight herdsmen in connection with the attacks. Moses Yamu, police public relations officer in the state, said the command had made additional deployments in the troubled area to forestall further occurrence and restore confidence of the people. In a related development, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday com-

miserated with Governor Ortom over the incident. Suspected herdsmen were reported to have attacked Guma and Logo Local Government Areas of the state in the New Year. Buhari, who expressed immense sadness at the incident, described it as “wicked and callous” attacks on even innocent children. The President assured the governor and people of the state that relevant security agencies have been directed to do everything possible to arrest those behind the regrettable incidents and avert further attacks. “This is one attack too many, and everything must be done to provide security for the people in our rural communities,” he said. Buhari also commiserated with families of the victims and wished the in-

jured speedy healing. The Daily Times recalls that the President had on Tuesday expressed shock and outrage over killings of innocent persons in Omoku, Rivers State; and murders of the traditional ruler, the Etum Numana, Dr. Gambo Makama, and his wife in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State in the New Year. Buhari also described the incidents as “reprehensible and unacceptable” and directed law enforcement agencies in both states to intensify their current efforts in order to speedily bring the perpetrators to face the wrath of the law. He said, “I have always maintained that nothing justifies the taking of the life of an innocent person. People in our communities must learn to live peacefully.”

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Blackout looms as another TCN system collapses Continued from page 1 lapse at about 14.19 hours on Wednesday. The TCN General Manager, Public Affairs of the company, Tinah Mbah, stated this in Abuja on Wednesday. The Agency had also in a preliminary information from National Control Centre (NCC), indicated that the situation arose from the tripping of Odukpani-Ikot

Ekpene 330kV line, which cut off generation from Odukpani Power Station to the grid. The TCN, which stated this in a statement made available on Wednesday, further explained that the restoration of the grid has reached an advanced stage. It added that it has also commenced investigations to determine the exact cause of the system distur-

bance, saying that the outcome of the probe will be publicised. The TCN noted that the system disturbance happened at a time when work on the Western Gas Pipeline by the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) caused system collapse at about 21.17 hours which is yet to be completed. According to the TCN, the grid would have withstood the Odukpani infrac-

tion if generation along Lagos region were available. The NGC also disclosed that a contractor has been mobilised to reconstruct the affected segment of the Western Gas Pipeline, so that gas supply to Omotosho, Egbin, and Olorunsogo I and II can be restored. According to NGC, the work would be carried out day and night and is expected to be completed within 24 hours.

Picnickers at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos…on Wednesday.

Onyeama, NAPTIP DG, Dabiri-Erewa in Libya to evacuate Nigerians

Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ A Special delegation

of the Federal Government departed Abuja on Wednesday for Tripoli, the Libyan Capital on a facts finding mission on the level of the enslavement of Nigerians in that country and to plan the mass evacuation of her citizens trapped in the North African Country. The delegation which is led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, included the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dame Julie Okah-Donli, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora Matters, Hon. Abike

Dabiri- Erewa amongst others. The delegation which departed the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 9.20am were onboard the Nigeria Air force Flight N5FGS. The Head, Press and Public Relations (NAPTIP), Josiah Emerole told the Daily Times that the facts finding mission will among other things engage with the Libyan Authorities, Nigerian officials and citizens living in Libya as well as International organisations working on migration issues in the country. The Daily Times recalls that following reports of the enslavement of Nigerian Migrants in Libya which has raised

a lot of concerns in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the evacuation of all Nigerians trapped in the North African Country back home. Buhari had also set up team led by the Foreign Affairs Minister to work out modalities for carrying out the mass evacuation. Since then, a number of high level meetings have been held amongst various Federal Government Agencies. Vice President Yemi Osibanjo has also presided over some of those meetings. Meanwhile, NAPTIP DG, Dame Julie OkahDonli, said that the Agency is committed to assisting victims of human trafficking who would be

amongst the returnees assuring that they would be properly reintegrated into the Nigerian Society. ’’Our Counsellors are fully ready to receive the returnees and give them the needed psychosocial Assistance for proper reintegration into the society. We will also help them with all the necessary tools to sustain themselves including vocational training and education assistance. This will be done with assistance from Government, Corporate bodies and the international organisations. This is not the time for anybody to stand aloof and watch the Federal Government alone do it. All hands must be on deck now, because doing nothing will affect all of us,” she said.

The TCN noted that with the support of the Federal Ministries of Power and Finance, it has embarked on the implementation of Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme that seeks to expand, rehabilitate and stabilise the Grid. The TCN further appealed for Nigerians patience and understanding. The Daily Times recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had in his New Year broadcast to Nigerians, said that more Nigerians across the country are experiencing improved power supply to their homes and businesses. He, however, noted that power remains a concern to his government because too many people still do not have regular and reliable supply. According to him, the Payment Assurance Guarantee Scheme which started in January 2016 has enabled the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader to raise N701billion to assure generation companies of at least 80 percent payment for any power delivered to the national grid. The President said: “Consequently, generation has now reached 7,000MW. On December 8, 2017, the country achieved 5,155MW of power delivered to consumers, the highest level ever recorded. “Several moribund projects have been revived. Repairs of Afam Power Station added 110MW in 2017 and another 240MW will be added this year through a private investment partnership. “Katsina Power Project is now being tested and producing 10MW of power from wind for the first time in Nigeria. It should be fully operational this year.

Fashola

“The Zungeru 700MW Hydroelectric Power Project, stalled by court cases is due for completion in 2019. The transmission and other requirements to operate the 30MW Gurara Phase 1 Hydroelectric Plant, the 40MW Kashimbilla Hydroelectric Plant and the 215 MW Kaduna Gas/LPG/Diesel Power Plant will also be completed this year. “A landmark project, Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project is at last taking off. This project has been on the drawing Board for 40 years, but now the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the 3,050MW project has been agreed with a Chinese joint venture Company with a financing commitment from the government of China. Completion is targeted for 2023. “As I mentioned earlier, the TCN can now distribute all the 7,000MW that can be generated. TCN and the Niger Delta Holding Company have added 1,950MVA of 330 down to 132KV transformer capacity of 10 transmission stations and 2,930MVA of 132 down to 33KV transformer capacity of 42 sub-stations including Ikot Ekpene, Aba, Alagbon, Ajah, Ejigbo, Funtua and Zaria. “This Administration is working with the privatised distribution companies to overcome the continuing challenges of distribution. “These massive public works should spearhead the recovery and lead millions back to employment. You will recall that it was not until last year that we got out of the economic recession into which the country had fallen as a consequence of past unsustainable economic policies which projected short-term illusory growth.”

Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, January 4, 2018

New Abuja Airport: Control tower, fire building to be relocated Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏMinister

of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has said the completion of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, is dependent correcting certain problems including works on power and water supply as well as its blocking the control and fire towers. Sirika who made this known while inspecting the terminal which is part of the US$500 million dollars loan from Chinese EXIM bank and 100 million dollars counter-

part funding from Nigerian government said there was a foundational issue which had altered the master plan of the airport Explaining the delay further, Sirika said that the planning of the project did not envisage that the building would lead to additional works, power and water supply stating that there is insufficient capacity of the existing power and water supply in the airport to cater for the new building. Also after erecting the terminal, it was also discovered

that the building would block both the control and fire towers which would require relocation of towers. He said that additional work was also required to link it with the existing terminal as well as expanding the apron to accommodate bigger air planes. These challenges, he said, would result to requiring additional funding. Sirika also stated that quality of work is acceptable but the pace of work is not acceptable because this project should have been delivered by now.

“The contractor has told us some of the challenges he has been facing regarding some of the components of work and some additional works required for this project to be put into use. “Unfortunately, some of these components are complex which would delay this job and some of them are from the foundation like that of the sewer and water. “There is also the problem of the control tower blocking the access into the terminal apron and also the inadequate nature of the apron itself.

L-R: Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas and Commissioner of Police, Borno State, Mr. Damian Chukwu, during Nicholas’s courtesy visit to the Borno State Police Command in Maiduguri, on Wednesday.

Low visibility: NCAA reviews weather minimal for 18 airports Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏDelays and cancellations

due to low visibility caused by adverse weather may be a thing of the past as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have carried out a review of Aerodrome Operating Weather Minima for 18 airports in Nigeria. The reviewed Aerodrome Operating Minima, which is coming 34 years after the first review, would serve to enhance the operating capacity of the aerodromes. This is due to the fact that it will avail the operators with improved minima for low visibility operations. The 18 aerodromes where the operating minima and takeoff minima has been reviewed are Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Dutse, Eket and Enugu. Others are Gombe, Ilorin,

Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Owerri, Sokoto, Uyo, Yola and Zaria. The review, according to a statement signed by General Manager Public Affairs, Sam Adurogboye, is in compliance with the provision of Part 8 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs Part 8), and in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Doc.9365. This present review allows for takeoff as low as 150 metres Runway Visual Range (RVR). While some airports in the country with Category Two Instrument Landing Systems (ILS Cat II) can permit landing with 300 metres Runway Visual Range (RVR). Before this review, the lowest visibility with Category Two ILS in the nation’s airports was 800 metres/550 RVR (Runway Visual Range). Based on the review, the following airports now have ILS Cat II Approach and Landing

Minima, Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Ilorin, Gombe, Owerri, Sokoto, Uyo, Yola, Dutse, Calabar and Enugu. In this review, the Regulatory Authority took cognisance of improvements in visual and navigational aids within the 18 affected airports. According to the review, the landing minima specified for all the 18 (Eighteen) airports were determined based on applicable criteria as defined in the ICAO PANS-OPS Doc. 8168, Doc.9365. These includes all relevant amendments, as well as available navigational facilities (ILS,VOR/DME, etc) or PBN Navigational Specification (RNAV/GNSS). On the other hand, the reviewed operating minima provided for a performance based Takeoff minima for the affected aerodromes in Nigeria is determined by available visual aids for takeoff. These are

Runway Centre Lights, Touchdown Zone lights, Runway Edge Lights, Threshold Lights, Runway End Lights and Runway Surface Markings. It should be noted that the last time weather minima were actually reviewed was in 1983. However, a semblance of revision undertaken in 1993 only stated that the takeoff minima shall be equal or greater than landing minima at all airports. This is to allow for an air return to the same airport should there arise an emergency. Therefore, the implementation of these revised aerodrome operating minima (both takeoff and landing) shall be based on compliance with applicable Standard Operating Procedures for Low Visibility Operations at the affected airports. This is executed by Flight Crew, Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), Aerodrome Operators and the Meteorological Agency.

News

Jibrin flays Fr. Mbaka on Dankwabo as Buhari’s replacement Myke Uzendu, Abuja

ÏÏÏMuhammad

Jibrin, a community leader in Gombe, has faulted the prophesies of Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka who declared the Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo as a replacement for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. The vocal cleric from the Catholic Diocese of Enugu in his New Year message prophesied an end for the Buhari regime, accusing him of bad governance while recommending Dankwabo as Buhari’s replacement. You may also wish to recall that Fr. Mbaka in 2014 predicted an end to the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that Buhari has been anointed by the heavenly powers to replace Jonathan, a prophesy that eventually came to pass and earned for Fr. Mbaka an exclusive Presidential audience and handshake. However, Fr. Mbaka who is obviously disappointed with Buhari’s leadership style on the eve of the New Year condemned Buhari’s regime and declared that the Gombe State governor is the man fit for Buhari’s job. Mbaka pointed out some of the developmental strides of Dankwabo in Gombe, stressing that if he was able to achieve such degree of infrastructural development amidst lean resources in the state, he will replicate the feat in the entire country if elected as the next President in 2019. But in a swift reaction Muhammad jibrin has described Mbaka’s prophesy on Dankwabo as fantasy. He just fell short from tagging Mbaka as a false prophet. In his reaction, Jibrin said, “Our attention has been drawn to the widely reported 2018 prophesies of Rev Fr. Mbaka of the Adoration Church in Enugu. While Rev Fr Mbaka is well known for making ‘predictions’ some of which fall off the mark, we are however drawn to his particular fantasy about Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, the Executive Governor of Gombe State. “If the Rev Fr is well apprised of the state of affairs of Gombe State, he will certainly not recommend Governor Dankwambo as a worthy replacement for the great President Buhari. Perhaps, some examples will show the Rev Fr Mbaka of the extent of the damage Governor Dankwambo has done to our State “It is a well-known fact that Gombe town had battled with lack of portable drinking water since independence. The previous administration of Senator Danjuma Goje took this as a priority and spent over N8billion to ensure the provision of water across the State and specifically within the metropolis of Gombe. “Governor Dankwambo

refused to make an annual budgetary spending of only N200m required to maintain the supply of water. Today, you will easily find water in the desert before Gombe State. “Gombe State Education system was adjudged one of the best in the country. With a State University founded by the previous administration being rated as one of the top 10 State owned Universities in Nigeria as at 2011. “As with the water project, he has neglected to continue with the required funding of the university. Today, the university and the entire education system is now in shambles and our class rooms are playground for idle students without Teachers who have left en mass due to unpaid salaries. “On the Health Sector, our hospitals, which were modernised and fully equipped, are now mortuaries and consulting clinics. “The International Airport in Gombe that opened the entire North Eastern Region to air travel, both passenger and cargo, has been totally neglected. “The international hotel that was built to cater for those travelling to and by Gombe has been neglected and taken over by animals. “The State is struggling under a heavy burden of debt in excess of N100billion in local currency and another $100million in Foreign Currency. The debt service will remain a challenge for future administration. “Despite the Paris Club refunds and bailouts engineered by the Federal Government and the Committee of Governors to assist State Governments clear arrears of workers emoluments, Pensioners from the State are dying waiting to be paid. “These are few examples to show to the extent Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, with all his accounting credentials, has wreaked havoc in our State in just 6 years of his maladministration. He has reversed the glorious achievements of the previous administration and destroyed all the good works of the Distinguish Senator Danjuma Goje. “Finally, everyone knows Ibrahim Dankwambo’s moral deficit will not qualify him for a position of an officer in the Church of Rev Fr Mbaka and therefore wonders what Rev Fr Mbaka saw in such a man to recommend him as to lead our great country. There is more than meets the eyes” he stated. Jibrin is of the view that Rev Father Mbaka should come clean and tell Nigerians what his major motivation is in making this recommendation. “We are aware he only received a handshake from the frugal President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) when he last visited Aso Villa, and maybe more than a handshake from his darling Governor Dankwambo.

Mƅƒ 8

# ƇƊƔ jƇƋƅ MƇ ƅƎƇ Thursday January 4, 2018

I’ll become a pastor after retiring from politics - Fayose ÎÎÎ

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, on Wednesday in Lagos said after retiring from politics, he would become the pastor of a “very big ministry”. He said his next target after leaving office is to become the president of the country after which he would go into fulltime ministry. Fayose said his “popularity” and “influence” would serve him in achieving his ambitions. He said this during an interactive session with some reporters in

Lagos. “There is nobody reasonably who doesn’t know who Ayo Fayose is and the decision to me being president is spiritual and physical on the other hand because when your time comes, it will manifest,” he said. “I am a force God has created at this time. When I retire, I’m going to become a pastor with a very big ministry. “After being president of Nigeria, I will be a pastor who will be a major force all over the world.”

Speaking on his “spiritual gift” the governor said he had been getting requests to prophecy about Nigeria’s future. “Nigerians know that if I give you figures, they find it like that even my prophecies. Some of the things I said about last year came to pass. Some people have been calling me to ask for the prophecies for 2018,” he said. He said he is prepared to be maltreated over his criticisms of President Muhammadu Buhari. “One pastor said the federal government will

bundle Fayose this year, and so? Let them come and do it, who is begging them? I’m equally prepared,” he said. “I remember Gani Fawehimi, he went around with his bag. You can arrest him any day, what is the big deal? Some people, their promotion will come as a result of oppression. Our enemies are not our enemies in totality, they are catalysts to our success so I don’t care. “If the federal government wants to go after me, I am more than available. They know

my address, I’m in Magodo now, and tomorrow I’m going to Ekiti. I’m available for them. Those who keep their lives will still lose it.” On his presidential ambition, the governor said: “Nigerians know that I represent the interest of the common man. If my party picks me as their candidate, I will win this election against President Buhari”. Fayose also advised the president to quit politics at the end of his first term in office. He said Buhari would do a great disservice to

the nation by contesting the 2019 election. “We pray for our president that God will grant him wisdom to lead the nation right because as it is now, we are drifting,” he said. “He is old; he needs the energy to complete his tenure. God will give him the energy to complete this tenure and God will help us to tell him to go and sit in Daura and not contest in 2019. That is my prayer for Nigeria. That he goes to sit in Daura peacefully like the late president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela and go home and rest.”

Obaseki orders arrest of two BUA officials ÎÎÎ

Stranded commuters on the Jos-Akwanga highway, Jos, Plateau State…on Wednesday.

Governor Godwin Obaseki, of Edo state, has ordered the arrest of two employees of BUA International Limited over alleged violation of a ‘stop work order’ issued by the ministry of mines and steel. The order was given due to a dispute involving BUA and Dangote Group on the ownership of Obu mine site located in the state. According to reports, when the governor visited the site on Wednesday, he discovered that the officials were carrying on with

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Bola Badmus- Lagos

ÎÎÎ The 2018 Federal Gov-

ernment’s Appropriation Bill currently undergoing debate on the floor of National Assembly may have come under threat as former president, Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), on Wednesday threatened to approach the court to stop its passage if within seven days President Muhammadu Buhari did not withdraw the document, describing it as unconstitutional. Agbakoba issued this

threat in a letter titled: ‘Is the 2018 Appropriation Bill Constitutional?’ date 3rd January, 2018 and separately addressed to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, citing a subsisting Federal High Court decision in Olisa Agbakoba vs. Attorney General of the Federation General of the Federal & others suit no. FHC/ ABJ/CS/63/2013. According to Agbakoba, the 2018 Budget is unconstitutional and should be withdrawn based on fact

on ground that it was singularly prepared by the Executive Arm as against the court ruling which affirmed that each arm of government, including the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary should prepare its budget separately and lay it before the National Assembly for passage. “Sections 81 to 84 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) set out the procedure for preparing the Appropriation Bill. “The Constitution requests each arm of govern-

ment (the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary) to lay before the National Assembly its estimates of revenue and expenditure for each financial year after which it is appropriated, harmonized as a bill and presented to the President for his assent. “Unfortunately, the Executive has failed to comply with this procedure by laying before the National Assembly estimates of revenues and expenditure for the Judiciary. This inspite of a subsisting Federal High Court decision in Olisa Ag-

bakoba vs. Attorney General of the Federation General of the Federal & others suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/63/2013. That has declared this practice unconstitutional,” Agbakoba said. Agbakoba, while saying that he was unaware if the National Assembly had laid its budget estimates, called on the parliament to draw President Buhari’s attention to the decision of the court and request the National Judicial Council (NJC) to lay before it the Judiciary’s estimates of revenue and expenditure for 2018.

work. “The order is pending the determination of a court suit over the ownership of the mine site,” he said. Obaseki was accompanied by soldiers, policemen, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). Obaseki said that the state government was more interested in the security of lives and property and that as much as there were needs for investors to make returns on their investments, no money was worth any life. “I addressed a section of the Okpella community who came to me to express concerns over the growing tension in the community because of the dispute over ownership of the Obu mine site,” he said. “At that point, I issued instructions that the work should stop in line with the federal government’s directive and the case in court. “I said that status quo be maintained until the determination of the case in court. I think that is the simple thing to do.” The governor said it was regrettable that the management of BUA International Limited went on air to say that the state government had no authority and right to enforce a federal government directive.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Suicide bomber attacks mosque, kills 10 in Borno

Suspected Badoo Chief Herbalist, Fatai Adebayo alias Alese (Left); sandwiched between policemen, after his arrest at his shrine in Imosan Village, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, on Tuesday.

ÎÎÎ

Senate denies Presidency’s request on payment to oil marketers ÎÎÎ

The Senate on Wednesday denied having knowledge of any request from the Presidency to approve payment to oil marketers to cushion the effect of the perennial fuel crisis. Senate spokesperson, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdulahi refuted claim made by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, during a meeting with stakeholders in the oil industry that the

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payment of debt owed oil marketers was being delayed because the National Assembly has not approved request presented to the legislature for loan meant for that purpose. He specifically said that there was no such request for loan meant for payment to oil marketers from the Presidency. “The Senate is aware that subsidy on petroleum had been cancelled

by this administration; so we wonder which payment we are talking about now. “Senators have been inundated with calls from oil marketers who were present at the meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President on the issue and thus, we call on Mallam Kyari to either prove his claim or retract it. “It should be noted that a similar claim was made by the Minister of

Finance on the foreign loan at a time the Presidency had not forwarded the request. The letter requesting for the foreign loan was submitted long after she was confronted with the fact. ‘It is the opinion of the Senate that instead of resorting to false claims and shifting blames in the mould of ‘ Blame Someone Else’, both the executive and legislature should work together to solve this unnecessary

fuel crisis which is making life more difficult for our people”, he said. He said members of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) were mandated by the Senate President to suspend their recess and embark on oversight visits to key areas in the sector while it will hold an investigative public hearing with all stakeholders aimed at finding solution to the problem of fuel scarcity today.

A suicide bomber on Wednesday attacked a mosque killing 10 people and injuring many in Gamboru, Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed that the incident occurred during an early morning prayer. According to the NEMA’s North East Zonal Coordinator, Bashir Idris Garga told journalists that aid workers operating in Gamboru are attending to those affected. According to him, the casualty figure was yet to be ascertained. But sources said no fewer than nine persons died on the spot while many others were injured. The suicide bomber reportedly detonated his explosives in a mosque during the early morning prayers killing at least 10 people. Mr Garga said the agency was worried about the new spate of attacks on soft targets across the state. Volunteers and aid workers are now being trained by NEMA in Maiduguri on safety measures to observe in the line of duty. Meanwhile, the Borno State Government has announced a review of the curfew in the state, which takes effect from Tuesday, January 2 to Friday, January 6, 2018, from 8 pm to 6 am.

Atiku, Saraki, Tambuwal, others mourn Kaita

Myke Uzendu, Abuja

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described late Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, as a fearless democrat whose immense contribution to Nigeria’s democratic struggles would be etched in brass, even as Senate President, Dr, Bukola Saraki said his demise was a great loss to the country. Both of them in separate reactions to the death of Kaita at 85, said he was a man of immense courage. The former vice president said Kaita, who was his political associate, was a man

of remarkable virtues who inspired whoever interacted with him. According to Atiku, few Nigerian politicians have the courage to disagree with the people in power in order to sustain political patronage for survival. Atiku explained that the late Kaita was never afraid to speak his mind in pursuit of his principles, including his insistence that political parties must respect internal democracy in order to be credible. The Waziri Adamawa noted that the late Kaita had left an unblemished public service record because politicians of his gen-

eration were motivated by the passion for service. He recalled that his close association with the Kaita was a beneficial experience because he was a man of vast knowledge of politics and its intricacies. While extending his condolences to the government, family and the people of Katsina and Kaduna States, Atiku prayed to Allah to grant the deceased eternal rest in paradise.

In his own tribute, Saraki said the death of Kaita was a great loss not only to Katsina and Kaduna states but to the entire nation. In a statement by his Spe-

cial Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki described late Kaita as a courageous, experienced and consummate politician, who was always frank in his views and honest in his political activities. “I consider the death of Alhaji Kaita as a personal loss to me and my family considering his long mutual and beneficial relationship with my late father, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, which he graciously extended to me. “As a father, I benefitted immensely from his wise counsel and support at different times. His death has robbed the nation of a gen-

tleman, fearless and honest politician who thrived on building good relationships for the purpose of better serving his people”, he state Saraki extended his condolences to the immediate family of the late politician, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Emir of Katsina and the people and government of Katsina and Kaduna States. He also prayed the almighty Allah to grant the late elder statesman a place in Aljannah firdaus. Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in a statement issued by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, the

Governor said Kaita made invaluable contributions to the development of the country. “He was an acclaimed pacesetter who, along with other patriotic Nigerians of his generation, fought for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria at the turn of the century. His life is an example in dedication and commitment to democratic norms and values. “Nigeria will remember the deceased as a man who gave his best years towards the development of multiparty politics. His contributions have enriched governance process at state and federal levels,” he added.

News 10

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday January 4, 2018

China to build 2 satellites for Nigeria at no cost Mathew Dadiya, Abuja The Minister of Communication, Mr Adebayo Shittu has said that the China EXIM Bank and the China Great Wall have agreed to pay for the production of two satellites (NigComSat) for Nigeria at the cost of $550 million. The two additional communication satellites would complement the existing NigComSat as a means of reaching areas that cannot easily be cov-

ered by terrestrial fibre. Shittu said this on Wednesday while briefing State House Correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. The Minister said, “I am in the Presidency to see Mr. President and to brief him on three major issues: One, NigComSat which is one of our agencies where we hope to procure two new satellites from China. Initially the agreement was that they will provide

the cost of the two satellite $550 million minus 15 percent which is the counterpart funding. Because we could not afford this 15 percent, we have renegotiated with the China EXIM Bank and the China Great Wall, who are the manufacturers and they have happily agreed to pay the entire $550 million to procure two new satellites. Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited had in 2015 opened talks with

China for the financing and construction of two new communication satellites at a cost of $701 million. The new satellites, to be known as NigComSat-2 and NigComSat-3, are to serve as backup to the country’s existing communications satellite, NigComSat-1R, which was put in the orbit in December 2011. The government targets to market the satellite services to Nigerian compa-

nies as well as the African continent. The two satellites will be ready in two years after the signing of the agreement by the end of this month, the minister said. The minister said the President was excited because “the Chinese are not just going to market our satellite to the entire African continent but also perhaps by legislation insists that all Nigerian entities must patronize the Nigerian satellite com-

pany rather than going to Isreal, UK, US for satellite services. Now we can say by our local content policy; we must patronize Nigeria.” Shittu had in October 2016 during the 4th National Council on Communication Technology meeting in Kaduna said that the Federal Government plans to purchase two additional satellites for Nigeria Communication Satellite (NigComSat) at the cost of $550 million.

Wike blasts Amaechi over killings in Rivers Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt.

Cross-section of people boarding free train ride from Osogbo Train service terminus to Lagos, provided by the Osun State Government for the New Year Celebration…on Tuesday.

Amaechi, Obaseki, commend Peterside’s leadership style

ÏÒ6Ɔ ƏƆƗƑƅƆƗ M9L d ƍƆƏ Ɛƈ ƅ Ɛ Ƅƕ ǀƠüÿ The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has described the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside as an epitome of good governance and great character, evident in his leadership style. The Minister stated this in Port Harcourt, River State at the weekend during an event, which was put together by friends and associates of Dr. Peterside to mark his birthday. Hon. Amaechi said the fact that the Management of NIMASA has been able to reduce running cost by over 50% in one year, and significantly improve revenue generation and remit-

tance for the Federal Government is mainly due to the reliable and transparent disposition of the current management team of the Agency, which is driven and spurred by Dr. Dakuku Peterside. “By their character, we shall know them. I remember when I was told that Dakuku will be a sell-out when we were vying for governorship under Dr. Peter Odili. Today, he is the only one remaining among those I can call my political allies. NIMASA has reduced running cost significantly and improved revenue generation to the Federal Government simply because the man, Dakuku, is not corrupt. He is not greedy, and he is a content

fellow. He is a transparent character and fits perfectly well within the common agenda of the current national government.” He commended Peterside for his turnaround and reengineering strategies and efforts in NIMASA, noting that his appointment has given a facelift to not just the Agency but the maritime sector- With NIMASA now attracting commendation from the Federal government, through the Minister of Finance and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as the highest revenue remitting Agency in Nigeria. Also speaking at the event, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki described Dr. Dakuku Peterside as a statesman in the

making, considering his antecedents in politics and public service. According to him, “I followed him (Peterside) during his campaigns and I saw the passion and energy he exuded. He really showed that he had what it takes to govern the state. Today the narrative at NIMASA has changed simply because the appointment of the Director General is a round peg in a round hole”. While commending the NIMASA DG for associating the Agency with good and positive new narratives, he regretted that Rivers State lost a great opportunity to tap into his managerial acumen, prowess and development-oriented policies.

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has berated the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, for allegedly politicizing security, saying that his comments on the Omoku killings is an indictment of security heads posted to the state by the Federal Government. He spoke at the Government House Port Harcourt when he hosted social media practitioners to a state dinner. Wike stated that while his administration had never influenced the posting of any security head to the state, it had always funded and provided logistics for security agencies more than any state government in the country. He lamented: “When you portray the state as insecure, you are driving away investors. No good man does that. By Amaechi’s logic, the killings all over Nigeria is being sponsored by the President “, he said. Wike said that while Amaechi was governor of Rivers State, all the leading construction companies like Julius Berger Plc fled the state because their personnel were kidnapped regularly. He said Amaechi resorted to the use of unqualified contractors, which led to poorly executed projects. He said as a result of improved security in the state, first class construction firms like Julius Berger Plc, CCECC and RCC were now working in the state. “International conferences and seminars are back to Rivers State. This is because the people now have confidence in the security architecture of Rivers State. During Amaechi, all the seminar and conferences moved to Akwa Ibom State “, he said.

He assured that his administration would continue to invest in the security of lives and property of Rivers people. Wike stated that Amaechi remained rejected by Rivers people because of his failure during his 8-year administration. According to him, despite the evil machinations of the former governor, “Rivers people will continue to reject his bid to foist his boy, the defeated 2015 APC Rivers State Governorship Candidate, Dakuku Peterside on them as his way to siphon their resources through an illegal third term.” Governor Wike commended social media practitioners for their support and their commitment to the promotion of Rivers State. While thanking them for working for the development of Rivers State without gratification, Governor Wike urged them to keep up the good work. He said that his administration would involve them during the third anniversary celebrations. The Governor added that he would support the post graduate education of social media influencers in Nigerian Universities. He also offered medical assistance to social media influencers with health challenges. Also speaking, Senator George Sekibo and the Member Representing Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, Hon Jerome lauded the social media influencers for their contributions to the development of the state. Spokesman of the Social Media Influencers, Comrade Victor Oko Jumbo said social media was an important tool that had been effectively deployed by the influencers to promote Rivers State and support the administration of Governor Wike.

Politics

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Faleke berates Bello for donating cars, cash to masquerades in Okene Deputy governorship candidate to late Alhaji Abubakar Audu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State and member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Hon James Faleke has lambasted the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for allegedly donating cars to Masquerade Describing the donations as the height of absurdity, the former Campaign Coordinator to President Muhammadu Buhari in Lagos State said the donation of six Toyota Venza cars and cash gifts of 2 Million Naira each to masquerades in his hometown of Okene during the last Ekwechi (Masquerade) festival in December 2017. Faleke in a statement said it was indeed absurd that the same governor who has not been able to pay workers salaries for several months and promised to clear all outstanding salaries and pensions last December without fulfilling it could go ahead to spend money buying car gifts for masquerades. “I honestly don’t know what is happening in our state. We thought the governor (Alhaji Yahaya Bello) would

BELLO heed popular call to settle all outstanding salaries and pensions in the state last December as he promised after receiving the Paris refunds of close to N12 Billion, only for him to pay 40 percent of 2 months. So where did the rest of the money go? “Next we heard was the news of the six Venza cars he bought

FALEKE and presented to masquerades in Okene through their minders along with N2 Million cash to each of the masquerades. How else can one be so insensitive to the welfare, yearnings and aspirations of his people.” According to Faleke, the state government that had denied all along it had no outstanding just released a fresh list of “cleared

staff ”. “What this means is that those staff whose names were just released had been without pay for the past two years when the screening exercise began. So who is fooling who,” Faleke wondered. The lawmaker bemoaned the situation where instead of providing succour for the citizenry across the state, what

obtains is intimidation and harassment of hapless and harmless citizens all over the place. A case in point is the recent case in Iyamoye community where a group of youths were distributing end of year gifts to APC members and were attacked by Soldiers providing security for Governor Bello’s appointed Local Government Administrator for Ijumu Local Government, Taofeek Isah. As an Administrator, the state government provided him soldiers with which he harasses perceived political opponents across the state. “Of course, the newsstands were agog few days ago with the news of how “unidentified” thugs hijacked the first batch of rice consignments donated by some Senators to alleviate hunger ravaging the workers’ homes. That is the reality of our dear state at the moment.” He called on Governor Bello to “turn a new leaf this year by re-ordering his government’s priorities away from childish, wasteful, unproductive extravaganza to meaningful statecraft aimed at ameliorating the current unacceptable level of pains being inflicted on the people of the state.”

Group to NASS: Be more patriotic in handling budget matter An appeal has gone out to members of the National Assembly to be more patriotic in their approach towards matters that concern the budget, noting that, “though their patriotism is not in doubt, it can still be upped in the interest of the generality of the citizenry.” Making this appeal in a press release signed by its National Coordinator, Ogbeni Kunle Adeosun, a human rights group, Yoruba Radical Assembly (YRA), also called on Nigerian to caution the Federal Lawmakers over what it termed, “annual legislative high handedness on budget passage.” The group asserted that, “unless the people show their displeasure

The Ekiti Rebirth Organisation (ERO) has denounced a statement purported issued on behalf of a former governor of Ekiti State and current Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, noting that the said statement could not have emanated from him. According to ERO in a statement signed by Publicity Coordinator, Gboyega Adeoye, “Our attention in Ekiti Rebirth Organisation (ERO) has been drawn to a statement in circulation, credited to a JKF Movement and allegedly signed

over their perceived anti-progress and anti-development attitude, the country will continue to nose dive into more hardship,” lamenting that, “our highly respected representatives appear to be our albatross rather than being protectors of our collective interest.” The YRA also expressed displeasure over the embarrassment suffered by the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), in the hands of the legislators recently when defending his ministry’s budget, wondering how a Minister that has been earning accolades from the people over his superb performance could be

subjected to such an undeserved embarrassment from those who should commend him for a work well done. While cautioning the lawmakers to desist from any act that could portray them as exhibiting an opposition induced bad blood, the group therefore urged Nigerians to appeal to the legislators over their alleged high handedness in their ways of handling the budget passage, saying, “the oversight antics are holding the country to ransom.” The YRA is not also happy with the way the 2018 budget presented to the members by President Muhammadu Buhari was treated, complaining that, “their attitude, regrettably toed the same path of

unnecessary delay, pointing out that, “the clarion call to Nigerians’ collective intervention is the only way to save the country from another round of budget passage delay.” The group is of the strong conviction that, prompt collective intervention of the citizenry can guarantee the expected growth and required development that President Muhammadu Buhari desired by presenting the document very early. “And it is our candid belief that our honourable members in the House would be patriotic enough to assist the President, nay, the whole country to achieve the desired goal of early passage. We still repose our unflinching confidence in them,

DOGARA just as we are not against proper scrutiny of the document for the good of all of us. What we are after is a robust synergy between the executive and the legislative arm of government for the benefit of all and sundry,” the statement concluded.

Group denounces anti-Ojudu statement by one Kunle Adetayo who was referred to as the group’s Publicity Secretary. “We have every reason to believe that the said statement cannot possibly represent the views of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former governor of Ekiti State and currently the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, as we strongly believe he wouldn’t throw baseless accusations around.

“Specifically, the puerile, but mischievous statement insinuated that a group working for the Special Adviser in the Presidency was behind the online publication accusing Fayemi of alleged doctoring of the list of appointees into boards and commissions by President Muhammadu Buhari. “It then asked Senator Babafemi Ojudu to stop fuelling activities capable of causing divisions within

the ranks of the membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State. “Anybody who is conversant with the recent history of Ekiti and that of Nigeria would acknowledge the place of Senator Babafemi Ojudu and his passion for peace and unity among the progressives in his home state, Ekiti. Ojudu, for the avoidance of doubt, would never struggle for any personal advantage. Neither does he buck

pass. “Thus, we refuse to be drawn into any childish stone throwing and will advise the group, if it exists, to look elsewhere for who to drag along with itself into the murk. “In the words of the social activist and former First Lady of the United States of America, Eleanor Roosevelt, “great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”

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Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, January 4, 2018

Appoint technocrats to regain goodwill, APC chieftain tells Buhari Chris Eze, Yenagoa

ÏÏÏA chieftain of

the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State Ebi Beredugo has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to reshuffle his cabinet and appoint technocrats into key positions in order to bring about the change promised by the party. Beredugo who spoke to our correspondent in a telephone interview on Wednesday argued that most of the politicians on the cabinet of the present administration have outlived their usefulness and must go. He said, “The president must tinker with his cabinet. He must bring in technocrats. He must use technocrats to steer the country to the next level. “I want to say that the politicians who are surrounding the president, he has kept

those people around for too long and they are not making any headway. It’s time the country brings in technocrats”. The fiery legal practitioner said there is erroneous notion that it’s the politicians that would work and return the president for a second term. “No, the goodwill of Nigerians will bring you for second term, not those politicians who deep down have lost touch even with their grassroots. “It is not those politicians that can deliver for the president; we must get this clear because they are separated even from their grassroots. They can’t even deliver their states. They can only use federal might to come and cause confusion because they cannot actually deliver their states. “So why not bring in technocrats, let Nigerians feel the

change in their lives. Let Nigerians begin to enjoy the dividends of good governance”, he counselled. Beredugo stressed that from the way the present administration has carried on; it has lost much of the goodwill that earned it the support of Nigerians in 2015. “Can we actually and sincerely say if an election holds right now today, can we actually say president Buhari will win? Does he still have the goodwill of Nigerians to believe in him that we are making progress? “Are we making progress in the anti corruption fight, why should we enter 2018 without reshuffling his cabinet?”, the lawyer asked rhetorically. He averred that the mix up in the appointment of persons into the board of parastatals is a pointer that the Buhari team is not up to their game. He wondered why a list of

appointees that was compiled since 2015 was not vetted before it was finally released. “Even though we support this government, sometimes we are ashamed of the things that come out from the presidency. How can you be creating a board for a parastatal that is not supposed to have a board or for privatized companies? “So even the president is still operating from a very wrong perspective and these are things in civilized societies, heads are supposed to be rolling and people are not supposed to wait for their heads to roll but tender their resignation letters even before time. “But it is Nigeria and anything can happen. So we now have people that are in their graves made board members. I hope they will give their family members their sitting allowances”, he demanded.

Frequent missing car hire operators unsettles Delta Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÏÏÏThe incessant missing

of car hiring operators across Delta State has continued to unsettle the State Government including Law Enforcement Agencies. While investigation revealed that no fewer than ten car hiring operators between December 2017 and January 2018 had been reported to have been missing by the police, strong indications are that the missing car hires operators may have been kidnapped by ritualists currently prowling purposes. Expectedly, the State Police Command through the Image maker, Andrew Aniamaka, declared a middle-aged man, Okoro Stephen missing. According to the Police Image Maker, the victim, a car hire service operator, until his sudden disappearance, was a resident of 17, Otomewo Close Agadaga Ekpan Warri in the State, adding that the victim had been missing since November 17, 2017 when an unknown person hired his vehicle’s services to Benin City, Edo State. With registration number GRA 749KH, Toyota Camry, the car hire operator is a native of Ekwakwa, Agbarha Otor, and Urhobo by tribe. But investigation revealed that there has also been reported cases of missing car hire operators in Asaba, one of such is one Emmanuel Oge who reportedly drove a customer to Okwe in the wee hours of the day and never returned. A member of the family of

the victim, Glady Okoie who spoke with our reporter, said the matter had since been reported to the police who are currently investigation of mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the car hire operators. Meanwhile, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ogwashi-Uku Division, Superintendent of Police Tobi Debakeme has been commended for his outstanding performance and for working without fear or favour. Pastor Difference Odili, the Chairman of the Association of Registered Progressive Politicians (ARPP), Aniocha South Chapter made the description in a chart with newsmen at Ogwashi-Uku. He said the DPO is a man full of wisdom and intelligence in handling issues, adding that he was a Combatant Police Officer that has zero tolerance for criminals. Pastor Odili stated that peace that now reigns at Ogwashi-Uku and its environs is due to the leadership quality of the young DPO, saying that he performed his duties with the fear God. Pastor Odili, who was also the Chairman of patent medicine dealers, Ogwashi-Uku zone, noted that the people of the area now sleep with their two eyes closed as a result of the effective performance of the DPO and his team. This ARPP Boss, described Supol Debakeme as knowledgeable, adding that he was an educated, sound, renowned and refined Police Officer, rating him as one of the best DPO, Ogwashi-Uku ever had.

Ekiti 2018: Ojudu visits US to parley with indigenes on economic recovery Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏAll

Progressives Congress, APC, governorship aspirant in Ekiti State and Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has proceeded on a tour of the United States of America, to parley with indigenes on how to bring quick development into Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (middle), flanked by the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, Mr. Johnson Kokumo the economically traumatised (left), and Commander of 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Major General Ibrahim Garba (right), at the Obu mine site in Okpella, Edo state. The programme which State, where they arrested officials of BUA Int’l Limited for violating a Stop Work Order, on Wednesday, kicked off Wednesday would see Senator Ojudu holding Town Hall meetings with stakeholders in Maryland, New York, Atlanta and Houssuf Buhari and to also pray Mr Ejeh frowned at those Almighty would grant the ton on how to facilitate develKingsley Chukwuka, Jos for the politicking year, the who took to social media to president’s son quick recov- opmental projects that will bring quick economic recovPresident Muham- leader of the group - Global make uncomplimentary re- ery. “The abiding grace of God ery to Ekiti State. madu Buhari’s only son who Peace and Life Rescue Ini- marks on the unfortunate According to the Presidenwas involved in a motorbike tiative (GOPRI), Mr. Melvin incident that befell the first that allowed the ebullient tial aide who is visiting Ameraccident, needs the collective Ejeh said “as Nigerians, we family, saying that it is un- young man to survive the ica at the instance of Ekiti prayers of every Nigerian to ought to always have our godly and that Nigerians crash will see to his quick indigenes under the aegis of guarantee his quick recov- country at heart and pray for should always be their broth- and complete recovery”, they Ojudu 2018 (Diaspora – USA), ers’ keeper. prayed. ery, a Non-governmental or- our leaders at all times. the proposed meeting was “The time to pray for the However, both Christians Daily Times reports that aimed at providing a quick ganisation (NGO), has said. Speaking Wednesday in country is now and to do this, and Muslims clerics were at Yusuf was on Tuesday, De- fix to the dwindling fortune of Jos, at a one day non- de- it will be instructive that we the event and both offered cember 26, 2017, involved the once fledgling state. It was gathered that Ekiti nominational prayer summit put aside all religions, po- prayers describing the ac- in a bike accident around indigenes in the Diaspora organised for the recovery litical and ethnicity divide cident as unfortunate and Gwarimpa in the Federal have been miffed by the lindepressing, praying that God Capital Territory, Abuja. of the President’s son, Yu- amongst us”, he said. gering leadership deficit in

Praying for the President’s son is our collective responsibility –NGO ÏÏÏ

the state and the attendant hardship on the people, thus fuelling a sieve through the array of aspirants jostling in the governorship race to narrow down on Ojudu as their choice candidate. Coordinator of the Diaspora group, Kayode Omoboya said “the choice of Ojudu came after a thorough research on all the aspirants across party lines, which places him far ahead of others in terms of commitment, comportment, creativity, connections and intellectual capability.” Omoboya further said that Ojudu’s visit signposts a radical change in the pattern of politicking in Ekiti State, noting that “Ekiti sons and daughters in the Diaspora are united to ensure that the lost glory of the state is retraced and restored through good governance by tested and credible hands.” Leader of the group, Tolu Olugbamila, said the Ekiti in the Diaspora and particularly those resident in the United States are poised to commit time and resources into ensuring that a people oriented leader emerged as governor of Ekiti State come July 14, 2018.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Page Thirteen

Editorial

PHOTO TIMES

Let Anchor Borrowers Programme go round

ne of the federal government’s intervention programmes which has recorded huge success in recent years is the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme. Under it, the CBN collaborated with local farmers through state governments to promote agricultural production across the country. First to benefit from the programme were some states in the northern part of the country with good fadamas that could support large scale rice production. The programme was later extended to some other states in the south east and south-south geopolitical zones of the country, also for large scale rice production. The huge success of the programme enabled many state governments that keyed- in to the programme to bring down the high price of rice in the markets especially this year. The success of the programme has also emboldened some local and foreign investors to go into large scale rice production and processing in the country. Following its successful intervention in large scale rice production and as part of the Anchor Borrowers Programme, the CBN has again introduced the Broiler Out growers scheme in Lagos State in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, Amo farms, a local poultry feeds producer and Sieberer Hatchery Limited to fund broiler production in the state. In introducing the new scheme, 10 poultry out grower farmers were given 1,000 birds each and enough food to last the birds for 42 days. The scheme was an instant success because Amo farms, the supplier of the feeds, will buy back the broilers at a pre- agreed price from the out grower farmers when they reach maturity. Such interventions by the CBN and other interested bodies are expected to encourage young people who are interested in

Publisher/Editor in Chief

Leke Adelere Business Manager 08037038663 Konie Agu Group Head, Business Development/Folio Foundation 08033150455

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (middle), during an interactive session with social media influencers at the Government House Port Harcourt…on Tuesday.

L-R: Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside; Minister of Transport, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Asita O. Asita, during the 47th Birthday Celebration of Peterside in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

L-R: Chairman, Youth Butchers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Addu Fatai Aremu; Ogun State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun; Fuji musician, Sefiu Alao Adekunle and others, during the 11th Annual Anniversary and 2018 Butchers Day Celebration at Odo-Eran, Lafenwa, Abeokuta, Ogun State...on Tuesday.

Words On Marble :

– Fidelis Anosike

Folio Group Group Managing Director Noel Anosike

agricultural production but lack the take off funds to embrace agriculture through the intervention scheme. Such interventions are needed because peasant farmers who form the bulk of the nation’s cash and food crop producers are now aged, while agricultural production has suffered a setback in the last few decades owing to the ascendancy of oil as the nation’s major source of foreign exchange and the consequent reduced attention paid to agriculture, among other factors. But, with government’s recent avowed interest in diversifying the nation’s economy away from oil, the government needs more young men and women to move into agricultural production using modern implements, machinery and financial support in the form of take off funds to increase agricultural production for local consumption and for the export market. We therefore see the CBN’s intervention tagged Anchor Borrowers programme as very timely and a move in the right direction. It should be executed with vigour. We also believe that it should be carried to all states in the country. In doing this every state should pick two crops where it has comparative advantage over other states and one animal husbandry product that it wants the scheme to support. However, each state government must be the guarantors of the recipient farmers in its domain. It should also use its agricultural extension workers to monitor the participating farmers to ensure that they comply with the terms of the contract and that the farmers pay back the money advanced to them as and when due without fail. We believe that if properly monitored, the programme could be the tonic needed to make the country self sufficient in food production and also become a net exporter of many agricultural products.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

Daily Times

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Abraham Lincoln

Martin Luther King Jr.

Nnamdi Azikiwe

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.

If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.

There is plenty of room at the top because very few people care to travel beyond the average route. And so most of us seem satisfied to remain within the confines of mediocrity.

Opinion

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Fr. Mbaka and the voice of God

“

I do not believe in my mind that the way things are in Nigeria, any Catholic priest has the mandate to decide which of the political contestants should be voted for… I don’t believe a priest should be doing that…If he was in my archdiocese, I will have sanctioned him long ago for the kind of utterances he makes.” – John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Catholic Bishop of Abuja Metropolitan See on Fr. Ejike Mbaka (2015)

Reuben Abati

Prophecies and predictions by Christian pastors often mark the end of a year and the beginning of another in Nigeria…egged on by the media, looking for juicy material for their overtly religious and superstitious readers, these pastors sometimes overreach themselves as they dish out prophecies as if they were some kind of annual merchandise. This year has not been different with interesting prophecies offered by Apostle Johnson Suleman, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka and a host of others. What I find curious every year, is that each Pastor ends up saying something different from the other, whereas what we know is that there is only ONE GOD – absolute and indivisible. The teleological concept of God is monotheistic, but today’s Pastors in their prophecies convey a pantheistic concept of God: a God that speaks in many voices and forms, creating a dissonance which is then exploited by the media, as the year unfolds, measuring the prophecies against actual developments, to determine who among the many prophets is the true seer. This seeming retailing of prophecies in the public sphere should be a source of concern to the Church. Of all the prophecies that I have read about this year, I find two particularly interesting. The first is the New Year Day declaration by Pastor Tunde Bakare before his congregation at the Latter Rain Church that God had just spoken to him not to leave politics, because he still has an assignment for him in the political arena. “God told me to run for President”, he announced. When - he does not know but he tells the congregation to pray along with him. “When He tells me the time, you will hear about it.” It will be recalled that Pastor Tunde Bakare was the running mate to President Muhammadu Buhari on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) during the 2011 Presidential election. His decision at the time to go into politics was quite controversial particularly amongst his Christian brethren who argued that a man of the cloth should not swim in the dirty and dirtied waters of Nigerian politics. The CPC lost the Presidential election and Pastor Bakare returned to the pulpit. He won’t be the first Pastor to declare interest in the highest office in the land. Pastor Chris Okotie of the Household of God Church first ran for President in 2003 as a candidate of the Justice Party. Then he ran again in 2007 and again in 2011 on the platform of the FRESH

Democratic Party. He lost on all occasions. Yet each time Pastor Chris Okotie declared interest in the Presidential office, he always said he had heard from God. Listening to his campaigns, he always sounded so sure that he had indeed been anointed by God to be President. In 2015, God apparently did not speak to Pastor Okotie because he did not bother to join the race. Do Pastors Okotie and Bakare, both learned men, hear the voice of the same God? Is it possible for God to anoint two of his servants as Nigerian President at the same time? For, indeed, when Pastor Bakare’s critics opposed his decision to go into politics, his stoutest defence in 2011 was that he had heard the voice of God, and that the voice of God is superior to that of man. He quoted the Scriptures: Psalm 78: 70, 71; Romans 13:1. We, lesser mortals, may probably not fully understand the ways of God and the prophetic Ministry but the clergy must resist the temptation, unwitting temptation may be, to project God in negative light. The doctrine is that the omniscient God, the I-am-that-I-am that we know never plays politics with His words. He does not contradict Himself. He keeps His promises. The second prophecy of interest is from Rev. Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry, an evangelical arm of the Catholic Church based in Enugu. In recent years, Fr. Mbaka seems to have turned himself into a spiritual authority on Presidential politics in Nigeria. A prophet since his primary school days, by his own declaration, Mbaka now tells Nigerians who should be President. In 2015, he had predicted that President Muhammadu Buhari will be President. He was very critical of the Jonathan Presidency. When then First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan visited the Adoration Ministry in Enugu, Mbaka reportedly rejected her offertory and gift – an indication that he would not associate with someone that God had not chosen for another term in office. As he put it: “There is no one kobo of Jonathan or Mrs Jonathan in my hand. The Holy Spirit rejected all of them. When the saga was going on, I put my hands on the altar, swore an oath that if I ever touched Jonathan’s one kobo, may he win the election and that if I never and I am being accused of it, he will fail the election…” President Jonathan lost the election and Mbaka was triumphant. He gained more credibility among his followers and the APC and the Buhari Presidency took him as a friend and their beloved priest. He received special praise from President Buhari. He would later be invited to the Presidential Villa for an audience with the President who commended him for his “steadfastness.” When the private jet that took Mbaka to Abuja touched down at the airport, and Mbaka showed his face and waved to the crowd, you would think it was the Pope himself visiting the capital city. Mbaka’s career as a celebrity priest assumed a new flavor at that point. After his visit to the Presidential Villa, he continued to sell the Buhari Presidency, and on occasions even did a better job than government spokespersons. Bu-

hari could do no wrong in his eyes. He accused the Jonathans, whom he had earlier accused of plotting to kill him, of creating all the problems that the Buhari administration was confronted with. In the heat of the pro-Biafra agitation by Nnamdi Kanu and Indigenous Peoples Organisation of Biafra (IPOB), Mbaka dismissed the agitation as “evil.” On New Year Day 2018, this romance between priest and president ended. Fr. Mbaka who had anointed Buhari as President in 2015, withdrew the anointing. He told President Buhari not to consider seeking a second term in office. He addressed President Buhari thus: “As I was waiting on the Lord, I’m asked to advise you, don’t come out for second tenure; after this, retire peacefully. Come back to yourself or you will cry by the time you will be sent out of office. Those who are encouraging you to come out and run again want to disgrace you shamefully and publicly.” The Holy Books are full of similar stories of the prophets delivering God’s messages to rulers. When God withdraws the anointing of a particular king or commander, or issues a stern warning, it is usually as a result of an offence that has been committed. Fr. Mbaka soon provided a justification for his prophetic message when he accused President Buhari of (1) failing to listen to his wife – “an adviser, a wonderful mentor, a visionist, a matriarch”, (2) allowing himself to be hypnotized by the wrong people who surround him, (3) failing to deliver on his promise of change, and “toying with the privilege” God has given him; and (4) running an anti-corruption campaign that is “…archaic and barbaric, a witch-hunt, terribly selective”. Fr Mbaka did not pull his punches. He says: “…Heaven demands Buhari, our President to change all those who are holding and caging him in captivity. If he will not change them, he will be changed… Change or you will be changed…God said that Buhari is in trouble. Buhari is in a horrible bondage. Nigerians are dying in your hands…Your change mantra is questionable. You are to change your change or you will be disgraced out of office.” In these words, Fr. Mbaka sounds like he was delivering God’s own assessment of the Buhari government. Although he advises the President to “wake up” and “sit up”, the thrust of his message is that the President should embrace the Mandela option and not seek another term in office. Fr Mbaka reportedly further disclosed that the anointing for the office of President has been passed to Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Fr. Mbaka’s messages, coming at a time when politicians are beginning to position themselves for another round of elections is bound to ruffle feathers. President Buhari’s supporters have since rejected his condemnation of their administration. His choice of Dankwambo as future President has also similarly been rejected, with innuendoes, in a scathing piece by Muhammad Jibrin Barde that there “may be more than a handshake from his darling

Governor Dankwambo.” Prophets in the Bible were not always liked for their messages but should Fr. Mbaka run into troubled waters with his mouth, he may not enjoy the support of his bosses in the Catholic Church who have for too long warned him to stop using the name of God and the Church to select political candidates for the Nigerian electorate. He reminds me of Samuel in the Bible. Samuel was judge, priest and prophet. Mbaka also sees himself as a judge, priest and prophet. Samuel anointed Saul to be king over a united Israel, at a time when the Israelites wanted change (I Samuel: 9-10) They were tired of the rule of judges and prophets, and wanted a king like their neighbours. Saul, having been chosen, following a message from God, became the first King over Israel. He was a strong military commander who won many battles for his country. But he was also jealous, rigid, insecure, dictatorial and covetous. When David who had been his armour bearer, and who nursed him back to good health with music, later defeated Goliath at the battle of the valley of Elah and the people sang in David’s praise: “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (I Samuel 18:8), Saul became insecure and wanted him put to death. It didn’t matter that David was his son-in-law, and the best friend of Jonathan, Saul’s son, who was of a much kinder and affable nature. King Saul’s anointing was withdrawn when he transgressed in the eyes of the Lord and the Lord departed from him. (I Samuel15: 9 – 29; I Samuel 28: 16 -18). The same Prophet Samuel who anointed Saul also anointed David, the son of Jesse as next king (I Samuel 16: 1-13). Saul was told that his anointing had been withdrawn and he would come to a bitter end. This prophecy was fulfilled: at the battle of Mount Gilboa, the Philistines defeated the Israelites, three of Saul’s sons were killed, and he himself fell on his sword. Bible commentators have criticized Samuel’s reign as judge, priest and prophet in terms of its mixture of politics and spirituality. Fr. Mbaka is similarly guilty, even if his role as judge is utterly presumptuous. By naming Dankwambo of the PDP as next President, he may also have invited unto him, the same kind of persecution that David faced. What is different and instructive in this instance, however, is that with Fr. Mbaka and other contemporary prophets in Nigeria, it is most difficult to know where the spiritual becomes political and where politics feeds into spirituality. Nigerians knowing this to be true continue to listen all the same to their prophets and pastors because many of our compatriots believe in the idea of God and His dominion over all things. What we do not know and may never be able to establish is how to make that necessary distinction between when a Prophet actually hears the voice of God, God as in God, or when a prophet hears voices as in psychiatry. What is certain is: as prophets, it is possible to hear the Voice of God, but as human beings, it is possible for the same Prophets “to hear voices.”

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

15 Column

2017: Diary of a columnist (I)

Times Columnist MOHAMMED ADAMU

‘

“We have allowed ourselves to be hijacked by this troika of mischief makers (namely mischievous lawyers, crooked politicians and compromised journalists) who over time have come to the realization of the efficacy of their combined influence over society; and together they now constitute a gangling pack of ravenous hyenas; patient and persevering; nibbling and nagging; squealing and squeaking, they are determined always to go the distance to bring their prey down. What they ignore remains rested; what they want as agenda is set! They will strain at a gnat but they will ignore a whole camel. They will magnify trivia to the height of national debate, but they will look the other way when murder and arson are committed on a scale”

’

“

No sympathy, no antipathy Nonetheless it is both a moral and legal requirement that in the fight against corruption a political leader must proceed with the utmost detachment and un-affection. He must approach the fight as much without fear or favour as without bias or malice aforethought. He is obligated both by law and by morality to be true to ‘friends’ and to ‘foes’ alike. Only thereafter will he be justified -by law and by morality- to ride the chariot of fire and to wield the Sword of Damocles without sympathy and without antipathy.” –from ‘Integrity and war on corruption’ -27/01/17 A stitch in time… “Corruption has a tendency within the shortest possible time to fester from reversible benignity to incurable malignance. The same way a spoilt child grows from remediable delinquency to incorrigible deviance. Left untreated, more and more people become attracted to -or get consumed bycorruption. Either because it is so widespread that the opportunity to benefit from corruption abounds, or because it is so pervasive that the capacity even for otherwise morally-restrainable citizens to resist its influence progressively wanes.” –from ‘On Diezani’s ‘Bad Loot’ -2/01/17 A troika of evil “We have allowed ourselves to be hijacked by this troika of mischief makers (namely mischievous lawyers, crooked politicians and compromised journalists) who over time have come to the realization of the efficacy of their combined influence over society; and together they now constitute a gangling pack of ravenous hyenas; patient and persevering; nibbling and nagging; squealing and squeaking, they are determined always to go the distance to bring their prey down. What they ignore remains rested; what they want as agenda is set! They will strain at a gnat but they will ignore a whole camel. They will magnify trivia to the height of national debate, but they will look the other way when murder and arson are committed on a scale”. – from ‘On Justice Onnoghen’ -02/09/17 Comedy of fellows “Nigeria has become one huge Elizabethan theatre where clowns, harlequins and pantomimes now prowl the stage in an unending melodrama that is sometimes more comic than Shakespeare’s ‘Comedy of Errors‘. And in this unfortunate milieu it seems we are no longer divided over issues. We are rather titillated by personalities. We are so extreme in the way we canvass opinion nowadays that there is hardly any middle ground left –neither one as giddy height for the fence sitter, nor any as sanctuary for the non-aligned. We are either protagonistic about personalities or we are antagonistic about them. And either way, we are just simply unapologetic”. –from ‘Metaphors for a troubled

CJN Onnoghen nation’ – 02/16/17 God and man “Whether we like it or not, man will, sooner or later, ‘multiply’ to fill the earth’ if not by the legitimate conjugal union of polygamists and monogamists alike, then by the illegitimate philandering of fornicators and adulterers. The earth will have to be filled –someday; whether we grow its population by geometric or arithmetic progression. It is the failure of selfish political man and not the absence of divine provision that has put the world in the condition of perpetual lack! Political man has learnt to shackle and unsettle the world through the waging of wars and rumours of war, to keep it from attaining the bliss that God has intended for it. It is neither the problem of religion nor the inadequacy of the earth to provide. It is the wickedness of man who politicizes everything including the economics of food –in a world where the have-nots starve to death and those who have in excess of what they need, often have to dump at sea. Those who continue to rob the economies of most nations are in fact not the most ardent ‘polygamists’. Many of them are monogamists with a cat or a puppy, for child. Sanusi should leave Muslim polygamists alone.” –from ‘Sanusi’s wedlock of of the rich’ -02/23/17 Alive and kicking “Life”, said “Stephen Vincent Benet is not lost by dying; it is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways” And maybe it is the reason the Spanish-born U.S. philosopher and poet George Santayana once said: “The diseases which destroy a man are no less natural than the instincts which preserve him.” Many will die of the most trifling of diseases if they have not the spirit to resist, even as many will survive the most malignant of diseases even without medicament. Or as Edward Bach would say “Disease is in essence the result of conflict between soul and mind” –from ‘On Buhari’s ‘hale and heartiness’ 03/01/17 BROKEN RECORD “Pro-Jonathans still insist that although his government was filthycorrupt, Jonathan himself was unsullied by the torrents of sordid feces which had bathed it head and trunk, torso to limbs. They admit that although everyone else in the Jonathan Government could be guilty of one form of corruption or maladministration, Jonathan himself was not. And the man is so naively emboldened by the brazen, unscrupulous defense of this army of blind supporters, he has become himself a broken record of Shaggy’s lyric of intransigent self-defense: so that to every allegation of corruption, Jonathan now sings ‘It wasn’t me’.” –from

‘NOW THAT JONATHAN IS ON THE MENU -03/09/17’ GANGSTERISM AND THE LAW “They say that when he headed the Federal Roads Safety Commission FRSC, Major General Haladu Hannaniya wore the Commission’s uniform. But they did not say whether Hannaniya did so in compliance with the Act establishing the Commission or that he did so merely in deference to a non-mandatory tradition. If the law is silent on whether or not non-career political appointees heading paramilitary bodies should wear uniform, why should any who chooses to wear uniform be deemed in compliance with that law or that any who chooses not to, is adjudged in breach of it? By the way if the precedent of Hannaniya wearing FRSC uniform in deference to operational tradition, is the compelling yardstick for judging Ali’s obduracy in not wearing one, why should the precedent of Wole Soyinka, who pioneered the same FRSC but did not wear its uniform, not be even more compelling?” –from ‘MUCH ADO ABOUT UNIFORM -03/16/17’ UNAVAILING MAJORITY “Why would an APC-majority-Assembly be poised always to give executive requests from an APC government such hard time? Because APC’s victory at the polls has not been properly managed. This often bi-partisan hostile treatment of presidential requests at the legislature, is an indication not only of the inability of the APC government to manage its legislative majority tactfully, it is also a clear indication that the President’s ‘Executive Initiative’ at the legislature is not handled with the circumspection, tact and diplomacy that it requires.” –from ‘‘BUHARI’S POOR GAME’ -03/23/17 INTER-DEPENDENCE “In truth, theoretically or even in practice, there is no such thing as ‘independence’ of any of the arms of government. No one arm of government is ‘independent’ of the others. The doctrine of separation of powers did not envisage that; nor has the practice of democracy in whatever garb made such democratic utopia possible. The three arms of government are mutually inter-dependent, with each enjoying a sphere of independence subject to the constitutionally permissible interference of the others.” –from ‘‘WHAT TO DO WITH THE SARAKI NASS’ -03/30/17’ DESPOTISM OF KINGS “Those who should be angry and tearing down fences, are the ones who are preaching law and the due process of law. Yet those who steal our patrimony have not the littlest scruple subverting the law. In truth ‘singing’ and ‘swinging’ in a democracy, are not the enemies of law or of the due process of law. Said Jean

Paul Marat, the 17th century French revolutionary “It is through violence that one must achieve liberty”; and that sometimes “a temporary despotism of liberty” may be necessary “to crush the despotism of kings.” -from ‘BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY’ -04/06/17 RE-‘WHO’S JERUSALEM’ +2347034325535:- “Thank you for a job well done on the issue of ‘Who’s Jerusalem?’ Yes I missed the part one but two and three which I have followed carefully changed my mentality. God bless you. We need more of such. How can I get part one”. –Pst. Gift Isiekwe Henry. +2348025565277:- “Sir, I read your article ‘Who’s Jerusalem’ part three. It is highly educative. I would like to read the parts one and two. How do I lay my hands on them? My contact is Mathew.makolo@gmail.com” Online:- “Feeling like I time-traveled back in time. Enjoyed every bit of it. Very insightful. I feel truly enlightened. I pray the people of this region have peace once and for all. Keep the beautiful work coming Sir. We really appreciate your efforts in enlightening us. May Allah increase you in knowledge”. -Buhari Aliyu. Online:- “Mallam, always immersed in the ocean of history. This is truly amazing revelation to those who care to know historical antecedents of the only city that is dear to the trio of Abrahamic religions. Your piece as usual is always refreshingly educating. All those that ‘give’ the right to the Israelis almost always try to portray Israelis as the aboriginal inhabitants of the city. This is just incredible response. …But the way things are today, Israel has annexed Jerusalem and the world has betrayed Palestine. Even Palestinians now accept this sad reality. But we pray one day God will miraculously give them back their land. God bless your pen Sir. Thank you very much sir for giving us this unique update from history”. -Aminu Naganye. Online:- “Well written Sir. It seems this land has been promised to everyone by the cosmic forces, as such the claims. The unfortunate thing is the way some occupiers are doing everything devilishly possible to exterminate the inhabitants of the land simply because they claim it has been promised only them in their scriptures –knowing and disregarding the fact that the same land has been promised the inhabitants in their own scriptures too” -Aso Salisu. Online:- “Very educative and insightful masterpiece indeed! I am educated. Best regards, Sir”. -Ibrahim Ba’ala. Online:- “I did not know this before. Very good indeed. Please keep it up” -Abdullahi Dahiru Jauro. Online:- “Good research!” –Muhammad Ibn Umar. Online:- “Well composed.” –Ibrahim Haruna Ak. Online:- “When will the world settle this rift between brothers and sisters?” –Danjuma Abdullahi. Online:- “Sir, this article is really educating”. -Abubakar Al-Mustapha Online:- “More power to your elbow sir”. -Abdulrahman Yahaya. Online:- “I learnt a lot from this article. May Allah reward you Sir”. -Aboubakar Sadeeqds. Online:- “Thanks for this! Rare education!” -Abubakar Alhaji Ahmed. Online:- “Well researched and articulated” -Muhammad Danyaro Musa. Online:- “Spot on as always” –MT Abubakar Online:- “Thank you for this sir”. –Aliyu Balarabe Online:- “Nice piece bro”. – Aliyu Abba

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Change of Names 18

Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, January 4, 2018

Auchi Fertiliser plant storing products, to start selling in planting season –Obaseki’s aide ÏÏÏThe

WACOT Limited, is part of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative. It is expected to produce 55,000mt of fertiliser yearly and serve farmers in Edo State and its environs. Okojie said the fertiliser blending plant is currently producing and storing products to be used during the planting season, stressing that the plant is not selling fertiliser yet. According to him, “The Auchi Fertiliser plant was commissioned recently by the Vice President. The plant is producing and storing prod-

ucts. I’m sure when it is time to go to the farm, we will have enough fertiliser supplies from the blending plant.” Recall that the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, recently, appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to ensure that fertiliser from the state-owned fertiliser plant in Auchi, is sold directly to farmers in the state and not through middlemen. Alhaji Abdullahi Oshiobugie, Edo North coordinator of AFAN, who said that the farmers were wor-

TAWAKALITU ABOSEDE ADESOKAN

xx MUOKEM OGOCHUKWU MAUREEN

Formerly known and addressed as OMOTOLANI ABOSEDE ADESOKAN, now wish to be known and addressed as TAWAKALITU ABOSEDE ADESOKAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OBIDIKE OGOCHUKWU MAUREEN, now wish to be known and addressed as MUOKEM OGOCHUKWU MAUREEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME/ CORRECTION OF BIRTH DATE

ADEGBOYEGA EMMANUEL ADESUYI

USMAN TIJANI Formerly known and addressed as USMAN SULEMAN, now wish to be known and addressed as USMAN TIJANI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Edo State Government has said that the Auchi Fertiliser and Chemical Company Ltd is producing and storing products which will be available for sale when the planting season commences. Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Agriculture and Food Security Programme, Joe Okojie, disclosed this in a chat with journalists in Benin City. The Auchi Fertiliser and Chemical plant which is run on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model with

Formerly known and addressed as ADEGBOYEGA EMMANUEL, now wish to add ADESUYI to my name. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADEGBOYEGA EMMANUEL ADESUYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

KINGSLCY ANGELA HOHAN Formerly known and addressed as OSAGLE ANGELA HOHAN now wish to be known and addressed as KINGSLCY ANGELA HOHAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

xxMUSA ATTAYI ISAAC

Formerly known and addressed as MUSA ATTAYI ISAA now wish to be known and addressed as MUSA ATTAYI ISAAC. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

DARAMOLA JUSTINA ISIOMA

ADIGUN AYOTOMIWA ABIGAIL

Formerly known and addressed as ADIASOR JUSTINA ISIOMA, now wish to be known and addressed as DARAMOLA JUSTINA ISIOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ABIOLA AYOTOMIWA ABIGAIL, now wish to be known and addressed as ADIGUN AYOTOMIWA ABIGAIL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

NDIMELE VIVIAN NNEOMA (MRS)

xx MRS EKWUEME EMEKA JULIET

I, formerly known and addressed as AZUBUIKE VIVIAN NNEOMA now wish to be known and addressed NDIMELE VIVIAN NNEOMA (MRS) . All Former documents remain valid. EMBASSIES, BANKS and General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Otor Juliet Onome now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ekwueme Emeka Juliet. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHARITY NWAUJU NWAOBILOR I, formerly known and addressed as CHARITY LIGHT JAMES ONYENSO and CHARITY NWAUJU ONYENSO ; now wish to be known and addressed as CHARITY NWAUJU NWAOBILOR. All Former documents remain valid. EMBASSIES; BANKS and General public take note.

IDEM DANIEL EKONG

I, formerly known and addressed as EKONG DANIEL and EKONG IDEM ;now wish to be known and addressed as IDEM DANIEL EKONG . All Former documents remain valid. EMBASSIES; BANKS and General public take note.

My name was wrongly written as BOSE RUTH ADE instead of RUTH EMMANUEL ARCHIBONG. That my correct date of birth is 03.09.1988 and not 30.09.1985. All documents bearing my former names remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

OTITE CHARLES UCHENNA Formerly known and addressed as OTITE SAMUEL UCHENNA, now wish to be known and addressed as OTITE CHARLES UCHENNA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SHAIBU AJA ALI Formerly known and addressed as SHAIBU AJAH OCHOLI now wish to be known and addressed as SHAIBU AJA ALI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. AHMED GRACE OLUWAKEJI

Formerly known and addressed as ADENIYI ABIGAIL GRACE, now wish to be known and addressed as AHMED GRACE OLUWAKEJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MERCY AYANWU (MRS.)

I, formerly known and addressed as MERCY INETANBOR (MISS), now wish to be known, called and addressed as MERCY AYANWU (MRS.). All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AKPAN ESTHER

I, formerly known and addressed as AKPABIO ESTHER, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AKPAN ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ried because they did not want to suffer adverse effects of price inflation by the middlemen. He commended governor Obaseki for ensuring that the Auchi fertiliser plant commenced production fully, and stressed the need for the state government to set up a committee to monitor the movement of fertiliser in the state to avoid diversion.

I, formerly known and addressed as LAWAL NURATU OLUWAKEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as BAKARE NURATU OLUWAKEMI. All former documents bearing my name remain valid. General public and Authorities concerned please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AKINLABI SHERIFAT ADESOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as AYOADE SHERIFAT ADESOLA. All former documents bearing my name remain valid. General public and Authorities concerned please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME My name was wrongly written as AJIBOYE DARE instead of AJIBOYE OLUWADAMILARE DAVID. All documents bearing my former names remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

OYINDAMOLA EMMANUELLA AMOSU

I, formerly known and addressed as OYINDAMOLA EMMANUELLA BOJUWOYE, Now wish to be known and addressed as OYINDAMOLA EMMANUELLA AMOSU. All former documents remain valid. General public/authorities concerned should take note

ONYEMA OBIOMA CYNTHIA I, formerly known and addressed as OSSAI OBIOMA CYNTHIA, now wish to be known and addressed as ONYEMA OBIOMA CYNTHIA. All former documents bearing my name remain valid. General public please take note.

EYITAYO TEMITOPE AYOMIKUN

Formerly known and addressed as IDOWU TEMITOPE AYOMIKUN now wish to be known and addressed as EYITAYO TEMITOPE AYOMIKUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

COMFORT EDET UDO

Formerly known and addressed as COMFORT ETIM DAVID, now wish to be known and addressed as COMFORT EDET UDO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. MRS OLUWATOMI TOLUWALOPE IBIDAPO-OBE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwatomi Toluwalope Akinhanmi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Oluwatomi Toluwalope Ibidapo-Obe . All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

EKEH EDITH ADAKU

I formerly known and addressed as IHEMEGBULEM ADAKU EDITH now wish to be known called and addressed as EKEH EDITH ADAKU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS ROSEMARY NCHEDO ALINNOR OKAFOR

MRS. OLAWORE SAKIRAT TIMILEYIN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rosemary Nchedo Okafor now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Rosemary Nchedo Alinnor Okafor. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS, LAMIDI SAKIRAT TIMILEYIN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. OLAWORE SAKIRAT TIMILEYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME/DATE OF BIRTH

RASAKI SEGUN AKERELE: My name was wrongly quoted as AKERELE RASAQ instead of RASAKI SEGUN AKERELE. My correct date of Birth is 1st of January, 1980 not 1st December 1980 as documented. All former documents bearing my name remain valid. General public and Authorities concerned please take note.

CHANGING OF NAME

xx BASIRAT QUADRI/KADIRI

BOLA OJO

I, formerly known and addressed as EZEOSA OMORUYI, Now wish to be known and addressed as BOLA OJO. All former documents remain valid. General public/ authorities concerned should take note

CHANGING OF NAME

MRS OJO BUKOLA RAMAT

Formerly known and addressed as ISATAYO BASIRAT FUNMILOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as BASIRAT QUADRI/KADIRI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS BELLO BUKOLA RAMAT, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OJO BUKOLA RAMAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OBI EMILY CHIOMA

MRS JOBI HELEN IBIRONKE Formerly known and addressed as MISS SOBANDE HELEN IBIRONKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS JOBI HELEN IBIRONKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OKAGU EMILY CHIOMA, now wish to be known and addressed as OBI EMILY CHIOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to inform the general public that my name was wrongly written as ARIKIBE GEORGINA CHIKA instead of ARIKIBE GEORGINA CHIKASIEME. That my correct name is ARIKIBE GEORGINA CHIKASIEME. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IKEM OLUCHI HOPE FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EKWEGBELI OLUCHI HOPE NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS IKEM OLUCHI HOPE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

MRS ONYEKA-OKOH CHIZOMA CHIKA CATHERINE

OLOWOOKERE OLUWANISOLA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss NNUNYA CHIZOMA CHIKA CATHERINE now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs ONYEKA-OKOH CHIZOMA CHIKA CATHERINE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ABRAHAM OLUWANISOLA INUMIDUN now wish to be known and addressed as OLOWOOKERE OLUWANISOLA INUMIDUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS OGUNBIYI SERAH DAMILOLA

OLADIPUPO KARIMOT ODUNAYO

I formerly known and addressed as MISS SHOBIYE SERAH DAMILOLA now wish to be known called and addressed as MRS OGUNBIYI SERAH DAMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS SOREMEKUN KARIMOT ODUNAYO NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN CALLED AND ADDRESSED AS OLADIPUPO KARIMOT ODUNAYO. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. THAT I WAS BORN ON 09/03/1979. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

CHIBUZO CHIDIEBERE FLORENCE

EMMANUELLA AMBA OBONG-UMOREN

AKIRI ONAJITEME ABIODUN

I, formerly known and addressed as UKANWA CHIDIEBERE FLORENCE and UKANWA CHIDIEBERE FLOLEN ;now wish to be known and addressed as CHIBUZO CHIDIEBERE FLORENCE . All Former documents remain valid. EMBASSIES; BANKS and General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ELLA AMBA OBONGUMOREN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as EMMANUELLA AMBA OBONGUMOREN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as NAJITE AUSTIN AKIRI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AKIRI ONAJITEME ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EGWUATU FRANCIS BEACON OKWUDIRI

I, formerly known and addressed as EGWUATU FRANCIS OKWUDIRI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as EGWUATU FRANCIS BEACON OKWUDIRI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, January 4, 2018

News

Oil exploration, Cleanup: Senator Abe meets with Ogoni leaders Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

ÏÏÏSenator Magnus Ngei

Abe, the representative of the Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has met with leaders of the Ogoni ethnic nationality to discuss issues affecting the resumption of oil exploration in the area and the ongoing clean-up exercise. Briefing newsmen on Wednesday after meeting

with traditional rulers, religious leaders, the academia as well as leaders of KAGOTE, an Ogoni cultural organisation, and the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) on Tuesday at Bera, in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Senator Abe said a committee under the chairmanship of Professor Ben Naanen was set up by the leaders to look into issues affecting the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.

The Senator stated that another committee made up of Ogoni representatives on the Board and Governing Council of HYPREP was mandated to meet with the Minister of Environment to update the people on the progress so far, as well as the financial releases to the Ogoni clean-up exercise. He stated that the committee on oil exploration, headed by Professor Ben Naanen was mandated to come up with a template of

the position of the Ogonis, regarding the issue of oil exploration. Abe, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on FERMA, further stated that the committee was expected to present its report within three weeks. The Senator said: “On the issue of oil exploration in Ogoni a decision was taken that a committee headed by Professor Ben Naanen, comprising five representatives from MOSOP, four from KAGOTE, a represen-

tative of the women, one of the youth, two representatives of the elected representatives in Ogoni, three representatives from the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers should all meet together and then give us a template of what exactly the Ogoni position would be in terms of the issue regarding oil exploration. “The Ogoni people are not against discussing the issue that has to do with that but we are concerned that it be done in an organized, peaceful, and reasonable manner so that the interest of the community is properly factored in. The committee will meet and a report presented to everybody in three weeks.” He also stated that the committee on the clean-

up exercise included two members of the board of trustees, Chief Bebe Okpabe and Dr. Peter Medee: three members of the Governing Council, MOSOP leader, Legborsi Pygbara, Professor Ben Naanen, and Professor Roselyn Konya. He added that a report was expected in three weeks. Abe said: “On the issue of the clean-up the representatives of the Ogoni people who are part of the structure of HYPREP were also mandated to meet with the minister of environment and give us a clear update on the situation of the clean-up particularly as it relates to the finances that has to do with what has been done as far as the clean-up project is concerned and that also will report back in three weeks.”

Bishop Nwokolo urges Nigerian leaders to create conducive encirclement for Nigerians Alphonsu Nweze, Awka

ÏÏÏThe

Minister in Charge, Assemblies of God Church, Rosanwo Aguda Surulere, Rev. Matthew Ubong and others, during the New Year Service in Lagos… on Sunday night.

New Police Commissioner assumes duty in Akwa Ibom Bassey Willie, Uyo

ÏÏÏA new Commissioner

of Police, CP Adeyemi Samuel Ogunjemilusi has assumed duty in Akwa Ibom State with the promised of his command to make the state safest in the country. Mr Ogunjemilusi, a 23rd Commissioner of Police posted to Akwa Ibom State, took over from CP Zabairu Muazu who has been transferred out of the state, he expressed his determination to make the state command under his watch to work with the core principles of the force which are: Integrity, professionalism and quality service delivery. Briefing newsmen at the Police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo on

Wednesday, Ogunjemilusi said, “On board with me as I flew into Akwa Ibom few days ago were several foreigners and Nigerians alike who were basically coming into the state as tourists. I immediately realized the enormous responsibility on the command to ensure safety and security and make the state the first destination of choice for tourists in Nigeria. He said, already, he has reviewed the security architecture of the state and had brainstormed with his principal officers to reposition the command for effective service delivery, while special attention will be paid to the reorganization of the command’s tactical units such as anti-cultism, anti-kidnapping, anti-rob-

bery, state intelligence bureau and quick response squad to effectively combat crimes in the state. The new Police Chief also warn any criminal element in the state that tough time awaits them, because they will pursue the criminals and bring them to justice, while calling on the cooperation of all Akwa Ibom people in exposing criminal elements in their environments for Police to serve them better. He said that due to the jail break at Ikot Ekpene Prison last week, he has dispatched his men to various prison formations and other detention facilities to provide adequate security in those areas, adding that some of the criminals escaped in the jail break have

been re-arrested already. He added that the peace currently enjoyed in the crisis prone areas of Ukanafun, Etim Ekpo and Onna Local Government will be sustained under his watch. Mr. Ogunjemilusi before his deployment to Akwa Ibom State was a Commissioner of Police in charge of welfare at the force headquarters, Abuja; he has also served as a Commissioner of Police in charge of Interpol and in Kogi State respectively. He holds a master’s degree in international law and diplomacy from the University of Lagos and anther master’s degree in public order studies from the University of Leicester, England.

Anglican Bishop on the Niger, Onitsha, Anambra State, Rt. (Rev) Owen Nwokolo, has urged Nigerian leaders to provide conduicive atmosphere for Nigerians especially the youths to free their boundless energies. Rev. Dr. Nwokolo, who made this call in his new year message, also challenged Nigerian leaders to make the country a happy place for the citizens to live, saying that Nigerian leaders were responsible for the death of Nigerian youths in Sahara desert and Atlantic Ocean as well as their enslavement in North African Countries especially Libya. He said “Our leaders should make Nigeria a happy place to live. We are pushing our youths to slavery. Our leaders should create conducive environment for our young people. Our schools should produce employable graduates. Our leaders should provide basic infrastructure. They should provide jobs for our youths”. The Bishop lamented that the leadership at the federal level has for the past three years been fighting corruption and insecurity, but unfortunately, these vices

are still with us, apparently because those who claimed that they were engaged in the fight were not sincere. He also decried the persistent delay in the passage of budget and its poor implementation, which he said, has become part our national life. “We ask our leaders to be prudent in the management of our resources. They should be transparency in fighting corruption. Our judiciary should stop endless court cases. Justice delayed is justice denied. We all should be conscientious in our work and duties. We should co-operate with our leaders to build our nation.” Declaring the year 2018 a year of victory, Bishop Nwokolo, said God will bring our pains to pass even as we commit the year into God’s hands. He said” God is the Lord of years. He is the Lord in ages past and the Lord in the years to come. Plan your years and God will bless your plans. God will bless it for you, direct your parts. Plan ahead and with commitment, God will bring it to pass. It is a year of victory. God will bring our plans to pass. Commit all your years in God’s hands and he will see you through”.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

EDEH AFAMEFUNA CHRISTIAN DANIEL EDEH: I formerly known and addressed as EDEH AFAMEFUNA DANIEL now wish to be known and addressed as EDEH AFAMEFUNA CHRISTIAN DANIEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

MRS OSSAI HARRIET NDIDIAMAKA EYA: I formerly known and addressed as MISS EYA HARRIET NDIDIAMAKA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OSSAI HARRIET NDIDIAMAKA. All former documents remain valid. PPSMB, Banks and General public should please take note.

OMONIYI TAIWO MOSES

MRS MBANI HELEN NWAKAEGO MBA: I formerly known and addressed as MISS MBA HELEN NWAKAEGO now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MBANI HELEN NWAKAEGO. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EYA IKECHUKWU INNOCENT EYA: I formerly known and addressed as EYA IKECHUKWU IKECHUKWU now wish to be known and addressed as EYA IKECHUKWU INNOCENT. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note. ADEBAYO OLAWUNMI SEGUN

I formerly known and addressed as OMONIYI KEHINDE MOSES now wish to be known and addressed as OMONIYI TAIWO MOSES,all former documents remain valid, general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ADEBAYO OLAWUNMI .O, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEBAYO OLAWUNMI SEGUN,all documents remain valid, general public take note.

SHOAGA OLAYODE IFEOLUWA

MUHAMMED TUNDE OLAYINKA

I formerly known and addressed as BAMISAYE OLAYODE IFEOLUWA now wish to be known and addressed as SHOAGA OLAYODE IFEOLUWA,all former documents remain valid, general public take note. MRS. AKINTADE OYEBIMPE TOSIN I was formerly known as MISS OYEWUMI OYEBIMPE TOSIN now wish to be known as MRS. AKINTADE OYEBIMPE TOSIN. Due to marriage . Former document remains valid. GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE

MUSTAPHA RIDWAN AJIBOLA . I formerly known and addressed as MUSTAPHA RILIWANULLAHI ATANDA and MUSTAPHA RIDWAN OLAWALE now I wish to be known and addressed as MUSTAPHA RIDWAN AJIBOLA.All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME: In some of my documents including my International Passport my name was wrongly written as IDOKO GODWIN EKENE instead of IDOKO GODWIN JERRY . I was born on 08/07/1992 not 05/07/1988.All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

AHMED VICTORIA OLUWATOYIN

OKONKWO CHINEDU ONYEDIKACHUKWU.

PRECIOUS: I formerly known and addressed as MISS PRECIOUS CHIDERA EZIDI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS PRECIOUS CHIDERA ONYEBUCHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OKONKWOR: I formerly known and addressed as CHINEDU OKONKWOR now wish to be known and addressed as OKONKWO CHINEDU ONYEDIKACHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

OBAYEMI FUNMI ADUFE

MRS TAIWO MARIAM IYABODE.

IGWE: I formerly known and addressed as IGWE CHRISTIANA ADAEZE now wish to be known and addressed as IGWE CHRISTIE ADAEZE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

UGHANZE: I formerly known and addressed as UGHANZE FAVOUR AMAKA now wish to be known and addressed as UGHANZE AMAKA EUPHEMIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OKOROAFOR VIVIAN CHIDINMA

MRS ADELAJA ALABA VICTORIA

OKOROAFOR: I formerly known and addressed as OKOROAFOR VIVIAN now wish to be known and addressed as OKOROAFOR VIVIAN CHIDINMA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ADELAJA BUKKY ALABA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS ADELAJA ALABA VICTORIA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC NOTE.

ISHOLA JANET TITILAYO

BENARD BLESSING CHIZOBA

EDEH MONICA NWANNEKA.

TEJUOSO MOSHOOD MOSES

Formerly known and addressed as Ben Blessing Chizoba Now wish to be known and addressed as Benard Blessing Chizoba And My Correct Date Of Birth Is 03 05 1981, First Bank. Access Bank And The Public To Note

I, formerly known as IGBODIKE MONICA NWANNEKA, now wish to be known and addressed as EDEH MONICA NWANNEKA. Former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Tejuoso Olanrewaju Moses NOW WHICH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS TEJUOSO MOSHOOD MOSES ALL FORMAL DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GE NERAL PUBLIC NOTE

I formerly known and addressed as OLOWOLAFE JANET TITILAYO now wiah to be known and addressed as ISHOLA JANET TITILAYO,all documents remain valid, general public take note.

FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS AROYEWU OLATUNJU ADUFE NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OBAYEMI FUNMI ADUFE,ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC NOTE

FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MISS OWOLABI MARIAM IYABO NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS TAIWO MARIAM IYABODE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE

MRS. CHIKEZIE JIMBRASS ARREY

ESTHER EDET ETIM

Formerly Umaru Audu, Now Umar Abdulahi. Former document remains valid. General public note.

I, formally known and addressed as Tina Edet Aniekan , now wish to be known and addressed as Esther Edet Etim. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

OSUJI NEWMAN UZOMA

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

MRS. NNAJI CHIKA LOVETH

ENABULELE BOSE VICTORY.

AJAYI TOLULOPE SEUN

I formerly known and addressed as Osuji Anselem Uzoma now wish to be known and addressed as Osuji Newman Uzoma ,all documents remain valid, general public take note

This Is To Confirm That The Names Jemimah O. Iwenofu, Iwenofu Jemimah Omelebere, And Iwenofu Jemimah O. Refers To One And The Same Person. But Now Wish To Be Known As Iwenofu Jemimah Omelebere. All Former Documents Remain Valid. The Public Take Note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ODUH CHIKA LOVETH, now wish to be known and address as MRS. NNAJI CHIKA LOVETH. All former documents remain valid. General public Should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as IGBINOSA BOSE VICTORY, now wish to be known and addressed as ENABULELE BOSE VICTORY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

1. I formerly known and addressed as AKINWANDE TOLULOPE SEUN now I wish to be known and addressed as AJAYI TOLULOPE SEUN .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note

OLAYELEMI OLAMIKUNLE INNOCENT

LEMOMU IBRAHIM ABUBAKAR GBOLADE

MRS FAITH ATEMESERIBA OKWUADIDO

BARTHOLOMEW ANAJA ADEJOH

ADDITION OF NAME:

I formerly known and addressed as NALIMI ANAJA now I wish to be known and addressed as BARTHOLOMEW ANAJA ADEJOH .All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public to please take note.

In some of my documents my name was written as WADA YAKUBU now I wish to add DAN to my name henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as WADA YAKUBU DAN .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as .RAYMOND OLAWALE. now wish to be known and addressed as MUHAMMED TUNDE OLAYINKA. all former documents remain valid, general public should please note.

I formerly known and addressed as OLAYELE KUNLE TOSIN now I wish to be known and addressed as OLAYELEMI OLAMIKUNLE INNOCENT. I was born on 07/02/1990.All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

UMAR ABDULAHI.

. I formerly known and addressed as IBRAHIM ABUBAKAR GBOLADE now I wish to be known and addressed as LEMOMU IBRAHIM ABUBAKAR GBOLADE .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as FAITH ATEMESERIBA ONOKPISE and FAITH ATEMESERIBA OKOGBA now I wish to be known and addressed as MRS FAITH ATEMESERIBA OKWUADIDO . This is due to marriage.All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

Formerly MISS BESONG JIMBRASS ARREY now MRS. CHIKEZIE JIMBRASS ARREY . Former document remains valid. General public should take note.

CHUKWU JULIE OGADINMA

CORRECTION OF NAME:

IYIAZE CHINYERE AUGUSTA

GLLAD EFFY UKO_IMA.

MOJOYIN OLAITAN ABIODUN

I formerly known and addressed as CHUKWU JULIANAH now I wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWU JULIE OGADINMA .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

In some of my documents my name was wrongly written as PEACE CALISTA BENJAMIN instead of UGBAJA PEACE NZUBECHUKWU . I was born on 12/07/1999 not 19/07/1999. My phone No is 08170275596 not 081644178200.All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as NWAOGU CHINYERE AUGUSTA , now wish to be known and addressed as IYIAZE CHINYERE AUGUSTA. All formerly document remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Joy Glad Nneke . Now wish to be known and addressed as Gllad Effy Uko_Ima. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly knwn and addressed as Mojoyinola O. Abiodun now wish to be known and addressed as Mojoyin Olaitan Abiodun. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

BASHIRU FASANMI BASIT

BASHIRU SANNI ALIYA AYOMIDE

OLUWAPELUMI.

GEORGE SUCCESS OGOCHUKWU.

MORDI FESTUS IFEANYCHUKWU I, formerly known and addressed as, MORDI FESTUS IFEANYI, now wish to be known and addressed as, MORDI FESTUS IFEANYCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I formerly known as DADA TOSIN wish to be known and addressed as DADA OLUWATOSIN PETER. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

MRS PRECIOUS CHIDERA ONYEBUCHI

BADA SONIA OMOLARA,

I formerly known and addressed as Fasanmi Basit Oluwapelumi, now wish to be known and addressed as Bashiru Fasanmi Basit Oluwapelumi. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

DADA OLUWATOSIN PETER

UGHANZE AMAKA EUPHEMIA.

Formerly ANIMASHAUN SHALEWA OMOBOWALE, NoW BADA SONIA OMOLARA, FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAINS VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

I formerly known and addressed as NNADEDE VICTORIA OLUWATOYIN , now wish to be known and addressed as AHMED VICTORIA OLUWATOYIN . All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, NGILA SUCCESS OGOCHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as, GEORGE SUCCESS OGOCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

IGWE CHRISTIE ADAEZE

21 Change of Name

BLESSING CHIDINMA PATRICK IGBERAESE I formerly known as AGHAOGU BLESSING CHIDINMA wish to be known and addressed as BLESSING CHIDINMA PATRICK IGBERAESE. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

MRS. OGBONNA SYBIL AMARACHI

OGECHI BLESSING NWAEZE

I formerly known and addressed as Sanni Aliya Ayomide, now wish to be known and addressed as Bashiru Sanni Aliya Ayomide . All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as NNANDO SANDRA IFEOMA , now wish to be known and addressed as ENUHA SANDRA IFEOMA. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. AHANEKU SYBIL AMARACHI, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. OGBONNA SYBIL AMARACHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, OGECHI BLESSING ONONUJU, now wish to be known and addressed as, OGECHI BLESSING NWAEZE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MRS. EZEMA FAVOUR ODINAKACHI.

MRS. OLIHA UGOCHI ADURE

FAPOHUNDA FOLAKEMI ABIOLA

ODUDE OLAMILEKAN

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. IWUALA FAVOUR ODINAKACHI, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. EZEMA FAVOUR ODINAKACHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MISS. ZENIATU OCHUWA KADIRI. I formerly known as MRS. ZENIATU OCHUWA MOMODU wish to be known and addressed as MISS. ZENIATU OCHUWA KADIRI. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

ENUHA SANDRA IFEOMA

I formerly known and addressed as FAPOHUNDU FOLA ABIOLA and FAPOUNDA ABIOLA FOLA SEYIFUNMI now wish to be known and addressed as FAPOHUNDA FOLAKEMI ABIOLA . All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MAJEMITE SAMSON ESE now wish to be known and addressed as ODUDE OLAMILEKAN. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

CYRIL EZIASHI NDIKANWU.

MRS. ELSA OMOZELE OGAREE

ALI NWAMAKA KEOLISEYENUM

I formerly known as Cyril Oscar Ndikanwu wish to be known and addressed as Cyril Eziashi Ndikanwu. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

I formerly known as Ms. Elsa Omozele Osara, Now wish to be known and called henceforth as Mrs. Elsa Omozele Ogaree. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as IKATULE NWAMAKA KEOLISEYENUM now wish to be known called and addressed as ALI NWAMAKA KEOLISEYENUM. All former documents remain valid. University of Lagos and the general public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. OSUAGWU UGOCHI ADURE, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. OLIHA UGOCHI ADURE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Change of Name 22

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

MRS NWANGUMA CHINONYEREM ESTHER

AKINDE SUWEBAT ABOSEDE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MISS OGBUOKIRI LESLIEANN GINIKANWA, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS ONYEAMA LESLIEANN GINIKANWA . ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. BANKS AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MISS UGOCHUKWU CHINONYEREM ESTHER, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS NWANGUMA CHINONYEREM ESTHER . ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known and addressed as MUSTAPHA SUWEBAT ABOSEDE, now wish to be known and addressed as AKINDE SUWEBAT ABOSEDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mabel Ovo Irimisose wished to be known and addressed as Mrs Mabel Ovo Kanu. General public take note. Former documents remained valid

AKHATOR PRINCE EDWARD

MRS. NWAIGWE CHINWE GENEVIVE I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MISS ANYANWU CHINWE GENEVIVE, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. NWAIGWE CHINWE GENEVIVE . ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

HAJARAT ARIKE OLUWATOYIN FOLABI-YUSUFF.

MRS KUDEHINBU DOYINSOLA MOTUNRAYO

MRS ONYEAMA LESLIEANN GINIKANWA

I, formerly known as JOHN PRINCE EDWARD, now wish to be known and addressed as AKHATOR PRINCE EDWARD. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BEDROCK SALVATION MINISTRY This is to inform the general public that the above named ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied matters Act 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) NNABUIHE, JULUS EKWUGHA- PRESIDENT (2) NNABUIHE, MERCY ELEBECHI -SECRETARY AIMS & OBJECTIVES: (1) TO PREACH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST TO ALL NATION (2) TO REDEEM LOST SOULS BACK TO GOD (3) TO HELP THE POOR PEOPLE IN THE SOCIETY Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. SIGNED NNABUIHE, JULUS EKWUGHA- PRESIDENT

I, Formerly known and addressed as Hajarat Oluwatoyin Kunle-Lawal, now to be known as Hajarat Arike Oluwatoyin Folabi-Yusuff. All former documents remain valid Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and General public take note

MRS MABEL OVO KANU.

I Formerly known called and addressed as Miss Adedoyin Doyinsola Motunrayo,now wish to be known and called addressed as MRS KUDEHINBU DOYINSOLA MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid and general public should please take note

ORAEKIE JOSEPH OKECHUKWU

EZE SARAH FAVOUR.

ABADA: I formerly known and addressed as ABADA JOSEPH now wish to be known and addressed as ORAEKIE JOSEPH OKECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EZE: I formerly known and addressed as EZE IFEOMA FAVOUR now wish to be known and addressed as EZE SARAH FAVOUR. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

ISAAC ONYEOZIRI ABRAHAM

AGBO ONYEBUCHI EMMANUEL

AMARACHUKWU: I formerly known and addressed as AMARACHUKWU ISAAC ABRAHAM now wish to be known and addressed as ISAAC ONYEOZIRI ABRAHAM. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

OZIOKO: I formerly known and addressed as OZIOKO EMMANUEL ONYEBUCHI now wish to be known and addressed as AGBO ONYEBUCHI EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

UDEH CHINWEOKWU GERTRUDE

CHUKWUEMEKA CHIEMERIE PETER.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

SAMUEL TIMI CLEMENT

THIS IS TO CONFIRM THAT ONYEKWERE GODWILL AND ONYENKWERE CHINAGOROM GODSWILL, IS ONE AND THE SAME PERSON. MY CORRECT DATE OF BIRTH IS 3rd JUNE 1996 AND NOT 1st JANUARY 1992 AS WAS WRONGLY WRITTEN. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. BANKS AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

I Formerly known and addressed as SAMUEL TIMMY SMITH,now wish to be known and addressed as SAMUEL TIMI CLEMENT.Former documents remain valid general public please take note

NDUKAUBA: I formerly known and addressed as NDUKAUBA CHINWEOKWU GERTRUDE now wish to be known and addressed as UDEH CHINWEOKWU GERTRUDE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHUKWUEMEKA: I formerly known and addressed as CHUKWUEMEKA CHIEMERIE now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUEMEKA CHIEMERIE PETER. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

MR. ADIKWU ENOCH

CORRECTION OF NAME:

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ADIKWU ISREAL IKO, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MR. ADIKWU ENOCH . ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. BANKS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

This is to inform and notify that the FIRSTBANK NIG PLC/NSITF that in some of my document(s)I have my name was written as STEPHEN JOE, but now I want to add UDOFIA to appear. Now wish to be known and addressed as UDOFIA JOE STEPHEN. General public should please take note.

KAFFO-BENEDICT TEMITOPE ARINOLA

CHIZOBA EKENE MBONU. This is to certify that CHIZOBA TONIA MBONU and CHIZOBA EKENE MBONU is one and the same person now wish to be known as CHIZOBA EKENE MBONU. former documents remain valid .general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Balogun Temitope Arinola now wish to be known and addressed as KAFFO-BENEDICT TEMITOPE ARINOLA. General public please take note

EVERLASTING HILL OF GLORY REPENTANCE MISSION

QUICK MESSAGE BIBLE CHURCH

CEDAR OLIVE GOSPEL CHURCH

This is to inform the general public that the above named ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) JAMES, GODWIN ELIJAH--PRESIDENT (2) MOSES, MARY GIFT-SECRETARY DONATUS, MICHAEL

THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) EMMANUEL, OBINNA--PRESIDENT (2) OBINNA, BEAUTY-SECRETARY

THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) PST AKPAN, UDEME --PRESIDENT (2) WOKO, CONSTANCE --SECRETARY (3) UDEME, JOSEPHINE OLU

AIMS & OBJECTIVES: (1) TO PREACH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST TO ALL NATION (2) TO PREPARE BELIEVERS TOWARDS THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (3) TO REDEEM THE LOST SOULS BACK TO GOD Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,no Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. Signed JAMES, GODWIN ELIJAH - PRESIDENT

Signed PST AKPAN, UDEME -PRESIDENT

SIMEON OLAWALE ADELABU FOUNDATION

MINDFARM DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.

WORLD WIDE INTERCESSORY PRAYER MINISTRY, BETHEL HOUSE The General public is hereby notified that the above named MINISTRY has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters 1990.

Trustees are : 1. ADEOLA FOWOTADE 2. OLUWADAMILOLA AFOLAKEMI BABALOLA 3. ETANA JOY JAIYEOLA 4. OLUDUYILEMI OLATOKUNBO FAGBAMIGBE

THE TRUSTEES ARE:(1) Rev. Olabiyi Edward Olusoji (Chairman) (2) Pastor Mrs. Olabiyi Funmilayo (Vice Chairman) (3) DNS. Ogundiran Florence (4 ) Elder Oyelami Claudius ( 5 ) Mr. Olabiyi Samuel Damilare

FAMILY CHANGE OF SURNAME

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE IS :To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and intercede for the whole world. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama District, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication

The General public is hereby notified that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE:1, OLAEGBE EMMANUEL BABATUNDE 2, LADAPO ABOSEDE AINA 3, AKPAN MARY-ANNE OLAJUMOKE 4, ADEJUMO ADESOLA JOSEPH THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:1.To assist less privilege in our society 2. To give humanitarian services. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama District, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication

SIGNED BY: SECRETARY

FAMILY CHANGE OF NAME

BROKEN VESSELS FOUNDATION

We formerly known and addressed as: LEONARD IBENYENWA ANIKPO SYLVESTER NWACHUKWUDILIOHA ANIKPO BENARDINE MADUEZICHUKWU ANIKPO IGNATIUS OKWUNWANNEDIMMA ANIKPO MISS EZEH KOSOLUCHUKWU HOPE

We formerly known and addressed as: NDIWE ZACHARY CHIDIEBERE NDIWE PATIENCE NGOZI NDIWE JOEL NKWACHI NDIWE DANIEL ONYECHIGOZIRI NDIWE CHIMKA DORA NDIWE JOSHUA NNAMDI UDOLISA

Now wish to be known and addressed as: LEONARD IBENYENWA KENECHUKWU SYLVESTER NWACHUKWUDILIOHA KENECHUKWU BENARDINE MADUEZICHUKWU KENECHUKWU IGNATIUS OKWUNWANNEDIMMA KENECHUWKU MRS KENECHUKWU KOSOLUCHUKWU HOPE

Now wish to be known and addressed as: EZEBUBE ZACHARY CHIDIEBERE EZEBUBE PRECIOUS NGOZI EZEBUBE JOEL NKWACHI EZEBUBE DANIEL ONYECHIGOZIRI EZEBUBE CHIMKA DORA EZEBUBE JOSHUA UDO

All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed EMMANUEL, OBINNA -PRESIDENT

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts of 1990.

Aims : 1.To create a program that advances youth education initiative towards the development of an enlightened society 2.To promote, empower and support youth development in areas of education and social issues. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitaima, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. Signed: Trustees

AIMS & OBJECTIVES: (1) TO PREACH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST TO ALL NATION (2) TO PREPARE BELIEVERS TOWARDS THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (3) TO REDEEM THE LOST SOULS BACK TO GOD

All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

The General public is hereby notified that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. AZIKE RITA ONUAWUCHI 2. FRANK ENEH OBINNA 3. DR. AZIKE EMMANUEL NELSON THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE IS :TO RENDER HUMANITARIAN SERVICES Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama District, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication Signed by:- SECRETARY

Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, January 4, 2018

SEED WORD CHRIST ASSEMBLY THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION AS AN INCORPORATED TRUSTEE UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, CAP. C-20, LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, 2004. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1). APOSTLE WHITE DAVID ESSIEN PRESIDENT 2) KANU EMEHKA KINGSLEY SECRETARY 3). WHITE BLESSING 4). OKEDU CHINASA NAOMI AIMS AND OBJECTIVES I). TO TAKE THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION OF OUR LORD JESUS TO ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD AND TO BRING SOULS INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST II). TO DELIVER PEOPLE FROM DARKNESS AND THE BONDAGE OF SIN, SICKNESS, POVERTY AND EVERY SATANIC OPPRESSION AND MANIPULATION III). TO PROMOTE RELIGIOUS HARMONY IV). THE PROMOTING OF HOLINESS AS A WAY OF CHRISTIAN LIVING V). THE QUEST FOR SALVATION AS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS IN DAILY LIFE ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: PRESIDENT

LIFE ABUNDANT CHURCH OF GOD THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990. TRUSTEES: (1)TOKULA THEOPHILUS ONUKWUOJO (2)THEOPHILUS IBEOJO COMFORT (3) JOHN IDA EBILOMA (4) ABU JOSHUA OJODALE (5) ABDUL GODWIN AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (1) TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST (2) TO EVANGELIZE AND PROMOTE THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND ADHERENCE TO THE TEACHING AND EXAMPLE JESUS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

AMAKOM COMMITTEE OF FRIENDS (CTC APPLICATION) THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED FOR CERTIFIED TRUE COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE (CTC) NO CAC/IT/NO. 20109 WHICH GOT LOST AND WAS DULLY REPORTED TO POLICE STATION. ALL EFFORT TO GET IT BACK HAS PROVED ABORTIVE. THEREFORE, THE ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR THE CTC OF THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR, GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

GLORIOUS END TIME PENTECOSTAL POWERS CHURCH

23 Companies Registration HIS GLORY ECCLESIA ASSEMBLY WORLDWIDE

CENT DYNAMITE FRIENDS CLUB OF NIGERIA

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. PST GUZOROCHI REGINALD NGOZI (PRESIDENT) 2. AMARACHI RUTH NGOZI (SECRETARY) 3. MR DAVID OGBUAGU

TRUSTEES: (1) OKAFOR CHINEDU GODWIN - CHAIRMAN. (2) MADUIKE PETER CHINEDU - SECRETARY. (3) UGWU DENNIS OSITA.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD WORLDWIDE

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO ENHANCE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE APOSTOLIC EVANGELISTIC MINISTRY

DIVINE INTERVENTION OUTREACH INT’L

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION AS AN INCORPORATED TRUSTEE UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, CAP. C-20, LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, 2004.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1). EVANG OKOJAJA IDASIPIRI PRESIDENT 2) MERCY JAJA SECRETARY 3). OSIKA JONATHAN MICHAEL WARIBOKO 4) ISRAEL JOHN MOOSEBH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: I). TO TAKE THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION OF OUR LORD JESUS TO ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD AND TO BRING SOULS INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST II). TO DELIVER PEOPLE FROM DARKNESS AND THE BONDAGE OF SIN, SICKNESS, POVERTY AND EVERY SATANIC OPPRESSION AND MANIPULATION III). TO PROMOTE RELIGIOUS HARMONY IV). THE PROMOTING OF HOLINESS AS A WAY OF CHRISTIAN LIVING V). THE QUEST FOR SALVATION AS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS IN DAILY LIFE

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1). PASTOR WOY YIRUPE PRESIDENT 2) PASTOR WOY IBIEMUGH SECRETARY 3). BELEMA PETER SUNDAY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES I). TO TAKE THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION OF OUR LORD JESUS TO ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD AND TO BRING SOULS INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST II). TO DELIVER PEOPLE FROM DARKNESS AND THE BONDAGE OF SIN, SICKNESS, POVERTY AND EVERY SATANIC OPPRESSION AND MANIPULATION III). TO PROMOTE RELIGIOUS HARMONY IV). THE PROMOTING OF HOLINESS AS A WAY OF CHRISTIAN LIVING V). THE QUEST FOR SALVATION AS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS IN DAILY LIFE

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: PRESIDENT

THE FAMOUS EASTERN RISING STARS CLUB OF NIGERIA THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

SIGNED: PRESIDENT

EAGLES ON THE ROCK ASSEMBLY

TRUSTEES: 1. UZU DONATUS SUNDAY (CHAIRMAN); 2. OKONKWO CHUKWUEBUKA SAMUEL (SECRETARY); 3. IFEJIRIKA CHIKA EMMANUEL; 4. ONWURAH ANTHONY UGOCHUKWU; 5. NWOLA OSITA MARTIN (MEMBERS) AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF MEMBERS; 2. TO ENSURE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS; 3. TO RENDER ASSISTANCE TO MEMBERS; 4. TO PROMOTE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT OF MEMBERS ETC

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990 TRUSTEES: (1) PASTOR IWOBA PAUL CHINWEOBA (2) MRS PAUL ANTONIA CHIOMA (3) MR. IKEM PATRICK NNALUE (4) PASTOR ATTAH TRIUMPHANT CHARLES (5) MRS. ACHIGBUE MARY. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (1) TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. (2) TO EVANGELIZE AND PROMOTE THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND ADHERENCE TO THE TEACHING AND EXAMPLE JESUS.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

OLAMIDE’S HELPING HANDS INITIATIVE

CULTURAL FESTIVAL FOR PEACE AND UNITY INITIATIVE

TRUSTEES: 1. PST EMMANUEL ODE IHIE CHAIRMAN 2. AKPOCHI FIDELIX SECRETARY 3. EVAGELIST PATRICK ONAH ABAH 4. OGABOR MARTINS 5. IJI RAPHAEL AGI 6. HELEN OHEJI ODE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO THE WHOLE WORLD

TRUSTEES: 1. AKANBI OKUNLOLA 2. AYODELE AKANBI OLADIPO 3.AKANBI ADENIKE SHERIFAT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE AND CARE FOR WIDOWS, THE ELDERLY, THE LESS PRIVILEGED AND ORPHANS 2. TO PROMOTE SKILL ACQUISITION AMONGST THE WIDOWS, THE LESS PRIVILEGED AND THE ORPHANS.

TRUSTEES: 1. KINGSLEY NWARU - CHAIRMAN 2. LIKKO AL-BASHIR LAWAL - VICE CHAIRMAN 3. ADEGBOYEGA TAIWO - SECRETARY 4. OGECHI NJOKU - MEMBER 5. EMMANUEL MELA - MEMBER AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PROMOTE PEACE AND UNITY AMONG DIVERSE CULTURES.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SINGED: JACOBS U. BLESSING (BARR) 08073777229

SIGNED: SECRETARY

ALL CHRISTIAN REVIVAL CENTRAL CHURCH

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORM THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, DECREE NO. 1 OF 1990.

REALM OF ANSWERS CHURCH INT’L

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. UDO-OSOH, GODSWILL INNOCE - PRESIDENT 2. UKANIDEH, PATIENCE PHILIP - SECRETARY 3. UDOH, SOLOMON SYLVESTER 4. UKPONG, UTIBE ANTHONY AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIQGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. EVANG. AKPAN, INICHRIST ASUQUO - PRESIDENT 2. UMOH, IDONGESIT ALEXANDER - SECRETARY

SIGNED: EVANG. AKPAN INICHRIST ASUQUO PRESIDENT

SIGNED: UDO-OSOH, GODSWILL INNOCE PRESIDENT

08184740407

THE SEED OF GOD’S KINGDOM MISSION INTL. THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, DECREE NO. 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. REV PETER ABANG AKAN - GENERAL OVERSEER 2. ELDER CHRISTOPHER EDOSA - CHAIRMAN 3. ELDER CHARLES ONAH OGIDI - SECRETARY. 4. ELDER CHIDI ANYANWU - TREASURER. 5. ELDER NUPE AREDEI KINGDOM - FINANCIAL SECRETARY. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IN IT’S FULLNESS TO THE PEOPLE OF ALL LANDS 2. TO ESTABLISH CHURCHES AND TO UNDERTAKE MISSIONARY WORKS 3. TO PREACH AND TEACH THE IMPORTANCE OF DAILY LIVING IN CHRISTIAN LIFE ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: TRUSTEES.

Companies Registration 24 MORNING STAR GOSPEL ASSEMBLY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSEMBLY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, DECREE NO. 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR EZEKIEL ARCHIBONG UDOH -CHAIRMAN. 2. MR. UDEME JOSHUA PETER -SECRETARY. 3. MRS. ANIEDI EZEKIEL ARCHIBONG. 4. MRS. ROSE AKPAN EMAH. 5. MISS EUNICE EZEKIEL ARCHIBONG. 6. PASTOR UDEMEOBONG ARCHIBONG UDOH. 7. BARR. UDEME THOMPSON UMANAH. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO ALL MANNER OF PEOPLE. 2. TO PROVIDE CHARITY TO THE NEEDIES. 3. TO ESTABLISH BIBLE INSTITUTIONS TO AID SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, January 4, 2018

ST. BRIDGET BREN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, DECREE NO. 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. BRENDA IFEOMA MAKO -CHAIRMAN. 2. DANIEL MAKO -VICE CHAIRMAN. 3. EDEM EFIONG ESARA. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO HELP THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN THE SOCIETY. 2. TO DO THE GENERAL WORK OF CHARITY. 3. TO CONNECT DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS ACROSS GLOBE FOR THE BENEFIT OF POOR AND VULNERABLE PERSONS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: UDEME UMANAH ESQ. SOLICITOR.

SIGNED: BRENDA IFEOMA MAKO. CHAIRMAN.

OIL & GAS TRADERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA OGUN-STATE CHAPTER

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LAGOS CLASS OF 2005 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) ALH. BADA, SURAJUDEEN ADEBISI - CHAIRMAN 2. ALH. IBRAHIM, ISSA ADISA 3. ALH. (CHIEF) MUIBIDEEN ADEKUNLE. 4. ALH . SEMIU BADMUS 5. ALH. ADENIJI, MUSEDIQ AKANDE 6. ALH. OLATUNJI OLATUNDE FATAI AIMAND OBJECTIVE: TO FOSTER CLOSER RELATIONSHIP AMONG MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORAATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ABRAHAM ADEBOYE OMOTOSO 2. ABIMBOLA VICTORIA ODUNUSI AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS AMONGST PAST STUDENTS OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LAGOS WITH FOCUS ON 2005 SET 2. TO DEVELOP OUR ALMA MATER BY GIVING BACK TO THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LAGOS THROUGH VARIOUS AVENUES 3. TO SERVE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LAGOS MANAGEMENT BOARD TO RAISE THE STANDARD AND QUALITY OF EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL 4. PROMOTE SKILLS SET FOR CAREER AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS OF THE ALUMNI AND CURRENT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LAGOS STUDENTS 5. TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN A DATABASE OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LAGOS ALUMNI TO ENHANCE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

INSPIRATIONAL GLORIOUS CHURCH INT’L THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORM THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, DECREE NO. 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. APOSTLE UBONG, IMOWO GODFREY - PRESIDENT 2. PST. DAN OFONMBUK SAVIOUR - SECRETARY AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIQGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: APOSTLE UBONG, IMOWO GODFREY PRESIDENT

UNRESERVED WORSHIP CENTRE

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. EFENATOR GIFT ESEOGHENE 2. EFENATOR KEMI VICTORIA 3. FAYEMI JULIET OVONEMO 4. ADESUWA FAITH OJO AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD AMONGST NATION. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

GLOBAL GRACE EVANGELICAL MINISTRY

RADIANT PALACE OF CHRIST INT’L WORSHIP CENTER

THE SUPERNATURAL BELIEVERS INTERDENOMINATIONAL MINISTRY

THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) PASTOR. JAMES ANIEBIET FRIDAY (2) JAMES PRECIOUS (3) UDOM ENOH SAMSON (4) AKPAN OFONIME FRIDAY

THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) REV. FELIX NDIDIKA UWOZIA. (2) REV (MRS) FELIX NNEAMAKA IMMACULATE UWOZIA. (3) REV PHILIP EZE MBAZUIGWE. (4) NJIDEKA CHUKWUKAENYE TANZ.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE SALVATION OF HUMANITY.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST . 2. TO EVANGELISE GOD’S WORD.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990. TRUSTEES ARE: (1)APOSTLE AFOLAYAN MICHAEL OMONIYI (2)PASTOR MRS AFOLAYAN ELIZABETH OLUYEMISI (3) MRS ADEBAYO ABIOLA OLUWATOSIN (4) MR OLAYIMIKA SUNDAY ADEMOLA (5),MR AFOLAYAN AJIBOYE OLUMIDE (6)DEACONESS OLADELE ESTHER MOGBONJUBOLA (7) MR AFOLAYAN EZRA OLUWANIYI AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: PASTOR JAMES ANIEBIET FRIDAY

SIGNED: REV. FELIX NDIDIKA UWOZIA

SIGNED: SECRETARY

UNIVERSAL UPPEROOM CHAMBERS OF TRUTH

MERCY OF GOD CALVARY & RESTORATION MINISTER INTL.

CALVARY HOLINESS REVIVAL CHURCH OF GOD

TRUSTEES ARE 1. PASTOR NWUGO CHRISTIAN CHIMDINDU 2. PASTOR NWUGO MERCY EBERE 3. ENGINEER UWANDU CHRISTOPHER CHUKWUEMEKA AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

TRUSTEES: 1) REV CHIDI OGBONNA CHAIRMAN 2) MRS REBECCA OGBONNA – SECRETARY 3) ELDER BAKUNGA BALA MUSA - MEMBER. 4) MRS OKIKE NHOZI PATIENCE - MEMBER AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. BARTHLOMEW ENYINNA ALOZIE . 2. VICTORIA CHIZOBA WORLU . 3. JAMES OCHIGBO. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES; 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO WIN SOULS FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: BARTHLOMEW ENYINNA ALOZIE

RARE GEMS FOR CHRIST INT’L MINISTRY

CHRIST LOVE FOR ALL NATION WORSHIP CENTRE

GOD’S DIVINE FAVOUR PROPHETIC INT MINISTRY

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. EVANG. ORLU AMARACHI 2. PST. MIKE ANYANWU 3. ORLU PRINCEWILL NKEM AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

TRUSTEES ARE 1. PASTOR ALOGWA THANKGOD 2. PASTOR MRS LOVE THANKGOD 3. SIS EGWUMAH JOY GABRIEL AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. APOSTLE PRINCE UDECHUKWU EJIKEME 2. UDECHUCKWU STELLA NKECHINYERE 3. NNANNA MONICA AMAKA AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

SIGNED: SECRETARY

Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, January 4, 2018

OLANREWAJU NINALOWO LEKKI 1 RESIDENTS NIGERIA LIMITED 27, OLANREWAJU NINALOWO CRESENT, LEKKI PHASE 1, LAGOS

NOTICE OF FINAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, PURSUANT TO SECTION 468 OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, THAT THE FINAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE ABOVENAMED COMPANY WILL BE HELD AT 27, OLANREWAJU NINALOWO CRESENT, LEKKI PHASE 1, LAGOS ON THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2018 AT 10 A.M FOR THE PURPOSE OF LAYING BEFORE THE MEMBERS THE STATEMENT OF AFFAIRS, DEALINGS AND CONDUCT OF THE WINDING UP OF THE COMPANY, AND AN EXPLANATION OF THE LIQUIDATOR’S ACCOUNT OF THE WINDING UP AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING AND, IF THOUGHT FIT, PASSING THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION: THAT THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS OF THE COMPANY AND THE EXPLANATION OF THE DEALINGS AND CONDUCT OF THE WINDING-UP AS PRESENTED BY THE LIQUIDATOR, EBIMOBOWEI JIKENGHAN IS HEREBY APPROVED; DATED THIS 15TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2017

EBIMOBOWEI JIKENGHAN LIQUIDATOR

CITY OF FAVOUR APOSTOLIC GRACE MINISTRY THIS IS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PART “C” ACT OF 1990. TRUSTEES: 1. PASTOR NONYE CHIGOROM ZACKS. 2. SISTER BLESSING ZACKS. 3. BRO BEN EZENWA. 4. SISTER CONSTANCE EZENWANNE. 5. SISTER ADAOBI ANYANSI. 6. DEACONESS JUSTINA OKAFOR. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGES SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: JOHN SAMUEL OPEYEMI ESQ 07017040083.

ELOHIM SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN FAMILY INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY THIS IS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PART “C” ACT OF 1990. TRUSTEES : 1. BISHOP NOAH AUDU EDIBO =CHAIRMAN, 2 .PASTOR SIMON ABIMAJE. SUNDAY=. SECRETARY: 3. .MRS CECILIA AKOR 4. MR JOHN MUSA 5. ODINIYA JEREMIAH. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PREACH AND TEACH THE FULL GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO RAISE SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN FAMILIES THROUGH THE WORK OF MINISTRY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGES SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR.FAVOUR EJEMBI.

THE GREATER GLORY TERBANACLE OF GOD INT’L MINISTRY THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) WOSU BEN NWOBUEZE - GENERAL OVERSEER (2) JOSEPHINE THOMAS PEDROA (3) WOSU ENDURANCE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO REDEEM LOST SOULS BACK TO GOD. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: WOSU BEN NWOBUEZE (GENERAL OVERSEER)

FINGER OF EL SHADAI MINISTRY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, DECREE NO. 1 OF 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1.PROPHET MUSA EZEKIEL MALLA. 2. EVANG. EZEKIEL DORCAS MUSA. 3. OGOSU EVELYN. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD. 2. TO WIN SOULS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: PROPHET MUSA EZEKIEL MALLA

25 Companies Registration I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS FAGBULU SEUNFUNMI JOSHUA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS FAGBULU JOSHUA OLUWASEUN. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

OLORUNFEMI ADEBOLA FOLASHADE I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEBAYO ADEBOLA FOLASHADE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLORUNFEMI ADEBOLA FOLASHADE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note..

EMANUEL MADUGU

AKIOTU EBI HELEN

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS NAPGANG MADUGU NOW I WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EMANUEL MADUGU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS IBRAHIM HELEN EBI NOW WISH TO BE ADDRESSED AS AKIOTU EBI HELEN. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

FAGBULU JOSHUA

VICTORIOUS APOSTOLIC FAITH AND PRAYER MINISTRY

LOSS OF LAND DOCUMENT This is to inform the General Public of the loss of Land Document belonging to Mr.Mark.I.Ozurumba,Covering Landed Property at Olonko,Umungasi,Osusu Ngwa-Ukwu, Isialangwa North Local Government Area, Abia State. Any Person with useful information on this Land Document should Call or Contact: The Advertiser on the following Numbers: 08167763708 , 08037203726. THE TRUTH OF CHRIST GREAT COMMISSION MINISTRY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PART “C” ACT OF 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. PASTOR OKUSANYA DAVID OLUSEGUN. 2. EVANG (MRS) OKUSANYA MARY OLUKEMI. 3. ELDER OGINNI LAWRENCE. 4. BRO OSIBA DANIEL OLUWADAMILARE. 5. BRO AYODELE ROTIMI. 6. SISTER IGE CAROLINE OLARENWAJU. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

TRUSTEES: 1. PASTOR GABRIEL OLU BALERO - GENERAL OVERSEER 2. EVANGELIST JANET FUNMILAYO BALERO 3. BRO BOLA FAGBEMI 4. BRO ADEBAYO ADEWALE 5. BRO STEPHEN ADENIRAN 6. SISTER DASOLA MAKINDE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGES SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: JOHN SAMUEL OPEYEMI ESQ 07017040083.

OGBIYA J MARTINS FOUNDATION

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGES SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: JOHN SAMUEL OPEYEMI ESQ 07017040083

PHILADELPHIA MOUNTAIN OF DELIVERANCE MINISTRY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PART “C” ACT OF 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. OGBIYA JOSEPH MARTINS - CHAIRMAN. 2. MISS PEREMONBOERE DERBIE MARTINS. 3. MRS JANET AYAERE MARTINS. 4. MASTER EYERINMENE BENEDICT MARTINS. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO CARE FOR THE UNDER PRIVILEGED AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGE. 2. TO CARE FOR NEEDY AND ORPHANAGES. 3. TO ASSIST IN SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS. 4. FOR ECONOMY EMPOWERMENT.

TRUSTEES: 1. PROPHETESS JULIANA S M AJELESON. 2. SISTER FUNMILAYO MOMOH. 3. BRO ABRAHAM IORHEMEN. 4. SISTER EUNICE SHABA. 5. BRO PETER ISAAC. 6. SISTER MERCY UTSER. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST

ZION CITY OF PRAISE GOSPEL CHURCH INT’L

THIS IS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PART “C” ACT OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. OGUCHE ATTAH EMMANUEL 2. OLUWATOYIN VICTORY OGUCHE 3. SUSAN EBERECHUCWU CHIGBU 4. CELESTINA NIFA GODWIN AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

PUBLIC NOTICE LOSS OF RECEIPT I MR ISREAL OLA SHEBA OF BLOCK 88 FLAT 1 LOW COST HOUSING ESTATE IPONRI SURULERE, THAT I AM THE LAWFUL OWNER OF THE LAND SITUATED ALONG WESTERN AVENUE IPONRI SURULERE. THAT THE RECEIPT ISSUED TO ME BY FORMER BAALE RAIMI OF IPONRI SURULERE FOR THE LAND GOT MISSING IN TRANSIT . GENERAL PUBLIC AND AUTHORITIES CONCERN SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

THE CITY OF TRUTH COVENANT CHURCH IT/NO:88649 THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REMOVING, RETAINING AND APPOINTING OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART ‘’C’’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1999 OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ETTANG O. BASSEY - REMOVED 2. LILLIAN ESHIET - REMOVED 3. ELDER JAMES E. OBOK - RETAINED 4. MICHAEL SUNDAY - RETAINED 5. MARY AKON ABON-ABASI - REMOVED 6. BARR. SYLVIA OBUKUYE - REMOVED NEWLY APPOINTED TRUSTEES ARE:1. MR ONYEKACHI EBUH 2. MR PATRICK AKPAN IBANGA 3. MRS. EKAETE SUNDAY EMMANUEL 4. BARR. UFORO AMBROSE UMOH (SECRETARY) AIMS REMAINS THE SAME ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGES SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

COVENANT ALTER OF GRACE MINISTRY INT’L THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR ISAAC B. R. ADAMPE 2. WOPARA OMASIRICHI 3. NEEUE GABRIEL Z. 4. ADAMPEE REUBEN KRELO 5. WOPARA FAITH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO REDEEM LOST SOULS BACK TO CHRIST ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: PASTOR ISAAC B. R. ADAMPE

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Health

Dry Season: Nigerians urged to guard against meningitis outbreak Stories by Angela Onwuzoo The dry season often comes with some health challenges. According to experts, dry season brings about outbreak of certain types of diseases. These include meningitis , catarrh, cough, sunburn , conjunctivitis , stomach ailments , skin diseases like heat rashes and rabies . The dust of the dry season can also trigger asthma and bronchitis attacks. To effectively defeat the health challenges of the season especially menigitis,Nigerians are advised to take and adhere to preventive measures in order to stay healthy this season. Based on the number of deaths recorded in 2017, there is need for Nigerians to be adequately prepared against meningitis in particular. According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) is an acute inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and the spinal cord. It is a very serious infection that can sometimes lead to

mouth with a disposable tissue when sneezing, coughing, or blowing the nose and disposing used tissues promptly into a waste bin. droplets when such as turning the head away from people coughing and sneezing. quently especially after coughing or sneezing. you notice anyone with symptoms of CSM. available

Health workers

fatal consequences. CSM remains a major public health challenge in the African meningitis belt, with 26 States in Nigeria within this belt. Large outbreaks can occur during the dry season (i.e November through May). CSM is contagious and can be

transmitted through tiny droplets of respiratory secretions from an infected person, during close contact such as coughing or sneezing. The disease is more common among persons aged less than 15 years and deaths are higher among untreated cases.

Signs and symptoms include sudden high fever, loss of appetite, stiff neck, severe headache, sensitivity to light, difficulty concentrating, and convulsions. CSM can be prevented by: es and ensuring adequate ventilation in the home.

precautions at all times: i.e. wearing gloves, while handling patients or providing care to an ill relative. During epidemics, reactive vaccination campaigns can be used to prevent the spread of the disease. It is important to report to a health facility immediately if you experience any of the signs or symptoms listed above. Early presentation to a health facility and treatment, increases chances of survival.

Experts propose ways to improving lives of persons with disabilities To reduce the sufferings of Nigerians living with one form of disability or the other, experts,have called on the federal government to as a matter of urgency, establish National Rehabilation Centre in each of the six geo-political zones of the country. The experts said having such centres in place, would help peoeple living with disability resulting from stroke,head and spinal cord injuries,heart attack,polio,road traffic accident,degenerative disorders,among others, access adequate specialist care from experts in the field of rehabilitation. Besides helping people with disabilityto lead a normal and productive life,the experts also believe that the centres would accelerate the development of rehabilitation medicine in Nigeria which is currently lacking. One of the experts and Registrar/CEO, Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board (MRTB) of Nigeria,Mrs. Olufunke Akanle,said the establishment of rehabilitation cen-

tres was long overdue in Nigeria especially at the community level, giving the large number of Nigerians living with disability. According to figures released during the 2016 International Day of Persons Living with Disabilities (IDPLWDs),19 million Nigerians live with at least one form of disability or the other. The MRTB of Nigeria was established in 2004 to regulate and control the training and practice of seve progessions in the health sector namely;Physi otherapy,Occupational Therspy, Speech Therapy, Chiropractic and OesteopathicMedicine,Aud iology,Prosthethics and Orthotics As a way forward, Akanle said the Board is organising her first international conference in alignment with the World Health Organisation(WHO) action plan for 2014-2021. Speaking in Lagos recently, Akanle said according to WHO Global Disability Action Plan 2014-2021,diability is a global public health and human right issue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is so because through-

Persons living with disability

out their life course,they encounter wide spread barriers in acessing health and related services and have worse health outcomrs than people withouy disability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The MRTB as an organisation with vesyrd ontetest in solving rehabilitaion challrnges passionately takrs thrse facts as sumbmitted by WHO,as disturbing anf seeks to provide

the solutions by formulating remedial actions to make the care of patients living with disabilitybetter in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;?,she explained. She argued that disability should not deny anyone access to good things of life, hence, the need for inclusion plocies that would cater for their needs and make rehabilitation services readily avialable and affordable

to them. According to her, there is need to strategically plan towrads the implementatipn of WHO 2014-2021 Action plan for disability in Sub-Saharan Africa and to develop policies and regualtions tp drive disability and rehabilitation services in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. She thereforr, called for multidisciplinary relationship with all the medical rehabilitation professionals in Nigeria,Africa and across the globe. In his remarks. C h a i r m a n , C o m m u n i c at i o n Committee of the conference and Senior Lecturer,Department of Physiotherapy,College of Medicine,University of Lagos,Dr.Udoka Okafor, called for investment in rehabiliation care and equipment used in the managing people living with disability in the country. a Consiltant Audiologist, government should champion the establishment of rehabilitation centres in the six geopolitical for early detection of hearing,speech and visual problems in order to bring about better outcomes.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

27 Health

Laboratory scientists seek robust medical lab services, accreditation Stories by Angela Onwuzoo The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), says there is need to ensure that the quality of medical laboratory services are improved upon, to strengthen health care delivery services. Alhaji Toyosi Raheem, National President, AMLSN, said that the quality of laboratory results impacted positively on diagnosis of health conditions, which consolidates quality healthcare services. Raheem spoke at a symposium of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) in collaboration with Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) Chapter, Lagos. The theme was: ``Funding for Accreditation Process in Medical Diagnostic and Research Laboratories in Nigeria’’. Raheem said: ``The quality of a clinical establishment depends on the competences and qualities of its medical laboratories. `` If you have a giant hospital with a deficient laboratory, that hospital will be performing below optimal expectation. ``When the quality of laboratories is enhanced, it facilitates quality diagnosis of patients, whether people that are sick or those out to check their health status. ``So, once you have a very good laboratory in a health institution, the quality of service of such institutions will be outstanding,’’ he said. According to him, the essence of the gathering is for laboratory scientists to look at all the procedures and processes needed to ensure that the qualities of laboratory results are improved upon. Also, Mrs. Maureen Aniedobe, Chairperson, AMLSN NIMR Chapter, said: ``A major aim of this gathering is to update ourselves academically, to deliberate on the present happenings in the industry. ``We also have to reposition ourselves to play our roles as laboratories scientists and there are certain decisions to be taken.’’ According to Aniedobe, the association is also seeking accreditation and funding. ``Funding has been an issue for accreditation and that is why funding is the theme of today’s programme. ``To attain this accredita-

Medical scientists in the Lab

tion feat, funding is required because quality is expensive; AMLSN NIMR chapter has a five-star status but what remains is the accreditation. ``There is need to eradicate misdiagnosis and once laboratories get accredited, the margin of error is reduced. ``The minimal margin of er-

ror that can be accepted in medical laboratory is one per cent; some people even say it should be zero per cent. ``So, when you do not have those internationally required processes in place, when errors occur, they can go undetected and the effects are grave,’’ she said.

Aniedobe said there were benefits to getting accreditation. ``When you are internationally accredited it means that in any part of the country or outside the country, when your result is generated and presented anywhere in the world, it is accepted.

``This is because there are requirements, audit assessments and conditions to be fulfilled before getting accredited. ``With the accreditation also, doors open; organisations like the WHO will want to collaborate with you because it shows that you are competent,’’ she said. Aniedo called on the Federal Government, NGOs and corporate bodies to partner with laboratories. Earlier in his keynote address, Prof. Monday Useh, a professor of medical parasitology, said that an efficient and operational Total Quality Management (TQM) was the way to obtain accreditation. According to Useh, who is from the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Calabar, Cross-River state, the training processes involved in becoming a medical laboratory scientist sufficiently prepares them to practice ethically. He urged practitioners to put in practice an efficient TQM with emphasis on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS), to generate results which are reliable, accurate, reproducible and cost-effective.

Fish consumption improves kid’s intelligence A new study has revealed that children who eat fish at least once a week get better sleep and have a higher IQ. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania in the report published in MailOnline revealed that omega-3s , the fatty acids in fish, improve kid’ s intelligence and found that those who ate more scored 4.8 points higher on an IQ test than children who said they rarely ate the seafood . Those same children also reported getting a better night ’ s sleep , which previous studies have linked to higher intelligence . The findings they said are the first of its kind that show sleep as the link between fish and heightened intelligence , leading researchers to suggest introducing kids to fish as young as 10 months old to improve overall cognition throughout their lives . The researchers conducted a study on more than 500 children in China aged nine to 11 to learn more about the effects of fish on intelligence and sleep. The participants filled out a questionnaire regarding eating habits and how often they consumed fish ranging from never, seldom to always. They took an

IQ test where researchers then matched those results to the questionnaire . The results published in the Journal Nature showed a distinct association between fish and intelligence as those who reported eating fish more often scored 4.8 points higher than those who rarely eat the seafood Children who said they sometimes eat fish scored 3 .31 points higher than those who ‘ seldom ’ or ‘ never’ consumed it . The parents of the children in the study were also asked to submit a questionnaire regarding their child ’ s sleep quality . The length of sleep , frequency of napping and tiredness were included in the survey .Increased fish consumption was linked to fewer disturbances of sleep, supporting the notion that omega-3s promote better overall sleep quality . Previous research has shown that the omega-3 s found in fish have health benefits that can lower blood pressure, slow the development of plaque in arteries reducing the risk of heart attack and can improve sleep. Other studies have also associated fish to improved cognitive function . However, this is the first study that has linked

Fishes

the fatty acids to better quality that can lead to higher intelligence . The study author Prof Adrian Raine said : “ Lack of sleep is associated with antisocial behavior and poor cognition is associated with antisocial behaviour . We have found that omega-3 supplements reduce antisocial behaviour, so it is not too surprising that fish is behind this.” The researchers therefore

encouraged parents to expose their children, as young as 10 months old, to fish as long as it does not have bones in order for them to grow a liking to the flavor and texture . “Doing that could be a lot easier than nudging children about going to bed . If the fish improves sleep, great … If it also improves cognitive performance like we have seen here , even better. It ’ s a double hit . ’ Raine added.

D C c t c r i

28 News

Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, January 4, 2018

Police arrest man with 114 bags of Indian hemp in Ogun Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta

ÏÏÏThe Ogun State Com-

Some of the Arewa youths during a youth summit for Igbo presidency in Arondizuogu, Imo State ... on Wednesday

Atiku condemns killings in Rivers, Kaduna, Benue

Myke Uzendu, Abuja

ÏÏÏFormer vice president

and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has described as unacceptable the cycle of blood-letting that has led to the loss of precious lives across the country. Atiku Abubakar made the charge against the backdrop of recent killings in Rivers, Kaduna, Benue and other parts of the country including the Wednesday early morning suicide bombing

attack, at Gamboru Mosque in Borno, barely three days into the New Year. The Wazirin Adamawa, according to a statement by his media office in Abuja on Wednesday, said the killings in those states, and other senseless killings and reprisal blood-letting that has preceded them in the past across our country is ungodly, a throwback to the stone age, and a hindrance to the promotion of peace and unity in the country. Atiku Abubakar stressed

that the diversity of Nigeria remains one of its strongest points, reminding leaders of all persuasion and at all levels to ensure that they promote the things that unite us rather than those that create divisions. “That the Almighty in His Wisdom made us a nation of different tongues and tribes; made us Africa’s most populous nation with more than 300 tribes is no accident. If well enhanced, our diversity should be our biggest strength. “There cannot be develop-

ment when innocent lives are being lost in a seeming endless cycle of attacks and reprisals. While we should hold every life as precious, it is more painful that the victims of these attacks are women and youths – the demography that we depend upon to drive development.” Atiku Abubakar urged Nigerians to use the opportunity of the New Year to reflect on these needless killings and to resolve to live in peace and harmony. He prays for fortitude to the bereaved families.

Review licenses of electricity firms, lawmaker tells FG Charles Onyekwere, Abakaliki

ÏÏÏA passionate appeal

has gone to the Federal Government to urgently review the licenses granted to Electricity Distribution Companies in the country, particularly the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), and immediate withdrawal or cancellation of the licenses of incompetent DISCOs. A federal lawmaker, Representing Afikpo North/ Afikpo South Federal Constituency, Idu Igarewey made the call during a Town Hall meeting with his Constituents in Ukpa Town Hall in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi state.

The lawmaker while absolving the state and federal governments of any blame, laid the cup at the door of EEDC which he described as incompetent and incapable of providing quality service to the people. “We should lay the blame where it is. For today, government is no longer responsible for the distribution of power; it has gone to private hands. In our own case it is EEDC. So, if something has gone to a private hand and if that person is not providing the service, then that person should be held responsible. So nobody should hold government responsible, whether state or federal government, the proper person to hold re-

sponsible is EEDC”. “The point I want to make about EEDC is that they lack the capacity to do the job, they are completely out of their depths, they have been unable to invest in infrastructure and I am very sure they must have deceived government into giving them a licence. They are completely incompetent and I see it as a systemic problem with the company. “I am recommending that the federal government should review the licenses granted to distribution companies. I am not making a blanket condemnation of all of them; some of them are quite responsible. I do my work in Abuja and I think that Abuja Distribution Com-

pany is quite responsible. “When you review you see the good and bad aspect of what you are reviewing and that is what I am recommending. The federal government should review the discos to see those that cannot go on with this business”. The Lawmaker who expressed outrage at the poor power supply to his constituency lamented that many small and medium scale businesses in the area have closed down due to the poor power supply to the area. He noted that the situation has also led to loss of hundreds of jobs by the youths and further worsening the unemployment and economic situation of the people.

mand of Nigeria Police Force have arrested one Noah Olaore with one Hundred and fourteen bags of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp. The suspect was arrested on the 29th of December 2017, in front of M.K.O Abiola Stadium Abeokuta. In a release issued in Abeokuta by the Command Public Relations Officer Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the arrest of the suspect followed information received by men of Federal Anti Robbery Squad that some hoodlums who are specialized in importing hard drug from Benin Republic into Ogun State are on their

way to Abeokuta. “Upon the information, a team of FSARS operatives led by Inspector Adeyemi Akeem were detailed to go after the hoodlums and they accosted them in front of M.K.O Abiola Stadium where the suspect was arrested with the exhibits”. “Further investigation led the Police to Igbo-Ora in Oyo State where more bags of the weeds were recovered which made the total bags of Indian hemp recovered to be One hundred and fourteen”. “The Commissioner of Police Cp Ahmed Iliyasu has ordered a full scale investigation into the case with the view of arresting other members of the syndicate”, the release stated.

20 days in office: LG boss flags-off multiple rural road projects in Nsukka Moses Oyediran, Enugu

ÏÏÏThe growth of any econ-

omy rests on the development of humans, infrastructure and agriculture. Little wonder just in 20 days in office, Chief Patrick Asadu, Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state swiftly moved to flag-off construction of some rural roads to allow easy movement of agricultural products in the area. Omeje, who was sworn in as executive chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area on the 4th of December had while assuming office promised that his administration will aggressively develop the council area. The chairman while recently performing the flag off at one of the road project sites said the projects would be completed by the first quarter of 2018. “We promised during our campaign to carryout road constructions, we are here to fulfil that promise. It is clear that we have come to do things differently from the way our predecessors did theirs. “We will stop at nothing at ensuring that our people are happy”, he said. He noted that the council would move to other parts of Nsukka after completing the ongoing projects. “We have other projects to be done in the eastern and southern parts of Nsukka council area; we are focusing in the central and by mid January when we must have completed the roads. We will then move to other zones”, he said. In an interview with newsmen, Omeje said the project was a private partnership arrangements. “The arrangements were made possible because of the confidence the people has for this administration. “The trust of the people in

this administration made the contractors to move to site even without receiving mobilization fee from the council”, he added. The roads awarded for construction included: A 12.6 km Edem ring road, 9km Lejja linking Aku, Akpugo Eze in Nkanu, Aku in Igbo- Etiti local government area and Ede Oballa community, Umukashi, Echera Saint Theresa, Tectonics road and 10 km Nru, Ede Oballa, Eha Alumona, Eha Ndiagu road. In a reaction, a stakeholder in the area, Engr. Edwin Ajibo who spoke on behalf of the community said had remained in disrepair for decades while successive administrations pay no attention until the present administration of Chief Omeje who within 20 days of his assumption of office came to our rescue. At various communities visited there was jubilation and shouts of praises for the council chairman whom they all refer to as Okaigbo. Ajibo noted that Edem community has the largest population in the council and have suffered untold hardship. “The chairman of the council has proved that he came ameliorate the sufferings of his people”, he said. Also at Lejja Community, Hon. Enerst Ogwo said the area lacked accessible road since after the civil war. He said that the arrival of Patrick Omeje ( Okai n’ Igbo of Nsukka) would remain indelible in the minds of the community for the evergreen project in the annals of history of the council. Equally, the Town Union President of Nru autonomous community Chief Donatus Chiweaku said the community would remain grateful to the council chairman for deeming it fit to consider rehabilitating their road.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Thursday, January 4, 2018

EXTRATIME

NFF urged to settle players’ bonuses ahead of CHAN 2018

ome football enthusiasts in Ebonyi on Friday in Abakaliki urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to ensure the settlement of all bonus issues regarding the home-based Super Eagles before Jan. 13. The home-based Super Eagles team is participating in the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Morocco scheduled for Jan. 13 to Feb. 4.

The Eagles are in Group C alongside Rwanda, Libya and Equatorial Guinea, with their first match on Jan. 15 against Rwanda. The football enthusiasts, in separate interviews with NAN, also suggested some ways of achieving a credible outing for the team at the competition which would be staged in four Moroccan cities. Emmanuel Utobo, Director of Sports in Ebonyi, noted that the issue of bonuses and

other motivational packages should be settled immediately to avoid distractions during the competition. “The NFF should hold a meeting with the team’s representatives to sort all contending issues, just like it did with the Super Eagles during its recent friendly match in Russia. “History has shown that the greatest cause of Nigeria’s dismal outings in major football events is bonus rows, and the NFF

must curb this ugly trend,’’ he said. Supporting this assertion, Obumneme Anyaorah, a former goalkeeper, urged the NFF to accord the same attention given to the Super Eagles to the CHAN Eagles. “Nigerians are expecting the team to win the competition since its best outing of a bronze medal finish in South Africa 2014. “Winning the competition will place the Eagles in a good stead before ‘Russia 2018’

2018 will be glorious year – Pinnick

Eagles line up

Russia 2018: We expect more commitments from Eagles- NFF

ohammed Sanusi, the General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), says the federation expects more commitment from the Super Eagles when they campaign at the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup. Sanusi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday that the football body expects nothing short of this from the team. “What we expect from them is what they have been doing before, which is being committed to the job. “They have shown a lot of commitment, revealing that they are ready to die for their country and that is why God assisted us to qualify for the World Cup with a match at hand. “They have demonstrated that trust and commitment, showing that money is not everything. “Even when the money was not there, they played without asking, not to talk of when there is money available. “We are now hopeful that they will deliver at the bigger stage in Russia,’’ he said. The NFF official also lauded the players for their dedication to the country. Nigeria, who became the first African country to qualify for the 32-team mundial with a game to spare, is pitched in Group D alongside familiar foes Argentina, Iceland and Croatia.

resident of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick has expressed the satisfaction of the federation with on-field and off-field results for Nigerian football in the outgoing year while expressing conviction that the year 2018 will bring forth more honours and even greater global recognition for the Nigerian game. In the year 2017, the Super Eagles qualified for the Fifa World Cup finals with a match to spare from a so called ‘Group of Death’, the Eagles B qualified for the African Nations Championship starting in Morocco in a fortnight and the U20 and U17 girls swept aside opposition to reach the final round of qualification for their respective Fifa Women’s World Cup finals taking place in 2018. Off the field, a string of victories in the boardroom has given Nigerian football a louder voice in international football politics and; a number of worthwhile sponsorship deals with corporate organisations have greatly reduced the financial burden on the nation’s supreme football ruling body. “Largely, it has been an excellent year, on and off the field. The bookmakers, analysts and football fans all over the world thought we were going to find it difficult in our World Cup qualifying group, but we made it to Russia with a match to spare. Now, we have already kick started the preparations to the finals with a landmark agreement with the team on funds and renewal of the technical adviser’s contract to keep him fully focused on the job. “Like the World Cup, qualification for the CHAN was also down to hard work and focus. We are ready to work even harder and focus much more ardently on our objectives in the year 2018, because we want to win the CHAN and achieve our best ever outing at the Fifa World Cup,” Pinnick told thenff.com at the weekend. The Caf executive committee member and member of the organising committee for Fifa competitions also revealed that big plans are afoot for the women’s game.

Rohr

Stephen Odey hopes to become next George Weah Rohr

witzerland-based Stephen Odey on Friday said George Weah’ feat of becoming the President of Liberia is a good source of motivation for many other footballers. The former player of MFM Football Club of Lagos, who is now with FC Zurich, said he hoped to become the next George Weah. Weah was on Friday announced the new President of Liberia, after winning the run-off poll in the country’s presidential election. The former Liberian national captain was a footballer who turned out for several top-flight European clubsides, including Paris St-Germain (PSG) of France and AC Milan of Italy. He is the only African footballer to have won both the FIFA World Player of the Year award and the prestigious Ballon D’Or.

Amaju

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

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CEO of the Year - Nnamdi Okonkwo Ï j Ɔ Ƅ Ɗƈ ƓƈƖ ƏƗ Ɛ 0ƈƗƆƋƈƐƕ Ɗ

ÏÏÏ hen the history of

Nigeria’s highly competitive banking industry is written, one bank whose place in history cannot be glossed over is Fidelity Bank Plc. The entry of Fidelity as it is popularly called by its numerous customers both in Nigeria and elsewhere across the world, though gradual, has grown like the oak tree, stamping its unique authority and statement on the Nigerian, business (banking) terrain. With a chain of branch networks spread across the country, Fidelity has today emerged as one of investors’ brides- emerging to its ecstatic stakeholders and an envy of its peers. Indeed, the human factor played a key role in its recent growth. The emergence of the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, who, with a strong finance background combined this potential to effectively manage the bank’s human and material resources together, attest to this giant stride. Okonkwo is being assisted by equally highly cerebral and professional top shot, like Muhammed Balarade, Deputy Managing Director, among others. Today, the young man, in spite of the vicissitude of life he had faced in the course of this tasking job, is popularly described as a banking wizard. Okonkwo is not one to be carried away by his long list of achievements. He remained committed to growing the bank, its customer base, bouquet of products offering and its customer base. He knows he is in a race to win when he was appointed as the helmsman of the bank. As an uncommon go-getter, today, observers can say confidently that he has redefined Nigerian banking industry. Yet, he remained undaunted. A peep into Fidelity Bank’s inroad into the Nigerian banking sector will suffice here. Fidelity Bank, also known as Fidelity Bank Plc., is a commercial bank in Nigeria. It is licensed as a commercial bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria, and national banking regulator. In 2011, the bank was ranked the 7th most capitalized bank in Nigeria, the 25th most capitalized bank on the African continent. As of December 2013, Fidelity Bank Plc. was a large financial services pro-

vider in Nigeria with total assets estimated at over US$6.318billion (NGN:1+ trillion), and shareholders’ equity in excess of US$1 billion (NGN:158 billion). This has since increased. At that time, the bank served 2.3 million customers at about 239 business offices nationally. The bank currently has over 400,000 diverse shareholders. It was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in May 2005 and has consistently paid dividends annually since its listing. As of June 2016, according to BGL Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc had a market capitalisation of NGN:37,072,109,685.76. Fidelity Bank of Nigeria was incorporated in the year 1987; and began its operations in 1988. It initially started with a Merchant Banking licence, with the objective of positively impacting on the Nigerian economy through participation and contribution to the growth of the Nigerian economy with the provision of quality and timely financial services. The bank converted to a commercial bank in the year 1999 in an attempt to grow, as a private limited company and became a Public Limited Company also in August, 1999. It rebranded to Fidelity Bank Plc that year. It secured its Universal Banking License in February 2001 and also obtained its International Banking Licence in the year 2011. Fidelity Bank of Nigeria has grown to a stable banking institution. During the 2005 Nigeria Banking consolidation, Fidelity Bank acquired FSB International Bank Plc (FSB) and Manny Bank Plc to become one of the top financially stabled banks in Nigeria. Fidelity Bank currently has presence in all the states and major cities in Nigeria. Over the years, the bank has been reputed for its financial stability. Fidelity continues to rank among Nigeria’s most capitalized banks, with tier-one capital of nearly USD1 billion (One Billion US Dollars). The bank maintains a large network of interconnected branches in all Nigerian states and major cities in Nigeria. It has a wholly owned bank subsidiary in Ghana. Fidelity Bank actively has imbibed its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a core function of its banking services. It established the Fidelity Helping Hands Programme, where

RƊ ƊƓ its area of focus is education, the environment and the health and social welfare. It has over the years actively engaged and supported through its CSR, activities aimed at improving its area of focus through the Fidelity Helping Hands Programme. The bank is today ranked amongst the top 10 in the Nigerian banking industry, with presence in the major cities and commercial centres of Nigeria. Over the years, the bank has been reputed for integrity and professionalism. It is also respected for the quality and stability of its management. Fidelity staff are also respected in the Nigerian banking industry for the quality of training they receive on the job, as well as in good business schools both in Nigeria and Overseas. The Management is particular about the quality of people that join the system. To qualify as a member of Team Fidelity, a candidate is expected to possess three vital statistics, with the acronym TAC: Talent (an innate mental aptitude), Ambition (a desire to succeed); Character (a total quality of integrity which will guide the talent and ambition to productive ends). The Management is focused on building and maintaining a virile and

well-respected brand that caters to the needs of its growing corporate, commercial and consumer banking clientele. For this purpose, the bank is leveraging its pedigree in investment banking (Fidelity was a merchant bank for 11 years) and its structures and service offerings for a retail populace. Fidelity Bank also enjoys the respect and partnership of a network of off-shore institutions with which it has correspondent banking, confirmation lines, credit and other relationships. These include, ANZ London, Afreximbank, Cairo, Egypt, ABSA South Africa, Commerce Bank, Frankfurt, Citibank, N.A. London and New York, FBN Bank, UK Ltd, SCB, London, US Exim Bank, USAID, etc. The bank’s core vision is, “To be number one in every market we serve and for every branded product we offer.; while its core mission is, “To make financial services easy and accessible to our customers”. Only recently, Okonkwo’s Midas touch in Fidelity saw it being honoured at the nation’s capital market Foe example, in November last year, Fidelity Bank Plc emerged the best performing stock in percentage terms on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

In fact data sourced from the NSE for the period under review showed that the stock increased by 35.53 per cent to close at N2.06 per share in contrast with the month’s opening price of N1.52. As part of its robust strategy to remain competitive, the bank’s bouquet of promos came to its rescue. For example, as part of deliberate efforts to change the face of service and create total customer experience in the financial services industry, Fidelity Bank has deployed a ground- breaking and innovative solution for the collection of internally generated revenue (IGR) in Lagos State. Working in conjunction with the Lagos State Government, Fidelity Bank developed the tax collection/ payment solution via its Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel (*770#). The solution, which is first of its kind in the industry, is in response to some of the challenges faced in making tax payments and remittances to Lagos State Government. Fidelity Bank has, over the years, positioned itself as a key player in the Nigeria’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) across Federal and State mandates. The Bank successfully deployed easy and conve-

nient payment solutions in Anambra, Abia, Imo, Kano and Sokoto states through Point of Sale (PoS) Terminal Tax Collections, Automated Electronic Motor Vehicle Licence, Land Registry Automation Processes and web payment platforms. Again , through its well known promo, Get Alert in Millions reloaded, the bank has continued to soar in operations and performance. Fidelity Bank Plc splashed N19million to 13 of its customers in the second monthly draw of “Get Alert in Million Reloaded” promo in various regions of the country. Okonkwo, the bank’s managing director, speaking at the promo draw in Lagos, said the initiative was the seventh in the series of promos organised by the bank to reward customers for their unflinching loyalty and patronage. Okonkwo said the promo tagged ‘Get Alert In Millions Promo Reloaded’ was in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) financial inclusion policy. He said the promotion was introduced to raise requisite awareness on the need for Nigerians to imbibe savings culture. The bank also has a collection of awards to its credit. Fidelity is a full-fledged commercial bank operating in Nigeria with over 3.8 million customers who are serviced across its 240 offices and various digital banking channels. The bank is focused on select niche corporate banking sectors, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and is rapidly implementing a digital based retail banking strategy which has resulted in the following over the last three and half years; a 93 per cent growth in savings deposits, 50 percent customer enrollment on debit cards and 30 percent of its customers now using its flagship mobile/internet banking products. Fidelity Bank recently released its Audited H1 2017 results, which showed a remarkable improvement on all indices with Gross Earnings increasing by 22 percent to N86billion, Expenses declining by 2 per cent to N31 billion and Profit Before Tax (PBT) increasing by 67 percent to N10bn. All these are the result of disciplined execution of the bank’s mid-term strategy. No doubt, for Fidelity Bank, the sky is the beginning of its continuous record performance.

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

NASS, stakeholders extend local content to construction, power sectors Page B3

Naira slips against pound, euro at parallel market

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Researchers, policymakers meet in Tanzania to discuss cassava agronomyPage B7

Page B6

We distribute over 1.3 billion litres of petroleum products – NNPC

cial products totaling 50.67 million litres. The report also indicated that within the same period, 1.512.02 lion and eight six thousand) liA breakdown of the volume of 137.34 million litres of Diesel. billion litres of petrol was supBy Idu Jude Abuja tres of white products across the white products injected into the Total sale of white products for plied into the country through Direct-Sale-Direct-Purchase system shows that the 1.352.86 the period October 2016 to Oc- the The Nigerian Na- country in October, 2017. Details of the transactions billion litres of products sold tober 2017 stood at 16.18 billion (DSDP) arrangements as against tional Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through its contained in the October 2017 and distributed by PPMC within litres, petrol amounted to 14.11 the 886.46million litres supplied in Downstream subsidiary, the edition of the Monthly NNPC the period is slightly higher than billion litres and accounts for September 2017. It also noted that the petroleum Petroleum Products Marketing Operations and Financial Re- the 1.282.61 billion litres for Sep- 87.22%; while total special products for October 2017 was 114.49 products (petrol & kerosene only) Company (PPMC), said that it port also indicated that 252.83 tember 2017. production by the domestic refinThis comprised of 1.119.79 million litres, comprising of had sold and distributed a total billion cubic feet of gas was supof 1.352.86 billion (one billion plied in the country within the billion litres of petrol, 95.72 63.82 million litres of Low Pour eries in October 2017 amounted to million litres of kerosene and Fuel Oil (LPFO) and other spe- 204.31 million litres compared to three hundred and fifty two mil- period. 87.47 million litres in September 2017. In terms of gas supply and production, the report which is the 27th in the series noted that out of the 252.83 BCF of gas supplied in October 2017, a total of 145.03 BCF of gas was commercialized, comprising of 35.41 BCF and 109.62 BCF for the domestic and export market respectively. This translates to an average daily supply of 1,142.15 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscfd) to the domestic market and 3,536.11 mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market. About 3,136.19 mmscfd or 88.69 per cent of the export gas was sent to Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) Bonny for October 2017 compared with the period (October 2016 to October 2017) average of 3,066.29 mmscfd or 91.90% of the export gas. Also, out of the 1,142.15 mmscfd of gas supplied to the domestic market in October 2017, about 716.28 mmscfd of gas, representing 62.71 per cent was used for Gas-Fired power plants while the balance of 425.87 mmscfd or 37.29 per cent was supplied to other industries. This implies that 57.36 per cent of the average daily gas produced was commercialized while the balance of 42.64 per cent was re-injected, used L-R: Head of Savings, Fidelity Bank Plc, Janet Nnabuko; Regional Bank Head (RBH), Victoria Island, Fidelity Bank Plc, Chinwe Iloghalu; Winner of N2 million at the 2nd monthly draw, Samuel Oruchalu and his four lovely children; Divisional Head, Retail Banking, Fidelity Bank Plc, Richard Madiebo; at the second prize presentation of the Get Alert In Mil- as upstream fuel gas or flared.

Ï d ƕ ƎƑƆƑƆ ƒƆ Ɨƈ ƍƍƆ ƏƆƗ Ɛ ƇƈƋƋƈ Ɛ Ɛƈ

lions Promo Reloaded held at the Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki ...recently.

A’ Ibom automated fertiliser blending plant begins this year – Gov Emmanuel Bassey Willie, Uyo Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has said

BUSINESS TIMES Business Editor Ganiyu Obaaro Deputy Business Editor Simon Ugwu Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi Money Market Correspondents Omotolani Oseni

that the state’s automated fertilizer blending plant will commence production on May this year to carter for the growing needs of fertilizer by farmers in the state. The governor announced this yesterday in Uyo during the special inter-denominational solemn assembly organized by the state government to usher in year 2018 and to re-dedicate the statThe governor said, “We decided to established a fertilizer plant in Abak local government area after a formidable team of extension workers was formed to get

feedback on challenges and needs of farmers through their various zones and cells.” The governor thanked God for blessing Akwa Ibom state despite the current economic crisis in the country, saying; his government has since moved to revolutionise agriculture to ensure prosperity and job creation for the youth in the State. He noted that while many states in the Country are struggling to pay their workers salary, Akwa Ibom is counting numbers of local government areas that

live touching projects will be inaugurated soon. The governor however regretted that Akwa Ibom is not enjoying any benefit of being largest producer of the nation’s wealth and called on the Federal Government to consider construction of railway that will link coastal areas in the State. He used the occasion to plead with every Akwa Ibom person to refrain from acts capable of destroying peace and tranquility which people are currently enjoying in the state.

He pronounced more blessings for the people of Akwa Ibom and urged them to have hope and faith in God that things would turn around for the better. The event which has become a yearly ritual in the state, attracted past and serving leaders of the state, Clergymen, Traditional Rulers and political groups among others. The officiating minister at the service, Rev. Uma Ukpai of Uma Ukpai world outreach prayed for the continuous blessings of God on the state and Nigeria in 2018.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

B3 Business News

L-R: Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, First Bank of Nigeria Limited; Adenike and Adesola Adeduntan, MD/CEO, First Bank of Nigeria Limited at the FBNHoldings end of the year celebration tagged An Evening with FBNHoldings at Christmas held in Lagos ...recently

NASS, stakeholders extend local content to construction, power sectors Members of the House of Representatives are collaborating with stakeholders in Power, Construction and Information Communication Technology sectors toward extending the Nigerian Content Act to the three sectors of the economy. The collaboration was firmed up at the recent workshop organized by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for members of the House of Representatives Committee on Local Content, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The consensus at the event was that extending the Act to those key sectors would replicate the achievements recorded in the oil and gas industry through the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act. In his presentation on Operationalising Local Content in the Construction Sector, Chief

Executive Officer, Megastar Construction Company, Mr. Harcourt Adukeh stated that the construction industry could be a key driver of the Federal Government’s economic diversification programme when the prevailing dominance of the industry by international companies is reversed. Adukeh underscored the need to encourage indigenous participation in the construction sector, adding that the industry was a key enabler of ancillary services like financial services, education, retail, real estate and hospitality. Speaking on Local Content in the power sector, Commissioner, Engineering, Performance and Monitoring, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Prof. Frank Okafor, stressed that“no country in the world had grown its power network through the importation of all components and devices. House of Representatives ”He

canvassed for a legislation that would promote deliberate utilization of local human and material resources, goods, and services in the power sector. Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Local Content, Honourable Emmanuel Ekon, in his address, highlighted some of the achievements recorded in the oil and gas industry through the implementation of the Nigerian Content Act. He explained that the planned extension of the Nigerian Content Act to other sectors was in line with the Federal Government’s Executive Order on Patronage of Made in Nigeria Goods. Ekon assured that members of the committee would work with stakeholders in the various sectors to develop a robust Local Content legislation. In his presentation, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote commended the National Assembly for the support they

provide to the Nigerian Content implementation process. He added that the achievements in the oil and gas industry made it imperative that the Nigerian Act should be extended to other key sectors of the economy. According to him, some of the capacities already developed in-country in the oil and gas sector could easily be deployed in other sectors. Speaking further, Wabote informed that the Nigerian oil and gas supply chain is now able to retain$5billion from the annual $20billionspend, a marked departure from the past when almost the whole budget ended up in foreign economies. He added, “today we have two world-class pipe mills and five impressive pipe coating yards. Nigerians control and own 38 percent of marine vessels that are used in the oil and gas industry. Over 30,000 direct jobs have been created on the back of implementing the Act.”

Experts Harps On Safe Handling Of Lubricants, Petrochemical ...Gives Training For 49 NUPENG/Engine Oil Dealers Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin In an efforts to grease the wheel of economic development and safe handing of petrochemical over 49 NUPENG/Engine Oil dealers have received training in Ilorin Speaking at the one day training workshop, the marketing manager of Polar Petrochemical Company, Ilorin, Mr Adekunle Adebisi noted that the training programme shows part of the company’s effort to increase the participants knowledge in petrochemical and allied products He stressed that it is also to ensure that the company do not only produce quality but engages in internationally acceptable products. Mr Adebisi contended that the company will also ensure that the standard and quality are sustained even after the products must have left the factory until it gets to the final consumers. The training which went through theme “Lubricant” the marketing manager stressed that lubricant is a substance used to reduce friction and wear of the surfaces in a contact of the bodies in relative motion. He urged participants to make use of knowledge gained for the betterment of their business for development. He equally asked them to deliver the company’s vision to become an orgsnisation that matters in the society. Present at the workshop are the plant manager, Mr Olajide Adetoyi and Mr Richard Tolowoye, a Senior Manager

AfDB achieves 100% investment in Green Energy Projects in 2017 The African Development Bank achieved a 100% investment in renewable energy in 2017, a major landmark in its commitment to clean energy and efficiency. Power generation projects with a cumulative 1,400 megawatts exclusively from renewables were approved during the year, with plans to increase support for renewable energy projects in 2018 under the New Deal on Energy for Africa. According to Bank President, Akinwumi Adesina, ‘’We are clearly leading on renewable energy. We will help Africa unlock its full

energy potential while developing a balanced energy mix to support industrialization. Our commitment is to ensure 100% climate screening for all Bank-financed projects.’’ The share of renewable energy projects as a portion of the Bank’s portfolio of power generation investments increased from 14% in 2007-2011 to 64% in 20122016. The Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) whose goal is to deliver 300 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy in 2030 and 10 GW by

2020, is now based within the Bank, as requested by African Heads of State and Government. The G7 has promised to commit US$10 billion to support the initiative, which came out of COP21 and subsequently approved by the African Union. On November 8, 2017, the African Bank Group approved its Second Climate Change Action Plan, 20162020 (CCAP2) as a clear message of its commitment to helping African countries mobilize resources to support the implementation of the Intended Nationally De-

termined Contributions of Regional Member Countries, in ways that will not hinder development. The approval of the action plan echoes discussions at COP23 in Bonn, Germany to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global temperature rises to 1.5C. The CCAP2 is designed to incorporate the Bank’s High 5 priorities in the Paris Agreement, the 2030 development agenda, the Bank’s Green Growth Framework

and the lessons learned in the implementation of the first climate change action plan (CCAP1), 2011-2015 As part of its wider mandate under the New Deal on Energy for Africa, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank on December 15, 2017, approved an investment of US $20 million Pan-African clean and sustainable energy private equity fund. The Bank’s investment in Evolution II Fund reflects the High 5 development priorities of the Bank, the agenda

to light up and Power Africa, and the Bank’s commitment to promoting renewable energy and efficiency in Africa. The Evolution II Fund is expected to contribute to green and sustainable growth by creating 2,750 jobs and building on the track record of the Evolution One Fund (which created 1,495 jobs, of which 20% were for women, and generated 838 MW of wind energy and 87MW Solar PV energy). It is estimated that the Evolution One Fund achieved 1,190,469 of Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission savings annually.

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Life Impact Award

Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar

Ï The dynamic royal father with distinction ÏÏÏ Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abuba-

kar III is the 20th Sultan of Sokoto, the titular ruler of Sokoto in northern Nigeria, head of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (Society for the Support of Islam - JNI), and president-general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).As Sultan of Sokoto, he is considered the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s seventy-million Muslims, roughly 50 percent of the nation’s population. Sa’ad Abubakar succeeded his brother, Muhammadu Maccido, who died on ADC Airlines Flight 53, the flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and had been destined for Sokoto. Sa’ad Abubakar is a younger son of the 17th Sultan, Siddiq Abu Bakar dan Usuman, who held the Sultanate for over 50 years. Abubakar is the fifth heir to the two century-old throne founded by his ancestor, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio (1754-1817), leader of the Maliki school of Islam and the Qadiri branch of Sufism. The royal father attended the prestigious Barewa College, Zaria and proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1975 where he was a member of the 18th Regular Course. Abubakar was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1977 and served in the elite Armoured Corps. Abubakar holds important administrative influence in Nigerian religious life. He is the titular ruler of Sokoto in northern Nigeria and is also the head of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. Leadership of this council means that the Sultan of Sokoto remains the only figure that can legitimately claim to speak on behalf of all Nigerian Muslims. This role has become increasingly influential over the years with a rise in interreligious tensions in the country. Sultan Abubakar is one northern leader highly referred for patriotism and oneness of Nigeria devoid of ethnic, tribal or religious colouration. To him, religious tolerance among Nigerians remain the key role of the sultanate because in doing so, other issues like ethnicity and

Sa’ad Abubakar politics will steadily addressed. Former American Secretary of States, John Kerry, during a visit to the Caliphate on August 22, 2016 commended the Sultan for not only preaching religious tolerance but demonstrating it among his followers. He said that the US Government would always be ready to give its support to the Sultan in his various moves to ensure religious tolerance in the country. Kerry said that the Sultanate Council

was building a community of tolerance for peace progress and political stability in Nigeria. According to him, the United States would work with the sultanate to strengthen religious harmony and knowledge. To him, the Nigerian military has done well in subduing terrorism, adding that , “US will continue to identify with the role played by the sultan.” Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar promised that he would not relent in promoting reli-

Life Impact Award

Chief Olu Jacobs ÏÏÏ The success of Nolly-

wood cannot be recorded without the mention of an icon, Oludotun Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs. His career includes works in radio, theatre and films. Born on July 11, 1942 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, Jacobs attended Holy Trinity School, Kano. He was a member of the debating and drama society.

Olu Jacobs developed the passion for acting after attending one of Hubert Ogunde’s annual concert party at Colonial Hotel in Kano. In order to achieve the feat, he traveled to England in 1964 to pursue his acting career. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. He then starred in various British television shows and

series in the 1970s - The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, Angels, 1990, The Tomorrow People, The Professionals. In 1978, he played the role of President Mageeba in Michael Codron’s presentation of Tom Stoppard’s play Night and Day. In the 1980s, Jacobs starred in several international films some of which include John Irvin’s war

film- The Dogs of War, Roman Polanski’s adventurecomedy Pirates (1986) and the family-adventure film - Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985). On television, he was a cast in TVS’s The Witches and the Grinnygog (1983 series). Jacobs has starred in over 120 Nollywood films and is considered one of the top Nigerian Nollywood actors.

Jacobs

gious tolerance to ensure that the county is politically and economically stable. The Sultan totally condemned terrorism and insurgency as anathema to the teachings and practice of Islam. He said that those who shout, “Allah” while killing people will end up on hell. The monarch said anybody who killed in the name of Islam was not a true Muslim because the religion frowns at such act. He said: “We cannot restore the dignity of man by killing innocent people. The herdsmen killing people are criminals and not Fulani herdsmen. Anybody who kills people while shouting Allah, is a terrorist and not a true Muslim and will go to hell. Allah hates people who kill and says they will go to hell.”He sees education as a veritable tool for human development as it promotes unity, peace and economy. He said: “A country that takes education serious tends to develop healthier and happier. Education is light and means to restore dignity of man while ignorance is darkness. Education will continue to be a veritable tool for human and societal development.” The royal father headed a presidential security unit of the Armoured Corps that guarded the then military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, in the late 1980s. Abubakar also commanded a battalion of African peacekeepers in Chad during the early 1980s as part of the Organisation of African Unity’s force and was military liaison officer for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the mid-1990s. He was appointed Commanding Officer 241 Recce Battalion, Kaduna in 1993. From 1995 to 1999, he was ECOWAS military liaison officer and commanding officer, 231 Tank Battalion (ECOMOG Operations) in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2000. From 2003 to 2006, he served as Defence Attaché to Pakistan (also accredited for Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan). He later retired as a Brigadier General.

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners

Times Heroes Award

Chief Olusegun Osoba

ÏÏÏ Chief

Olusegun Osoba, the Akinrogun of Egbaland and Aremo Awujale of Ijebuland was born to Pa and Madam Jonathan Babatunde Osoba. Chief Olusegun Osoba attended a series of professional courses after high school graduation from Methodist Boys High School Lagos. He obtained a diploma in journalism at the University of Lagos and went for one-year course in the United Kingdom on the scholarship of the Commonwealth Press Union in 1967. In 1969, he was studying in Bloomington, USA at the Indiana University’s department of journal-

ism. In 1974 he won the Nieman Fellowship Award for journalism for year’s postgraduate study at Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He is the first Nigerian to have won this prestigious Nieman Fellowship for Journalism. Osoba started his career in journalism in 1964 working with the Daily Times as a trainee reporter covering crime stories and by 1966, he was the diplomatic correspondent of the Times. He became news editor in 1968, deputy editor of the Sunday Times in 1971 and deputy editor of the Times in 1972. In August 1975, he became

Daily Times Nigeria j ƑƏ Ɨ ƕè C Ƒ Əƕ ƿè ƾƠơƤ

the Editor of the Daily Times of Nigeria, then left the firm in November 1975 to take up the task of General Manager of the Ilorin based Nigerian Herald. He returned to the Times in 1984 as the managing director. Internationally, he worked as stringer or local correspondent for the following organisations: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC),The Times of London ,Newsweek Magazine, U.S.A, United Press International News Agency (UPI). He was the chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and Member of the Executive Board of the International Press Institute representing Black-Africa from 1984-1992. He was a

member of the Nigerian Constituent Assembly in 1988. He is also member of the Commonwealth Press Union, London and the Nigerian union of Journalist (NUJ). Osoba was elected at two different occasions as Governor of Ogun State first from January 1992 until November 1993 with the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He was removed from office by Sani Abacha’s administration on 17 November 1993. In 1999, he was elected again as governor with the Alliance for Democracy Party (AD), holding office between May 1999 and May 2003. He holds the National Honours of the Commander of the Order of the Niger CON. He is a member

Osoba of the National Conference 2014. He got married to Beere Aderinsola and is the fa-

ther of four children, two boys and two girls: Kemi, Olumide, Oluyinka and Tobi.

Times Heroes Award

Sam Amuka-Pemu ÏÏÏ Prince Sam Amuka Pemu (born 13 June

1935) is a Nigerian journalist, columnist and founder of the Vanguard, Nigeria’s leading newspaper. He co-founded The Punch, the most widely read newspaper in Nigeria. Sam Amuka Pemu was born in Sapele, a city in Delta State, Southern Nigeria into the family of the late Pa Amuka-Pemu and Madam Teshoma AmukaPemu, who died in May 2014. He was formerly a Daily Times of Nigeria editor and the first editor of the Sunday Punch before he established The Punch with his friend, the late Olu Aboderin, in 1971. He later established Vanguard Newspaper in 1983 with three other Nigerian columnists. Amuka was described as a “Gentleman of the Press” by PresiAmuka-Pemu

Times Heroes Award

Prince Henry Odukomaiya ÏÏÏ While celebrating his 80th birthday

with a thanksgiving service at the Arch Bishop Vinning Memorial Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos recently, Prince Henry Odukomaiya is generally seen as one of the brains behind the birth of Concord Newspaper. He was also the former Managing Director of Champion Newspapers and a former Deputy Chief Editor of the Daily Times. Prominent Nigerians who attended the

event included former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce, Bimbo Ashiru, Chairman Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Sam AmukaPemu, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi. The celebrant also launched a book: Henry Odukomaiya @ 80: In the Eyes Of Associates, which was reviewed by the former Managing Director of Daily Times, Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi. Odukomaiya

dent Muhammadu Buhari on his 80th birthday. He was described as an icon and a leading light in Nigerian journalism by Nduka Obaigbena, President of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria. Amuka-Pemu is the oldest practising media professional in Nigeria today who had been cited by peers. A book entitled From 1939 to the Vanguard of Modern Journalism written by Kola Muslim Animasaun, who also trained under him, acknowledged his immense contributions to journalism in Nigeria. Uncle Sam, as he is fondly called, as the publisher of Vanguard, is a great team player. Always leaves a lasting impression on his audience, as he llistens to everybody’s opinion and the justification for such opinion.

Money Market Stories by Motolani Oseni The Naira, on Wednesday 3 January, 2018 dropped further against the pound sterling and euro at the parallel segment of the foreign exchnged market, to close at 485 and 478 repectively, compared to 482 and 426 recorded on Tuesday, checks by The Daily Times has revealed. At the official forex market, the Nigeria’s currency remained flat at 305.50 per dollar, the same rate it sold on Tuesday when the FX market opened for 2018 trading activities. However, better than 306 exchanged on the last trading day in 2017, as well as 306.10 and 306.15 traded during the last trading week of 2017. Although, the Naira, reciprocated similar feat over the dollar on Wednesday when it sustained appreciated rate of 363 per dollar against 364 sold a week ago at the unofficial

Daily Times Nigeria j ƑƏ Ɨ ƕè C Ƒ Əƕ ƿè ƾƠơƤ

Naira slips against pound, euro at parallel market Ïê`Ɔƌ ƈ ƇƋ Ɛ Ɛ ƢƠǀêǀƃ ơ Ɛ ƇƇƈƅƈ Ƌ 0 ƌ ƏƊƆƐ

segment of the forex market. Also, the Investors and Exporters (I&E) foreign exchange window opened at an app rate of 359.85 against N360.05 recorded on Wednesday, but traded high at N362.00 and eventually closed at N361.00, the same price settled the previous day. The Investors FX window, however, declared weaker daily transactions turnover of $124.24 million, compared to $200.36million recorded on Tuesday. The Investors FX window, however, recorded total transacted turnover of

$200.36 million on the last trading day of 2017. Foreign exchange traders, however, believed that the Nigeria’s local currency will be stable in the first trading week of 2018, in anticipation that the apex would continued support the Naira through its regular interventions of injection of dollars into the market. However, analysts at Investment one said, “Going into the New Year, we expect improving oil production and the on-going rebalancing of the global oil market to be supportive of CBN’s foreign exchange intervention sales and the

Naira.”Foreign reserves gain $12.9bn in 1 year amid CBN’s intervention. Meanwhile, the Nation’s foreign exchange buffer added $12.9 billion or nearly 50 per cent in 2017, amid weekly intervention by the apex bank. The foreign reserves monitored by CBN opened 2017 at $25.84 billion and grew to $38.73 billion as at December 28, 2017. The foreign exchange had reached its bottom at about $23.6 billion in October 2016 from as high as $40 billion in January 2014. In September 2008, Nigeria’s foreign exchange Reserves hit $62 billion, with

federal government spending $12 billion to settle external debts. The CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele in November said, “It is my belief that if we remain resolute with our efforts, policies and actions we can attain an foreign exchange reserve position of about $40 billion by end 2018.” Emefiele in December disclosed that the nation’s foreign reserves had risen to $38.2 billion, the highest in 39 months. Finance analysts said Nigeria’s foreign reserve ought to have crossed the $40 billion mark in 2017 but impinged by CBN’s

creation of special windows to tackle instability in the foreign exchange market. They believed that this development is renewing confidence that the 2018 foreign reserves target of the CBN put at $40 billion is achievable, as the apex bank steps up its management of foreign exchange earnings. They expressed that steady increase in the global oil prices, had contributed to the appreciation recorded in the nation’s foreign reserves, as international trade also impacted on the foreign exchange buffer of the apex bank.

China’s Ant Financial drops MoneyGram deal as US approval fails Simon Ugwu with Agency Reports Ant Financial, an affiliate of Chinese internet titan Alibaba, has been forced to abandon a $1.2 billion deal to buy US remittances firm MoneyGram after failing to get approval from regulators in Washington. The decision by the Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) will deal a blow to Alibaba boss Jack Ma’s push into the world’s biggest financial market and follows a number of moves to prevent Chinese purchases of US firms. The companies jointly announced the termination of the proposed takeover on Tuesday, with MoneyGram chief executive Alex Holmes saying: “The geopolitical environment has changed considerably since we first announced the proposed transaction with Ant Financial nearly a year ago. “Despite our best efforts to work cooperatively with the US government, it has now become clear that CFIUS will not approve this merger.” The deal, announced a year ago, had been submitted to the CFIUS several times, but failed to allay

concerns about the security of US customers’ data. “We hope the US can create a level playing field and predictable environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and start up businesses in the US,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng said during a regular news briefing in response to a question about the deal. Controlled by Ma, Ant Financial — which provides mobile payment, lending and credit services to a mostly Chinese clientèle — has looked to expand abroad along with Alibaba, China’s largest e-commerce platform. Nasdaq-listed MoneyGram’s shares sank in after-hours trading. The two companies will still look to cooperate in other ways despite the setback, Doug Feagin, president of Ant Financial International, said in a statement. “While Ant Financial won’t have a direct ownership relationship with MoneyGram, we look forward to working closely with the MoneyGram team to make our platform even more accessible — particularly to unbanked and underserved communities globally.”

Purchasing Manager’s Index hits 59.3points in December, highest in 2017–CBN The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has disclosed that its Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) increased to 59.3 index points in December, a record high in 2017. The apex bank had report PMI of 55.9 index points in November, from 55 Index points in October and 55.3 Index points in September. The PMI survey, an indicator of the economic health of the manufacturing sector opened the year at 48.2 Index points. The CBN said there was expansion in the manufacturing sector for the ninth consecutive month in 2017, attributable to stability in foreign exchange market.

The apex bank based its composite PMI for the manufacturing sector on five indicators that include production, new orders, supplier delivery time, employment level and raw materials inventory. The PMI survey by CBN revealed that 15 of the 16 subsectors reported growth in the review month in the following order petroleum & coal products; textile, apparel, leather and footwear. Other subsector that increased include, cement; transportation equipment; paper products; food, beverage & tobacco products; furniture & related products; plastics & rubber products; nonmetallic mineral products; printing & related support activities; appliances

and components; chemical & pharmaceutical products; fabricated metal products; primary metal and electrical equipment. However, the computer & electronic product sector contracted in the review month, the report by CBN stated. According to CBN’s PMI survey report, the production level closed at 63.2 points, a tenth consecutive month growth in December 2017. “The index indicated an increase in production in the current month, when compared to its level in the preceding month. 11 of the 16 manufacturing subsectors recorded increase in production level, three remained unchanged, while

the remaining two recorded declines in production level during the review month,” the report said. The report on new orders stated that the index grew to 60 points in December, a nine consecutive increase month, indicating increase in new orders in December 2017. “13 subsectors reported growth, two remained unchanged while one contracted in the review month,” the PMI report by CBN said. Also, the manufacturing supplier delivery time index stood at 57.4 points in December 2017, indicating faster supplier delivery time for the seventh consecutive month.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

B7 AgriBusiness

Researchers, policymakers meet in Tanzania to discuss cassava agronomy Stories by Simon Ugwu

Scientists across Africa and their colleagues in other parts of the world met with policymakers in Tanzania, under the auspices of the African Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) to discuss the progress made in the last two years in providing clues to the agronomy of cassava. The meeting, held from December 11 to 15, 2017, was meant to review the progress made by ACAI—a project managed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)— and plan for the year ahead. Addressing participants, the Permanent Secretary, Tanzanian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, represented by Dr. Geophrey Kajiru, Assistant Director, Research and Development, expressed optimism that the ACAI project would provide solutions to some of the problems faced by cassava farmers in Tanzania

and sub-Saharan Africa. The Tanzanian meeting, which took place in Mwanza, also included a planning workshop for the ACAI 2018 project activities in line with the implementation strategy for year three of the project. The meeting was thus organised for planning and setting new goals for the 2018 activities, sharing roles, and understanding the expectations of each party represented in the project. The Director for Central Africa Hub with the IITA, Dr. Bernard Vanlauwe, said ACAI would tap into new opportunities and partnerships to ensure the sustainability of the project and use of the tools developed. Through extensive research working with development partners, ACAI developed the initial version of the decision support tools showcased at the meeting, which provided an opportunity for the partners to examine the tools and offer feedback on how

the prototype Decision Support Tools (DSTs) can be improved. ACAI DSTs are developed based on demand and needs identified by development partners actively engaged in cassava value chain. ACAI’s Senior Systems Agronomist, Dr. Pieter Pypers said the interaction among project partners would generate concrete ideas that would be incorporated into the development of the DSTs to make them more useful and user-friendly. Project team members made presentations on the progress of the work under their specific roles in the project. ACAI is structured in work streams that inform the project’s critical path through research, development, to the use and dissemination of the final project tools. The National Coordinator for Root and Tuber Crops, Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) in Tanzania, Dr. Geoffrey Mka-

NEPC set to address inadequacies in cocoa export

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is set to address inadequacies and raise awareness of farmers on processing high-quality cocoa for export. Executive Director of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, stated this in Ikom Local Council Area, Cross River State, during a two-day Cross River Cocoa Stakeholders’ forum and mini exhibition, organised by the NEPC, Calabar Smart office, in collaboration with Calabar Chamber of Commerce (CALCCIMA), Farming World and Rural Development Initiative (FAWARD) and Cocoa Association of Nigeria. Awolowo noted that the Cocoa value chain for export is a necessity for Cross River.

Awolowo, who was represented by the Deputy Director of NEPC, Mrs. Veronica Oriare, said the future position for cocoa in the global market is on increased demand with specific preference for organic cocoa.He said Cross River should embrace the share of favorable global market by increasing its production of cocoa. According to the NEPC boss: “the future outlook for cocoa in global market is that of increased demand for cocoa and specific preference for organic cocoa, which incidentally commands a higher price in the international market as the demand continues to rise. There is the need for concerted effort to increase the production of cocoa to partake in the share of fa-

vourable global market for cocoa.” Speaking on the theme “Developing the Cross River State Cocoa Value Chain for Export”, the Trade Promotion Adviser, Calabar office, Mr. Emmanuel Etim, said to achieve this feat, cocoa production in the state needs an urgent intervention through the creation of an achievable roadmap and proper processing and packaging for export. The President of CALCCIMA, Efa Imoke whose paper was presented by his Secretary, Mr. Ken Aim-Itta, also spoke on the roadmap for cocoa development in the state.He urged Cross Rivarians to take advantage of the natural potential and utilise the land by investing in agriculture.

Tubers of Cassava milo, said the project had made significant gains in 2017 in research, especially in meeting the high demand data in ACAI. “The trials have performed very well, especially when you look at cassava response to fer-

tilizer in the field, we are looking to hear about updates from other project sites,” Dr Adeyemi Olojede, ACAI coordinator at the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike said.

FAO rekindles food sustainability in North - East through dry season farming The launch of the dry season farming in the Northeast states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), appears to be the right step in supporting the populations in the northeast who are faced with a food crisis.To say it is timely is to say the least, given the urgent need by the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees and host communities in the region to regain their livelihood. FAO plan for the 2017/2018 dry season farming was to reach 117,000 farming families (representing 760,000 people) with seeds, rice and fertilizers, along with irrigation equipment, training and micro–gardening support to increase cultivation, reduce the impact of the food crisis and improve the nutrition of families facing severe hunger. The campaign, implemented in partnership with the states was launched separately in the three states.FAO’s Representative to Nigeria, Mr. Suffyan Koroma who co-led the launch stressed that the organisation’s support to the populations in the northeast was aimed at helping affected communities to quickly meet their own food needs through their own production and ultimately contribute to building their resilience to future crisis. He disclosed that during the 2017 raining reason FAO reached an estimated 971, 607 people with seeds and fertilizers, along with food assistance, adding that in Borno alone, 64,801 households (421,206 people) were reached with improved seeds of household staple crops including millet, maize, cowpea and sorghum. In addition, women-headed households received seeds of vegetables kits, which included okra, sorel, roselle, and

amaranthus.Koroma said each beneficiary household also received 25kg bag of NPK fertilizer, adding that the intervention boosted the household food security of multiple types of populations: the IDPs, returnees and host communities in Borno State and also facilitated livelihood generation by helping them process and sell their products to increase their household income levels. Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima who applauded the importance of the Government-FAO-led interventions, noted that proactive measures must be taken to address the food situation to alleviate the devastating impact of violence on food security and food production. Shetima stressed: “Practical measures are necessary to support farmers before the next cropping season.” To Modu Bemi, a farmer from Kataku community, Gujba council area of Yobe State, the intervention could not have come at a better time than now, especially for people like him who lost their belongings, including his son, to the insurgency that broke out in the state in 2014. “I used to be a big-time farmer before the insurgency in the community. But when Boko Haram attacked us on June 29, 2014 they burnt down my house, killed my son, my vehicle was not left out, but with the return of peace to the area we had to come back home. I don’t pray my worst enemy experience what we went through. I used to have 15 hectares of land that I inherited from my father. I planted millet, sorghum, guinea seed from which I got 50bags of guinea corn, 11bags of cowpeas, and groundnuts, among others, but now, am still struggling to get better yields from my farm.

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Times Heroes Award

Prince Tony Momoh

ÏÏÏ

He was born 27th April, 1939 is a Nigerian journalist and politician who was Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture (1986–1990) during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida Momoh was born in Auchi, Edo State, of Edo origin. He was the 165th child of King Momoh I of Auchi. He attended Government School, Auchi (1949–1954) and Anglican School Okpe, 1954. Momoh was Pupil Teacher at the Anglican School, Auchi (January– December 1955) and Headmaster at the Anglican School, Ubuneke, Ivbiaro, Owan Local Government (January 1958 – December 1959). He went to the Provincial Teachers Training College, Abudu, Edo State and Government Teachers College, Abraka in Western Region(1960–1961). Later, while working at the Daily Times or on sabbatical, he attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (September 1964 – October 1966) where he earned a degree in Mass communication, and then the University of Lagos where he studied Law. He attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos (October 1974 – May

1975), and was called to the Bar in June 1975. Momoh started his journalism career as a sub-editor at the Daily Times in October 1962, rising steadily through the ranks to become Editor and deputy general manager (June 1976 – May 1980). In June 1979, during the lead-up to the transition from military to civilian rule at the start of the Second Nigerian Republic, Momoh said of the five presidential candidates: “They are all the same ... It’s going to turn into a personality contest”. In 1981 the Senate led by Joseph Wayas summoned Momoh for contempt. This caused a major legal battle in which Momoh successfully argued that as a journalist he was empowered by the Constitution to hold government accountable at all times. In Tony Momoh v. Speaker, House of Representatives (1982) it was held that a person had the right to refuse to disclose his source of information. However, in Senate v. Tony Momoh (1983) the Court of Appeal held that the press is not a fourth arm of government. A newspaper publisher has no special immunity and the press can

be ordered to disclose its sources in some cases. Momoh was general manager of the Times from June 1984 to Sept 1986. Momoh was appointed Minister of Information and Culture by General Ibrahim Babangida, holding this position from September 1986 until 1990. He was Chairman of the African Conference of Information Ministers from 1988 to 1990. In 1983 the editor of Newswatch, Dele Giwa, was detained for a week by police for publishing what they called “classified material”. On 17 October 1986 Giwa was accused by Colonel A.K. Togun of the State Security Services (SSS) of anti-government activities including attempting to import arms to forment insurrection. On 19 October 1986 Giwa was killed by a parcel bomb. At first, Momoh pledged that there would be a government probe of the incident. He soon backed down, saying “a special probe would serve no useful purpose”. Speaking at a seminar in Lagos in 1987, Momoh said that radio, television and newspapers should be seen as tools “for the promotion of national unity and integration”. In 1988 Momoh announced that the government was trying to find

radio sets that could only receive approved broadcasts from the federal and state radio stations. This was “as a means of ensuring that information about the country was adequately disseminated” In a February 1990 interview published in Ebony magazine Momoh talked about the rich and diverse Nigerian culture. He stated that British-style parliamentary democracy and the American-style presidential system had both failed in Nigeria because they were not compatible with these local cultures. He said that Nigeria was now establishing a system of grassroots democracy in a twoparty system. In May 1990 party elections were held for local ward positions using an “open ballot”, where voters showed their preference by standing in front of a photograph of the candidate. Party elections were then scheduled for the state and national elections. Momoh said the government would not interfere in the inner workings of parties. Soon after, all the National Republican Convention candidates for national offices were disqualified on the grounds that there were irregularities in their application forms. Babangida followed a

Times Hereos Award

Chief Onyema Ugochukwu

ÏÏÏ Chief Onyema Ugochukwu was born in November 9,

1944 in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. He graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with a BSc in Economics. He is married with four children. A highly revered Nigerian economist, journalist, and politician, Ugochukwu served as the senior Special Adviser on Communication to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the first Executive Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). On February 25, 2008, an Abia State elections tribunal declared Ugochukwu the winner of the 2007 gubernatorial election and Governor-elect of Abia State. However, on February 11, 2009 an Appeal Court in Port Harcourt, the River State capital, overturned the ruling, declaring that Chief Theodore Orji of the PPA had in fact won the election. Upon graduation from college, Ugochukwu was hired as an Economic Research Assistant by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He remained with CBN for two years before he abandoned a promising career in economics to pursue his true passion, journalism. Ugochukwu joined the Business Times group as an Economic Analyst and a pioneer staff of what would later become the most influential financial newspaper in Nigeria. He rose in the ranks to become the Editor of the Business Times Newspaper (1977 to 1982). In 1983, Ugochukwu became Editor-in-Chief of the London-based West Africa magazine, where he wrote extensively on development issues, to provide a better understanding of the African debt crisis. He eventually returned to Nigeria to become the Editorin-Chief of the Daily Times of Nigeria and he was subsequently appointed to its board as the Executive Director of

Ugochukwu Manpower and Development. He retired from newspaper journalism in 1994 as the Executive Director of Publications. Ugochukwu remained active as a media consultant for the Dow Jones Financial News Service. Throughout his distinguished career as a journalist, Ugochukwu met and interviewed numerous Heads of States – including then Minister Margaret Thatcher, former South African President Nelson Mandela, Jamaican Prime Minister P. J. Patterson, French President Jacques Chirac, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Cuban President, Fidel Castro, Nigerian presidents Ibrahim Babangi-

Momoh policy of donating money, vehicles, offices and so on to local governments, political parties and others on the basis that this would keep them free of influence by the rich and powerful. As Minister for Information Momoh justified the practice, saying of Democracy “is not as expensive as people are thinking in relation to the alternative. The alternative is allowing one man to dictate to the whole Nigeria because you don’t want it to be expensive. If money is not spent on democracy and a one-man dictatorship emerges ... it is

the same Nigerians who are talking of expensiveness now that will shout that one man is a dictator”. Babangida was tough on the press at times, but tried to avoid open conflict. When the press began calling for Momoh’s dismissal he was slow to respond, since Momoh was intelligent and reflective, and had experience from his own days as a newspaper editor. However, he finally dismissed Momoh and replaced him with Alex Akinyele, who had previously been in the customs services and had been a director at Newswatch.

da, Muhammadu Buhari, Sani Abacha, and Abdusalami Abubakar – and presented papers on African economic and political development at various fora including Oxford University, England, and Uppsala University. With Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1998, Ugochukwu became the Director of Publicity at the Obasanjo for President Campaign Organisation, and contributed immensely to the election of Olusegun Obasanjo as the President of Nigeria. He was appointed as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Orientation and Public Affairs. He spearheaded a National Rebirth campaign aimed at instilling patriotic virtues into a national psyche ravaged by years of political instability and corruption. It was on this platform that Ugochukwu launched “The Nigerian Declaration of Human Responsibilities”, which declares in part: “This Character on Human Responsibilities… Seeks to bring freedom and responsibility into a better balance, to highlight and increase awareness of the obligation which we owe each other and to our nation.” To soothe the political unrest in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria, President Obasanjo signed the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act of 2000 into law. He was appointed as the pioneer chairman of the newly created commission, charged with developing the nine oil producing states of the country, with excess oil revenues. Ugochukwu helped to articulate the president’s vision of sustainable development in the Niger Delta region, and developed a policy which encouraged partnership amongst its stakeholders—Niger-delta communities and their traditional rulers, youths, oil companies and their executives, the Nigerian government, and Non-Governmental Organisations, and international organisations like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank. During Ugochukwu’s tenure, the NDDC focused mainly on economic revival and prosperity, environmental rehabilitation, and the development of social and physical infrastructure.

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Man of the Year: Ibe Kachikwu Ï j Ɗƈ ƈƋ ÷ ƆƅƐ Ə Ɛ ƆƔƐ ƋƆƒƆƋ ÏÏÏ Given

his track record as an accomplished technocrat with enviable professional and academic track record in the industry in which he has had over 30 years of cognate experience locally and internationally, Kachikwu’s appointment as the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to many industry watchers was a ‘round peg in a round hole’ and kudos was given to President Muhammadu Buhari who made sanitisation of the oil sector a cardinal plank of his presidency. It was argued that President Buhari couldn’t have looked for a better upright manager of the nation’s oil resources than Kachikwu especially at a time when there was a record breaking mind boggling malfeasance in the management of the NNPC and Nigeria in desperate need of more oil sales revenue to support government budgets, protect foreign reserves and help stop the ongoing devaluation of the national currency. At his assumption of office, these formed the essential part of the challenges that Dr. Kachikwu confronted “as he tried to halt selling of crude oil to politically-connected, ”carpetbaggers” that lack the capacity to perform, establish and adhere to strong internal policies for vetting and choosing buyers of oil, and for apportioning cargoes of oil among buyers, publicly account for earnings from sales of crude from NPDC and its oil trading subsidiaries, and cease unconstitutional withholding of federal revenue”. As the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, said that the NNPC was to be unbundled into 30 profit-making companies with separate Managing Directors as part of the ongoing transformation of the national oil company. Under his supervision, the NNPC moved from a loss position of N160 billion to some N3 billion by

January 2016, adding that by year end the Corporation should start making some profit. “For the first time, we are unbundling the subset of the NNPC to 30 independent companies with their own Managing Directors. Titles like Group Executive Directors are going to disappear and in their place you are going to have Chief Executive Officers and they are going to take responsibilities for their titles. At the end of the day, the CEO of an upstream company must deliver an upstream result,” Dr. Kachikwu stated. The Minister noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is focusing on developing the nation’s gas resources in order to boost revenue as part of the diversification policy of the Federal Government. Dr. Kachikwu said the petroleum sector, under his watch, would rapidly review the contracting cycle of projects from two years to six months in the upstream, stressing that efforts are in top gear to review the existing Production Sharing Contracts which is long overdue. In what could be described as a face-off between Kachikwu, and his successor at NNPC, Maikanti Baru, the Minister of State was compelled to accuse Baru of “completely eroding” some of the reforms he introduced as head of the oil firm. Buhari had appointed Kachikwu as NNPC GMD in August 2015 but replaced him with Baru in July 2016. In the letter written to President Buhari, Kachikwu alleged that Baru had been sidelining the NNPC board. “Like the previous reorganisations and repostings done since Mr. Baru resumed as GMD, I was never given the opportunity before the announcements to discuss these appointments. This is so despite being the minister of state petroleum and chairman, NNPC board,” the letter read. “The open administration I introduced with your support in our year of pushing reforms, has been completely eroded.

NNPC staff are afraid of contacting me for the fear of being punished, sidelined in appointments and targeted”. His reformation drive was endorsed by the United States Government which pledged its readiness to work with the Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in achieving the Federal Government’s reform agenda in the oil and gas industry. The then USA Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador James Entwistle assured Dr. Kachikwu of United States willingness to provide all necessary support to the NNPC Management to realize its set goals and objectives. Amb. Entwistle noted that though the job of the GMD of NNPC is about the most challenging job in Nigeria, the USA is convinced that Dr. Kachikwu has the skills, training and requisite experience to lead the oil and gas industry in Nigeria towards the path of growth and sustainable development. Commending the USA for the pledge of support, Dr. Kachikwu reiterated the determination of the new NNPC Management to implement the spirit and letter of President Muhammadu Buhari’s reform agenda in the petroleum industry. The GMD stated that the new NNPC would be driven by a deep sense of commitment to service delivery anchored on the principle of transparency, efficiency, people, purpose and profit. ``My mission is to redirect and re-energize the work force for greater value addition and I believe that the NNPC, given the right leadership has what it takes to achieve this objective,’’ he said. His intervention in the face-off between NigerDelta activists and the government led to a restart of the amnesty payments pro tem and discuss investment initiatives that will boost the regional economy and its social services. His argument is that the government’s plans for capital investment there – more roads, more power stations, better wa-

Kachikwu ter and sanitation with big investment in schools and clinics – will benefit the Delta more than ad hoc payments to militant gangs, past or present. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu steered the much-delayed Petroleum Industry Bill to restructure the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation through the Senate (AC Vol 56 No 20. It sets out clearer rules for investors and the NNPC would be quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and compelled to issue timely financial statements. With a great input from Kachikwu, the government put an end to fuel subsidy, a policy designed ostensibly to help the poorest people but which in reality became a statefinanced welfare scheme for fuel importers, most of them multi-millionaires. As Group Managing Director of NNPC and as Minister, he has fought many battles with oil marketers in his bid to stem acute fuel scarcity,

increase revenue accrue to government’s purse and in stabilising the industry. He has said it repeatedly that current fuel scarcity which has become a national embarrassment was not caused by government, but rather blamed it on profit-minded marketers who were alleged to have hoarded fuel in anticipation of an increase in pump price of petroleum products. Dr. Kachikwu was an active player in the private sector where best business practices and corporate good governance are sine qua non. He was the former Executive Vice Chairman of ExxonMobil (Africa Operations). He wrote legal books. His bestseller is “Legislation and Policy on Foreign Investment in Nigeria”. The man also authored about twenty different publications. Ibe Kachikwu was appointed as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Chief Executive in August 2015. The first thing he did when he entered the new

position was to reduce the number of directors. There were 8 of them. Kachikwu removed four of them. He was born on December 18, 1956 to late Justice Francis Kachikwu and Maria Kachikwu. He attended St. Peter’s Primary School Ogwashi-Uku before gaining admission into St. Pius Grammar School Onicha-Ugbo, which he left in 1968 with top level performance. His Edo College from 1973 to 1974 was equally with spectacular performance. He studied Law at the University of Nigeria 1978, where he made a first class result and the best graduating student At the 1979 set of Nigerian Law School, he emerged with another First Class and best graduate winning 7 of available 9 prizes. At his LLM programme at Harvard University in 1980, it was another First Class performance. His Doctorate degree programme did not come with lesser performance.

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Woman of the Year: Mrs. Aisha Buhari

Ï An uncommon First Lady with passion ÏÏÏ For exhibiting unprec-

edented courage and coupled with the fact that she usually speaks to power in a government in which her husband is the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari is an unusual First Lady. “A woman is a full circle; within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” The above quote by Diana Marriechild aptly described our Woman of the Year, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, the First Lady and wife of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria. In the annals of Nigeria’s political history, she has within the last 30 months earned for herself a place in history among women in the ‘inner seclusion’ of the corridors of power. She has debunked the postulation that ‘women are to be seen and not to be heard’ as she has effectively lent her voice to national issues even criticising her husband’s administration on issues of national interest; she has conscientiously displayed her love for humanity especially concerned with transforming the fortune of women, girls and children. Aisha Buhari called for a probe of the State House Medical Clini over poor health facilities in the hospital despite the huge budgetary allocation to it. She condemned the “lack of facilities” at the clinic during a programme in Abuja and equally lamented the total or dearth of some necessary hospital facilities such as syringe, drugs and equipment needed for saving lives. Mrs. Buhari, who spoke at the opening of a two-day stakeholders meeting on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition organised by her pet project, Future Assured in Abuja, said the ongoing renovations at the clinic was baseless because the hospital lacked the equipment to save lives. “If somebody like Mr. President can spend several months outside Nigeria, then you wonder what will happen to a common man on the street in Nigeria. Few weeks ago, I was sick as well, they advised me to take the first flight out to London, I refused to go. I said I must be treated in Nigeria because there is a budget for an assigned clinic to take care of us. If the budget is N100 million, we need to know how the budget is spent. Along the line, I insisted they call Aso

Clinic to find out if the Xray machine is working, they said it is not working. They didn’t know I am the one that was supposed to be in that hospital at that very time. I had to go to a hospital that was established by foreigners in and out 100 percent. What does that mean? So, I think is high time for us to do the right thing. If something like this can happen to me, no need for me to ask the governors’ wives what is happening in their states. This is Abuja and this is the highest seat of government, and this is Presidential Villa. The wife of the president calls on the government, civil society and private sector to address social norms that permit women and girls to be treated as lesser breed than men and boys – she called on government at all levels to give priority to education and empowerment of women and children. Aisha made this call in Abuja at the International Sheroes Forum with the theme: “Advancing women’s roles in business leadership and governance.” The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in 2012 released a report which said that “Nigeria has one of the highest rates of infant mortality in the world. One in seven children dies before her or his fifth birthday.” It noted further that in Nigeria, clean water was hard to come by in northern Nigeria and singled out the General Hospital, Katsina as one health facility among several others in northern Nigeria where ‘half a dozen infants were being treated for severe malnutrition problems.” Aware of these challenges and to let every citizen feel the impact of government, the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari is determined to give everyone a sense of belonging, beyond the channeling of attention to women and children only. This is evident in the christening of her pet project- Future Assured and its offshoot, Get Involved – names that are by no means suggestive of asymmetry but inclusive in form and nature. As the future is assured for women, so it is for men through the various action plans that Mrs. Buhari is rolling out for the upliftment of families and society. To her, needless to empower a woman only, when the man also needs empowerment to cater and support the woman and child. The man, after all, is also a cru-

cial component of the family unit. It is based on this understanding that the wife of the President recently launched Get Involved- a quick interventionist programme to halt yearly deaths of malnourished children in the country on the strength that every child is entitled to a meal every day. She believes that when children are fed regularly and in the required proportions, their parents save money for medications and are free from mental and financial stresses. And with the commitments Mrs. Buhari is showing in promoting girls education and other issues concerning the girl-child, Nigeria is likely to benefit from the grant and other grants that have been set aside by development partners in implementing policies aimed at guaranteeing quality food, health, education, sanitation and safe drinking water for every Nigerian. She has commenced these intervention measures at Bama and Maiduguri camps for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) where she donated four tonnes of ready to use products (Soy Kunu for adults/ pregnant and lactating mothers and Soyalac for children) to fight malnutrition prevalent among inmates in the camps. These inmates are not only women and children but also adolescent boys, fathers and grandfathers. A donation of about N60 million was presented to the Future Assured project by the Chinese government. The Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Lin Jin, said Future Assured has made tremendous impact in promoting the health and well-being of women, children and the vulnerable, and succeeded in making a difference in the lives of these people. She is known for her nonflamboyant life-style. Mrs. Buhari had in her twitter handle denied receiving SUV vehicles from the Nigerian Police for personal use, saying “I am still using my personal cars.’’ Politically conscious Aisha Buhari, the wife of the President, had in the wake of a sickness that had kept her husband out of the country for over two months, given an insight into the power play at the Nigerian seat of power. In a Facebook post, she alluded to some elements around her ailing husband as “the hyenas” and “the jackals,” hoping that they

Mrs. Aisha Buhari would soon be sent out of the “Kingdom”. She responded to a post by Senator Shehu Sani who said “Prayer for the absent Lion King has waned; until he’s back then they will fall over each other to be on the front row of the palace temple. Now the hyenas and the jackals are scheming and talking to each other in whispered; still doubting whether the Lion King will be back or not… “It is the wish of the Hyenas and the Jackals that the Lion King never wakes up or come back so that they can be kings. It is the prayers of the weak animals that the Lion King comes back to save the kingdom from the Hyenas, the wolves and other predators” She wittingly responded to Mr. Sani’s comment by saying: “God has answered the prayers of the weaker Animals. The Hyenas and the jackals will soon be sent out of the kingdom. We strongly believe in the prayers and support of the weaker animals”. Mrs. Aisha’s comment attracted some comments from her followers on Facebook, wishing her husband quick recovery. A critic of her Husband’s Government The First Lady warned her husband that she may not back him at the next election unless he shakes up his government. In a BBC interview, Aisha Buhari suggested his government had been hijacked by only a “few people”, who were behind presidential appointments. She said the president

did not know most of the officials he had appointed. President Buhari, who is on a visit to Germany, had responded by saying his wife belonged in his kitchen. Standing alongside German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, at a news conference, the president laughed off his wife’s accusations. “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room,” he said. Mrs. Buhari on an interview with a BBC Hausa service programme, was quoted to have said: “The president does not know 45 out of 50 of the people he appointed and I don’t know them either, despite being his wife of 27 years.” She said people who did not share the vision of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were now appointed to top posts because of the influence a “few people” wield. “Some people are sitting down in their homes folding their arms only for them to be called to come and head an agency or a ministerial position,” she said. Mrs. Buhari was prompted to speak out in an effort to end those practices so that party loyalists who contributed to his election victory could benefit. Aisha Buhari campaigned vigorously for her husband in the 2015 general election, organising town hall meetings with women’s groups and youth organisations across the country. However, she kept a low profile at the start of the administration and was

barely seen or heard. She was restricted to her work on the empowerment of women and helping victims of the Boko Haram conflict in the north-east of the country where she is from. Aisha (née Halilu) Buhari is the second and current wife of President Muhammadu Buhari. She was born in Adamawa State in the family of the first Minister of Defence, Mohammadu Ribadu. She was raised in the best traditions of Fulani culture. Aisha graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University where she earned a Bachelor degree in Public Administration. She also has a post-graduate diploma of the Academy Esthetique Beauty Institute of France in Cosmetology and Beauty. Moreover, she is an alumnus of the famous Carlton Institute of London. Mrs. Buhari is reportedly engaged in a private enterprise where she has become an employer of labour, a mentor to all aspiring cosmetologists and a consultant to the KRCP/ NNPC on skills acquisition. She is also a member of the United Kingdom Vocational Training and Charitable Trust (VTCT), The International Health and Beauty Council (HBC). She also helps women politicians to raise funds for campaigns. She speaks English and Arabic fluently. In December 1989, Muhammadu Buhari married Aisha Halilu. Together they have five children, a boy and four girls. They are Aisha, Halima, Yusuf, Zarah and Amina.

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Politician of the Year- Gov Willie Obiano

Ï 9ƌƍ ƅƐƈ ƍ ƈƐƈƒƆ ƋƈƒƆ MƗƈé ƌƄƏ ÏÏÏ Anambra State Gov-

ernor Willie Obiano has introduced dynamic programmes that have touched the lives of the people in the state. He also brought drastic improvement in the security of lives and property of the citizens and residents of Anambra State . From 1970 to date, after the civil war, security in Onitsha and environs and indeed the entire Anambra State has been a very intractable issue as criminals from time to time had hijacked the state, compelling the people to live in permanent fear. At a time, the crime became too rampant that people had to resort to sleeping in churches. Even during the military, violent crime was almost the order of the day, hence the setting up of Armed Robbery and Fire Arms Tribunals which tried and executed those found guilty of robbery cases. But that could not solve the problem of crimes in the state. At a time in Anambra State, a gang of robbers were accosting luxurious buses plying from any part of East to Lagos. Immediately they stepped into Anambra State from any other part of the East, these organised robbers unleashed bullets on the bus from every side, which led to loss of several innocent souls of passengers during that period . Banks, fillings stations and individuals were back again to their cherished ones. In fact, at a time an attempt was made on the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, which failed. . But Governor Obiano has changed this infamous action immediately he assumed office, adopting innovative strategic measures. Nobody knew the secret employed by this accountant and banker turmed politician but Obiano employed civilsed method, using the police and installing of street lights at strategic places in the state especially from Onitsha Bridgehead

Obiano to Borromeo Hospital Round About through old road to Amawbia in Awka. Today, Anambra can be said to have the best security network. Prominent Anambrarians who have relocated to Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and other cities in the country and now conduct marriages of their children outside the state started returning back. And business started booming again. Night life returned to the Onistha, Awka and other major cities of the state. The presence of security expectedly has multiplier effect on the socioeconomic development of any place as it engenders confidence among the people, business community and investors. The improved security situation has increased the

number of hours of doing business in the state as well as brought back night life which has died in the state. This development has not affected other areas of the state, hence the huge investment on agriculture and industry in the administration of Willie Obiano to the tune of $1.2billion and $3.2 billion respectively, hence the increased production of rice in Anambra State. There have been major investment in rice production like Coscharis farm in Ayamelum as well as poultry in Igbariam and others in various parts of the state. These investment in agriculture has resulted in the exportation of vegetables from Anambra State to European countries and yam to United States.

As a boost to agriculture, the state has provided to the farmers 291 hectares of land, seedlings, fertilizers and herbicides to encourage mechanised agriculture in the state. Governor Obiano has not fared any less in the area of trade and commerce. The traders in Anambra State are happy that his administration has impacted on them in one way or the other. Obiano took the bull by the horn by setting up N10 million projects in all the markets in the state. In the choose yourself N10million project, every market in the state is entitled to N10million worth of project. Some of the markets used the opportunity to build office complexes, halls, access roads, motor park complex, electricity,

water boreholes and overhead tank among other projects. These no doubt has added value to the markets and the traders themselves. Fire fighting vehicles were also bought and distributed to strategic markets in case of any fire outbreak. One of the fire fighting vehicles is situated at Building Materials Market Ogidi to cover that area and the environs. The governor has also extended the kind gesture to all the communities in Anambra State by asking them to choose N20million projects. He went further to challenge the communities which finished their first projects in time to choose another tranche of N20m project, which some communities have already benefited. The good news is that virtually all the communities have completed all their projects, while some which finished on time have been given another N20million for second projects. These projects are dotted all over the communities as town halls, skill acquisition centres, roads rehabilitation, boreholes, among others. Obiano has done more than excellent in the construction of roads and bridges since he became governor. Apart from constructing three world class bridges in Awka at the popular Aroma junction in Awka, Kwata and Amawbia junction, in the state capital, Obiano has also done a bridge across Mamu River at Amansea – Ndiukwuenu-AwaUfuma. He has also constructed about 180 km of roads through the state as well as rehabilitated the existing roads through the State Road maintenance Agency’s zero pothole programme. Obiano also constructed the Iyiora Bridge believed to be the longest bridge in the State, which connects Anambra West, part of the food basket basin of the state to the rest of the world. There are other ongoing roads construction in different parts of the state, one of them be-

ing the construction of bridge across Nteje – Umanya bye – pass along the Onitsha- Enugu Expressway. On education, Governor Obiano has disbursed at least over N700milion to mission schools, constructed over 2,500 classrooms-blocks for primary and secondary schools in the state, installed 30KVA generating sets and provided transformers to the schools too. Obiano’s administration also awarded scholarships to about 200 students of Anambra State of origin to the tune of about N120m as a source of encouragement to academic excellence among Anambra children. The State also recruited 70 contract teachers for the 11 technical colleges in the state to boost their staff strength. The welfare of teachers is critical to Obiano’s administration. Consequently, he has increased the salary of 1,634 teachers of core subjects in the state school system as well as the salary of 2, 732 teachers in rural areas of the state by 20 percent to motivate them and provide more access to quality education to the children in riverine and agrarian areas of the state. Acording to the State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omungha, the number of candidates who passed external examinations at five credits with English and Mathematics such as West African School Certificate and National Examination Council (NECO), at five credits with English and Mathematics have increased to 70 percent. A teacher from Anambra State recently won the best teacher in the country and was given a brand new car. And all these attest to the quality of education under Obiano. Little wonder, the outstanding achievements of Governor Obiano enabled him to record a landslide victory during his re-election in the state as he defeated other candidates in all the local government areas of the state.

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Governor of the Year: Gov Nyesom Wike

Ï Redefining Rivers landscape through massive reconstruction ÏÏÏ

Born on December 13, 1967, Governor Nyesom Wike, an outstanding administrator, lawyer and politician is referred to as the Golden Governor. He just turned 50 and had the singular fortune of taking Rivers State to its glorious Golden Jubilee anniversary in May, this year. Barrister Nyesom Wike was born to the family of Reverend and Mrs. Nlemanya Wike of Rumuepirikom community, Obio/Akpor in Rivers State. He spent most of his academic life in Rivers State, hence, he once proudly declared himself a local champion. A holder of several traditional chieftaincy titles, Barrister Nyesom Wike is happily married to Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, a High Court Judge with the Rivers State Judiciary. The union is blessed with three children. He holds degrees in Political and Administrative Studies as well as in Law. However, after a brief stint with the private legal practice, Barrister Wike was elected twice as the Executive Chairman of Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area and served out two tenures from 1999 to 2007. A one-time Deputy President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Governor Nyesom Wike was later elected as the substantive President of the Association. From the position of the Chairman of Obio/Akpor, he moved on to serve as the Chief of Staff, Government House, between October 26, 2007 and May 28, 2011 under the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers State then. From there, Barrister Nyesom Wike was appointed the Director-General of Governor Amaechi’s reelection Campaign Organisation. He was reputed for being the brain behind the success of Rt. Hon. Amaechi second race to the Brick House after which he became the most powerful Chief of Staff in the state. On July 14, 2011, Barrister Wike was subsequently appointed and sworn-in as the Minister of State for Education. This feat is widely attributed to the recommendation of the then governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Amaechi. Subsequently, following a cabinet shake-

Wike up, Barrister Wike emerged the Supervising Minister of Education of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At the end of fierce political and legal battles between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11, 2015, gubernatorial election in Rivers State, Wike emerged as the sixth governor of the State and has, since his swearing in on May 29, 2015, recorded numerous achievements, some of which prompted the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to dub him ‘Mr. Projects.’ But his most remarkable achievements dated back to his tenure as the Minister of State for Education and subsequently the Supervising Minister of Education. He made enviable impacts in the basic education subsector, spear-heading a nationwide reform of the nation’s education system. It is worthy to note that as Minister of State for Ed-

ucation, he created access to quality education for 9 million Almajiri children in the Northern part of Nigeria through the construction of appropriate schools in affected states. He was also the driving force behind the construction of basic education vocational training schools for out-ofschool children in Southern Nigeria and Special Girl-Education Schools for less privileged girls in 16 states of the federation. He also superintended over the distribution of over 60 million text books and library resource materials to various schools in the country, among other achievements. Determined to leave his footsteps in the sands of time, Governor Wike swung into action as soon as he was sworn-in as the governor of the state. The newly sworn-in governor said: “Never again will we allow projects meant for the people to be abandoned just because we did not award

it. I will never do any project that will be abandoned. No part of the state will be neglected in the infrastructure renewal programme of my administration.” Less than 24 hours after taking his oath of office, Governor Wike announced the return to work of the judiciary and the re-opening of courts in the state which were shut down during the tenure of Rt. Hon. Amaechi, now the Minister of Transportation. He also ended the controversy surrounding the appointment of the Chief Judge of the state as he swiftly appointed Justice Daisy Okocha (now retired) in acting capacity to fill the gap. The opening of the courts brought financial relief to practicing lawyers in the state who had also suffered professional setbacks throughout the period the courts were shut down. Governor Nyesom Wike deeply delved into what he termed ‘Operation Zero Potholes’ on roads round

the state, particularly in Port Harcourt, capital city of the state. As at May 2017, the governor had reworked roads totaling over 33 kilometers under its Operation Zero Pothole scheme. In his 100 Days in office celebration, Governor Wike showcased numerous projects which included 50 medium-income flats at Iriebe, Iloabuchi-Eagle Island Link Road, Abonnema-Obonoma Link Road and the NBA Port Harcourt Law Office. Also to the credit of the governor were the reconstruction of roads from Borokiri Road in Old Port Harcourt Township to Rumuwoji (Mile 1) Market Phase 2 ground breaking, Mile 1 Flyover Park, Abonnema Wharf Road, Woji-Elelenwo Road, WojiTrans Amadi Road, Onne Seaport Access Road and Abuloma-Woji Road. Others were the Kpopie-Bodo Road in Gokana LGA, Second Nkpogu Bridge in Trans Amadi, SakpenwaBori Road, Igwuruta-Etche Road and Ogoni-AndoniOpobo Unity Road. Spreading infrastructural development across the state, Governor Wike also completed the N150 million ATC Jetty at Okrika and the Bonny/Bille Jetty on Creek Road as part of measures to boost marine transportation in the state. Just before the celebration of the Golden Jubilee anniversary in the state, a number of projects were initiated while others were commissioned. These included the flag-off of Bakana land reclamation in Degema LGA; flag-off of Oyigbo-Mbano CampIriebe Road reconstruction; commissioning of rehabilitated Brick House building in Government House; commissioning of Port Harcourt Pleasure Park which now yields revenue for the state, and the Ecumenical Centre on Abonnema Wharf Road. Governor Nyesom Wike Wike has within less than three years of his administration made inroads in the development of other sectors of the economy such as education. Some notable accomplishments in the education sector included the rehabilitation of select schools across the state, such as the Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori, Nyemoni Grammar School, Abonnema, and Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, just

to mention a few. Hospitals and health institutions were not left out in the development strides by Governor Nyesom Wike. Some of those rehabilitated and upgraded to provide better services to the people included the Elele-Alimini General Hospital and the School of Nursing in Port Harcourt, among other health institutions. Governor Wike has invested tremendously in the area of security. A few months into his administration in 2015, Governor Nyesom Wike received the then Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase and donated 64 patrol vans to the Rivers state police command and other security agencies to help combat crime in the state. During the presentation of the vans, the governor stated: “The most important role of any responsible Government is the security of lives and property.” The governor had said on different occasions that he had zero tolerance for crime and criminality. This, then, explains why he took huge steps to lure cultists, kidnappers, and robbers out of criminality by granting them amnesty. The gesture yielded some fruitful results as many youths surrendered their weapons and genuinely embraced the amnesty programme. Today, Governor Wike ranks among governors in Nigeria who are not in arrears of payment of salaries and pensions. Speaking while flagging off the construction of Isiokpo Town, an ancient city of Ikwerre land, Wike said: “The Paris Refund Club they paid us will be used to execute meaningful projects in the state. For us, we have passed the stage of payments of salaries and pensions. We have cleared all those and our focus now is to roll out projects for the benefit of our people.” The efforts of Governor Nyesom Wike have been recognised by stakeholders within and beyond the shores of this country. Some of such awards were conferred on the governor by The Daily Times Newspaper. Others included the SUN, the Leadership, and the Nigerian Pilot Newspapers as well as the United Nations-backed platform, Sustainable Cities and Human Settlement Awards, SCAHSA, in London, earlier last year.

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Good Governance Award - Gov Ibikunle Amosun Ï Transforming Ogun for maximum impact

ÏÏÏ Having

realised that the Education sector is one area where Ogun State for ages, has comparative advantages over other states in Nigeria, Governor Ibikunle Amosun has invested heavily in rebuilding of infrastructure, training, retraining and motivation of personnel, encouraging students and pupils to excel and also sanitised the entire sector for effective delivery. These achievements can be summarised as follows: -Free Education in all public Pre-Primary and Secondary Schools with abolition of tuition fees and all forms of levies -Construction of 15 Model Schools with boarding facilities out of the proposed 28 each designed to accommodate 1,000 students and over 200 teaching and nonteaching staff -Introduction and underwriting of Unified Termly Examination for all Public Primary and Secondary Schools and Government Science and Technical Colleges Students across the State with a total sum of N754,076,670.00 expended in the Secondary sector alone -22-23% of annual budget devoted to Education almost in line with the UNESCO recommendation of 26% -A sum of N1.8billion was expended on the purchase of free textbooks distributed to all Primary and Secondary School pupils and students in all public schools -Payment of Bursary Awards to 16,277 indigenous Ogun State Students in all tertiary Institutions in the country between 2011 and 2015 Teaching Service Commission -Between the Financial years 2011 and 2015, a sum of N13, 820,000.00 was given to the Commission as revenue to be generated. Thus, the Commission recorded a sum of N14, 703,852.18 representing 106.40% of the targeted Revenue Generation. -Recruitment of 445 teaching and non-teaching staff, especially in core subjects (314 teaching and 131 non-teaching staff), increasing the staff complement in the Commission to a total of 15,006 as at March, comprising a total of 12,921 teaching and 2,005 nonteaching. -Payment of Peculiar Allowance at the rate of 15% and 10% of Basic Salary respectively to Teaching and Non-Teaching staff with effect from July 2013 -Appointment of 208 principals, 506 vice-principals and 23 zonal secretaries as

administrators in Public Secondary Schools from 2011 till date -Approval of Career Progression Adjustment for 1,345 NCE + Degree stagnated teachers Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board -Promotion of 14,115 teaching and non-teaching staff for 2011 and 2012 while a total of 6,988 teaching and non-teaching staff benefitted from the 2013 and 2014 promotion -Payment of government contributions towards teachers’ pensions to the Bureau of Pensions for onward submission to the various Pension Fund Accounts -Re-charting of teachers career progression (that led to the discovery that some teachers who had overstayed on the job) -Payment of N1.6billion for 2008/2009 UBE counterpart fund -Payment of N1, 495,309,272.34 for 2010/2011 UBE counterpart fund. Bureau of Tertiary Institutions of N13, 574,669.58 from HUCAP beneficiaries that failed to return to serve the mandatory 3-years bond with Ogun State Government. July, 2011 till date in resolving the Industrial Conflicts between the management and Unions of Institutes of Technology, Itori and Igbesa on 21st June, 2011 and 22nd July, 2011. Health mary Health Care a. In 2011, 47 Primary Health Care Centers were rehabilitated. Equipment, boreholes, backup power supply and Corps Medical Personnel were also provided to make the facilities functional. b. In 2014, the Ministry effectively responded to the Ebola scare in the country by investigating all rumoured cases and sensitizing communities within the state for effective surveillance and prevention. c. In the bid to improve the quality of service delivery in all the State’s primary and secondary health facilities, the ministry in partnership with Support for National Malaria Programme (SUNMAP) introduced the integrated Support Supervision/On the Job Capacity Building (ISS/ OJCB) programme. -Ogun State Ambulance and Emergency Service (OGSAS) d.In 2012, four modern Advanced Life-Support ambulances were procured and six abandoned vehicles

Amosun were refurbished to Basic Life Support standard as the first step in the ongoing programme to revive the Ogun State Ambulance Services. (OGSAS). -Schools of Nursing and Midwifery e.In 2012, a total of 99 health personnel were recruited for the Ministry of Health. This number includes 30 B.NSc. Graduate nurses which were employed as tutors for the School of Nursing and Midwifery f.Hospital Services g.Starting form 2013, the Computerization of record of private medical facilities in the State was done to provide for easy monitoring, data analysis and improve internally generated revenue within the State Management Board h.Procurement of affordable drugs/consumables from reputable companies and suppliers through a competitive bidding and at valued prices – 2011 till date i.Renovation of the Central Medical Store – 2011 till date Health Care Development Board j.Commencement of Community Based Health Insurance Scheme (ARAYA) in Ogun State which has now been adopted naturally as a best practice. k.Sustenance of wild polio free state. No case of wind virus has been recorded since 2011 till date. Agriculture riculture land allocated to Investors fromMay2011 to date State Government own Feed Depot project produced 4,000 metric tonnes of various classes of feed between May, 2011 and

April 2015 to back up various Livestock Projects. Estate: 8000 point of cage pullets were raised and supplied to Owowo Farm Estate. ogy Dissemination Centre with green Houses, Fish Tanks, Poultry Houses and crop Production established in Abeokuta (Ogun Central), Ijebu –Ife (Ogun East and Ilaro (Ogun West) at a total cost of 15,000,000.00. effectively in National Farmer Registration, were 197,699 farmers were registered in the State as at 2013. Commerce Naira counterpart funding credit facility between Ogun State Government and Bank of Industry (50% equity each) to empower indigenous MSMEs. new factories were commissioned between 2011 and May, 2015 thus bringing the total number of factories in the State to 371. Six (6) more are to be commissioned before the end of June, 2015. More than 100 companies made requests for land, while over 30 are at various stages of construction. ated Revenue by the Ogun State Market Development Board rose from N14,470,720.00 in June, 2010 – May, 2011 to N23,831,750 in June, 2013-May, 2014 the restructuring and upgrading of facilities at Abeokuta. seke, Abeokuta. national Market. Market.

1.5km access road leading to the Industrial Service Centre and Technology Incubation Centre, Abeokuta. 700 meters were duly completed On 29 May, 2011, Senator Amosun was sworn-in as the fourth elected Governor of Ogun State, having won the election held in April 2011. He contested on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). This party merged with other parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) in February 2013. He was re-elected for a second term in office on 11 April 2015 and duly sworn- in on 29 May 2015. Upon assumption of office as Governor of Ogun State, he outlined the Mission to Rebuild Agenda of his administration which is anchored on a 5 point – Cardinal Programme: tive Education

ernor of The Year (FRCN, Ibadan Zonal Station) – March 2017 Works Road reconstructed or rehabilitated during the Amosun administration include

Delivery

road Ijebu-Ode.

tion and Industrialization

Urban Renewal

al Development / Employment Generation The programme is aimed at the Welfare, Prosperity and Security of the Citizenry and the State. His administration has since recorded significant achievements in various critical sectors such as Free Education, stimulation of the Investment Environment, Agriculture, Women Empowerment, Security, massive Infrastructural Development and Urban Renewal. Laurels and Awards: His leadership qualities and outstanding achievements have earned him recognition nationally and internationally, some of these include: State Governor in West Africa” by Security Watch Africa. In Accra, Ghana – October 2012 ment Icon Award for 2013 by African Leadership magazine in New York – September 2013 Award: Governor of the Fastest Growing State Economy by Businessday Newspaper in Lagos – November 2013 Award: Commander of the Order of the Niger (C.O.N) by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan – September 2014 Man of The Year – April 2016 The Year – February 2017

Road

wal Stadium Garage, Ijebu-Ode

balufon Junction, Ijebu-Ode kolobo junction-OGBC Road, Abeokuta Girls College, Idi Aba IdiAba Elite Road Ewang Estate Road Abeokuta box culvert Saje Abeokuta

works Abeokuta Road, Olisa, Igbeba road, Ijebu-Ode.

Street Ijebu-Ode Street Ijebu-Ode Ososa road Ijebu-Ode Owo/Ereko/Bonojo/Awokoya Street, Ijebu-Ode age on Abeokuta Road/Molipa junction, Ijebu-Ode Garage-Epe Garage, IjebuOde Garage-Balogun Street Ijebu-Ode jale Street Ijebu-Ode

Kuku -

Garage/Itele-Sagamu/Benin Express road, Ijebu-Ode Street Ijebu-Ode Bypass Ijebu-Ode

kuta road-Araromi/Osinubi Street, Ijebu-Ode road/Folagbade Lagos Garage, Ijebu-Ode at Isale Abese, Ijaye Abeokuta. ba-Lagos Garage Ijebu-Ode. Personal Data: Born in Abeokuta on Saturday, 25 January, 1958, he attended the following institutions of learning:.African Church Primary School, Abeokuta (1965 – 1970) .African Church Grammar School, Abeokuta (1971 – 1977) .Ogun State Polytechnic (now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic), Abeokuta (H.N.D, 1979 – 1983) .University of Westminster, London (M.A. in International Finance, 2000)

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Good Governance Award - Gov Aminu Tambuwal Ï Delivering dividends of democracy in Sokoto for positive change

ÏÏÏ

Since becoming the chief executive of Sokoto State, Governor Aminu Tambuwal has left no one in doubt that he was and is really prepared for leadership and is at home with the needs and demands of the people of the Seat of the Caliphate. His profound achievements in the last two years are what informed the honour and recognition accorded him. As governor, Tambuwal has raised the ante of purposeful leadership and good governance. He has transformed Sokoto State and has imprinted indelible marks in the sand of history in the state. His achievements traversed all sectors of human endeavour, which space and time would not allow us to enumerate here. Aware that education is the bedrock of human capital and enduring societal development, Tambuwal upon becoming governor declared a state of emergency on education and has accorded priority attention to girl-child education in the state. In 2016, the governor made history by laying the foundation for the construction of a new secondary school in Balle, Gudu local government area, the only local government area without a senior secondary school in the whole country. Determined to make the necessary impact, he allocated more funds to education in the state’s budgets in 2016 and 2017 than any other sector. Importantly, the allocations were more than the UNICEF recommended 26 percent. Last year, Sokoto became the first state in Nigeria to pass the Right to Education law which makes education compulsory and free for all children between the ages of five and 18. It also criminalises refusal to send children to school, and parents will be liable to criminal prosecution if they stop their children from attending schools. So far, over 22 Doctors and Engineers sponsored for medical and engineering studies in foreign universities under the Higher Education Scheme Programme. Over 8,000 Sokoto students have benefitted from Government’s free JAMB forms for the joint admissions and matriculations board unified tertiary institutions admission examinations. Over 500 new teachers recruited by government to boost manpower in secondary schools. More than N3bn has been expended in the payment of tuition/living expenses to students studying in various disciplines across the globe. Presently, Sokoto has over 342 foreign students under full sponsorship by the State Government with

over 17,000 students studying various courses in institutions of higher learning, within the country. in the area of pupil enrollment, significant improvement has been recorded with 1,193,760 enrolled in the Basic Education Schools for the 2015/2016 academic session alone. The results of the interventions became apparent when UNICEF announced few days ago that the number of out of school children in Sokoto has dropped from 67% in 2015, to 31% in 2017. This presents one of the highest drops in the history of Nigeria. The administration has made significant progress in improving the health condition of the people of the state through provision of standard health care facilities and making access to healthcare easier. Hence infant and maternal mortality rate as well as incidences of VVF has drastically reduced. There has been a massive upgrade of premier health facilities in various parts of the state. Some of these projects include repairs and total renovations of 19 General Hospitals in the state, repairs of the Maternity Unit of State Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, completion of the second phase of the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, comprising of 47 staff houses, two wards and landscaping. The Government has converted the Amanawa Leprosarium into Infectious Diseases Hospital and the conversion MMSH into a Renal and Cardiac Centre. The government also introduced the Community Contributory Healthcare Scheme with the Governor setting aside N100m as seed fund for the take off. About three million residents, more than half of the state’s population, will benefit from the scheme. The government has released N874.9m as counterpart funding for intervention in health along with Dangote Foundation and Bill/Melinda Gates Foundation. At least over 25 International Development Partners have been attracted to Sokoto to work in the health sector. 213 Doctors and Health Professionals engaged to develop Sokoto State Strategic Health Plan for 2016-2020 in collaboration with RTI/LEAD/USAID. 583 NOMA patients have so far received free plastic surgeries at the state Noma Children Hospital. Over 6,500 epilepsy and psychiatric patients have received free medication from government; and they were drawn from 65 wards in the 23 local government areas of the state. Most im-

Tambuwal portantly, N10 million is being expended monthly to provide free drugs to patients in hospitals and other health facilities in Sokoto. Of course, housing is one of the primary needs of man and Governor Tambuwal is not oblivious of this hence since 2015, 300 Civil Servants have benefitted from Home renovation loan guaranteed by the government, and expended through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). Already, Government has completed work at the 500 housing unit Kalambaina Estate. There is another 500 housing unit Kalambaina Estate completed; with another 500 Units of houses at Gidan Man Ada inherited from the previous administration and funds provided for their completion. In an era, where majority of the states are unable to pay workers’ salaries, it is gratifying to note that Tambuwal has created not less than 1000 new millionaires in Sokoto after the payment of retirement benefits to 1907 pensioners. His administration is up to date in the payment of salaries and pensions. Governor Tambuwal has created wealth and empowered youths and women in the state. When some states are downsizing their workforce, Sokoto state has employed 500 new junior and mid-cadre staff into the state civil service. They include drivers, messengers, mechanics and other clerical/administrative officers. In 2016 alone, 19,000 job opportunities were created by the government. They include jobs in the civil service, agricultural sector, mining sector and the introduction of the new Primary Healthcare UnderOne-Roof policy. All health workers in ministries and agencies working in the local gov-

ernment areas have been absorbed into the state Primary healthcare Development Agency. N40,000 is paid to each of the 575 extremely poor beneficiaries under the conditional cash transfer scheme in Illela LGA. N33 million is expended every month by the Zakat and Endowment Committee for the payment of N6,500 monthly stipends to under-privileged members of the society as part of government’s initiative to tackle extreme poverty. N2 billion is set aside by the Government and the Bank of Industry (BoI) as intervention funds for the development of micro, small and medium scale enterprises in the state. In line with this administration’s diversification policy, Sokoto state under Governor Tambuwal is a reference point as in his first year in office, 9,000 tons of fertilizer were bought and sold to farmers at subsidized rate for the 2015 farming season at the cost of N1.2 billion and this has continued up till today. Already, a new Organic Fertiliser Company has been established in Sokoto and production has continued since it was unveiled in earlier this year. For two years running, Sokoto allocated more funds to the agric sector than any state in the country. $250m has been voted for the establishment of a Tomato Processing Factory by Erisco Foods Limited in Sokoto. An MoU has already been signed while land for the project has been handed over to the company by the Government. N1,660 billion has been expended in the provision of water pumps, seedlings, drilling tube wells and other agricultural machineries for farmers. AnotherN1,690 billion for the procurement of 1000

units of Tiller Machines for farmers in the state. The Government has not rested in the war against corruption and as at today, N1.5 billion redundant funds has been recovered by Government from 100 previously unknown accounts in various commercial banks after the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) payment system. In short, Governor Tambuwal has demystified governance. Described by those who know him closely as a kind hearted and passionate individual, Tambuwal is a committed professional who excels in any given task. In the political stratosphere of today, he has remained his true self. Besides his apparent willingness not to be encumbered by the political exigencies of double-speak, his utterances and actions have been guided by the need to do what is right, and what is in the best interest of the country. The Man, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, lawyer, parliamentarian, administrator, was born on January 10, 1966 in Tambuwal, Sokoto State. He had his early education at the Tambuwal Primary School from 1972 -1979 and Government Teachers College Dogon-Daji where he obtained his Teachers Grade 11 Certificate in 1984. Determined to become a lawyer, young Aminu proceeded to read Law at the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, graduating in 1991 with an LL.B (Hons). In 1992, after successfully completing his one year mandatory studies at the Nigeria Law School Lagos, he was called to the Nigerian Bar. His charm and vibrant pursuit of an egalitarian society was soon noticed by his colleagues who persuaded him to run for office and he was elected the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Bar Association, Sokoto in 1997. Subsequently, he was to serve variously as the association’s Assistant National Financial Secretary, 1st National Secretary, and Secretary of the Human Rights Committee, between the years 1998 - 2002. Political Career After working as the Personal Assistant to the then Senate Leader, Senator Abdullahi Wali, Tambuwal ran for the House of Representatives seat for Kebbe/ Tambuwal federal constituency of Sokoto State in 2003 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and won. In 2004, he became the Minority Leader of the House. His knowledge, charisma and erudition, made him a very efficient leader of the opposition.

Determined to continue rendering qualitative representation to his constituents, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal again contested the National Assembly elections in 2007. Following wide ranging consultations, orchestrated and spearheaded by his Leader Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, Tambuwal recontested, this time on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He won the seat to represent his constituency from 2007-2011. No longer in the opposition, he was promptly elected the Deputy Chief Whip of the House, bringing his varied legislative experience, vast array of friends in different parties and sound judgment, to bear on the leadership of the House. In 2011, when Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal again stood for and won election to the House of Representatives, he had become one of the most experienced and most regarded members of that hallowed chamber. His integrity, knowledge of procedure and people, and his charming intelligence made him a very popular ranking member of the House. When the time came to elect a Speaker for the House therefore, it was inevitable that he would become the top contender. His nationalistic vision, his leadership by consensus, and his popularity with people across party, religion and ethnic lines, earned him the trust and ultimately the vote of his colleagues to become Speaker of the 7th Assembly of the House of Representatives. Against almost insurmountable odds, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal emerged Speaker in 2011 and ran a clean House, devoid of the controversies, corrupt charges and jostles for power that seemed to have characterised the tenure of his predecessors. Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is a man of many parts who has been able to distinguish himself in all of them. Some of his other achievements include: Leader of the Nigerian Delegation to African, Caribbean, Pacific and European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly; Leader of the Federal Government team to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the controversial denial of visas to Nigerian female pilgrims; Member, International Bar Association, Member, Nigerian bar Association; Member, National Executive Committee Nigerian Bar Association; he has attended courses in Kennedy School of Government, Harvard, USA; Oxford University; Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Tulane University, both in the USA.

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Life Achievement Award: Bola Tinubu Ï A colossus politician of repute ÏÏÏ Nigeria

is a country where heroes are scarce and visionary leadership is even more rare. However, Nigeria can still take pride in one leader who has demonstrated rare courage and commitment to justice. One who has made personal sacrifices to advance the common good, and who remains unrelenting in the search for good and responsible governance. That leader is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a two-term former Lagos State Governor and the national leader of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Tinubu is that rare leader who combines practical political acumen, strategic vision and moral principles. When the history of the first score years of the 21st century in Nigeria is written, it will state that Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s rare courage and foresight in guiding his party abolished the determined efforts of the then ruling party to turn Nigeria into a one party state. More than any person since the return of civilian rule in 1999, Tinubu’s actions in maintaining his political party and helped salvage multiparty electoral democracy in Nigeria. With this contribution alone, he has helped his nation keep to the path leading toward good governance, human rights and prosperity for all. While Nigeria still has far to go to reach these objectives, it would have turned toward a less just and democratic without Bola Tinubu. In a political culture where most members of the political class gravitate towards the ruling party to ease the path towards fulfilment of personal ambition or for pecuniary reward, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s resilience and steadfastness in giving inspirational leadership to the APC is remarkable. It is a testimony to the depth of the convictions that have motivated and sustained him in politics over the last two and a half decades. One of Nigeria’s leading national newspapers in a published piece described him as Nigeria’s Political Samurai. “…By his focus and determination, Senator Bola Tinubu, has over the years carved out a distinctive personage for himself in politics. With a towering political stature, former Lagos State Governor and one of the national leaders of the former Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), now the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, isn’t just a household name; he is an authority in the artery of the nation’s

Tinubu body politics. He may have attained his enviable status through consistent ideological standing; it is certainly a journey of many years of struggle and the grit for change”. As each day passes by, Tinubu thinks new strategy, options and style in both politics and governance. He envisions and muses with deep reflection, the Nigerian problems as well as the best approach possible. He knows politics much as he understands the game of power…” Indeed, Tinubu’s democratic footprints go beyond Nigeria; it spawns the continent, especially in the immediate West Africa Sub-Region where he has helped sustain democracy and popular participation. The virtues of courage, determination, commitment, vision, focus and strong sense of purpose that have characterised Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s politics drove his emergence as one of the country’s most successful governors after Nigeria’s return to democratic governance 13 years ago. His stewardship of Lagos State for 8 years remains a reference for good governance in Nigeria and across the region. A first class financial strategist, Bola Tinubu, overhauled and reformed government and revenue collection in the state, tak-

ing Lagos from a yearly Internally Generated Revenue of N14.64 billion in 1999 to N60.31 billion in 2006. By March 2007, the state had achieved monthly Internally Generated Revenue of N8.2 billion. His innovations laid the groundwork necessary for Lagos to have the revenue to improve the state and modernize living conditions of all of its inhabitants. An irrepressible fighter for democracy and protection of civil liberties, Bola Tinubu endured political persecution, including numerous arrests and detentions, harassment, constant threats to his life and years in political exile. Despite the wrongs done to him he never has sought retribution. He has forgiven those who did injustice to him. Instead he has chosen to focus on the future by building a democratic and peaceful nation. Leadership newspapers, one of Nigeria’s national dailies, said it best when it conferred on its “Person of the Year” on him in 2011: “Out of the socio-economic and political fog that 2010 represented, at least three great themes emerged: the struggle between the search for democratic legitimacy and subsisting electoral injustices; the tenacious resolve of courageous characters who dared hypocritical

authority to prove points of principle; and a pervasive sense of self-doubt as the nation marked its 50th anniversary of independence.” “Within this context, the year spawned a welter of heroes and villains from various arenas of human endeavour. But while some forces remained apostles of socio-political stagnation and retrogression, others represented untiring catalysts for progressive change. It is from this puzzling canvass that we must make our choices as to which personality impacted Nigeria most, for good or bad, in recent times. As it were, justice still remains the country’s most powerful idea, but the struggle is far from over. After almost 12 years of unbroken democracy, impunity at various levels of governance remains a defining feature of our national life. The successful reversal of some of the subsisting injustices, within the period of this assessment, through the influence of some courageous individuals, in the face of dangers to life and limb, sets Bola Ahmed Tinubu apart as a leader of note. Through his tenacity and uncommon focus in guiding the reversal of electoral impunity across a wide swath of the nation’s political landscape, he reaffirmed the enduring fact

that, indeed, justice is the first condition of democracy.” Tinubu remains Nigeria’s most relentless fighter for democracy, justice and the rule of law. No history of modern Nigeria can be complete without giving due regard to his contributions to safeguarding the democratic aspersions of an entire nation and its people, regardless of creed and ethnic background, at a time when those aspirations were deeply threatened. Today, he remains the most vociferous voice in the call for Nigeria to return to the path of true federalism and for him, the star prize is the enthronement of fiscal federalism that will give governors and Chairmen fully funded mandates and accelerate grassroots development. One of Nigeria’s leading daily newspapers, ThisDay, in 2013 selected Bola Tinubu as its “Man of The Year”. The paper described him as the man who rebuilt Nigerian Opposition. In the words of the Newspaper, Tinubu “from the scratch he built the Action Congress of Nigeria to a formidable political party that within a short time became the major opposition party in Nigeria. He deployed his resources, energy, and political acumen to give the ruling party a fight in the political space”. The altering of Nigeria’s political landscape and balance of power that occurred in November 2013 had Tinubu’s imprimatur all over it. The political merger that produced the All Progressives Congress is Nigeria’s first and Tinubu was its chief architect. Thanks to Bola Tinubu’s untiring political maneuvers and nationalistic approach to politics, Nigeria is now a 2-party state presenting Nigerians with clear choices. This is in tandem with his tradition of selfless sacrifice, political foresight and unequalled commitment to progressive and people oriented politics. Bola Tinubu has served the cause of humanity and expanded the frontiers of freedom and democracy in Nigeria and the African Continent. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists and champions of federalism. He is one of the few leaders and champions of democracy with the potential and experience to take Nigeria to the next level. Tinubu was not in Lagos on March 29, 1952. He is married to Senator Oluremi Tinubu while the couple are blessed with children.

Graduated 1979 Sumna cum laude (with First Class Honours) in Business Administration (Accounting and Management) with cumulative weighted average point of 3.54 out of a maximum 4 points) from Chicago State University, Illinois, USA. Chicago State University Dean’s List (throughout his stay at the university). He received Outstanding Student’s Award and Certificate of Merit in Accounting and Finance He was the President, Chicago State University Accounting Society, in his final year in 1979. He worked with Arthur Anderson, Delliotte, Haskins and Sells (now Delliotte and Touche). He also worked at Mobil Producing Nigeria as Senior Auditor and Company Treasurer. He joined politics in 1989 and elected as Senator on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1992. He later joined the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) in opposition to the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which SDP candidate, the late Basorun Moshood Abiola won. He was elected as Lagos State Governor in 1999, and served two terms till 2007. As Lagos State governor, Tinubu carried out educational reforms, under which mission schools were returned to their original owners, after decades of government takeover. The Christian mission schools handed back were CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos, St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Yaba, Igbobi College, Yaba, Aunty Ayo Girls High School, Keffi, Ikoyi, Lagos, Maryland Comprehensive High School, Ikeja, Lagos, Howells Memorial Grammar School, Lagos, Methodist Boys High School, Lagos, Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, Lagos, Our Lady of Apostles Girls School (Primary and Secondary), Yaba, Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls Secondary School, Yaba, Baptist Academy, Shepherd Hill, Obanikoro, Lagos, St. Gregory’s College, Obalende, Lagos, Holy Child College, Obalende, Lagos, Agbowa Ikosi Baptist Grammar School, Agbowa-Ikosi, African Church College, Ifako, Lagos, Aladura Comprehensive High School, Lagos, Apostolic Church Grammar School, Orisigun, Ketu, Lagos, African Church Grammar School, Lagos, Eva Adelaja School, Gbagada, Lagos.

Daily Times 2017 Award Winners

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 4, 2018

Lifetime Achievement Award

Aliko Dangote

Ï A business mogul with passion for jobs creation

ÏÏÏ

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, a northerner, precisely from Kano State, was born on April 10, 1957 into a wealthy Muslim family. Aliko Dangote is the founder and president/chief executive of the Dangote Group, the largest conglomerate in West Africa. His eyes for business started right from when he was young as he recalled: “I can remember when I was in primary school, I would go and buy cartons of sweets (sugar boxes) and I would start selling them just to make money. I was so interested in business, even at that time.” He studied business from the Al Azhar University, Cairo in Egypt and thereafter returned to Nigeria to work with his uncle, Sanusi Abdulkadir Dantata. His uncle later provided him a loan of 500,000 when he was just 21 years old to start a business. The Dangote Group, which started as a small trading firm, was established in 1977. Today, it is a multi-trillion naira conglomerate with many of its operations in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. At present, Dangote has enlarged his line of businesses to also cover food processing, cement manufacturing and freight. The Dangote Group also dominates the sugar market in Nigeria and is a major sugar supplier to the country’s soft drink companies, breweries, and confection-

Dangote ers. The Dangote Group has also moved from being a trading company to being the largest industrial group in Nigeria and these include: Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Cement, and Dangote Flour just to mention but a few.

In July 2012, Dangote approached the Nigerian Ports Authority with the idea of leasing an abandoned piece of land at the Apapa Port, which was welcomed and approved. He later went to build facilities for his flour company there. So also in the 90’s,

he approached the Central Bank of Nigeria with the idea that it would be cheaper for the bank to allow his transport company to manage their fleet of staff buses which was also approved. In Nigeria as of today, Dangote Group with its dominance in the sugar market and Sugar Refinery is the main supplier (70% of the market) to the country’s soft drinks companies, breweries and confectioners. It is indeed, the largest refinery in Africa and the third largest in the world producing 800,000 tonnes of sugar annually. Apart from these, Dangote Group owns salt factories and flour mills and also being a major importer of rice, fish, pasta, cement and fertilizer. It is instructive to note that Dangote Group currently has presence in 17 African countries and is a market leader in cement on the continent. One of the Group’s subsidiaries, Dangote Cement Plc, is the largest listed company in West Africa and the first Nigerian company to join the Forbes Global 2000 Companies list. The Group has diversified into other sectors of the Nigerian economy including agriculture and is currently constructing the largest petroleum refinery, petrochemical plant and fertiliser complex in Africa. Internationally, Dangote sits on

the board of the Corporate Council on Africa, and is a member of the Steering Committee of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative, the Clinton Global Initiative, the McKinsey Advisory Council, and the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum. He was named Co-chair of the US-Africa Business Centre in September 2016 by the US Chamber of Commerce. In April 2017, he joined the Board of Directors of the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which is helping countries build the systems necessary to provide health services to their people. A dedicated philanthropist, Dangote made an initial endowment of $1.25billion to the Dangote Foundation in March 2014, enabling it to scale up its work in health, education and economic empowerment. In addition, he is collaborating with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fight polio. He is also on the Board of ONE, the anti-poverty group, co-founded by Bono. In 2013, Forbes listed him as the ‘Most Powerful Man in Africa.’ In April 2014, TIME Magazine listed him among its 100 ‘Most Influential People in the World.’ He also made the list of CNBC’s ‘Top 25 Business men in the World’ that changed and shaped the century.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Leo Stan Ekeh

Ï A computer guru with a difference ÏÏÏ

Whenever anyone talks of technology in Nigeria, the name Chief Leo Stan Ekeh must be mentioned. Born on February 22, 1956 in Ubomiri, Mbaitoli in Imo State, Ekeh is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the wellknown indigenous firm, Zinox Technologies Limited, makers of personal computers. The technology guru surprisingly does not have a technology background as he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Panjan University in India and a postgraduate degree in Risk Management from Nottingham University in England. Ekeh began his journey in the technology business when he set up Task Systems Limited which was a pioneer in desktop publishing and computer graphics

in Nigeria. The company was so successful that it is to his credit the computerisation of a high percentage of print media in Nigeria. The astute businessman also founded other companies including ITEC Solutions Limited and Technology Distribution Limited. He then set up Zinox Technologies Limited in October 2001 to produce locally made computers. Always pioneering, his computers were the first Nigerian made computers certified internationally. Zinox was the first computer manufacturer in West Africa to attain the WHQL certification and the ISO 9001: 2000 certification. In October 2013, Zinox Technologies unveiled their first tablet computer called Zipad produced locally at a media conference at the company’s headquarters in Lagos. The company is the

leading computer manufacturing company in Nigeria and is patronised heavily by the Nigerian government especially during elections. Ekeh through his company, Zinox Technologies, has given back to the society in several ways. One of which is the Computerize Nigeria Project which was launched on August 5, 2000. The goal of the project was to sensitise and encourage development in the use of computers by Nigerians. Another such project is the CANi Scheme which was set up to provide quality desktop and laptop computers to the Nigerian populace at below normal market prices with the option of bank financing and a 24 month repayment period. The testimonial of Ekeh’s business genius can be seen in the numerous awards won by both him and his company. They include but are not limited to: Zinox computers as ICT Company

of the Year at the Thisday Awards for Excellence in 2007, Computer Brand of the Year in 2006 at the Nigerian Information Technology and Telecom Awards, 4 doctorate degrees from reputable universities, etc. Ekeh was conferred with the honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) of Nigeria by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2004 and is also a board member of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group. Ekeh also serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Zinox Technologies Ltd and Buyright Africa Dotcom Limited. He founded TaskDirect Limited in 1987. Chief Leo Stan Ekeh as a first rate Indian trained economist and risk Manager, was honoured as an ICON of Hope by President Olusegun Obasanjo October 1, 2002 for his sustained pioneering effort in the area of information

Ekeh technology and also as a pride to modern Nigeria. He attended Holy Ghost College, Owerri in Imo State for his secondary education. As a young man, he wanted to own the biggest transport company in Nigeria. He later went to India for his university education, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Punjab

University. Ekeh believes that studying in India was “a great turning point in my life because I found the economy of India a realistic economy”. After his university education in India, Ekeh opted to study at the Cork City University, Ireland, and later transferred to Nottingham University, United Kingdom, earning a degree in Risk Management.