Daily Times of Nigeria Newspaper

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014 VOL. 1. NO.4

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Osinbajo named after late night call •APC digs into Awo family, RCCG to name candidate •Tinubu: I rejected VP offer in nation’s interest Augustine Aminu, Abuja; Mustapha Ogunsakin

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e l l o , P r o f .

Please be prepared. A chartered plane will be in Lagos to fly you

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Gen. Buhari, unveiling Osinbajo ... yesterday. PHOTO: TEMITOPE BALOGUN

Court orders firms to refund N1tr to ports users g6

2 men g 41 sentenced to death for stealing fowl

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Editorial

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Dealing with oil workers strike

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he industrial strike embarked upon by the National Union of Petroleum and Gas (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) is very worrisome, coming at this time of the year. The action has not only disrupted economic activities all over the country, it is also threatening to shut down the entire system of government administration. According to NUPENG and PENGASSAN, the action followed government refusal to address some of the problems affecting the oil industry. They accused it of not maintaining the refineries and ensuring they had adequate supply of crude oil, as well as neglecting to combat pipeline vandalism. Moreover, they are calling for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), aimed at overhauling the inefficiency in the sector and ending of unfair labour practices. The demands include carrying out turnaround maintenance of the refineries, reduction in pump petrol prices, improvement in the country’s neglected road network, curbing pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, stemming the high rate of divestment and attendant job losses in the industry. Furthermore, the unions insist that their members will not suspend the strike until there is a strong commitment from both the government and operators to resolve the issues.

We acknowledge that industrial strike is a legitimate weapon of collective bargaining and negotiation in every democratic society.

So, when labour resorts to this option, it is an indication that all avenues for resolution of the conflict have broken down. It is pertinent that the government looks into this barrage of grievances with all the seriousness it deserves. For example, the menace of oil theft and sea piracy in the maritime sector is becoming worrisome, with the feeble attempt to curb the vices. Despite the massive investment in surveillance facilities and other state-of-the-art equipment, it is estimated that the country loses about $25 billion to oil theft annually. Another area of grievance is the allegation that the authorities have concluded plans for the sale of the country’s four refineries. Much as the oil workers reserve the right to strike in order to press home their demands, we make bold to remind them that the timing of their action robs it of all altruism. It has been in the manner of the unions to embark on wildcat strikes, especially during festive periods, in the hope of creating a groundswell of animosity against the government.

This ritual has to stop if the unions are desirous of getting the sympathy of Nigerians. On its part, government must not wait until there is a breakdown of communication between it and the unions before it acts to resolve

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Publisher

Fidelis Anosike

Group Managing Director

Deputy Editor

Deputy Head of Operations

Managing Editor

Abuja Bureau Chief

Head, Sales & Marketing

Editor

Head of Operations

Head ICT (Shared Services)

Noel Anosike

Gabriella Osamor Yinka Olujimi

Yemi Ogunsola Bisi Abidoye

Innocent Nwankwo

Mark-Anthony Osilaja

Ondo state is blessed with a lot of potentials and we cannot but continue to develop these potentials and maximise it for the growth of our economy and promotion of our natural resources, culture and heritage --- Segun Mimiko, Ondo State Governor.

The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism.

---Wole Soyinka

If the legislature is corrupt, you go to the judiciary for redress. If the executive is corrupt you go to the judiciary for remedy.

If the judiciary itself is corrupt, where do you go from there?

---Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.

Appointing Osinbajo as my Attorney- General is the wisest decision I have ever taken in my life. I am proud to be a successful governor but Osibajo’s story is part of my success.

--- Former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Moses Ebong

Banjo Ayorinde

Head Graphics King Ododoru

The opinions expressed in the articles published in this newspaper are solely those of the authors. Articles may be reproduced, provided that the original source is indicated.

Corruption is not a Nigerian word, it is an English word, they have it there too, it is all over the place, it is in America, in England in Africa, in Asia.

Each group has a word for corruption, you can’t have a word for what does not exist?

–Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.

Daily Times Nigeria Thurssday, December 18, 2014

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Court orders obanikoro, Agbaje to keep status quo

Jega

2015: Elections’ll hold in North East, says CDS

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he Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Wednesday assured that elections would hold in the troubled areas of the North East in 2015.

According to him, the nation is winning the war against the Boko Haram sect, saying that Nigerians should have faith in the military.

Marshall Badeh spoke with State House Correspondents after President Goodluck Jonathan met with security chiefs at the Presidential Villa.

The President had earlier met with the security chiefs on Tuesday.

The Chief of Defence Staff said the meeting was to brief the President about the current security situation in the country.

“You are aware of the security situation in the

Jonathan’s sole candidacy in PDP undemocratic, says Falae Jonathan Eze

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ormer Presidential candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP) and now member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Oluyemisi Falae, has described as undemocratic the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to present President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole candidate of the party ahead the 2015 general

5 News

country, the President thought it fit to call us this morning to brief him about the current situation of things. We have told the President exactly where we are and our future plans. As you know, we can’t talk about our future plans here, that will mean us telling the enemy what we are doing,” the four star general said.

On the fake Boko Haram members arrested by the State Security Service and his earlier ceasefire order, Badeh said it was better not to discuss such matter as the DSS was on it.

“It is better not to discuss those things. SSS is on it, they are doing their own investigation. They did a briefing yesterday and they have told you exactly what they are doing.

It is better we leave the SSS to handle that one,”

election.

In an interview with the Daily Times, Falae opined that there should have been a level playing ground for all those that are interested in contesting for any position.

According to him, if it is expensive to conduct party primaries, what should Nigerians expect during next year’s general election.

He urged the electorate to elect the leaders they want without being enticed with money or any form of inducement.

Falae frowned at what he described as display of wealth by aspirants into the various offices who went as far as bribing delegates with foreign currency.

Jonathan Eze

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federal high court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo on the contentious gubernatorial primary election held in Lagos over a week ago.

The court has fixed December 23, 2014 for INEC

and the PDP to appear before it and has forbidden Mr. Jimi Agbaje , the acclaimed winner to stop parading himself as the candidate of the PDP until the suit is heard.

Senator Musiliu Obanikoro had pleaded with the court to compel the PDP not to accept the result of the primary election held on the 8th of December in Lagos due to the alleged rigging that saw 806 accredited voters turn in 866 votes.

Obanikoro also asked the court not to recognize Jimi Agbaje because he joined the party barely six months ago and as such is unfit to contest for governorship since the National Working Committee of the party had not given him a waiver.

Another allegation was that the leader of the party in Lagos, Chief Olabode George, allegedly came with thugs to scare away accredited voters loyal to Obanikoro from

the venue.

Hence, Obanikoro seeks an outright cancellation of the exercise and a date for a new one.

When contacted, the director of media to Jimi Agbaje, Mr. Felix Oboagwina, said that he was not aware of the order and wondered what exactly is the status quo that the court is asking to be maintain.

He added that he would contact his principal and respond appropriately.

L-R: Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah; Chief Of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief Of Air Staff, Air Marshal Olusola Amosun and Inspector General Of Police (Igp), Suleiman Abba during a briefing with State House correspondents after their breakfast meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja yesterday.

FEC holds valedictory session for Ashiru

By Monday Agu Jnr.

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday led other members of the Federal Executive Council in eulogizing the late former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru who died recently in South Africa at the age of 66.

Ashiru served as Minister of Foreign Affairs between July, 2011 and Sept, 2013.

Jonathan described the late minister as a patriotic

diplomat who helped the country to streamline its foreign relations within and outside the African continent.

According to the president, Ashiru played a key role in the country’s successful management of the international outrage that greeted the visit of the Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir, to the country at a time the International Court of Justice had issued an arrest warrant in him. “ Within the period he served we had a lot of challenges in West Africa.

“We had the Ivorian crisis, we had the Libyan crisis, we had the military coup d’etat in Niger.

“Incidentally within that period, I was the chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

“And without a foreign minister that knew his onions, I couldn’t have been able to manage the situation. With Ambassador Ashiru by my side we were able to pull through.

“When the President of

Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, visited Nigeria, the world was alerted and they were all looking at Nigeria.

“He (Ashiru) had to move with the Attorney-General and they were able to calm the situation because of the personal relationship he had with some of the global players.”

Jonathan said that the country had lost a rare gem in Ashiru and urged serving ministers of foreign affairs to draw from his commitment and dedication to the protection of the country’s interest.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Court orders private operators to refund N1tr to ports users Mustapha Ogunsakin

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Federal High Court has voided charges imposed on ports users by private shipping companies and terminal operators. In effect, the companies are to refund the charges which had been imposed on the users since 2006.

The refund is valued at over N1 trillion.

Justice Ibrahim Buba, who gave the orders in a suit filed by the terminal operators, affirmed the appointment of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) as the economic regulators of ports. He struck out two suits by the shipping companies.

The matters, filed as SUITS NO. FHC/ CS/1646/2014, are entitled: ALRAINE SHIPPING AGENCIES (NIG) LTD & ORS Vs NIGERI-

AN SHIPPERS’ COUNCIL and SUIT NO. FHC/ CS/1704/2014 – APAPA BULK TERMINAL LTD & ORS Vs NIGERIAN SHIPPERS’ COUNCIL. The court held that the

Shipping Line Agency Charges (SLAC) collected from shippers in the country by shipping companies since 2006 is illegal.

Justice Buba gave the orders sequel to an origi-

nating summons filed before him by some shipping companies urging the court to determine issues that concerned the legal status of the NSC. They cited the NSC as defen-

Finance Minister, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala laying the 2015 budget proposal before the National Assembly yesterday

How Osinbajo emerged APC candidate CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

here for a major meeting right-away.”

“Fly me where, Governor?”

“Abuja, of course. Your attention is urgently needed in Abuja tonight. A major meeting is under way and it is important for you to be here.”

“I am already in Abuja.

I have a matter at the Supreme Court tomorrow.”

“Abuja?

Allah be praised. Where exactly?

Your attention is needed urgently.”

That was the conversation between Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and eminent lawyer, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, just about 11pm on Tuesday. A few hours after, Osinbajo was unveiled as the Vice Presidential candidate of his party, the All Progressives

dant in the suit.

President Goodluck Jonathan had on February 2014 appointed the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) as the Economic Regulator of the Nigerian

Congress (APC).

A former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under whom Osinbajo served as Attorney-General, said yesterday that he was approached by Gen. Abacha for the Vice President slot but that he turned it down in the nation’s interest. He also counselled against making religion an important factor in conducting elections.

The nomination at the 1am meeting not withstanding, Osinbajo continued with his legal commitments, according to sources.

It was learnt that the APC Vice Presidential candidate still went to the Supreme Court where he appeared in the case that took him to Abuja.

Despite being so named, Osinbajo decided that his duty as a lawyer must still be carried. By

Osinbajo is an in law of the Obafemi Awolowo family. His wife, Oludolapo, is a grand daughter of the late Awolowo and daughter of the statesman’s daughter, Mrs Ayo Soyode who died in 2011.

Despite the frenzy of the last four days concerning his nomination as a Vice Presidential candidate of the APC, Osinbajo had attended to all matters he had in his chambers. He was before a Lagos High Court on Tuesday and left Lagos for Abuja in the evening only to be called by Aregbesola, with whom he served as cabinet members in the Lagos Executive Council between 1999 and 2007.

Aregbesola was going to arrange a chartered flight to convey Osinbajo to Abuja when the Vice Presidential candidate told him he was in Abuja to attend to a suit he had before the Su-

preme Court on Wednesday.

A team was then dispatched to fetch him from his hotel. He got to meet Buhari at 1.00 am Wednesday. In the morning, Osinbajo still attended to his case before the Supreme Court. He defended Hon Abegunde, a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly who defected from Labour Party to APC The APC presidential candidate Osinbajo presented to the media as his running-mate after days of marathon meetings and horse-trading by leaders of the party.

The candidate was unusually effusive as he described Osinbajo as “a man of unimpeachable integrity, an excellent professional, a man of faith, a devoted family man and a role model”, to the wild applause of party leaders at the ceremony.

ports in line with his executive powers.

Based on this appointment, the NSC issued notices to both the shipping companies and Terminal operators to reverse all illegal charges levied on Nigerian shippers. Dissatisfied, the shipping companies and the Terminal Operators, mostly foreign owned, filed these suits to invalidate the actions of the NSC. The plaintiffs include: Apapa Bulk Terminal Ltd, ENL Consortium Ltd, West Africa Container Terminal Ltd, APM Terminals Ltd, Joseph Dam Port Services Ltd, TinCan Island Container Ltd, Ports and Cargo Handling Services Ltd, Five Star Logistics Ltd, Ports and Terminal Operators Nigeria Ltd. BUA Port Services Ltd, BRAWAL Oil Services Ltd, and ECM Terminals Ltd.

‘Shekau’ threatens to attack Emir Sanusi Ugochukwu Onyeocha

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mir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, may have stepped on the toes of Boko Haram terrorists and is being put under surveillance by members of the sect..

A leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, yesterday, in a video, vowed to attack the Emir as payback for the monarch’s call on Kano residents and other Nigerians to arm and defend themselves against Boko Haram following the recent bombings in Kano.

In the video, Shekau was questioning the faith of the Emir, saying the group does not consider the monarch a true Muslim. The terrorist leader thus said that they would attack the Emir whenev-

er an ample opportunity presents itself.

A multimedia & bilingual journalist with BBC World Service, Naziru Mikail, claimed the terrorist group’s threat against the Emir was contained in a new video released by the group on Tuesday.

Mikail posted the group’s threat on his twitter handle Naziru Mikail @nazirumikailu, thus #BokoHaram leader vows to attack Emir of Kano in a new video released last night #Nigeria.

Shekau, in a 19-minute video, first released last Saturday, did not claim responsibility for the Kano Mosque attack.

But he said his group was prepared to fight and kill anyone who challenges its ideology, and all nonMuslims and “fake” Muslims like the Emir.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

7 News

Niger registers 38,000 unemployed graduates

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espite employing over 8,000 graduates of National Certificate of Education (NCE), Higher National Diploma (HND) and university graduates, the Niger State Government has said it has registered over 38,000 unemployed graduates awaiting employment.

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu made this known when he received the Director of Education Corps of the Nigeria Air Force, Air Commodore Sani Naiya, in Minna.

Decrying the high level of unemployment of graduates, Aliyu urged individuals and corporate organizations to reduce the figure as the state will welcomed their efforts.

Responding to the remark by Naiya of the readiness of Nigeria Air Force to employ teachers and non-teaching staff from the state to teach in the school built in Minna by the state government and donated to the force promised to assist NAF in the fencing of the school and construction of access roads.

Earlier, the Director of Education Air Commodore Sani Naiya thanked the state government for constructing and donating the school to the force, while assuring that recruitment of pupils and students into the school will be done in favour of the state.

L-R:Executive Chairman, Champion Newspapers Ltd, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha; representative of Abia State Governor, Prof Chudi Uwazuruike; a former commissioner for Information in Abia State, Dr ACB Agbazuere, and Deputy Chairman, Imo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sunday Chikwe, during the Most Outstanding Governor Award bestowed on Gov. Orji to mark the 25th anniversary of Champion Newspapers in Owerri, Imo state, recently.

NAHCO sacks 15 officers in ‘restructuring exercise’

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he leading ground handling company in the country’s aviation industry, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO, Plc, has sacked no fewer than 15 of its top management staff over what it termed “restructuring exercise of the company.”

It was gathered that more staff of the ground handling company would still be dismissed in the next couple of months.

Kayode Oluwasegun-Ojo by the Board of Directors and the immediate announcement of a replacement for him.

NAHCO had claimed, then, that the removal of Oluwasegun-Ojo was in line with the company’s succession plan and good corporate principles.

The board, then, announced Mr. Norbert Bielderman as the Ag. Managing Director effective from October 23, 2014.

However, investigation carried out by our corre-

spondent revealed that uncertainty has rented the air in the ground handling company, as several staff, especially from the Assistant General Manager upward were unsure of their future in the company.

Some of those spoken with by our correspondent, but craved anonymity, alleged that all may not be well with the company after all, saying that rather than sack workers, the ground handling company needed to employ more staff to beef up its opera-

tions.

The source said: “No one is sure of his or her tomorrow in NAHCO at the moment. The rate at which people are fired and hired is unprecedented in the company. In the last one year, over 70 personnel have either been fired by the board of directors or resigned from the company. But, the truth is that we actually need more hands to beef up our operations and not sack of competent personnel.”

NGO sets up security trust fund Eno-Obong Okon, Uyo

A Gov. Aliyu

Some of the positions affected in the recent purge in the company included Assistant General Managers, General Managers and a few others, while the affected departments included Human Resources, Corporate Communications, Risks Management departments and the office of the Managing Director.

The sacking spree had started in late October with the dismissal of the Managing Director, Mr.

non-governmental organisation, Community Policing Partners, has called for the establishment of Security Trust Fund to take charge of security logistics in the country.

Executive Director of the organization, Mr Saviour Akpan, made the call in Uyo,

on Wednesday, during a-oneday Sensitisation Training on “Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights” for security officers.

According to him, the trust fund, when established, would provide security agencies with logistics to quicken their operations.

He advised that extractive industries in the country be made to contribute to the

trust fund, since they are the direct benefactors of security agent services in the country.

Akpan also stated that security personnel employed by extractive industries in the country should be mindful of the rights of members of host communities.

He added that the abuse of rights had been one of the causes of conflict between

the companies and their host communities.

He said: “Among many controversies that surround the operations of extractive industries around the globe is the persistence of security forces. Many of the security personnel that have been employed by oil, gas, and mining companies, have reportedly been said to be committing grave human rights

abuses against the members of their host communities.”

According to him, training on voluntary principles for security and human rights was aimed at exposing stakeholders on how they could protect the company’s assets without abusing the rights and fundamentals freedoms of their host communities.

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Jonathan urges firm global action against insurgency Monday Agu Jnr.

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has called on world leaders to unite and form stronger action against the scourges of insurgency and piracy in West Africa and beyond.

Speaking at the 46th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, yesterday, President Jonathan noted that the sub- region’s security challenges were getting out of hand.

He expressed further re-

gret about the damage Ebola Virus Disease has done to West Africa, adding that stronger alliances were needed to combat these challenges.

The President noted that the aforementioned challenges constitute direct negative consequences on the continued peace, stability and prosperity of the region.

His words, “Worrisome is the ravaging scourge of terrorism, which now threatens the peace and security of our sub-region.

“In the Sahel region, we have witnessed increasing proliferation of small arms and light weapons. As a

result, countries in the region are today threatened by insurgents or terrorists.

“These actions have direct consequences for the continued peace, stability and prosperity of the region.

“In the Gulf of Guinea the increasing incidents of piracy has assumed a worrisome dimension.

“This is confounded by drug trafficking, oil bunkering and human trafficking. All of these require urgent and concerted actions from all of us.

“I therefore, call for stronger and more effective regional, continental and global alliance to rid our

region of terrorism, piracy and violent extremism,” the President said.

The Nigerian leader also expressed satisfaction with the fact that West Africa was the fastest growing sub region in the continent, recording an economic growth rate averaging seven per cent in 2013 compared to 6.6 per cent in 2012.

He attributed this to the region’s huge markets and various integration programmes that continued to attract regional and foreign investors.

He urged the ECOWAS commission to continue to coordinate the full implementation of various

Jonathan economic integration programmes of the organisation.

This, according to him, is to fast-track the economic development of the region in the years ahead.

9 News Folarin picks two-time LG boss as running mate, promises better deal for Oyo Twenty-four hours to the deadline for the final submission of candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin, yesterday unveiled his deputy and running mate, Hon. Ezekiel Oyedepo.

Oyedepo was a former Chairman of Oriire Local Government in Ogbomoso. Also, Folarin appointed a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Asimiyu Alarape from Oyo town as the Director-General of his campaign team.

Oyo Butchers shun new abbattoir

L-R: Founder and CEO, Field of Skills and Dreams Vocational Technical and Entrepreneurship Academy, Mrs. Omowale Ogunrinde; First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola and Mrs. Yinka Yussuf at the formal opening of the academy in Lagos, recently.

Photo: Taofeek Babajide

Alao-Akala promises people-oriented govt Remi Oladoye

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ormer Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala and the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Oyo State has said that his government would be centred on people-oriented projects if re-elected.

He told newsmen in

Ibadan on Wednesday that such a style of governance characterised his first term in office as the governor of the state and was ready to do better if re-elected.

Alao-Akala expressed optimism that his party would win the next governorship election in the state.

The LP flag-bearer

promised to reshape the economy of the state by patronising local contractors to allow money to circulate in the state’s economy. ``Prioritising the needs of the people based on their demands had always been my style of governance. I cannot procure fertiliser for the people of Ibadan North Local gov-

ernment, which is located within Ibadan city, instead of Iseyin. Money will only flow within the economy of the state when capital flight is discouraged” “ How will l patronise contractors outside the state when there are professionals here, who will, in turn, patronise our various market people.

“I am a grassroots man

who so much loves putting smiles on the faces of the people and will never relent in doing that. It has been my nature and life philosophy to live and let others live,’’ he said.

Alao-Akala, who was the governor of the state from 2007 to 2011 on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), recently defected to the

Members of a local chapter of the National Association of Butchers, from 11 local governments in Ibadan, Oyo state, on Wednesday, vowed not to leave their various slaughter grounds for the newly- opened abattoir on Moniya/Oyo Road, in Amosun village.

Their spokesman, who is also the chairman of Ibadan North Local Government arm of the Union, Alhaji Ganiyu Olobo, told reporters, in Ibadan, that a former governor of the state, Alhaji Lam Adesina, who moved the Hausa community out of Bodija market due to incessant attacks between them and the Yoruba, knew what his government encountered prior to the separation of the two camps, because of the unhealthy rivalry that pervaded the market then.

Africa 10

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Tanzania’s AG, Frederick Werema, quits amid corruption row

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Tanzanian premier, Mizengo Pinda

Briton found guilty of child sex abuse

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British charity boss who preyed on vulnerable Kenyan street children has been found guilty of sexual abuse.

Simon Harris was convicted of eight charges of indecent and sexual assault on youngsters in Gilgil, and four of possessing indecent images of children.

Birmingham Crown Court heard he would lure boys to his house in Kenya by offering them food, shelter and money.

Harris, 55, of Pudleston, near Leominster, Herefordshire was cleared of 10 further charges, including rape.

Documentary crew tipoff The jury failed to reach a verdict on one remaining rape charge. He will be sentenced in the new year.

It was the first prosecu-

tion to use legislation that allows British citizens to be tried for sex offences committed abroad against children if it is also an offence in that country.

Before the trial, Harris also admitted six offences of indecent assault against three boys aged between 13 and 14, when he was a teacher at Shebbear College, Devon in the 1980s.

Det Ch Insp Damian Barratt, of West Mercia Police, said Harris used his work to exploit some of the most vulnerable children on the planet.

“He was a predatory sex offender who, over a number of years, groomed and exploited children and those around him in order to perpetrate his abuse,” he said.

Harris had faced 23 charges in total, including 18 allegations relating to

assaults.

The offences in Kenya were committed while Harris was running a gap year charity he set up in the East African country, in the 1990s.

During his trial prosecutors said he lured homeless boys to his home, known locally as “The Green House”, by offering them food and shelter.

The court heard he would drive into Gilgil and encourage them to get into his Land Rover, with food and money.

One man who claimed he had been raped by Harris as a child, committed suicide shortly after giving evidence.

Michael Kamondia was among several boys to testify across a live video link from Kenya but died on 7 December, days before the jury retired to consider its verdicts.

anzania’s Attorney General Frederick Werema has resigned, making him the first casualty of a corruption scandal that has rocked the government.

MPs last month accused him of authorising the fraudulent transfer of about $120m (£76m) to an energy firm.

He denied wrongdoing, but quit because the controversy had “disrupted the country’s political atmosphere”, a presidential statement said. The corruption allegations have led to donors suspending aid to Tanzania.

President Jakaya Kikwete took office in 2005 with a promise to tackle corruption in government, but critics accuse him of failing to live up to his pledge.

Tanzania’s parlia-

ment, dominated by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, passed a resolution last month, calling on him to sack Mr Werema.

It also called for the dismissal of Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, Energy and Minerals Minister Sospeter Muhongo and other senior officials.

All the officials and companies implicated in the scandal denied any wrongdoing.

An investigation by a parliamentary watchdog committee found that about $120m of government money had been taken from an escrow account, paid to an energy firm and then given to various government ministers.

In his resignation letter, Mr Werema said he was stepping down “because his advice on the... escrow account issue

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Kenyan blogger charged over Uhuru Kenyatta slur

popular but controversial Kenyan blogger has been charged with undermining the presidency, following a tweet he posted earlier this week.

Robert Alai, a fierce government critic, called President Uhuru Kenyatta an “adolescent president”.

He denied the charge and was released on bail of $2,000 (£1,300) but ordered not to post similar comments while investigations continue.

Mr. Alai is among Kenya’s most prominent and influential bloggers.

He has 140,000 followers on Twitter.

A report from Nairobi says Alai attracts love and hate in equal measure.

On the same day as calling Kenyatta an “adolescent president”, he also tweeted the phone num-

had not been understood and had disrupted the country’s political atmosphere,” the president’s statement is quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.

The escrow account was held jointly by state power firm Tanesco and independent power producer IPTL. The money was transferred to IPTL’s owner Pan Africa Power (PAP) in 2013. PAP said the transfer was legal.

Non-governmental organisations in Tanzania have urged the government to prosecute officials linked to the scandal, Reuters reports.

A group of 12 donors including Japan, the UK, the World Bank and the African Development Bank - decided in October to withhold about $490m until the government takes action over the alleged corruption.

bers of the president and other senior officials.

Alai has already received massive support on Twitter from Kenyans who see his prosecution as part of a government scheme to curtail media freedom and freedom of expression. Soon after being released, he tweeted defiantly that it will be hard to silence him.

Somaliland seizes Yemeni and Egyptian vessels

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omaliland has seized more than 51 Yemeni boats and an Egyptian ship for fishing illegally in its waters, an official has said.

Admiral Ahmed Osman said coast-guards had also arrested more than 250 fishermen who were on board.

This is the biggest arrest ever by Somaliland’s coastguards, trained by Western states to curb piracy and illegal fishing off its coast.

Illegal fishing has depleted fishing stocks along the Somali coast.

Correspondents say years of illegal fishing by foreign trawlers devastated the livelihoods of many

people, some of whom then became pirates who attacked vessels for ransom.

Piracy in the region has declined in recent years following the deployment of a multi-national naval force.

Last month, the European Union Naval Force provided training and equipment to the Somaliland coast-guard.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Pakistan’s premier vows to end school terrorism

In sympathy with Taliban-slain Pakistani school-girls

P

akistani leader, Nawaz Sharif, has vowed to rid his country of terrorism after a Taliban attack at a school in Peshawar killed nearly 150 people, mostly children.

He spoke after emergency talks with all main political parties to discuss the attack, which sparked national outrage.

The funerals of the victims continued throughout the day across the country, as well as prayer vigils.

Gunmen went from class to class shooting the students in the Pakistani Taliban’s deadliest attack to date.

New images of the school, published by a

BBC team that gained access to the site on Wednesday, showed the scale and brutality of the attack, with pools of blood on the ground and walls covered in pockmarks from hundreds of bullets.

The Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) said they had carried out the attack against the Army Public School to avenge army-led operations against them in the Khyber and North Waziristan areas.

Pakistan’s army chief, General Raheel Sharif, is on a surprise trip to Afghanistan to discuss security co-ordination aimed at tackling the Taliban insurgency.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan stood united to ensure the deaths of the children were not wasted, after meeting party leaders in Peshawar on Wednesday.

In any action against the militants, he said, there would be no distinction between “good and bad” Taliban.

“We...have resolved to continue the war against terrorism till the last terrorist is eliminated,” he added.

He also announced an end to the moratorium on the death penalty for terrorism cases, which correspondents say is a move aimed at countering a view held by many Pakistanis that many

terror suspects end up evading justice.

The army has been working through the night to clear the premises of explosives.

There were blood stains running right down the steps and towards the auditorium itself.

There was a child’s shoe on one of the steps.

The auditorium, where children were taking exams, was one of the places within the school grounds that the militants first targeted. The chairs that the children were sitting on had been upturned, the place has been turned upside down and I could see the blood stains on the floor right around me.

11 World

Hamas is no terrorist outfit, says EU

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E u r o p e a n Union court on Wednesday ordered the Palestinian group Hamas removed from the EU terrorist list for procedural reasons, but says the bloc can maintain asset freezes against Hamas members for now.

The Islamic militant group, which calls for the destruction of Israel, hailed the decision. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the EU to reverse it.

Hamas was put on the EU terrorist list as part of broader measures to fight terrorism in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. It won elections in 2006 and runs Gaza, and has long contested the classification.

The EU court ruled Wednesday that the listing was based on press and Internet reports and not on “acts examined and confirmed in deci-

sions of competent authorities.”

The court insisted that its ruling did not “imply any substantive assessment of the question of the classification of Hamas as a terrorist group.” It therefore ruled that the asset freezes should stay in place for three months pending further EU actions.

The EU is considering its next steps. It has two months to appeal.

The terrorist list designation bars EU officials from dealing with the group, and requires that any of the group’s funds in EU countries be frozen.

The decision comes amid growing pressure from European legislators to recognize a Palestinian state, after years of stalemate in peace talks.

There was also growing frustration in Europe with Israel’s government after the Gaza war earlier this year.

US, Cuba to re-establish ties

I

n a move to wipe away one of the Cold War’s last vestiges, President Barack Obama will launch negotiations with Cuba on resuming full diplomatic relations five decades after they broke off, a U.S. official said on Wednesday. Obama’s decision came after Cuba freed U.S. aid contractor Alan Gross.

The official, who did not set a timetable for when embassies might open in

Washington and Havana, said Obama would announce his plans in a midday speech at the White House.

The president was reportedly also set to announce changes to U.S. economic sanctions imposed on Cuba at the height of the Cold War follwing Fidel Castro’s revolution, and to order a review of Cuba’s place on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

China tops the world in jailing journalists

C

hina topped another global list of superlatives, Wednesday, with its government jailing more journalists than any other in the world.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists says in its annual report that 44 reporters languish in Chinese prisons.

Second-placed Iran has locked up 30 journalists, according to the

report.

The list of imprisoned Chinese journalists is longer than it has ever been since CPJ began keeping records in 1990. That reflects “the increasingly repressive media and general political atmosphere that has evolved” since President Xi Jinping took power two years ago, writes Bob Dietz, coordinator of the CPJ’s Asia programme, in a commen-

tary published alongside the report.

The number of detainees jumped from 32 last year, partly because Ilham Tohti, a prominent Uighur teacher and blogger, was jailed last month along with six of his Uighur students who worked on the “Uighurbiz” blog.

Nearly half the journalists held in Chinese jails are Tibetan or belong to the Uighur ethnic minor-

ity – a predominantly Muslim people from the far Western province of Xinjiang, where the authorities have responded harshly to a rising tide of separatist and religiously inspired violence.

But there has also been an increase this year “in the number of more mainstream, non-minority journalists who found themselves behind bars,” Mr. Dietz says.

They include 80-yearold Huang Zerong, who writes under the pen name of Tie Lu. He was arrested in September, not long after he had written an article criticizing the government’s propaganda tsar Liu Yunshan that was published on the Internet and in Chinese overseas media. He was later charged with “creating a disturbance” and is in custody awaiting trial.

Chinese leader, Xi Jinping

12

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Features Æ s Lagos community where 5,000 souls live, trade atop filth As you drive towards Ojota from Maryland across the bridge, look to your right and you would see a sprawling slum beginning from under the bridge right behind the Ojota New Garage. The unusual thing about the slum is that people live right on top of scraps and refuse dumps. Daily Times undertook a tour of the filth community called Kogberegbe, which has been in existence since the late 1950s.

F

or a first time caller to the Kogberegbe community behind Ojota New Garage in the Kosofe local government area of Lagos State, it would be difficult to fathom how the residents of this area survive in such an environment, considering the stench from the deluge of refuse and scraps that make up the entire community. In this diseaseprone settlement of over 5,000, the residents dine, wine, make love, give birth and perform all other activities of normal life.

Inhabited by various ethnic groups but mainly Hausas, these people are far removed from the megacity mantra of the state.

Many of these residents are into metal scrap sales and general recycling businesses and so to them what you call filth or scraps is actually wealth!

While majority of the women

engage in food selling and petty trading in provision items and perishable foods, their men are majorly into the business of scavenging for scraps and making large sales out of it.

Apart from the pungent odour from dilapidated zinc and wooden buildings, the sight of malnourished women and kids playing around the refuse keeps one wondering how man, beast and filth can co-habit so freely.

Another puzzling thing is that the residents seem content with the life they live.

Alhaji Salihu Adamu, chairman of Gidankwali, the Hausa part of the community, disclosed to Daily Times that he is one of the very first people to come to that community when the place was all bush.

“I came into this community in 1958 and, back then, there were no houses; everywhere was bush and swamp. You would

Wealth packaged amidst filth not even know that anyone was living there because it was a very thick bush. We only managed to create narrow paths for us to move around. I was not here alone at that time. Other persons were with me. We were many because what brought us to this community then was our job. At that time, we were into the business of dredging for sand. Sand digging and selling were our major jobs.”

Adamu added that when the

sand business came to an end for them, they had to start another type of business.

“We had to start something else, and that was how we started the scrap business around 1967. We started gradually at that time and that is what we still do till today.”

Scrap business, he explained, entails sourcing for discarded computers, a ir conditioners, and other metal items, and removing the valuable compo-

nents like copper, iron, which we put together and send to Universal Steel Company for sales.

“That is what we do till now and that is the major business in this community. As much as this community is residential, it is also a commercial one where waste is being converted to wealth and that is why you see a lot of scraps around,” explained Adamu.

However, medical perCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

13 Features

Living it up amidst filth CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 sonnel do not share Adamu’s optimism all the way.

Dr Francis Onyemuchara, medical director, Healing Balm hospital, Ikeja warns: “Inherent in this pile of metal scraps and refuse are serious likelihood of tetanus, typhoid fever, cholera and dysentery and even the risk of being bitten by snakes and scorpions that may be hiding in the filth or, worse still, hepatitis B.” He lamented that in most cases having access to basic amenities such as water, health system and other necessities may be difficult.

Adamu had also noted that the community had collectively approached the state govern-

ment for some amenities most of which are yet to be provided.

However, Adamu affirmed that at present, there is an ongoing project by the state government to give them borehole water. “The project is almost completed and would soon be ready for use,” he said.

Another resident of the community, Akeem Enitan, a Yoruba, who has been living there for over 10 years corroborated Adamu’s claims. He told Daily Times that although the place appeared filthy and dirty, those scraps are wealth. “Most of us living here are into this business of metal scrap sales and recycling. It is a very lucrative business, although people look down on it because it is a menial

job.”

Asked how he felt living in a place like this, he responded: “Although it looks like a ghetto, we all live in peace here and we are like brothers and sisters. We co-habit with people from other tribes like the Hausa, Edo, Yoruba and other ethnic groups. Another good thing about this slum is that we have had no cause to worry over armed robbery.

“If any strange face comes in here today, it is very easy to identify because we all live like one big and happy family. We are each other’s brothers’ keepers here. If you are used to the life here, you will not want to live elsewhere. Besides, it gives me lots of access to where my business is.”

Rose Osagie, an Edo lady who

has lived and done business in the community for about four years, noted that life in the slum was not as tough as it appeared.

“Although things are not rosy, but like in other places, we are trying to make ends meet. I have been selling food here for almost four years now and all I can say is that I thank God.” However, Rose urged government to make their roads more motorable so that vehicles will be able to access the community easily and thus make life better for them. She noted that the community needed a health centre of its own. “Right now we don’t even have any health centre around. If you are sick, you have to go all the way to Ogudu before you can get any treatment.” Rose lamented.

Adamu

Opinion 14

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Another Christmas present from Obasanjo

I

Ikechukwu Muo

n the traditional Igbo-Ukwu society from where I hail, soup-making is a serious and expensive business. Soup was the most expensive culinary undertaking and it was also only done on Nkwo market days. Consequently, we have some proverbs around this serious soup business. One is that it is unbecoming for an adult to ‘igwo-ofe’ (being uneconomical with the soup); another is the need to be careful so that the thick soup would go round. Note that these are serious infractions for adults but may be pardonable for children. These soup proverbs have undergone serious metamorphoses and are now applied to situations when adults commit serious mischief, conduct themselves in ways that are unbecoming, or cause trouble. The recent outing and 2014 Christmas present from our writer expresident, Chief Obasanjo surely fits into this scenario. Baba, a senior adult, generally seen as elder statesman and was just few days ago, crowned the ‘oracle of leadership’ by Babangida Aliyu, of Niger State. I refer to his new

book as another Christmas present because about this time last year, he also gave us his letter bomb to President Jonathan.

In November 2013, I had xrayed the role of yesterday’s men and women in Nigeria, compared it with ‘global best practices’ and declared that ‘The curse of the yesterday’s men [and women] syndrome is that they are always better, their successors are always up to no good and they never appreciate the efforts of today’s men. Furthermore, and most unfortunately, most of yesterday’s men are hypocritical, economical with the truth and forget that the foundation for today --- good or bad --- was laid yesterday when they were in charge! But Obasanjo actually had a different view of things. During a keynote at the Ibadan Sustainable Summit on August 13th 2013, he declared that “It is sad that after 53 years, we have no leader that we can commend. The problem in Africa is that when one person takes over, he would not see anything good that his predecessor did.” Probably, he decided to reverse the trend by running down his successors.

The presentation of the book

came just after he hosted Atiku, Tinubu, Mark and the PDP governors, all of whom went on political marketing and pilgrimage.

It is easy to conclude that his objective is to nail the political coffins of some of our professional and accidental politicians. His outbursts and some third-party analysis have already indicated that it will not be different from his other books. He would paint himself as the saint and others as the devil, including those who are no longer able to reply.

He brought the judicial system to ridicule by the public trial and conviction of the judge who granted an injunction against the book, and directed the whole world to do something about it.

The fact that he ridiculed and despised the judicial system and contravened an existing injunction did not mean anything. He continued his existing lie about the ‘Third Term’ agenda except that he has now placed the blame on over-ambitious governors. I don’t know how he would react to Ibrahim Mantu’s assertion that ‘President Obasanjo as a matter of fact solicited my support for tenure elongation, as I presume that he must have solicited similar

support from other legislators’, or Gbajabiamila’s story that he was offered N100m, through Bode George to back out of the anti-3rd term struggle. His grouse against Jonathan is not that he does not listen to him; it is that Jonathan does not respond to his requests, opinions or commands as he used to respond to his predecessors. Of course, if Jonathan behaved like Obasanjo, he would no longer be Jonathan! He also wouldn’t tell us if any of these predecessors was laying political landmines for him as he has been doing for his political son.

Obasanjo had written ‘My Command’, extolling his bravery as the conqueror of Biafra. Brigadier Alabi Isama was so incensed that he wrote a whole book to counter every line of that book.

Isama reported that Obasanjo was shot in the buttocks and that only those running away from battle are shot behind! This present book will also attract similar reactions. However, the question remains: what does Obasanjo want?

He should write his memoirs; but it should be such that would build bridges and selflessly show us the way forward. I am still expecting such a book.

Religion: Tool of our partisan politics

A

Joe Onwukeme

ccording to Wikipedia, a secular state is a concept of secularism, whereby a state or country purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion.”

A secular state also claims to treat all its citizens equally, regardless of religion.

Happenings in our polity over the years have shown we have been divided between two powerful religions, Christianity and Islam. Both have large followership in Nigeria. A person’s social status is often determined by religious affiliation.

The similarity between both religions is the absolute certainty that they are correct, their beliefs are the will of God, the highest authority over man and therefore their belief should be respected and worshipped.

Today, one can’t separate religion from our politics. Both

religions have been a dominant factor in determining who rules, gets appointed and promoted.

In Nigeria, the undue attention to religion has widened the gap between adherents of Christianity and Islam. Faithful view each other with deep suspicion, as both believe they deserve more attention, when it is not forth coming; it is often interpreted as persecution.

Government’s meddling in religious activities has not helped matters. Rather, it has led to an increase in fanaticism and extremism in the country. Some go as far as causing mayhem over government’s policies that did not favour their interest. The insurgency ravaging North Eastern Nigeria is a good example.

Our clerics’ meddlesomeness in politics and their arrogance on the pulpit is appalling. Some of them have lost their credibility at the altar of politics, and have virtually turned blind eyes to the sufferings of the people.

Not surprisingly, some have

relocated to Aso Rock, Villa and become personal pastors to the President.

These meddle some acts have made the public to take a rather apathetic approach towards religious issues,as more Nigerians are becoming secular and rejecting any form of religious faith.

A friend recently told me that he would not vote for Buhari in 2015because the latter will Islamise Nigeria if ever he won.

This is the same view shared by many Christians. Why will a Muslim president Islamise Nigeria? Where has that happened in the world? And what does he stand to gain? Likewise, Muslims, see no reason in voting a Christian into power in any capacity, even if the latter is more qualified than the Muslim counterpart.

The use of religion for political gains or to incite violence should be avoided. We should be mindful of hate speeches at public gatherings, especially now general the general elec-

tions are at hand. Any individual who thinks he or she is credible enough to vie for any position should come out and convince Nigerians regardless of religion.

We need to separate religion from politics and abide by the secularity of our nation which the constitution recognizes.

The United States and Turkey are both Christian and Muslim dominated countries respectively. Their constitutions proclaim the secularities of their nations; they have to a reasonable extent separated religion from politics.

Why can’t we do that in Nigeria?

Our unity in diversity should be a unifying factor not the other way round.

Religion being a matter of individual discretion should be left for clerics to take care of, while our political leaders take care of the business of governance.

We should resist the temptation of making religion a tool of our national partisan politics, as it has not contributed in any way in uniting us as a people.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

15 Opinion

Nigerians and their love for evil men

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Michael Irene

ost Nigerians are politically complacent.

And that’s why in the 2015 presidential election, they’d be voting for or against two devils representing two major political parties in Nigeria—PDP and APC. It is like taking a walk in hell and Satan asks which part of his infernal community one finds comfortable. Whatever choice, one is still caught in his heated milieu. But, there is heaven, which Nigerians are too scared to attain.

It might be too late to achieve that eternal bliss now as these parties, it seems, have spread their spell over the populace. Thinking or any form of logical reasoning

by Nigerians, therefore, still leads them into hell.

Perhaps, it is time to shine light on reasons why many Nigerians prefer hell.

The man who lied about his shoe-less nature is campaigning with a “do or die” strategy. He would go to any length to cut off his “enemies of progress” and even if it means displaying a Mé-

gadian attitude. If records serves us right, things, during his sixyear reign remained static. There is and there has been no significant improvement in Nigeria.

It is not news that during the shoe-less regime, the nation has been consistently pummeled by Boko Haram and it is not news, also, that the man has not come up with practical solutions to stop this insurgency. Flimsy excuses rent the air: “We know the people orchestrating the insurgency, but of course, nothing can be done. Is it not logical that once you know such puppeteers, you make moves to stop them? Over 200 girls are still missing and the boy from Otueke still has the guts to contest in 2015. Some staunch supporters, with their eyes blind on facts, would come up with all kinds of defenses and point their fingers to his achievement and, these ones, are the ones who sing that “Northerners and enemies don’t want him to rule”. Come 2015, he would be representing the most corrupt political party in the world and some Nigerians would vote for him.

Then the M,essiah, Mr. Discipline lines up as the second most important devil in the presiden-

tial contest. He goes around presenting himself like an angel. Nigerians believe he would change the country, even though he represents another party that was cut from the same cloth. Some have even gone as far as using biblical references to define him; giving him that ‘Rock of Ages’ status. Again, history tells us that Mr.Discipline was involved in a scandal involving the loss of $2.8 billion during his military rule the 80s. He also ordered brazen beatings on Nigerians and commanded that humans be shot to death like flies in public. But Nigerians believe that when he puts on a civilian robe he would do better. Nigerians are good like that; they are quick to forgive their leaders’ past.

If there is an Alamieyeseigha and Ibori presidential team for 2015 election, they will definitely get some votes. Most Nigerians like to eat their vomit and more importantly, cherish criminals.

One example of criminal worship can be found in Bode George’s stories; he received the kind of praise given to athletic champions.

When would Nigerians ask for a party that is free of old criminals?

When would they seek for a party with candidates that are purely chosen on merits of their past?

In 2015, the same old rags would come with beaming messages and you’d see Nigerians, in their numbers, singing their praises.

The brand of politics played by Nigerian politicians is one of the dirtiest in the world. Like in every politics, you should expect puppeteers, but the Nigerian puppeteers are ready to kill their fellow citizens to achieve their aim.

Satan, it is fair to say, would not vote for any of his proteges. When there is no angelic choice what can the people do? The people need to start creating their own path to heaven. It is simplistic to allow the same set of evil characters to run and control everything. For once, let the people control the affairs of selecting candidates.

No significant change should be expected from the next candidates. To sum up Nigeria and Nigerians’ blind journey to 2015, Ikhide Ikheola’s words are apt here: “… it is between the PDP and the APC, no difference really, only in the letters. They will run us to the ground – until we either fight for a better Nigeria or lose the nation. ”

Northern leaders and the region’s fate

F

Ahmed Garba

or the north to reel out of its squalour, there is definitely a need for major re-thinking, an inside-out revolution of mindset. A region and its people cannot develop when a handful of its population can ‘live high on the hog’ almost for eternity. Witness how many traditional rulers, ‘first class’ Emirs and Chiefs especially, sit on their thrones for decades with nothing to show for it, while at the same time, they and their relatives live in luxury. These rulers expend so much energy to ensure that only those who will protect their own self-interest get to be presented as ‘Northern Leaders’.

I am yet to see sufficient evidence of the public good that had been done by these traditional rulers, especially, the long serving ones among them. It used to be the case that they employed the services of the so-called ‘native authority’–a bunch of pathetic characters dressed in clownish

outfits, running around hounding and harassing the populace, especially under the guise of tax collection. The saving grace for the ‘masses’ was probably the emergence of military governments, that put an end to the terror conducts of these minions. In fact, one can now argue that the conduct of Boko Haram, and the inability of the traditional rulers to respond clearly demonstrates their illegitimacy as rulers.

The manner in which Boko Haram has emasculated the Emirs and Chiefs is too revealing to ignore. These were the same rulers who were able to whisper into the ears of the likes of Ibrahim Babangida to overthrow Buhari’s regime, partly due to Buhari’s willingness to put them in check.

Whatever happened to their supposed ‘influence’? Should anyone venture to retort that they possess no armed forces or security capability, then the question ought to be asked, of what good are they?

More importantly, why is their existence so heavily subsidised, often times, at the expense of the fu-

ture generation? After all, it is not that they ever served the interest of the ordinary citizen anyway.

They have always legitimised value on the basis of influence peddling, but now that they have been unable to ‘influence’ Boko Haram, state government, or federal government, even to save their own lives, then the ‘jig is up’. The ruse has been uncovered.

After all, nowhere was it ever ‘written by the fingers of God, that certain individuals, just by virtue of, or by accident of birth should ‘lord it’ over the rest, forever. In fact, I will submit that the concept of rulership by inheritance should be alien to sunni Muslim north in particular. After all, the Exemplar of Muslim conducts and traditions (Prophet Muhammad) never practiced leadership by inheritance.

The northern re-engineering and re-orientation campaign should also emphasise the need to seek out, identify, and present educated, enlightened, committed individuals, regardless of family background. In some sense,

this is actually a clarion call for a return to late Aminu Kano’s philosophy, whereby, the children of ‘talakawas’ share in the opportunity for development and leadership. Though it must be noted that some of the current crop of ‘Northern Elites’ were once ‘talakawas’ or are children of ‘talakawas’ whose loyalty to self and kin has now gone awry. After Amimu Kano rescued them and their parents from the shackles of parasitic ‘Sarakunas’, they have now become the predators. Furthermore, it is arguable that Buhari actually represents the Aminu Kano of this generation, and like the Aminu Kano of the past, his beliefs, philosophy, agenda, and popularity among the dispossessed has remained a disturbing threat to the ruling class.

However, in this second time around, the population of the north needs to remain vigilant, so as not to be hoodwinked by the hypocrites within. Yes, it is not always easy to tell the hypocrites from the sincere, but, it is worth the effort.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

Politics

Æs

Obasanjo’s govt opened the floodgate of corruption – Falae Chief Oluyemisi Falae, Technocrat, Banker, Economist and a Politician of Repute, now a leader of Social Democratic Party, (SDP) as well as Olu of Ilu Abo, a town in Akure North local government area of Ondo State. In this interview with VICTOR AYODELE in Akure, he spoke on some major political problems of Nigeria since Independence.

Excerpts:

H

ow will you react to the recently concluded primaries by political parties ahead of 2015 general elections?

What we witnessed from all the political parties can best be described as open display of wealth by aspirants into the various offices. Some of them from the report we read went as far as bribing delegates with foreign currency. This is very unfortunate and does not speak well of the democratic process in the country. One of the parties had attempted to field only a candidate, I mean President Goodluck Jonathan as a sole candidate; this is not democracy. There should be a level playing ground for all those that are interested in contesting for any of the positions.

If it can be as expensive to conduct party primaries, what do we expect during next year’s general elections?

By now I expect electorate to be able to determine and elect whosoever they want as their leader without being en-

Continued on page 17

Falae:

some aspirants went as far as bribing delegates with foreign currency

PDP has failed Nigeria –Ogiemwonyi Page 18

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

Continued from page 16 ticed with money or any form of inducement.

With your experience, what do you think is responsible for Nigeria’s underdevelopment?

My humble opinion is that we inherited a constitution malformation, an unbalanced federation which was not designed for success. As soon as the British left, the instability began; emergency declared, rigging of elections, coups, civil war and all that. We got it wrong from the very beginning. The second point is that because of the ethnic, religious and cultural composition of Nigeria, there are deep suspicions within the ruling elites and those in government quite often only take care of themselves, they hardly think of Nigeria as a country. I am yet to see a civilian President or governor who is passionate about developing Nigeria as Chief Obafemi Awolowo. When Chief Awolowo was planning his free education, I leant that every minister in his cabinet has to go home to go and supervise the construction of schools in towns and villages in his area. It was as if the life of government was dependent on the actualization of that programme. Where is that zeal and commitment today? People are more interested in getting big contracts, make money and become billionaire and hide the money in Switzerland, Abdudabi and all those funny places. Once your focus is not in the development of the society, you cannot achieve much in the area of development. You can achieve more when your thoughts and energy are channeled to development.

‘Why Jonathan should implement confab report’

Do you think the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is keen about implementation of the report of the just concluded national conference?

I believe God himself had a hand in that conference, otherwise how could we have succeeded in passing more than 600 resolutions without division, I was surprised. Yes we worked very hard and negotiated, we built coalition and consensus but how come we succeeded in all the cases? What has emerged in my view is a beneficial blueprint for reinventing Nigeria because when you look at the report, in every area we analyzed the problem and offer possible solutions that are beneficial to the people. Take railway for example, a country of a size of Nigeria has virtually no rail network to talk about, the single line we have from Lagos to Kano for the past 20 years have become none functional. That is why we are not growing as we should; why employment is not growing, the railway in India carries up to 20 million a year and close to two million work in the railway. We have virtually none here and it is because the federal government is the only agency that could establish and run railway system. At the conference, we decided that the state government can now participate in developing railway network.

What does that mean? Take the southwest, we have six states and one of the de-

Falae

cisions taken at the conference was that although we did not agree with regional government, we agreed with zonal commission under which the zone can do whatever they want, develop any industry, build anything they want. To me, it is like an experimental regional government. What is wrong if the recommendation becomes law, Yoruba people who are the same race set up the zonal commission and give it as a first assignment to build railway to link towns and communities in Yorubaland. The construction of that network alone will provide at least half a million jobs and the effect on the economy of that area will be tremendous. It will make it easier to move people and goods for industry to develop.

This is just one recommendation from the conference that can transform the country; other zones can do the same and do other things together.

The report also says, ports which the federal government monopolised can

President Goodluck Jonathan as a sole candidate; this is not democracy. There should be a level playing ground for all those that are interested in contesting for any of the positions.

17 Politics now be built by the state government.

We have three coastal states in southwest; Lagos, Ogun and Ondo States each of the states can build commercial port that will employ thousands of people to facilitate the movement of goods and services around the southwest. Even solid minerals which had been the monopoly of the federal government since independence, what have they done about them? Next to nothing, the conference has decided that mineral development can now be the joint efforts between the federal and state governments. Take Ondo State, we have bitumen, the employment potential is at least one hundred thousand people and our people are unemployed. They want to employ 2,000 and 200,000 people applied. And we have a commodity which if developed can employ more than that number, in the light of this good potentials, I can see people pressurizing government to implement this programme so that the benefit can be to the people.

As I have always said, it is the quality, relevance and the usefulness of the report that will determine what happens to it whether it will be implemented or like other reports gather dust in the shelve of the federal government. I am persuaded that this report contains too many recommendations that are beneficial to all parts of the country.

Considering agitations by various ethnic nationalities at the conference, don’t you envisage the breakup of Nigeria?

There is nothing you can do about it; people want to be who they are. Recently in United Kingdom, homogenous by skin, creed, language, culture and in terms of being governed by kings and queen for over 300 years, despite all that, Scotland voted in a memorandum, not to have their government as they already have that for years but to be totally independent of United Kingdom; they lost but there would be another day. That they even voted at all is to educate us, if these people who are the same virtually from creation can come to a point, first of all devolution of power, an homogenous country can operate defacto federal system, the Scottish, Wales, Edinburg and Northern Ireland have their assemblies and the central government is in London. If a homogenous community has to do that and one regional country is trying to be totally independent, you should not be surprised if such tendencies exist in Nigeria. The thing to do is to manage the process, the British government did not force Scotland to stay, they reduced it to democratic process. The point I am making is that the tendencies for people to be independent cannot be stopped, it is worldwide, and it should be more pronounced in heterogeneous community like ours.

If homogenous ones are doing it, why do we think 400 different ethnic groups should not do it? In fact, it is a miracle that we are one country and so what is required is management of the process.

Nobody should be worried about it, it is worldwide and it would continue. The creation of states at the confab is to demonstrate that we can keep people in Nigeria.

Politics 18

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

PDP has failed Nigerians • Only APC can transform Nigeria Engineer Chris Ogiemwonyi was the Group Executive Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and a former Minister of State for Works between 2010 and 2011 in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. He recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. In this interview with TITUS EGUAOJE, he defends his decision to change political platforms. Excerpts:

F

rom your experience, what would you say are the problems with the country’s oil industry?

In the case of the oil industry where I spent 34 years, the call for diversification is true but before we talk about diversification, the management of the oil and gas today consists of the International Oil and Gas Companies (IOCs), who are here on joint venture with Nigeria. The other arm, the production sharing contract companies equally work with the government in partnership. We need a strong effective monitoring of this oil and gas business. Today we see the need to be more steadfast in doing that so that the cost of our operation will be within what we expect. The cost of contracting, the contract circle, the need to quickly address it because if you don’t approve these contracts in time, there will be problem. Then on the diversifying, it is imperative. We have seen some countries building refineries within two years but in our case its quite different. Our refining capacity is there but the issue

of vandalism is still a problem. So, it is a matter of trying to really address holistically and let those who are very experienced drive this industry. I think we can do better to manage the oil industry. We have inexperienced people manning the oil industry today.

Government interference in NNPC? It is not the best option. I always pride NNPC staff as competent and I think we should give them a better enabling environment to operate but there are lots of interference from the top. Talking about having more refineries, if we want to have that, then we must deregulate. Let market forces prevail, today the market is controlled. When investors see that they can guarantee their investment, surely people will want to invest. If you look at it, people feel that if we deregulate the price will be higher than what we have today, but I tell you the problem today is that we are subsidising products to neighbouring countries. The borders are very porous, if we do it rightly, I think we should go for deregulation, let the market forces dictate the price and

Ogiemuonyi

Our people here embrace change, PDP is not used to change; they are clueless

then we block various leakages in our operations, in our importation, a lot of things go wrong at that level is just that the system have allowed these things to continue to take place.

The Minister works with the Minister of State at his whims and caprices, we have seen most cases where the Minister of State is really doing nothing or very little.

Can you please relate your experience as minister?

I was Minister of State for Works for one year. And my recommendation when I was leaving was that if you have a Minister of State, if it is necessary, ensure that you give that Minister of State as well as the full Minister their respective job discretions. The Minister works with the Minister of State at his whims and caprices, we have seen most cases where the Minister of State is really doing nothing or very little. My experience in the one year I spent, I can confidently tell you that I was under utilised compared to where I was coming from, from the NNPC where I was head of an establishment. I did not shy away from this discussion when I was a Minister.

I remember I told Mr. President that for

Continued on page 19

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

19 Politics

Continued from page 18 subsequent Minister of States, it will be nice they have job discretions.

We can talk about roads from now till tomorrow. Before I went in as a Minister I had a different perception but when I was now a Minister I saw more than I did not know before. One common problem facing many of these projects we talk about like the East West road, the contract award process is not faulty but when you remember you award a contract you pay 25 per cent mobilization, say a N30billion contract, you will give the first 25 per cent and subsequently every year you put N2billion into that contract. If time is not taken, that contract will last for another 10 years which is not ideal. So the major issue facing most of those contracts is funding and I think we must start thinking outside the box to see how we can fund our key projects. You talk about roads, we have issues in Health sector, our universities, various services are contending with the limited resource at the center. So the East West road though it is a little bit different, I understand for that one, it was alleged that there was no design or there is design, I don’t know, but one thing we equally did in the Ministry of Works at the period we were there was to advise that the design for a particular road should be unique for that road and not generics designs. What we applied when I was there with Daggash was to say you must design as per that road because two roads are not the same. The terrains differ from place to place because within one mile you can see a variation in the strength of the ground so you cannot use the design here in Benin now where we have firm soil to a place like Bayelsa that is water logged. If you do that at least you will solve the first problem of design by design cases.

How did you feel when you were appointed minister of State for Works?

Of course I was shocked because looking at the CV of the contending people, there was none close to mine. When you talk about oil and gas operations there was none. I thought it was given when I was called upon to serve but I was shocked. But I later learnt that you don’t have to be a petroleum engineer to work in NNPC in Nigeria. But again it is something different that we are doing here, in other places Ministers are supposed to add value to governance. If you are secretary for energy in the US you must have been senior Vice President in Exxon Mobil, big oil companies but it tells you how we take things here.

Here in Nigeria I am told that Ministers are not supposed to know the business, it is the civil servants who will advise him. But I see it differently, it is one area where we talk about leadership, the leader must be good but here in Nigeria you see an architect in the Ministry of Health and that is why we are not making any improvement in many areas in this country.

While you were in PDP, the thought was that you were going to run for the gubernatorial seat of Edo state

I am pleased with the type of leadership that I see among the APC people. I see very refined people. I see Oshiomhole doing what he speaks, no double standard, hard working, focused, smart.

Ogiemwonyi

Edo PDP leaders are clueless in 2012. What happened?

When I was Minister of state for Works, I was thinking of running for the governorship of Edo State, but when I noticed the leadership style of those driving the PDP in the state I pulled back to re-strategise. Where I come from in my profession, we always believe that one plus one is two but I realised that what I was seeing here was quite different. I came from a system where you use your best 11, where competence is key. But I realise that in PDP in Edo State their preference is loyalty and I pulled out.

I did a lot for PDP during the 2011 general elections because I remember the President asking us Ministers to go back home and work. He asked Ministers who are from PDP controlled states to go and work under their governors but states where you have none PDP governors, the Minister from that state is supposed to take leadership of that state. As the

Minister from Edo State then, I was supposed to take charge but Edo State was quite peculiar because you have very strong leaders who are very domineering, they are not prepared to allow you as a Minister to play your role. I noticed all these things; I was not prepared to be confrontational with these people. I just felt the best thing was to allow them do what they know best which is politics and I went back to my business. But from all indication, their politics have led them nowhere today, they are gnashing their teeth for all they have done to Edo people. Our people have embraced change, PDP are not used to change, they are clueless.

Why did you decide to dump PDP for APC? My decision to have a transition from the PDP to APC today was informed by other factors, notably the leadership

style of Governor Oshiomhole. I always believe that once the head is good there is high probability that the body will be good. But once the head is not too straight, there is high probability that the body will not perform well. I am pleased with the type of leadership that I see among the APC people. I see very refined people.

I see Oshiomhole doing what he speaks, no double standard, hard working, focused, smart. And at the center, the APC again, look at the National Chairman of APC today, a fantastic super secretary. I see APC as people I can work with, I see people who are sincerely working toward a change due to the decadence we have observed today in Nigeria caused by the PDP government. I give you one example, before I left NNPC I was driving this project gas to power, by 2009, I was promising Dr Luqman that we will deliver 6,000 megawatts by 2009, this was the beginning of 2009, I was saying

by December 2009 we will deliver 6,000 megawatts. That time I was pushing the IOCs, pushing the NNPC, pushing Pan Ocean to deliver. That time we were on about 3,400 megawatts. Where are we today after almost six years? I hear we are now making about 3,200 megawatts, it is like we have lost almost five, six years.

So if you look at the APC governors, you will know they meant the change. Look at Fashola, there was a day I took that Lekki new bridge to Orsbourn, when I got to the Orsbourn and I took my phone and called him and I told him my brother I am proud of you. There was one day I was going to the Airport in Lagos, I asked my driver where is this Oshodi traffic, he said no Sir, no traffic again and I saw all greens. They changed that place to a park. This is an APC governor. Go to Edo North and the entire Edo State and see what Oshiomhole is doing.

Roads they said before were going nowhere, today they are going somewhere.

Today we have red roof schools. The first thing you give to a people is education because once you are educated they can diversify. If you see what APC governors are doing, you will say these people are focused, they know what they are driving at. And if you give them the opportunity to lead Nigeria, you will see growth. And that is some of the reasons why I am glad to say I want to be a progressive.

Crime 20

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

We didn’t lack anything, my father was the best and he would not force us against our wish

Sorrows, tears and blood for slain •Families mourn Gbenga Sodeinde Ado Ekiti

“W

e still find it difficult to believe that dad has ac-

tually gone”.

Those were the words of 24-year-old Nkechi, the first daughter of Mr. David Onu Itumah, a Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) who was gunned down by a gang of robbers in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State on November 25.

The late Itumah, 62, was at his duty post at the divisional police station when the gang struck, killing two police officers and three other civilians, one of them a 25-year-old female national youth corps member, Miss Uguwoke Oyinyechi Edith.

Nkechi told the Daily Times: “We still refuse to believe that our dad is dead. We are still pinching ourselves to be sure dad has really gone, it has been very difficult to accept it.”

The first daughter said further: “My mother, Ngozi Itumah

is 45. She is a petty trader in Auchi. She is the only person struggling to sustain us. It is beginning to dawn on me that as the first born, I have got to tighten my belt now and fend for the family but I still have school fees to pay for a session.”

Her younger sister, who is a Polytechnic student, has to pay about N200, 000 as school fees in the coming session. “Our younger brother reading law also has to pay over N200,000. Dad had assured us that even if had to borrow or starve to death, he would give us all quality education.

He even wished that some of us would finish our education and join the police force and become top shots there,” Nkechi said.

On the kind of family man that her father was, she said: “My dad wanted the best for us irrespective of the cultural bias for educating the female child.

My dad wanted all of us, especially the girls, to get the best of education he could afford. You can imagine a man with seven kids, five girls and two boys, all in school, one studying Bio-

chemistry, another Economics and the other Law. In fact, his plan was for me to study up to Masters level before I starting seeking employment.”

Itumah, according to his daughter, had lined a number of things for himself after his retirement. Unfortunately, he can’t do those anymore.

Itumah, hailed from Abakaliki Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi State.

A senior police officer from Ikere Divisional Police Station where he worked told Daily Times under anonymity that Itumah was one of the officers the station relied on for crime fighting because he was a brave and gallant officer.

Another insider from the station who witnessed the robbery attack, told Daily Times that the robbers just went straight into Itumah’s office indicating that they had planned to take him out.

“He didn’t fall to the robbers’ bullets. He didn’t have his raffle when they stormed his office, so he had to run into a corner.

He locked himself in so that he could have enough time to prepare for them, but the robbers were too many, over five of them. They broke into his office, grabbed him, lifted him off the ground and shot him,” the insider said.

The deceased had just three months to retire from the police force having put in almost 35 years into the service.

“It was after they finished him and succeeded in sending every other officer scampering that they went for the Police armoury in the office and emptied it,” the eye-witness said.

An insider, who disclosed that the other Police officer, a female sergeant, was killed while she was trying to scale a fence at the Police command. The source said: “The female police officer that was killed was popularly known as Iya Joel by everyone in this area. We knew her as a very nice woman, very friendly and good to all.

“Those who murdered poor Itumah didn’t know that they have tampered with the life of

his seven children, five girls and two boys, four of whom are already in higher institutions while the younger two are in secondary schools. Their mum is a petty trader.”

Nkechi, who is about to complete the Higher National Diploma (HND) from the Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, relayed her last moments with the deceased. She said: “My dad was the best father ever. If I happen to come to this life again, I would choose him as my father a million times.

“I will miss him a lot. He was very loving, tender and caring.

We didn’t lack anything, my father was the best and he would not force us against our wish.

Een if he didn’t feed well, he would make sure we all eat.

“Two weeks before they killed him, I called him to say that I was coming to Ekiti to get some clothing materials for the yuletide and in preparation for resumption in school in January.

He gave me money for the shopping and i came back the following week. He was so full of life.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

21 Crime

‘Husband ill, she was the family’s breadwinner’ Gbenga Sodeinde Ado Ekiti

T

he unfortunate incident that cut shot Late Mrs. Iyabo Deborah Fasoro`s life during the recent armed robbery attack in Ikere Ekiti where about five innocent citizens including two policeman and a Youth corper died may have dashed the hope of the children she left behind to further their education because she was the bread winner of the family This was the lamentation of Pa Shittu Isa, elder brother to the late Fasoro’s husband is in his 60s. saying: “her death is a big blow to even us, her husbands’ people. Our late wife was a very good woman, she had always been the breadwinner of her family and she even extended her generosity to our family.”

Late Mrs. Iyabo Deborah Fasoro, was the second Police officer whose life was cut down while on active duty during the November 25 bank robbery in Ikere-Ekiti, State while trying to scale a fence at the police station in a bid to escape the sporadic gun shots being fired by the armed robbers who were operating the first Bank located directly beside the station The old man sobbing profusely when the Daily times visited him lamented further that “My major worry has been how the children will continue their education.

Personally, I am only a vulcanizer and can hardly afford to feed myself. She had five children but two have died now. May it please God to make the government help the children of the deceased.”

Police officers Police officers Little did I know that it was the last time I would see him alive.”

Nkechi, who described her dad as a very dedicated Police officer, said: “ While going through his file lately, I saw an award in which he was honoured for rejecting a two million Naira (N2 million) bribe.

That shows how dutiful he was.”

She urged the Federal government to assist the bereaved family by paying all his entitlements on time. “I want the Federal Government to ensure that he is not denied any of his entitlements, his pension and gratuity as early as possible and not to let his children drop out of school and they should enlist some of his children in the Police force, because that was his dream when he was alive.”

She appealed to the government “and anyone who is touched to come to our aid so that we won’t drop out of school.”

Nkechi said: “He had been making a lot arrangements for a very long time for his retirement. Although, the nature of the job schedule sometimes

made it impossible to see him as often as we would have loved to as a family, we knew that he was very near retirement and he had been planning big for it.”

Apparently suspecting foul play in Itumah`s attack Nkechi wondered how, according to reports, the gunmen had to purposely go to attack his dad in his office and even ensured that they killed him before leaving.

She urged the government and the Police authority to carry out a proper investigation into the killing.

Meanwhile, the State Public Relations Officer of the Police, Mr Victor Babayemi has assured that the Police Commissioner Mr Taiwo Lakanu would ensure that the force investigates the incident properly.

IKERE Ekiti bank robbery: on late Mrs. Iyabo Deborah Fasoro, a female Police officer “She had promised to give me my school fees the day she was killed. But now, she can’t do that again. I don’t know who to turn to for help now.” Elizabeth Fasoro, 17-year-old daughter of slain police woman

Pa Shittu lamented further that the father of the children, a bricklayer, who could have taken up the responsibility is handicapped because of his present state of health.

According to him, “their father is a bricklayer but he is sick and cannot work well. This means we are financially incapable of sponsoring their education. Iyabo had put in over 17 years into the service of the Police force before this unfortunate thing happened to her.”

Miss, Elizabeth Fasoro, 17-yearold daughter of slain police woman, currently in final year of the Senior Secondary School (SSS) at Ansar-Ud- Deen Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti, expressed regrets that she has no one to run to now.

According to her, “my mother had promised to give me my school fees the day she was killed.

But now, she can’t do that again.

I don’t know who to turn to for help. Mum was the best thing in my life. She was a very caring and understanding woman who played the role of both father and mother for me.

“I just came back from school that day around 4pm when I learnt that robbers had invaded the bank and the police station, knowing that she could be in danger as a police woman, I prayed for my mum and then I was doing the house chores.

“After a while, my boss at the shop where I learn tailoring after school hours, came to announce to us at our house that the robbers had killed two police officers, a man and a woman. This made me to rush down to the station and it was then I got to know that my mum was the police woman that was killed that day.

“My mum lost her elder sister a few days before she was shot dead. She discussed arrangement of the burial with me and even told me about her plans to settle in Ekiti State. My ambition is to become a journalist in future. I’m appealing to the government to please intervene on the payment of my late mum’s entitlement from the police force and also do something for me and my elder brother, Tope Fasoro, who is just in the first year studying at the Ikere College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti.

“Since this happened to us, everyone has been in shock. The families have particularly restricted my movement because they know that I could do something harmful to myself because I never imagined that my mum would die in 50 years’ time. She was very determined to sponsor my brother and I in school so that we won’t have problem in future.

Now, there is no one we can turn to. I am appealing to the government to please sponsor our education, “ Elizabeth said, wiping off a stream of tears on her face.

Elder brother of the deceased, Mr. Jacob Fasoro sounded broken when he relayed how he got the news of his younger sister whom he had brought up: “I’m the elder brother of Iyabo Deborah Fasoro.

I’m 56 now and the deceased was 46, we are from Ayedun in Okeero Local Government Area, Kwara State. I brought her up from when she was a kid.

“We were in church when the

Fasoyo shocking news of her death hit me. We were having a meeting and after the meeting we were served some refreshment, I was just about to start taking it when the call that announced Iyabo’s murder came, and the bearer of the message demanded that we come to Ikere-Ekiti that day. I screamed on hearing the news and it was our church members who brought me home. “ I brought Iyabo up. She was a very good woman. She was good to her family and even the family of her husband. “ She has three children, two girls and a boy. Her first born should be in her early 30s. The second is in his late 20s while the last born is about 13 years old.

“Sadly, her first born has a serious health challenge: She was attacked by small pox when she was very young. The disease almost claimed her life as it ravaged her for almost a month, eventually it has since rendered her very inactive. She can’t even speak well. The disease forced her to stop schooling then. “ The second born, a male, is in the first year in the College of Education in Ikere. The last born, poor Elizabeth Fasoro is to sit for the West African Examination Councl (WAEC) next year. She is currently in SSS 3. Now that their mother is no more, there is little or nothing that we can do for them, that’s why we appeal to government to help.”

Metro 22

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

Ajegunle Where life is nasty, brutish, short... but sweet Opeoluwani Akintayo

I

t was a rainy day and almost the whole place was water-logged with just few parts escaping the heavy tears from the sky. And were it not for scavengers – who paraded themselves as lords of the slum while also getting paid by residents to fill up the naturally water-based community with dirt gathered from both theirs and neighbouring communities – the expanse of land would have been inhabitable for the residents.

Judging from the outward show of well-built houses and tarred roads, no

one would have guessed that such a slum exists just at the back of Olayinka Street in Badagry, Lagos State.

But then, the reality of inhabitants living, eating, drinking, raising their children, and passing body wastes in same place, is more real than ever.

Ajegunle, a land under Badagry Division, Lagos State, with some 57,276.3 inhabitants per square kilometre, is among, if not the world’s densest. In Yoruba language, Ajegunle literally means “wealth’s abode.” In reality, however, it is the home of want, privation and government neglect.

Coming into Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government Area through one of its

major roads, Mile 2/Orile Express Way, Alaba-Suru to be precise, the first items that would catch your eyes are traders selling their wares and buyers in hot bargaining.

Moving through the market on the tarred but marred road, straight down to ECN Bus-stop, major catchy sights include Christ The King Catholic Church situated along the road. The building painted in cream and coffee brown, has the capacity to contain over three hundred worshipers in a single mass.

The community also houses one of the biggest public hospitals in Lagos State, Tolu Medical Centre. This Stateowned health centre not only caters for

residents of Ajeromi-Ifelodun but also attends to the health needs of patients from far and near.

Exactly at the ECN Bus-stop is the Ojora Family Council building. This body handles matters such as family disputes, land issues and other petty matters.

The Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government secretariat is also a magnificent building. Going by the gigantic structure, it could arguably be Nigeria’s most beautiful local government.

Painted light and dark brown, the building is a four-storey with three

Continued on page 23

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

Continued from page 22

Ajegunle has also produced some of the best crops of entertainers in the country ranging from the likes of dreadlocks-wearing Daddy Showkey, Baba Fryo, Father U-Turn, Oritsefemi, African China, including popular On Air Personality, Yaw of Wazobia FM

wings. On working days, both workers and non-workers can be seen trooping in and out of numerous offices for one business or the other. The Ajeromi/Ifelodun local government also boasts of numerous luxury, coastal and mini buses which convey its workers to and from the office and for other official functions. And just across the local government is the community’s Police Station, as well as the Postal Service.

There’s also the community’s major secondary schools located inside Tolu Complex.

Tolu Complex contains about four different schools. Because the schools cater for students from both inside and outside the community, even for those living at nearby riverine settlements, students, teachers and non-teaching staff alike, transport themselves there either through canoes paddled on the water that flows all the way from Tin Can Island, or through the normal Ajegunle tarred yet rugged roads.

Ajegunle has also produced some of the best crops of entertainers in the country ranging from the likes of dreadlocks-wearing Daddy Showkey, Baba Fryo, Father U-Turn, Oritsefemi, African China, including popular On Air Personality, Yaw of Wazobia FM. So, it is no doubt that Ajegunle is one of the richest in terms of the human capacity it wields, resourceful individuals and wealth generation. Yet, many of its people still live below acceptable standards.

The journey into the slum took a better shape as one walked through the narrow untarred path leading through Ezeagwu Lane.

The Lane is not far from the finely built structures capable of disguising and covering up the slummy area, making it hard for visitors to ever imagine the possibility of an existing dung.

Children running everywhere, obviously having a nice time with their peers; adults busied themselves with one activity or the other some washing, some cooking, some women sat weaving each other’s hair, some talking and laughing away, a few sat in front of their wooden shops and so-called houses, while others just sat and watched.

Since it was afternoon, most men were out to their various places of work, with just a few of them hanging around.

However, the highly degrading state in which they had pitched their tents seemed not to occur to them. Perhaps, one could conclude that they were already used to such lifestyle.

Upon sighting the reporter, they stared with rapt attention and curiosity which suggested it wasn’t the first time the community would receive visitors who paraded themselves as media yet, served as spies to telling on them and their activities which had led to trouble in the past.

This probably informed the coldness with which some of them spoke when asked to tell the tale of their experiences in the slum they had come to call home.

Continued on page 24

The many shades of poverty in Ajegunle

23 Metro PHOTOS: Opeoluwani Akintayo

Metro 24

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

Rich name, poor lane Continued from page 23 Even at that, their pitiable conditions didn’t in any way tell on their faces, as they were still receptive, living happily and ‘healthy’; some of them were glad to welcome the reporter, including offering assistance on how to get around the place.

Two women who craved anonymity for fear of being victimised said they had lived there for as long as thirty years. Their husbands already owned spaces on which their houses were built.

They narrated their ordeals when they first moved into the place thirty years ago.

According to them, the whole area was water-logged and filled with thick bushes which they had to fill up with dirt bought from scavengers before it became habitable.

They have through their little effort, without the help from government, dug soak away, constructed wooden bridges, rugged bathrooms and toilets, including borehole water, and other low-cost amenities for their comfort.

The women complained of being left out by the local government as there are so many abandoned projects in the area.

They also complained of mosquito bites due to the never-dry land and nearby already polluted river which causes sickness, especially malaria.

However, as proud as they are to have developed the area all by themselves to the stage where it is presently, the fear of suddenly getting kicked out by the local government looms in their minds.

“We arrived here thirty years ago and have lived here ever since. When we just got here, everywhere was filled with thick bushes and water and because we had no place to live, we started developing the land gradually. We cleared some part and built wooden houses. In fact then, snakes, insects and other bush animals, were our regular visitors. After toiling to build our houses, we constructed bathrooms and toilets with corrugated roofing sheets, built wooden bridges, we even pay scavengers to bring dirt collected from other places to fill up the water-logged ground. And as you can see, we live right inside the dirt.

Sadly enough,” one of them said.

The other added in vernacular; “Sadly enough, thus is where we raise all our children. They go to school and return here to us. This is our home. And as you can see, this is the rainy season which is usually the toughest for us because we sleep virtually on wet floors whenever the water penetrates our houses.

Mosquitoes feast on us making us fall ill often. ” A young man who had been watching all along suddenly burst through the chat like a volcano waiting for an opportunity to explode. “The only time we see government officials come here are whenever elections are approaching. They come here to tell us all kinds of lies that they will do this and that but, after we might have voted them in, they forget us. They don’t even care about us because they see us as outcasts. It will surprise you that even after we had used our own money to develop this area, local government officials still collect rent from us! But we are waiting for any of them to come one day and say they want to eject us from here after all we’ve done to develop this place to this state!”

Findings revealed that aside Olayinka, that such slums also exist in other

It will surprise you that even after we had used our own money to develop this area, local government officials still collect rent from us! But we are waiting for any of them to come one day and say they want to eject us from here after all we’ve done to develop this place to this state!”

places like Surulere Community which is directly at the back of Oyedeji street, Banana Estate, Apanpa, Zumura and Olodan.

The Baale of Apapa, Alayabiagba Town, His Royal Highness, Baale Y.O.A. Adeshina Ojora spoke about the slum.

His highness explained that the reason for the slum at Ezeagwu, Olayinka and others is that the L.G.A is still a baby compared to others. According to him, the community is still growing and that with time, development will surely get to all its parts.

The Local Government Information Officer who refused to give out information about himself, refused to comment on the issue of the slum. “do you understand the system of the government? So you want civil servant to speak for the government? I’m never in charge even if I’m the Information Officer. I can’t speak except i was given the order. Can you please leave this office because I have lots of things to do. I don’t have a boss for now because the Local Government is not on seat. Their tenure has ended.

You can go to the Council Manager(CM) because he’s now in charge so if he asks me to talk to you then, I will”, he said.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

25 Metro

‘We need help here’ We Need Help Here- Aliu Abolarin Since when did you start living in this area?

I got here in 1993. I used to live at Tun Karimu around Boundry. The house I used to live in then got burnt so I had to look for another place and that’s how I got here.

What was this place like then?

That time, this place wasn’t as developed as this because there were lots of trees and of course, there was a canal here. It used to be called Banana Estate.

Then we paid scavengers to bring those dirt they collect from neighbouring areas to fill the canal. But even as we paid for it, they were also happy that they found a place where to dump the refuse they collect.

What about these wooden bridges?

This bridges weren’t here then. But later, the landlords here contributed money and built the bridges here But I saw some men collecting money from users of the bridges Yes, they collect the money from users What do they use the money for?

The money is being used to renovate the bridges. They also use it as business What about your toilets and bathrooms. Who built them?

They were built by us. As you can see, we use same place as bathroom and toilet. What we do is that whenever we want to defecate, we make use of nylon bags.

After defecating inside it, we throw it into the canal.

But it can cause sicknesses! (laughs). We are already used to the environment and it doesn’t affect us anymore.

But you would have fallen sick when you first got here I’ve never fallen ill since I got here but there are some who always fall sick Now that Ebola is everywhere. We know it’s transmitted through monkeys. But human’s are now carriers and if you people are not careful and keep being dirty, you are more liable to contact it. So how did you people react to the news of Ebola here?

It’s not a lie. God knows how he does his things Aren’t you people scared?

No we are not. It’s a lot of dirt here.

Sometimes you can enter into bathroom and meet faeces on the ground. So you’ll have to wash it before using it.

I know it’s hard to keep this place clean since it’s dirt-based. How do you sanitise the environment?

We do it gradually. This is a canal and then everywhere is dirty too. We just try to rake the nylon bags that have already detached from the ground You pay rent here right?

Yes, we do.

How much?

Some pay N1500, some pay N1000 per month. It all depends on the nature and how big the room is.

Your own room is how much?

Mine is N1500 How big is it?

It’s counted by the ceiling. Mine is 9 ceiling. My landlord built my room Do your landlords pay for the land?

Yes, they pay land use charges, NEPA

bill to the local government Since you pay that much, why hasn’t this community approached them to do something about this place?

We have been there several times to complain. There were times they would promise to come here but they won’t.

They promised to clear the canal and dredge it but they don’t fulfill their promises. They told us they want to dig toilets for us now because of the Ebola outbreak How will they dredge the toilets here?

They say they will build it like a soak away and pour chemicals into it to keep the faeces and stench down. It won’t be along the canal. It will be inside the compound. So what happens to some of us who don’t have compounds? We have the

chairman of the community here.

Does he live here?

Yes, he has his own house here The other time I came you guys were complaining the idea of the toilet won’t work because it’s a swampy area?

Yes. This place is filled with water so we don’t know how that will work.

But they said they will dig the ground and fill it with concrete But it’s going to cost a lot of money. Who will pay for it?

They said each room should pay N3,000 How do you get water for drinking and bathing here?

We go out to fetch water.

Inside S-East 26

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

The many sorrows of

Erosion has cut us from the world Moses Oyediran Enugu

T there have been high rates of deaths of both pregnant women and sick people who travel by motorcycle, the only means of transportation, to seek medical attention or deliver their babies in Nsukka.

he richly endowed oil community of EhaNdiagu in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu is currently battered by erosion which has rendered the only entry point to the community inaccessible to motorists and other road users.

Daily Times Correspondent learnt that since the end of the civil war, the community has remained cut off from the outside world forcing the people of the community go through Ikem, in Isi-Uzo Local Government and Obollo-Afor in Udenu Local Government Area at an enormous cost to reach Enugu or Nsukka.

Apart from the road leading to Eha-Ndiagu, there have been high rates of deaths of both pregnant women and sick people who travel by motorcycle, the only means of transportation, to seek medical attention or deliver their babies in Nsukka.

According to the Chairman, Eha-Ndiagu Town Union, Mr.

Jerry Nwamu, a journey from Eha-Ndiagu to Nsukka takes almost a day and not less than N1, 000.00 which ordinarily should have been about 45 minutes at just N200.

“We seem to have been abandoned by our own state government and right now we are considering joining Benue State as the best option if we cannot be cared for in our own state.

“Avoidable deaths have been recorded in the community as instances abound when the sick and women in labour died on their way to hospitals in Nsukka as the only means of transportation is commercial motorcycle” he said.

Eha-Ndiagu, a predominantly farming community is equally known for production of yam, cassava, tomatoes, and cashew nuts, but farmers in the area have no means of transporting their agricultural products to cities like Enugu and Nsukka.

Investigations conducted in the community reveal that several public buildings at EhaNdiagu have been taken over by rodents as workers posted

to the community find it difficult to stay after their first visit.

Schools in the area are without teachers except the indigenous teachers; so also have other public institutions suffered in the area.

Car owners from the village pack their vehicles in Nsukka and take commercial motorcycles.

The chairman of Nsukka Local Government Council, Mr. Charlie Ugwu, described the Eha-Ndiagu situation as unfortunate and a helpless one, adding that there was nothing the local government lacked the funds to fight the ravaging erosion in the area.

“The road belongs to the state and successive local government chairmen said they have drawn the attention of the state to the plight of residents of EhaNdiagu. He however expressed optimism that the state governor may this time do something to alleviate the suffering of EhaNdiagu people, ” he said.

Recently, the people of EhaNdiagu resorted to self-help via manual labour to make the road accessible to motorcyclists

The road belongs to the state and successive local government chairmen said they have drawn the attention of the state to the plight of residents of EhaNdiagu

E

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

27 Inside S-East

Eha-Ndiagu community

olomew Agbo, said the only means anyone can get to Nsukka is by motorcycle at very exorbitant cost

to enable people to continue to have access to the community.

They said the measure became necessary as both state and local government had for long abandoned them to their fate.

Speaking with our correspondent, the Assistant Parish Priest of St Charles’ Parish Eha-Ndiagu, Christian Ani, said he was posted to the community two years ago ande that he encouraged the setting up of “Eha-Ndiagu Road Day” dedicated to the repair of the road because of the disaster and havoc the erosion has continued to wreak in the community.

“People die in large numbers here during rainy session which becomes the climax of erosion. Erosion has made this place inaccessible to vehicles.

Once you find yourself here on Okada, you are trapped. The people are farmers and they produce a lot of crops in large quantities.”

An Octogenarian Bartholomew Agbo, said the only means anyone can get to Nsukka is by motorcycle at very exorbitant cost:

“Thank goodness, government has not banned Okada in Nsukka LGA. You can see large cashew nut plantations. Our women who harvest them and carry it on their heads to ObolloAfor to sell to enable them take care of their children. A large percentage of the cashew nuts perishes annually as a result of non- availability of transportation.

“In fact, we are begging government to save us from the tragedy that has befallen us since the end of the civil war.

Crude oil has been discovered here since 1956 but because of non-accessibility of our roads, companies find it impossible to stay.”

The Councilor representing the area and a one-time leader of Nsukka Legislative Council, Festus Ugwu, said the community had become helpless as they have done everything to get the attention of government to no avail.

“We have approached our representative in the state House of Assembly, Chinedu Nwamba, to call the attention

of government to our plight but still got no response.

“In real sense, this road is a federal road because during the colonial rule, the road was linked to the northern states.

“Our community has abundant oil deposits. When the road was in good shape as far back as 1956, CGG, an oil prospecting company struck huge deposits of oil on our land. SAFRAP also came and later Geoquenetic.

But all their efforts came to naught due to inaccessibility of Eha-Ndiagu road,” he said.

“Enugu through the discovery of oil in Eha-Ndiagu should have been named among the oil producing states in the country but because we have no one to champion our cause. We appeal to the present chairman of Nsukka Local Government to fulfill the promise his predecessors made to give us a marching-grant of N2m to enable us carryout works so as to make the road motorable for motorists.”

Traditional Prime Minister, CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

A large percentage of the cashew nuts perishes annually as a result of non- availability of transportation

Inside S-East 28

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

Tribulation of a Professors’ Tony Emmanuel Awka

W

hen Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife became the first Executive Governor of young Anambra State sometime in 1991, he embarked on aggressive housing projects in his ‘think home’ philosophy. Before he left in 1993 as a result of the Abacha coup d’état of that year, he had set up no fewer than six functional housing estates in Awka, the state capital.

The estates were: Udoka Housing Estates, Iyiagu Housing Estate, Esther Obiakor Estate, Real Estate, Ahocol Estate, and Amenyi Housing Estate.

Among these estates, Esther Obiakor Estate was mapped out as quarters for lecturers of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, which was the Awka campus of the old Anambra State University of Technology (ASUTECH) owned by the old Anambra before the Federal Government took it in 1992.

Today, the aim of setting up the estate has been defeated. Tales of woe occasioned by abandoned government projects have become part of life of the people of the community.

Most children in the area would have stopped schooling long ago if their parents had been people of means who could take their children and wards to any school of their choice, irrespective of the circumstances.

The only school in the estate had been submerged by flood, causing the residents to send the children to school outside the estate, kilometres away.

That is not all, the people of the area have even been deprived spiritualy as the nearest church to the estate has become

inaccessible to the residents because the bridge linking the estate and the Aquinas Church, where most of the residents worship had been damaged.

Efforts by Dr. Chris Ngige when he was governor of the state to salvage the situation was dashed in 2006 via the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division that removed him from office after about 33 months.

Before Ngige left office, he had done reasonable work on the road and bridge linking the estate and the church.

Soon after Ngige left, the road and bridge project were abandoned --- till date, leaving erosion and flooding to complete the remaining “contract”, ferociously.

An impeccable source told our correspondent on Sunday that the plight of the community was made worse because during elections, the people continued to vote against successive administrations to solidarise with Ngige for remembering them in his reign.

The worst hit are Nnobi road of the Estate, where over 12 professors live. Among them are Professors Edwin Akusoba (current President General of Nnobi town in Idemili Local Government Area), Gabriel Ukachukwu (former Anambra State Director of the National Orientation Agency, NOA), Ben Osisioma (a renowned Professor of Management Science and an orator), Nonso Nnabuife (Professor of Engineering) Ben Chuks Okeke (Vice Chancellor of Federal University GUSAU).

Others are Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Oseloka Obaeze, Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Princess Chinwe Nnwaebili, among others.

Just recently, no

fewer than 30 professors and 20 doctors (PhD holders), mostly of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka petitioned the state government over poor state of government infrastructure and ecological degradation as well as abandoned government project in the estate.

Briefing the press, Professor Gabriel Ukachukwu, flanked by an array of professors and other residents of the community, regretted what he called government’s deliberate neglect of the place, saying several petitions and entreaties to the state government had yieled no results.

They maintained that since the estate was built in 1991, residents had

been providing for themselves all the essential facilities such as electricity and water.

The professors wondered why government should neglect an area made up of a cluster of heavy tax-payers as professors and top public servants and business class.

They said “we are only happy here during the dry season. Each rainy season, we lose human and material resources.

Today we struggle to go to church because the road linking this estate and Aquinas Church where most of us worship had been cut off by flood.

‘The only school in this estate is threatened by erosion. Most other buildings are on danger

Osisioma

e

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

29 Inside S-East

estate... list. Adding his voice, Chief Joseph Nwakpadolu, a businessman, said the irony of the whole story was that despite their tribulations, government still imposes heavy taxes and levies on them with impunity.

Efforts to get the commissioner for works in the state, Mr. Callists Ilozumba, to comment on the matter failed as he was not in office on several attempts.

The residents of the area have now resorted to tasking themselves and motorists plying the estate to temporarily survive the situation.

But for Professor Emeka Ezeonu “this measure is just like postponing the evil day; how far can this go?

For Professor Akusoba, “we are looking up God to make a difference through the new government of Chief Willy Obiano.”

Personsin class of professors ought not be reduced to scooping water in their apartments each rainfall or manually repairing government roads leading to their residences.

Such spectre is a major index of backwardness.

Just recently, no fewer than 30 professors and 20 doctors (PhD holders), mostly of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka petitioned the state government over poor state of government infrastructure and ecological degradation

Ezugwu

The many sorrows of Eha-Ndiagu community CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

Chief Ugwuanyi Dan, on his part, said the road was abandoned over 50 years ago, and despite all their appeal government refused to look their way.

“We have huge clay deposits here, our women are pot makers. All the earthen wares our women produce perished as they are only able to get a few to the market for sale. They do not use Okada because of the attendant risk because the products are fragile,” he said.

An indigene of the area confided in Daily Times that the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Kevin Mamah, had done nothing to draw government attention to the plight of the community simply because he is not residing in the community as he resides in a neighboring community called Eha-Alumona were also he has his business.

“I can authoritatively tell you that since our Igwe ascended the throne, he has not slept in EhaNdiagu for one day. That is why he doesn’t know what the people are suffering,” he said.

A woman leader, Mrs. Charity Ezugwu, who also spoke to our correspondent said people of the area have suffered untold hardship as they are confined only to their community.

“We are trapped here like rats in a cage. We don’t know what is happening in our Local Government Headquarters or the world. Two of our women died in labour recently while on their way to Nsukka on a motorcycle. We don’t know what our offence is. There are 45,000 registered voters in Eha-Ndiagu.

During electioneering cam-

paigns, politicians promise us heaven on earth. Eha-Ndiagu is predominantly a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) community.

The bridges and culverts built by the colonial masters on the abandoned road were destroyed during the civil war to prevent enemy incursion.

Meanwhile, the member representing Nsukka East in the Enugu State House of Assembly, Chinedu Nwamb, has urged the people of Eha-Nduagu not to lose hope saying he was doing his best to see that the road got the attention of government.

“I have met with Governor Sullivan Chime and the commissioner for works and also took eight members of the committee for works to see the deplorable condition of the road.

I’ll also make sure that the road is captured during the budget defence.

He expressed optimisim that the road project will be captured in the 2015 budget “My colleagues in the House of Assembly have nicknamed Hon. Eha-Ndiagu because there is no time I make contribution without making references to the deplorable condition of EhaNdiagu road.

“I want to tell my people in Eha-Ndiagu community and assure them that I will not relent in making sure that government does the needful in alleviating their sufferings by repairing the road. Eha-Ndiagu is my constituency I am worried at the inaccessibility of the road the people are my people whatever affects them affects me”, the lawmaker said.

30

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Business Æ s

L-R: Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki; Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala; and FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja yesterday.

Nigeria’s GDP growth estimate drops from 6.35 to 5.5%

By Lara Adejoro

N

igeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala yesterday told lawmakers in the National Assembly that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of the country has been re-estimated from 6.35 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

Okonjo-Iweala revealed this at the 2015 budget presentation which took place at the separate chambers of the lawmakers in the National Assembly.

She also revealed that the inflation rate in the country has dropped from 8.1 per cent to 7.1 per cent.

The 2015 budget which has an estimate of about N4.3trillion is said to be the country’s lowest budgetary estimation in four years.

The finance minister also stated that the benchmark price for oil is $65 with a production figure of 2.27million barrels a day. This is in response to the uncertainty that has surrounded the oil market as oil prices continue to slide further daily.

Okonjo-Iweala also pointed out that the Federal Government has focused the 2015 budget on economy diversification.

“The key of the budget is focused on the diversification of the economy and it’s been working because food prices has not risen, inspite of the deprecia-

tion of the naira,” the minister said.

“If you check all around the market, you will discover that the average Nigerian is enjoying stable food prices and in some places like Enugu, you

discover that the price of Harry has fallen. Inflation rate as estimated by the Nigerian bureau of statistics from 8.1 per cent to 7.1 per cent.

“We have made up for the fall of $13per barrel from $78 to $65

by raising more non-oil revenue through various types of taxes and policies.

“A surcharge is luxury goods is there plus additional tax effort to close leakages in revenues”, she said.

CBN EXCHANGE RATES AS AT RATES 15 TH DECEMBER, 2014.

CBN EXCHANGE Currency US DOLLAR POUNDS STERLING EURO SWISS FRANC YEN CFA

Buying(NGN) 167 261.4552 207.5142 172.7348 1.4049 0.2979

Central (NGN)

Selling(NGN)

167.5 262.238 208.1355 173.252 1.4091 0.3079

Wall St climbs ahead of interest rates hike Page 35

168 263.0208 208.7568 173.7691 1.4133 0.3179

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

31 Business

Ministry signs $80m housing MoU with Dubai firm Tayo Adelaja

A

s part of the Federal effort in reducing the housing deficit in Nigeria, the Federal Minister of Lands, housing and urban development signed an agreement to introduce new houses into the Abuja market.

The agreement witnessed by the junior minister of FCT Jumoke Akinjide was with Dubai

based Signature Value homes led

by Anand Ramani.

The project expected to start in January 2015 will cost over $80 million and the first phase of 300 units will be delivered in 6 months.

According to the Minister Minister of Lands, housing and urban Mrs Akon Eyakenyi, Signature Value Homes Limited submitted an unsolicited proposal of intent to develop affordable mass housing under the Public

Private Partnership (PPP) Contractors Finance Initiative of the Ministry.

“Consequently, the Company made a technical presentation to the Management of the Ministry on 10th November,2014 and the due diligence carried out by the PPP Unit showed that the Company is technically capable and has the financial capacity to undertake the project if given the opportunity.

She stated that PPP was the ve-

hicle through which the Ministry builds mass housing, explaining that the Ministry provides land and developers build according to agreed specifications.

According to the Minister, Signature Value Homes Limited are a mass housing project developer entity that specialises in providing holistic solutions for integrated community development.

The Company also presented a profile of successful execution

of projects in India and SubSahara African Countries and announced that they were also engaged in mass housing development with the Niger State Government.

The Company also boasts of local partnership with Stallion Group Nigeria, Technical and Engineering partnership with Mahindra Consulting Engineers and Construction partnership with Klassic International.

The development which is proposed on a 20 HA land situated at Gwagwalada FCT is a mixed development that will comprise of One Bedroom, Two Bedroom and Three Bedroom flats on ground plus three upper level floors comprising approximately 1,672 dwelling on the Ministry’s land at Gwagwalada FCT. The Field Headquarters FCT The junior minister of FCT Madam Jumoke Akinjide in her speech praised the minister of Housing for what she termed “uncommon transformation” of the housing sector in Nigeria.

She said that FCT have confidence in the quality of houses provided by the Ministry seeing the good work done in other projects by the Ministry of Housing.

Mrs Eyakenyi remarked that the housing ministry is effectively utilising the lands allocated to it by FCT.

Mrs Akon Eyakenyi , minister of Lands and Housing, second from right exchanging Mou with officials of a Dubai company

SON incinerates over N500m worth of substandard products Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

T

he Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has destroyed over N500 million worth of substandard goods in the country, in sticking to its mandate and zero tolerance for substandard products policy.

The Director General, SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu pledged that come 2015, the agency will intensify its war on substandard products, maintaining that all hands were on deck to reduce the influx of substandard goods into Nigeria.

The SON boss who was repre-

sented by the Head of Inspectorate and Compliance, Engr. Bede Obayi during the incineration of the substandard goods at its dumpsite in Shagamu, Ogun State, stressed that the move by SON was to show its zero tolerance to substandard products and also to serve as a deterrent to unscrupulous importers who do not mean well for the nation.

“We are also going to intensify our effort to ensure that these products do not find their way into the Nigeria market and also warned importers to desist from the act.You all a aware that these goods are imported by people who do not mean well for

the country. We have told them that if they must bring in goods, it must be goods that meet the minimum requirements of the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) that will give consumers value for their hard earned money,” he said.

“The total value of these substandard goods is over N500 million and this is not the first time we are destroying this year because since January to December, we have destroyed over N5billion worth of substandard goods in this country. If they do not rest, we will also not rest, we will continue to fight this act until we rid this country of sub-

standard products.

According to him, the substandard products to be destroyed includes, electric armored cables, tyres, expired supermarket breakfast cereals, extension sockets, mini led flashlights, rechargeable lamps, shaving sticks, mobile phones, stabilisers, engine oil, ball pens amongst others.

“We are destroying this huge volume of goods but creating jobs for people overseas because by the time we destroy these goods, we get nothing but economic loss. We are not happy destroying these products but if we can save the life of one Nige-

rian by burning these products, we have done something for this country and this is exactly the core mandate of our agency by showing zero tolerance for substandard goods in this country,” he added.

He pointed out that the current administration will continue to show commitments to its zero tolerance policy and will also give a lot of awareness and enlightenment campaigns about the negative effects of these products in the country.

“We have used many foras to educate importers and other stakeholders on the right way to import products into the country.

Industry 32

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Ending the reliance on foreign artisans, technicians Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

A

s Nigeria’s construction sector continues to expand and grow in terms of investments, it is sad to note that the bulk of artisans being used at construction sites across the country are sourced from neighbouring countries like Togo and the Republic of Benin, because of the belief that they are better trained and adept at the job than their Nigerian counterparts.

And so with the signing of a N15billion MoU between the Industrial Training Fund ITF and the Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria recently it is expected that shortly Nigeria should be an exporter of professional artisans and technicians.

One of the significant roles of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) is to develop the requisite industrial skills of the labour force as well as create more jobs for the teeming number of unemployed youths in the country.

A significant sector of todays’s labour force does not have the requisite skills demanded by employers; the country’s industrial sector lacks skilled manpower in jobs such as general wiring, spot welding, general machine operator, coil winding technicians and printed circuit board technicians. Others include tool fabricators, mould makers/engineers, fabricators and process control technicians.

The aforesaid has wittingly resulted in abysmal capacity utilisation and dismal performance of the manufacturing sector, poverty and insecurity, un-competitiveness, occasioned by other challenges, high rate of factory closures, low contribution to GDP and outright extinction of some manufacturing subsectors.

But with the unveiling of the NIRP, the government initiated far-reaching measures to correct the anomaly in the employment sector by mandating the ITF to transfer requisite knowledge capacity to the employed and unemployed.

This became especially imperative against the realisation that Vision-20:2020, the Transformation Agenda and other Federal Government ini-

tiatives, particularly as they relate to poverty alleviation, job creation and wealth generation will not be fully achieved without increased investment in skills acquisition.

In line with this, the ITF embarked on a series of measures that were designed to boost its skills acquisition capacity and open up more opportunities for Technical and Vocational Skills Acquisition in Nigeria.

Only recently a major landmark achievement was recorded with the signing of a N15bilion Memorandum of Understanding between the The Industrial Training Fund and the Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria, CTIN, to end Nigerians’ reliance on foreign artisans and technicians especially in the construction sector.

Under the collaborative initiative, CTIN will provide funding to the tune of N15billion, while the ITF will complement with training facilities and resource persons, this was disclosed by the Director General of ITF while addressing newsmen in Lagos.

“The first stage of this collaboration will be focusing on nine states of the federation where

we will be training about 350 people in every one of the nine states which will be over 3000 people in all,” said the Director General of ITF Mrs. Juliet Onaeko.

According to her, this initiative was important to the country as a whole and it ties very well with the transformation agenda of the federal government and the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).

She noted that the construction sector was also part of those key sectors that the policy has identified for special attention, stressing that it was going to have a multiplier effect and artisans and technicians will receive special training to help them even start up their own businesses to create wealth and jobs.

“Importantly there will be an improvement in their services as well because it is an area where quality cannot be compromised and it is important to build sufficient capacity in that sector: in the low and middle level cadre of the sector so that we can stop the influx of foreigners coming to take up the artisan jobs and the technicians

jobs as well,” she stated.

She explained that after commencing with the training of the initial 3,150 in nine states, the initiative will continue in the other states of the federation including the Federal Capital City Abuja.

“We want to see a situation where we will have some of these skills being exported to other countries as well and not the other way round. So it is going to be a win-win for everyone both for the Nigerian economy as well as the government’s transformation agenda, the construction sector and the ITF,” she said.

Another of such efforts was the establishment of an ultramodern Model Skills Training Centre in Abuja. The Model Skills Training Centre, has facilities that are comparable to any other in the world. Built in partnership with the Technical Cooperation of the Institute of Technical Education Services (ITEES), Singapore, the Centre has admitted its first set of trainees in five trade areas namely: Facility Technology, Mechatronics, Information and Communication Technology, Electronics and Culinary Skills.

Instructors of the Centre were

sent to Singapore to acquire the necessary skills to effectively discharge their functions.

Another Skills Centre, the Industrial Skills Training Centre (ISTC),Lokoja, Kogi State is set to be commissioned this year as construction has been completed, and equipment have started arriving. Similarly, an ICT Training Centre, which is located in Jos, has been completed, and was recently commissioned by the Hon Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga.

These heightened efforts are predicated against anticipated escalation in the number of Nigerians that would want to ac-

Mrs. Juliet Onaeko, ITF DG

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

33 Business

14 mining companies penalised over environmental law violations

T

Gas exporting countries fret over market volatility

he Mines Environmental Compliance Department, of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, has said that 14 mining companies have been penalised by the Federal Government for violating various environmental laws.

Mr Salim Adegbayega, the Acting Director, said on yesterday in Abuja that the companies were sanctioned in Ogun, FCT, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kogi, Ondo and Edo. Adegbayega said the ministry enforced the sanctions by giving stop work order to some of them; others were refused renewal of their licenses’ as well as refusal to transfer mineral titles.

He said sections 116 and 119 of the law stipulated that before any company commenced mining, it had to submit statutory environmental documents mandatory for the operation.

He disclosed that the documents were Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Processing and Rehabilitation Programme as well as the Community Development Agreement.

The acting director said it was mandatory for any mining company in Nigeria to submit these documents to the ministry before it commenced mining but all the companies sanctioned had failed to do so.

Adegboyega said the companies involved both local and foreign ones and were mostly into mining of granites and other minerals while more would soon be sanctions.

He said the ministry

he Gas Exporting Country Forum (GECF), at its 16th Ministerial Meeting in Doha , Qatar, has expressed concern over the increasing volatility of the energy market around the world.

According to the Chairman of the meeting and Minister of Energy and

proval of the renewal of licenses. ``If an operator is known to have defaulted in environmental obligations, the ministry will refuse to renew the license; we have more than 10 cases recently which has been effected.

Donald Kaberuka, AfDB president

Proposed Development Bank of Nigeria gets $500m AfDB boost Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

T

he proposed Development Bank of Nigeria to be established by the Federal Government to support the funding of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country has received a $500million boost from the African Development Bank AfDB. A statement released by the AfDB yesterday, said that the Board of Directors of the Bank unanimously approved a financial the package of 500 million dollars to support the establishment of the Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (DBN).

The statement said the financial package con-

T

sisted of loans of 450 million dollars and an equity investment of 50 million dollars in the DBN. It stated that the funds from the AfDB Group would be used to support Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) operating in various sectors of the Nigerian economy.

“The DBN is being established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in partnership with international development financial institutions such as the AfDB, the World Bank, KfW of Germany and the French Development Agency (AFD).

“Recognising the limitations of the existing Development Finance Insti-

Industry of Qatar, Dr Mohammed Saleh Alsada, the industry was facing a crucial challenge of increasing volatility of the energy market, adding that the trend was driven by various reasons, including economy and political elements.

He said: ``The GECF is

tutions (DFIs) in Nigeria, the FGN has decided to establish a DFI, which will be better regulated and more clearly aligned with development priorities.

“Furthermore, to ensure sustainable impact and scale, the mandate, governance and operations of the DBN will be grounded in internationally recognised good practice principles,” said.

AfDB-

The statement said the structure and operational design of the DBN had been informed by global experience and the designs of successful DFIs from across the world.

It added that AfDB had taken into account all the factors that led to the un-

a platform for cooperation among the member countries. ``Its existence and the success achieved so far is a reflection of its members’ determination to cooperate yet on a mutual understanding and cooperation as to grow the industry, especially in fac-

der performance of the existing DFIs in Nigeria.

The statement said the MSME sector was critical to the development of the Nigerian economy as it possessed great potentials for employment generation and output diversification.

“MSMEs in Nigeria cover the entire range of economic activity; nevertheless, there has been gross under-performance of these enterprises and this has undermined their contribution to economic growth.

“Among the issues affecting their performance, the shortage of finance, particularly investment finance, occupies a very central position.

ing the crucial challenges of today - increasing volatility of energy market which is driven by variety of reasons. ``These include economy and political elements which affect its stability of the market; we need to be alert and keep monitoring the volatility of energy market.

``There are some who transferred their licenses from one company to the other because they have secured partners; they are also sanctioned by refusing the transfer to happen. ``We have many cases like that close to 10 also.

We have 14 companies which had suffered one sanction or the other by denying them certain requirements or outright stop work order. ``We operators working out this document, we see it as violation of the law and that is when we normally come in, to ensure compliance by way of writing them,’’ he said.

The acting director said once they failed to comply with the laws, it would attract sanction after serving them with series of letters.

He advised mining companies to observe all the environmental obligations by working in line with the law, adding that the law was very clear as to what the obligations were.

Adegboyega said that the Federal Government had earlier published the names of the companies involved this year, to create public awareness on environmental regulations among the miners.

He said that the ministry would soon put in place mechanisms to sensitise the general public to how to produce those environmental documents.

He appealed to the government to continue to support the solid mineral sector as the government had already made a policy statement to develop the sector in a way to support oil revenues.

had developed new strategies to monitor the ap-

Musa Sada, Mines & Steel minister

Business 34

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Fiscal Responsibility Commission, FIRS to boost internal revenue

T

he Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) said yesterday that it was collaborating with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to ensure improvements in internally generated revenue for the Federal Government.

This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by FRC’s Head of Media, Mr. AbdulGaniyu Amin.

According to the statement, a meeting was recently held between the two bodies to shore up internally generated revenue in the face of dwindling oil receipts.

The statement reported the acting Chairman, FRC, Mr. Victor Muruako, as saying that only strict observance of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, could guarantee a comprehensive implementation of budgets.

“It is high time Nigeria took a cue from countries like Singapore, India and Brazil which have done away with budget deficit through strict adherence to fiscal discipline.

“FRC will ensure prompt remittance of operating surplus by

revenue generating agencies so as to enthrone an era of balanced budget for the country,” it said.

The statement decried the practice by some government agencies who indulged in some practices in order to avoid paying their exact operating surplus.

The FRC boss disclosed that the commission had designed a new template for calculating Operating Surplus which would be adopted in early 2015.

He also urged FIRS, as the second largest revenue earner of the Federal Government, to assist the commission toward the realisation of its mandates.

The statement stated that the Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi, assured that FIRS would partner with FRC to ensure that ministries, departments and agencies complied with the FRA, 2007.

It also said that FIRS was working to ensure that tax payers got value for their tax remittance.

The statement said that there was the need for the two government agencies to partner, to ensure increased revenue for the

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (2nd left), All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right), Secretary to the State Government, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule (right) and the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben Akabueze (left) the during the public presentation of the Lagos State Development Plan (2012-2025) organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja, recently. be done.

“There are still a number of government agencies that deduct withholding taxes, VAT on contract and PAYE from employees

government.

“The FIRS has already embarked on an aggressive tax drive in response to the dire situation even though more still needs to

but do not remit same to FIRS. “We will collaborate with FRC to ensure prompt remittances of these taxes by such agencies,” he said.

PAAR can hit the trillion mark in generated revenue - Customs

M

r Abullahi Babani, the Comptroller, Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), yesterday in Abuja disclosed that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), through the PAAR scheme had increased revenues by 20 per cent in 2014 and was capable of hitting the trillion mark.

He said there was tremendous improvement on the revenue in the current year, considering the economic situation in the country when compared to the performance of NCS in 2013.

Babani explained that PAAR was the new system of Destination Inspection (DI) which transferred the assignment from the service providers to the NCS in December 2013.

The comptroller added that the service had been able to block all the potential areas of revenue leakages through PAAR system and improved on rev-

enue collection.

He said: “There is a tremendous improvement in the revenue when you compare our performance in 2014 as against 2013; we have recorded over 20 per cent in revenue collection.

“When you look at most of the economic fundamentals, we are having downward turn because of insecurity and other issues which have had impacts on our ability to collect the revenue we are to collect.

“But because the system has been able to block all the potential areas of revenue leakages, we have been able to improve on our revenue collection,” he said.

Babani stated that the service would not have been able to get 80 per cent of what it collected in 2013 if it was using the old system of destination inspection called “Risk Assessment Report”.

According to him, ``we strongly believe that if we were using the RAR system of the service

Dikko, Comptroller General of Customs providers in 2014, we wouldn’t have been able to recover up to the amount collected in 2013’’.

The comptroller said the transfer of DI to customs had enabled the Federal Government to save about 25 million dollars monthly, being the amount that would have been paid to service

providers.

He stated that the service would be able to hit a trillion revenue collections for the first time under PAAR regime, adding that the service would not have made the mark under RAR regime. ``All we do in trying to succeed is that we are strengthening our

internal control mechanism to block all the potential leakages to enhance revenue collection.

“But the fact of the matter as at today is that Federal Government does not pay any service provider for these services; it is NCS that is delivering these services on behalf of the government.

“So there is saving in that regard and as I have told you earlier on, we have recorded over 20 per cent increment in the revenue.

“So we will be able to hit a trillion revenue collections under the PAAR regime which has not happened under the old regime.

“You can only appreciate the contribution that PAAR is making when you look at the economic fundamentals.’’

According to Babani, the service is using more of professionalism to be able to get our revenue valuation and classification correctly which is fundamental basis for raising assessments.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

35 Global Business FedEx profit misses expectations as stocks drop

F

edEx Corp yesterday posted lower-than-expected quarterly earnings as results at its FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight units missed estimates, and it reiterated an outlook analysts consider conservative, sending its stock down nearly five per cent.

Both FedEx and main rival United Parcel Service Inc are in the final days of their peak holiday season, which has boomed over the past decade due to the rise of e-commerce. Last year both companies were hit by a lastminute surge in online orders and bad weather, leaving an estimated two million packages undelivered on Christmas Eve. The two companies have worked with online retailers in hopes of avoiding a repeat of last year. So far the plans appeared to be paying off.

On a conference call with analysts, FedEx executives said labour problems at West Coast ports this year had left cargo shipments backed up over the last three months, causing inventory shortages.

Central bank of Russia

Wall St. climbs ahead U.S. consumer of Fed decision prices fall on gasoline U U .S. stocks were higher shortly after the open yesterday, following a three-session losing streak for major Wall Street indexes, as investors awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve’s final statement of the year that may set the stage for interest rate hikes in 2015.

A strengthening U.S. economy is expected to trump global economic worries and the Fed is likely to signal it is still on track

Russian ruble firms, but remains volatile

to raise rates.

U.S. consumer prices recorded their biggest drop in nearly six years in November as gasoline prices tumbled, but this probably will do little to change views the Fed will start raising interest rates in mid-2015.

“I do think they will take in consideration slow global economic activity and perhaps mention the threat of deflation in Europe,” said Peter Cardillo, chief mar-

R

ussia’s ruble strengthened yesterday after dramatic falls against the dollar in the previous two days but remained extremely volatile and fears of a prolonged crisis remained.

The ruble was about three per cent firmer against the dollar on the day after the government sold dollars to try to prop it up and because exporters sold dollars in preparation for monthly tax payments due this week.

At 0735 ET yesterday, the ru-

ket economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York.

“If there isn’t a change in language, that would be the surprise,” he said, adding that as the U.S. economy continues to strengthen and lower oil prices give a boost to the consumer “the year-end rally in stocks will resume.”

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 88.72 points, or 0.52 per cent, to 17,157.59, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 12.76 points, or 0.65

per cent, to 1,985.5 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 24.43 points, or 0.54 per cent, to 4,572.26.

Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by 2,075 to 739, for a 2.81-to-1 ratio; on the Nasdaq, 1,596 issues rose and 725 fell for a 2.20-to-1 ratio favoring advancers.

The S&P 500 was posting 5 new 52-week highs and 10 lows; the Nasdaq Composite was recording 13 new highs and 46 lows.

ble was up around three per cent against the dollar at 65.45 rubles per dollar and was four per cent stronger versus the euro at 81.68.

The ruble had fallen by around six per cent in the early minutes of trading. Small volumes were capable of moving the market sharply in either direction.

“Today it’s likely exporters are helping the ruble, though we haven’t seen them or the central bank,” said Pyotr Neimyshev at Otkritie bank in Moscow.

The Finance Ministry said it had started selling foreign currency left over on its accounts, but this provided only fleeting support to the ruble.

The ruble has come under heavy selling pressure this week, falling around 20 per cent against the dollar at one stage on Tuesday, despite the central bank increasing its key interest rate by an unexpected 650 basis points, in an emergency move that did little to buttress the currency.

.S. consumer prices recorded their biggest drop in nearly six years in November as gasoline prices tumbled, but that did not change views the Federal Reserve would start raising interest rates in mid-2015.

The Labour Department said on Wednesday its Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell 0.3 per cent, the largest decline since December 2008, after being flat in October.

For the 12 months through November, the CPI increased 1.3 per cent, the smallest gain since February, after advancing 1.7 per cent in October.

“Beside a brief mention about keeping an eye on oil prices, do not expect this inflation report to materially impact today’s Fed decision,” said Jay Morelock, an economist at FTN Financial in New York.

While inflation is running below the U.S. central bank’s target of two per cent, job growth has shifted into higher gear and the pace of slack absorption in the economy has accelerated in recent months.

Capital Market 36 Adesola Akindele

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

DAILY MARKET SUMMARY

Nigerian Stock Exchange contends with negative trend

W

ith the presentation of the budget to the National House of Assembly by the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy; Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo Iweala the market still closed at a low with a 2.78 per cent loss or 827.92 points as the

All share index (ASI) continues in its downward trend from its previous 29,789.59 points to 28,961.67 points recorded on Wednesday.

A total of 481,850,767.00 shares worth 6.2 billion naira in 3822 deals were traded bringing Market capitalization to N9.56 trillion.

16

37 7 News

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday December 16, 2014

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Genesis Of Our Times Æ s

The company T he Incorporation of the Nigerian Printing and Publishing Company on 6th June 1925, was followed two days later by a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company to appoint its Chairman, a Secretary and an Editor for the proposed newspaper, The Nigerian Daily Times.

In those early days, the Board directed and controlled all matters relating to the appointment, promotion and discipline of its staff, a practice from which finally emerged policies regulating the pattern and structure of the Company’s management.

An illustration of the early beginnings of management policy may be found in a resolution of the Board on Friday, August 28th, 1925, to appoint a Business Manager who should “be responsible for the commercial side of the Company at a salary of N20 per month until December and N30 per month thereafter.” It is worthy of note that the Board resolved at that meeting to offer the appointment to Mr. C. A. Kasumu, subject to a guaranteed bond in the company’s favour to the value of N500.

The appointment of Mr. Kasumu and. Later, Messrs Omololu and Ijabode in February, 1926 exposed practical problems in the organizational hierarchy and it took three Board meetings to resolve these problems.

To illustrate the wisdom and care taken to settle the issue, relevant extracts from the Board Minutes are reproduced hereunder: FRIDAY 11th SEPTEMBER, 1926 “Mr. Osborne supported

by Mr. Alakija was of the opinion that this title (Business Manger) to be given to Mr. Kasumu will lead to friction between Mr. Ikoli and Mr. Kasumu. It was understood that Mr. Ikoli objected to the title of Business Manager on the grounds that the outside African public will

be under the impression that Mr. Kasumu was senior in position to the Editor.

“Lengthy discussion arose over this point and it was suggested that Mr. Ikoli be called Editor and Manger and Mr. Kasumu Business Manager.

Mr. Alakija suggested that Mr. Kasumu be called Accountant. It was decided to adjourn the question until the next meeting and ask Mr. Ikoli to come to the next meeting in order that he may be given the opportunity to express his views.”

culties involved, the whole office and works should be placed under the control of the Editor being previously responsible to the Directors fro all matters. As a result, an organization pattern emerged:

TUESDAY 13th OCTOBER, 1926 “At the request of the Chairman, the minutes of meeting held on 11th September, 1926, were read. Mr. Ikoli was then asked to join the meeting. The Chairman advised Mr. Ikoli that he had been asked to attend in order to give the Board his views on the question of the duties and designation of himself and Mr. Kasumu.

“Mr. Ikoli stated that he cordially welcomed Mr. Kasumu but, as he previously had entire control which was publicly recognised, he wished to understand clearly his position as Editor to the Company. He desired that the other staff of all grades should be responsible to him and he to the Directors.

“The Chairman stated that Mr. Kasumu will be entirely responsible to the Editor for all matters except stocks in his personal charge fro which he alone will be responsible. The Chairman asked Mr. Ikoli whether or not he will be satisfied with the designations: Mr Ikoli, Editor and Manager; Mr. Kasumu, Business Manager.

“Mr. Ikoli replied that he would be quite satisfied with the designation and division of duties as outlined by the Chairman. Mr. Ikoli then withdrew”.

At a subsequent meeting, the matter was settled when the Board resolved that in view of the practical diffi-

This structure was to remain until the appointment of Mr. C. H. Jeal (a European) as the Company’s Manager in October. 1928.

On the question of discipline, the Board of Directors was equally firm. The minutes of a Board meeting on July 16, 1927, illustrates the point:“The Chairman brought to the notice of the Directors the conduct of Mr. C. A. Kasumu, the Business Manager, in authorising an expenditure on repairs of the premises without sanction of the Board. The Directors view with displeasure and disfavour such a conduct and request that in future the Business Manager should not incur any expenditure without the previous sanction of the Board being first asked and obtained”.

With the discontinuance of the African Messenger in December 1928, Mr. C. H. Jeal was requested to reorganize the Company. A major decision of the Board on the reorganization was that Messrs Cassleton Elliot (Chartered Accountants) were specially engaged at a fee of twenty-five guineas to audit the Company’s accounts up to 30th September, 1929, and thereafter became the Company’s auditors on a quarterly fee of fifteen guineas. The fees have of course increased with the growth of the business.

Commendations, even at that early stage of the

Mr. E. S. Ikoli Editor/Manger Mr. C. A. KasumuAccounts/Stores Mr. Omololu - Advertisements/ Circulation Mr. Ijabode - Head Compositor

CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

39 Genesis Of Our Times

The company CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38

Company’s development, were not uncommon. In the minutes of a meeting held on 14th February 1930, the following sentiments in respect of a senior staff and a director were recorded: “It was moved by Mr. P. D. Rose and seconded by Mr. Eric Moore, that a vote of thanks be accorded to Mr. C. H. Jeal, the Manager of the Nigerian Printing and Publishing Company for the services performed by him during the year 1928 to 1929… …

“Mr. O. Alakija informed the Board that he would crave leave to bring to the notice of the Board the services rendered at all times by the Chairman of Directors in the interest of the Company and for promoting generally the interest of the establishment.”

In 1935, while Europe was in the midst of an economic depression, the Company was acquired by Mr. Robert B. Paul. A condition of the acquisition was that the new owner should select the European Manager.

The new owners applied themselves to the task of restructuring the Company and building up the newspaper. Europeans were employed to fill the posts of Managing Editor, Business Manager and Works Manager. In addition, the company engaged the services of a European Works Assistant who “offered to pay his own steamer fare to Lagos and prove his efficiency.”

The Board sanctioned his engagement at N60 per month.

Business and commercial control of the Nigerian Daily Times became the responsibility of the new owners, but Sir Adeyemo and his local staff continued to direct editorial policy, circulation and local management.

Rough times came with the Second World War and there were problems not only of news-sprint supply but of a tired management.

The general manager of that period went for some four years without a single break and slackness crept into the production so

much so that in 1945 when the war ended - and for a year afterwards, the circulation was seldom more than 1,000 copies a day.

When the Daily Mirror Newspapers of London acquired the Company from Mr. R. B. Paul in December 1947, a new era and management style were to follow.

The first general manager to be posted to Lagos by the Daily Mirror was Frank Rogers and others followed after him; but present-day history of the Daily Times did not begin until the legendary figure of Percy Roberts came on the stage.

An ebullient journalist and a tireless and dynamic work leader, Mr. Roberts joined the company as editorial adviser in 1952 and rose to the post of general manager by 1955. As general manager, he successfully launched the “Sunday Times” and the “Sporting Record”, but his efforts with an evening newspaper and a weekly entertainment paper were unsuccessful.

In December 1957, Mr. Percy Roberts was appointed Managing Director of the Company with Mr. A. B. Osula (who had earlier been elected a director) as Deputy Managing Director.

Percy Roberts was clearly the starting point of modern journalism in the Daily Times Group. An all-round man that he was, Percy was everything at any time of the production timetable: reporter, sub-editor, stonesub, production manager, marketing and transport organiser, general manager, director, etc., etc.

Such was the versatility of this man Percy that his shadow hung like a legend over Kakawa Street for many years. He was liked and feared at the same time and it can be said without exaggeration that it was under his regime that most of the present-day Nigerian executives mastered the secret of producing a successful newspaper.

A student of Percy’s school, Chief Olu Fadiro, who was sales manager at Nigerpak, described him as follows: “I worked very closely

with Mr. Percy Roberts at a time when I very much needed an appreciation for hard work. I was a linotype operator and he was the General Manager.

“With Mr. Roberts, the sky was the limit for any worker who combined hard work with initiative. Such an employee could receive as many incentives as pos-

sible within one calendar year.

“Mr. Roberts inspired me for his hard work and he was, indeed, a pillar of strength: a ‘Jack-Never-

Tire’ type of man.

“In the Composing Room, we called him O-Oga-let it go-o as such outbursts readily reminded us that it was press time”.

News 40

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

2015: Imo PDP sues for peace Idris

Kogi Assembly votes in favour of LG autonomy Wale Ibrahim, Lokoja

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ogi State House of Assembly has voted in favour of Local Government Councils autonomy among other sections of The Constitution 4th Alteration Bill, 2014 forwarded to it by the National Assembly.

The house voted in favour of all sections forwarded to it for its consideration but insisted on the scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) as part of the constitution amendment.

The house which dissolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider and vote met a rancorous on reaching Section 197 providing for the establishment of the SIEC but few members held that the commission must stay.

Majority of members who held their ground against the sustenance of the commission alluded among other hindrances to the clause, duplication of functions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The house however refrained from voice votes of a yes and nays to counting and at the end, only two members out of the 19 at plenary session voted in favour of SIEC as they held that the commission would not serve the interest of the people.

Other clauses ratified by the house include New States and Boundary adjustment, Police Reforms, Protection of Persons with Disabilities against Discrimination among many others.

P

eople’s Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Owerri, the Imo State capital, have urged Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and Chief Ikedi Ohakim, to sheathe their swords and support the candidature of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha for the governorship slot of the state.

The party therefore advised all former aspirants, members of the party, and indeed, Imo indigenes to rally round its governorship candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha to ensure victory in the general elec-

tions.

The leadership of the party also condemned ceaseless protests trailing the results of just concluded Governorship primaries in Imo State particularly the efforts by some individuals to engender hostility within the party, stressing that the party members ought to have learnt from previous experience.

In a statement made available to newsmen wednesday in Owerri, entitled “PDP governorship candidate 2015, No victory, No vanquished, United we

stand to achieve victory” , the zonal chairman of the party, General Rowland Ogbonna (rtd), warned that the party would view any act of indiscipline or anti-party activities with every seriousness in the present circumstance.

Gen. Ogbonna, supported by the chairmen of the party in the nine LGAs of the zone and their secretaries advised the party’s governorship aspirants from Okigwe zone, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and Chief Ikedi Ohakim who lost in the exercise to tow the path of honour and

demonstrate the spirit of sportsmanship, sheathe their swords and join hands with Chief Ihedioha who he said emerged winner in the free and fair primaries.

“The governorship primary was the best ever conducted in our state, being transparently free and fair and all aspirants had their agents who were not prevented from coming to where the votes were counted.

While congratulating Chief Ihiedioha on his well- deserved victory, he recalled that the party in

the zone had prior to the gubernatorial primary, commenced for the first time, an expensive visitation and consultation with the leadership of the party in Orlu and Okigwe zones which involved all the governorship aspirants of Owerri zonal extraction and which was marked by cordial reception and honest discussions.

He also commended all the party delegates for participating in the exercise and for conducting themselves in the most peaceful manner to the extent that the exercise was devoid of any form of violence.

Herbalist jailed 10 years for abducting lecturer’s wife in Delta

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Chief Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State welcoming Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, Nigerian Ambassador to Spain to the Special National Convention of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), held in Awka, Anambra.

MASSOB launches Biafran vehicle number plate in Enugu Moses Oyediran, Enugu

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he Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has again launched a new plate number for vehicle following the success of the motorcycle in February this year.

The group also called on all Igbos in the country to see the launch of the new plate number as their

identity and avail themselves of every privileges due citizens of Biafra.

The MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, while launching the vehicle plate number in Nsukka yesterday urged vehicle owners all over Biafra ter-

ted any offence.

Uwazuruike, was represented by Chief Arinze Igbani, the Awka South Regional Administrator of MASSOB.

ritory not to be afraid of purchasing it, adding that no security agent will harass or disturb them for using Biafra plate number as they have not commit-

to launch its own plate number as it will forestall criminal activities among people hiding under our name to perpetrate evil.

“MASSOB as you know

He said, “The plate number is our identity and MASSOB have every right

is a non-violent and nonarms carrying organization set out to achieve our sovereignty”, he said.

He commended member and urged them to remain steadfast in the pursuit of the struggle.

The MASSOB Regional Administrator for Nsukka, Mr Kenneth Okwudili, thanked Uwazuruike for his confidence for the Nsukka Region and promised that they will not betray his trust in them.

“MASSOB expects every vehicle owners to buy the

n Effurun High Court has sentenced a self-acclaimed prophet, Mr Philip Itoje to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for the kidnapping of one Mrs. Christiana Eruotor.

The woman, wife of Prof. Peter Eruotor, a renowned University Lecturer, Agriculturist and pioneer Professor of Agronomy, Delta State University, Abraka, got missing in 2012 under mysterious circumstances.

She was a retired Chief Internal Auditor, College of Health Sciences, DELSU, a Certified Accountant and had three sons, three daughters and nine grand-children before her disappearance.

The Court held that from the totality of the circumstantial evidence before it, there were irresistible facts that pointed to the fact that the accused person kidnapped the victim.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

41 News

Kwara gov proposes N119.8bn budget for 2015 fiscal year Ola Yekeen, Ilorin

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wara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed on Wednesday presented the sum of N119.8 billion budget for 2015 to the State House of Assembly for consideration.

The budget, tagged “Budget of introspection and job creation” was N4.6 billion more 2014 budget representing 3.7% increase of the total bud-

get size.

According to the Governor, the Capital Expenditure would gulp N62.1 billion which represents 52 per cent of the total budget size while N46.4 billion for Recurrent Expenditure represents 39 per cent.

Ahmed also said the budget has a debt profile of 11.2 billion which represents 9 per cent of the total budget.

According to Governor

Ahmed, N16.4 billion is expected from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), while the foreign and local aids for capital development amounted to N29.7 billion.

Governor Ahmed added that the state is expecting N33.6 billion from the Federation Account, N7.5 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT) and N2.5 billion from Non Oil/Excess Crude account.

“The other anticipated

source of revenue for funding the 2015 budget is from a bond of Twentythree billion naira to be sourced from the Capital Market and to be repaid back by 2022.

“We are also anticipating a term loan facility of seven billion naira from financial institutions in case the bond accessibility might delay, in order to ensure that we continue with our developmental

projects”, Ahmed added.

The governor said the sum of N2.3 billion from recurrent revenue surplus would be transfer to Capital Development in case of any short fall in the budget.

Ahmed said the budget would be used to complete on-going projects in the state, adding that it would be used to support private and emerging entrepreneurs to grow their busi-

nesses.

The budget was spread across nine sectors with General Public Service taking the lion share of 30% amounting to N35.9 billion followed by the Economic affairs gulping N35.5 billion representing 29.7%.

Education came third with N24.1 billion which is 20% of the total budget size followed by the Health sector with 8.6% amounting to N10.2 billion.

2 men sentenced to death for stealing fowl

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L-R: Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George; Chairman of Northern Elders Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai; A former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide SAN; Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President, Dr Doyin Okupe; representative of Ooni of Ife, Oba Kole Olutalayo; Guest Speaker, Prof Dupe Olatunbosun and former Minister of State for Finance, Senator Jubril Martins at the media presentation of candidate Goodluck Ebele Jonathan held in Lagos. Photo: Bolaji Olasunkanmi

Bayelsa community owes N5.1b electricity bills

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lectricity consumers in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, are indebted to the the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) to the tune of N5 billion.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by Manager, Corporate Communications, PHEDC, Mr. Jonah Ibomah. The company also claimed that over 15 transformers were lost to activities of vandals

which has resulted in epileptic supply of electricity to the area.

Ibomah said the huge debt had impacted negatively on the growth of Yenagoa Business Unit in particular and the overall performance of the company which came into existence just over a year ago.

He said the indebtedness cut across various categories of PHEDC customers.

Ibomah said, “The PHEDC available record shows that out of 4,977 pre-paid customers, only 183, representing less than four per cent, are vending.

“What this suggests is that the rest of the customers must have tampered with their meters thereby engaging in energy theft which has accounted for energy losses.”

The corporate Communication manager also said customer using analogue meters with a total

population of about 10,669, only 2,681 were paying electricity bills.

“The energy Yenagoa is receiving is not at all commensurate with its payment. For instance, in October, 2014, Yenagoa received 17,782,270 worth of energy, the highest among the 15 Business Units under the licensed area of the company’s coverage; but it was only able to account for less than 40 per cent of this,” he added.

n Osun State High Court, Okuku Judiciary Division, yesterday sentenced two armed robbers to death.

According to a statement by the information officer of Osun state Ministry of Justice, Mr. Opeyemi Bello, the convicts, Olowookere Segun and Morakinyo Sunday had pleaded not guilty to eight 8 count charge.

The charge include conspiracy, robbery and stealing contrary to section 6(b) and 1(2)(a) of robbery and Firearm (special provisions) Act, cap R 11 laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 and section (390)(1) Criminal Code Law, Cap 34, Laws of Osun State, 2002.

The statement further disclosed that the prosecution team from the Ministry of Justice led by Solicitor General, Mrs. Abiola Adewemimo called six 6 witnesses and tendered exhibits to prove its case.

Giving the facts of the case, the statement maintained that the accused persons forcefully broken into the house of one Balogun Tope, a police officer attached to divisional police headquarters, Okuku in April 2010 and carted away some of his belongings.

On13th November, 2010, five men, were said to have been apprehended around Balogun’s house wielding cutlasses and a dane gun.

Two of them were said to have been arrested and later confessed that they actually stole fowls and admitted being the robbers that attacked the house in April, 2010.

Change of Name I, formerly known as CATHERINE APANA ATAH now wishes to be known and addressed as CATHERINE APANA DICKSON. All documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

Change of Name

Change of Name

I, formerly known as ADEBANKE OLURANTI TAIWOTANIMOWO now wishes to be known and addressed as ADEBANKE OLURANTI TANIMOWO. All documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

I, formerly known as AYODELE BOLANLE MARY now wishes to be known and addressed as OGUNLOLA AYODELE BOLANLE. All documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

42

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Sport

Æs

Managing Arsenal is my dream!

Thierry Henry opens up on career move

37 M

-year-old Arsenal legend Thierry Henry

anaging Arsenal remains Thierry Henry’s dream job but the former striker knows he has a long way to go before he can replace Arsene Wenger.

Henry announced his retirement on Tuesday after four and a half seasons with New York Red Bulls, and has signed a contract to join Sky Sports as a pundit, although the 37-year-old has long-term plans

No January signings for Blues – Mourinho Football Page 46

to become a manager, with one of his former clubs high on his wish list as a future employer.

While working alongside Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher as an on-screen analyst, Henry plans to complete his coaching education and Arsenal looks set to play a key role.

Henry joined Arsenal in 1999 and went on to make 258 Premier League appear-

ances with the club - including a short loan stint from the Red Bulls in the 2011-12 season - scoring 175 goals, and the Frenchman would love to return to the club as manager one day.

“That would be a dream come true but that’s not how it works,” Henry enthused.

“You have to prove yourself first, you have to learn first. You need to be able to understand what it is to be a manager.

Ex-internationals stun Nollywood stars in friendly Football Page 43

Benin chess tourney enters crucial stage Football Page 44

“Can you teach, can you be patient? All these problems. People think they are all managers in their own way but it’s not that easy.

“The plan is to start my badges and I guess Arsenal will help me. To pass your badges, you have to work closely with a

Continued on page 43

Eagles to battle Elephants, Les Aiglons in friendly – Amadu Football Page 43

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

43 Sport Ex-internationals stun Nollywood stars in friendly ’SODIQ ADEKUNLE, OSHOGBO

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Super Eagles line up

Eagles to battle Elephants, Les Aiglons in friendly – Amadu Iyanu Oni-Orisan

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n kick-starting its pledge to ensure that the senior national team, Super Eagles, are engaged for all the FIFA-free days available next year, NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu has confirmed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has secured two international friendly matches for the team prior to the 30th Africa Cup of Nations finals.

Amadu said on Wednesday that the Eagles will confront two teams they battered on their way to a third African title in South

Africa early last year, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in January 2015.

He also added that the Super Eagles will confront 1992 African champions Cote d’Ivoire, whom they edged 2-1 in the quarter finals in South Africa, on January 9, and take on fellow Eagles of Mali, who were humbled 4-1 by the Nigerians in the semi-finals in South Africa, four days later.

“We are working round the clock to make sure that the Super Eagles will have opponents for all the FIFA windows available in year 2015, and we are happy that the two games with

the Ivoirians and the Malians are sealed.

“The Elephants and the Les Aiglons are on their way to the 30th Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea, so they are sure to give our team good games,” Amadu said.

Already, Assistant Coach Daniel Amokachi has drawn a list of 24 players who will do battle for shirts for the two matches.

Gombe United goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim leads the invitees, with Azubuike Egwuekwe, Kwambe Solomon, Umar Zango, Rabiu Ali, Emem Eduok, Kingsley Sokari, Mfon Udoh, Gbola-

han Salami and Gambo Muhammad.

Also invited are Daniel Akpeyi, Theophilus Afelokhai, Idris Aloma, Chimma Akas, Nelson Ogbonna, Erhun Obanor, Bright Esieme, Ammel Angel Wilfred, Joseph Nathaniel, Charles Henlong, Stanley Dimgba, Chinedu Udeaga, Osaguona Christian and Christian Obiozor.

All the invited players are expected to report at the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja on Sunday, December 28, with their international passports and four passport photographs.

football team comprising of 16 ex-internationals defeated Team Nollywood by 6-2 during a celebrity-studded novelty match played at Campus Square Sports Centre, Lagos, to commemorate the 2014 World HIV/AIDS Day in Nigeria.

Among the ex-internationals who featured at the event includes Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha, Emmanuel Babayaro, Emmanuel Okocha, Victor Agali, Dan Amokachi, Teslim Fatusi and Celestine Babayaro, while the Team Nollywood celebrities comprised of Sound Sultan, Hafiz “Saka” Oyetoro, John Njamah, Emmanuel Mordi and DJ Steel.

The celebrity team was complemented by five officials of Coca-Cola Nigeria.

The match tagged ‘Superstars Play for Life’ was sponsored by Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited in partnership with Friends Africa (Friends of the Global Fund Africa), a pan-African non-governmental organisation.

During the event, no fewer than 4,000 persons took the HIV test.

“Nearly 4,000 persons, mostly women and youth, took the test to ascertain their HIV status at the mobile HCT centres activated in four locations: Campos Square, Sangrose Market and Oluwole Market on Lagos Island and at the University of Lagos campus in Akoka.

“About 70% of those tested did so for the first time. A few persons who tested positive for the virus were counselled and referred to the Lagos General Hospital for enrolment on follow up counselling and treatment programme,” a statement from the organisers read.

Managing Arsenal is my dream!

Continued from page 42 club and I would like to think it is going to be Arsenal. You know I’m in London when you see me at Arsenal.

“First and foremost, I don’t know how or when, but everybody knows I would love to go back to Arsenal in some capacity. But I need to be equipped to

go back. I want to learn the process, so I have to get my badges and what not. We will see what is going to happen.

“First and foremost, I have to make sure that I have everything on board to be able to go back.”

But while coaching is Henry’s long-term goal, he is confident he will make a good TV pundit, claiming he already analyses

games at home.

“If I watch a game on Sky with my friends, I will pause it 20,000 times and by the time it starts again, the game is already over, we already know the result, but I’m still pausing it to make my friends understand why something happened or why it shouldn’t have happened,” he said.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry (right) in discussion with Theo Walcott

Sport 44

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Benin chess tourney enters crucial stage

2015 AFCON

Ghana can succeed despite tough group – Desailly

Iyanu Oni-Orisan

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T

he ongoing 2nd edition of the annual Benin Chess Tournament currently holding at the Indoor Sports Hall of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, enters its crucial stage today, as the race for the star prize begins with round five and six games of the event.

Players are to size up each other in the Day Four of the event which is expected to give a clue on who could emerge as the winner of the tournament tagged “Oba’s Cup” being sponsored by Seven Up Bottling Company Plc as part of its contribution towards sports development in the country.

Going into the day’s game in the master category will be the duo of Igubor Micah and Balogun Oluwafemi as both players have gathered three points each, while Ekpoikong Unwama Eugene and Emuakpeje Ochuko with two and half points apiece are expected to improve their chances for the golden race which ends on Friday December 19.

In the U-10 event, Ikegbunam Johnson chances of winning the category looks bright ahead of other contestants having won all his four games played so far with four points in his kitty, while the U-14 cadre will be a straight battle between Osadebe Michael and Uwadia Osaze, as both players have four points each after winning all their four games in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Ikegbunam Daniel has been tipped to lift the U-16 trophy, as he is leading with four points from four rounds of matches played, while other players are expected to jostle for the runnerups position.

Rufai

Rufai’s Staruf Academy set for fifth anniversary Iyanu Oni-Orisan

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ormer Super Eagles goalkeeper and proprietor of Staruf Football Academy, Peter Rufai, has announced that the academy will be celebrating five years of its existence on Friday, December 19, at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.

Rufai told our correspondent that the academy which is aimed at improving the lives of Nigerian youths through football is celebrating its foundation in order to express appreciation to Nigerians who have stood by it since inception, as well as take stock on its achievements and chart a new way forward for the foremost football academy in the country.

According to him, the celebra-

tion will involve red carpet reception, formal presentation of Staruf Academy, recognition and award presentation to supporters of football, American auction, cutting of cake and fund raising.

“We are celebrating five years of our existence to give thanks to God and commend all those that stood by us all these years.

“The celebration will also be used to reassure Nigerians that we are more prepared now to help develop future football stars through technical and tactical discipline by ensuring the continuity of stable performance of individual and team adaptation to pressure.

“We shall also help in meeting clubs ambition and objectives besides encouraging fair play,” Rufai said.

NFF lauds Seina Marine, ARIK for supporting refs training ‘Niyi Omo-Okiri

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NFF boss, Amaju Pinnick

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has applauded Seina Marine Limited and ARIK airline for the support both companies are offering to 20 Nigerian elite referees going to the United Kingdom for the arbiters’ next capacity enhancing programme.

NFF President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick said: “Seina Marine Limited is bankrolling the cost of the three –week exercise as well as the stay of the 20 referees in London.

“On their part, ARIK Airline has offered to fly the referees at only half the fare and we are very appreciative of this gesture. I can tell you that this

is the beginning of what is sure to be useful relationships between Seina Marine and NFF, as well as ARIK Airline and NFF. “There were 10 referees involved in the first batch that returned to the country on Sunday. There will be 20 referees in the second match that will leave the country on January 25, 2015, for another two-week capacity building exercise.”

Earlier NFF confirmed that 17 highly-qualified persons, including coaches and ex-internationals will fly to the United Kingdom mid-January for a three-week match reading technique and backroom analysis exercise, aimed at helping all the National Teams in international engagements.

ormer France captain Marcel Desailly believes Ghana can succeed in Equatorial Guinea despite being paired with South Africa, Algeria and Senegal at the 2015 AFCON tournament.

“We have hope that they (Ghana) are going to do well in the competition. The group is a difficult one because we see that South Africa are doing well.”

The Ghana-born player said: “I am curious and I want to see what they can do. But we believe if the Black Stars can begin well, they will go to the knockout stages and who knows what can possibly follow?”

The 2015 AFCON can easily be called the Francophone Cup and it will not be misplaced. That’s because 11 of the 16 teams are French-speaking.

Marcel touched on this peculiarity: “We see that there are lot of Francophone countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Guinea but we hope that Ghana as an

Desailly Anglophone country will make it to the last four or the final.”

Ghana’s group alone has two such - Senegal and Algeria - and the Black Stars will definitely meet another if they progress as Group D has Ivory Coast, Mali, Cameroon and Guinea.

Algerian fans told to avoid AFCON

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lgeria’s Sports Minister, Mohammed Tahmi, has appealed to national team supporters not to travel for the AFCON. There are a few standard hotels in Mongomo where the Desert Foxes will be competing against South Africa, Ghana and Senegal.

The best have been allotted to the national teams with the rest deemed to be below par.

“The conditions are inappropriate,” Tahmi spoke against the proposed movement of the fans for the 30th edition of the AFCON in Equatorial Guinea at a meeting on Tuesday.

If the pleas of the Algerian government are heeded to, the Christian Gourcuff side may not be enjoying the traditional support they are used to at recent major tournaments.

“According to our information, the movement of our fans in Equatorial Guinea will be very difficult given the lack of accommodation facilities in the country.”

“It is so difficult to find accommodation facilities and this will even complicate the work of our journalists there,” Tahmi admonished.

Tahmi Meanwhile, Algeria coach Christian Gourcuff has named his final squad for the 2015 AFCON. Aside the main team of 23, the Frenchman also created a backup list of seven players to cater for emergencies that could occur before the start of the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

Spanish side Real Betis’ midfielder Foued Kadir and 22-yearold Ishak Belfodil, who plays as a striker for Parma in Italy, appear to be the surprise inclusions in the squad.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

45 Sport Kipsang accuses Athletics Kenya for smearing his name

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James Dasaolu (left) winning the 60m at the 2014 Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham

Dasaolu competes in Birmingham’s Grand Prix

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reat Britain’s European 100m champion James Dasaolu will compete at the 2015 Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix, an IAAF Indoor Permit meeting, in Birmingham on February 21, the organisers announced wednesday.

At the 2014 Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix earlier this year, Dasaolu set a world-leading 60m time

of 6.47secs in his heat before winning the final in 6.50secs.

The 27-year-old is excited about returning to the Barclaycard Arena in February, where he will face a field that will also include Great Britain’s 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships 60m winner Richard Kilty.

“I can’t wait to compete at the Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix

Drug cheats!

AK bans Kimetto, Kiplimo for 2 years

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he Athletics Kenya (AK) has announced that it had banned two marathoners Viola Chelangat Kimetto

Kimetto and Joyce Jemutai Kiplimo for failed doping tests.

The AK Medical and Anti-doping

next year. Training is going brilliantly and I believe I’m over my injuries,” commented Dasaolu, who can also boast of an impressive 100m best of 9.91secs.

Also announced on Wednesday was Asha Philip, who is currently the British champion over 60m indoors and 100m outdoors and now training with Dasaolu in Loughborough under the guidance of

Coach Steve Fudge.

In 2014, Philip won the British 60m title in 7.09secs, just 0.01 shy of Jeanette Kwakye’s British record.

Double Olympic, World and European champion Mo Farah has already confirmed that he will compete at the 2015 Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix.

Commission chaired by Dr Victor Bargoi, which met on December 10, are also studying the tests of six others marathoners – excluding Rita Jeptoo – for possible sanctions.

Kimetto, 33, third at the Athens marathon in 2012 in 2:40:28 tested positive for Norandosterone during the Macau Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon held on December 1, 2013 and has been banned for two years effective October 12, 2014.

The 26-year-old Kiplimo, a half marathoner has a personal best of 1:10.21 from Yangzhou – a result that has since been nullified as the tests taken after the race in China last April also returned positive test for Norandosterone – a banned

substance that is detected in urine.

Athletics Kenya however steered clear of the recent allegations published by a British Newspaper last week that reported that up to 25 Kenyan runners, possibly some world and Olympic champions, are among 150 athletes who had suspicious blood values but were not subject to targeted testing afterwards by the International Associations of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The report followed a documentary aired on a German television that was in possession of the suspicious records that also included names of the runners. The IAAF’s ethics commission is investigating the claims.

ormer marathon worldrecord holder Wilson Kipsang has accused Kenya’s athletics federation of smearing his name by disclosing that he missed an out-of-competition doping test.

The IAAF told Athletics Kenya it had tried to test Kipsang on November 11.

Athletics Kenya issued a statement saying no sanction would be imposed as it was his first missed test.

Kipsang, 32, said the statement was a “breach of privacy with malicious target to soil my name and efforts”.

He added he would seek legal action against the “unprofessional misconduct” of Athletics Kenya.

The federation said Kipsang was told he would be in violation of anti-doping rules if he misses three tests within an 18-month period.

Kipsang, who said he was aware of the IAAF notification, added: “I have submitted all necessary required details and the matter was settled accordance to the governing law.”

He said he was in South Africa on the day of the test, attending a global athletics conference as the Kenyan and African representative.

He added Athletics Kenya was aware of his whereabouts.

“Missing unwillingly a single test for the first time cannot amount to issuing a press statement by a national federation,” said Kipsang.

“I am not the only athlete who misses a test. I am not the first one in Kenya, neither in the whole world. Then, why Kipsang?”

Kipsang

Sports 46 Liverpool lose injured Johnson

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

No January signings for Blues – Mourinho

G

len Johnson will be out of action for at least a month after tearing a groin muscle in Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester United last weekend.

The England full-back was replaced by Kolo Toure during the first half of United’s 3-0 Super Sunday win and later he revealed that he had suffered a tear to the muscle.

Johnson, who will be out of contract next June, is now facing a second significant spell on the sidelines after missing almost six weeks with a thigh injury in the autumn.

And Brendan Rodgers goes into Christmas without one of his most trusted defenders as he aims to turn around a run of form which has seen Liverpool win just two of their last 10 games.

Euro Briefs

Green backs Mignolet to return stronger QPR goalkeeper Rob Green has backed Liverpool counterpart Simon Mignolet to come back stronger after being dropped by Brendan Rodgers.

Liverpool manager Rodgers left Mignolet out of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford after the Belgian had come in for criticism for a string of below-par performances.

Mourinho

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helsea boss Jose Mourinho has ruled out making any January additions to his squad.

Mourinho was active in the close-season as he lured Diego Costa, Filipe Luis, Loic Remy and Cesc Fabregas to Stamford Bridge, while veteran striker Didier Drogba also made an emotion return to the club.

Bolstered by the arrival of that

Johnson

particular quintet, Chelsea have set the pace at the top of the Premier League, reached the League Cup semi-finals and will face Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

However, given the club’s financial backing, Chelsea continue to be linked with a host of top players – including Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos - but Mourinho is not anticipating any

Lukaku keen to end Everton’s title drought

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omelu Lukaku is determined to spearhead Everton’s drive for their first major trophy since

1995.

Lukaku, the 21-year-old club record signing, was speaking after Roberto Martinez’s side continued to pick up Premier League momentum by beating QPR 3-1 on Monday night.

But it has been a long wait for silverware at Goodison - something that the Belgium striker is well aware of.

“I am the first to say that I want to win something. As players, we have to stay focused and work hard, and hopefully try and win some silverware at the end of the season,” he said.

Everton’s next league game is a trip to Southampton, suddenly struggling to find form after five successive defeats. Then comes a busy Christmas programme, with fixtures against Stoke, Newcastle and Hull.

Lukaku believes there is growing confidence under Martinez that the players can now put together some impressive results and climb the Premier League table. They’re currently 10th - just above neighbours Liverpool - and seven points off the top four.

But already, thoughts are turning to Europe and two games against Young Boys of Switzerland in the last 32 of the Europa League in February and maybe a European showdown against Liverpool.

activity in the transfer window next month.

“We have a short squad but we’ve got good players, some younger, some older, but the squad is very, very good,” Mourinho said.

“Our project is to start and finish the season with the same group of players, so there will be nobody to leave and nobody to come in either.”

Mignolet

Metz axe Maiga over unauthorised absence

Maiga

Lukaku

Metz have suspended Modibo Maiga for two days after he failed to travel to their Ligue 1 fixture with Marseille earlier this month.

The West Ham loanee made an impressive start to his time at Stade Saint-Symphorien with four goals in his first 10 league appearances, but he has not featured in Metz’s last three matches.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 18, 2014

Blanc snubs Mourinho’s mind games, hails retiring Henry

Ramos targets Real return

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eal Madrid defender Sergio Ramos is hopeful he will be able to play in the final of the Club World Cup (CWC) after coming off with a thigh injury in the 4-0 semi-final victory over Cruz Azul.

Ramos opened the scoring with Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Isco adding to the tally but was substituted just after the hour due to discomfort in his left thigh.

“I am not in too much discomfort and we hope it isn’t anything serious,” he said after the match.

“They are going to take a look at it today, and see how I am feeling then. I hope to play in the final.”

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti was also confident Ramos would feature in the final, adding: “We aren’t worried as it was simply a case of slightly hurting a muscle and he will recover well

Traore wants more Barca chances

A

keep impressing Barca’s head coach.

“I am happy for the opportunity Luis Enrique and the coaches gave me,” he said. “It’s a great feeling to play with the first team.

“It’s exciting for any youth player to debut with the first team and share the dressing room with such great players.

“I bring speed and power to the team, but I know that I have to keep improving to be a complete player and be able to compete with these guys.

“I will do my best with the B team and if Luis Enrique calls me I’ll be happy to Traore help.”

dama Traore hopes his Copa del Rey cameo against Huesca will convince Luis Enrique to give him more opportunities in the Barcelona first team.

The 18-year-old came on with 16 minutes to play on Tuesday and netted his first senior goal four minutes later as Barca romped to a comprehensive 8-1 win on the night and 12-1 success on aggregate.

Traore made an immediate impact with a mazy run that saw him skip past several challenges before applying a neat finish beyond Dani Jimenez.

The young forward now hopes to

in two days and he will be available for the final.”

Los Blancos extended their winning run to 21 matches with victory over the Mexicans and Ramos is determined that should continue in the final on Saturday against either San Lorenzo or Auckland City FC. “This is a year of statistics and records for Real Madrid,” he added. “We are going through a good spell and we want to keep winning and making the Madrid fans

happy.

“The title we are competing for is the reward for last year’s work. We aim to win the title.”

Real are competing in Marrakech on the strength on winning last season’s Champions League and, while many will be looking to the team to defend that title as well as winning the Primera Division and Copa del Rey, Ancelotti is keeping his focus on the task at hand.

Bayern duo sign new deals

Tom Starke

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ayern Munich reserve goalkeeper Tom Starke has agreed a new contract that will see him stay at the Allianz Arena until 2016.

Starke has been back-up to Manuel Neuer for the Bundesliga leaders this season in the absence of Pepe Reina, but he has yet to make an appearance in any competition.

The 33-year-old has not started for Bayern since March when Neuer was rested in the build-up to Bay-

47Sport

ern’s UEFA Champions League clash with Manchester United.

However, despite his lack of activity, Starke has been rewarded with a new deal by the club and will continue his battle with Neuer, Reina and Leopold Zingerle.

Bayern also confirmed on Wednesday that 18-year-old Gianluca Gaudino has signed his first professional contract.

The midfielder has made six appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side this season.

Blanc

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SG coach Laurent Blanc avoided trying to enter the mind games of Jose Mourinho, ahead of their UEFA Champions League tie with Chelsea.

The Ligue 1 champions drew Mourinho’s Chelsea in the last 16 on Monday, with the first leg to take place in Paris on February 17.

Mourinho claimed prior to the draw that he would be happy to play Paris Saint-Germain, and Blanc was not biting - aware of the Portuguese tactician’s cunning ways.

“Did Mourinho win the psychological battle? If he wins a point, it is because he’s playing a game. I have no game to play with Jose,” the French coach said.

“We know him. We know him very well. You (the media) like that, you like his quotes. That’s it.

“Good or bad draw? At the end of both games, we will be able to know that,” Blanc said.

“It’s going to be very interesting. We have to get ready. We still have time beforehand. There’s a huge opponent waiting for us.”

PSG’s boss also paid tribute to retiring countryman Thierry Henry, with who he played with for France - and also against in the Premier League.

“The youngsters today cannot imagine what Thierry Henry has done during his entire career because he played abroad a big part of his career,” Blanc said.

“He has done so many things in football. I think to the French national team obviously.

g Features g Sports

Lagos P12 community 5,000 Features Æwhere s souls live, Lagos community where 5,000 souls live, trade atop filth trade atop filth 12

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014 www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

VOL. 1. NO.4

Only the corrupt and inept people in government, ...now need be fearful of Buhari’s emergence as a presidential candidate of the APC

S

hortly after the coup of December 1983 in Nigeria, in which the seemingly no-nonsense duo of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Gen. Babatunde Idiagbon took over by force the government of Nigeria from the corrupt and inept Shehu Shagari-led civilian regime, I was invited by the Canadian Broadcast-

Jonathan urges firm global action against insurgency P9

g Politics

Obasanjo P16 is father of corruption –Falae

As you drive towards Ojota from Maryland across the bridge, look to your right and you would see a sprawling slum beginning from under the bridge right behind the Ojota New Garage. The unusual thing about the slum is that people live right on top of scraps and refuse dumps. Daily Times undertook a tour of the filth community called Kogberegbe, which has been in existence since the late 1950s.

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Akintokunbo Adejumo

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 18, 2014

Managing P42 Arsenal is my dream.

– Henry

g News

dailytimesng F

or a first time caller to the Kogberegbe community behind Ojota New Garage in the Kosofe local government area of Lagos State, it would be difficult to fathom how the residents of this area survive in such an environment, considering the stench from the deluge of refuse and scraps that make up the entire community. In this diseaseprone settlement of over 5,000, the residents dine, wine, make love, give birth and perform all other activities of normal life.

Inhabited by various ethnic groups but mainly Hausas, these people are far removed from the megacity mantra of the state.

Many of these residents are into metal scrap sales and general recycling businesses and so to them what you call filth or scraps is actually wealth!

While majority of the women

engage in food selling and petty trading in provision items and perishable foods, their men are majorly into the business of scavenging for scraps and making large sales out of it.

Apart from the pungent odour from dilapidated zinc and wooden buildings, the sight of malnourished women and kids playing around the refuse keeps one wondering how man, beast and filth can co-habit so freely.

Another puzzling thing is that the residents seem content with the life they live.

Alhaji Salihu Adamu, chairman of Gidankwali, the Hausa part of the community, disclosed to Daily Times that he is one of the very first people to come to that community when the place was all bush.

“I came into this community in 1958 and, back then, there were no houses; everywhere was bush and swamp. You would

Wealth packaged amidst filth not even know that anyone was living there because it was a very thick bush. We only managed to create narrow paths for us to move around. I was not here alone at that time. Other persons were with me. We were many because what brought us to this community then was our job. At that time, we were into the business of dredging for sand. Sand digging and selling were our major jobs.”

Adamu added that when the

sand business came to an end for them, they had to start another type of business.

“We had to start something else, and that was how we started the scrap business around 1967. We started gradually at that time and that is what we still do till today.”

Scrap business, he explained, entails sourcing for discarded computers, a ir conditioners, and other metal items, and removing the valuable compo-

nents like copper, iron, which we put together and send to Universal Steel Company for sales.

“That is what we do till now and that is the major business in this community. As much as this community is residential, it is also a commercial one where waste is being converted to wealth and that is why you see a lot of scraps around,” explained Adamu.

However, medical perCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

The Buhari re-emergence and implications for Nigeria ing Corporation to their Winnipeg, Manitoba radio station to shed some light on the situation in Nigeria.

I was then the President of the International Students Organisation.

One of the issues put to me was that Nigerians and those of us in the Diaspora were fearful for ourselves or for our people at home because of the obvious military putsch’s clampdown on freedom. My reply was “The ordinary Nigerian has nothing to fear; only the corrupt politicians who were deposed have to fear Buhari and Idiagbon”.

Now 31 years later, I daresay the same applies, or may apply. Only the corrupt and inept people in government, irrespective of party affiliations, now need be fearful of Buhari’s emergence as a presidential candidate of the APC. But let us put a few issues in perspective. Buhari has not yet contested and has not won the 2015 elections. He might not even win the election despite the euphoria at last week’s APC primaries. After all, he has run unsuccessfully for the office of the President of Nigeria in the past.

His detractors’ label him a “septuagenarian serial election loser”, and his ethnic background is Fulani, and his faith is Islam, a native of Daura in Katsina State.

So, how are we sure he’s going to be fourth time lucky and accepted by Nigerians?

In Nigeria, where cor-

ruption rules, fighting it is a damned hard chore and battle. So when you fight corruption, it will fight back a thousand times more powerfully, and viciously. We see it every day in our country, such that if you can’t beat it, you join it. Those corrupt Nigerians, and their foreign collaborators who have made enormous wealth from it over the decades are not prepared to down arms or surrender. They will mobilise all ill-gotten resources, power and weapons to fight back, so they do not

lose their illegal source of wealth.

Buhari has been labelled with many uncomplimentary physiognomies too, from being a religious bigot and zealot to an unrepentant ethnic misogynist who being a Fulani, believes in the superiority of the group over others in Nigeria. Many unpalatable quotes have been attributed to him, ostensibly to consolidate the evidences of religious and ethnic intolerance against him.

Incidentally, a deep look into all these accusations

will produce the fact that they are mostly fabricated by confirmed ethnic, religious and political bigots who do not have any other things to say to negate Buhari’s noted honesty and sincerity.

Allow me say to say, that I have never been ardent of Buhari; in fact, I always believe he was inferior to his then deputy, Babatunde Idiagbon. I always believe that most of the discipline attributed to him was the handiwork of Idiagbon. I always believe the man is humourless and too rigid in his outlook, but, as it is, I acknowledge his self-discipline. Even I do not really think he was a good leader, probably because, I was not in Nigeria during his military rule to witness firsthand his achievements and secondly because he did not have the luxury of a long enough time to prove he is a good leader.

However, his subsequent records in public life were to confirm the honesty of this man, at least according to the facts available.

For example, a 1998 report in New African praised the Petroleum Trust Fund , PTF, under his watch, for its transparency, calling it a rare “success story”. Another was the story that he declined to receive the N300 million monthly allocations to him as a former Head of State, rather opting to receive only N2.3 million per month.

“Shame on Shagari,

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. www.dailytimes.com.ng email: www.dailytimes.com.ng. Tel: 018447948. EDITOR: YINKA OLUJIMI

Obasanjo, Babangida and Abdulsallam for still receiving this huge amount despite the massive amount of money they allegedly made while in power.

So, you will ask me, why have Nigerians suddenly woken up, ready to give this “serial election loser” a fourth shot at the prize? Like a friend asked recently, why are Nigerians euphoric over a “refurbished Messiah”?

I replied, “Who is calling Buhari a Messiah? I am definitely not. All I can say is Nigeria stands a better chance with him instead of what we have now. We must give CHANGE a CHANCE. That’s all we can hope for now. Do we stick with the same rot, and continue to mutter curses on Jonathan and the PDP or do we give Buhari a fourth chance?

Is Buhari the best man available to rule Nigeria?

No, not by a long shot! As far as I am concerned, I am confident that I will make a better leader than him, but of course, I am not interested nor have I been approached or stand any chance in Nigeria’s brand of politics.

So he’s 72 and too old?

Who said? I am always for the younger generation to be at the forefront of nation-building but current evidence indicates that even our youths and their mind-set have been hijacked by the older corrupting politicians.