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MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014 VOL. 1. NO.1

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Braithwaite blows hot

Jonathan, Buhari are bad choices President Goodluck Jonathan and his Ivorien counterpart Alassane Ouattara at a pre-ECOWAS summit dinner, at the State House, Abuja yesterday. The summit holds in Abuja today.

•Says President condones corruption •Buhari is military’s candidate Obasanjo g 6 attacks GEJ again over Chibok girls, Kashamu

Akinjide Akintola Corruption has shot through the roof under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan,

Nigeria spends N360m daily on wheat importation

while Major General Muhammadu Buhari is the arrowhead of a plot by ex-military rulers to retake power in the guise of CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Funmi Coker A WHOPPING N360 million is currently being spent by Nigeria daily on the importation of wheat, a product that the country has full capacity to produce and export, the Daily Times has CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Editorial

Æs

Time for issue-based campaigns

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ith the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) successfully concluding their primaries, Nigerians are now looking forward to issue-based campaigns in the weeks ahead. This is in spite of the acrimony that preceded some of the primaries, where candidates who lost refused to gracefully accept defeat.

Definitely, Nigerians have for long put up with such ungentlemanly behaviour from politicians who are yet to see electoral losses as part of civilised democratic process, where ideas are freely contested and voters allowed to make informed choices.

That is why the 2015 elections will be very important for the country’s progress. For long, Nigeria has been at the receiving end of political brigandage visited on it by those who think they must win at all costs. Sadly, the Fourth Republic has not shown any departure from such inglorious past.

Reason is that those aspiring to leadership positions are yet to imbibe the culture of civilised political behaviour, where issues-based campaigns are the rule rather than the exception.

All that must change if Nigeria is to stand any chance of ever joining the comity of democratic nations. No doubt, the 2015 elections would determine the way forward for the country.

But for any change to come true, politicians must base their campaigns on issues and not threats. This should not be the period to frame up political opponents or prevent them from campaigning for their successes at the polls but rather issues must dominate the arena of discourse. Nigerians and

indeed the international community expect a high level of decorum from our politicians as the 2015 campaign gets underway. And with that, politicians must face the reality on ground.

These realities include persistent insurgency, especially in the Northeast, prudent management of the economy and sky- high corruption.

Others are recurring militancy in the Niger Delta, kidnappings,youth unemployment, scandalous outages and decaying infrastructure. It is not enough for politicians to regale voters with outlandish promises of free education, health for all and industrialisation, without telling themhow these can be achieved. More than at any period in our history, Nigeria needs a clear direction on the way forward. There are fears that the insecurity could even worsen because of the falling oil prices, as the living conditions of the poor further plummet. How will the candidates deal with these challenges? Which of the two parties will handle them better is a question the electorate should be able to answer before exercising their franchise come February next year.

But that will only happen if there is a contestation of ideas on those critical issues. We need the details from both Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, not the recurring language of possibilities or exchange of tirades by their party loyalists. Also, the media has a critical role to play if the 2015 elections are to be free and fair.

It must assist the people to premise their choices on rationality and vote wisely at the poll.

Enough of campaigns of insults.

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Publisher

Fidelis Anosike

Group Managing Director

Deputy Editor

Head of Operations

Managing Editor

Abuja Bureau Chief

Deputy Head of Operations

Noel Anosike

Gabriella Osamor

Editor

Yinka Olujimi

Yemi Ogunsola Bisi Abidoye

Head Graphics

L-R: BoniHaruna, Minister of Youth Development; SanguDelle,Co-Founder, Cleanacwa, Ghana and Winner ‘Young Person of the Year’ Award endowed by UBA; Dr. YinkaAdedeji, Divisional Head, E-Banking, UBA Plc; Adebola Williams, Co-Founder of The Future Awards Africa, at the Future Awards ceremony in Lagos recently

“I say help is on the way. Terror must and will be defeated,” – Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II tweeted late Saturday.

“In surrendering his prerogative of choosing his running mate, General Buhari has confirmed that he is being appropriated and compromised to serve a personal and narrow group interest of a cabal on whose ticket he emerged as the presidential candidate.”

–Olisa Metuh

‘‘Why after 16 years in power, they have not fixed power, they have not fixed education, they have not fixed the health sector, they have not fixed the roads, they have dashed the expectation of the youths and they have polluted the political atmosphere...’’– Gov. Oshiomhole on PDP

Innocent Nwakwo

Mark-Anthony Osilaja

Head, Sales & Marketing Moses Ebong

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.

“In Mali, one of the inabilities of the French forces was not being able to meet the strategic and tactical airlift. We do not have any issues concerning these issues. What you read in the news as their successes are mere propaganda.

As I talk with you, we have successfully decimated their strongholds,” Air Marshall Adesola Amosu, Chief of the Air

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, December 15, 2014

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday December 15, 2014

At Acorn Petroleum, we remain committed to delivering unrivaled products and services to our customers. Acorn Petroleum Plc., your new energy

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

5 National

TUC begs FG over planned strike

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Former Vice President and leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate of the APC for the 2015 election, Major General Muhammadu Buhari during the latter’s visit to the residence of the former Vice President in Abuja... yesterday

Buhari visits Atiku, sends Ogbonnaya Onu, Lawal Shuaibu as emissaries Femi Mamikan

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residential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) may have solicited for the support of his arch rival at then primary of the party, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, when the former Head of State visited Atiku yesterday in his Abuja home.

A reliable source at Ati-

ku’s house told Daily Times that Buhari’s visit was a private one and was there with only his driver and orderly.

The meeting, held behind closed doors, was said to have lasted about an hour.

According to the source, “No one is sure of what transpired but I gathered that the APC presidential candidate came to seek the support and collaboration of Atiku in line with the former VP’s pledge to work for the success of the APC in

the 2015 general elections.”

It would be recalled that in his speech after the party’s primary, Alhaji Abubakar had assured the party that he would work with Buhari and also would hand over his policy document to the party’s standard bearer for possible review and implementation. That policy document was conceived in line with the philosophy of the APC. The source also told Daily Times that the choice of

Buhari’s running mate may probabl;y have formed the fulcrum of their discussions. The APC is said to pick its presidential running mate today in Abuja.

It was also gathered that before Buhari’s visit, a chieftain of the party and former Chairman of defunct ANNP and Ebonyi State Governor, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and Senator Lawal Shuaibu, Deputy National Chairman (North), had separately visited Atiku.

Our mandate on Boko Haram insurgents, by CAS Joy Ekeke

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ctivities of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents in the country would soon be a thing of the past as their strongholds are under heavy bombardments while their capabilities are being exposed., thanks to the aerial attack on the terrorists by pilots and fighter planes of the Nigerian Air Force.

This assurance was given in Lagos at the weekend by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall Adesola Amosu, while speaking

with journalists at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi, Lagos during the graduation of Course 2/2014 of trainees of the centre.

The Air Chief maintained that the alleged upper hand of the terrorists was mere propaganda to deceive Nigerians and the international community.

Contrary to what was often reeled out by the terrorists, Amosu said, the capabilities of the insurgents are far more limited.

Said he, “The Nigerian Air Force role in the fight against insurgency remains

to decimate the capabilities of the Boko Haram terrorists. We are to destroy their various capabilities in terms of equipment. We are to ensure that we look out for their command and control and destroy the supply lines and gather intelligence for the ground forces and then provide close air support. This we have done to the best of our ability and the result are there for everyone to see.

“In Mali, one of the inabilities of the French forces was not being able to meet the strategic and tactical airlift. We do not have

any issues concerning these issues. What you read in the news as their successes are mere propaganda. As I talk with you, we have successfully decimated their strongholds,” Amosu declared.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen Aliyu Muhammed Gusau (rtd), has urged retired military personnel to be at the vanguard of championing ideal democratic practices, while urging them to contribute their part towards the consolidation of the nation’s democratic process and national development even in retirement.

he Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) yesterday advised the Federal Government to address grievances of oil workers unions that threatened to embark on indefinite industrial action from Monday.

This plea was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Congress National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Lagos.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, and General Secretary, Mr Musa Lawal.

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) had issued a notice to commence an indefinite strike on Monday if their grievances were not addressed.

The communiqué said that the industrial action would cripple the economy and bring untold hardship to millions of Nigerians who were managing to cope under the current economic condition.

It read in part, ``The NEC in session expressed

concern on the reported attitude and response of the concerned management and government agencies to the barrage of national issues, oil and gas policy and institutional issues as well as cases of unfair labour practices. ``The NEC also notes the strong efforts made by NUPENG/PENGASSAN to internally resolve the reported grievance at the instance of the Hon. Minister of Petroleum Resources and other agencies which the concerned managements severally frustrated. `` NEC therefore urges government to attend to all the reported issues as a matter of urgent national importance to avoid the backlash on the Nigerian public,’’ the communique said.

It said that the global fall in the crude oil price should be translated into the reduction in the pump price of refined products in the country. ``The congress expresses dismay that the prices of refined petroleum products have remained unchanged despite the significant fall of crude oil prices which the CBN Governor acknowledges as a steady one.

Chadians among attackers of Borno village – Victims

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he attack by Boko Haram last Thursday on the oilrich Gajiganna in Monguno Local Government area of Borno State had claimed not less than 30 lives, while every single house in the community was razed by the insurgents, victims who survived the attack disclosed.

Victims of the attack who escaped to Maiduguri, disclosed to correspondents that most of the Boko Haram attackers were not Nigerians but mercenaries from the Republic of Chad, going by the language they spoke.

Victims told correspondents that in addition to killing people indiscriminately, the insurgents ensured that every house was torched.

Gajigana is a border town between Niger and Nigeria where drilling activities were ongoing since oil was

discovered in the area.

The place has now been abandoned with the latest attack by the Boko Haram insurgents.

A resident of Gajiganna, Kalli Abdullahi, said the insurgents who attacked their village were of the Manga tribe from Chad Republic whom, he said, now govern most parts of northern Borno.

He said, “They preside over meetings in most of the villages, execute judgement for the people and the police in most of the community.’’

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known as ISMAIL JAMIU, now wishes to be known and addressed as TIJANI ISMAIL JAMIU. All documents remain valid.

The general public please take note.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Nigeria spends N360m daily to import wheat CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

learnt.

The Federal Government has set a 2016 target to end the importation of the commodity, but an analysis of the importation of the product between January and November this year indicates an upsurge.

Specifically, the country imported 4,750,000 metric tons of the produce during the period under review.

Measures introduced by government to encourage local production appear strong but are largely ineffective, going by the high volume of importation.

They include: increase in imports duty on the commodity from five per cent to 20 per cent; 65 per cent levy on wheat flour imports and increase in

duty from 35 per cent to 100 per cent.

However, the importation spree has continued with a report putting the daily importation sum at about N360 million ($2 million, going by the current exchange rate).

Just last week, the Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited at the Lagos Port Complex in Apapa took delivery of 136,534 metric tons of the commodity from four vessels.

At present, the ship, MT Desert Victory, has been moored to discharge 44, 000 metric tons. Also positioned to berth this week are MT Desert Eagle with 26,000 metric tons; MT Desert Unity, 35,034 metric tons and MT Desert Calm, 31,500.

Again a vessel, MT Desert Spring, is being expected before the end of the

Jonathan, Buhari are bad choices, says Braithwaite CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

democracy.

This is the view of elder statesman, Dr Tunji Braithwaite, who spoke to the Daily Times shortly after both Dr. Jonathan and General Buhari emerged as flagbearers of their parties for the 2015 presidential election.

Braithwaite, who predicted chaos if the election is held as scheduled, “because all democratic institutions that ought to safeguard the process have already been corrupted”, believes that the drive towards two-party politics will force the citizens to choose between “two evils”.

Jonathan, who is seeking a second-term in office, was endorsed as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

last Thursday, the same day Buhari won the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the election holding on December 14, 2015.

Braithwaite said it would be have been better if the recommendation of the recently-concluded National Conference for independent candidacy had been approved for the coming election. The elder statesman was a member of the conference.

Corruption “has gotten worse”, under the Jonathan leadership, he said, adding: “Now, they don’t demand for 10 percent, they ask for 150 percent.

And that is why in spite of the colossal foreign exchange we earned over the years, there is nothing to show for it in terms of infrastructure.

month with 36,400 metric tons of the commodity.

A study by Agrictrade reveals that Nigeria is still the largest wheat import-

er in sub-Saharan Africa.

Annual consumption rate in the country, has jumped from 1 million metric tons in the 1980s to

over 4 million metric tons in 2014.

Also, the Lake Chad Research Institute has noted that Nigeria’s an-

nual production of wheat is 50,000 tons, contrasting with the soaring imports of about N635 billion annually.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (middle) with the former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Ayotunde Phillips rtd. (right) and her successor, Hon. Justice Funmilayo Atilade (left) during a State reception in their Honour at the City Hall, Lagos, at the weekend

Obasanjo attacks Jonathan again over Chibok girls, Kashamu

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ormer President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has once again criticized President Goodluck Jonathan days after his publication of an autobiography stirred public and judicial controversies.

In an interview with Radio France International (RFI), the former President specifically slammed President Jonathan over the handling of the abduction of the Chibok girls as well as the seeming chubby relationship between the latter and an Ogun Statebased politician, Buruji Kashamu.

The interview went thus: RC: Why have you chosen to publish your autobiography now, when Nigeria is politically charged ahead of February’s general elec-

tion?

OO: You used the word politically charged. There is no time Nigeria is not politically charged. One thing one can say about Nigeria is, since independence we have had some high ebbs or low ebbs but Nigeria has been very, very politically active. So the question of which is the opportune time or auspicious time for a book to be published, it is entirely up to the publisher and of course the reading public.

I completed writing the book, which took me about 18 months, about four months ago and I gave it to the publisher. And the publisher decided that after reading the book that he would like to publish it before the elections.

RC: Who is Buruji

Kashamu and why do you mention him in your autobiography?

OO: He is someone who has been indicted in America […] And for a political party and for the president to be hobnobbing with him I believe leaves much to be desired, and I said that [in my autobiography].

RC: You are apparently critical of President Goodluck Jonathan in your autobiography. Why? OO: Whatever I have said in my book, I have said it to President Jonathan one-on-one. I have said it in public statements that I have made over the past two or three years. So there is nothing in my book that is new that I have said about President Jonathan.

RC: One area where you have criticised President

Jonathan is his handling of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls. What advice did you give the president?

OO: It is unfortunate.

What I have said to Jonathan before and what I have said also in my letter - and I have said it several times - is that, once active and concrete action was not taken within 48 hours, a period of 72 hours was already too late. We will never be able to get those girls again. And the story of those girls will go on for the next 30 years. Some of them will come out when they are adults or they will be sent back when they are pregnant by those who have captured them. If anyone is thinking of being able to get those girls released intact, he must be day dreaming.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

L-R: Executive Director, Personal Banking Division, Access Bank, Mr Victor Etuokwu; Chief Executive Officer, Verve International, Charles Ifedi; Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank, Mr Herbert Wigwe and Head, Sales and Marketing Electronic Pay Plus Limited, Mr Kolawole Ladejobi, during the presentation of Access bank Personalized card held at the bank premises in Lagos recently. Photo: Bolaji Olasunkanmi

Enugu PDP primary: Onoh slams Ayogu Eze’s victory claim

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eoples Democratic Party (PDP), chieftain in Enugu State and son of the late Chief C. C. Onoh, Dr. Josef Onoh, yesterday carpeted Senator Ayogu Eze for his claim that he won the governorship primary of the party conducted on December 8, 2014.

Onoh said that Eze only won the primary for the contest of a Governor of Filbon Hotel in Enugu, in which Eze was the only contestant.

He described as wishful thinking, Eze’s imagination that he will stand for the February 2015 governorship election of the state

under the platform of the PDP, noting that the PDP only produced Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as candidate of the party in a duly conducted PDP primary election that took place at Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium Enugu on December 8, 2014.

Reacting to Eze’s media claims, Onoh faulted Eze for tramping on a matter that is subjudice. He said that since Eze is relying on a list he claimed to have obtained from a court, he should rather approach the court that gave him “delegates” to express his frustration rather than engage on impersonation as a governorship standard bearer

for PDP in Enugu state.

Onoh argued that it is the political party that produces authentic delegates for any primary election and not by any other means as Senator Eze chose to hibernate and wondered in the first place from where Eze obtained the so called list that he is brandishing about.

Said he: “I believe that Senator Eze may be talking about another political party but obviously not the PDP. Where he manufactured the list of delegates that he is talking about is best known to him, so let’s leave it for the court that he is relying on to decide be-

cause he cannot come out to interpret subjudice on this matter.

“The party sets rules on how primaries are conducted and they said accreditation should take place in Okpara square and all the delegates and the party machinery were there after which the election took place at the stadium.”

On Eze’s allegation that the state government scouted for delegates on the day of the primary, Onoh said it was because Eze lost touch with the party and became afraid that made him abscond from the venue of the accreditation as well as the proper primary election.

Okonjo-Iweala, others bag award of excellence

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inister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was among personalities who were at the weekend in Abuja, conferred with the Ohuhu Welfare Union (OWU) award of Excellence and Achievement.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that other awardees were Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), AIG Chintua Amajor-Onu and Chief Uzo Nwosu, among others.

The chairman of the occasion, Chief Enyinnaya Onokala, presented the award to the Minister in absentia.

Onokala said that the award was in recognition of the minister’s steady contribution and courage in tackling the country’s economic challenges. ``She has been a steady hand, endowed with relentless courage and intellect. `` Ohuhu people thank you for all you have done in addressing many perplexing and complex problems

of the country’s economy. ``We appreciate her hard work’’, Onokala said.

He however urged members of the union to collectively strive to strengthen and encourage youths in their communities to develop leadership skills to ensure a better future for the country.

He also tasked members of the union to broaden and deepen their political consciousness to enable them secure their community.

In his address, Mazi Dan-

Okonjo-Iweala iel Ugwu, President of the union noted that the presentation of awards to the recipients was an expression of gratitude for their contribution to the development of the country.

7 South East PFN urges Okorocha to pay compensation for churches demolished

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he Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Imo State branch has urged Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha to pay adequate compensation for churches demolished by the state government in respect of projects execution, saying that so far over 25 churches had been reduced to rubbles in the state.

The vice president of the fellowship, Rt. Rev. Ezenna Egbo who made the plea while briefing newsmen on programmes slated for inauguration and induction of elected officials of the church at the zonal and ward levels regretted that a good number of members of such churches demolished had scattered and are now like sheep without shepherds.

Bishop Egbo, assisted by a fellow bishop – Rt. Rev. Dr. Timothy Aaron noted that the church and the government are partners in progress for both the physical and spiritual growth of the

Elechi not scared of defectors, says Deputy

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equel to the defection of Governor Martin Elechi’s loyalists to the Labour Party, the deputy governor of Ebonyi State and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, flag-bearer in 2015 election, Engr. Dave Umahi, has said that the governor is not afraid of being impeached by the state House of Assembly.

Engr Umahi, who made this known at the weekend while addressing supporters and Governor Martin Elechi’s kinsmen in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi state during the occasion of the silver jubilee convocation

Okorocha people.

He advised government to always inform the bishop in charge and the parishioners accordingly as well as secure alternative sites for churches earmarked for demolition in order not to stall the growth of evangelism in the state.

The prelate who took exception to disdainful and contemptuous notions in some quarters that Pentecostal churches are mushroom churches stated that the PFN had seen the need to erect befitting places of worship for God and now boasts of the biggest cathedral in Igboland.

ceremony of Folk Technical college, Ikwo, said anyone fighting against his mandate of becoming the next governor of the state is working against the mandate of God. The PDP flag-bearer declared his preparedness to continue to show respect and love to the governor even though he supported his candidature stressing that he would not work against the person God brought into power and that it is God that called him and his boss into this assignment.

“Ebonyi people should not lose sleep, we are already on board. When God said I will be the governor of Ebonyi state, no man will stop it. We have laboured enough and we can not labour again. It’s time of freedom and moving forward. If God brings us on board as He will on May 29th 2015, we will create massive employment for the youths. We will embark on massive stomach infrastructure” he said.

North 8

Daily Times Nigeria Monday December 15, 2014

Kano empowers 250 beggars

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irector-General of Kano State Hisba Board, Alhaji Abba Sufi, has said that the state government has empowered 250 street beggars in various trades this year.

Sufi, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Kano, said that some of the beggars were trained on various skills.

He said the government had selected another batch of 250 beggars for empowerment in 2015. ``The skills we gave them included selling of recharge cards as well as provisions to their various localities.

“For those selling recharge cards, we gave them N50, 000, generators, umbrellas and handsets, among others,” he said.

Sufi warned that anyone caught begging along the streets, after being assisted by the government, would be prosecuted. ``Those found guilty will be sentenced to three months imprisonment or a fine of N10,000 or both. ``We carry out operations in all the streets in the state in order to ensure Kano is street begging-free, hence the government’s decision to support them,’’ he said.

Emir of Zauzau Alhaji Sheu Idris (Left), and Minister of Aviation, Chief Ositan Chidoka at the 50th Anniverssary calebration of nigeria college of Aviation NCAT, in Zaria, yesterday...

Taraba: Why I withdrew from PDP Reps primary Nguroje Olufemi Samuel, Abuja

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ormer Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ba-

bangida Saidu Nguroje, has said he never participated in the contest for the House of Representatives seat for the Gashaka, Kurmi and Sardauna federal constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State.

The two-time member of the House of Representatives said he withdrew voluntarily from the primary.

He said his withdrawal from the race was predicated on suggestions from leaders of the party that some contestants should withdraw on the basis of a consensus arrangement the PDP in Taraba State was putting in Place for all primaries in the state.

Nguroje in a chat with

newsmen in Abuja said the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his state came up with an agenda of consensus and hence, asked some contestants including himself to withdraw ahead of the primaries.

Some governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives aspirants, including Reverend Jolly Nyame, former Governor of Taraba state, Alhaji Garba Umar; former Acting Governor of

the state, Josiah Kante; a governorship aspirant, Senator AbubakarTurari, Honourable Jarry Manwe and others were affected by the development.

Nguroje described himself as a law- abiding member of PDP in Taraba, and hence felt no necessity to rock the boat with the leadership of the party on its plan for the just concluded primaries of the party in Taraba state.

“Some may chose to go

to court, but I will not, because that would amount to controverting the decision of party elders.

“They had reasons for asking some contestants to withdrawal from the primaries, and if you a member decided to go to court to compel the party to reverse its decision, you may end up being accused of taking the party to court, while some members will see you as fighting the leadership. That is not my kind of politics.

Gombe PDP primary: Na’Abba happy over Dankwambo’s victory

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Gov. Rabiu Kwankwaso

ormer Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar

vote incumbent Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, for a second term in office during the

with the unity of purpose with which all the delegates rallied round to affirm Governor Dank-

Na’Abba, has expressed happiness over the resolve of all the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) delegates to unanimously

last primary election.

Na’Abba, who spoke to journalists in Gombe said he was particularly happy

wambo to fly the party’s flag for the Governorship election 2015.

According to him, “My

understanding is that the governor has performed so well that no one felt the confidence to contest against him and this is remarkable as far as democracy is concerned.”

On the threat posed

by opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) in the State during next year’s general elections, Na’Abba said: “I believe the PDP has a very good chance given the performance of the Governor who has done very well.”

Daily Times Nigeria Monday December 15, 2014

9 Africa

Ugandan maid guilty of assaulting toddler

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maid in Uganda who was secretly filmed beating a little girl has been found guilty of assaulting the toddler.

Jolly Tumuhirwe, 22, told the court she had been driven to attack the 18-month-old because the child’s mother had beaten her - an accusation the mother denied.

A video of the assault caused outrage when it was posted online.

Earlier charges of torture were dropped after prosecutors said they could not be easily proven.

Tumuhirwe now faces up five years in jail for committing assault occasioning actual bodily

harm.

She is due to be sentenced on Monday.

The abuse came to light when the child’s father, Eric Kamanzi, installed a camera in his home after noticing his daughter was bruised and limping.

The graphic footage, taken from a camera hidden in the corner of the living room, shows Tumuhirwe hitting the child when she resists feeding and then throwing her to the floor, beating her with a torch before stepping on her and kicking her.

The child’s father, Eric Kamanzi, had installed a secret camera in the living room to capture the abuse

Mr Kamanzi became emotional when Tumuhirwe said she was sorry last Monday The footage of the abuse has been seen or shared thousands of times on social media.

Leaving the court on Friday, the child’s mother, Angella Mbabazi, told the BBC’s Catherine Byaruhanga in Kampala that she had not beaten the maid.

She said would not have been able to leave her daughter in her care if that was true.

On Monday, Tumuhirwe asked the court, the parents and Ugandans to forgive her.

Mr Kamanzi broke down in tears when the maid offered her apology.

Sudan President Bashir hails ‘victory’ over ICC charges

T The Ugandan maid matching on the toddler

he president of Sudan has claimed victory over the International Criminal Court after it ended its probe into allegations of war crimes in Darfur.

The ICC charged Omar alBashir in 2009 for crimes in the region dating back to 2003,

UK to deport South African over wife’s low pay

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man faces deportation from the UK after a judge said his British wife’s salary was not high enough.

Michael Engel, from South Africa, said the “bizarre” immigration system rules were “attacking British citizens”.

Mr Engel, a 31-year-old yacht engineer living in Cornwall, said he and wife Natalie plan to go back to South Africa with 18-month-old daughter Nyana.

A Home Office spokesman said the rules were designed to stop foreign spouses becoming reliant on UK taxpayers.

‘I’m gobsmacked’ The couple were told of the immigration tribunal’s ruling after they had appealed on human rights grounds in a bid to protect their family life.

UK top three and bottom three areas average gross full time pay (ONS figures April 2014) - Corn-

Engel with wife and daughter wall was in the lowest 10% of 410 authorities But under rules introduced in 2012, British citizens who want to bring a foreign spouse to the UK must earn £18,600 a year and a further £3,800 - a total of £22,400 - if the couple have a child.

Mrs Engel’s craft-making business made £19,786 in 2014 which

was deemed not enough by the tribunal panel, which met on 3 December.

She said the decision made her feel like her family was being “kicked out” of the country.

She said: “I’m gobsmacked, lost for words, angry and deflated. I’m not so proud to be British right now.”

but he refused to recognise the authority of the court in The Hague.

He said the court had failed in its attempts to “humiliate” Sudan.

Announcing the suspension on Friday, ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda blamed it on lack of action by the UN. She called for a “dramatic shift” in the UN Security Council’s approach, saying inaction was emboldening the perpetrators of war crimes in Darfur to continue their brutality, particularly against women and girls.

Other Sudanese officials have also been charged by the ICC but none have been arrested.

Darfur has been riven by conflict since rebels took up arms in 2003. The UN says more than 300,000 lives have been lost, mostly from disease.

The suspension of the Darfur investigation came just over a week after the ICC dropped charges against another head of state, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

He faced prosecution over ethnic violence in 2007-08 in the aftermath of Kenya’s election.

That was the court’s most highprofile case.

Mr Bashir said the Sudanese people had stood firm against “colonial courts”.

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said perpetrators of brutality would only be emboldened “Last night the ICC raised its arms and surrendered,” he said in remarks on Saturday.

Bashir “It is the people of Sudan who stood firm and said that no Sudanese official shall surrender to colonial courts at The Hague or anywhere else.”

Human Rights Watch said that Mr Bashir had got the wrong message from the decision to suspend the case.

“Rather than the prosecutor (Fatou Bensouda) holding up her hands in defeat, I think she threw the challenge down to the Security Council itself, that they, the Council, need to step up to the plate and assist her in the arrest and surrender of Omar al-Bashir and other accused, for fair trial at the ICC,” Human Rights Watch spokesman Richard Dicker told the BBC. Last month, Sudan asked the UN-African Union force in Darfur (Unamid) to close its human rights office in the capital, Khartoum.

The move came amid tensions over the mission’s attempt to investigate claims of mass rape by Sudanese troops in the Darfur village of Tabit.

10

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Features Æ s

Children learn to manoeuvre the canoe at tender ages

Sea-dwelling

Makoko This bitch of a life

Gbubemi God’s Covenant Snr visited the waterfront communities of Makoko in Lagos State and came out with a tale of two settlements, one buried in the grave of urban development, the other living in apprehension of the Dooms Day.

T

here once was Mokoko, a collection of communities, all coastline waterfront dwellers and wood workers in Yaba/ Iwaya under the local community development area (LCDA) in Lagos.

Lagosians will remember July 2012, the day evil visited the inhabitants; the ambitious hammer of the Lagos State government called Urban Development dealt viciously and treacherously with the coastliners but, two years on, the people will not go with the wind in a hurry, or become a ‘once-upon-a-time’ tale to be told to future generations.

Aided by the latent strength of the human spirit and mankind’s inherent tenacity to survive, remnants of Makoko coastline, comprising women, children and men, are still very much visible all over Lagos Island and Mainland, having taken the pains and shocks of losing their homes in their strides.

Now, this is Makoko Ori’Omi, the core sea dwellers who will frown if you refer to them as Makoko without the emphatic Ori’Omi. They are a people at home on the sea, perched precariously on the face of the Lagoon.

Like a never ending soap opera in a city of contrasts, the Makoko entity is an adventure that started more than a century ago. So many versions of the migration of the Patriarchs who came in trickles from across the borders and across the seas over time have been told, but the last is yet to be heard.

Now living in constant fear of the Urban Development monster, the people of Makoko Ori’Omi continue to live by faith, trusting in whatever they believe in that the Doomsday may never come, at least, not in their generation.

Almost like a hidden entrance from Estate bus stop by the shore of the sea

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

11 Features

The bitch of a life at Makoko

Children on joy ride

To build a house on water could cost between N300,000 to N400,000; a really large house can cost N500,000

as you head for the 3rd Mainland Bridge from the Oworonshoki end, Daily Times followed a narrow path towards the Lagoon, and broke into a beehive of activities; everywhere were woodworkers, saw millers, timber traders, women and children packaging waste planks for the huge firewood market; male and female of all ages, especially of note were pretty ladies and young men living in make-shift plank houses, working round the clock amidst sawmill dust and waste.

The stench of this environment would make a visitor sick.

Behind the Mainlanders were the sea-dwellers, a large fishing community made up of tribes and tongues most from Togo, Ilaje, Epe, Awori, even people from Port Harcourt, Ijaw and Warri.

A two-hour boat tour of Makoko Ori’Omi revealed a very peculiar civilisation with streets, avenues, and crescents bubbling with hawkers of a different kind, restaurants and churches, schools (for want of a better name). Makoko Ori’Omi even boasts a maternity; herbalists in almost every street and a resident witch-doctor who continues where the herbalists come to the end of their knowledge.

Makoko Ori’Omi presents a picture of a fairy tale; they have recreated every activity on the land and translated it to the rhythm and style of the sea; virtually every human moving ac-

tivity is done sitting or standing in a locally carved wooden canoe.

No family here is without canoes of their own. Canoes here are as essential and a dire necessity as transportation system anywhere in the world.

Kuto George, a Togolese builder holding the title of Osi Baale is one of the chiefs of Egun migrants here. Holding brief for Baale Ayinde who was not available at the time the visit, Kuto told Daily Times their presence in the place dates back to the days of their forefathers many of whom are late, but one surviving remnant named Funyemi Awude is now head of all the leaders of the different arms of the community.

On Olulu Street, our correspondent could see the sea floating under the floor boards in the home of the herbalist who received him for a chat.

Everything around him stank of poverty and lack; even rags made up for roofing in many of the houses, but take away the poverty and rickety shanty state of the houses, streets have been charted on the sea and the aesthetics are a beauty to behold.

Population: As in every society of this age promiscuity is rife here so children born out of wedlock are as many as those legitimately married; the moment a daughter is

found pregnant the “culprit” is found immediately and the question of denying does not arise because everyone knows everyone, and no two can couple together without attracting witnesses all around, and when it happens, the pregnant girl is led straight to the lover boy’s family house and she stays there while the family sorts out the matter which sometimes ends at the Baale’s house.

This perhaps, may be responsible for the great number of infants and toddlers, revealing these fishing families as fertile as the fishes in the sea below. About seven out of every 10 women were carrying a baby; some were found pregnant while still nursing a little one. It is like after a good fish meal, and perhaps a shot or two of the local brew, the next thing is love-making; and one wonders where they do it in these shanty homes overflowing with children of all ages.

Perhaps living on the water surface has something to do with their procreation; as King Solomon wrote in the good book: if two lie together, they will generate heat and be warm on a cold night. In this community, every night is cold, and when the rains come down, ‘lying together’ will generate enough heat.

The tour guide put the number of an average family in Makoko Ori’Omi as between 10 and 16 with some as high as 22, and this is believable as you find in-

fants, toddlers, adolescents, teens and 20s male and female in most homes.

As you’re reading this, a twosome is making love inside these shanty houses, and condom has no place in these homes.

When my tour guide put the population of this community at over 300,000, it sounded like a gross exaggeration, until our correspondent looked beyond the aesthetics: each of the rickety and shabby house is a massive explosion of children and adults with infants, adolescents and young adults on the higher scale.

One Iya Suko, whose other trade besides fishing is selling orange has eight children in quick succession, and she is not done yet!

Health Their good health is a wonder, because the air is not as pure around here as it should be. The sea water they dwell upon, which health authorities would frown at anyone using, they wash and bath in it and some even cook with it and they appear no worse for it.

They may be living below the poverty level, but the community presents a picture of a people in good health, fit as a fiddle, healthy and happy. The young men, looking like stallions, appear very much at home with their environment and loving every bit of it. Baale Emmanuel nodded, satisfied.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Features 12

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Sea-dwelling Makoko: in Makoko except perhaps the tour guide who managed to compound pidgin with some English.

No family here is without canoes of their own.

Canoes here are as essential and a dire necessity as transportation system anywhere in the world

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

‘We are happy and satisfied; as you can see, we are self-sustaining. The most important thing we want from government in the area of health is public toilet; in this whole community there is nothing like toilet; everybody empty their bowels inside the same water we live on top of.

‘Also we need boreholes to give us potable water. We buy water from private boreholes for now and it is not enough. We don’t have hospitals, not even a dispensary, apart from one maternity that is run by one of us.

Education Some white missionaries built a school for the community with planks and zincs on the water and they have another school where some natives who care are given French lessons. No government presence in Makoko Ori’Omi in both health and education and it is unlikely any teacher would be ready to teach in this environment. Also, the young ones here are not showing interest in the rigours of Western education; as a result our correspondent could not find one literate individual

The people Paddling through Streets like Upolo, Igbehinadun, Eredua, Adetia and Okoagbon streets, our correspondent was greeted with scenes of hawkers paddling their wares in their boats in the Yoruba tradition of hawking every domestic item. These ranged from pepper to plantain, peanuts and palm oil, detergents, raw and cooked foodstuffs, even smoked fish. Their natural meal is made more beautiful as they paddled and hawked their stuffs about the major streets, crescents, avenues and some close that ends nowhere except that the houses simply stopped there. Mobile eateries and food vendors complete the scenario.

You really have to be there to appreciate the beauty of a natural habitat: there is no greater tourist attraction.

Children as young as five were seen strolling around the neighbourhood in their boats; moms and children paddling their jerry-cans to buy water from the few boreholes somewhere in the community; just like you see food vendors hawking their eba, amala, rice , indomie and water on their heads walking from street to street, here you see the same paddling all in their boat along the streets; people relaxing in their homes would call out for what they want and the vendors would manoeuvre their canoes with ease to a side of the house and transact their businesses. Boys were seen drinking either tea or pap while the vendor waited patiently in her boat; another measuring gari out to a customer, and oh, such dreamy scenes all over the community.

One wonderful sight was on a major street where the maternity centre is located. Children and adolescent female and male residents were seen swimming in the street; the older ones swam quickly to their homes upon sighting our correspondent shooting away while the children swam measurelessly about enjoying the beauty nature has blessed them with. While many hawkers and residents protested the camera recording their native lifestyle, our correspondent had to make a deal with a woman frying yam over the fire she packaged

A lady calling out to a neighbour across the lagoon neatly in her canoe as she paddled from street to street to record the photographs.

The family opposite the maternity on Isosan Street had a native Togolese music blasting from an amplifier as the adults relaxed while the kids danced away under the clear blue sky. Such is the beauty of a people at home with nature.

Uneasy calm in Makoko Megbewe Street is one of the busy major streets in Makoko where you find a single-storey building to the left as you paddle towards the high seas; this is the home of the Baale of Makoko Ori’Omi. Now, Baale in Yoruba literally means the father of the land who serves as the mini monarch over his people, but in this community where men opted to live on water, Baale seems to have no relevance as the people have no land, and Baaomi, (Father of the sea) is a bit too mighty to ascribe to any son of man.

However our correspondent was received to the palace of Shenideen Emmanuel, the young mini-monarch of Makoko Oriomi (Community on Water). He loves

introducing his community with Ori’Omi to make that distinction between Highlanders and the Sea-dwellers.

It turned out to be a pretty modern palace, with tiles and some city furnishings and plumbing.

Understandably reluctant to talk to the press after the demolition of Makoko, their sister community, Baale Emmanuel unburdened his heart after a long hesitation ‘My people have been living in Makoko for 104 years. We are fishermen and fisherwomen; all the people dwelling on the face of the water are professional fishermen and women. We are a self-sustaining and peace loving people. We have no ambition out-

side our fishing and running our everyday life on top of the water; we are water-dwellers. Our life is water and water is our life and livelihood.

‘Now we have been living under threat of government that they want to demolish our homes and throw us out. That threat has been on many years, but recently we’re hearing government is warming up to remove us from here like they have done to some other places.

‘Let me use this medium to appeal to the government that we are pleading with them to leave us where we are so we can continue dwelling in the midst of our livelihood which is fishing. If you count my people living on top of water here, we are up to 300,000, plus our wives and children.

‘What we are hearing about government throwing us out of here frightens us. They should tell us what the problem is; if they want us to rebuild our houses we will gladly do so, but let them not drive us out from Ori’Omi. No matter where they want to send us to, it can never ever be like Ori’Omi to us because nothing can sustain and

13 Features

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

This bitch of a life Now we have been living under threat of government that they want to demolish our homes and throw us out

A family attending to domestic chores on their river-top home hold meaning to us like the water we live on top. If they relocate us out of here, coming back here to do our fishing will be a problem to our people, that’s why our forefathers preferred that we live on top of the water because in so doing we are living with our work and livelihood.

‘Instead of thinking of removing us, we plead with government to give us schools, hospitals, give pipe borne water, make this place better; they can preserve Makoko as a tourist community and make good revenue from it instead of destroying a good thing. The schools we have here were built by private organisations, not government.

If they think our environment is not good enough let them plan to make it better. We beg them to please leave us let us live with our work; don’t throw so great a number of families into nothingness.

There is no reason to take us from where God has given us to live on.’

He makes a case for the economic relevance of his fishing community: ‘All the fish eaten in Lagos State are gotten from here; there is nowhere else in the state that produces fish like us. If you find

A street-like neighbourhood at the settlement anyone who disputes that, let the press bring us together let us show our statistics. All the fishes they catch at Epe, if they divide ours into ten places one part will be more than all their own put together.

‘Makoko Ori’Omi is the natural source and home of fish. All the women who sell fish in Agege, Oshodi, Mushin, Oyingbo, and Lagos Island either come from here or they buy from our people.

So please help us beg the Lagos State government to let Makoko and her people be, both for now and for posterity forever.”

The headman defended his people as law-abiding and hardworking: ‘We have no thieves or lazy people living in Makoko; fishing

is our life and everybody here is a fisher whether young or old, or male or female; we work with our hands. We don’t have miscreants. Ask from all the police stations around us whether they have been having problems from Makoko people, we do not make trouble. From sunrise to sunset we are fishing, even from dusk to dawn we are busy; there is no idle hand among our people.

Whatever disagreement we may have among ourselves we settle it amicably. There may be problems from people on the mainland, but with us water dwellers, we have no conflict, we have problem.

He revealed the construction tradition in his domain.

‘We don’t hire contractors to build our houses for us. Each

house you see is a complete household, and the families put their resources together and build their own house by themselves with their own hands.

‘To build a house on water could cost between N300,000 to N400,000; a really large house can cost N500,000. We don’t build houses for rent here, it is a father, mother and children that are permitted to build house here; and because we don’t build houses for rent therefore we don’t have house agents or land agents. If you go and rent a house here and you don’t know how to paddle canoe or how to swim, how would you move about? We don’t have have or use Danfo or BRT buses; our motor is canoe which we do by ourselves; we don’t go to showroom to buy it, so you see that many of the problems you people have on land we don’t have them here.

‘Our living expenses are minimised because we don’t pay transport so whether the price of petrol is increased or not, whether transporters or workers are on strike or not, it doesn’t affect us because we are not mainlanders, we are sea dwellers.

‘In this whole community ev-

erybody has a canoe of his or her own, whether as a family or as a person. Construction of a boat costs about N34,000 for the domestic ones that we use in our community here. Other bigger ones, the commercial ones which are motorised, cost from between N40,000 - N80,000 depending on what you want to do with it.’

Seeing children as young as five years paddling leasurelessly makes one wonder, do they have a school that teaches kids how to swim and paddle?

The young monarch laughed heartily.

‘Nobody teaches anyone how to swim or how to paddle your canoe. Everyone is born into it so it is very natural with our children, boys or girls, they are very good swimmers and canoe paddlers.

You can see the people selling their wares, some cook food or fry dodo and paddle about, they sell everything you people hawk on land by paddling their goods from street to street or from house to house. We are a complete community, very happy and very satisfied people.’

The Baale dismisses any possibility of water swallowing up their homes at any time:

Opinion 14

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Boko Haram havoc same as failed politicians

W

Ademola Orunbon

hen we begin to conceptualize that Boko Haram has done more damage to our nation as did the politicians may be under that realism, we will fuse the puzzle together and clearly understand that we are not fighting demonic extremist but along with that, we are battling with a colony of blood stinking men who uses anything at their disposal to cling unto power, so if ever we win the battle with this unrepentant sects, the actual war might still elude us all.

Boko Haram has always been with us only that they were of a different name, form, agenda and influence. As did militancy that we suddenly realized in the 90’s, it has always been a long awaited struggle for self-recognition of depriving a region their actual due. Not until the likes of Tompolo the “government”, Asari Dokunbo and their likes took up arms against the government before we woke up to our deafening reality; that you do not unjustly justify a wrong, you do not impoverish a people that provides about 80% of your natural

resources it is clear that when you push a man so close to the wall without response you are bound to eventually slug it out in a battle of resistance.

Not, until the amnesty program that actually brought a sense of peace to the region although massive work still need to be done in Niger-Delta at least it is nationally clear that most of the Niger-Delta youths are no more restless, they have backed down on their vengeful mission to run down the Nigeria government to some extent a reclusive peace was found along with the amnesty.

So, until we rapidly begin to tackle issues like the dreaded Ebola disease the likes of Boko-Haram will continue to point her ugly head on our seemingly helpless political landscape. Politicians clearly have lost the sympathy of the people, they’re absolutely disconnected from the people’s trust whether the likes of Desmond Olushola Elliot, Davido, 9ice or James Bond is entering into politics.

It is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that the system will not only corrupt their laudable intentions, it will consume it and recycle it into the Jekyl and Hyde form of politics in which there is an elusive Godfather and a robber

who keeps his on part of the deal.

If politicians can loot public funds without being held accountable for their actions, if an untouchable cabal can skilfully duped 150million people without any firm explanation or reprimand from the government that constantly vows

Politicians clearly have lost the sympathy of the people, they’re absolutely disconnected from the people’s trust to protect their interest, if thirtysix grown men did an election and still shamelessly agree that sixteen votes overrides nineteen votes; then actually we are only a country in self-deceit and until we rise up together to speak against injustice, nepotism, favouritism and corruption, Boko-Haram might just be a tip of ice-berg.

I am not a prophet of doom, but I can categorically say we approved and tolerated Boko-Haram for too long until we couldn’t fathom their excesses. If some group of armed and deluded men can kidnap secondary school girls; innocent girls, whose dreams have been chattered by the corruption of our time, their future crooked by the crookedness of our leaders, their womb spoilt by men in masks and suits, constantly tortured by the terror even if by a smirk of luck they are released.

Are we prepared to accommodate their psychological status?

Are we ready to give them the best medical and psychological care that the world can offer? if not we are only carrying a limited placard of hopelessness, a placard which writes “Bring Back Our Girls” will demand from us a new kind of favour, a new kind of hope and if our purpose is as limited as supposed then the girls should rather stay aloof because what greater death will it be to have lived for months in the hands of terrorists eventually to be released into a society where stigmatization prevails, a society where power holders don’t give a two hoop in Hades about her citizens, a society where infrastructure is deficient, a society where unity is an illusion and love a non-gratia.

African excursus on democracy

‘O

Asikason Jonathan

ne serious danger, which looms large for democratizing Africa, is the daunting task of operationalizing the principles and values of democracy in historical conditions that are markedly different from those of the established liberal democracies.’

Claude Ake, in 1996 asked the question: `Is Africa Democraticizing? Through an earthshaking cum intriguing continental survey, He analysed the socio-political contradictions that inhibits African Democratizing efforts. Little wonder he proclaimed in another work that what Africa is democratizing is underdevelopment.

Democracy is not new in Africa, most precolonial African society were Democratic in nature . what’s new is liberal Democracy. This liberal democracy to some extent vitiates the African notion of de-

mocracy; for liberal democracy - as we know it today- is knotted with Adams Smith’s gospel of`laissez faireism’. African concept of democracy as exemplified in the Igbo precolonial administration; bequeathed every matured citizen( both male and female) the right to participate in the government of their society. It was a government by demos and for the demos, both in spirit and in operations.

What separate it from the mode of democracy peculiar to Athenians of Greek city state is the concept of `consensus. While all issues in Athenian city States were settled through voting, in Igbo precolonial society, decisions were always product of negotiations and consensus. Consensus was an instrument used by precolonial Igbo society to shut the door of Pandora’s box of political schism and kerfuffles that characterized our today’s politics. A perusal into Achebe’s `Things Fall Apart’ will offer a perfect illustration of this fact. No doubt some African precolonial governments were highly

centralized and undemocratic.

The destruction of African social organizations started with slavery - which did not only instill inferiority complex in us but also drastically affects our innovatory prowess and population - and culminated into colonialism which not just underdeveloped Africa but finally integrated her economy into the world capitalist system.

This integration knotted African States on the pole of perpetual dependency.

For colonialism to thrive in Africa, the colonialists introduced anti Democratic and self-serving government against the backdrops of moribund African governments. These governments instilled in us the culture of nepotism and ethnicity, corruption and religious politics which offer a perfect descriptions of today’s African politics.

The rise in the Western engineered campaign for democracy started after the fall of Berlin wall in 1989. The collapse of the wall acted as a catalyst that trigger

the chains of events that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

During the cold war, the capitalist and communist blocs fought their proxy wars in Africa as they fight to foist their ideology on Africans.

At last, The capitalist bloc won.

Using the Britonwood institutions’ financial instrument, the Western Powers virtually forced Africa and other developing countries to adopt their liberal Democratic ideology.

This type of democracy is highly electoral oriented. The concept of popular representation lies only in people participating in an already rigged election. Even in a free, fair and credible election, this `Domocracy does not mean and cannot mean that the people actually rule in any obvious sense of the terms, `people’ and `rule’ . Democracy means only that the people have the opportunity of accepting or refusing the men who are to rule them(Schumpeter 1978:284-5). This observation by Schumpeter clearly brought home the actual meaning of `Western Democracy’.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

15 Opinion

Appraising Jonathan’s leadership character

I

Hamisu Abubakar

n assessing a political leader, the primary qualities to consider include the theoretical ideals of vision, commitment and political will. Then, of course, we take stock of the leader’s capacity to deliver in terms of concrete achievements. A leader is adjudged to be a success, if his contributions are visibly evident, but a failure if there are little or no achievements to show for the period he was in office. Rarely, do we take into consideration the impossible state of affairs – that is, an imagination of the extent to which things would have been worse without the services of the leader.

It follows, therefore, that a meaningful assessment of any leader must always take into consideration the special circumstances into which fate has thrust him and how much efforts and energy he has invested to make a change. This is where history will be kind to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

When Jonathan assumed office after the 2011 general elections, he inherited acute development challenges. More than ever, the country was politically polarized along ethnic and religious lines; the results

of the elections were greeted with violent protests in some Northern States, followed by the Boko Haram insurgency particularly in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States; the decay in infrastructure was at its peak; power generation hovered around 2000-3000 megawatts; most roads across the country were impassable; petrol queues in the filling stations were commonplace; unemployment was at its highest while only a few women occupied political appointments or were promoted to key positions in the public service.

Today, after only three and a half years in office, President Jonathan has already recorded remarkable progress in all the sectors of the Nigerian public life, through his Transformation Agenda. His major stride in the privatization of the power sector is a unique achievement, second only to that of the telecommunication sector of the Obasanjo administration. Despite the initial teething challenges, the results of the President’s reforms in the power sector are beginning to show, as generation has risen to well over 4000 megawatts.

Not only have the nation’s major highways improved, ongoing works can be seen in almost all parts of

the country. The railway transportation, which was in a comatose state for decades, has been revived with the Lagos-Kano route already in operation while the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri service is expected to follow soon.

In other areas of social services, health, education, unemployment,

women, youth, the physically challenged and other vulnerable, Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda is already having positive impact.

There have been monumental achievements in the agriculture sector, particularly in the distribution of fertilizer, development in the production of rice, cassava and other Nigeria staples. Developments in the Agriculture sector are the diversifications needed to

move the Nigerian economy away from its current dependence on oil.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the Nigerian economy is growing at an average rate of 6.5 percent.

The recent rebasing of the Nigerian economy which makes it the largest in Africa and the 26th in the world, is a major achievement by the Jonathan administration.

Jonathan has been able to attain these unparalleled achievements despite the enormous security challenges posed by the Boko Haram insurgency. But, there was no miracle involved! A little familiarity with the character and personality of Jonathan shows clearly that he was, from the beginning, well cut out for the job. From his humble upbringing as an indigent student at the University of Port Harcourt, Jonathan started his political career as a Deputy Governor in Bayelsa State. The rest, as they say, is history.

For those who may not have an idea, the secret of Jonathan’s success is his humility. He is an unassuming personality, who is humane, respectful and, maybe, on the shy side. Naturally, a person of such social mien is easily taken for granted. And that, precisely, is Jonathan’s source of strength.

presented the president for second term as a lone candidate .If the ambition of the insurgents is to carve out a caliphate for themselves, it is going to be a hard fight as it is unlikely Nigeria will let any part of the country to be dismembered .

The fight is causing the country enough headache , which is why many think that we should put politics aside and ensure that this cancer is permanently tamed . It is thus dangerous to play politics with an issue that has the potential to disintegrate the country. Thus leaders of thought in the North needs to speak with one voice in condemnation of these strange fellows and encourage our military to see the fight as the fight against enemies of progress . We cannot win this war amidst negative utterances emanating from respectable men and women .Besides there is the need to look beyond our borders for an enduring solution . While the insurgents may be hiding their arsenals in the forest and run back there for cover when the battle become hot,

it is imperative to locate their sources of weapons and ancillary support, without which they would not have been able to endure for this long . Our neighbours are thus very significant in this war.

We need their cooperation , but where they are not ready, we must do the obvious .And the obvious is to close our borders with them and see them as part of the plan to destabilize the country. There is no serious country that does this, pretend to see her enemies as friends . It is beyond doubt now that the Boko Haram has both local and international sponsors , what is left is to unmask who these sponsors are .It is bad strategy to pretend that your enemy that you know is not there, while he continues to cause harm to you . That is exactly what the federal government is doing . It is fundamentally for these reasons that some have accused the government of being responsible for the hydra headed status of these militants . The government has been playing hide and seek game in naming their sponsors and their sources of strength .

Not only have the nation’s major highways improved, ongoing works can be seen in almost all parts of the country

A nation under siege

T

Fry N. Ndubuisi

here is justifiable reasons to have anxiety on the future of this great Nation –Nigeria . We are faced with the threat from the Islamic fundamentalist –the Boko Haram- that have in every sense of the word caused the Nation so much, both in human and material resources .The insurgents if we are sincere with ourselves have as long they have existed threatened the continuous existence of the country as a united entity . It is clear that their agenda goes beyond bombing churches and mosques , kidnapping innocent school girls or gunning down unarmed and helpless civilians . The successes they have so far recorded as a result of laxity of our security forces have emboldened them to be thinking of carving out a caliphate for themselves, reminiscent of what the ‘ ISIS’ have done in Iraq and Syria .

That project in Mubi was aborted by the Nation’s security forces, that woke up from their slumber

.There is still no respite as the onslaught and reckless bombing of innocent people continue with mountain of refugees from the North East .

They seem to have elastic project as the Nation’s armed forces recently released what they call vital documents from them that include proposed hit list and some other revealing sketches from the fleeing insurgents .Sophisticated arms and ammunition were also recovered as Air and land operation are sustained to ensure that they are rooted out . There have been open –ended question as to what the goal of this militants is .

The answers proffered on this are at best conjectures as to what they are fighting for .If their intention is to distract this administration from its goal, they have made tremendous impact as the resources that would have been used for economic, social and political development have been diverted to waging war . If their intention is to discourage the president from contesting 2015 elections that has failed as the ruling party has

16

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Politics

Æs

Most critics of Jonathan are ignorant, unfair – Admiral Aduwo Admiral Akintunde Aduwo, a former Military Governor of Western State tells Political Editor, AKINJIDE AKINTOLA that many who label President Goodluck Jonathan as clueless in the war against insurgency are being unfair to the nation. He also praises former President Olusegun Obasanjo for making it impossible for the military to truncate democratic rule in Nigeria again. Excerpts:

W

Aduwo

Youths who grew up during the civil war are still restive, threatening fire and brimstone all over the country

ith the 2015 general elections only two months away and amidst various negative predictions and security challenges, do you entertain any fear for Nigeria?

I don’t have any fears for Nigeria; I don’t have any fears for my country. Things happen – political, security, inter-tribal, inter-ethnic – every nation has its own.

Great Britain that ruled us for over 100 years nearly broke up last month because Scotland wanted to break away. What is all this? But it’s only here that we make so much agonizing noise over what happens in other countries and nations. How many people in Palestine, in the Middle East, India, Pakistan go to bed and expect to sleep well? It’s only here that we make too much noise about our own problems and challenges, because Nigeria is a politically unstable nation. And people are selfish, self-oriented and want to be in power instead of who is there, and at the end of the day, they will do worse than those people they‘ve cried so much against. Even now, we still blame the British colonialists for what they did or didn’t do in our country since or before our independence in 1960.

Then the military came in, people sit in the House of Representatives, in the Senate, and speak and cry foul about what the military did. For Nigerians, I don’t know how to describe them but for Nigeria, I have no fears, I just pray for my country, like I pray for my family.

Civil War? Yes, I served my nation as a citizen and in the position of responsibility to which I was appointed. And what was the cause of all that? The civil war and so on. It was because of our own misdoings, our own selfishness, our own arrogance and intolerance. And, have we learnt anything from the war? Things have even worsened; the Military has been out of the streets for 1415 years, but all the unpatriotic behaviour that led to that civil war; all the instability that resulted in that national calamity, self-imposed calamity, are still rearing up their heads. Today now, youths who grew up during the civil war are still restive, threatening fire and brimstone all over the country. What is wrong with Nigeria? I don’t have any fear for Nigeria but rather, I will continue to pray for my country, for my nation, because I’m proud to be a Nigerian.

So, you are optimistic that we are going to get over all these challenges- security, political, etc?

I’ve just told you, I have no concern, no worry about Nigeria. I’m optimistic about this nation, as a human being, as a Christian, as one who has served in the military of this nation in war and in peace, at home and abroad, float and on solid ground. I don’t have any fear whatsoever.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

17 Politics

Jonathan’s critics are unfair CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

Your views on President Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo?

Your questions are political.

It’s all the political idiosyncracies that are going on in the nation. People open their mouths and call the President incompetent; Obasanjo who really sent the military packing and ensured that today, in the last 14 years, there has never been an announcement on radio or television by the Military that: “I, General, Brigadier or Colonel …, hereby declare that the House of Representatives, the Senate and so on, disbanded, Constitution suspended etc”. It’s Obasanjo who is responsible for bringing an end to that. All you read is all the insults, the abuses, the castigation in the newspapers by politicians on him. What do they want? I mean, what do Nigerians want to make of this country? I don’t know. So I’m not bothered.

I know God Almighty will do the right thing at the right time for this nation. But we must be citizens who want stability, peace, harmony, development industrial, political- happiness, etc for this nation. I’m not worried about anything. If I was worried, I would not have joined the Armed Forces. I led the nine coastal operations of the civil war. The ship under my command – they fired bullets from Biafra against any convoy of ships entering any of the coastal ports during the war – was fired at my own ship. I received bullets. If I was worried, if I was concerned about myself, I would have run away like many people did. But then I probably would have been sent to prison for unpatriotic and mutinous behavior. I’m not a politician and I wouldn’t want to join issues with politicians.

As one of the officers who led the offensive during the civil war, would you like to compare what happened then to the ongoing war on terror in the North East? What is really going on? Is the Nigerian Military incapable of confronting the insurgents as was the case in your time?

(Long pause)… the Boko Haram insurgency is not comparable, could never in fact have been comparable to the Nigeria Civil War. The Nigeria Civil War was a breakaway of a part, a region of the Nigerian Federa-

What do you think those Boko Haram insurgents will do if the government moved against them? They will line up those girls and use them as human shields. So, every bullet that goes out from Nigeria to try and save those girls will be killing all of them tion. It was not insurgency. In that war, we knew who were committing criminal acts, we knew where they lived and all Nigeria Military personnel, officers and men, had at one time or the other been together; we trained together; we were fellow servicemen in defence of our country. So, when a part of that geographical country broke away, we knew who they were; we knew who declared the secession. We knew where they lived, where they served; we knew everywhere by sea, by land; how to get there; how to get them. We knew their strength; we knew their purpose and we knew how to get there and how to get them. We knew how we would get support in the non-Ibo areas; we knew how we would get support in the Ibo heartland. So, we made our plans. I mean, it was a strategic plan to send troops out to Biafra; we knew who we were looking for. Can you say the same thing about the North East states where Boko Haram is wreaking havoc today?

Yes, they seized and abducted over 200 school girls. But how did the Nigerian elite, sympathisers, aggrieved, well-educated Nigerians react? You became an opposition to the government.

Government is blamed for not sending out bulldozers, military convoys, out there to start bombing and killing. What do

One of the legislators got up on the day the death of General Benjamin Adekunle was announced, saying: ‘He should die; whether he dies or not, he was the one killing our people.’

Adekunle fought that war with his life

Aduwo you think those Boko Haram insurgents will do? They will line up those girls and use them as human shields. So, every bullet that goes out from Nigeria to try and save those girls will be killing all of them. The planning has to be strategic; it has to be an engagement with such carefulness in order not to make those girls our own objects of destructionthey are the people we are trying to save, we don’t want to be their killers. It’s not like all these mob reactions, this kind of operation.

And even the reaction of elected members of the National Assem-

every bullet that goes out from Nigeria to try and save those girls will be killing all of them

bly is the most disappointing.

They turned it into politics; Politics into anti-Goodluck Jonathan crusade. I was in India when Pakistan annexed their neighbour, a former same country declared war with India. I was also aware of when Pakistan, like the Boko Haram insurgents of Nigeria today, invaded the city of Bombay and attacked many of those staying in the Taj Mahal Hotels.

I have stayed in that hotel myself when I was Nigeria’s Defence Adviser in India for two and a half years. And so many people were killed. On such occasions in In-

dia, the opposition joined hands with the government; there was no opposition; there was no government, but all Indians ready to rescue their nation.

But here, our elected politicians were only planning how to defect, how to seek their new role in the new political camp; how to bring down elected government of Nigeria in order to favour their own political interest. By doing that, they are giving encouragement to the enemy called Boko Haram. They are making them feel so powerful, so encouraged, instead of putting their minds to even prayerful assistance to the government of the nation. They are blasting the Armed Forces that are fighting to keep Nigeria one. One of the legislators got up on the day the death of General Benjamin Adekunle was announced, saying: ‘He should die; whether he dies or not, he was the one killing our people’. If Adekunle had failed, because I took him from my ship from Lagos to Bonny, from Bonny to Calabar. He was my passenger, and I was with him in most of the exploits in that war. He fought that war with his life, he didn’t care a dime, ‘not a damn’ as you people say. ‘Dime’, that’s what the Americans say not ‘damn’- ‘I don’t give a damn’. There is no such thing. But in Nigeria, we always turn everything upside CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Politics 18

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Uranta at the interview

Niger Delta activist and the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria National Summit Group (NNSG) Mr. Tony Uranta, in this interview with JONATHAN EZE at the weekend spoke on the security challenges confronting the country and opined that it is not an insurgency but a mass murderous invasion of our space by local and foreign terrorists with intent to capturing territories.

Excerpt

Uranta: Terrorism is different from insurgency

I

nsecurity in Nigeria is getting worse as being perpetrated by the terrorist group, Boko Haram. What is your take on this?

I am very happy that you have used the word ‘terrorists’ rather than the word ‘insurgents’ as it is being very wrongly used by even some of our army officers, retired generals, and this to me is worrisome. You can understand from their expressions that they don’t understand the difference in insurgency, war and terrorism.

An insurgency or an insurgent is a man who takes up arms to prove a point within a state, staying within a state, through his being discontent. You could now say that the Niger Delta situation could aptly be termed an insurgency. The Boko Haram are not insurgents. They are terrorists, terrorists who are part of a global terrorism circle that is being controlled as well by ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. You will notice that Boko Haram, just as Al-Shabab, Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, all fly the same flag.

They all talk about the Islamic caliphate. An insurgency is not foreign-controlled. But far beyond that, an insurgency does not try

to obtain land. Boko Haram, ISIL, AL-Shabab’s intention right now, is to take over space, territories, and declare those territories, nonborder Islamic Caliphate. The only border that keeps them all in their contiguous state is their ideology.

What we have today is not insurgency. It is simply a mass murderous invasion of our space, by local and foreign terrorists, intent on capturing territories, intent on massacring and depleting population that they believe is not in any way related to their belief. They are all Muslims. The common derivative is that they are all fundamentalist who are committed to killing. They misled President Goodluck Jonathan into believing that what we have is insurgency. Boko Haram has a dangerous agenda and Nigerians must rise up against it.

How come the terrorists are still making inroads despite government’s commitment to stop the mess?

That means, how come they haven’t been stopped by the military? First of all, let’s go into the issue of bombings. There is nowhere in the world where borders are porous especially as ours are,

that you can control the influx of strangers. Secondly, how are you going to discriminate or perceive that a woman in Hijab is not carrying a bomb? You cannot approach a woman in Hijab. Bombings, especially suicide bombing is not a Nigerian characteristic.

But, whether Nigerian or foreign, even in the most advanced clime, it is so difficult for you to control asymmetric war, war of unconventional means. It was easy to target the Niger Delta militants because they had camps. You knew where they were, and you could get your satellite to monitor them.

We can only use satellite to some extent. The Americans, French, British, et cetera that condemned Nigeria after Chibok girls were taken into hostage said they were coming in to help. They all came in to Nigeria, flooded Abuja and they refused, right from the on-set to share military intelligence with us. The satellite of each of these nations is constantly tracking movements.

So, America knows when Boko Haram is about to attack, but they will not warn us. British has come in, how many months now, CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

19 Politics

How come allies from US, Israel, others can’t locate Chibok girls?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

America has come in, why have they not found the girls? Why have all the countries that trooped to Nigeria for assistance suddenly become silent?

Can we say there is a conspiracy?

I don’t know. I am beginning to think, as friendly as I am to the Americans; I am beginning to suspect America. America has a very notorious record of arming two sides of a conflict. Nicaragua is very fresh in our minds. In fact, America armed Vietnam to some extent against its own self. I will love the American Ambassador or anybody to sit down with me on TV, and I will bring out the record and let them dispute it. I will not be surprised if it is not part of a grand conspiracy to help destabilize or make sure Nigeria fails.

Don’t forget that their prediction is around the corner – 2015, they said we will fail. America loves to be seen as intelligent. They hate for you to show them as not having facts. They do not have the facts about our break up. We won’t break up. But they will do all they can to see us break up. At that time you will hear America carrying out airstrikes! That level of hypocrisy must not be tolerated and cannot be tolerated by Nigerians.

Most Nigerians are worried that the Nigerian military haven’t gotten the capacity to stop Boko Haram. Do you think otherwise?

If we sit down here and every day we are telling the private soldier that their generals are stealing money: are we encouraging them or demoralizing them? And when they are court-martialled for indiscipline lawyers are kicking and saying: ‘No,’ that you are abusing their civil rights. So, under this situation are you encouraging the next set of soldiers to imbibe discipline?

It is not only that we are been under-armed but we are not getting enough support in terms of equipment from our so-called friends, global allies etc.

The Nigerian military has proven over and over again that it has the heart, it has the basic underpinning of very powerful and effective Army. Unfortunately, a military does not live on history it lives on today. Boko Haram is op-

Uranta erating in a new season of social media where they are communicating unimpeded. The military does not appear to have superior capacity in the areas of communication. One of the things we need to do is to make sure that the morale of the military is high and not to mock them. We owe it as a duty to support the military. We cannot afford not to support the military. How can some groups for instance tell the

I am beginning to suspect America. America has a very notorious record of arming two sides of a conflict

President not to extend emergency rule?

So you are in support of emergency rule?

Remove emergency rule and you will see what this country will turn into. Emergency rule should be extended and for me it is in the best interest of the country.

The report of the national

conference, in which you participated, seems to have been kept in the cooler for now. What are your thoughts about the situation?

When I and a few other patriotic Nigerians decided to revive the dream of the yearnings of seeking for a national conference the first thing we wanted was to bring all parts of Nigeria together, to get all of us talking.

The conference itself succeeded

a great deal because from the Southern point of view the only thing that we did not have written down as resolution was Regionalism but if you ask me it was also achieved through the back door.

The biggest opposition to the conference has always been the National Assembly which also created the danger of what we should do with the result of the conference and my advisory body which helped design the framework for the conference had been stumped when we came across that final point and we said 14 of us cannot decide for Nigeria rather let those who represent Nigeria decide how they want to go. They also threw it back to the President and said they wanted him to decide on certain things and that led Jonathan to now set up a committee. He has forwarded the resolutions to the National Assembly.

He has advised that those resolutions that can be incorporated into the present review of the ongoing constitution should so be done and special attention be given to other resolutions that need urgent attention. To approach the report, review it, assimilate what they want methodically and calculatedly, the National Assembly has not even started. And it is not too surprising because we are in electioneering season and they are all out there campaigning.

As soon as the report was handed in, a special committee should have been set up by the National Assembly, both houses, to immediately start going through the report and they would now deliver their finding on the report to the committee of the whole and finally they would let us know what their position is on the issues but as it is now we don’t know the position of things.

Are you apprehensive that this document that you people presented might go the way of other documents, swept under the rug?

We in the Nigerian National Summit Group (NNSG) are going to hold a meeting and this time in Abuja we will ask the question: what next? And when we decide it, a powerful delegation will go forward and meet with both the President and the National Assembly. After that NNSG will address the nation and certain things will be stated which I believe will bring about only good for Nigeria.

Politics 20

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Jonathan’s critics are unfair

Aduwo

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

down. Your passport photograph is your passport; your car number plate is plate number.

This country is a confused nation; not only confused, but there is a great deal of ‘yanga’, arrogance. I elect you to go and represent me in my local government and you come back you are honourable; this is Nigeria. But Nigeria always has somebody to blame. The blame-game. Though as far as we are concerned, Nigeria is concerned, we blame Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for the abduction and non-rescue of our abducted Chibok girls whereas the man has sent his troops, defence agencies, security agencies out at a hell of cost of money, a lot of expenses and many lives lost amongst the soldiers, policemen and civilians.

Some of our security personnel, even during the Civil War would shoot themselves and run away from the war front. Now, it is happening over there. And when soldiers are being disciplined for committing acts that show disloyalty to the service, nobody forced anyone to join the army or the Military; but when you are in, you put your life on the line. I was shot during my Calabar operation. But my God saved me; I didn’t die and I didn’t run away. I could not have and I lived under my God’s protection to become the Chief of Naval Staff. I was a Lieutenant Commander, equivalent of a Major when the war started and when I took command of my Ship.

All those people who have abandoned their services and fellow servicemen in the time of war because that is what the situation is now, and according to the rules, the laws drafted and promulgated into law by the Armed Forces Act, Rules and Regulations, of which they are being prosecuted for mutiny. Those of them, indeed, some of them who turned their arms against their Commanding Officer, a General: what did Nigerians do? The core of politicians who are always blaming Jonathan for not going to kill the girls and for adopting caution to try and rescue the girls are now saying he should let the soldiers go; they have not done anything wrong by abandoning their places of duty; by endangering, by sabotaging the war efforts. What do we want in Nigeria? That’s why, honestly, I don’t have any fear of anybody or for the country.

How do you see the role of the United States in the whole saga, blocking our access to procuring arms and even refusing to sell to us in spite of the insurgency?

I can’t comment on that be-

cause I don’t know the details.

Many believed the late Gen. Benjamin Adekunle was not fairly treated by the Federal Government. How do you see this? ( Long pause) …I would say I was the closest to him as a colleague, fellow combatant and friend. But I’m not ready to talk about how he was treated …

(Long pause) and how his life ended. (Another long, pensive pause) …I can only say that his death and the way he died, unmourned, brought tears to my eyes; gave me lots of unhappiness. But that’s personal. There’s a lot about him that I don’t want to talk about. But I know that his family, his children, those of them that even grew up with my own children, they come here.

In fact, I received a call from one this morning. And I was staying with them till the lowering of their father’s remains into his tomb. I don’t want to talk anymore about him.

Many of your colleagues, after leaving service went into either farming or politics and many of them are thriving.

Indeed, one of your junior colleagues in the Navy, Admiral Murtala Nyako who retired as Chief of Naval Staff went on later to become Executive Governor of Adamawa State before he was recently impeached from office by the state House of Assembly.

What have you been doing after leaving office?

I actually tried farming because I’m from a farming family and I have farming land. But the environment which I come from did not give me much encouragement to pursue farming arrangement. So, I embarked on a limited status on landed properties and estate acquisition which has given me some satisfaction in addition to my well-earned pension.

All my children are graduates today, some have their Masters degrees and are all doing well.

I’ve made a great deal of contributions and this can be testified to by my community, my church and my God whenever I pass on to him.

Politics is a do-or-die profession, not for me. You just mentioned one of my best successes from the North: Admiral Murtala Nyako, one of my most loyal and committed officers. I called him desert Admiral for he was the first Naval Officer from the arid North that became an Admiral from the North. All through, he served me on board the ship, he served me at Naval Headquarters, even in Command of his own ship during the Civil War and was very loyal. And then

he went into politics. He used to send me fruits from his farm but when he went into politics where did it land him? What language would I speak among the warrior-legislators? If you can call the President of Nigeria a liar, a thief, incompetent: Do Americans say that? If Clinton had been Nigerian President when he had all that sexual crisis while in office, the same Nigerians who say all sorts of things, who brush their teeth and spit the water in the face of Olusegun Obasanjo, what would they have called Clinton- Asewo and all these sorts of things. It is disgraceful in this nation, we are so untutored, even the normal traditional behaviours, we have thrown them to the dogs. Why would I join those kind of people? I left the Military with great honour and satisfaction that I had done my best and I was worthily rewarded. Today, I’m Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) and I didn’t buy it, I did not apply for it, I earned it. Would I have done that if I was made Speaker of House of Representatives or President of the Senate or Honourable? That’s a word that does not apply to any of our politicians – Honourable.

You have spoken glowingly of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and recently, some people honoured him as father of the nation. Do you share the same view and why?

Yes. But for Obasanjo, who could have sent the Military packing back to the barracks?

After over 30 years of Military rule within our independent years? Who could have caused the Military to stop involving themselves in the governance of this country and kept them there. Since Obasanjo assumed office as President and after his second term, the second time?

First even as Military Head of State, he voluntarily handed over power to an elected civilian President, President Shehu Shagari who himself appointed me as Chief of Naval Staff. And then Obasanjo brought the image of Nigeria into the centre of the world map. Where were the Iwealas? Where were the Diezani Allison-Maduekes, whose husband was again one of my best Naval officers? Who could have broken the chain that really tied up this country if not for Obasanjo and later General T.Y. Danjuma as his Minister of Defence? They knew where to press the button that stopped the incursion of the Military into the governance of the country and kept them there. If Obasanjo had not been ordained, that’s my belief, by God to be onetime Military Head of State and then out from prison to the villa.

BUSINESS

TiMES

Meter

Patronise local manufacturers, FG urges DISCOs

MONDA, DECEMBER 15, 2014

INSURANCE

ENERGY

LABOUR

INDUSTRY AVIATION

MARITIME MONEY

ICT

AGRI-BUSINESS

Osayi

Alile

Business environment tough for women P24

P22

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Business Æ s Glut: FG frowns at importation of smart meters

States, telcos partnership critical for infrastructure development -NCC

M

Aganga Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

I

n demonstration of Federal Government’s commitment to local content development, electricity distribution companies in the country have been urged to purchase meters and transformers from indigenous manufacturers and rely less on importation.

The measure, the federal government said, was in line with economic transformational policies, designed to ensure the accelerated development of the industrial sector.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. olusegun Aganga, dropped the hint at the one day stakeholders’ forum on metre/transformer manufacturing in Nigeria organised by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in collaboration with Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) at its conference room in Abuja.

No market for 2million made in Nigeria smart meters

He appealed to the NERC to encourage the supply of meters to distribution companies in the country by local manufacturers.

In his address, read by the Director, Industrial Development and Inspectorate, Engr. (Mrs.) Awobokun Omotanwa, the minister said that his Ministry has received series of complaints on non-patronage and the influx of meters and transformers into the country by local manufacturers of these items He said the purpose of the meeting was to bring together Stakeholders to deliberate on the challenges confronting the sub-sector and to come up with ideas and workable plans for the formulation of appropriate strategies and policies to support the sector.

In his words, “the misconception by Nigerians, that locally made products are of sub-standard, even when it is obvious that imported ones are inferior,

No market for 2million made-in-Nigeria smart meters

‘‘...Let us collectively ensure that we use local patronage as anchor to improve standards of Nigerian goods and services.” needs to be addressed using procurement regime as a tool to develop local patronage. Let us collectively ensure that we use local patronage as anchor to improve standards of Nigerian goods and services” He added that for Nigerian Industry to thrive, we need to support a strong and growing local demand. It is essential to know that our local market provides a strong base, from which Nige-

rian products can refine their standards, build a strong base, and then subsequently proceed into the global export markets.

Aganga stressed.

The Minister commended the efforts of the local manufacturers for their commitment and resilience. He urged them not to relent in producing quality products as government is all out to provide extensive infrastructure to ameliorate their challenges.

He also commended NERC and other stakeholders for their support and understanding in organising the meeting to initiate sustainable strategies and policies to address the challenges confronting the meter and Transformer manufacturers in the country, adding that both the manufacturers and the Distribution companies will collaborate with each other to strive to make meter/transformer subsector a prosperous industry in the Country.

r Tony Ojobo, the Director Public Affairs, Nigeria Communications Commission has called on state governments to partner telecom operators in their states to develop telecom infrastructure.

Ojobo made the call in Abuja, noting that the problem of infrastructure was the major challenge confronting quality service delivery by operators in the country. ``The point we have actually made is that the infrastructure requirement is huge. For instance now in Abuja in the past seven years, there hasn’t been any approval for a new base station. The population keeps increasing; the number of subscribers is increasing. Now, it is the same infrastructure we had seven years ago, that’s what we have now,” he said.

He pointed out that the FCT was not giving approvals for new base stations which were needed to ensure total city coverage.

Daily Times had recently reported that Manufacturers of electricity meters in the country were groaning under the burden of non-patronage of their over two million smart meters stocked in their various warehouses.

Indigenous meter manufacturers had said that they were up to the task of providing prepaid, post-paid, digital and smart meters to Electricity Distribution Companies in Nigeria.

The Secretary, Electricity Meters Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EMMAN), Mr. Muideen Adebayo stated that their members out of sheer patriotism and numerous challenges confronting manufacturers had undertaken undaunted risk with borrowed funds on high interest rate to established world class factories adding that local manufacturers has production capacity of 1.2 million meters per annum with room for future expansion.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

23 Insurance

Delisted brokers dare NAICOM, continue operations Stories by Kayode Adelowokan

A

lthough, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has delisted over 120 broking firms from carrying out legitimate businesses, most of them have continued to operate underground.

NAICOM, in September 2014, delisted the brokers, but with the intervention of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), the commission gave a concession for the affected brokers to re-register with their former names. The grace extended to them lapsed by November 30, 2014, with none been able to reregister.

Meanwhile, 44 of the delisted brokers are members of the NCRIB which is made up of 577 insurance brokerage companies.

According to a Broker who spoke with DailyTimes in a telephone conversation, he disclosed that NCRIB approached NAICOM and appealed to the Commissioner on behalf of its (delisted) members, becuase most of them were small firms which have over the years been grappling with low patronage.

The source lamented that ef-

forts of the Council to get the affected members pardoned failed as NAICOM insisted that the law must be followed, but confirmed that some of the affected members have also taken their pleas to NAICOM. Investigations revealed that some of the delisted firms have continued to carry out broking businesses, focusing on smaller units that will not attract the attention of NAICOM.

Some of them tailor their operations on packaging motor insurance businesses; group life for cooperative societies and other classes for underwriters and collect their commissions.

An expert said their activities will remain as long NAICOM cannot take their certificates of incorporation. He noted also that they will remain in business since underwriters were more concerned about premi-

T

Onekhena

FG re-appoints George Onekhena as Deputy Commissioner

P Head of Corporate Communications and Brand Management of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Segun Bankole, (2nd left) and colleagues at the STI ‘go pick’ event.

PTAD begins pensioners’ biometric verification, starts with Police Pension

he Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has concluded arrangements to commence its proposed National Pensioners Biometric Verification Exercise for pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).

The purpose of the exercise is to establish a reliable Pensioners data base; capture all eligible Pensioners and their next of kin who have not been pay-rolled.

Also, to reduce the anxiety of Pensioners who have not been paid for a very long time; reduce the backlog and myriads of complaints, and conduct a onceand-for-all exercise to reduce the pangs of multiple verifications.

Meanwhile, the verification will begin with Police pensioners.

The exercise is the first in the series of a comprehensive verifi-

um not minding the source.

These so called illegal brokers often execute their trade with insurance marketers, who are given high targets and others placed on commission without salaries by the underwriting firms.

In the same vein, many of the affected brokers are those who have been agitating over the years to form their own Council of Brokers.

cation exercises to be conducted in two phases comprising six Police zonal formations in each phase.

The management of PTAD however allayed the fears of all other categories of Pensioners that the nationwide biometric verification exercise has just began and all pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) or the old pension system will be covered subsequently.

All Police pensioners in the afore mentioned zones who retire on or before the 30th of June, 2007 are to attend the exercise with all necessary documents including the original and photocopies of letter/Gazette of First Appointment, letter of Last Promotion, letter of Retirement, duly signed NUBAN Bank Statements with bank logo and letter of introduction from last command of ser-

vice.

The Next of Kin of Deceased Police Pensioners are also expected to attend with the original and photocopies of Death Certificate, Letter of Administration, Letter of Introduction or Identification from the Command where the deceased last served and Affidavit of Next of Kin. The verification exercise will run simultaneously from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm daily. It is important to note that all logistic arrangements to ensure the adequate comfort of Pensioners during the exercise have been completed.

This is also calling on all stakeholders in the public pensions sub-sector especially the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (ARPON) to rally together all their affected members and ensure their participation in the exercise.

Premium Pension Director elected fellow of CIS

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he Executive Director, Business Development and Investment of Premium Pension Limited, Mr. Adamu Musa Mele, has been elevated to the fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS).

Mele, who has been a member of the institute since 1994 was before the elevation an Associate Chartered Stockbroker.

In his acceptance speech, Mele said, “I am highly appreciative of this recognition by the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers.

“The institute is one of the most vibrant professional organizations in the country. It handles activities regarding

Continued on page 26

resident Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the reappointment of George Onekhena as Deputy Commissioner for Insurance (Finance and Administration) of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) for a second and final term of five years.

According to a statement by Head, Corporate Affairs, NAICOM, ‘Rasaaq ‘Salami, said Onekhena’s reappointment was conveyed in a letter referenced SGF. 47/S.9/11/636, dated December 11, 2014 and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, GCON. The SGF stated that the President’s action is “in line with the provision of Section 11(5) of the National Insurance Commission Act 1997” and it is with effect from November 29, 2014.

George Onekhena was first appointed Deputy Commissioner for Insurance in November 2009 by the President for a five year term. He successfully completed his first five year term in November, 2014.

During the period, Onekhena displayed good knowledge of the insurance industry leading to the immense transformation being witnessed in the industry at the moment.

He was the head of a team that successfully supervised the transition to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by insures in 2012. The team is currently moderating the seamless transition by insurance brokers to IFRS. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Onekhena contributions to the Commission and industry are invaluable.

Interview 24

Daily Times Nigeria Friday December 15, 2014

Women can succeed Recently, Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) held its 13th Annual Conference themed “Nigeria Rising … Accelerating Transformation” in Lagos.

According to Osayi Alile, the Chairperson of WIMBIZ, the two-day conference sought ways to examine the possibilities and opportunities in Nigeria and provide insights on the role of citizens, particularly women in achieving and accelerating the identified prospects.

In this interview with Emmanuel Ogbonnaya, Alile explains why WIMBIZ will always be challenging the womenfolk and stakeholders from the private and public sectors to take advantage of available opportunities to do more.

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s women in business and management how does the recent rebasing of the economy affect you?

I can’t tell you how it affects everybody because of our differences but as WIMBIZ we are saying that if the economy has been rebased and we are now saying that we are the largest economy in Africa, what can women achieve, how can we position ourselves to be able to benefit from that rebasing; what are the opportunities that are available?

You know when we rebased the economy, government started telling us that there are different opportunities and they mentioned agriculture, education and Nollywood as well, because everything has changed. How can we begin to plug in into these industries and how do we begin to transform.

A lot of time we talk about assimilating transformation, if we do claim that Nigeria is rising, which is true, yes there are a lot of challenges but there are also a lot of opportunities, so how do we harness all of these opportunities to be able to grow ourselves personally, grow our families and to be able to grow our careers and businesses and that is where the conference is very essential.

You recently put together an initiative to reward three young women and support their businesses, what was the initiative about and how did they emerge as the last three?

What we did was that we sent information out to all the different youth organisations, we said we wanted women that have started businesses; young women that were below the age of 30

and the business must not be more than five years. And we asked them to send in their basic business plans and we had judges internally as well, to look into these business plans and tell us what the issues were and how they can be addressed.

After that we picked ten of these young women and invited them for interviews and now we have picked three of them. These three are going to get our support; we are going to give them funding totalling N1million. You may think that it is not much but a young girl getting N500,000, she can use it to get a computer or other basic business tools.

Apart from the money that they are getting, in what other way does WIMBIZ plan to support these young business women?

Also we are providing mentorship for them, whatever their business is, we are going to find some mentors for them as well that would work through the processes and get them started very well because that is very important.

One of the things you find out is that when people start business in a difficult terrain, you really need someone that can tell you ‘I have done this thing before.’ Such people can call you and shpow you the best way which will open the door of success to you. They can also create resource linkages for their mentees because they desire to see them grow and be very successful.

My own mentee whom I got from WIMBIZ seven years ago, I can see transformation in her business because mentors help to push and affiliate them as well.

Recently you had a programme in Benin with a reported attendance of 4,000 young women, what did WIMBIZ achieve through that programme?

What we called it was ‘winning without compromise.’ We went back to schools to talk to young girls, we look there is a world out there after university and the world is career and also personal, because if you have to succeed, you can never walk in isolation.

How do you as a woman begin to build your business, what can you do differently. We went to meet people with real life challenges and we gave them opportunities to ask questions. We also did competitions there as well, so that people who are actually doing businesses in schools will get things to improve on their businesses as well. So for this year we did Benin and Ife as well, we could have done more but because schools were closed for such a long time we could only do a few.

In what ways has WIMBIZ collaborated with the government and what has been the impact of such collabo-

Osayi Alile rations if any?

You will not really see a WIMBIZ collaboration, what we do specifically when the government calls on us is to provide our expertise, for example in the YOU-WIN programme, government told us to get women to come and register for the programme. Because the Minister of Finance noticed that a lot of women did not participate in the first YOU-WIN programme and it was also because of the challenge of technology since everything was supposed to be done online.

This year we have also been taking deliberate steps to address the challenges women have in adopting new technology and integrating them into their

business operations. We have done the Google master-class and it is all about being aware and seizing the opportunities Google offers to grow your business through your computers, mobile and android devices.

Back to the issue of government collaboration, WIMBIZ was invited as an advocacy because they recognised that we are a body for women in management and business.

We also have the programme called the smart women programme which is done with the ministry of communications and technology, because we realised that a lot of women were technology shy and we are trying to push that because the world is changing and we

Daily Times Nigeria Friday December 15, 2014

25 Interview

in business – Alile One of the things you find out is that when people start business in a difficult terrain, you really need someone that can tell you... ‘I have done this thing before’

need technology. If you need to transform, then technology is essential. How do you use it to benefit your business or your career and help you with your bottom line.

Does WIMBIZ also represent the interest of women at the grassroots, specifically the rural areas?

WIMBIZ is for women in management and business, grassroots is really not our calling and we have to stick with what our calling is. If we start to deviate we are going to have a problem in the long run; it doesn’t mean that we don’t do things with them, we have very strong relationships with a lot of women organisations.

When there are issues we all galvanise together and say what can we do differently. Even when we were going to the National Conference we had meetings before we went and ensured that those who had the opportunity to go, take the issues of those who were not going to be there.

Can you tell us about the growth that has been taking place in WIMBIZ since inception?

We tend not to be stuck on numbers, because most non-profit deal with the quality of the people and yes, we are growing the number of people that attend our programmes are getting higher with each programme, so we are growing in terms of impact.

Individually, we are also growing because, this year we have had two women who were supported by the American embassy to go for an exchange programme, one of ours also won the Cartier women awards. Yes our number has grown significantly and we are now in four states doing programmes consistently, but also we want to see impact in the businesses and careers of at least 20 women at the end of the year.

If you look at one of our women the Chief Executive Officer of HealthPlus Bukky George, just this year alone she

Osayi Alile started with the IFC to grow at about 100 per cent of all her pharmacies in Nigeria. These are the types of growth that we are looking for and we are asking her what we can do to help her, because we are a bridge.

We also have another programme called ‘women on board’ with which we are trying to push and insist that organisations begin to put more women on their boards, because the way we think is different. We are also talking to organisations, going to companies and speaking one-on-one with the chief executives, saying, what can we do, how can we help you to make sure that women are viable?

We are already starting an institute, where we are teaching women how to be board ready and begin to prepare their minds to occupy board positions, we have started the applications processes, but the institute will commence activities in January 2015.

Recently some of your corporate sponsors showered encomiums on WIMBIZ as an organisation that has exemplified integrity, can you tell us the principle or character behind such accountability?

Integrity is key, we have done 13 years so far, when the founders where starting WIMBIZ, they agreed that the organisation’s value system has to be strong so that in another 50 years even if they are no longer around, when people look back, they will see the same organisa-

tion.

That is why if a sponsor gives us even N1, we spend it and let the sponsor know what we spent it on. That is why you’ll find out that we have the same support that we’ve had since the first year. First bank has been supporting us from the first year, this is our 13th year and there are still supporting us till today. But also it is not only about the sponsorship, there are also partnerships, because in a year, we are seeking ways to do something differently for them.

Despite having full time jobs, we are working to see that women are making the most of their opportunities, just because we have the passion to do so. We know that women are essential to bringing about positive changes.

40 per cent of the population cannot hold wealth; you need the other 60 per cent who are women, but we need them to be strong enough and to have the resources. We are not just pushing that women should just do it because women need to be there; no we are pushing it because women are capable and if they are not capable, we prepare them to be capable.

Having come a long way, what will you say are the challenges you have identified militating against women in business and management?

Two things, maybe because I have also worked in that industry for so many years; the environment is tough, it is changing. In fact yesterday we sat down

with the chairperson of the conference, Chief (Mrs.) Leila Fowler and one of the things she mentioned was that, their own time and this time are different.

Men are beginning to support compared to their time when women have had to push their way through. Yes we are still pushing, but the environment makes it difficult, because there are people that still feel that women should be in the background.

And the women organisation that we are is not just about women empowerment, rather it is about saying that women are relevant and how do we use the blessings that God has blessed us with to change our environment.

We don’t always talk about business and management; the family also is very important, in fact at one point in our conferences we talk about building the home, because it is also like a business and women have to be strategic about building their husbands and children.

I tend not to look at the challenges because they can always be overcome, nothing is impossible and even funding that we were all complaining about years ago is changing. If the government can say that they want to do YOUWIN; the first year they say men and women, the second year they say only women it shows that things are changing.

The government is now looking for opportunities for women to get funds.

Even the agricultural fund that has just been launched, a certain percentage has to go to women. However the women have to finance smart ready to be able to get these funds.

So as women, we have to take responsibilities to make sure that we correct those mishaps that we have had over the years and we can always overcome them.

President Jonathan has been praised in some quarters as having done much in terms of appointing women into sensitive offices in his cabinet, what are the expectations of women going forward, especially with 2015 just around the corner?

I believe that more can still be done for women, even though this is the best we’ve gotten in years in terms of women in the cabinet. Also in terms of programmes for women, there are quite a number of programmes that they have done for women and we are hoping that more will come, because they have been helpful.

We are saying that whoever emerges winner in 2015 would also be more gender sensitive and continues to be gender sensitive, putting women that can accomplish goals in the positions of authority.

Insurance 26

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Premium Pension Director elected fellow of CIS Continued from page 23

President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (middle) Bola Temowo; presenting the “Insurance Textbook for Senior Secondary Schools” to the Ondo State Government, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Arch. Jide Adejuyigbe (right).

Expert seeks professionalism in health insurance

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learline International, a leading Health Maintenance organization, has underscored the need for professionalism amongst Health Insurance operators.

The Executive Director, Operations/Medical Services of Clearline HMO, Dr. Isaac Akinsefunni Akintunji, said that professionalism is very critical to engender growth in the health care sector. He stated that

without professionalism, health care insurance will not attain the desired level of growth.

Akintunji who bemoaned sharp practices in the health care sector said the health Insurance scheme in Nigeria is just evolving and professionalism is a potent catalyst to accelerating its growth.

He asserted that Health maintenance Organizations and health care providers need to collaborate

and ensure that all stakeholders adhere to professional standards.

Akintuji who also added that quality assurance is an integral part of professionalism charged health insurance operators in the country to ensure a quality service delivery to instill trust and confidence in the health insurance scheme.

The medical expert disclosed that Clearline HMO has focused on providing the best service and take the

issue of quality assurance seriously. The company according to him engages health providers in consistent communization in order to enhance professionalism and quality service.

Clearline HMO also responds promptly and proactively to the varying needs of the health care providers while also supporting health care providers with the technical expertise they need to work efficiently.

NAICOM sets 3-year transformation agenda

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oised to rise to the challenges facing insurance industry in Nigeria, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has set a three-year agenda to transform the industry.

The Commissioner for Insurance, Fola Daniel, disclosed this at the National Insurance Summit 2014 held in Abuja, tagged: ‘Transforming the Nigerian Insurance Sector: A three-year agenda”, said that insurance industry is a critical part of a nation’s economy and have the potential of galvanising the optimal per-

formance of other sectors and reducing pressure on public sector finance.

Daniel, noted that the key challenge to the growth of the industry have been how to get sufficient number of customers to buy insurance.

“This decision is influenced by factors such as the image of the industry, financial literacy, economic constraints and attitude of the consumers, among others.

“The transformation initiatives of the insurance industry have been reduced to three themes.

“These: mass insurance encouragement, improv-

ing insurance market conduct framework and coordination for insurance regulatory enforcement.’’

The Insurance Boss also said that the industry had been affected by the 2008 financial crisis, as many insurance companies lost their investments in the capital market.

He added that insurance company’s loss of access to capital was significantly impaired by the economic crisis that followed.

According to him, the commission has introduced a wide range of regulatory guidelines

which in addition to other market development are targeted at strengthening insurance institutions.

He said the guidelines would build confidence in the market and improve attractiveness of the insurance industry to both local and foreign investors.

“The growing interest of international investors in our industry as evidenced by the entry of major insurance companies such as Metropolitan Life, Sanlam, NSIA, Old Mutual and AXA is a testimony of our successes.’’

the capital market which in itself is a platform for raising long term capital for the economy.”

The Managing Director of Premium Pension Limited, Mr. Wilson Ideva, congratulated Mr. Mele on this feat which would rub off positively on the fortunes of the company and by extension, the pension industry.

“Mr. Mele’s elevation complements our core value of professionalism and further brightens the future of the company. A tested and well-grounded investment expertise is the primary ingredient for the growth of pension funds”, Ideva said.

Mr. Mele’s expertise covers economic and investment research, financial advisory services, asset management, capital market regulation and ad-

ministration. He is a law graduate of the University of Maiduguri with an MBA from the University of Ado Ekiti. He has held several positions in financial management and administration in various organizations, including Head, Northern Region, of IBN Securities Limited (a subsidiary of First Inland Bank Limited) and CEO Tiddo Universal Securities Limited (Member Nigerian Stock Exchange.

He is also an alumnus of New York Institute of Finance, Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Business School, Boston, U.S.A. The Investiture Ceremonial Dinner and his formal admission into the institute’s professional membership status as fellow took place recently at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos.

Law, Union & Rock pays N954.38m claims in 10 months

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aw Union & Rock Insurance Plc has announced a total payment of N954.38million on claims settlement in the first 10 months of 2014 financial year.

The Managing Director, Akinjide Orimolade, in a report said it was part of the company’s commitment to meet the needs of its customers and restore them back to their feet after a mishap or a loss.

Orimolade, maintained that the move is clearly to reinforce the company’s commitment to upholding its end of the bargain.

“Payment of claims tops our priority list and we will always meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.

Our sense of accuracy, timeliness and promptness ensures the claimant is not inconvenienced in any way during this process.

“Law Union revealed that motor insurance recorded the highest claims portfolio with N418,653,196.00.

The firm also said that N205,315,946.00 was paid on fire insurance while

N138,431,802.00 was paid on marine insurance.

N116, 791,232.00 was paid on general accident, N42, 099,258.00 on oil and energy, N27, 664, 550.00 on engineering while N5, 424,462.00 was paid on bonds.

“From the record, most of the claims cut across the various sectors like financial services, manufacturing, construction, oil & energy, telecommunication, shipping and the public sector among others”, he said.

In the same vein, the Managing Director said the company is committed to excellent service delivery with focus on its customers. “We will continue to strengthen our relationship with the insuring public even as we offer simple products that are affordable to all Nigerians”, he added.

Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc has been in existence since 1951 and offers a wide range of general insurance products. The company has over N8billion in total assets and Shareholders’ fund in excess of N4billion.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday December 15, 2014

27 Telecoms

NCC nabs 4 illegal telecoms firms Stories by Opeoluwani Akintayo

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our illegal telecoms operators have been clamped down by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The four operators, Steam Communications, Netcom, SwiftTalk and Multi-dimesnion Technologies, all located in Lagos, according to NCC, were operating below standard and with fake licenses.

The illegal operators were discovered during a four-day enforcement exercise in Lagos by the Compliance and Enforcement team of NCC led by an Assistant Director, Mr Salisu Abdu.

Adbu also hinted during the chat, that three more illegal operators are being hunted by the body, saying that their identities will soon be revealed.

NCC said all the seven operators were operating on the 5.4 gigahertz frequency band, which was not licensed to them by the Commission.

Addressing media during the enforcement exercise in Lagos recently, Abdu said the operations of the telecoms firms was an offence under Section 122 of the Nigerian Communication Act 2003, which criminalises any operation without proper licensing by the NCC. Explaining further he said that in 2009, NCC came up with a guideline on the deployment of service on the 5.4Ghz band that no operator should operate on it

without obtaining necessary licences from the NCC. He said: “In the course of the guideline, we have monitored compliance and we have discovered that we still had some operators operating illegally on the 5.4GHz till 2012. We have done a lot of clean-up and we thought the frequency was free of interferences.

“So, after recent monitoring by the Spectrum Administration Department of NCC, about seven operators are now discovered to be operating on the 5.4Ghz band.

“On Tuesday, we visited Steam Communications Company and we found there were operating on the 5.4GHz band and as result, we confiscated their radio equipment and they are currently under investigation.”

Abdu said at the end of the investigation, Steam Communications would be prosecuted and fined appropriately.

According to him, the enforcement team also discovered Netcom, Multi-dimension and SwiftTalk collocating their equipment on a telecom mast belonging to a licensed inter- connect clearing operator.

“Currently, we have removed the power units, which the three tenant companies are using to power their service. We have asked them to remove the actual radio equipment from the mast which they are handing over to the Commission and investigation would be carried out accordingly.” he said.

Abdu, however, said that the mast owner, which houses the three telecoms firms on its network was not culpable, saying “the mast owner is not any under obligation to make findings on whether or not the three companies are licensed by the NCC or

not.”

He said this was because each operator is licensed separately by the regulator with terms and conditions of their licences clearly stated. “So, they ought to have complained with all the terms and conditions of their licences

Etisalat, 8 other African mobile operators partner AU in fight against Ebola

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Juwah, NCC boss

FG gives InfraCos seven tax-free years

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he Federal Government has given between Five to seven years of free tax to soon-to-be-licensed Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) owned by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in order to support their investments.

The InfraCos, each in the six geo-political zones and Federal Capital Territory, are being licensed by the regulator to bridge the apparent infrastructure deficit in the nation’s Information and Communication Technology sector.

This agreement was reached during the Nigeria investment meeting at the ongoing International Telecommunications Union (ITU) World 2014 in Doha, Qatar.

According to Nigeria’s Com-

munication Technology Minister, Dr Omobola Johnson, he said, “As part of Nigeria’s drive for more investors into the blossoming ICT sector and based on the Open Access Model, which has been adopted for the licensing round, beneficiaries of the licences shall get adequate incentives to operate in Nigeria.”

The incentive shall include tax holidays to encourage the InfraCos to invest and guarantee adequate returns on investments”.

Principal Partner of KPMG(the the consulting firm working with Nigerian government to on the planned InfraCos licensing regime), Mr. Joseph Tegbe, also told the audience that the investors will be encouraged to veer into areas, where many consider being less commercially-rewarding through subsidy, saying grants

and the relationship between the mast owner and the three firms is a different thing entirely as the mast owner only rented space to the illegal operators.”

He therefore warned licensees in the telecoms sector to always comply with their licensing conditions so as not to affect consumers.

may also be given out to further their interest in such areas.

According to Tegbe, the licensees will also be granted pioneer status as part of the incentives to boost their interest in investing in such areas or zones that may look unattractive.

He also said that such Infracos will get incentives that could be up to 30 per cent mark up on their capital expenditure (CAPEX) and employee tax holidays as well.

To qualify for these, Infracos will quantify their CAPEX and what it will take to rollout and how long it will take to break even.

Speaking earlier at the forum, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, told the audience, including potential investors from Qatar National Bank, Global Operator, Ooredoo,

Vodafone, Qatar and several diplomats that Nigeria had achieved 96 per cent teledensity with over 134 million active subscribers, and ICT contribution to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over 10 per cent.

According to him, 75 million people currently connect to the Internet on narrow band with only six per cent of internet users in the country having access to broadband services.

Juwah encouraged would-be investors to take advantage of the gap “because, apart from government and high net-worth individuals, who desire these services for high data transmission, the banks, education sector and electronic commerce operators need broadband to carry out their heavy data too.”

ollowing the outbreak of the Ebola disease in Africa and the world at large, mobile network operator, Etisalat Nigeria, and other Mobile Network Operators across Africa have partnered the African Union (AU) Commission to support the fight against Ebola in West Africa.

Operating under the hash tag ‘AfricaAgainstEbola’, an SMS dedicated platform will be used to raise funds for the deployment of African health workers to affected countries.

At a recent Business Roundtable on Ebola hosted by the AU, Etisalat alongside other mobile operators committed to support efforts to fight Ebola by unveiling an Africa-wide three –month campaign dubbed “AfricaAgainstEbola”. This initiative will focus on donations from members of the public who are customers of the operators and will be channelled into fighting the Ebola Virus.

The AU is leading this effort under its African Union Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA) mission, which has so far deployed 90 health workers to the three affected countries.

Speaking on this new move, African Union Commission Chairperson, Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said: “We are conscious of the urgent need for all of us to do more, and to act fast. It is only by acting together will we ensure that our continent and world is free of Ebola.

Let me repeat our call to all Africans to lead the global efforts of

Continued on page 28

Telecoms 28

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

CWG holds first e-workshop

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omputer Warehouse Group plc (CWG) has organised its first free online technology workshop for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) owners in Lagos.

Themed “Learn How to Set-up, operate and advertise your own store online”, it was aimed at equipping business owners with the skills they require to take their business to the online community by operating an online store and selling to people other than those in their immediate physical community.

Welcoming the participants, Success Nmerife, the Head Marketing Communications, CWG, informed the participants that the workshop was designed to introduce them to solutions and methods they can employ to maximize the benefits that the internet affords in growing their business.

Similarly, Adriana De la Cruz Duffo, Business Manager, Openshopen told the participants that Openshopen has been uniquely designed to respond to the challenges of online trading encountered by SMEs in the Nigerian business environment. According to her, “Openshopen is easy to use, cheap and profitable. It addresses the fears of payment gateway security. It also takes care of the logistics of delivery. It is a platform you as merchants can adopt, if you want your business to grow”.

Thereafter, merchants were taken through three training sessions. In the first session, Mr. Tayo Oduwole, Head, Innovation, CWG plc, introduced the Openshopen online platform to the participants. According to him, “CWG’s partnership with Openshopen to introduce the eCommerce platform is in line with our vision to enable Nigerian merchants acquire business enabling technology without incurring business killing own-infrastructure costs”.

He explained that Openshopen differs from other online shopping platforms, in that it allows merchants sell directly to buyers and have the privilege of promoting their brands. Unlike other platforms that require merchants to submit their wares for sale.

“With Openshopen, you can sell your brand alongside your products, such that people can look for you if they want your products again”, he concluded.

The workshop featured a practical session where Mr. Oduwole took participants through step by step procedure of opening a store online. The participants had the privilege of creating their own store, each having their unique

web address, corporate logo and products for display. Thereafter, they were taught the basics of promoting their business using various social media platforms.

At the end of the sessions, each participant was presented with a certificate of attendance by Mr.

James Agada, Chief Technology Officer, CWG. At the presentation, Mr. Agada pointed out that the workshop served as one of CWG’s ways of contributing towards the growth of SMEs in Nigeria, creating employment and contributing to the growth of the

nation’s economy. He charged the participants to utilize the knowledge they have gained from the workshop.

“Having learnt how to open your store and sell online, we look forward to seeing you sell on Openshopen”, he concluded.

Director, Regulatory Affairs, Etisalat Nigeria, Ibrahim Dikko, with a guest at an occasion

Etisalat, 8 other African mobile operators Partner AU in Fight Against Ebola Continued from page 27 solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea”.

Speaking on the partnership, Chief Executive Officer at Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher said, “At Etisalat Nigeria, we uphold a belief in shared responsibility especially to the society where we operate. Etisalat’s partnership with other operators in the effort to “kick Ebola out of Africa’ reflects the way innovative technology can be used to improve lives. The ability to generate funds through SMS powered by all the operators will support the deployment of Health workers to the affected countries and will go a long way in getting rid of the deadly virus from the African continent”.

The SMS fundraising campaign will use the short code 7979 with local adaptations where technology requires. Customers will be asked to text ‘Stop Ebola’ to this code in order to donate in their individual countries.

The campaign will run until the end of February 2015.

Airtel’s customers get ‘Redhot’ rewards

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Otudeko

fter a successful year out, telecoms operator, Airtel Nigeria has deemed it fit to reward its customers for their patronage throughout year 2014.

The reward which came in form of cash prizes, was given to customers who qualified in the first year of the Redhot promo during the launch of the promos second year held in Ikeja Wednesday, December 10, 214.

The august event saw the gathering of selected customers from different zones in Nigeria who were also winners of the promo, the media, Airtel executives in the person of Vice President, Marketing Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Kenneth Okonkwo, Head Surveillance Consumer Protection Council(CPC), Mr. Anyianwu and Partners of the network, MD TCQA Associates, Mr Wale Akingbade, as well as Airtel’s Marketing And Brand Executive and Mrs Nyeme Effiong.

According to Airtel PRO, Mr Adefemi, the day was to formerly launch the Redhot promo’s second year and to celebrate customers who have been loyal to

the network for years.

Mr.Adeyemi said the promo’s second leg will be enriched with a bigger grand prize, 2015 Range Rover model alongside other prizes like ibag and iphones, one hundred customers will also get N100 000 each.

To participate in the promo, no subscription, premium rates or question and answer is required from customers however, Airtel users who want to take part are to recharge their phones, make use of it on a daily basis and buy any of the Airtel products. Customers who use more airtime and purchase more Airtel products will then be contacted through phone calls using Airtel official number, 080219000000. Customers are warned to watch out for fake text messages from fraudsters claiming to be Airtel officials as Airtel will get in touch with winners through phone calls only.

Beneficiaries such as Tijani Wasiu, Pastor Augustine Adugba, Adesoji Gabriel Omoboriowo( a Youth Corp Member), Omotosho Adeyanju and Kehinde Fasanya, who won in the promo, were each rewarded with N1m.

Speaking at the event, Mr Ayanju who is the Head of CPC Lagos, commended Airtel for a transparent play during the promo.

On behalf of CPC he said, the council is impressed to see that beneficiaries of the promo didn’t have to go through rigorous exercises to be millionaires. According to him, the winners emerged as a result of “luck and chance”.

CEO TCQA Associate, Mr.Akingbade who is also one of the independent auditors also commended Airtel for meeting international standard for the promo; “one of the key things we’ve seen with Airtel over the years is the genuineness in the way they handle their promos. I can say in my honour that they met all international standard, and with no ambiguity”.

One of the Redhot beneficiaries, Pastor Adugba who almost turned the event into a church service, thanked the Almighty God for such privilege which he described as “unexpected”.

“Thak you Airtel, thank you God ”, he shouted at the top of his voice as he addressed the guests.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

29 Business

NIOB signs MoU with Eteleson Industries

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he Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Eteleson Industries Ltd. on the use of ``Soligum Brown N’’ in wood preservation for quality building.

Mr Tunde Lasabi, the institute’s President, while signing the MoU on Friday in Abuja said the development would open more doors for building products’ manufacturers to partner with the institute.

Lasabi said the official signing and endorsement of one of the products manufactured by Eteleson industries was an indication that the institute was serious to promoting science and technology.

He said the partnership would afford the company the right to use the institute’s logo on its product as a seal of quality.

The NIOB president said ``Soligum Brown N’’ is a unique kind of preservative used to safeguard woods and preserve the life span of woods for the production of quality houses. ``The institute is ready in the promotion of science and technology in the area of building technology in Nigeria. ``We have a five-year strategic plan guiding our operations, which is currently being reviewed to reposition the institute for better service delivery to Nigerians,’’ he said.

Lasabi said that the institute had been very worried about recent problems in the building construction industry in the country, especially in the area of building collapse.

He said the institute was working hard to see how to solve this national challenge.

Mr Danjuma Abalaka, the institute’s Publicity Secretary, said it was working out modalities to curb building collapse by looking at the quality of building products in the construction of houses.

L-R: Deputy Director (FMITI), Mr. Ibikunle Adams, Director, Industrial Development and Inspectorate, Engr. Awobokun Omotanwa and Commissioner, Engineering Safety & Standards, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, Engr. Mary Emiola Awolokun at the one day stakeholders’ forum on meter/transformer manufacturing in Nigeria organised by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in collaboration with Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Abuja recently.

FCT minister tasks NDIC on depositors’ protection

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he Minister of State for FCT, Mr Bashir Yuguda, has called on the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) to ensure continued depositors’ protection and sound financial system in Nigeria.

Yuguda made the call during the NDIC’s 25th anniversary gala night on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, the NDIC must ensure that they put in place proactive mechanisms to ensure continued depositors protection, safe and sound fi-

nancial system.

Yuguda said that the falling oil price and devaluation of the naira in Nigeria was already having effect on the 2015 budget.

He said that Nigerians should come together to support the government in ensuring that the situation was contained to a minimal effect. ``It is unfortunate to note that the falling oil price has already begun to take a toll on us and the value of the naira battling to remain at a reasonable level. ``It is therefore our collective responsibility to

support government and all its agencies involved. ``This is to ensure that the current situation is contained with minimal effect to the welfare of the generality of our people,” he said.

He called on the NDIC as well as other regulators to always rise up to the various challenges faced by the country.

Yuguda commended the corporation on the awards, saying it was a testament to NDIC’s commitment to excellence in the discharge of its mandate and roles as deposit insurer.

The Chairman of NDIC Board, Dr Hassan Adamu, said the corporation had risen to the various banking crises and had striven to keep abreast with the core principles of deposit insurance sector.

Adamu said that the various awards received by the NDIC had shown that the high performance by the corporation had been recognised not just locally but internationally.

He urged the staff of the corporation to rededicate themselves toward achieving NDIC ‘s mandate.

Mr Jones Onyereri, the

Chairman House Committee on Finance, said that NDIC had played a very critical role in the economy of Nigeria and it would continue to do so. ``The role played by NDIC in the last financial crises cannot be overemphasised and we as a nation are grateful to it for rising up to the challenge at that time,” he said.

He said that the National Assembly was in the process of passing a new NDIC act which would allow the corporation to be more proactive in their duties.

IKEDC introduces new payment platforms for customers

I

keja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) on Friday said the company was introducing new payment platforms for prepaid and postpaid consumers within the network.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Pekun Adeyanju, Assistant General Manager, IKEDC’s Public Affairs Di-

vision, in Lagos.

According to the statement, power consumers within IKEDC network can now make payments or recharge via vouchers, Point-of-Sale terminals and online banking portals as well as at bank branches.

It stated that consumers could also pay on IKEDC’s

website following an upgrade in the company’s systems to enhance secure, convenient and more efficient payment options.

The statement stated that the upgrade had facilitated the alignment of payment options within IKEDC, a development that invalidated previous payment options.

It quoted Mr Abiodun Ajifowobaje, Managing Director of IKEDC, as saying that it was powering the new payment platforms in collaboration with First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc. Ajifowobaje said that IKEDC’s other collaborators were United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Nigeria

Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS).

According to the statement, the method is to ensure that post-paid customer accounts are promptly credited, avoid unplanned service interruptions while prepaid customers are provided more convenient vending channels.

Agric 30

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Cashew exporters expect N18bn negotiable duty credit grant

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he National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) says its exporters are expecting N18 billion in grant after the Federal Government lifted the suspension on the Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate (NDCC).

Mr Sotonye Anga, the association’s spokesperson, said in Lagos that his members would benefit from the N99 billion just released for Export Expansion Grant (EEG).

Last week Tuesday Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, had, announced the restoration of Export Expansion Grant (EEG) to boost export.

Anga noted that the Export Expansion Grant which was suspended four years ago has hindered the growth of the country’s export sector.

He expressed optimism that the restoration of EEG would boost the non-oil sector and accelerate the country’s economic growth. ``This is really a good time for the cashew export. A total of N98 billion was released for the NDCC and the cashew sector will get N18bn. This will help to boost exporters’ business, especially as we prepare for the new cashew season. ``When the scheme was suspended, export activities were halted, especially the non-oil sector,’’ Anga said.

He commended the government for lifting the suspension, saying that the money should be released to the beneficiaries on time.

Anga said that the money had accumulated for too long and exporters needed to organise their businesses for 2015 farming season. ``We appeal to the Federal Government to release the money in good time. ``This money will not only boost the business, but will also help to turn the nation’s economy around,’’ he said.

Anga appealed to the government to also provide pre-export and post-export incentives to farmers.

According to him, transportation was expensive, electricity tariff high and accessing loans difficult in Nigeria.

Women decry difficulty in obtaining subsidised farm inputs

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Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu being presented certificate of Ambassadorship by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Schools Agriculture Programme (NSAP), Dr. Baraka Sani, at Heirs Holdings Office, Ikoyi, Lagos recently.

College trains 300 youths, women on livestock, fishery production

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he Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology (FCAHPT), said on Friday in Maiduguri that it had trained over 300 women and youth on livestock and fishery production in Borno.

Alhaji Muhammad Kwajaffa, coordinator of the programme, announced this in Maiduguri, at a training programme organised for livestock farmers.

Kwajaffa said that those trained were drawn from the 27 local government areas of the Borno.

Kwajaffa, said that the oneday workshop was aimed at boosting the entrepreneurship skills of the participants to enable them become self- reliant.

He said that the participants were trained on various skills in animal husbandry, fishery

production and poultry farming.

Kwajaffa said that the skills acquired would enable the participants to create wealth, reduce poverty and unemployment.

One of the trainers, Dr. James Yidawi, an agricultural consultant, noted that there were a lot of animals and birds species, which if harnessed, could boost economic base of individuals.

mallholder Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SHWOFON) on Friday called on the Federal Government to increase the number of agriculture redemption centres nationwide to ease access to fertilisers and farm inputs.

Its President, Mrs Sarah Yapwah, made the call in Abuja, noting that farm service providers were not as close to farmers as they should be. ``We are calling on the government to see if they can bring it closer to the doorposts because during election the polling stations are very close to the house. But these service providers where the fertilisers are kept are a bit far; so, they should bring it to our doorsteps the way they bring polling stations during election so that women can have access to it. ``When it is far, when you go today you don’t get it, you go tomorrow, you spend a lot and women get frustrated because they have a lot to do and they don’t have much money and time to waste so they just give up and don’t collect it.`` Redemption centres were created across the country in line with the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to enable farmers to access fertilisers and seeds.

Yapwah said some of the challenges women farmers faced included poor market access, storage infrastructure, postharvest losses, and financial constraints.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

31 Agric

Fish production low in Kogi, says AFAN State Secretary

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demu Halidu, the State Secretary of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kogi on Friday lamented that the fish production level in the state was very low.

Halidu, who is also the Leader of AFAN in Benue and Kogi States, said in Lokoja that there was a high demand for fish products in the state.

He said that there were factors and challenges limiting the level of production of the fish farms in the state.

According to him, the chemicals needed to treat the ponds were expensive and not readily available, adding that the fish feeds are also very costly.

He noted that the fish farmers were not adequately trained on the methods of application, preservation and fish feeding, in order to get high yields.

“Fish farmers have not been able to receive adequate training on how to manage and run fish farming.

“Furthermore, the fish feeds and the chemicals used for treating ponds are very expensive and are not readily available.

A bag of fish feeds is now sold

at an average range of between N5,000 to N8,000, depending on its measurement.

“Other challenges are inadequate support from government, in terms of funding, over flooding of fish ponds, and the inability to have easy access to loan facilities.

“The cost of production is very expensive; there is the high cost of construction of ponds, high cost of evacuation and several other challenges,” said Halidu.

He noted that funds that were said to be made available by government are not targeted toward the real practicing practical farming, stressing that majority of these farmers have not been able to access any loan facility for the past two years in the state.

The AFAN leader urged governments at all levels to make agricultural programmes and loan facilities easily accessible to genuine farmers.

He charged governments and stakeholders to channel funds to farmers through NGOs, Cooperatives and Farmers’ Associations, as a means of reaching farmers at the grassroots.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina Minister of Agriculture

Ogun collaborates with FG to improve cotton production

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he Commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun, Mrs Ronke Sokefun, on Friday said that the state would collaborate with the Federal Government and stakeholders in agriculture to improve its cotton production.

Sokefun made this known when she received delegates from Competitive African Cotton Initiative (COMPACI) and Arewa Cotton in Abeokuta.

Represented by Mr Wale Ogunyomade, Special Adviser on Agriculture, Sokefun said that the collaboration would assist in the development of the agricultural sector.

She said the collaboration would also improve the living standards of farmers in the state.

``Ogun is the choice destination for agricultural investors and we are willing to partner with genuine investors. ``We assure you of our commitment to agricultural development and improving the lifestyle of our farmers, while creating a better economic standard for the state,” she said.

Sokefun said that agricultural development and industrialisation was one of the cardinal programmes of the present administration.

Earlier, Mr Muyiwa Akinsola, Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, said that the state could be industrialised through the agricultural sector.

Akinsola said that agricul-

ture could make Ogun a major concentration for foreign and local investors.

He said that government had solicited the support of customs officials so that transportation of goods would be made easier due to the state’s proximity to border towns.

The delegates inspected the cotton farm at Ijaka, where the Managing Director, Arewa Cotton, Mr Anibe Achimugu, assured the farmers of ready market for their produce and infrastructural development for the town.

Achimugu said he was looking forward to a peaceful and fruitful collaboration with the government and other stakeholders in cotton production.

Business 32

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

World Bank earmarks $80m as solid minerals reform loan

T Mr. Michael Demola, Fittam Consults ( standing second from left), Mr. Augustine Bolu,Fittam Consults(standing in the Middle), Mr. Sola Oluwadare, Communications Manager, AfriHeritage (standing second from right ), and representatives of the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) at a training on life after internship, exit strategies and entrepreneurship held in Enugu last week.

Chamber blames multiple taxation for investment flight in Anambra

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he Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), has hinged flight of investors from Anambra state on incidences of multiple taxation.

According to the president of the Chamber, Dr. Tim Anosike ``Appropriate authorities concerned should check the ugly trend to stop investment flight in the state.”

Anosike made the remark during the ON-

ICCIMA 25th Annual Luncheon and Award Ceremony in Onitsha.

He noted that multiple taxation and illegal levies were putting a substantial percentage of micro, small and medium enterprises out of business in the state.

He lamented that so many people were engaged in collection of taxes and levies from business operators, petty traders, buyers, transporters, among others. ``These collectors are

mostly found in markets, motor parks, junctions and on the streets, without knowing who they are working for, where the money they collect do go to and what their identities are. ``The state government as a matter of urgency should publish and publicize all its approved taxes and levies, as well as authorised agencies for their collection. ``As part of moves to curb the ugly trend, which would also make more

revenue to accrue to the government and nobody would be short changed anymore,’’ the chamber boss advised.

Meanwhile, the chamber bestowed various honorary awards to certain personalities, including a Nigerian Breweries and Guinness Breweries major distributor in Onitsha, Chief Nathaniel Ofoma; a prominent Onitsha-based importer, Chief Gilbert Obi; a legal luminary, Harold Ekwerekwu, among others.

Capital market registrars back FG on austerity measures

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he Institute of Capital Market Registrars (ICMR) on Saturday called on the federal government to ensure full implementation of its austerity measures to cushion the effect of the oil price fall on the economy and as well boost investors’ confidence.

Dr David Ogogo, ICMR Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, spoke in an

interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said there would be hard times in the equities market in 2015 unless the Federal Government ensures strict implementation of the austerity measures.

Ogogo predicted that the equities market would be turbulent in 2015 because of persistent drop in crude oil price at the global market.

The Federal Government had, on Nov. 16, announced a package of austerity measures as part of fiscal adjustments designed to mitigate the negative impact of lower global oil prices on the Nigerian economy.

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance, and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, said that the belt tightening

initiative was the first of other policies that the government intends to implement if the fall in oil prices persists.

Among the austerity measures is the restriction on foreign travel by public officials.

Henceforth, foreign trips will be permitted only when they become compellingly, while local travel will also be curtailed drastically.

he Ministry of Mines and Steel Development on Friday said that the World Bank would soon disburse $80 million loan already earmarked for the completion of the solid minerals sector reform.

Mr Patrick Ojeka, the Acting Director, Artisanal and Small Miners Department in the ministry said this in Abuja, stressing that the amount was required to ensure there was enough money to complete the solid mineral reform process. ``The pace of getting the money depends on when the National Assembly approves it. The process is almost reaching the final stage,” he said.

Ojeka said that the Federal Government in 2005 obtained a loan of $120 million from the World Bank with a view to reforming the solid mineral sector.

He said that from 2005 to May 2013, a total of 110 million dollars was spent on reforms in the sector

out of the amount, while 10 million dollars was expended as grants to the artisanal and small scale miners.

He disclosed that the Federal Government had trained more than 3,000 artisanal and small scale miners on mining techniques and mineral processing.

Ojeka said the training was conducted through the ministry’s extension service training programme which started in 2011.

According to him, the training was aimed at ensuring safety during mining in the country.

“More than 300 mining cooperatives have benefited from the extension service. Each cooperative had a minimum of 10 members while some had up to 100 members,’’ he said.

Ojeka said so far the ministry had received more than 1,200 applications from various groups to be registered as mining cooperatives, adding that only 600 had been certified.

Kenyan Envoy seeks ease of trade access with Nigeria

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he Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Tom Amolo, is seeking for easier entry of Kenyan products into the Nigerian market.

Amolo said on Friday that the volume of trade between his country and Nigeria had been hampered by the ban on the importation of Kenyan goods.

Amolo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that Kenya had not been able to export a range of products directly to Nigeria since they all fall in the latter’s ``bad list”. ``When our President came, the trade numbers

were below 15 million dollars. Nigeria has a list of Kenyan goods that cannot enter Nigeria. I have been able to put my case across to the Nigerian authorities to ask them to lift the ban so that we can increase the level of trade between the two countries.

He noted that the investment regime was very good on both sides as investors on both sides have a clear path on what needs to be done. ``At least, on the policy side, these things are being fixed. What is now to be done is to deal with the legacies of removing these barriers to trade,” he said.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, December 12, 2014

33 Global Business Apollo nearing deal to buy PetSmart for $8 billion

Mega retailers battle to survive as e-commerce booms in China

Apollo Global Management is nearing a buyout of PetSmart Inc for about $8 billion in what would be the largest leveraged deal for a U.S. company this year, Bloomberg reported on Saturday, citing unnamed sources.

“New York-based Apollo is in late-stage talks to buy PetSmart for about $8 billion following an auction process that has been under way for weeks, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are confidential,” Bloomberg said.

It said the pet-supplies retailer has a market value of $7.72 billion. A private-equity deal with Apollo would top Blackstone Group LP’s $5.4 billion purchase of industrial-products maker Gates Global LLC in July, Bloomberg said.

Frank Lavin, CEO of Export

I

t took China’s biggest retail chain Suning, all of last year to generate sales of about $17 billion.

Last month, e-commerce giant Alibaba saw sales worth more than half that amount pass through its Tmall website in just one day.

The Wire Service Reuters reports that big retailers like Suning Commerce Group Co Ltd and foreign rivals Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Best Buy Co Inc are struggling to attract customers to their traditional stores in China.

Online shopping is definitely booming in China.

``The trend is definitely towards e-commerce because that’s where the consumers are. ``The ‘big box’ model here is already crowded. You need to invest a lot and be here on a large scale to make it work,’’ Frank Lavin, CEO of Export Now, which helps global firms launch their business in China said.

Reuters reports further that this month, Best Buy sold its Chinese business, which had struggled to fend off local rivals.

It said that other firms have also complained that operating in China has become more challenging.

The wire service reported

that this week, Wal-Mart said it had found pricing discrepancies on its China books, which reportedly were made to make its retail business look better at a time when transactions were slowing and unsold inventory was piling up.

It said French hypermarket operator Carrefour SA has also reported weak China sales.

One of the main challenges facing retail chains, according to Reuters, is the shopping habits of Chinese consumers.

It noted that most prefer the convenience, and often lower prices offered by online shop-

ping, especially when it comes to food.

According to Reuters, the competition between traditional retailers, as well as their e-commerce rivals, means firms spend more on marketing and discounts, giving those with the deepest pockets, an advantage.

It said that Alibaba, which recently raised a record $25 billion in an initial public offering, saw more than $9 billion of trade on its online Tmall platform on its annual “Singles Day” shopping event last month.

OPEC’s Badri says oil price drop beyond market fundamentals

Abdullah al-Badri

Americans exude confidence, record 7yr retail peak

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mericans brimmed with confidence in early December as they shopped for holiday gifts, signaling retailers will see sales continue to accelerate heading into 2015.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary December index of consumer sentiment increased to 93.8, the highest since January 2007, from 88.8 last month. The gain exceeded the 89.5 median

forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists, topping the estimate by the most since March 2013.

Six months of falling gasoline prices are freeing up disposable income for households during merchants’ busiest time of the year. Sustained hiring combined with faster wage growth is providing the impetus for further retail sales gains that will underpin the economy as the year draws to a close.

“Everything is pointing in the

right direction for the consumer,” said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics NA in Toronto, whose forecast that the confidence index would rise to 94 was the closest among those surveyed.

“We expect a pretty good run for consumption growth in the fourth quarter. It is a big boost for the economy.”

The gain in sentiment this month put the index above its average in the five years leading up to the last reces-

sion that began in December 2007.

The Michigan index’s gauge of current conditions, which measures Americans’ views of their personal finances, increased to the highest level since February 2007. The gauge of Americans’ expectations about the economy six months from now was the strongest since January 2007.

Its 6.2-point gain from November was the biggest since May 2013.

The secretary-general of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said on Sunday the price of oil had fallen further than market fundamentals would have dictated.

Speaking at an event in Dubai, Abdullah al-Badri added that the November meeting which ruled out a cut in production by members of the group was not aimed at anyone specific.

“The fundamentals should not lead to this dramatic reduction (in price). Some people say this decision was directed at the United States and shale oil. All of this is incorrect. Some also say it was directed at Iran. And Russia. This also is incorrect.”

Crude oil markets are at fiveyear lows.

Global Business 34

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Antibiotic developer Cempra’s CEO says she’s not looking for a buyer

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empra Inc has no plans for now to sell itself, its CEO said, brushing off talk that the company is a potential target as big drugmakers set their sights on antibiotic developers.

Research in antibiotics is undergoing a revival, with companies such as Roche Holding AG, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Sanofi SA investing in approaches to fight superbugs - bacteria that are resistant to existing antibiotics.

In the biggest deal in the antibiotic sector so far this year, Merck & Co Inc said on Monday it would buy Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc for $8.4 billion.

The deal stirred speculation that developers such as Cempra could also be takeover targets.

“We are not focused on selling the company. I know a lot of other biotechs are,” Cempra Chief Executive Prabha Fernandes said in an interview.

The Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based company, which has no drugs in production, is developing an antibiotic, solithromycin, to treat bacterial pneumonia infection.

Prabhavathi Fernandes, CEO, Cempra Pharmaceuticals The drug is now in late-stage studies.

Analysts are positive on its potential, but say it may not reach the market until 2017.

“There’s no reason for (a buyer) to offer us anything right now. Why can’t they just wait and buy us later if need be? I

don’t think anyone going to rush to do anything.”

However, the 65-year old doctor said Cempra would be open to a partner once a marketing application is filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Cempra’s stock, which is rated “buy” or higher by all nine

analysts who cover the company, rose 15 percent to $18.53 in the four days following the announcement of the MerckCubist deal.

Other companies working on drugs to combat superbugs include Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals Inc and Paratek Pharmaceuticals Inc. Their shares have also risen.

While hospitals are hotbeds for superbugs, there is a second class of infections acquired through everyday activities such as playing sports, called community-acquired infections.

This is the area Cempra is focused on.”There are nine prescriptions in the community for every prescription in the hospital, so we’d blow (the competition) all out of the water,” Fernandes said.

Needham & Co’s Alan Carr said he believes sales of Cempra’s antibiotic, solithromycin, has a peak sales potential of more than $1 billion a year.

Results from the late-stage study testing oral doses of solithromycin are expected in the first quarter of 2015.

World stock markets tumble as FTSE suffers

worst weekly fall since 2011

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ears over Chinese economy, plunging oil price and Greece wipe £112bn from top UK equities as 100 index hits 6300.63 Global stock markets continued to tumble on Friday, pushing the FTSE 100 to its worst weekly fall in more than three years. Since Monday, £112bn has been wiped off the value of Britain’s leading companies.

Investors headed for the exits amid growing fears about the Chinese economy, the tumbling price of oil, and the prospect of another eurozone crisis prompted by political uncertainty in Greece.

The FTSE 100 finished at 6300.63 on Friday, its lowest level since 20 October. The index was down 161 points on the day and 442 points, or 6.6 per cent, on the week.

It was the biggest weekly

decline in percentage terms since August 2011, when recession fears and worries about America’s debts stalked the markets.

In Europe, Germany’s Dax fell five per cent and the Eurofirst 300 lost 5.9 per cent over the week. Wall Street was down more than 200 points, or 1.1 per cent on the day, by the time the London market closed on Friday, despite better than expect-

ed US consumer confidence figures for December.

The UK has been affected more than other markets because of its bias towards commodity companies, which have been hit hard by the fall in oil.

Brent crude dropped three per cent to just over $61 on Friday, a five-and-a-half-year low. As recently as June, the oil price had climbed as high as $155, but fears of a global slowdown hit-

ting demand has seen a slump in the price. In its latest monthly report, published on Friday, the International Energy Authority, the world energy watchdog, cut its forecast for demand growth in 2015 by 230,000 barrels per day to 900,000.

This was the fourth time in five months it had lowered its expectations and followed a similar prediction from oil cartel OPEC earlier in the week.

A host of poor economic news from around the globe added to the gloomy mood. After weak Chinese import numbers earlier in the week, China reported a worse than expected 7.2 per cent rise in industrial production in November, down from 7.7% the previous month, which fuelled fears of a slowdown in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

EU mergers and takeovers current list

The following are mergers under review by the European Commission and a brief guide to the EU merger process: APPROVALS AND WITHDRAWALS -- Santander Consumer Finance, part of Spanish bank Santander, and French car maker Peugeot to set up a series of joint finance companies (approved Dec. 10) -- U.S. investment management firm Varde Partners to acquire 51 per cent of Spanish bank Popular’s credit card business (approved Dec. 10) Privately-held Czech airline Travel Service to take a 34 per cent stake in national carrier Czech Airlines (notified Nov. 14/ deadline Dec. 12) -- Oil major BP to acquire jet fuel business Statoil Fuel and Retail Aviation (notified Oct. 27/ deadline extended to Dec. 15 from Dec. 1 after the companies offered concessions) -- Mondelez International Inc and competitor D.E Master Blenders to merge their coffee businesses in new company called Jacobs Douwe Egberts (notified Oct. 27/ deadline extended to Dec. 15 from Dec. 1 after the companies offered concessions) -- France’s Lafarge and Swiss peer Holcim to merge (notified with commitments on Oct. 27/ deadline Dec. 15) -- Private equity firm 3i to acquire Diamond Holding GmbH from German jewellery retailer Group Christ Juweliere und Unrmacher Seit (notified Nov. 12/deadline Dec. 17/simplified) -- Czech state-owned holding company Cesky Aeroholding and privately-owned low-cost Czech carrier Travel Service to jointly acquire Czech Airlines (notified Nov. 14/deadline Dec. 19) -- Private equity firm EQT to acquire German engineering groups Siemens’s hearing-aids business (notified Nov. 14/ deadline Dec. 19/simplified) -- CCMP Capital to acquire 47 percent stake in PQ Corp from Carlyle Group (notified Nov. 14/ deadline Dec. 19/simplified) Yanfeng Automotive Trim Systems, a subsidiary of China’s biggest automaker SAIC Motor Corp., to acquire Johnson Control’s auto interiors business (notified Nov. 14/deadline Dec. 19/simplified)

Daily Times Nigeria Monday December 15, 2014

35 Capital Market

From the Nigerian Stock Exchange

NSE inducts 51, cautions against frivolous practices Adesola Akindele

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he 51 out of the 62 candidates who passed the CIS examination and went through the 15 days of practical ATS training at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), have been officially inducted as dealing clerks and cautioned against frivolous practices.

The induction was conducted by the Chief Executive Oficcer of the NSE Oscar Onyema at the stock exchange house in lagos, he stated that the inductees were worthy to be practicing stockbrokers on any floor of the exchange in Nigeria.

“You have been chosen for this induction because the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) and The Nigerian Stock

L – R: Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) representative, Mr. Abubakar Ambursa; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; and Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, NSE, Mr. Ade Bajomo at the induction ceremony for the newly Qualified Authorized Dealing Clerks of the Exchange in Lagos recently.

Exchange (NSE) consider you worthy to be a practicing stockbroker and able to trade on any floor in the Nigerian Capital Mar-

ket. Today marks a call to stand tall on Integrity, to be spotless in Character, to be Professional in service and to be high in

Ethics and Standards’’ he said.

According to him, the NSE continues to evolve to meet the needs of its

valued customers the investing public and to achieve the highest level of competitiveness. “We operate a fair, orderly and

transparent market that brings together the best of African enterprises and the local and global investor communities.

turnover of 137.115 million shares worth N9.368 million in 3,583 deals. The third place was occupied by the Conglomerates Industry with 93.133 million shares worth N567.167 million in 1,256 deals.

Trading in the Top Three Equities namelyGuaranty Trust Bank Plc, FBN Holdings Plc and Diamond Bank Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 624.388 million shares worth N9.188 billion in 5,090 deals, contributing 34.50% and 31.77% to the total equity turnover vol-

ume and value respectivel SUMMARY OF PRICE CHANGES Ten (10) equities appreciated in price during last week’s trade, this is lower than the twenty-six (26) equities of the preceding week. Sixty-eight (68) equities depreciated in price higher than forty-nine (49) equities of the preceding week, while one hundred and nineteen (119) equities remained unchanged lower than one hundred and twenty-two (122) recorded in the preceding week.

MARKET SUMMARY

M

arket trading for last week ending Friday 12th December, 2014, was brought to a close on a sour note as the movement in stock prices is yet to either rise or stabilize.

All Share Index (ASI) further depleted to 30,763.28 from Thursdays 31,062.03. With 3,680.00 deals, investors on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) staked a total of 390,609,288.00 shares worth N4,678,655,470.43.

Market capitalization also records a downward slope as its value reduced by 98,598,505,778.87(98.6million) points to close at 10,156,447,994,566.03 (10.2 billion) at as against Thursday’s Value of 10,255,046,500,344.9 (10.3billion) Taking a look at Friday’s market, we see Dia-

mond Bank still holding on to its top trade position of Thursday, however there was a slight decrease in the volume and value of stocks sold. In comparison to Thursday’s 73,373,853 shares worth N359, 532,396.79, a total of 60,429,909 shares worth N278, 207,513.90 were traded.

Skye bank follows with the sale of 43,236,262 shares which amounts to N100, 785,638.44.

Custodyins another top gainer for Friday, 12th December sold 41,402,227shares which is valued at 131,078,111.78 Further analysis of Friday’s trade showed that eleven (11) stocks appreciated in price, UBCAP leads with a closing price of N1.60 and the highest percentage change of 5.26 gaining N0.08 from Thursdays N1.52 Air Service also gained

N0.08 from Thursday’s N1.73 to Friday’s N1.81 with a percentage change of 4.62, Total gained N3.00 from Thursday’s N155.00 to sell at N158.00, recording a percentage change of 1.94 Unfortunately, the value of stocks for 36 companies depreciated in price, Most loser being FIDSON which closed at N3.09 over Thursday’s N3.30, suffering a percentage loss of 6,36.

FO, GUINESS, ABCTRANS, NB, PORTPAINT, UBN amongst others suffered a 5% loss from Thursdays, closing price with FO being hardest hit by shedding N10.92 reducing to N207.58 from Thursdays N218.5 Week Summary EQUITIES A turnover of 1.810 billion shares worth N28.918 billion in 20,677 deals were traded last week by

investors on the floor of The Exchange in contrast to a total of 1.526 billion shares valued at N24.992 billion that exchanged hands in the previous week in 21,344 deals.

The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 1.370 billion shares valued at N13.783 billion traded in 11,742 deals; thus contributing 75.69% and 47.66% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The Consumer goods Industry followed with a

Day

Market Capitalization (N)

Index value

Monday 08/12/2014

10,919,858,158,413.94

33,075.71

Tuesday 09/12/2014

10,872,546,995,424.95

32,932.41

Wednesday 10/12/2014

10,631,938,481,184.35

32,203.62

Thursday 11/12/2014

10,255,046,500,344.33

31,062.03

Friday 12/12/2014

10,156,447,994,566.03

30,763.28

Capital Market 36

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

STOCK WATCH Activity Summary on Board DEBT

GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC.

GLAXOSMITH 3

52.00

2,530

Federal

MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC.

9

1.54

70,301

106,342.47

NEIMETH

8

0.86

40,214

34,594.10

32,296,230

101,033,867.42

77,718.00

MAYBAKER

Bond Name Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC

13.05% FGN AUG 2016

FG102016S1

198.80

800

Pharmaceuticals Totals

Federal Totals

1

800

825,011.67

DEBT Board Totals

1

Bond Activity Totals

800 1

825,011.67

HEALTHCARE Totals

29

32,296,230

101,033,867.42

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

ICT

825,011.67 800

29

Computer Based Systems

825,011.67

Symbol

No. of Deals

COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC

COURTVILLE 6

0.50

155,436

Daily Summary (Equities)

Computer Based Systems Totals

6

155,436

77,718.00

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

IT Services Symbol

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

AGRICULTURE

COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC

CWG

1

4.34

217

896.21

1

217

896.21

No. of Deals

Crop Production

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

IT Services Totals

OKOMU OIL PALM PLC.

OKOMUOIL

20

25.37

159,051

4,036,105.40

Processing Systems

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

PRESCO PLC

PRESCO

17

25.59

516,088

13,206,692.92

E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC

ETRANZACT

2

2.55

51,000

675,139

17,242,798.32

Processing Systems Totals

2

51,000

136,170.00

206,653

214,784.21

No. of Deals

Crop Production Totals

37

Livestock/Animal Specialties Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

ICT Totals 9

LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. LIVESTOCK

5

2.33

8,250

INDUSTRIAL GOODS

Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

5

AGRICULTURE Totals

683,389

42

19,463.00 8,250

19,463.00

17,262,261.32

CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC.

AGLEVENT

3

1.31

15,572

JOHN HOLT PLC.

1

0.98

4,000

3,760.00

JOHNHOLT

124,982.00

19,465.00

Symbol

Building Materials

Symbol

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

ASHAKA CEM PLC

ASHAKACEM 2

24.60

90

2,103.30

BERGER PAINTS PLC

BERGER

10

9.00

24,142

198,712.96

CAP PLC

15

36.22

117,295

4,272,656.80

CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC

CCNN

23

9.27

109,965

DANGOTE CEMENT PLC

DANGCEM

155

160.00

1,983,173

299,275,507.85 900.00

CAP

136,170.00

973,913.60

TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC

TRANSCORP 232

3.05

DN MEYER PLC.

DNMEYER

1

0.87

1,000

U A C N PLC.

38.00

135,987

4,909,899.60

IPWA PLC IPWA

1

0.50

2,000

1,000.00

16,887,057

55,923,269.50

PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC

PAINTCOM

5

1.47

78,000

109,200.00

PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC

PORTPAINT

1

4.75

100,000

475,000.00

LAFARGE AFRICA PLC.

72.98

2,201,020

160,199,354.67

UACN

Diversified Industries Totals

19 255

CONGLOMERATES Totals 255

16,887,057

16,731,498

50,990,144.90

55,923,269.50

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE

WAPCO

53

Building Structure/Completion/Other

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

Building Materials Totals

266

4,616,685

465,508,349.18

COSTAIN (W A) PLC.

8

0.88

73,884

63,285.30

Electronic and Electrical Products

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

CUTIX PLC.

2

1.30

10,000

COSTAIN

Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

8

73,884

63,285.30

CUTIX

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC.

JBERGER

3

60.66

85

4,898.55

Packaging/Containers

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

85

4,898.55

BETA GLASS CO PLC.

BETAGLAS

3

24.00

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals Real Estate Development

Symbol

3 Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED

UAC-PROP

19

Real Estate Development Totals

19

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals

No. of Deals

30

203,306

10.20

129,337

129,337

1,330,146.40

1,330,146.40

7,150,000

173,730,000.00

Packaging/Containers Totals

3

7,150,000

173,730,000.00

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

271

11,776,685

639,250,849.18

1,398,330.25

Mining Services

Symbol

MULTIVERSE PLC

MULTIVERSE 1

Beverages--Brewers/Distillers

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

Mining Services Totals

CHAMPION BREW. PLC.

CHAMPION

15

6.93

176,290

1,221,689.70

Paper/Forest Products

GUINNESS NIG PLC

GUINNESS

Symbol

68

122.61

641,169

78,911,222.51

INTBREW

4

26.00

12,147

NIGERIAN BREW. PLC.

207

145.59

8,429,488

1,228,486,779.53

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

9,259,094

OIL AND GAS

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic

Symbol

7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC.

294 No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

7UP

28

153.85

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products

Symbol

28 No. of Deals

Current Price

THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. 300,069.90

No. of Deals

Quantity Traded Value Traded

0.50

22,000

11,000.00

22,000

11,000.00

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

THOMASWY

1

0.73

Paper/Forest Products Totals

1,308,919,761.64

Current Price

1

INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

10,000

12,500.00

NATURAL RESOURCES

CONSUMER GOODS

NB

2

12,500.00

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction

Energy Equipment and Services

1 2

760.00 760.00

23,000

11,760.00

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

22,279

3,448,639.54

JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC JAPAULOIL

5

0.50

28,547

14,273.50

22,279

3,448,639.54

Energy Equipment and Services Totals

5

28,547

14,273.50

Quantity Traded Value Traded

Symbol

1,000 1,000

Integrated Oil and Gas Services

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

164

17.07

2,438,934

42,191,793.74

DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC

DANGFLOUR 14

4.84

170,511

825,273.24

OANDO PLC

DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC

DANGSUGAR 82

5.42

4,331,937

23,482,020.54

Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals

164

2,438,934

42,191,793.74

FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC.

48

237,806

9,923,528.75

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

FLOURMILL

43.73

OANDO

HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC

HONYFLOUR 13

3.10

1,046,050

3,261,731.64

ETERNA PLC.

ETERNA

1

3.11

10,000

29,600.00

NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC

NASCON

23

6.29

377,718

2,378,664.88

FORTE OIL PLC.

FO

26

207.58

145,260

30,772,140.80

U T C NIG. PLC.

1

0.50

250

125.00

MOBIL OIL NIG PLC.

MOBIL

28

151.05

33,042

4,747,224.35

6,164,272

39,871,344.05

MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC.

MRS

1

56.00

3,350

178,220.00

TOTAL

17

158.00

82,749

12,941,445.00

UTC

Food Products Totals

181

Food Products--Diversified Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

TOTAL NIGERIA PLC.

CADBURY NIGERIA PLC.

CADBURY

32

40.86

145,988

5,856,555.45

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

NESTLE NIGERIA PLC.

NESTLE

98

775.00

926,469

717,544,624.60

Exploration and Production Symbol

Food Products--Diversified Totals Household Durables

Symbol

130

1,072,457

723,401,180.05

No. of Deals

73

274,401

48,668,630.15

324.83

8,711

2,688,127.49

8,711

2,688,127.49

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD

SEPLAT

12

Exploration and Production Totals

12

OIL AND GAS Totals

2,750,593

93,562,824.88

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC.

ENAMELWA

3

31.82

3,120

VITAFOAM NIG PLC.

VITAFOAM

26

3.85

412,000

1,508,678.05

SERVICES

VONO PRODUCTS PLC.

VONO

2

0.87

3,375,950

2,937,152.50

Automobile/Auto Part Retailers

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

3,791,070

4,540,148.15

R T BRISCOE PLC.

2

0.82

12,840

10,015.20

94,317.60

254

Household Durables Totals

31

Personal/Household Products

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC.

PZ

7

30.78

7,586

Courier/Freight/Delivery

UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER

44

34.01

1,928,762

65,783,836.02

Personal/Household Products Totals CONSUMER GOODS Totals

51 715

1,936,348 22,245,520

221,890.50

Symbol

Symbol

RED STAR EXPRESS PLC REDSTAREX

2 No. of Deals 2

Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

66,005,726.52

2,146,186,799.95

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking

RTBRISCOE

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

ACCESS BANK PLC.

ACCESS

147

6.13

13,607,641

83,173,146.40

DIAMOND BANK PLC

DIAMONDBNK 98

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

C & I LEASING PLC.

CILEASING

2

0.50

20,811

2

Hotels/Lodging

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

IKEJA HOTEL PLC

IKEJAHOTEL

7

3.81

60,426,909

278,207,513.90

73

18.21

FIDELITY BANK PLC

92

1.50

8,808,196

12,931,432.70

GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC.

GUARANTY

316

22.49

14,323,066

SKYE BANK PLC

SKYEBANK

95

2.33

43,236,262

100,785,638.44

STERLING BANK PLC.

STERLNBANK 24

2.32

10,840,593

25,473,988.44

UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. UPL

12

Printing/Publishing Totals

14

322,133,261.25

51,895,618.50

Hotels/Lodging Totals

7

41,800.00

10,405.50 20,811

10,405.50

Quantity Traded Value Traded 286,000

1,085,480.00

286,000

1,085,480.00

Printing/Publishing

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

ACADEMY PRESS PLC.

ACADEMY

1

1.13

1,000

1,130.00

LEARN AFRICA PLC

LEARNAFRCA 1

1.47

12,794

17,911.60

4.05

666,475

2,522,047.62

680,269

2,541,089.22

UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC

UBA

163

4.08

12,716,435

UNION BANK NIG.PLC.

UBN

24

7.60

1,154,517

8,775,204.19

Road Transportation

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

UNITY BANK PLC

UNITYBNK

3

0.50

95,221

47,610.50

ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC

ABCTRANS

2

0.57

29,016,393

WEMA BANK PLC.

WEMABANK

18

1.00

2,282,072

2,230,827.05

Road Transportation Totals

2

29,016,393

16,539,835.80

Transport-Related Services Symbol

No. of Deals

16,539,835.80

ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC

ZENITHBANK 221

17.25

9,939,552

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

Banking Totals

1,274

186,196,133

1,217,167,235.80

AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC AIRSERVICE

10

1.81

386,302

682,778.68

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC

NAHCO

17

4.24

13,181,973

AFRICAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC

AFRINSURE

1

0.50

Transport-Related Services Totals

27

13,568,275

56,574,452.58

AIICO INSURANCE PLC.

0.77

192,077

147,822.22

0.88

337,212

299,285.68 11,111

AIICO

CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC

6

CONTINSURE 6

171,888,777.46

10,015.20

41,800.00 11,000

No. of Deals

ETI

FIDELITYBK

11,000

Symbol

4.89

159,624,216.97

4.00

Employment Solutions

ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED

8,765,669

Quantity Traded Value Traded

2

Employment Solutions Totals

No. of Deals

12,840

Current Price

24,000

12,000.00

Support and Logistics

Symbol

No. of Deals

CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC

Quantity Traded Value Traded

CAVERTON

3

3.17

6,500

19,825.00

CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC.

CORNERST

1

0.50

EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. EQUITYASUR 1

0.50

2,000

1,000.00

SERVICES Totals

GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. GUINEAINS

1

0.50

1,000

500.00

EQTY Board Totals

MANSARD INSURANCE PLC

MANSARD

8

2.90

368,125

1,075,562.50

Daily Summary (Equities)

MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC.

MBENEFIT

1

0.50

250

125.00

Activity Summary on Board ASeM

N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC.

NEM

17

0.59

525,950

319,389.50

CONSUMER GOODS

SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC

SOVRENINS

1

0.50

8,500,000

4,250,000.00

Food Products

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC

STACO

2

0.50

2,250

1,125.00

MCNICHOLS PLC

MCNICHOLS

1

1.48

WAPIC INSURANCE PLC

41

0.57

490,078

279,847.78

WAPIC

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks

Symbol

86

10,454,053

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC

NPFMCRFBK

6

0.85

59,813

Micro-Finance Banks Totals

6

59,813

48,662.00

Other Financial Institutions Symbol

No. of Deals

AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC AFRIPRUD

48,662.00

5,555.50

Current Price

6,392,213.18

Support and Logistics Totals

3 59

43,602,088 3,679

6,500

4,678,653,513.35

Quantity Traded Value Traded 1,388

1,957.08

Food Products Totals

1

1,388

1,957.08

CONSUMER GOODS Totals

1

1,388

1,957.08

ASeM Board Totals

1

1,388

1,957.08

Equity Activity Totals

3,680

390,609,288

4,678,655,470.43

Daily Summary (ETP)

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

18

2.74

406,159

1,105,835.86 131,028,111.78

Exchange Traded Fund

CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC

CUSTODYINS 42

3.44

41,402,227

FBNH

484

8.63

15,572,528

134,613,386.75

Name

FCMB GROUP PLC.

FCMB

34

3.00

2,600,834

7,689,297.57

LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF

9.28

5

46.40

ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC.

ROYALEX

4

0.54

17,000

8,840.00

NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF)

NEWGOLD

1

2,144.00

8

STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC

STANBIC

21

28.50

1,630,000

VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF

13.82

510

7,253.20

UBA CAPITAL PLC

44

1.60

1,594,632

2,526,438.36

523

24,451.60

UBCAP

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals

647 2,013

63,223,380 259,933,379

46,405,842.04

Symbol

No. of Deals

VETGRIF30

Exchange Traded Fund Totals 323,377,752.36

1,546,985,863.34

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

LOTUSHAL15 1 2 4

ETF Board Totals

4

523

24,451.60

ETP Activity Totals

4

523

24,451.60

Page

1

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals

Symbol

FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded Value Traded

FIDSON

9

3.09

32,183,185

19,825.00

76,822,903.30 390,607,900

FBN HOLDINGS PLC

Other Financial Institutions Totals

55,891,673.90

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © 100,767,948.85

of

13

17,152.00

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

37 Our heritage

Olisa Nwadiogbu returns with Effort Agozino Agozino

T

omorrow, an art exhibition entitled ‘Effort’ will open at 2.30pm in the main exhibition hall of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos. It is the latest solo showing of Olisa Nwadiogbu.

The Lagos-based painter for the past two decades has executed commissions as a sculptor, painter and bronze caster, and has worked with some of the notable masters of Nigerian modern arts. He is using the show to display some of his recent work experiences to the public, but the heavily bearded artist and culture activist has even been in the arts for a much longer time.

However, the works which art enthusiasts will feast on tomorrow as the show opens is divided into three loose categories of original engravings on tiles mounted on panels: acrylic on canvas, mixed media on canvas and mixed media with bottle tops and cans.

Explaining, he disclosed that, “‘Effort’ is a collection of my experiences and travails before, during and on the way from the wilderness. Effort is captured in acrylic on canvas of my old engravings (original), some recent

One of Nwadiogbu’s works

works. The artist whose last solo show was entitled ‘Wilderness’, said he was using the show to also thank God for the year.

The exhibitor offers a background to the outing: “After some years of creating large pictures in oil and water colour, I felt the need to use original engravings starting from 1993 to explore a new and deeper direction in my artistic journey.

“Interestingly, my exploration followed the encounter with Edwin Inyang, who was then an informal student of Bruce Onabrekpeya School of art.

“I must also say that the chance meeting with Inyang in 1987 has not only left an indelible mark on my works but has brought out an inner creativity through engravings.

“Although I have always worked with foils, using engraved panels as master plates, numerous years of deep interest in engravings have crystallised into a peculiar technique and new art mission and vision.

“Today, these works on exhibition started as preliminary sketches on pieces of paper and then transferred to the lino, board or even tiles mounted on panels.

“The images are engraved out with the help of engraving tools which are manually operated.

Colors were introduced on the engraved patterns to provide contrast to the image.

“Ordinarily, patinas deployed in flat engravings give the work a deep illusion with three dimensional effects that create the feeling of weight and objectivity.

“On the other hand,

paintings and mixed media presented for public consumption.’’

Popularly known as Olisa, the Onitsha, Anambra State-born art studio

operator hinted that the show, packaged by his Gon studio and the authorities of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, is actually a reminiscence of his stu-

Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) goes beyond regulation to reach out to millions of people through its new magazine ‘Standard News’

SON unveils own magazine

W

ith various i n i t i a t iv e s put in place by the Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu, to win the war against counterfeited goods yielding fruits, it seems the Amawbia, Anambra State-

dio art expirence.

Beginning tomorrow through to December 23, the exhibition of painting will feature recent oil and acrylic and mixed media

born anti-sub-standards czar is not yet done.

Ordinarily, the agency should have nothing to worry about. After all, it recently secured the International Standards Organisation (ISO) accreditation for two of its food laboratories, and President Goodluck Jonathan’s

extension of its chief ’s tenure for a new term of four years.

But Odumodu is one director general whose regulatory agency is doing well. He’s not resting on his achievements, rather, he is more determined in his war against fake goods.

the other bodies of works in this exhibition are conveyed on acrylic, oil, enamel, and spray paint on canvas.

“The items are mostly derived from my past figurative works. In this body of works, playfulness and spontaneity remains central in my message,” he revealed.

Nwadiogbu’s works present him as a freethinking creative person.

He paints with thick paste and serves colour as it comes while his approach to figure is most intriguing. He also experiments with forms and explores the vistas of colours.

He explained that his focus in the exhibition is renewal, hence most of the materials he used as vehicle in realisation of this feeling were to show his effort, making deliberate moves to show that artists should put effort into their creative endeavors.

His words: “Through drips paint, scratches and super-imposed paint on canvas, my works also task all to appreciate the pure and undiluted abstract nature of art.

“The third category of works in Effort showcases a mixed media platform with everyday objects such as bottle caps, plastic bottles and cans, horns, dolls, jiggida, raffia, discs, seeds, wires etc.

“In using everyday discarded objects as a medium for art, my aim is to once again draw our attention to the increasing and difficult challenges of our environment and the quality of life in a contemporary Nigeria.

“Basically, like most Nigerians, our education is/ was delivered in the Western European culture and tradition.”

This has resulted in his new project: Standards News, a magazine that would educate the public on the activities of the agency.

‘A 42-page colour glossed quarterly magazine published by the Potter Media Ltd, and edited by veteran CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

Our Heritage 38

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Akunyili wins American art museum’s award • A naturalised Nigerian, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, based in the United States, is the 2014 winner of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s James Dicke Contemporary Artist Prize.

One of Nwadiogbu’s works (Inset:Akunyili)

T

he 25,000 US dollars award recognizes an artist younger than 50, who has produced a significant body of works and consistently demonstrates exceptional creativity. It is intended to encourage the artist’s

future development and experimentation.

The independent panel of jurors who selected Akunyili Crosby are Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem; Byron Kim, artist; Harry Philbrick, The

Edna S. Tuttleman Director of the Museum at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; Walter Robinson, artist, critic and founding editor of Artnet Magazine, and Sheena Wagstaff, the Leonard A. Lauder Chairman of modern and contempo-

rary art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. A release from Smithsonian states that Akunyili Crosby creates vibrant paintings that weave together personal and cultural narratives drawn from her experience as a Nigeria-born

artist living in the United States.

She uses an array of materials and techniques in each of her autobiographical works. Collage and photo-transfer provide texture and complexity to the surface of each composition in which photographs from family albums mingle with images from popular Nigerian lifestyle magazines.

This varied and inventive use of media serves as a visual metaphor for the intersection of cultures as well as the artist’s own hybrid identity.

Akunyili Crosby was born in 1983 in Enugu, Nigeria. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College in 2004, then studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts before earning a master’s degree in fine arts from Yale University in 2011.

She has participated in numerous exhibitions in the United States and abroad, including most recently, ‘Draped Down’ (2014) at The Studio Museum, Sound Vision (2014) at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and Bronx Calling: The Second Bronx Biennial (2013) at the Bronx Museum.

Akunyili Crosby is represented by the Victoria Miro Gallery in London.

SON unveils own magazine Mare climbing festival ends in colour CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

journalist, Ifeanyi Alia, ‘Standards News’ seeks to fill a void in the publishing industry in the country and also help to rigorously report and educate the public on the daily happenings in and around SON and its regulatory campaigns. The publication is indeed a collector’s item on corporate promotion and organizational showcasing.

The Magazine’s last edition has the image of SON DG, Odumodu, and the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubarkar Sa’ad III, on its cover with highlights of different stories within the magazine.

The Standards News Magazine is essentially a potpourri of articles, interviews and adverto-

rials. The SON DG’s interview is particularly revealing.

The Magazine also contains different write-ups about SON’s regulations across the country.

For example, there is an article by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, which addressed the cement standards palaver.

‘Anyim commends SON’s efforts to enforce standards’ is another article that will catch readers’ attention. Also in the edition are stories like ‘Cross River, SON unite Against Substandards Goods’, ‘SON heralds new dawn for Steel sector’.

The magazine features photo panorama showing members of SON’s governing council’s facil

boosted several folds as Akure, the capital became a beehive of cultural activities of Mare, a local festival among the people of Idanre.

The festival lived up to its billing as hotels, inns and various hospitality outfits struggled with the sheer volume of tourists, culture-enthusiasts, competitors and fun-seekers. The lavish hospitality of the Idanre people added colour to the festival as many struggled to make it to the top of the hills no matter Local orchestra entertaining at the festival how daunting.

Huge awareness had been crehe people of idanre in Festival, an event that saw rich ated globally by the Ondo State Ondo State recently cultural displays and rejuvenaGovernment through its miniscelebrated this year’s tion of traditional entertaintries of culture and tourism as edition of the Mare ment in the state. well as information.

Mountain Climbing and Racing Traffic into Ondo State was

T

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

39 South West

Amosun promotes 3,592 workers, opens farmers market Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta

N

o fewer than 3,592 officers, including senior officers from GL. 07 to GL. 06 and 106 officers for upgrading have been approved for pro-

motion by the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

The governor, who approved the release of Year 2014 Promotion list to deserving officers in the state civil service, according to a release signed by the

Chairman, Civil Service Commission, Chief (Mrs.) Aderonke Folarin, noted that the present administration has shown interest in the welfare of workers since inception by regular payment of salaries, leave bonuses and prompt pro-

motion of its workforce.

Meanwhile, the Ogun state government has commissioned the first-ever ultra modern farmers’ market, known as Agri-Mart at Asero, Abeokuta, the state capital .

The governor, at the of-

R-L: Mrs Olukemi Mimiko, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Osemawe of Ondo, Dr. Victor Kiladejo, and his Olori, Olayinka, during the 2014 Ekimogun Day in Ondo State, recently.

Fayose to prosecute sand excavators in Afao, his home town GBENGA SODEINDE, ADO EKITI

T

he Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, banned sand excavation from Afao Ekiti, his hometown, in Ekiti State, so as to control environmental degradation, saying any one caught henceforth would be prosecuted Fayose, who made the declaration while speaking on Saturday during the Afao Unity Celebrations 2014 and fund raising for the development of the town, lamented that the town had been neglected by successive governments, adding these sand excavators had worsen the situation in the town According to him, “God has placed me in a position of authority to better the lots of my people. I have

Ayo Fayose directed the police to prosecute anyone caught packing sand from Afao.

“I enjoin all of you, including those making money from packing sand from this town to look in another direction. Afao roads are worse today as a result of the activities of sand excavators.

“They should look for somewhere else to pack sand. We cannot allow en-

vironmental degradation in our town because of the interests of the few. Those offended should consider the overriding public interest.”

The Governor equally commended the traditional ruler of the town, the Alafao, Oba J.A Ademilua, following the series of development which he said the towns have witnessed during his peaceful reign in the town.

Fayose who promised to continue to support the traditional ruler for him to succeed so that the town can further witness more of it had said , “The mandate I have is to continue to support you and exhort your stool as Alafao of Afao. As long as I am alive I will continue to keep the honour of this stool respected, honoured and dignified. I enjoins every child

of Afao home and abroad to support our king and town.”

He disclosed that he has concluded arrangement to compensate the Omotosho’s family who are occupying a space in front of the monarch’s palace in the town to give way for the renovation and expansion of the king’s palace.

Fayose who vowed to complete the Oba`s palace and ensure that the monarch park into it by early next year equally promised to renovate the health centre and construct good roads for the people He however asked each family in the town to nominate one National Certificate in Education or Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination holder for job placement into government establishment in the state.

ficial commissioning of the Agri-Mart, said that the objective of the farmers’ market was to bring healthy food closer to the people at affordable prices.

Amosun said the government was collaborating with both foreign and local agricultural experts with the aim of imparting their knowledge to the State farmers.

He added that his administration was committed to bringing back the lost glory of the sector, explaining that increased agricultural production could lead to job generation, wealth creation, poverty reduction and serve as source to finance other social services within the state.

“In the days of our forefathers, our economy was stable even though there was no oil, their major source of livelihood was farming and we are back to the roots to restore the old glory in the agricultural

sector. This state is blessed with fertile land and we are going to continue exploring it,” Amosun said.

The governor said his administration was proposing to replicate the AgriMart in the remaining 19 councils across the State.

He stated that good and motorable roads would be made available in order to enhance transportation of farm produce and enable investors have access to various farm locations and markets.

Speaking earlier, the Commissoiner for Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun, said the daily market is made up of 24 open stalls and one main lock-up shop, explaining that the open stall would serve as display for fresh farm produce like fish, egg, fruits, vegetables while the lock-up shop will promote sales of packaged farm products like smoked fish among others.

Ondo South will witness unprecedented development under my watch - APC candidate

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial candidate in Ondo South, Mr Morayo Lebi, yesterday said that the district would witness unprecedented development if elected in the 2015 general elections.

Lebi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Irele, Irele Council Area of Ondo State, that the district was underdeveloped “because the right people are not at the helm of affairs.”

NAN reports that Lebi, a lawyer, defeated his rival, Dr Femi Akingbola, by 1,261 votes to 156 votes to emerge winner in the Senatorial primary held in Ore, Odigbo Council Area of the state, on Dec. 8.

He said that the district

needed people who were ready to effect changes, saying that the people were tired of stories and inaction.

“I am in the corporate world, but I joined politics for the development of our people and to effect the needed change for my district to be developed.

“The wind of change is blowing all the nation now because this is what APC stands for and people believe in this and that is why they voted for me in the primary,’’ Lebi said.

He promised that he would not disappoint the people of the district if elected to represent them at the Senate.

NAN reports that the Ondo South comprises six local government areas of Okitipupa, Irele, Ese-Odo, Ilaje, Odigbo and Ile Oluji.

South South 40

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Cross River institute matriculates pioneer students Akra Ubong, Calabar

T

he newly established Institute of Technology and Management (ITM) of Cross River State yesterday matriculated its first set of students.

The Institute, situated in Ugep, and modelled after Highbury College, Portsmouth, United Kingdom is managed by the “parent” institute.

At present, it offers courses in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Information and Communication Technology, Leadership and Tourism Management. Auto-

mobile Engineering and other heavy engineering courses will begin soon.

Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Liyel Imoke, who gave thanks to God for the realisation of the vision, disclosed that it was not easy convincing people, including members of the state executive council, why he preferred an institution modelled after Highbury College, Portsmouth, UK instead of “our conventional institutions.”

Imoke added: “This institution represents a culmination of this administration’s aim of positioning the youth in Cross River to be the most dynamic and

versatile workforce in the country. We are acutely aware of the immense importance of this investment, which will not only transform the economic potentials of the students who attend this institution but will also enhance the future productivity of the state as a whole.”

He said the curriculum of the institute was fashioned to meet the needs of the market and world standards and to be a departure from other existing institutions.

The governor promised that the state would continue to invest in the institute, assuring that

the signature building under construction will be a significant infrastructure with state-of-the-art equipment and laboratories which will be commissioned next year before he leaves office.

The state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Offiong E. Offiong, who is the patron of the school, commended Imoke for the vision in establishing the institution despite the state’s lean resources.

Rector of the school, Dr. William G. Pedley, lauded Imoke for his vision and the staff for helping in the take-off and the students for their hard work.

Akpabio to pick Deputy for Udom Eno-Obong Okon, Uyo.

T

he Akwa Ibom State Governor, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, has concluded the sharing of political offices for 2015.

A source from the Government House has it that the present commissioner for special duties in the state, Emmanuel Enoidem, has been picked as the running mate for Dr. Akpabio’s successor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

According to him, it was the belief in government circles that the decision to give the post of deputy governor to Enoidem was to keep him from withdrawing his support for the governor’s camp.

He explained, “Remember that the honourable commissioner never supported Governor Akpabio in 2006. He was in the camp of Obong Attah’s in-law, Udoma Bob Ekarika, who was also vying for the same position with his Excellency, Dr. Godswill Akpa-

bio. But when the governor won, and with recognition of the fact that Enoidem was and is still a political heavyweight, the governor had to draft him into his administration.

“When he resumed office then, he was financially rewarded with being the sole facilitator for the Government House, and other gigantic facilities like the flyover which falls under the government effort at remodelling the capital city.”

The source added that upon conclusion of the remodelling of the capital city, Enoidem was moved to the Ministry of Special Duties where he now oversees the revenue made by the Ibom International Airport and the new stadium.

He said that Senator Alloysius Etok and Senator Effiong Bob have also been penned down for ambassadorial position and ministerial nominee respectively, while Senator Anietie Okon will be made a commissioner.

APC now largest party in A’Ibom – Umana

T Akwa Ibom State governor, Dr Godswill Akpabio (left), and the PDP governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel at a function in Akwa Ibom State...recently.

PDP has achieved nothing in 16 years – Oshiomhole Jonathan Eze

G

overnor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to leave the stage because it has not achieved anything in 16 years, noting that it has only partitioned Nigerians along ethnic and religious lines thus weakening the foundations of the nation’s unity.

According to Oshiomhole, who spoke, shortly af-

ter attending the 22nd convocation ceremony and the 50th anniversary of the Auchi Polytechnic, the only solution to the nation’s problems was for Nigerians to vote for change come 2015, asserting that the PDP-led Federal Government has shown incompetence in fixing the problems .

The Governor admonished the PDP to leave the stage and “do soul-searching to know why after 16 years in power, they have not fixed power, they have not fixed education, they

have not fixed the health sector, they have not fixed the roads, they have dashed the expectations of the youths and they have polluted the political atmosphere and they have weakened the foundation of our national unity, they have re-partitioned the country along religious divide, along ethnic divide, they have played brothers against brothers, sisters against sisters.

“They are buffeting us with primordial sentiments in place of issues of development and the coun-

try is weaker today than it was before. We need people who fought to keep Nigeria together to come back and re-fix what PDP has broken and it is all about all of us today. Nigerians should vote for change, even PDP needs change. You can see; the internal contradictions within the PDP is like a weak fabric; the more you patch it, the more it gets torn and after 16 years, even PDP will agree that they haven’t delivered on the promises of democracy,” he said.

he All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Umana Umana, has said that APC is now the biggest and strongest party in the state.

Umana stated that with the influx of new members from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the APC daily, the party has overtaken the PDP in the state.

Speaking at a press conference organized in his honour as APC governorship flag-bearer in Uyo yesterday, Umana revealed that the party would contest for all elective positions.

“We urge our people to vote for our candidates at all levels – the House of Assembly, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and of course, the governorship and the presidency. We are looking forward to the APC winning elections at all levels

so that we can truly bring about the desired change,” he said.

He maintained that the time for change had come in which the APC would put an end to the culture of impunity and poverty.

Umana revealed that his programmes for the people if elected as governor included job creation, wealth generation, empowerment, industrialization, development in agriculture, science and technology.

“In other words, we will ensure that the change that will come will affect all facets of the lives of our people. So, I want to say that we are ready to take our message to the people of Akwa Ibom State, this message of change, this message of hope. We know that our people are very despondent, but we thank God that today, they have an alternative in the APC, because APC will change things and will make a difference,” he assured.

41 7 News Daily Times Nigeria

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42

Daily Times Nigeria Monday December 15, 2014

Sport

Æs FIFA CWC:

Real, Cruz semi-final clash holds in Marrakech Nigeria’s Adeleke crashes with Sydney Wanderers

29 R

eal Madrid’s Club World Cup (CWC) semi-final clash against Cruz Azul on Tuesday has been moved to Marrakech due to poor pitch conditions in Rabat.

The state of the surface at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah has been a hot topic since the tournament began last Wednesday, with none of the teams involved being able to train on the pitch before their matches due to concerns over wear and tear.

And a torrential downpour on Saturday conspired to churn the turf up dramatically during the two quarter-finals clashes between Setif and Auckland City and Cruz Azul against Western Sydney Wanderers.

Azul coach Luis Fernando Tena and captain Gerardo Torrado both expressed concern that the pitch might not be fit to play by the time Real Madrid were due to arrive for Tuesday’s semi-final, and the Spanish club were known to have spo-

Atletico completes Correa’s signing

A

tletico Madrid have confirmed the belated arrival of Angel Correa at the Vicente Calderon from San Lorenzo.

The 19-year-old forward was meant to join the Spanish champions during the close-season, but his proposed 7.5 million Euro (£6m) move was put on hold after his medical examination revealed a heart condition.

Continued on page 43

- year-old Cristiano Ronaldo

ken to FIFA regarding a possible change.

“We need to take into account the way that they apply corrective measures on the turf, so let us hope that they have the ability to make it recover,” Tena said after Saturday’s game. “But we have to be realistic, and there is very little time available for it to recover.”

FIFA confirmed the change to the Grand Stade de Marrakech in a statement yesterday, saying: “Due to the difficult pitch conditions

at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, the FIFA Organising Committee has decided, following consultation with the Local Organising Committee to play match 4 (Cruz Azul FC v Real Madrid CF on Tuesday, December 16) in Marrakech and not in Rabat as previously scheduled.

The switch means all of the remaining five games of the tournament will take place in Marrakech in the space of four

Benitez tasks Higuain on leadership at Napoli

Exclusive

Football Page 43

Van Gaal hails in-form RVP Football Page 47

Continued on page 43

Why I quit Green Eagles before my 25th birthday?

–Adokiye

Football Page 44, 45

Daily Times Nigeria Monday December 15, 2014

43 Sport Real, Cruz semifinal clash holds in Marrakech Continued from page 42

Wayne Rooney opened scoring for the Red Devils at Old Trafford yesterday.

Red Devils demolish Liverpool at Old Trafford

C

linical Manchester United increased the pressure on Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers as they capitalised on some poor defending to demolish their visitors 3-0 at Old Trafford yesterday.

Rodgers - who dropped struggling goalkeeper Simon Mignolet for Brad Jones - can point to a succession of brilliant saves from United’s David De Gea and a controversial second goal from Juan Mata as significant factors in defeat.

This, however, will do little to ease the growing concerns for Rodgers and Liverpool,

with the memory of their thrilling 3-0 win here in March - in a sequence that almost took them to their first title in 24 years - seeming an age away.

United captain Wayne Rooney gave them an early lead and Liverpool had every right to feel aggrieved when Mata headed in from a clearly offside position to take the game away from them just before half-time.

Even before United took the lead, De Gea made an important save from Raheem Sterling, denying the England youngster on four occasions as well as producing three vi-

tal contributions to stop Liverpool substitute Mario Balotelli getting his first Premier League goal for the club.

Robin van Persie’s third goal of the day for United at the end of a lightning counter-attack only added to Liverpool’s pain and gave the scoreline a lopsided look given the amount of work done by De Gea. United’s sixth successive league win continued United’s resurgence under manager Louis van Gaal and put Liverpool’s decline since they came so close to winning the Premier League into even sharper relief.

Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, intend to give Rodgers until the end of the season at least to turn matters around given the credit he still has after last season, but after a miserable Champions League campaign was confirmed by their exit at the group stage following the midweek draw with Basel, these are crucial days for the northern Irishman.

He now faces a huge seven days with a Capital One Cup quarter-final at Championship leaders Bournemouth on Wednesday before Arsenal’s visit to Anfield next weekend.

Atletico completes Correa’s signing Continued from page 42

However, Correa subsequently underwent surgery in New York and, after six months of recuperation at Majadahonda’s Sports City, has now completed his switch to the Spanish capital.

“Atletico Madrid and San Lorenzo have concluded the transfer agreement for Angel Correa,” a statement read.

“The Argentina Under-20 international is now a part of the red and white club. He signs for the remainder of the season and four more years after that.”

Correa, who is a native of Rosario, only made his professional debut in March of last year but is regarded as one of Argentina’s most promising young attackers.

days between Tuesday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, Nigerian defender Seyi Adeleke failed to reach the semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup with Australian club Western Sydney Wanderers as they crashed 3-1 to Cruz Azul on Saturday.

The former Lazio player started the game for the Australia side before he was substituted in the 72nd minute with Golec, his team led till 89th minute when Torrado equalised.

Cruz Azul scored two more goals in the extra time.

A foul on him by Gimenez earned the Cruz Azul player a caution from the referee.

La Rocca scored Western Sydney Wanderers goal of the game in the 65th minute.

Cruz Azul will now face Real Madrid in the semi-final on Tuesday.

Benitez tasks Higuain on leadership at Napoli

R

afael Benitez has urged Gonzalo Higuain to prove that he can be a real leader of men and inspire Napoli to more victories.

Higuain has established himself as a fan favourite at the San Paolo, having hit 24 goals in 46 Serie A games since joining the Partenopei from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 for 37 million Euro.

However, Benitez wants more from the Argentina international, arguing that the forward must understand that he is not only obliged to put the ball in the back of the net, but also lift everyone around him.

“Gonzalo must understand that he’s our most important player,” the Spaniard is quoted as saying.

“He must be the leader of the squad and drag all of the lads along with him, which he has the ability to do.”

Sport 44

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

Why I quit Green Eagles –Adokiye Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka MON, was a member of the victorious Green Eagles team that first won the Africa Cup of Nations for Nigeria in 1980. In this three-part exclusive interview with DAILY TIMES he speaks on his career rise, both as a footballer and a lawyer, and why he quit the national team at a very tender age. He also threw light on the Godwin Odiye owngoal saga that prevented Nigeria from qualifying for the Argentina ’78 FIFA World Cup. Excerpts:

How do you feel on the return of Daily Times to the newsstand?

It is a pleasant development and worth cheering!

First of all, Daily Times, for so many years, used to be Nigeria’s Number 1 newspaper, and most published then before it went off the newsstand. With its return, I hope the editorial team should be able to improve on the achievements recorded by the newspaper in the past. Congratulations!

You started your football career in Lagos from the school, when did you actually began featuring prominently for your school team and tell us more on your career rise?

I want to take you down memory lane. My father use to work with the Custom and Excise and this made it possible for him to travel a lot alongside with the family.

I hail from Okrika in Rivers State, but I was born in Warri in the present Delta State on November 23, 1956.

I started my primary school education in Maiduguri in 1963 and finished in Lagos at Salvation Army Primary School, Surulere, just behind the National Stadium Lagos in 1968.

I was already at CMS Grammar School, Bariga,

in 1969, and my first serious encounter with football was in 1973 when I was in Form 5.

In 1975, we won the Lagos State Principal’s Cup and that was when I played before a mammoth crowd of soccer fans, although I have earlier played before a huge crowd in 1973.

Throughout your playing career which position would you say was your favourite?

Actually, when I started football I was a prominent goal scorer and attacker.

Even in the Lagos State Principal’s Cup, which I won with CMS Grammar School, Bariga, in 1975 I played in the outside left position.

But when I entered University of Lagos as a Law student I featured in the No. 10 position and even in the mid-field. However, from the assessment of my coaches at the national team level, it was clear to them that I could play with both legs effectively.

However, my preferred position is the mid-field, but at the national team I played from the outside left position.

Who actually inspired you to take to playing football, because in those days parents never wanted to see their children play football un-

like nowadays?

Pele of Brazil inspired me a lot in this regard.

I read extensively about him and he was such a very humble person. He

was my role model and world’s greatest footballer of all time.

I still have a copy of the Daily Times cuttings of his visit with his Santos

teammates to Nigeria. He was an exceptional player in world’s football history.

You were in the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations

Flying Eagles invite 9 foreign pros

Kelechi Iheanacho returns for Flying Eagles

The Flying Eagles have invited nine foreign-based professionals including Kelechi Iheanacho and Isaac Success ahead of next year’s African Youth Championship in Senegal.

Iheanacho is on the books of English Premier League champions Manchester City, while Success has already broken into the first team at Spanish La Liga side Granada CF.

The other invited pros are Chidiebere Nwakali (Manchester City/England), Taiwo Awoniyi (Kalmar/Sweden), Chidera Eze (FC Porto/Portugal), Daddy Moses, Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin/ Slovakia), Musa Yahaya (Tottenham Hotspur/England) and Musa Muhammed.

According to Coach Manu Garba, the players are expected to join up with the

Flying Eagles when the team’s training camp reopens on December 27.

He also said he has received assurances for the release of the players by their clubs.

The AYC will kick off on March 8 in Dakar, Senegal.

The eight-team tournament will produce Africa’s four representatives to the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

45 Sport

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 15, 2014

before my 25th birthday the Nigeria Academicals team in 1976 and, after featuring at the NUGA Games in 1976, I was invited to play for the Green Eagles. The national team coaches saw me as a young and enterprising footballer, which made them extend an invitation to me.

At the national team, we had players prominently from Rangers of Enugu and IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan. So, there was that spirit of oneness that kept us together. In fact, we were like from one family and that was why the team played like a unit.

Father Tiko was with us as the national team coach in 1976/77 before the 1980 Nations Cup, which we won under Professor Otto Gloria from Brazil.

So, we had a good team spirit in the Green Eagles camp during our time and I remember vividly that we were camped together at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) facility preparatory to the 1980 Nations Cup. The long term camping enabled us to blend as a team and we had no problem winning our matches. But things have so changed now, because in those days we had what we call a structured football development programme in place.

winning squad of the Green Eagles, can you share with us your experiences with the team?

Before answering your question let me restate that I was in

Despite all you said and the pool of talents in the team, why was it so hard for the Green Eagles, then, qualifying Nigeria for the FIFA World Cup, especially Argentina’78 FIFA World Cup? Frankly, in 1977 the Green Eagles were actually at their best form because that was when fans could sit back and relax while watching any of our matches.

Without much tension, soccer fans could be sure that we would always emerge victorious in our matches before an unfortunate scenario played up during our

qualifiers for Argentina’78 FIFA World Cup. We had played a 0-0 draw against Tunisia in Tunis in the first leg of the final game to Argentina’78 and we just needed a win in the second leg in Nigeria and qualify for the Mundial. So, in the return leg at the National Stadium, Lagos, that dream of featuring at the World Cup for the first time was dashed by a mere mistake.

There are many things people did not know about that game that worked against our success and it will be nice I pin-point them.

The Nigeria Football Association (NFA), unilaterally, hiked the cost of the gate fees, because they wanted to make huge profit, maybe because of the highprofile nature of the match.

Fans became terribly angered following this sudden hike in gate fees and before we knew what was happening they started to troop to our camp at the NIS, expressing their displeasure, since they had no access to the NFA officials.

On the D-day of the match, fans were booing the Green Eagles in order to express their displeasure over the NFA action and this really affected us psychologically.

In fact, prior to the game, our

goalkeeper, Emmanuel Okala, who was, naturally, a shy person became reluctant to come down from the team bus to the dressing room, because the crowd was seriously out to destabilise us with their chants.

Even when we entered the field, the atmosphere was negatively charged against us, because the booing from the fans against the Green Eagles was deafening. Every move we made in the field of play was met with more booing. It was so sad!

However, we played the Tunisians and held them on till the end of the first half.

In the second half we played 80% of the game in the Tunisian territory, but the needed goal for us to qualify for Argentyina’78 refused to come.

Then, came the unfortunate incident. The only opportunity the Tunisians had in the second half gave them a 1-0 win in Lagos.

It was a pullout from the Tunisians from the right flank and Godwin Odiye went with his head to nod the ball away from danger, but he did not know that Okala who was badly positioned was behind him. Within a twinkle of an eye he nodded the ball unknowingly into our goalpost and that was it. The Tunisians won 1-0 in Lagos and qualified for the Mundial at our expense.

From my personal assessment, it was like the outcome was what the fans needed, but I knew that even the fans also regretted their action that fateful day.

As I said earlier, that incident was our best opportunity of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, but we could see that despite the setback the Green Eagles squad went on to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Lagos in 1980.

I still have a copy of the Daily Times cuttings of Pele’s visit with his Santos teammates to Nigeria. He was an exceptional player in world’s football history.”

To be continued

2015 AYC draw holds Dec 21 in Cairo

Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba

The draw for next year’s African Youth Championship (AYC) will be conducted on December 21 at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

Hosts Senegal will be seeded to top Group A of the competition which will kick off on March 8 in Dakar with the final slated for March 22.

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, who have won the U20 continental competi-

tion a record six times, will be one of eight finalists.

They defeated Tanzania and walked over Lesotho to qualify for the tournament proper.

They finished third at the last tournament hosted by Algeria.

Defending champions Egypt will not be at Senegal 2015 after they were eliminated by Congo Brazza-

ville.

Other finalists are Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, South Africa and Zambia.

The semi-finalists of the AYC will represent Africa at the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand from May 30 to June 20.

The draw for the World Cup will be done on February 10, 2015.

Sport 46

Daily Times Nigeria Monday December 15, 2014

Xavi laments over Barca’s slip in La Liga title chase

Dani Alves

Xavi

suffers hamstring injury B R

uled out of Copa del Rey clash with Huesca Dani Alves has been ruled out of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey clash with Huesca on Tuesday with a hamstring injury.

The Brazil international sustained the injury during Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Getafe -

a match that represented Dani Alves’ 200th La Liga appearance for Barca.

Subsequently the full-back underwent treatment yesterday and he will definitely miss the Copa second-leg clash with Huesca at Camp Nou, a tie Barca lead 4-0.

His availability for next weekend’s league encounter

Mancini R

oberto Mancini is hopeful of making additions to his Inter squad in January, but is sure player sales will not fund any purchases.

Mancini has led Inter to just one victory in five attempts in all competitions since his return to San Siro last month - with just one point accrued from a possible nine in Serie A. With Inter languishing in the bottom half of the league, key first-teamers like Mauro Icardi and Fredy Guarin have been linked with a move away from Inter.

However, Mancini is bullish over the pair’s status, insisting

with Cordoba is also uncertain.

“Dani Alves picked up a hamstring strain in Saturday night’s draw against Getafe which will keep him out of Tuesday’s cup game against Huesca,” read a statement on Barca’s official website.

“The Brazilian full back

was given treatment for the injury during training yesterday morning and his availability for next weekend’s game remains in doubt.”

Dani Alves has made 12 Liga appearances for a Barca side that sit four points adrift of leaders Real Madrid in second.

eyes January additions to Inter squad

neither the Argentinian nor Colombian will be used to fund any moves when the window reopens next month.

He told reporters: “New players? When I think about the team, it is normal that we need different players for playing in a different way.

“I am not sure, but I think that the club may sign new players.

“Guarin and Icardi up for sale? I don’t think so, I think that we have just to buy some players that we are currently missing.”

One name regularly linked with a return to inter since Mancini was hired is Italy international Mario Balotelli -

struggling to make an impact since his move to Liverpool.

Mancini gave Balotelli his senior debut when in his first Inter reign, and also took the striker to Manchester City, where the pair won the Premier League - though the 50-yearold once again played down the chances of a reunion at San Siro.

Mancini

arcelona captain Xavi lamented “a step backwards” in the Liga title race after Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Getafe.

Luis Enrique’s side stumbled off Real Madrid’s pace at the top of the league in a frustrating outing at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez - a day after Real had beaten Almeria 4-1.

Lionel Messi saw chances go begging, with goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and the crossbar denying the Argentinian.

And Camp Nou skipper Xavi was left to rue his side’s inability to break through a stubborn Getafe backline, hinting a lack of tactical flexibility may have damaged their efforts.

He said: “This is a step backwards. We tried it all in the kind of game we’re used to facing, but if you can’t break the deadlock things get difficult.

“We had three or four really good chances, especially the Messi free-kick onto the bar, but the ball didn’t want to go in.

“The most important thing is to win, more than the system, and we weren’t able to do that.”

The failure to win leaves Barca four points off Real at the top, but Xavi’s midfield partner Sergio Busquets was keen not to get too carried away with negative thoughts.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday December 15, 2014

Van Gaal hails in-form RVP

M

anchester United manager Louis van Gaal said in-form striker Robin van Persie has repaid his faith.

Van Gaal was critical of Van Persie’s form following United’s 2-1 win over Arsenal at Emirates Stadium last month.

The 31-year-old Netherlands international has responded in the only way he knows how, with goals, scoring four in as many games.

Van Persie bagged a brace in a man-of-the-match perfor-

mance against Southampton last week and Van Gaal paid tribute to the Dutch veteran also following his goal in the 3-0 demolition of Liverpool yesterday.

“I am very happy for him,” said van Gaal. “He didn’t play very well for a short spell, but you have to compare him with other players at that time. He was lucky because Radamel Falcao was injured.

“I had to compare him with Wayne Rooney and James Wilson. With Rooney, I can play a lot of positions.

“Wilson is a young talent and he has to show

Wenger rues Ramsey, Koscielny injuries

Van Persie himself also in the training sessions.”

Van Persie has now scored seven Premier League goals this season, making him United’s leading goalscorer.

“I have always played with two strikers,” Van Gaal ex-

plained. “And only three or four times with one striker.

“Maybe he Robin was lucky, but I have a lot of confidence in him. I have already explained here what I like in a striker.

“Not only the ability to make goals, but to also be an attacking point and to see

Lampard wants to stay at Man City –Pellegrini

PREMIERSHIP TABLE

anuel Pell e g r i n i c l a i m s Frank Lampard wishes to stay at Manchester City beyond the end of his half-season loan from Major League Soccer.

The former England international agreed a switch to New York City - an affiliate club of the Premier League champions - in July, but has been at the Etihad Stadium since with the next MLS campaign not beginning until March next year.

Though expected to remain in England until December, Lampard has shown his top-flight qualities remain with six goals in 14 appearances only Sergio Aguero has more for City this term.

Lampard’s winning goal in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Leicester City was his 175th in the Premier League, drawing him level with Arsenal leg-

M

47 Sport

end Thierry Henry.

While Pellegrini has been clear about his desire to keep the former Chelsea man in Manchester beyond the New Year, the Chilean now believes L a m p a rd wants the same.

“We know exactly what we must do,” Pellegri- Lampard Aguero and Stevan Jovetni said. ic - for the remainder of “Frank wants to stay, the festive period. we want to keep him.

Pellegrini hinted afNow we must resolve the terwards he would delve problem with New York into the transfer market City and the MLS.” in January to ease the Edin Dzeko picked burden on his front men, up a calf injury in the but dismissed any notion warm-up at the King that his lack of options Power Stadium, and Pelup front was a driving legrini revealed after force behind the pursuit the win he expects to be of Lampard’s longerwithout his three senior term signature. strikers - the Bosnian,

the third man to link with when he joins the attack. Van Persie is one of the best strikers at that.”

Team

P

GD

PTS

1. Chelsea

16

23

39

2. Man City

16

19

36

3. Man Utd

16

12

31

4. West Ham

16

8

28

5. Southampton

16

12

26

6. Arsenal

16

9

26

7. Tottenham

16

-2

24

8. Newcastle

16

-4

23

9. Swansea

16

2

22

10. Liverpool

16

-3

21

11. Stoke

16

-3

19

12. Aston Villa

16

-10

19

13. Everton

15

1

18

14. West Brom

16

-5

17

15. Sunderland

16

-10

16

16. Crystal Palace

16

-5

15

17. Burnley

16

-13

15

18. QPR

15

-11

14

19. Hull

16

-8

13

20. Leicester

16

-12

10

PREMIERSHIP RESULTS Burnley 1 – 0 Southampton Chelsea 2 – 0 Hull City Crystal Palace 1 – 1 Stoke Leicester 0 - 1 Man City Sunderland 1 – 1 West Ham West Brom 1 – 0 Aston Villa Arsenal 4 - 1 Newcastle Man United 3 – 0 Liverpool Swansea1 - 2 Tottenham

TODAY’S MATCH Everton v QPR 21:00

Ramsey Arsenal’s injury woes have deepened after Arsene Wenger confirmed Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny are set to miss the Christmas period.

Ramsey and Koscielny sat out Saturday’s 4-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United with respective hamstring and calf complaints.

And it seems the players will struggle to play any part in next weekend’s trip to Liverpool and the festive London derbies against QPR and West Ham. “Ramsey will be out for a few weeks and Koscielny as well,” Wenger said after the Newcastle match. “They will not be back next week.”

Ramsey is alongside fellow midfielders Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Mesut Ozil on the sidelines, while Calum Chambers and Nacho Monreal’s absences alongside Koscielny leaves Wenger similarly depleted defensively.

In light of these problems, the Arsenal boss was pleased the with quality and character on display as his team bounced back from last week’s 3-2 loss at Stoke City in style.

“We can score goals, we’ve shown that again,” he said.

“Defensively, despite the fact we were a bit depleted at the back we were quite solid. In the end we won in a convincing way.

“The response was strong after the Stoke game and let’s go well over Christmas.”

Olivier Giroud scored twice having recently come out the other side of his own lengthy injury absence.

g Sport

g Feature

Why I quit P44 Makoko: P10 This bitch Green Eagles of a life at 25 –Adokie

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2014 www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

VOL. 1. NO.1

The prospect of the two candidates squaring up for another contest four years after is a red flag that is scary...

O

n December 11, 2014, incumbent president Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari officially emerged the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) respectively.

There is a P18 difference between terrorism and insurgency

g Business

Delisted P23 brokers dare NAICOM, continue operations

Price: N150

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https://plus.google.com/+DailytimesNgr/posts

Yinka Odumakin

g Politics

dailytimesng

Election or war?

The first thing to note about this fixture is the inability of the Nigerian political space to throw up any surprises. The 2011 contest was mainly between the duo with the then Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) which has now fused into the APC, as a fringe contestant.

At the close of polls in 2011, President Jonathan garnered 18 million votes with the required spread across the country while Gen. Buhari had 12 million votes most of which were from the 12 states which introduced the sharia legal system during the Olusegun Obasanjo civilian administration.

The map of that result was frightening enough for any discerning observer of the future of Nigeria as it signposted all our fault lines.

It was also significant that the outcome led to widespread and extremely violent protests in the strongholds of General Buhari with attendant loss of lives and property.

The prospect of the two candidates squaring up for another contest four years after is a red flag that is scary for the continued corporate existence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In the two candidates are rolled all what pundits have predicted may make the continuity of Nigeria as is a mirage beyond 2015.

President Jonathan is of Ijaw extraction where the country garners the bulk of its revenue and his region having a shot at the presidency of Nigeria for

the first time. The spokespersons of the region have made clear statements that the increased spate of insurgency in the North East and spiraling to the North West is a calculated attempt by the “we want our power back” group to flush the “virus” that

entered the “power” computer with a vow to resist any attempt to stampede him out of office.

General Buhari is of the Fulani stock that has not hidden its desire to take control of the presidency in 2015.The speed at which Atiku Abubakar conceded

defeat to Buhari after the APC primaries is a clear testimony of this resolve of unanimity of purpose.

And in less than 24 hours the Arewa Consultative Forum and the Northern Elders Forum claimed Buhari victory for the North.

In another fiesta, Jona-

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. www.dailytimes.com.ng email: www.dailytimes.com.ng. Tel: 018447948. EDITOR: YINKA OLUJIMI

than is a southern Christian while Buhari is a northern Muslim largely perceived as a fundamentalist though he has always explained that the pure Islam he practices is not one that borders on extremism.

When you take all the above together with the state of siege that the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram have created in the last few years, with its attendant culture of fear and suspicion, it’s almost certain that the 2015 elections would be fought along the fault lines of region and religion.

It is a sad reality we have to face that our failure to address the issues of nationhood over the years would make issuebased campaigns secondary in the February war which we pretentiously call elections.

If we had a political class that has a sense of mission and cares about the future of this country, what we should be doing at the moment is to implement the reports of the just-concluded National Conference so as to lower tension before holding elections.

It does not appear that that would happen as our politicians have put power-grabbing far above the fate of the polity.

Ironically, we are going to hold the elections on Valentine’s Day, which is supposed to be about celebration of love but parading all our hate features?

Will Nigeria survive this impending war? Lets keep our fingers crossed!