Leadership

No. 442

N300

27.07.14

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

nigeria's most influential newspaper

Glasgow 2014: FG Pledges $7,000 To Gold Medalist

Eid-el-Fitr: Jonathan, Mark, Tambuwal, Others Seek Peaceful Co-existence

Fear Grips Lagos Residents Over Ebola Virus

Sports, PAGE 70

NEWS, PAGE 4

News, PAGEs 5

MILITARY RAISES THE ALARM OVER SALLAH

Boko Haram Plots Multiple Bombings Vehicular movement in Maiduguri banned for 3 days IGP orders security beef up nationwide

5

Soldiers, Shi’ite Clash: Death Toll Rises To 35 I lost 3 of my sons in a day – El-Zakzaky

Midat Joseph, Isaiah Benjamin and Aliyu Yusuf, Zaria

The leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria known as the Shi’ites sect, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zazzakey, yesterday gave a graphic account of how soldiers allegedly executed some members of the movement after arresting them alive.

He put the number of those killed during the Friday clash between members of the Shi’ite sect ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

L-R: Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria Archbishop Augustine Kasujja, Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Matthew Hassan Kukah, during the visit of Nuncio to the Sultan in Sokoto, yesterday. photo by nan

Sultan Confirms Sighting Of New Moon, Declares Today Sallah Page 6 >

Parents Anything Chibok DAY Tell New – Chibok Diary 104 Community Presidency Didn't

> Page 2

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

chibok diary 104 DAY

CHIBOK QUOTES Selected #bringbackourgirls quotes The inability of President Goodluck Jonathan to visit Chibok shows the insensitivity of the Federal Government, to the plight of the relatives of the abducted girls – Oby Ezekwesili Anytime I remember her and what she could be passing through, I really can’t express how I feel. She is not an ordinary child; I carried her in my womb for 10 months before giving birth to her. I took good care of her because her father is an orphan – Esther Yakubu, Chibok Parent Chai! Chai! There is God o… there’s God in everything we are doing, continue! – Dame Patience Jonathan My heart aches for the missing children and their families. I am a parent myself, and I know how awfully this must hurt. Nothing is more important than finding and rescuing our girls – President Jonathan If they knew where they were, I certainly would send in U.S. troops to rescue them, in a minute I would, without permission of the host country. I wouldn’t be waiting for some kind of permission from some guy named Goodluck Jonathan – US Senator, John McCain Release your sisters.

Release my sisters and release the daughters of this nation. Let them be free – Malala Yousafzai COMPILED BY MICHAEL OCHE

Schoolgirls: Presidency Didn't Tell Parents Anything New – Chibok Community

BY KAREEM HARUNA, Maiduguri

Members of Chibok community from where the over 200 schoolgirls were abducted on April 14 have lamented that even though it took the presidency over 99 days, after the abduction, to meet with the parents of the girls, there was no cheering news for the parents at the meeting.

“We all waited patiently for the parents to come and tell us something new concerning the girls but the poor parents rather returned home more confused”, said one Malam Musa, a native of Chibok who resides in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

Musa said all that they expected to hear from the returned parents was how soon the rescue effort will be and not what the government would do to them if they eventually got rescued.

He argued that similar assurance was made to them by Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima, when he met with some 25 escaped girls as well as some of their parents in early June this year at the government house, Maiduguri all to no avail.

“Our concern is the rescue of the girls whom we fear that their continued stay in the captivity of the terrorists may cause them a lot of physical and psychological harm, and not what the government would do if they eventually got rescued.

“I think there was nothing new which Mr President told the parents and some of the girls at Aso Rock because all those promises made to them had been made about two months ago by Borno state governor who said about N150 million had been set aside by the state government as part of what was to be spent

PDP Female Youths Vow To Visit Chibok

BY CHIBUZO UKAIBE, Abuja

Undeterred by the seeming reluctance of President Goodluck Jonathan to visit Chibok, youths of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the aegis of PDP Female Youths yesterday vowed to visit Chibok, Borno State, particularly, the school girls that escaped from the Boko Haram enclave as part of their empowerment campaign for young females across the country.

The National Coordinator of PDP female youths, Nike Madaki Ali, who also condemned the activities of insurgents in the country, especially the recent blasts in Kaduna and Kano, also called on the political class to close ranks and find a lasting solution to the insecurity crisis in the country.

Speaking at the flag off of the nation-wide awareness and empowerment programme for females youths in Abuja, Madaki-Ali, said, "We will be going to Maiduguri. We will visit the parents of the Chibok girls and also the schools to see students.

We will encourage the students there and see how we can meet their needs.

"We will go with good gifts, encourage them and pray with them. We will speak to the youths as well, assure them we are right behind them and show them love" Decrying the security crisis in the country, Madaki Ali said the essence of the campaign is to speak with one voice against violence in the country as well as rally federal government's support towards tackling the problem.

Members of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group during one of their village meetings in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

on the girls while the rest would be expended on those in captivity should they eventually get rescued”.

“I think the real issue is not what would be done to assist them, but what is being done to free them which is more important because the longer

these young girls stay in captivity, the dangerous it might turn out to be should they eventually return home.

If it is what would be done after the rescue, it is not a cheering news as far as we are concerned”, Musa said.

our stand T

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

DSS: Combating Falsehood With Truth

he Department of State Services (DSS or SSS) recently defused a time-bomb planted by politicians. A rumour that originated from Imo State had it that the state government had asked all northerners living in the state to be registered. Apparently reacting to the hoax, the “Arewa Youth Development Foundation” ordered that all non-northerners living in the north should be registered or leave the north.

Thanks to the DSS, the truth of the matter was promptly unraveled. DSS spokesperson Marilyn Ogar came out to announce that no citizen of Nigeria should be considered a foreigner in any part of Nigeria. Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano had called Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State who confirmed that no such directive existed. Buoyed by the SSS statement, Kwankwaso confronted the “Arewa Youth Development Foundation” with the facts. Calm has since been restored.

There is no doubt that the wicked rumour was orchestrated by those who have been plotting to dismember Nigeria. Disinformation is an instrument of war. But the SSS has done well by attacking the falsehood with the truth.

Every good Nigerian should now

be vigilant and work in the SSS’ footsteps. We all should be involved in this anti-terror war by disregarding rumours.

That several terror suspects have been arrested in recent times is also evidence of the SSS’ hard work. Who knew that a key suspect in the bombing of Nyanya in the FCT on April 14 would be arrested in faraway Sudan and brought home to face justice? Similarly, the dream of capturing the masterminds of the bombings that devastated Kaduna city last Wednesday will soon be realised with the arrest of a young man who dressed like a woman near the scene of the catastrophe.

Our men and women in the security services therefore deserve acclaim for their sustained

Ag. Editor Auwal Sa’id Mu’azu Deputy Editors Kazeem Akintunde Editorial Board Safiya M. Adamu, Chairman Christian Ochiama, Deputy Chairman Standards Aniebo Nwamu, Director ’Lara Olugbemi, Assistant Director

attacks on terror. The DSS in particular has done very well with intelligence gathering. By keeping tabs on the operations of the terrorists, the operatives have promised to pursue the villains to the last gates of hell.

Without kingpins like Abubakar Shekau knowing it, the operatives have penetrated the highest commands of the terror group in Sambisa forest and in foreign countries. One last push will hook terrorists like Shekau and throw them into the waiting hands of the law.

Government would do well to meet the needs of these gallant operatives working for our country. The tools with which they work – financial or material – must be made available at all times. Besides, the families of fallen heroes should always be compensated adequately.

Ordinary people are advised to start viewing members of the security agencies and the armed forces as true friends that can be trusted. Boko Haram is the enemy. A devilish organisation that always seeks to kill and destroy innocent people cannot be a friend.

We join all good Nigerians in wishing our operatives well in this struggle with evil people.

The nation’s gratitude is for them all.

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah Chairman Hajiya Ireti Kingibe Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser Abdulhaleem Amin Divisional Directors Abdulmumin Balogun Ademola Oladosu Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Zipporah D. Tanko Joy Adekanye

Leadership Holdings

Managing Director Abraham Nda-Isaiah Executive Director Nnamdi Samuel New York Office Mohammed Bello Shehu London Office Dr Bello Salihu Johannesburg Office Abiodun Oguntuase Business Manager Bilkisu Mohammed Rimi

LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital.

We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed.

We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being: For God and country!

4 NEWS

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Boko Haram Clashes With Cameroon Soldiers In Cross – border Attacks By micheal oche, With Agency Report

APGA National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh (left) and other members of the party after the Court of Appeal in Enugu ruled on Anambra governorship election yesterday.

PHOTO BY NAN

Eid-el-Fitri: Jonathan, Mark, Tambuwal, Others Seek Peaceful Co-existence

By George Agba, Abuja, Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, ALO ABIOLA, ADO-EKITI, MIDAT JOSEPH, Kaduna

President Goodluck Jonathan, President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and several governors and others have advised Nigerian on peaceful coexistence in the spirit of the Eid-el Fitri celebration.

They urged Nigerians to remain strong and resolute despite the atrocities being perpetrated by Boko Haram sect in their bid to disrupt the holy month of Ramadan

by Muslims across the country.

The Sallah message made available by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Rueben Abati reads in part: “I assure all Nigerians, once again, that we are totally committed to winning that war, putting the scourge of terrorism and insecurity rapidly behind us and giving the fullest possible attention to the urgent task of improving the living conditions of our people in all parts of the country.

“We cannot and will not be deterred from our goal of positively transforming our nation into a strong, united, progressive, stable, secure and prosperous nation in which all citizens will live in peace in spite of our immense diversities”.

Mark Urges Collective Action Against Terrorism

Senator Mark in a goodwill message in Abuja congratulated Muslim for the successful completion of the fasting programme which he said the nation desires most at this trying times.

In a press statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary Paul Mumeh, he lamented the unabating security challenges the country is facing at the moment and called for collective action of all citizens against the terrorists with a view to ending the menace.

Tambuwal Urges Spiritual Renewal Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has urged Muslims in the country to use the period of the Eidel-Fitr to reflect on their spiritual lives as individuals and how they can contribute more meaningfully towards the unity, stability and progress of Nigeria.

He equally urged Nigerians to be conscious of their health by strictly adhering to instructions issued by health professional, saying the outbreak of Ebola virus in neighbouring countries is a source for concern in the country.

In a Sallah message issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said all Nigerians should be more dedicated to the Nigerian project, adding that with unity of purpose, building a virile and strong

nation is achievable.

Pray For Nigeria’s Unity – Atiku Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has appealed to Muslims in Nigeria to pray for the end of the spectre of insecurity currently haunting the country.

In an Eid-el-Fitri message marking the end of the 30 day long Ramadan fasting period, the former vice president regretted that terrorists have shed so much blood in the name of religion and, therefore, urged all Muslims to pray to God to defeat and destroy those evil doers masquerading as religious zealots Fayemi Urges Reflection On Lessons Of Ramadan Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has congratulated the Muslim faithful in the country and all over the world for witnessing another Eid-elFitri.

Governor Fayemi said the 30-day spiritual exercise has drawn the faithful closer to Allah urging them to keep on practising the lessons learnt from the holy month in their relationship with their maker and fellow human beings.

Yero Urges Brotherly Coexistence In his Sallah message, Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State felicitates with all Muslim faithful as they celebrate

Eid-el-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan.

In a statement signed by his Director General on Media and Publicity, Mallam Ahmed Maiyaki, Gov Yero said, ‘I wish to also call on Muslims to uphold the spirit of brotherhood of mankind as enjoined by Allah in the glorious Qur’an through promoting peace, unity and progress in the entire globe. Islam is indeed, a religion of peace and the true essence of faith is to unite the entire mankind in love and harmony’ JNI Greets Muslims At Sallah The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) salutes the the Muslims community in Nigeria over the success of the Ramadan.

JNI in a statement by its secretary, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu however, reminded Nigerian Muslims on the need to deeply reflect on the good virtues of the month of Ramadan and keep to its teachings all through.

“More importantly, Muslims are also reminded of Zakatul-Fitr (Ordained Alms giving at the end of Ramadan fast, out of the common food eaten within Muslim Communities) which preferably should be given out to the needy two days before the Eidel-Fitr day or before the commencement of the Eid prayer. This, if done, will assist the down trodden, to celebrate the Sallah with the Muslim Ummah.

Boko Haram sect has carried out two cross-border attacks into Cameroon since Friday, killing at least four soldiers and prompting the Cameroonian army to send reinforcements to the area, on Saturday, Reuters reports.

Under pressure from neighbouring Nigeria to do more to counter Islamist insurgents, Cameroon has deployed over 1,000 soldiers along its remote jungle border.

Nigeria believes Boko Haram wants to use Cameroon as a rear base as it strives to carve out an Islamic state. The group has killed thousands in its five-year insurgency and has recently bombed targets that were previously considered comparatively safe, such as Nigeria’s commercial hub Lagos and capital Abuja.

Cameroonian regional military commander Colonel Felix Nji Formekong confirmed to Reuters by telephone that four soldiers had been killed in clashes with Boko Haram fighters at the village of Bargaram, without giving further detail.

A soldier based in the area who requested anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media said another 13 of his comrades were missing after the attack, which took place late at night.

He said that Boko Haram had attacked again in the night from Friday to Saturday but that the Cameroonian army had succeeded in pushing them back.

“We are currently in a real battle front and more of our soldiers have been sent in from Maroua to assist us,” he added, referring to the regional headquarters.

The attack at Bargaram came barely two weeks after Boko Haram attacked the same locality, kidnapping a 20-year old civilian.

Meanwhile, some 22 suspected Boko Haram militants who were held in Maroua since March, were on Friday sentenced to prison sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years.

According to the regional state radio station CRTV in Maroua, they were found guilty of illegal possession of firearms and plotting a regional insurrection.

Paul Biya

NEWS 5

Sunday, July 27, 2014

LIVING TO BE 100

One health tip daily Native American Power Herb The herb known by the Latin name ligusticum has many varieties around the world: Native Americans call it osha; the Chinese species is named chuan xiong. It has long been a key herb in the longevity tradition of China, prized for its powers to boost the immune system, activate blood circulation, and relieve pain. Studies confirm ligusticum’s efficacy in preventing stroke and restoring blood flow to the brain and heart, and the herb has been found to inhibit tumor growth in animals.

Used along with other immune-support herbs during chemotherapy or to treat anemia, ligusticum is often taken in a supplement blend for synergistic effects.

Fear Grips Lagos Residents Over Ebola Officials screen victim’s contacts and hospital

By Chima Akwaja and Aronke Olayiwola, Lagos

Residents of Ikoyi Road in Obalende, Lagos Island, where the private medical facility that reported the first Ebola virus case in Nigeria is located, are now in the grip of fear, even as the Lagos State government said yesterday that it had buried the Liberian citizen who was the first victim of the communicable disease.

The man identified as Mr Patrick Sawyer, a WASH consultant at the Liberian Ministry of Finance, came aboard a flight from Monrovia via Lome on Sunday, July 20, 2014, about 4pm into Lagos State en route to Calabar, Cross River State, for a workshop with his colleagues. He was first taken to a private hospital (name withheld) at Obalende, Lagos, before being taken to a government hospital for further quarantine.

Unhappy residents refused to reply to enquiries about the road where the hospital is located. Passers-by refused to communicate or even touch each other while on the road near the hospital. Isolated by residents and passersby alike, the hospital has been placed under lock as no sign of life was sighted either by patients or staff alike for fear of contacting the Ebola virus. The Lagos State government has directed its health personnel to seal off the medical facility for it to be properly disinfected.

At the popular Obalende

bus-stop, commuters and commercial vehicle operators who spoke to LEADERSHIP Sunday expressed fear of the disease spreading, calling on the governor, Babatunde Fashola, to do all within his means to ensure that the disease is contained.

Mr Adeola Olajobi, a taxi operator, said the news of the Ebola virus shocked taxi operators who ply many routes including airports.

A commuter, Miss Adenike Coker, said it was gladdening that no other reported case of the disease had been announced. “It is now left for the government to ensure proper quarantining of all those that came in contact with the victim to contain it,” she said.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians have taken to the social media to enlighten their fellow citizens about Ebola virus and educate them on healthy tips to take to avoid contact with the disease. …Lagos screens victim’s contacts and hospital Meanwhile, the Lagos State government has said that the government is dealing with the hospital and working towards screening everyone that the virus victim got in contact with.

The state’s commissioner for health, Dr Jide Idris, who announced his passage at a news conference in Ikeja said the victim died on Thursday night at a private hospital.

According to the commissioner, his remains have been properly buried and the site properly ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Boko Haram Plots Multiple Bombings

By Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri, CHIKA OTUCHIKERE, Abuja, ISAIAH BENJAMIN Kaduna, Kareem Haruna (in Bauchi), MOHAMMED ISMAIL, Yola, DONATUS NADI, Lafia

Ahead of the Sallah celebration in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the military authorities at the 7 Division of the Nigeria Army yesterday banned all vehicular movements within the capital city from Monday to Wednesday.

A statement signed by Col. Muhammed Dole, the divisional spokesman, says the 72-hour ban on the use of cars came following a tip-off that Boko Haram gunmen have perfected plans to detonate bombs in various places of Eid prayer within the Maiduguri metropolis.

The statement reads: “A report at the disposal of the security agencies reveals that the terrorists have perfected plans

to launch multiple bomb explosions in Maiduguri metropolis.

Their main targets include Sallah praying ground markets and other public places by using vehicles such as Volkswagen Golf, Pick-up vans, Keke NAPEP, motorcycles and bicycles.

“In view of this, all vehicular movement within the Maiduguri city is banned from Monday, 28th – Wednesday, 30th July, 2014.

Members of the general public are advised to perform their Eidil Fitri prayer at prayer grounds nearest to their residences. While necessary security measures are being put in place, people are requested to comply fully with this ban as defaulters will be severely sanctioned.

“Members of the public are also requested to report any suspicious movement of persons or vehicles to the nearest security agencies.”

The ban would however take ef-

Gusau

fect from today if the Islamic authorities for moon-sighting announced that the new moon was sighted on Saturday, Col. Dole explained to LEADERSHIP Sunday on phone. ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Soldiers, Shi’ite Clash: Death Toll Rises To 35 ➔ FROM FRONT PAGE

and the military in Zaria at 35.

Leader of the sect El-Zazzakey yesterday addressed a press conference at his Zaria residence.

He said soldiers opened fire on innocent citizens carrying out their peaceful procession, killing 35 of “our members”.

The clash which took place on Friday started about 4:30pm when members of the Shiite were on a peaceful procession towards Hussaniyya situated on the Sokoto-Zaria Road, GRA, Zaria, to mark Qudus Day .

According to the sect leader, the movement had a total of 16 corpses in their custody while nine corpses were taken to the teaching hospital in the night, apart from his three children on Friday night.

According to him, the soldiers also killed three other members of the sect yesterday morning as they were passing by in front of Hussainiya (the headquarters of the movement.

He said: “One of my sons, Mahmud, a student of Almustapha University, Beirut, was shot at the abdomen and he started bleeding. We tried to rush him to the hospital but the soldiers blocked everywhere along the way. He bled to death.

“The soldiers also arrested some people including three of my sons; they were taken alive and they later killed two of them.

“They include Ahmad, a Chemical Engineering student at Shenyang University, China; Hamid, an aeronautical engineer at Xian University, China; while Ali is still alive but wound-

ed on the leg.”

The cleric said it was the police that assisted them to locate the whereabouts of the people, and they understood that the people were taken to Basawa Military Barrack in Zaria.

“When we demanded the release of our people, the army refused, saying that they would take them to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) for medication, not knowing that the two were killed.

“I want to assure you that these two children were murdered in cold blood because they were taken alive.”

The Army Headquarters had earlier issued a press statement through Maj-Gen. Olukolade saying a “convoy of soldiers who were held up in traffic created by the procession was attacked by the sect members”.

“The commanding officer, 11 Field Engineer Regiment, Basawa, Zaria, was on his way when the incident happened,” he said.

Olukolade assured that the incident was being investigated.

An eyewitness said there was shooting between soldiers and the Shiites from late Friday till the early hours of yesterday, resulting in the arrest and killing of the Islamist sect members by the soldiers.

At the time of filing this report, there was pandemonium and commotion around the PZ, Sabon Garin area of Zaria, just as more soldiers were said to have been drafted to the area to contain the situation till the early hours of yesterday.

Meanwhile, the leader of the

Minimah

Badeh

sect, Sheik El-zakzaky, has appealed to his followers to be patient and remain calm, adding that “after the burial of those killed, we will decide what action to take. I have communicated with the necessary authorities, and they are all claiming not to be aware of the operation. It is my belief that the operation was ordered from Abuja”.

6 NEWS

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Sultan Confirms Sighting Of New Moon, Declares Today Sallah

BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III yesterday confirmed the sighting of new moon of Shawwal in some parts of the northern states.

The Sultan, who admonished all Muslim faithful across the country to observe today as the first day of Shawwal, also said

yesterday marked the end of Ramadan.

The new moon was sighted in nine states of the north.

Briefing journalists in his palace yesterday, the Sultan said, “In line with laid down Islamic rules and regulations, I have the pleasure to inform you that the new moon of Shawwal has been sighted today, Saturday, the 29th Day of Ramadan 1435, after hijira of the Holy Prophet Muham-

mad (SAW), which is equivalent to July 26, 2014.

“Reliable reports of moon sighting were received from Muslim leaders across the country, which includes, His Royal Highnesses, the Shehu of Borno, Lamido of Adamawa, the Emirs of Katsina, Daura, Zazzau, Hadejia, Minna, Kontagora, Talata Mafara, Tsafe, Bogundu, Muri, Gusua, Anka and some parts of Sokoto State.

Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III

Boko Haram Plots Multiple Bombings ➔ FROM PAGE 5

Similar restrictions placed last year led to the arrest of suspected suicide bombers during the Eid-el Fitri celebration.

IGP orders security beef up nationwide Ahead of this year’s Sallah celebrations, the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar has placed police operatives in all commands and formations across the country on red alert.

Force spokesman, ACP Frank Mba, made this known yesterday in a statement in which the IGP directed the command commissioners of police to personally supervise the special security deployment and ensure a 24-hour surveillance of their respective areas of operations.

According to Mba, the IGP stressed that maximum attention should be paid to critical public places and other points prone to enemy attack and ordered the command commissioners to retool their security infrastructures in line with their local security realities.

“As part of efforts to ensure hitch-free Sallah celebrations, the

Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar has ordered effective and extensive deployment of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force and other special operatives, as well as all necessary logistics to all nooks and crannies of the country.

“The IGP, in a directive issued to all commands and formations of the Force, directs command commissioners of police and other field commanders across the country to ensure that no stone is left unturned in making sure that adequate security is provided in their various areas of jurisdiction.

“Stressing that maximum attention should be paid to critical public places and other points prone to enemy attack, the IGP orders the command commissioners of police to retool their security infrastructures in line with their local security realities.

“The IGP further directs the command commissioners of police to personally supervise the special security deployment and ensure a 24-hour surveillance of their respective areas of operations,” Mba said. ...We Will Not Take Chances – Kaduna Police

Meanwhile, sequel to the twin bomb blasts that rocked the city of Kaduna on Wednesday, Kaduna State Police Command says it will not take any chances at ensuring that adequate security is provided at all prayer grounds during the Eid-el-Fitr (Sallah) celebration, such that will guarantee a hitchfree celebration in the state.

The Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Aminu Lawan, who disclosed this to LEADERSHIP Sunday yesterday, added that following the security challenges in the state, and the country at large, the police is providing a very tight security and re-strategising to ensure that all prayer grounds are properly manned by security operatives.

According to the police spokesperson, “We are re-strategising our security apparatus to ensure that all the prayer grounds are properly covered, all the major entry routes to the state will be properly manned by our men.

“We have also deployed undercover operatives to key areas where people will be gathering; the ban on the use of fireworks or knockouts is still very much in place, and anybody found wanting will be severely dealt with. We

are sounding a note of warning to parents to call their children to order,” he stressed. ...Police reads riot act to miscreants in Bauchi The Bauchi State Police Command said yesterday that it was battle ready to contain any form of civil disturbance that might crop up during today’s Eid-el Fitr celebrations, even as it promised to deploy the full wrath of the law on would-be-culprits.

The state’s police spokesman, Haruna Mohammed (DSP), who disclosed this in a signed statement made available to newsmen in Bauchi, said despite the prevailing security challenges in the northeast, the state cannot be haven for mischief making.

Haruna noted that proactive measures had been taken to forestall any kind of threat to the people’s lives during the festive mood.

According to the spokesman, the command had dispatch its intelligence personnel to places identified as hotspots for violence and related mischiefs, even as he assured that would-be culprits are going to be punished with the full wrath of the law.

INEC Sacks 30 Officials Over Election-Related Offences

by Chibuzor ukaibe, Abuja, with agency report

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sacked 30 of its officials accused of aiding electoral malpractices across the country during the 2011 general election, Premium Times reports.

According to the online medium, 16 of the dismissed officials were punished for their alleged involvement in election-related offences in Anambra State in which elections are usually tainted by alleged rigging and thuggery.

Other states, whose elections led to the dismissal of INEC officials, are Imo (3), Edo (1), Zamfara (1), FCT (1), Delta (1), Oyo (2), Rivers (1), Lagos (1), and Osun (2).

Premium Times further reported that an official at the INEC

Headquarters in Abuja was also shown the door for allegedly colluding with politicians to perpetrate electoral fraud.

The electoral body is also prosecuting nine out of its 12 officials apprehended for committing various forms of electoral offences during the governorship elections in six states.

Two out of the 12 electoral offenders have been discharged and acquitted while one was convicted.

According to a letter to a civil society group, Say No Campaign, in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, INEC said those dismissed or whose appointments were terminated committed offences such as refusal to carry out lawful duties and misleading the Commission, misconduct, disappearance with money meant for payment of al-

lowances of ad-hoc staff, withholding ballot papers, manipulation of election results and possession of DDC machines.

Others offences listed are allegation of illegal entries in the register of voters and attempt to make use of left-over money.

The letter, dated July 14 and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Augusta Ogakwu, was in response to a request by the civil group on June 9 in accordance with the FOI Act, for the list of the electoral offenders.

The group, Say No Campaign is a coalition of civil society organisations committed to fighting corruption, impunity, poverty, violence and other governance challenges in the country.

According to the document, made exclusively available to the online medium, the 16 officials axed in connection with

the Anambra election committed the same offence: “Allegation of wrong entries in the register of voters.”

All 16 officials , who were either electoral officers or those drawn from ICT and Audit Units of the election body for election duty, had their appointments terminated by INEC The remaining 14 staff were either compulsorily retired or dismissed in 2011.

The most senior officer among them who hails from in Imo State was on Grade Level 16. He was retired for “refusal to carry out lawful directives and misleading the Commission.”

Another officer dismissed while on Grade Level 15 is from Edo State. He was found guilty of wrongful recruitment and deployment of a collation officer whose name was given as Dr. Paul.

Fear Grips Lagos Residents Over Ebola Virus ➔ FROM PAGE 5

sanitised to prevent any possible spread of the virus.

The commissioner said the government had also obtained the passengers` manifest from the airline the victim travelled with as part of investigation of the case.

Idris said the state government “is dealing with the hospital. We are also dealing with those he got in contact with.

We have the manifest for questioning to ensure we screen them. We are doing that already.”

He said the state government had initiated a discussion with the authorities in charge of the borders to avert cross-border transmission.

The commissioner said, “We are discussing with the authorities in charge of the borders, discussing with the ports.

“We need to get contact from Liberia. But we have to sanitise the body and deal with the hospital.

“Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has stepped in to volunteer. The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has stepped in too.

“We have set up contact screening centre and we have the Federal Ministry of Health assisting us with laboratory.

“All stakeholders are involved. We are confident that the step will stop further propagation of the disease. We plead that you do not spread scary message so as not to spread panic.”

He assured that the state government had put structures in place “to ensure that it does not spread beyond what it is presently”, urging the residents of the state to wash their hands when necessary.

The commissioner said: “If you know anybody who has travelled to Liberia where the virus is established, report to us on time. We have set up treatment centres for probable symptoms.

“Port people are working on manifest. Some of the travellers are still in Calabar. We are going to get their list and get their contact numbers for possible symptoms.

“They will be quarantined. We have not got the results of the patient from Dakar, but, from out test, the patient tested positive for Ebola.

“We are waiting for result of definitive test from Dakar. The hospital in Obalende did the right thing. If not, it would have been worse.”

Already, the Ebola virus has, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, claimed about 660 lives in three West African countries -- Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

PRESS RELEASE BY THE ADAMAWA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY IN RESPECT OF THE ERRONEOUS COMMENTS ON THE IMPEACHMENT OF THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF ADAMAWA STATE AND THE RESIGNATION OF THE FORMER DEPUTY GOVERNOR, AND A RESPONSE TO LETTER OF MR. FESTUS KEYAMO’S LETTER TO PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN ON THE SAME MATTER

T

he attention of the Adamawa State House of Assembly has been drawn to the erroneous comments by some people on the recent impeachment of the former Governor of the Adamawa State, Murtala H. Nyako and the resignation of the Deputy Governor, Barr.

Bala James Ngillari.

In particular, the comment made by the Chairperson of All Progressive Congress, APC, Hon. Binta Masi Garba that the Adamawa State Lawmakers demanded from the former Governor N1B for Constituency projects which the former Governor insisted on N500m out which N350m was disbursed to the Lawmakers, is not only false but mischievous. As a matter of fact, the Constituency projects being embarked upon by Legislators either at the State or National levels are prioritized projects that are implemented by the Executive arm as Budgeted with inputs of locations mostly from the Lawmakers. It is worthy of note that such money is not paid directly to the Lawmakers but the relevant Ministries that handle the projects as budgeted.

In the case of Adamawa State Lawmakers, the former Governor had not released any money to the Lawmakers for Constituency projects since the inauguration of the 5th Assembly, in May 2011. Therefore, the House is not aware of the disbursement of N350m as alleged by the Chairperson of APC. Besides, it is on record that the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the former Governor were clear and unambiguous as proved by the 7-Man Panel that investigated the allegations. The demand by the Lawmakers for N1b was not part of the allegations therefore one wonders what mischief APC is up to by feeding the Public with different charges against the former Governor.

Similarly, the House wishes to disabuse the minds of the general Public about an open letter purportedly written by one Barr. Festus Keyamo to the President and the Commander in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. In the said open letter, Barr. Keyamo called on the President to reinstate the former Deputy Governor of Adamawa State Barr. Bala James Ngillari as the substantive Governor of Adamawa State claiming that his resignation from office did not follow due process by addressing the said letter to the Speaker rather than the former Governor shortly before He was impeached.

The House views this open letter as a product of a half baked information deliberately targeted at misleading the Public. For the avoidance of doubt, the former Deputy Governor Barr. Bala James Ngillari properly resigned his appointment when it became apparent that the report of the 7-Man Panel had indicted him on all counts of the allegations of gross misconduct and that the House was set to remove him from office in line with Section 188 (1-9) of the Constitutions.

The former Deputy Governor wrote resignation letters, one to the Governor of Adamawa State and the other to the Speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly. The Honourable Speaker read the letter sent to the House and it was adopted on the floor while the former Governor having acknowledged the resignation of his Deputy forwarded to the House of Assembly nominated Hon. Adamu Kamale (Member representing Michika in the State Assembly) as a replacement for Barr. Bala James Ngillari who resigned before the impeachment of the former Governor.

the impeachment saga. It cannot therefore be said that he was not aware of the implications of addressing his letter to the Hon. Speaker, Adamawa State House of Assembly. The crucial question therefore in this matter is not whether the former Deputy Governor addressed his letter to the Honourable Speaker, Adamawa State House of Assembly but whether the former Deputy Governor intended to resign his position and signified this intention to the Hon. House before it considered the Report of Panel which was raised to investigate allegation of gross misconduct against him.

From the aforementioned, the question of whether the former Deputy Governor should have addressed his resignation letter to the former Governor or the Speaker of the House of Assembly is immaterial as both of them received the letter of resignation from the Deputy Governor which prompted his replacement by the former Governor.

Assuming without conceding that the position of Mr. Keyamo is tenable, can it be said that the former Deputy Governor deliberately submitted his resignation to the House, in order to deceive the Hon. House and the people of Adamawa State? If that is the case, the law is trite that he cannot be allowed to benefit from his wrong. It is abundantly clear and not in any dispute that the former Deputy Governor has signed a resignation letter and the said letter was transmitted to the Hon. Speaker as well as the Governor. Can he now turn back to claim benefits of a wrong doing, of which he is the architect? Mr. Keyamo did not proffer an answer to the question and as such his letter is devoid of any substance and the President is therefore called upon to discountenance same.

It is obvious from the contents of Mr. Keyamo’s letter to the President and Commander InChief that he was not very conversant with the facts of the issue at hand otherwise he would not have concluded that the resignation of the former Deputy Governor was both illegal and unconstitutional. With due respect to him, he had missed the point having narrowed down his argument to the provision of Section 306 (1)(5) of the Constitution alone. The interpretation given to the aforesaid provision does not fulfill the object and the true intendment of the Constitution itself. The Constitution must always be constructed in such a way as to protect what it sets out to protect and guide what it means to guide.

Mr. Keyamo considered the narrow expression of Section 306 (1)-(5) of the Constitution without considering the facts and circumstance of the matter. It is trite that in interpreting the provision of the Constitution, justice demands that a broad interpretation be given to take cognizance of the facts and circumstance of the matter beyond the provision itself. This is to forestall making nonsense of the intendment of the Constitution or its Makers.

Although, Mr. Keyamo is entitled to his opinion, to conclude that the said resignation was illegal and unconstitutional without same having been declared so by a Court of competent jurisdiction is an infraction of our judicial process, and unbecoming of a Legal practitioner as Keyamo.

The former Deputy Governor (Bala James Ngillari) himself is a reputable Legal Practitioner of long standing at the Bar, cannot therefore be assumed to have made a mistake in addressing his resignation letter to the Hon. Speaker. He must have done that knowing the full implications and with a view to securing a soft landing in

The learned gentleman also advocated for the swearing-in of the former Deputy Governor as the substantive Governor citing unnecessary waste of public fund as his raison d’etre. We make bold to State that since the provision of the Constitution is clear on that aspect of the law, he cannot challenge its wisdom or consequences at this stage. The reason therefore is unfounded in law. On the contrary, the learned gentleman will do well to consider a scenario where the truncated impeachment process against the former Deputy Governor is revived as a result of the volte-face of the dramatis personae all within the context of 3 months Acting capacity and a General Election in about 6 months.

Rather than making pronouncements which are capable of creating political confusion and tension, the learned gentleman should advert his mind towards encouraging the sustenance of political harmony in Adamawa State.

Finally, Mr. President, is called upon not to be distracted in his quest to ensure good governance, Peace and security of the entire Country by a frivolous and vexatious letter of this nature.

Adamawa State House of Assembly is fully aware of the importance of due process while carryout its responsibility and as such cannot engage in anything that is unlawful or unconstitutional. It is in the light of this fact that the House of Assembly issues this statement to straighten the records.

Signed:

Hon. AdAmu d. KAmAle deputy majority leader and Chairman House Committee on Information

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

9

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Re: Clement Isaiah At 80

BY IBRAHIM BIU

Mr Clement Ndanusa Isaiah

My Dear Brother Sam, The write–up on your dad’s 80th birthday is a beautiful one. It was really vintage Sam as it touched on almost everything that the readers might have wanted to know about this gentle and soft-spoken veteran journalist. To me, I will simply describe Mr Isaiah as a humble, quiet, easy-going and a prominent personality in our society especially in the field of journalism. He has indeed paid his dues and even deserves recognition and commendation from all of us.

As far as I am concerned, Mr Isaiah is, much more than a newspaper personality. He is simply my own father and mentor in the real sense of the word.

This is because he is the person who not only employed me as a staff reporter for the then powerful New Nigerian Newspapers but was aslo largely responsible for training me as a vibrant newspaper Reporter in both Kaduna and Lagos.

I have known Mr Isaiah since 1973 when, after an interview held in Kaduna, he straightaway employed me as a Reporter for the New Nigerian. I actually started work in the newsroom of the New Nigerian on November 23, 1973, as a junior reporter at almost the same time with colleagues like Abdulhameed Babatunde, Steven Achi, Muhammed Bomoi, Abubakar Mani, Muazu Alhaji, John Ugemeh and several others. As our chief subeditor and later appointed as the first associate editor for the New Nigerian, in both Kaduna and later in the Lagos office. Mr Isaiah was everything a good reporter needed, to excel in doing his job. He is both kind-hearted and gentle but above all helpful at all times to the reporters and Sub-editors especially when it comes to writing complicated stories and news analyses. He was always at hand to help out in such difficult situations and the reporters appreciated this kind gesture and kindly disposition.

Mr Isaiah was also always observant and sharply aware of

We valued his guidance and professional competence as most of us later became senior editors holding positions of responsibilities in our various endeavours after we had left the New Nigerian what the reporters and sub-editors did or didn’t do in the newsroom. As usual with him, though he hardly talked, he patiently listened to the reporters after their typed copy had reached his table where he makes use of his vast professional experience to make the stories not only readable but also attractive to the readers. On many occasions, whenever copy was poorly written and full of grammatical errors, Mr Isaiah would re-write and give beautiful headlines. Mr Isaiah’s eyes would always detect any falsehood contained in carelessly written reports. He would thereafter lecture us on the need to always try to write error–free and grammatically correct reports.

We valued his guidance and professional competence as most of us later became senior editors holding positions of responsibilities in our various endeavours after we had left the New Nigerian.

Though this write-up might not be able to actually say much about how I really benefitted from Mr Isaiah both personally and professionally, it may still serve to explain to the public how benevolent and kind he had been to those of us who had worked very closely with him during his days at the New Nigerian. Even though I was constantly being transferred from one place to the other all over the country during my New Nigerian days, I still maintained a close contact with my dad Mr Isaiah. I wish him many more fruitful years and a healthy life as he celebrates his 80th birthday.

–Biu is a media consultant in Abuja.

10 news across the states

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Group Backs Customs Reforms

A group, Nigerians Alliance for Good Governance (NAGG), has backed ongoing reforms by the Nigeria Customs Service, saying it has positioned the service to be a major source of revenue generation for the government.

The group also condemned what it described as a plot by certain anti-Nigeria interest groups operating within and outside the country to discredit, destabilise and undermine the statutory activities of the service currently headed by the comptrollergeneral, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde.

The group, in a statement yesterday in Abuja which was signed by its interim national coordinator, Malam Hussein Umar, alleged that the brains behind the plot have recruited and engaged rumour mongers to concoct and spread false information about the management, staff and officers of the customs service.

The group cited as proof of the plot a false publication a few days ago by Shipping World, a Lagosbased maritime magazine which accused the Dikko-led customs of sundry allegations that were not substantiated with facts.

By Michael Oche, Abuja

2015: ‘Katsina PDP Guber Candidate Will Not Be Handpicked’ A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a prominent member, Katsina PDP Forum, Alhaji Yusuf Dambo Kangiwa, has distanced the forum from the socalled Concerned PDP Members Forum saying that they will not fold their arms and watch some PDP bigwigs to decide on who would contest the 2015 governorship election in the state.

He gave the disclaimer while reacting to a publication from a group published in a national daily in Kaduna yesterday, saying that the forum in question is nonexistent and certainly not speaking the minds and decision of their authentic PDP group in the state.

Kangiwa further said, their forum was formed by state governor, Dr Ibrahim Shehu Shema, prior to the 2011 polls to strategise and fashion out effective ways to win elections in all the 34 local government areas of the state, through which they delivered an outstanding election result.

He said, “Aliyu Sani, the purported chairman must differentiate between their forum and the genuine PDP forum formed by the governor in 2011 in which we are members as well as tell the public who they really are and their motives”.

Kangiwa maintained that all the PDP gubernatorial candidates since 1999 are decided by all stakeholders and not handpicked by the PDP elders as the publication portrayed.

Muazu Elazeh, Katsina

L-R: Sen. Kabir Ibrahim Gaya and former Head of State, Gen Muhammadu Buhari during Gaya’s sympathy visit to Buhari at his residence in Kaduna over the recent attack on his convoy.

PHOTO BY FOLORUNSHO ABIOLA

Eid-Mubarak: Nda-Isaiah Felicitates With Muslim Faithful

By Chika Okeke, Abuja

Founder of LEADERSHIP Group, Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah, has felicitated with the Muslim Ummah as they celebrate this year’s Eid-Mubarak even as he sued for peace in view of the surmountable security challenges in the country.

In a statement signed by the director, media and publicity

of Sam4Nigeria campaign organisation, Mr Macauley Hunohashi and made available to LEADERSHIP Sunday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant said that Islam preaches peace and total submission to the will of Allah.

According to him, “The celebration, which comes at the end of the Ramadan fast, calls for sober reflection, peace and har-

mony in view of the many surmountable challenges confronting us as a nation.

“Islam as a religion of peace preaches love, compassion, prayer and total submission to the will of Allah (SWA) as enjoined by prophet Mohammed (SAW)”.

Nda-Isaiah, who is also the Kakaki Nupe, reminded Muslim faithful and non-Muslims

Omisore Absent From Osun Guber Debate JOSHUA DADA, Osogbo

The debate sponsored by the American-based International Republican Institute and put together by the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) for a live transmission between two front line candidates in the August 9 governorship election could not hold yesterday because of the absence of one of the candidates, Iyiola Omisore.

The debate was expected to hold between the incumbent governor, Rauf Aregebsola of

the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Sen Iyiola Omisore, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate but Omisore did not show up for the event.

The debate only turned out to be almost an interview for Governor Aregbesola where he advanced his mission without any challenge.

Though no official reason was given for his inability to attend the debate, Omisore’s spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi had earlier said in a statement that Omisore could only attend

such debate on the ground that there is adequate security.

Odeyemi further said that Omisore could only attend such debate when “Governor Aregbesola presents to the whole world his true certified medical mental certificate.

According to him, “Omisore gives condition to partake in debate. One Aregebsola must present to the whole world his true certified medical mental certificate” and secondly, assure him that he (Omisore) is safe from physical assault when the debate may be going on.

Sallah: MURIC Counsels Jonathan Over Chibok Girls’ Release Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

President Goodluck Jonathan has been urged to seize the opportunity of the Ramadan freedom package to take a decisive action capable of securing the freedom of the Chibok girls who are now in their 104th day in Boko Haram’s captivity.

The director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola in a Sallah message yesterday also called on the leadership of Boko Haram to “Let our girls go!”

MURIC reminded Nigerians of the lessons inherent in the fasting exercise, saying that apart from its health-related gains, Ramadan in-

stills piety, reduces the propensity for profligacy, compels empathy, pegs immorality and engenders high-level discipline.

It added that these gains would be lost unless Nigerians allow these lessons to reflect in their lives ad infinitum.

It therefore called on Nigerians to show mercy to their fellow men, to forgive those who have offended them and to liberate all those in bondage.

With respect to the commencement of Ramadan which epitomises the manifestation of mercy to one another, MURIC appealed to state and local governments as well as wealthy Nigerians to set up ‘stomach welfare centres’ where

hungry Nigerians can eat at least once daily.

It added that the federal government should also establish a new ministry to be called ‘Welfare Ministry’ to serve this same purpose.

It also called Christians, Muslims and Traditionalists in Nigeria to evolve joint orientation programmes where emphasis will be placed on the lessons of love, tolerance and forgiveness, adding that fate has joined “us all together in this country and the best we can do is to think first of saving our country from disintegration and total destruction.”

It charged Nigerian leaders to immediately review all anti-people policies in the country.

on the need to avoid clustering in crowded areas and advised them to be vigilant to avoid falling prey to evil plans by ungodly elements.

Wishing the Muslim Ummah and Nigerians a happy, rancourfree and memorable Sallah celebration, Nda-Isaiah called on security agencies to deploy all their security strategies and increase surveillance across the states.

Minister Tasks Participants On Dev’t Of Arts, Crafts Industry The minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, has tasked participants to explore the knowledge and ideas garnered during the Arts and Crafts Expo (AFAC) saying that such experiences would enhance the development of arts and crafts industries.

He stated this in Abuja while declaring closed the 7th edition of AFAC expo organised by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) with the theme, “African arts and crafts: Tool for economic empowerment”.

He urged them to make the best use of the knowledge, ideas and contacts they gained from the expo adding that such experiences could meaningfully contribute towards the efforts at developing the arts and crafts industry.

Duke who was represented by the chairman, governing board of NCAC, Prof Nelson Brambaifa, commended the efforts of President Jonathan for prioritising culture as part of his transformation agenda even as he lauded the media in information dissemination towards promoting the sector.

On his part, the chief executive officer of NCAC, M. M. Maidugu was hopeful that AFAC would become the most globally recognised arts and culture expo soon as there has been great improvement in the quality of products exhibited during the expo.

By Chika Okeke, Abuja

Sunday, July 27, 2014

11

12 news across the states

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Drug Counterfeiting: NAFDAC Urges Nigerians To Take Advantage Of Mobile Services The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC,)has called on Nigerians to take advantage of the Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) scheme which is aimed at tackling the menace of drug faking and counterfeiting in the country.

According to the agency, the move is in line with the director general’s directive on fighting the menace of drug counterfeiting to a standstill in the country.

Speaking at the official flag off and implementation of the enforcement of the MAS scheme in Kaduna State for the North West zone, state coordinator of NAFDAC in Kaduna, Mr Kenneth Azikiwe, said, the service was introduced

by NAFDAC as one of the strategies used to minimise the menace of drug counterfeiting”.

“This exercise empowers over one hundred million Nigerian cell phone users to send SMS to the dedicated codes”, he said.

He urged drug users to purchase only drugs with the MAS codes on them and send the codes to authenticate that it is genuine before use.

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

Peace Corps Calls On Youths To Promote Unity The national commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria, Amb Dickson Akoh, has called on Nigerian youths to rise in unison to ensure that the nation remains a single entity.

Akoh who was speaking in a press briefing yesterday said that the nation stands to gain more from being united than being disunited and called on self-serving youths campaigning for disintegration of the nation to desist from the act as it does not portray any good for the country.

The commandant also condemned the recent bomb attacks in different parts of the country especially in Kaduna where many lives was lost and prayed God to console the families that have lost their loved ones in the attack. ‘’The Peace Corps of Nigeria hereby in agreement with wellmeaning Nigerians condemn this act of cruelty which has led to the loss of many lives and property.

The Corps also commiserates with the government for the embarrassment posed by the attack,’’ he said.

He added that the attacks have aroused panic among the masses and also created negative picture of corporate image of the country.

By Chika Mefor

Members of the National Union of Town Service Operators slaughtering cows for the celebration of Eid-el-Fitr in Bauchi yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN

Heavy Rain Destroys Over 100 Houses In Plateau

BY ACHOR ABIMAJE,Jos

A heavy rainfall that lasted for over six hours has destroyed over 100 houses and farmlands in Fobur, Angware and Rinji Angware of Jos East local government area of Plateau State.

This was contained in a press statement made available to journalists and signed by the assistant chief information officer of the local government council, Bagudu Haruna.

He explained that the disaster took place after a

heavy downpour yesterday washed away some farmlands stressing that some farmlands have been overtaken by streams and stones brought by the flooding volume of water from rivers and mountains, thereby destroying crops like maize, vegetable and other cash crops worth thousands of naira.

The statement added that the chairman of the local government, Brig. Gen. Samuel Atu Abok (rtd), who carried out an on-the-spot assessment of the damages in the

areas affected yesterday, expressed shock and deep concern over the incident.

The chairman appealed to the State Emergency Management Agency to come to the aid of the farmers.

Bok also advised farmers in the local government area to avoid farming close to rivers and major streams to forestall future occurrences and promised that his council would look into the situation with the aim of providing succour to the affected farmers.

Anambra Guber Poll: Appeal Court Upholds Gov Obiano’s Election

By OKECHUKWU OBETA, Awka

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu yesterday affirmed the victory of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State.

The Appeal Court panel presided by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garbar with Justices Ejembi Eko, I.O. Akeju, Tijani Abubakar and M. Mustapha as members dismissed all the four appeals filed before it by the four aggrieved parties in the earlier judgement delivered by the Justice Ishaq Bello-led Anambra State governorship election petitions tribunal.

The tribunal had looked into the petitions against the outcome of the Anambra State gubernatorial election held last year.

After the election, some of the contestants including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Comrade Tony Nwoye and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Sena-

tor Chris Ngige had challenged Obiano’s declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner of the election.

But on May 4 this year, the lower tribunal dismissed the petitions of the four aggrieved parties and held that Obiano who contested the governorship election under the APGA platform won the election acording to the stipulations of both the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Electoral Act. In addition to affirming the decision of the Justice Bello tribunal the appeal Court Justices awarded N50,000 cost in favor of the respondents in each of the Appeals.

In a swift reaction at the Court of Appeal premises, the APGA national chairman, Chief Victor Umeh commended the Justices and said that the judgement has particularly boosted the morale of members of his

party that they would record a landslide victory in next year’s general election.

Meanwhile, one of the APC lawyers, Hon. Bona Orakwe and the Anambra state chairman of the party, Barrister Emeka Ibe in their separate reactions expressed dissatisfaction with the court of Appeal decision and said that after due considerations of the judgement, APC might head to the Supreme Court to challenge the verdit.

Gov. Obiano

short news Advocacy Group Faults State Police, Creation Of States Reactions have continued to trail some resolutions at the national confab, as an advocacy group, Joint Governance Vanguard (JGV) has kicked against the creation of state police and creation of more states in the country.

They however recommended the establishment of community policing and creation of one state for the South East simply to strike a balance with other zones in the country.

According to the national coordinator of the group, Engr Emem Coffie, while the conference exhumed and critically analysed problems hampering the country’s development, JGV is not in support of state police.

He said, “Nigeria is not yet mature for this following the abuse and undemocratic tendencies displayed by some state governors in the past and present.”

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

cover story

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

Abuja National Mosque. PHOTO

BY SULTANHEIGHTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Sallah: Celebrating Amid Fear, Insecurity And Harsh Economy Following Wednesday’s twin bomb blasts in Kaduna, and yet another in Kano the next day, just few days to the celebration of the Sallah, the Muslims in the country are now faced with a dim hope for a peaceful and funfare festival, while some are mourning their loved ones, just as terrorists have taken the country by the jugular. ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna, Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri, ACHOR ABIMAJE, Jos, Donatus Nadi, Lafia, Abu Nmodu, Minna, SAM EGWU, Lokoja, Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin, GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos, Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta, and Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan, write

A

...Sallah? We are trying our best, but sincerely it’s not going to be as expected, because several persons who lost their loved ones to the blasts are mourning

fter a month of fasting and supplication to Allah by Muslim faithful, the Sallah period is seen as the time to reflect on the essence of the month and give thanks to God for His provision and faithfulness. And world over, the Muslims are celebrating the joy of seeing the end of the fasting.

But the story is one of mixed feelings and reactions in Nigeria, as the outlawed Boko Haram sect has made certain that the season would be marred with bloodshed, tears and deaths.

In Kano, on Thursday, July 24, 2014, the residents of Sabon-Gari in Kano experienced an explosion caused by a high-capacity improvised explosive device (IED) detonated at the New Road Motor Park in around 3:00pm. The explosion left lots of people dead and many more injured.

A day before the Kano bomb blast, precisely on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, a twin bomb explosion rocked Kaduna, leaving many people dead, while former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, escaped death by the whiskers. The attacks in Kano and Kaduna have placed a dark cloud over the possibilities of having a fiesta laced with fun and excitement that the season should have been known

for. The celebration ordinarily is expected to follow the Ramadan period, where Muslims engage in 29/30 days of fasting and prayers, but this is not going to be the case for Muslims in Kaduna metropolis. Many woke up on Wednesday, making their way to the Murtala Square, venue of the closing Tafsir by revered Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi. They concluded the programme successfully, but some on their way home met their untimely death, while others ended up in hospital beds.

However, some of the residents who spoke to LEADERSHIP Sunday at about 1:30pm, shortly after the curfew was lifted on Thursday, said the incident was rather unfortunate, but life must continue albeit with caution.

Malam Ahmadu Suleiman, who sells chicken at the Railway Station Market, said, “I had over 150 chickens for sale, but could hardly sell 10 before the news of the blast came, and we all ran for our lives. But thank God, after they lifted the curfew, people started coming out to buy goods. Allah Kiyaye na gaba (May God forbid future occurrence).”

On her own account, Hajia Fatima Shauibu said, “My son, we thank God that we are not affected. But Sallah? We are trying our best, but

sincerely it’s not going to be as expected, because several persons who lost their loved ones to the blasts are mourning. So, we have to mourn with them.

“Meanwhile, I have come to the market to hurriedly buy some things for my family and rush back home, since we don’t know when and where the next bomb will occur,” she said in frustration.

Tension as a result of insecurity in Borno State has affected the Sallah preparations. While it is nearly impossible for most residents in villages outside Maiduguri, the state capital, to observe the Sallah festival as Boko Haram gunmen have sacked most of them from their traditional abode.

Apart from security concerns that could mar the celebration, giving the sustained and ongoing attacks in villages and towns around Maiduguri, another major issue that may mar the Sallah is the rising cost of food items.

As the state capital battles with increasing populations due to the influx of internally-displaced persons from attacked villages, the costs of foods and related consumable soar daily. Traders lament over the expensive cost of moving food items and other goods, which was caused by blockages of major roads by the Boko Haram insurgents.

“The only route that is relatively guaranteed for bringing our commercial wares to Borno is the Damaturu Maiduguri Highway,” said Yakubu Dan Minchika, a commodity merchant. “We cannot bring commodities from Gombe through Damboa, or from Yola through Gwoza. We cannot bring in our commodities from Cameroon through Gamboru-Ngala. All our goods come through MaiduguriKano Road, and it costs us almost double the normal fare to take that long route to bring in our goods,” he said.

Madam Becky, a popular restau-

rateur in Maiduguri, said “Before the insurgency got worse, a pack of tomatoes was selling for N200 per carton; but it later increased to N350 per carton. With the recent happenings, coupled with the coming Sallah celebration, it might even get to N500 or more; because presently, we are buying at N450 per carton .”

However, many residents may spend the Sallah in their locality, due to fear of Boko Haram terrorists, who have taken over most villages and towns around Maiduguri.

In Jos, the Plateau State capital, the government has beefed up security following the bomb explosions in Kaduna and Kano. Muslims in the state however have commenced preparations for the Eid el-Fitr celebration in earnest.

When LEADERSHIP Sunday went round the Tin City, and visited the popular Terminus market, it was the usual hustling and bustling in the places. Because of the fear of attack, the state government had shut illegal markets and motor parks in the state capital.

At the Kwararafa market, traders were seen making brisk businesses, just as residents turned out in large number for shopping. Prices of food items like rice, vegetable oil, cow meat and onion were relatively the same in all the markets visited.

The Ahmadu Bello Way and Terminus Roundabout markets have been closed due to over-congestion after the May 20, 2014 twin bomb explosions that rocked the area. The Plateau State government has set up a special task force to clear all traders from the street along the ever-busy terminus and Ahmadu Bello Way, following the development.

In Nasarawa State, the biting economy and security threats in the country have overshadowed the state’s social life in the buildup to the Sallah festival. Although ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

14 COVER STORY

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Sallah: Celebrating Amid Fear, Insecurity And Harsh Economy ➔ FROM PAGE 13 the state has been beset with communal clashes in the recent past, what is more worrisome is the ongoing impeachment process by the state House of Assembly, which is fast polarizing the state along religious lines, and likely to affect the celebrations.

It is the fear of many that what happened last year, where some Muslim youths laid siege on Zion Baptist Church in Lafia, alleging that church proceedings were disrupting the Sallah proceedings, may still repeat itself.

For the second year running, there is the fear that if the Eid-elFitr celebration is marked on Sunday, a repeat of similar occurrence is likely in the face of the current tension in the state, owing to the ongoing impeachment saga.

The recent bombings in Kaduna and Kano have also contributed in heightening security concerns in the state. Since the incidents occurred last week, night life in Lafia and other major cities in the state has experienced a drastic decline.

On the economic front, the situation of many families and individuals is that of resignation. A visit to Lafia main market revealed that although prices of food items and other commodities have not risen, buyers have no money to engage in special Sallah shopping.

A tailor, Malam Hassan Abdul, said only a few people mustered the courage to buy new clothes, but only a few of those who did were able to claim their clothes, adding that of the over 40 people who gave him clothes less than 10 were able to claim theirs.

Mama Rhoda Alaku, a grain seller, said there was no indication of any impending feast, as the buyers have no money to make any special shopping. To make matters worse salaries have not been paid to civil servants in the state.

The Eid-el-Fitr preparation in Niger State has been in top gear since last weekend, as strategic shopping for the celebration has been on in the state to avoid last minute rush.

LEADERSHIP Sunday findings revealed that civil servants have started receiving their salaries since last week, making it easier for most state workers to have succour in coping with the financial demands of the season. However, workers in the federal civil service in the state have not received their salary, and the possibility of collecting the salary before the celebration was not certain as at the time of filing this report.

On security, LEADERSHIP Sunday learnt that the police command has identified all black spots and making adequate moves to man the places, especially in Suleja that has always been vulnerable, following its nearness to Abuja.

Sallah preparation in Kogi State is at its lowest ebb due to the twinfactor of insecurity and economic hardship. Aside the general insecurity in the country, the nonpayment of civil servants’ salaries is another major constraint. The usual inflow of rams and other items from up north, which normally characterizes periods like this, is lacking in the city of Lokoja, even as general business activities in the last one

Stranded Ramadan travellers in Zaria due to curfew in Kaduna which was lifted on Thursday.

PHOTO BY NAN

month have nose-dived .

The security surveillance in the city centre has adequately improved with security operatives seen in every nook and cranny of the state capital, Lokoja, while security awareness campaigns have put everyone on red alert to report any strange movement around their communities.

Also, there are indications that the people of Ilorin, the Kwara State, will celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr in a low-key manner. This is due to economic hardship being faced by the people, which is further compounded by the reality that most civil servants in the state may not have gotten their July salaries to celebrate the Sallah. Though the state government had always paid its workers on every 25th of the month, most of the workers may have to wait for two or three days for the banks to clear their salaries.

Also, the state’s commissioner of police, Mr Ambrose Aisabor, has assured the people of adequate security before, during and after the Eid-el-Fitr celebration. Aisabor at a news conference in Ilorin on Wednesday said that adequate security arrangements have been put in place, not only to protect those residing in the state, but even those coming into and passing through of the state.

However, hawkers, especially those dealing in clothing materials and shoes, have flooded major markets in Ilorin metropolis with their wares. Apart from those dealing in new clothes and shoes, seller of secondhand clothes, known as Okirika, were also seen displaying their wares at open spaces in the market and major streets of Ilorin.

A visit to Oja Oba (central market) showed that hawkers have taken over virtually all available spaces in the market. Although, a crosssection of them, who spoke to our correspondent, said that “market is slow”, they were, however, hopeful that business activities will soar before Sallah proper.

Prices of commodities and food items have also remained stable, while business activities are expected to increase by weekend when civil servants would have received their salaries.

The state commissioner for Information and Communication, Prince Tunji Moronfoye, said the state government had augmented allocations of local governments to

enable them fulfill their obligations to workers for the holiday.

In Lagos, celebration of this year’s Eid-el-Fitr may be devoid of the usual fanfare as a result of the current insecurity and economic downturn ravaging the country.

The rumoured penetration of Lagos State by Boko Haram sect, when a female suicide bomber reportedly detonated explosives on June 25 in Apapa area of the state is said to be a warning signal to all and sundry to be on the alert. The Muslims at separate interviews recalled that the explosions which killed four people were regarded initially as mere explosion, just as the government said the carnage was caused by petroleum tanker fire, just before Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, claimed responsibility for the bombing.

According to Mansur Adeyanju, a devout Muslims, “As for me, the Sallah will be marked in my home as a very personal affair, unlike before that I used to move about with my family because of the insecurity everywhere in the country. One has to be very wary of where to visit and when to visit the places, because one cannot predict what may happen in those places.”

He said the current situation in the country is not good for the economy, saying people who run amusement parks will lose patronage because people are now afraid to visit those places. “Again the cash is not there, and prices of foodstuff have skyrocketed. So, people must cut their coat according to their size. Traders are aware that some of these foodstuff come from the northern part of the country and many of the Muslims are observing Ramadan too, and the few goods in the market because of the low supply will attract high prices and people will pay through their nose.”

For Muritala Ayinla, “Muslims are expected to give alms. We do that with some kind of foodstuffs for the needy.” Ayinla said since Allah has spared people’s lives, they are bound to celebrate, saying they must be conscious of the security situation in the country too.

In Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, prices of goods, especially food items, have marginally jumped up at the major markets. Though some market women did not see the festival as directly responsible for the price increases, others blamed the festival for it, while some blamed

Most of the Muslims know that they cannot run away from the fact that they have to pay more for the products

the insecurity in the north as being responsible.

According to Mrs Adesanya who sells ingredients at Kuto market, the prices of pepper, tomato and other materials have been on steady rise for a while now, saying a measure that went for N200 in April now goes for N250. “Things have gone up. I cannot say it is as a result of Sallah, because it has been like that since around April. But the trend has been that traders cash in on festive seasons to make extra profits. This time, I don’t think that is the case, because already the economic situation of the country is not at its best.”

Alhaja Ayoka Balogun, a rice merchant, said, “Almost everybody that I know is crying of economic hardship. It has been like that for a while now. Before, Sallah period used to be a season to rejoice; there will be price increases, yet people will buy with joy.”

Relative peace in Oyo State has made it possible for the people to be preparing for a funfare Sallah celebration.

When LEADERSHIP Sunday visited Bodija market, there was increase in the number of shoppers there who came in preparation for the Sallah celebration. Also, at the Gbagi market, known for assorted clothes, there are so many people at the market to purchase dresses for the season. However, many of the people who visited the markets did not have the purchasing power.

Apart from this, the prices of these commodities have increased due to what some of the traders said was “as a result of the celebration”.

“Most of the Muslims know that they cannot run away from the fact that they have to pay more for the products,” said one of the traders, Alhaja Obanibasiri. Apart from this, she said since it is the period of celebrations, prices of everything have increased, especially that of transportation.

“The cost of transportation has affected the cost of the materials by at least 25 per cent, and cuts across all the products,” she said. The story was not different at Bodija market where people were seen in a last minute rush purchase.

Mrs Khadijat Adetunji, who is also a trader in one of the markets, lamented that things were costly but unavoidable. She warned that many people might not be able to make the necessary purchases, especially some of the workers that were yet to receive their monthly salaries.

According to her, the economic situation in the country is so bad to the extent that some people would not have the financial power to celebrate the festival as they would have wished.

Speaking on security situation, Malam Kazeem Adigun noted that there was relative peace when compared to obtain in some states in the country.

For instance, he said Muslims in the state still have the opportunity of observing the daily prayers without hindrance and fear of being attack.

While praying that the peace should continue, he noted that the security situation in the state was still better when compared to some state in the northern part of the country.

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sunday interview Sunday, July 27, 2014

National Conference Marred By Sectional Interests –Coomassie

Former inspector-general of police, Ibrahim Coomassie led the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to the National Conference. In this interview with BODE GBADEBO AND MUAZU ELAZEH, Coomassie bares his mind on some fundamental issues relating to the convocation of the conference and its eventual outcome You deliberated for four months, how would you assess the confab generally?

What I’m telling you is that the way the whole thing was handled was a sham

Well, I have to take you back on a memory lane. First and foremost, there has been some spadework towards the convocation of the conference. Some were asking for a sovereign conference; some said national conference while some advocated for a national dialogue. In the north, my organization, the Arewa Consultative Forum, was consulted by the Okunrounmu-led Committee and we told them that we were not keen on conference because there are apparatuses on ground to handle whatever they wanted them to handle. For example, we have the National Assembly, federal and states executives, state assemblies as well as the local governments institutions. So, if there was anything, those apparatuses which are provided for in the constitution should have been used. We however said if the government decides to convene the conference, all well and good; we will participate and prepare our position, which was circulated.

The next stage was nomination or selection of people to be there.

The system adopted was faulty and it was shrouded with mysteries right from the beginning.

We didn’t know how they were inviting nominees as it was skewed in favour of the South against the North.

But what I’m telling you is that the way the whole thing was handled was a sham. It was not based on due process; it was not based on legality. We are not a constitutional conference. This confer-

ence is just a ploy to remove the heat of politics and even insurgency from Jonathan. Why not constitute it properly? Why not call for election and constitute officers, give them powers, call for national conference and give it three or four months enough to come up with solutions to all our problems? This one is not meant to achieve anything.

The South-South came with an agenda of ‘total resource control’, the South-East came with an agenda of ‘additional states’ while the South-West came for ‘State Police’, but the North came for ‘Peace and stability’ and that of Nigeria.

There were issues on which we couldn’t reach consensus like the derivation principle and others because of the way they were handled. At a point, I got frustrated as a member of the Consensus Group and had to leave the meeting for the plenary.

You said you went for peace and stability of the North. Are the recommendations arrived at geared towards achieving that peace?

No, they were against the North because of the method adopted which, of course, we contested. The consensus and the voting system were contrary to the rules and regulations of the conference. For example, they want to scrap local government from the country and this is to the disadvantage of northern Nigeria. They want to create 18 more states, what are they going to do with 18 more states in this country? Any right thinking person knows that it is not desirable.

Coomassie

Northern Nigeria has been impoverished. There is poverty and illiteracy; there is the Al-majiri menace and then they started building Al-majiri schools. Is that the right way to do it? What they need to do is to build more conventional schools so that they can accommodate all these children since they will not be taught only Al-majiri lessons; you need to give them formal education. Since you came here, you have been sweating because of power failure. We have textile industries in Kaduna and Kano but they are now moribund because of lack of power.

Even what you call the Small Scale Industries (SMEs), there are no power to service them, so, how can you survive?

You said most of the decisions were against the North.

Yet some will say the North is afraid of changing the status quo which is also not fair to others. Is it that the North doesn’t want other regions to enjoy what it is enjoying or what?

Are we enjoying anything? Is it not our right? What are the criteria for creating a state? Is it just equality, population, land mass or viability? There are procedures for creating a state and even when the military created states, they had to follow the procedures. All we are saying is that if the North, South, East want additional states, let them apply for it. The process should go through the normal process. If it is passed, then we create it. But has any civilian government created any state? Is it not only the military that has created states?

Does that mean the civilian government can’t create states?

Have they been able to do so?

They have not but they wanted to do it now, why? Is it the way to do it? All the delegates were not elected. They were handpicked but we have a National Assembly and they have been going through the amendments of the constitution.

As a co-leader of the northern delegates, will you say the confab was a success?

Well, it was a success in the sense that we went in with deficiency and yet we proved ourselves. We brought out cogent areas, salient matters of discussion. We didn’t go there to deny anybody anything. We went there to express our opinions and we did it very profusely and we are happy that we have made our contributions.

We are also happy that we have shown that we are equal to the task. It has never happened before but we are particular about legal aspect of the whole thing. If we are a Constitutional Conference, we would have been elected, we would have been empowered to do this but we were handpicked and the whole thing was done in an imbalanced manner that even if it is voting, one side which has strong views about certain things will always win.

You said earlier on that there were some key issues that the confab could not reach consensus on and here you are saying the confab was a success…

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16 interview

Sunday, July 27, 2014

National Conference Marred By Sectional Interests – Coomassie 15

We didn’t want to go to the conference in the first place. We said it both in writing and in interviews but we went so that people will not say we are the ones dragging everybody behind and we discussed and people expressed their opinions. To express our opinion is something.

Nobody can hold this country to ransom. It is through the discussion that we realized that there were hidden agenda. Of course, there were and one of them is elongation of tenure for the president.

Are you fulfilled now that the conference is about to wind up?

Well, I’m not fulfilled because we always refer to justice, fairness and equity.

Was there anything about the conference that is not open to the public because you just talked of a hidden agenda?

At one stage, one or two individuals were coming round to ask that we support and approve six year tenure with immediate effect for the president and we asked ‘why’?

Why not the two four-year tenures? Even if it is agreed, the incumbent should not be a beneficiary. Then there was a time it was rumoured that we had approved additional two years for the president and the chairman of the conference had to deny it at plenary.

If someone has come to lobby you to approve a recommendation for a six-year single term tenure, don’t you think the person may not necessarily be talking of the incumbent? Why are you suspecting it to be for President Jonathan?

All the regions went with their own hidden agenda except for the North.

I am telling you this.

these positions by the geopolitical zones were harmonised?

No, no, no. They tried to lobby somehow...

Is it proper to say the confab was a wasteful venture?

Nothing is wasteful once you get people together. I always believe everybody has some qualities and nobody has monopoly of wisdom.

But what I am telling you is that the way the whole thing was handled was a sham. It was not based on due process and legality. We are not a constitutional conference.

Talking about insurgency in the North-East and other parts of the North. Why is the situation defying solution?

It is because they don’t have the necessary intelligence of what is happening. A police man can only succeed if he has authentic intelligence to work on to prepare his operations. If he doesn’t have it, he will not win anything. He will go and fumble and mess up himself. Why is the intelligence not available, you may ask? Whose fault is it? But they said they have spent so much money running into trillions of Naira on intelligence and insurgency but where is the money? They said they established an additional army division in Borno. What is the capacity of an army division? It is a big thing but nothing is there. I have said it in my address to the northern governors about the insurgency there as the chairman of ACF; it is nothing to talk about.

Do you think there is a laxity

on the side of the government as far as war against insurgency is concerned?

Because, there is always a hidden agenda. I was at the 2005 Conference and we did very well.

In fact, I was a co-chair with Ezeife on the Committee on Power Sharing and we were doing very well until the hidden agenda – third term of Obasanjo – manifested itself and the smuggling in of a new constitution.

Of course! It is glaring, isn’t it?

You are journalists, what have you been finding out? Why is it taking this long? General TY Danjuma who was just recently appointed chairman said something. He said, ‘Jonathan, this thing is taking too long’. He is a senior military officer unless you people don’t want to see.

By next month, the report of the confab will be submitted.

As a member of the conference, do you think the reports contained things that will reposition this country?

Given the opportunity to advise the government on the way out of this security situation, what will be your advice?

No. We just touched them on the surface. We didn’t go deep. We only talked about things that divide us more than things that bind us together. All the regions went with their own hidden agenda except for the North. I am telling you this. The South-East went for one more state and regionalism. The South-West went for regionalism and state police. The South- South went for total control of resources.

The North went there for peace, stability, unity and development of this country.

But was there a time when all

It is mainly that the government must really sit up and get all the facts available by sitting down with experts and analyze the situation. Look, they have brought in the Americans, Chinese and so on but have they been able to do anything?

Is ACF in any way involved in producing a consensus candidate for the North in 2015?

No, we are not. We will play a role at the appropriate time. For the meantime, what we have done for many years ago is to sit down and write criteria for leadership in all aspect of our lives and at every level and we sell it to all political parties. We tell them if they are

Coomassie

looking for leaders to lead them, they should look for those qualities. In the North, we have our interest and we always want our own just like any other region. The most important position is the presidency. Just look at the story of this power shift. When they wanted to give Obasanjo, they said give it to the South-West, Obasanjo is the most suitable.

After eight years, it will shift to the North. Then when he completed his eight years, he was looking for third term and he convened a conference which refused to cooperate. Even then, our conference was sent off unceremoniously. It was later they organised a dinner for us. Then Obasanjo didn’t want to hand over to the North contrary to the agreement reached.

When he couldn’t get third term, he wanted to hand over to Odili.

That was his candidate and then the EFCC said Odili had come with money to give delegates during the party convention. Then what did Obasanjo do? He went in for two sick people, Yaradua and Makarfi. Both have terminal illnesses. He picked Yar’Adua and pushed him hard during the campaigns in Abuja and he even collapsed and was rushed to Germany. God had His way, Yar’Adua won the election, became president for three years and died. Immediately after his death, the provisions of the constitution were invoked and Jonathan took over.

One thought that if the agreement was genuine, after the completion of the remaining part of the tenure, PDP will say okay, Jonathan, allow the north to complete its four years. He would have been a hero. After that four years, the same North will say, ‘Jonathan come and do your four years’ but he didn’t do it.

Few months to the 2015 polls and the north appears to be in disarray. Are we likely to see a united north before the polls?

Yes. Things come up and the north always appears to be disorganised.

But most times, we spring up surprises. Why not? We will watch and see.

What is ACF doing to bring back the glorious old days of a monolithic north speaking with one voice?

We are doing the best we can. One of such things is the recent conference on peace, unity and development which we convened.

We wrote a road map for northern Nigeria and we passed it to the appropriate people, the elected governors with all the attachments. We delivered it to the chief servant who is the chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, NGF. It is for them to implement. That is as far as we can go.

But of course, other NGOs like the Northern Elders Council sprang up. We are working to address issue when suddenly this conference sprang up. When we come back, we will continue to do our best.

Lastly, there is a raging controversy over the planned registration of Northerners

by Imo state government. In retaliation, a group in Kano has just presented a bill to the State House of Assembly calling for mandatory registration of southerners residing in the state. As an elder statesman, do you foresee this as one of the things that could further disintegrate this country?

It is and another thing is that the creation of state police will also disintegrate this country. It is wrong. Every citizen in this country has the constitutional guarantee to move freely and settle wherever he wants. It was started by Plateau State when they said even if you spend one hundred years there, you are still a settler. That is wrong.

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sunday politics

Politics Editor Weeklies: uchenna awom

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Day Zamfara Assembly Turned Boxing Ring Zamfara State House of Assembly lawmakers last week engaged each other in a bizarre fisticuffs over unapproved loan which the PDP minority members say the APC-led Assembly was masterminding for the governor. ABBA ABUBAKAR KABARA writes on this and other topical issues

I

t was a bizarre spectacle last week when a free for-all-fight erupted in Zamfara State House of Assembly during a proceeding. This was when the Minority Leader, Hon Ibrahim Dole raised alarm over suspected ploy by members of the APC majority ruling party to pass an approval for Governor Yari’s request to procure a whooping sum of N27bn from the sale of shares as well as CBN loan.

Fighting broke out when the minority leader was booed down by members of the APC ruling majority party at his insistence that minutes of the last proceedings must be read before the current sitting could commence, having suspected that there was a fabricated legislative approval for the governor to sell off the state’s N24bn worth of shares with the Niger Delta Power Holding Company bought by the previous PDP-led administration in the state.

He was also suspicious of a similar ploy to sneak in another fabricated legislative approval to authorise the governor, without the consent of the PDP minority, to secure a N3bn loan from the CBN which according to the governor, would be invested in boosting agricultural development in the state.

Provoked by the flagrant show of intolerance against the eight PDP minority members, they were said to have seized the legislative mace and broke it, and this action immediately degenerated into rowdiness resulting in a free-for-all fight causing various degrees of injuries to many members.

When the situation later calmed down, the minority members however retreated to an uncompleted building under the leadership of the Minority Leader, Alhaji Ibrahim Dole where they addressed journalists.

The aggrieved Minority Leader, Hon Dole revealed that members of the APC ruling party were taking very sensitive financial decisions involving billions of naira without sitting in the chamber and without regards to the constitutional provision of two third majority consent.

Hon Dole explained further that members of the ruling party had

Speaker, Zamfara Assembly, Hon. Sanusi Rikiji

called for a sitting via text messages on the 23 of June, but suspiciously called off the sitting after almost all the 24 members had responded to the notice of the said meeting.

“All the eight of us left, only to discover later that APC majority had sat outside the chamber and signed all their members present’’, he said, “including the majority leader who was then in Saudi Arabia and consented on the state governor’s earlier request for approval to sell off the state’s own shares worth N24 billion at the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC)”, he said regrettably.

He further stated that the current sitting was suspiciously aimed at bending the members’ arms into consenting to the governor to draw another two separate loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria worth N3 billion.

The minority leader maintained further saying, “At the moment, both actions remain void since they did not follow the due process of the house proceedings and we will go to any length to challenge both the state government and our colleagues if they do not reverse the unconstitutional act.”

The Minority Leader also told journalists shortly after the fight that the ruling party was bent on selling the state’s own shares worth N24 billion at the Niger Delta Power Holding Company “against the interests of the people and the state.”

The eight PDP minority members had in a separate interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday expressed strong contempt against governor

2015: Contending With Agbaje’s Challenge In Lagos > 20

Yari’s financial request suspecting that he deceptively wants to procure the money to finance his 2015 electioneering campaign.

However, the Majority Leader, Hon Salisu Tsafe who presided over the sitting explained, “We are still examining the situation and will talk at the appropriate time”, he said.

In a swift reaction to the situation however, the state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Birnin Magaji addressed the public through the media following the refusal of the PDP minority in the state’s House of Assembly to ratify the state governor’s request to the House over accessing the facility.

According to him, the loan is categorized in two parts namely N2 billion for small and medium scale entrepreneurship development and N1billion for agricultural development. He explained that the state government had in its request letter to the legislature given details on the mode of collection and disbursement of the two loan facilities.

He further said the state government ventured for the loan following a call by the federal government on all interested states of the federation to access the loan from the apex bank. He explained further that when the facility was successively accessed, beneficiaries of the agricultural loan who must be eligible, registered commercial farmers would receive fifty per cent of the loan at take-off while the entrepreneurs would have to be guaranteed through various stages of collateral.

Birnin Magaji however said, the loan would be collected for the benefit of the people and development of the state throughout the 14 local government areas.

The sharp twist gradually taking strange shape in the political arrangement of the state which recorded almost blanket victory at the previous polls is, according political observers, capable of shaking governor Yari’s APC political grip in the state. This is particularly so with the current spate of mass exodus of prominent personalities from his party who kept decamping to the state PDP opposition party.

Last week, the state Commissioner for commerce, Alhaji Hassan Mohammed Zurmi, tendered his resignation letter as a cabinet member and renounced his APC membership and decamped to the PDP. Although the state government had announced that the commissioner was suspended for misconduct.

18 politics

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Katsina Has No Time For Political Jobbers– DanAde Lawal Audi Yar’Adua, aka, Lawal DanAde is a PDP youth leader in Katsina state. In this interview MUAZU ELAZEH, DanAde insists that people without political clouts forming several political forums in the state should desist in the interest of the party Recently, the Katsina State Concerned PDP Members Forum declared that it will not condone imposition of candidates ahead of the 2015 election. What is your take on this?

Well, I read the views as expressed by Alhaji Aliyu Sani, our brother and partner in politics. But what I know, for sure, is that he has no relevance in the politics of Katsina Local Council Area where both of us hail from and that of the state as a whole. But having said that, let me respond formally to your question by saying that there is no such forum in Katsina state PDP. It is fake because for there to be a forum so recognised within the party, it must be duly known by the party but in the case of this forum, the party is not aware of its existence. This is an attempt to deceive the people as no such forum exists.

But it addressed the press recently where it insisted that it would do all it can to resist imposition of candidates...

The man claiming to be behind this non existent forum is well known to us. I have said earlier that he is a member of our party, the PDP but he is not an element in the party because he has no political worth. He has never won even the polling unit of his house.

I know him to have ambition of contesting for political office but because he knows he has no relevance, he has not summoned the courage to attempt that. He has a godfather whom he has been campaigning for but because he has no known political prowess, he has not been able to assist the political fortunes of his god-father in any way.

In fact, under him, while his god-father was campaigning, there was problems because of Ali Sani’s lack of grasp of what politics entails. So he is coming out again to seek for cheap popularity because each time he forms an association, it is with the intent of seeking for his personal gains or to blackmail some people.

Although you have described the forum as fake, it may interest you to know that the forum insisted that its stand on imposition is a categorical NO.

As one of the founding members of the PDP, do you foresee the possibility of imposition in the state ahead of 2015?

I have been in the PDP right from its formation and have been active in the state since then. One thing I know for sure which has never happened is the issue of imposition. We have been fortunate enough to have leaders who believe in the principle of democracy and hence, people are always allowed to chose who emerges as the flag bearer of the party at all elections. The current leadership under the headship of our amiable governor, Dr Ibrahim Shehu Shema, has not deviated from such cherished tradition. This is one fact every genuine PDP DanAde member cannot dispel. What happened recently during governor that the masses the emergence of candidates have his phone number; they for the forth coming local call him at all times and send government elections further text messages to him. In spite buttressed what I have of the schedules of office, he said. During the build up to still makes time to not only the emergence of PDP flag read this text messages, but bearers for the chairmanship also respond to them. And and councillor, the governor don’t forget, you cant see the made it abundantly clear that governor from the comfort he has no anointed or rather of your house. If you want to preferred candidates and see the governor, you must insisted that there must be visit the Government House level playing ground for all which is a public building and those nursing ambition. His accessible to all. I challenge words were that PDP members any other person to visit should decide who rules Katsina Government House them at all levels. Of course, and see if he or she will not the party consulted with all have access to the governor. relevant stakeholders and in Even if you visit but yet some places where consensus couldn’t see the governor, couldn’t be reached, elections just know that it could be were held for the emergence because his schedules for the of flag bearers. So, if there day are too tight. To further is an element of opposition, buttress his determination especially supported by our of running an accessible and governor, he would have all inclusive government, the insisted on only his preferred governor recently constituted candidates but he never did. an elders committee to advise There is no plan to impose any the government. I know for candidate for any office and sure that Ambassador Magaji so any one saying something Muhammad, the godfather of to that effect is merely crying Ali Sani is on the committee wolf where none exist and is which has others like Senator at best attempting to curry Umar Tsauri, Muntaqa Rabe undeserved favour...

Darma, Ambassador Adamu and Babajo Funtua among Is it true that the governor, Alothers. haji Shehu Shema is not accessible? I asked this question because the Ali Sani led Forum also raised that as one of its concerns.

To the best of my understanding, Governor Shema is one of the most accessible governors in the country because this is one

What is your take on the forth coming council polls in the state?

Well, it is a done deal for the PDP because we have been engaged in aggressive campaigns, and we have what to sell to the people. More

so, the party fielded credible candidates. Just see how the campaign train is moving and you will know that InshAllah, we will clinch the entire seats in a free and fair contest. I am optimistic that the same story will be obtained in the 2015 elections because our governor has delivered and the PDP has what to campaign with. There is no sector that has not received deserved attention. This is what will help the PDP to clinch victory at all polls. I have no doubt in my mind that who ever emerges as the PDP flagbearer will win their election because of the successes recorded by the PDP administration . ..Any last word?

Well, all I can say is to caution people who have developed the habit of forming fictitious association like those behind the non-existent Katsina Concerned PDP Members Forum to desist from it because it is bad politics. In Katsina, the PDP is fortunate to have good leadership and importantly, the state is fortunate to have an amiable governor who has been repositioning the state. This is a governor who has earned his mark in all ramifications. He has never lost any elections and his records of stewardship are too glaring for all to see. He is surrounded too by people who are real grass root politicians with intimidating credentials as far as politics is concerned, so the best we can do is to support them in the onerous task of moving the state forward.

All I can say is to caution people who have developed the habit of forming fictitious association like those behind the non-existent Katsina Concerned PDP Members Forum to desist from it because it is bad politics

politics 19

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Political Aroma Of 2015 Should Not Be Allowed To Destroy Nasarawa – Abdulkarim Mallam Abdulkarim Abdullahi is the Executive Chairman of Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB). In this interview with DONATUS NADI, Abdullahi speaks on the ongoing stand-off in the state between the executive and the legislature and other burning issues Sir, there is serious misunderstanding in the state between the legislature and the executive. What in your opinion is the crux of the matter that has resulted in this squabble?

First and foremost Nasarawa state has been unfortunate right from the beginning of the take off of this administration arising from the fact that the legislature is dominated by a different political party and the executive is run by another party. There are apparent misunderstanding about roles and responsibilities and I think this has been going on for some time now and it doesn’t augur well for a young state like ours. We are the most poverty captive state, we are the most underdeveloped with all the aggregate indexes of deprivations. We are at the top so we cannot afford to spend energy on flimsy issues.

The legislature and the executive are twin brothers even though their functions differ but their biological combination and sense of responsibility is geared towards the same goal. They play twin and complimentary roles. A simple family matter shouldn’t have been allowed to snowball into such a big mess. We should be looking at the achievements we intend to attain.

I am not happy, and I believe that overtime, we shall overcome the challenges. We must accept the fact that each component must perform its duty towards good governance but if there is a misunderstanding, we should come together for dialogue because we are too poor and too fragile to allow ourselves to be manipulated by external forces or some opportunists from outside.

What we need now is dialogue and respect for each other. Apart from prayers we need people of good conscience to intervene from across the spectrum of various communities and social groups.

Do you see the handwork of external forces in the present political controversy?

From the reports in the papers and the social media you should be the ones to relate the obvious facts, as journalists. I know from the bottom of my heart that the governor has a very good intention for the people of Nasarawa state and I also know from the bottom of my heart and from my knowledge of some of the members of the House that they are credible materials. Some of them I personally consider to be potential material for the future

governorship of the state because many of them are patriotic and have passion for the state which is the overall obsession of the governor at all times.

The missing link is the interpretational perception on different issues and is not difficult to understand or know. There must be collective sense of purpose to ensure there is a closing of ranks not the widening of gaps. For instance, I was invited to the House and my appearance helped me to punch some of the ambiguous side-talks and misinformation from many quarters. The instrument of good governance is, people should do the right thing in an organized manner.

I was happy when I appeared before the house, because before my appearance, there were some running rumours and I exonerated the governor by giving extensive insights and explanation to our standards of operations which is applicable to all states in the UBEC/SUBEB circle.

I think we should reason together by looking at our records and evidences rather than making it look as if we are witch-hunting. I can vouch for our records and testify that nothing untoward was included to undermine the fundamentals principles and policy frameworks of procurement acts which has always been the guiding format for our projects.

No doubt the state is in a chaotic situation, some people are insisting that the governor should appear before the House and clear his name from the allegations while others are demonstrating and criticizing the action of the assembly.

What is your take on that?

I am clearly and apparently in support of a transparent system and I said it before that when I was invited, I gave my own side of the situation because it is all about processes and procedures and everything was contained in our records and the governor did not have any place where he was implicated, and everything we did was based on the standard obtainable in other states.

One obvious fact is that most people are ignorant of the mandate and operational guideline of the board. Nasarawa state SUBEB is guided by the instrument of UBEC operations which is strictly under the surveillance of the procurement act. However, a number of government officials in the state are ignorant of this, that is why you hear people making all sort of spec-

Do you see the development in the state as a desperate move by the PDP to reclaim the state and continue to entrench itself at the national level?

The papers have written so much about that but some obvious facts are there. There is a kind of amalgamation theory like the deputy governor who had decided to abandon the governor and party that provided him succor against all odds, and he wants to manipulate his ways to become the anointed not elected governor. But it will not work because people voted the governor and the members and it is only the people that can decide. No single ambition of an individual supersedes that of the people. Once there is a problem, our responsibility is to solve the problem not to allow it overwhelm our sense of belonging and unity of purpose. In Nasarawa state, there is no room for mercenaries or mercenary politicians.

The deputy governor’s blind ambition should not be allowed to disunite our state which has been his sole-obsession using all forms of federal might to mystify himself.

Abdulkarim

ulations. We are guided and supervised effectively by the headquarters of UBEC in accordance with due process.

Our records are there in Abuja, you journalists can go and verify or come for a check in our office. Let me reiterate again that I appreciate the action of the Honorable Members because their action is bringing to bear many misconceptions and establishing the fact that what we have done is in tandem with the rules, which directly or indirectly, has also helped in establishing the governor’s integrity having given me the opportunity to publicly exonerate him, since our records and documents have sufficiently profiled the governor’s innocence in the entire saga.

Consequently, this legislative opportunity has also helped to bury the side-talks and idle innuendos from disgruntled elements, “used to the old order,” which was always directed to my person and the governor because of our decision to mono-source the contract to the state- owned skilled acquisition centre to revive it and enhance its capacity to promote the much needed youth empowerment scheme, tagged, NAYES. Yes, the state is in a chaotic condition because of the high level of insincerity by people of substance, especially the elites, who in Nigeria serve as political merchants who want to appropriate some benefits in a crisis situation but they will never succeed because the members of the assembly are reasonable like the governor. I hope and pray that we subdue the situation.

What we need now is a collective will to triumph over the evil forces instigating so many people.

What can you say about the allegations by some of your permanent members that you don’t carry them along?

Let me categorically make it known that I have served as chairman, chief executive of several boards and parastatals at both states and federal levels and successfully carried everybody along but my experience at NSUBEB is strangely revealing. I have not in my previous engagements learnt to collect bribes from contractors of between N25, 000 to N50, 000 to endorse a contractor’s file. Though this anomaly is traced to only the most nagging of the members. How can I carry such a person along? It is not in my character and I cannot condone such an ungodly act.

If there is a misunderstanding, we should come together for dialogue because we are too poor and too fragile to allow ourselves to be manipulated by external forces or some opportunists

You have always maintained that the governor is a good person but being surrounded by evil forces do you see these forces misleading him in the present circumstances?

That I wouldn’t know, this is a question that you as journalists should investigate. All I said is that the society should always look at the environmental factors that warrant decision making. I am not in the good books of many and I don’t care, I have no apology, the system is bad. There are people that feel that if they undermine the governor, they have succeeded but that is not true because his success is our success while his failure is also ours.

20 politics

Sunday, July 27, 2014

2015: Contending With Agbaje’s Challenge In Lagos After months of suspense on his teeming supporters and admirers, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, a popular Lagos-based politician finally threw his hat into the ring to signify his intention to contest the Lagos governorship election. OLAOLU OLADIPO looks at the prospects of his aspiration as well as the likelihood of his entry as a game changer.

T

he leadership of the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) received a delegation, an august visit of some sorts at the party’s secretariat located in the highbrow Ikeja GRA on Monday last week.

On that bright afternoon of July 21st, the Captain Olatunji Shelleled state executive committee of the party formally welcomed into the party, a Lagos based politician, renowned businessman and pharmacist, Mr. Jimi Agbaje thus ending months of speculation regarding the secret romance between him and the party.

For some time, the rumour mill has been agog suggesting that Agbaje might have thrown his lot with the PDP as the platform to use to realize his ambition to become the governor of the state in 2015.

Prior to his meeting with Shelle and his group, those who should know have told the media that all the needed moves had been carried out for his seamless entry into the PDP. It was even rumoured that the Ikorodu born politician had met with the Presidency to discuss his movement into the PDP. That speculation finally ended on Monday as he led his inner core of supporters to intimate the party of his desire to fly the flag of the party.

Agbaje, who has continued to shun media enquiries since the end of the visit is also believed to be holding series of meeting with other important stakeholders and leaders of the party to finalise the right strategies to be adopted by the PDP in order to win the 2015 election.

Addressing the SWC of the party earlier, in what he called a courtesy visit, Agbaje said he decided to choose the PDP to realise his political ambition based on common and aggregated opinion among core of his supporters across the state that the party was the most viable platform interested in causing the needed change desired by the Lagos people. To watchers of the events and trends within the party, Agbaje had reportedly joined the PDP some months ago and had been attending the party’s meetings at his Ward B, Apapa 1. He is said to be very active in the activities of the ward and has even been reported to be promoting the emergence of a consensus candidate that would pursue what he termed a Lagos agenda if given

the opportunity to serve the state in 2015.

The governorship aspirant charged them to always remain united and make the party open and attractive for more people to join in order for them to make more meaningful impact on the party.

He did not leave the secretariat of the PDP without the usual pep talk from Shelle who while responding to speeches by his guest congratulated Agbaje for coming on board the party, declaring that the PDP was positioned to win the 2011 poll and form the next government in the state.

Shelle expressed the hope that Lagos people were ready to go the way of Ekiti people by voting the PDP into power, adding that the greatest opportunity that the party now had was the, “Misgovernance started by Tinubu and worsened

by Fashola that has now caused disenchantment among Lagosians in particular and Nigerians in general.”

He, however, assured Agbaje that the leadership of the party under him would guarantee a level playing field for all its aspirants in picking who would eventually fly the governorship flag of PDP Lagos in 2015.

Though he initially contested the office on the platform of the Democratic Party Alliance (DPA) in 2007 against the incumbent Babatunde Raji Fashola where he came third, he is said to be close to the leadership of the ruling APC in the state.

He is said to have picked the PDP owing to the near-zero possibility of picking the party’s (APC’s) ticket.

It is also said that he has been distancing himself from the APC lately to pursue his ambition and that the decision might not be unconnected with the bad blood created by his decision to seek legal redress for perceived infraction in the conduct of the polls.

Agbaje had challenged the result of the election at the state ElectionPetition Tribunal and subsequently at the Appeal Tribunal though he lost on both occasions but the relationship between him and the APC has been a mix bag of love today, enmity tomorrow, thus his thinking that it would be fool hardy of him to believe that he can realise his ambition in the APC. “Moreover, his research team had told him that the PDP was not popular at all with the voting

Agbaje

public in the south west. In Lagos where he was contesting, the PDP was not loved by the people, hence, the decision to allign with a party that can drive his ambition and in this case, the Labour Party comes in handy,” a source once told LEADERSHIP on phone.

Agbaje endeared himself into the hearts of Lagosians when in 2007 as a leading contender ran a colourful campaign, beautiful brand and charismatic presentations at public debates but he eventually came third in the election behind Fashola and the PDP candidate, SenatorMusiliu Olatunde Obanikoro.

His entry into the PDP seems to be sending ripples that have been permeating the political landscape of the state cutting across the two leading parties. No sooner had he left the party that tongues begun to wag on the desirability or other wise of his entry into the party.

Since the much reported visit, the old line of acrimony had been redrawn by chieftains pitching some young and emerging elements led by the Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Olatunde Obanikoro and a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George against each other.

Some members of the party have been expressing some form of reservation and have gone ahead to accuse Bode George of trying to impose a stranger on them. It is not clear yet if Obanikoro would contest the ticket with Agbaje but those close to him swear that he will soon throw his hat into the ring.

“Though he has not come out openly to say that he wants to contest the governorship, his body language suggests that he is very much interested in slugging it out with others for the party’s ticket.”

A source within the Lagos chapter of the PDP told Leadership Sunday in a telephone chat.

Apart from the two other notable contestants for the ticket of the party, others include a property consultant, Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi, a medical doctor, Segun Ogundimu, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, Mr. Tokunbo Kamson as a well as a businessman, Deji Doherty.

It is not known as at the time of filing this reports what their disposition has been towards Agbaje but it is very predictable that many (if

not all) will not be too happy as his coming seems to alter calculations within the PDP. For the new kid on the bloc, he has two seeming advantage of acceptability outside the party, especially amongst the people of the state just as he has less baggage to contend with as with some other contenders. He is from the East Senatorial zone where the ruling party has limited his search for candidate.

Added to that is the fact that the bulk of the PDP structure is controlled by the George faction and that in the event of a recourse to primaries to pick candidate, he might emerge with the backing of George.

Outside the PDP, Agbaje is seen as a quintessential Lagos indigene, a thorough bred with sound pedigree and contact. His promoters easily points to his accomplishment as a private citizen to argue that he would translate the successes recorded in the business world to public life if given the chance.

No doubt, Agbaje’s entry into the contest is seen by many as a game changing move if some factors remain in the build up to the polls.

One of such is the brewing war of attrition within the APC regarding the process that is expected to lead to the emergence of the party governorship candidate.

Those who should know are of the opinion that a former governor of the state and a leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu is current pitched in a war of wits with his godson and incumbent, Fashola over the choice of candidate for the party.

Many have argued that Agbaje who seems to be on the same page in terms of age with the incumbent will likely carry the day if the two politicians fail to arrive at a consensus of the choice of the party.

“Even if they close ranks, the candidature of Agbaje will pose a mortal threat to the hold of APC in Lagos,” a source in PDP said.

The source, who is a member of the state executive council of the party further stated that with the acceptability of Agbaje and the support of ‘federal might’ , the APC will be given a run for its money.

With the emergence of Agbaje, the political scene of Lagos is set to witness a spark as the businessman’s entry no doubt has become a game changer.

With the emergence of Agbaje, the political scene of Lagos is set to witness a spark as the businessman’s entry no doubt has become a game changer.

Abuja 27.07.2014

A-Z ALL THAT’S TRENDING

Abuja, Home Away From Home Bose Akingboye CIVIL SERVANT

Maitama Fruit Market: A One Stop Shopping Experience Maitama fruit market is one of the biggest fruit markets in the city center of Abuja. Whether you want fruit or vegetables, you will find the best at the market.

WHAT’S UP? The Africa Clean Energy Summit P30

WHERE’S BUZZING? Caramelo Lounge P31

WHAT TO BUY • Samsung GalaxyTab S • Microsoft Surface Pro 3 • JBL Authentics L16 • Cinema SB400 P49

LISTINGS • Airlines

• Insurance Companies • Construction Companies • Estates P52

SPOTLIGHT • • • •

Kilmanjaro Summeset Hotel Traffic Bar Masala Wahala P51

22 ABUJA A-Z/ WHAT’S UP?

City SIGHTINGS

Sunday, July 27, 2014

What’s Up?

upcoming events The Charity Football Tournament

Gospel Artiste

Vox Youth Initiative presents The Charity Football Tournament, an event designed for youths to develop and discover their talents. 11:00AM. Maitama Garden, Wednesday July 30 – Friday August 1

Nigerian gospel music icon, Solomon Lange was seen at Area 11. He was seen leaving Church of God Mission and walking into his car. He wore a white traditional attire, a black trouser and black shoes.

Summer Cookout

Premium Events and Public Relations Company presents The Cookout. The event will feature an open grill, a tasteful selection of mocktails, music, milkshakes, cotton candy and games suitable for families and people of all ages. JD LEISURE CENTER KASHIM IBRAHIM WAY, OPPOSITE A CLASS PARK, MAITAMA, ABUJA. Sunday August 3.

Comedy Night

Award Winning Artist

Amarachi Angela Nwankwo, the 2013 winner of Nigerian Music Video Award, was spotted at Area 11. She was dressed in an elegant black dress with a golden belt, and a pair of stilettoes.

Lirpa Lounge brings you an evening of non-stop music till day break. The evening will feature music performances and dance by different artistes. 7:00PM, LIRPA LOUNGE AND KAROKE BAR, HOUSE 12, 322 ROAD, 3RD AVENUE, CORNER SHOP, GWARINPA. Sunday August 3

Ballet and Hiphop Dance Class

Here is an opportunity for you to dance off the stress, increase your body fluid circulation, tone your muscles, and develop new dancing skills. 10:00AM. SHERATON FITNESS CENTER, SHERATON HOTELS AND RESORT. Saturday August 9.

Iyin creative brings you the first ever creative animation summer camp. The camp will give the kids the opportunity to create their own cartoon characters and get familiar with animation soft wares. 9:00 AM. AT 10, BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO STREET, OFF 2ND AVENUE GWARIMPA ESTATE. Monday August 4 – Friday 22 August.

Multi-talented songwriter, composer and performer Chris Morgan was spotted at Kefee’s memorial service in Abuja. The singer wore a blue and white suit, a blue shirt, a black denim trouser and black shoes.

A-Z

Battle of Vocals

Animation Summer Camp

Singer

Abuja

Eden Parks and Gardens bring you a special night set aside to make you laugh with the best comedy by several renowned and upcoming comedians. 7: 00 PM. EDEN PARK AND GARDEN OPP CHIDA HOTEL UTAKO. Sunday August 3.

Summer splash

Here is an exciting opportunity for kids to learn different skills during the holiday.

The event which is organised by Jewels Lights Academy will feature trainings on photography, ballet, dance, cookery, French science, art attack, spelling bee etc. 9:00 AM. JEWELS EARLY YEARS CENTER, NO.50, 34 CRESCENT BY KELINA HOSPITAL, 3RD AVENUE, GWARINPA ESTATE. Tuesday July 1 – Wednesday August 27.

Script to Screen

High Definition Academy presents an intensive course on film making and acting for adults, teens and kids. The 2014 script to screen programme will feature training sessions, short film competition and awards. 9:00 AM. SILVERBED CINEMA ABUJA, Saturday August 2- Saturday August 30.

group EDITOR REPORTERS DESIGN

Amina Alhassan Ahman Uche Uduma,Chalya Dul IgweNgerem Michael

ACTING EDITOR Auwal Sa'id Mu'azu

FOUNDER Sam Nda-Isaiah CHAIRMAN Hajiya Ireti Kingibe GRP MANAGING DIRECTOR Azubuike Ishiekwene GRP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS Michael Okpere, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye

Abuja A-Z is published as an insert in LEADERSHIP Sunday.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of these listiings.

However please contact venues to confirm details

Where’s BUZZING/ ABUJA A-Z 23

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Where’s buzzing?

Airlines, Insurance Companies

Caramelo Lounge Caramelo Lounge is an Abuja nightclub where you can find the best drinks offers, DJs and guest sets.

The lounge offers warmth, impeccable service delivery and a fun-filled atmosphere poised to meet your every desire. The lounge and bar is beautifully decorated to suit the exquisite taste of the people in the area. Not only that, Caramelo is built with style and comfort based on the needs of business and leisure guests who visit and frequent the city. The lounge is only a 30 minutes’ drive away from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and a mere five minutes drive away from all the business spots in the city. It is nestled within one of the most secure and serene environment of the city. Feel free to select from their array of tastefully furnished guest rooms to fit your every mood.

Plot 630, T.O.S Benson Crescent,

by C.B.N quarters, beside Uturu Plaza, Utako, Abuja

AIRLINES Lufthansa Group The Lufthansa Group is an aviation group with global operations and a total of almost 500 subsidiaries and associated companies. It consists of five business segments, which encompass the areas of passenger transportation, airfreight and airline services: passenger airline group, logistics, MRO, catering and IT services. All of the business segments occupy a leading position in their sectors and in some cases are the global market leaders. The airlines constitute the core business segment of the Lufthansa Group.

Lufthansa Passenger Airlines, SWISS and Austrian Airlines enjoy an outstanding reputation in the market as quality airlines.

In 2013, the airline group defended its leading role in Europe, again recording the greatest number of passengers and the highest revenue of any European airline.

Ground Floor Transcorp Hilton Shehu Shagari Way, Maitama, Abuja

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KLM is one of the leading airlines with a vision to be at the front of the industry by being smarter than the rest. By merging with Air France KLM has come to occupy a leading position in the international airline industry.

KLM wants to be the customers’ first choice, to be an attractive employer for its staff and, a company that grows profitably for its shareholders. With smart partnerships and pioneering new destinations, KLM offers global access through its extensive network. By responding to market opportunities and technological developments, KLM offers customers a contemporary product.

Sheraton Hotel & Towers Shopping Arcade, Zone 4 Wuse, Abuja

Arik Air Arik Air is a wholly-owned Nigerian airline with a commitment to the people of Nigeria to deliver new standards in aviation. The Arik brand is synonymous with efficiency, customer-commitment, adherence to aviation polices &

standards and an avant-garde in providing quality aviation services.

The airline was founded in 2002 as the vision of Sir Arumemi-Ikhide, a leading and well-respected Nigerian businessman who understood that if business was to succeed, there needed to be efficiency and quality of service.

The arik line is specific about safety. The airline takes great care in the safety of their guests and colleagues by going above and beyond all compulsory safety precautions and regulations.

Transcorp Hilton Hotel, 1 ,Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja

British Airways British Airways is a full service global airline, offering year-round low fares with an extensive global route network flying to and from centrally-located airports.

The airline began operation in 1972. British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom and its largest airline based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations. British Airways has been in Nigeria for decades and it has booking offices in Lagos and Abuja. Airline Booking Offices

1, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Ist Floor, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria.

24 ABUJA A-Z/ WHERE’S BUZZING

Sunday, July 27, 2014

The Oven Cake Craft The Oven Cake Craft specialises in making cakes and desserts for all occasions and varying tastes. Their breathtaking products have over the years graced many a great and memorable occasions, bringing pleasure to so many and helping preserve for eternity these memorable events in

so many hearts. Oven Cake Craft is popular for its gemstone flavour collection such as Pink Berry Cake, Blue Sapphire Cake, Orange Topaz Cake and Red Ruby Cake

B22/23 NSITF Plaza, by Kashim Ibrahim way, Wuse 2, or Life Camp

Insurance companies

Lufthansa Group

Arik Air

British Airways

African Alliance Insurance Plc African Alliance Insurance Plc was incorporated as a private limited liability company on May 6th 1960 and was the first Indigenous Insurance to carry out the business of life assurance in Nigeria. The Company was originally set up in partnership with Munich Reinsurance Company of Germany, the largest Reinsurance Company in the world. Munich – Reinsurance Company still provides technical support to the company on a need basis. Their marketing efforts are coordinated through a network of 16 branch offices manned by experienced managers and highly motivated sales personnel for effective field coverage of the entire country. The core competencies of the company are a creative combination of protection, savings and investment products and over the years, African Alliance has established a solid reputation for excellent customer service and prompt claims settlement.

African Alliance Insurance PLC 79 Ademola Adetokunbo Crecent, Wuse II Leadway Assurance Company Limited Leadway is a private company with 42 shareholders, 14 of which are corporate investors, and two trust corporations. The pivotal point at Leadway is “the customer” and the

company has enjoyed a steady growth in its commitment to providing integrated insurance and financial services to its numerous customers. The company’s remarkable success has been possible because of its sound professional and business standards backed by the uncompromising level of integrity of its directors.

An uncompromising level of integrity of service is a tradition imbibed at LEADWAY and instilled by its late founder, Sir (Dr.) Hassan O. Odukale, KJW, D.Sc, FCIIN (19261999). As an astute and honest businessman the founding managing director and later chairman of the board of directors, Sir Odukale nurtured the company to an enviable position in the Nigerian insurance industry. His vision of dedicated service to all customers remains a guiding principle that shapes the policies of the company.

4th Floor Leadway House, Plot 1061, Cadastral Avenue CBD Abuja FCT Linkage Assurance Plc Linkage Assurance Plc is one of the insurance companies in Nigeria registered and licensed by NAICOM under the provisions of the Insurance Act 2003, to carry out general insurance business. Linkage is second to none in the exhibition of a professional approach to business and industrywide ethics. They maintain their reputation for excellence through prompt payment of genuine claims and warm, timely service

delivery. They strive to set the standards within the Nigerian insurance industry for others to follow. The challenging business environment in which they operate provides them with incentive to continuously design innovative products and services that meet the needs of their clientele in particular, and the insuring public in general.

8, Asaba Close Opposite Nicon Luxury Hotel, 2nd Gate Busstop, Area II, Garki Abuja IGI Group The IGI Group is the largest insurance company in Nigeria and the largest underwriter in West Africa.

Insurance remains the flagship of the IGI Group, which has shareholders’ funds in excess of N31 billion and assets base in excess of N45 billion, with subsidiaries and strategic investments in other diverse sectors, notably: real estate, banking, telecommunications, mining, construction, waste management and engineering. IGI Plc operates in 45 branches spread across Nigeria and has subsidiaries in other African countries, notably Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana and The Gambia, with representative offices in London and Washington, DC. The Company has established a reputation for excellent delivery of insurance products and services, especially in special risks, such as oil and energy, engineering, aviation, and industrial risk management.

Plot 758, Cadastral Zone AD Central Business District

CEOConfidential #122, July 27, 2014

ESSENTIALS FOR ENTREPRENEURS LEARN FROM MISTAKES >26

>30 BRAND BEGINNINGS

GLOBACOM LIMITED: ‘GLO’ WITH PRIDE >44 SMALL BUSINESS

MANAGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY >46 TIPOFFS

HOW REAL IS WORK-LIFE BALANCE?

• Solomon Chikan

CEO, Entrepreneurs Resources and Advisory Centre

CHIKAN’S INTEREST TO DEVELOP INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL

26 CEOConfidential

Sunday, July 27, 2014

in brief ESSENTIALS

10 Questions for...

FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Tochukwu Ojemeni Director, Lento Group

Learn from mistakes “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work” Thomas Edison, 1847-1931 American businessman and prolific inventor of products such as the gramophone and the light bulb.

It is inevitable that you will make mistakes - everyone does - as you haven’t experienced all that there is to experience and so you don’t have all the reference points you need to make the best possible decisions.

You can only make a decision drawing on your current knowledge, rather than what you don’t know.

Every piece of information or situation you take part in adds to your personal library. You draw on all of the memories in your mental database to help you solve the problems you face.

Build on your successes and learn from each failure, making sure that you never repeat it.

Overcome big issues easily “A real entrepreneur is somebody who has no safety net underneath them” Henry Kravis, 1944-

American financier and investor, co-founder of private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, specialising in leveraged buyouts.

When a complex issue raises its head, find an easy route through it by breaking it down into simpler components.

Start by writing down three things you need to do to get over the problem. Take each of these three solutions and write three ways to achieve it. You can keep on breaking down the issues until they seem manageable and you can begin to solve them.

By following these easy steps you create a solid action plan to follow for any seemingly impossible problem.

IF YOU’LL BE...

Paul Allen, co-founder, Microsoft Search for your ‘soul mate’ When Allen was 14 years old, he met Bill Gates, then 12 years old and decided to team up with him. Both have strong passion for computers and founded Microsoft. Both are college drop outs and that didn’t hinder their progress as well as successes. He was the one that actually convinced Gates to drop out from Harvard University to create Microsoft. The rest is history.

Create your identity. Change the old order He is known as the ‘idea man’ while Gates is ‘the action man’. Upon leaving Microsoft due to cancer which was successfully treated, Allen founded Vulcan Ventures and a ‘think tank’ Interval Research through which he began to put his long-term dream of a wired world society—in which virtually everyone is online— into practice.

Give! Give! Give!

Givers they say never lack and Allen does not lack in anything. He is a ‘careless’ and cheerful giver who has established philanthropic foundations for the causes of medical research, visual and performing arts, community service, and forest preservation.

– By Olujide Olusola

TIMELESS TRUTHS Just-in-time decisions “If you are not going to do anything tomorrow by making a decision today, then don’t make it today. Situations change; markets shift. That’s not an excuse to procrastinate. But the best decisions are just-in-time decisions. You should decide as late as possible.”

David House, executive chairman, Brocade Communication System

2. Which TV or movie character would you like to go into business with?

Not sure of any TV or movie character but I have one from a book Charlie Trumper in As The Crow Flies by Jeffery Archer.

3. If you were to start your own political party, what would be the platform?

Education! Education! Education! Basically free primary education.

4. Whom would you trade places with?

I wouldn’t trade places with anyone. Everyone has their own cross they’re carrying.

5. It’s 8 p.m. and you are travelling alone on business. What do you do all night?

Watch a good movie on TV and sleep, depending on the place.

6. If you could time-travel, where would you be?

The future. I would like to see what the world would look like 50, 60 years from now.

7. What have you learnt about yourself as you serve in that organisation?

I’m a pressure junkie and a workaholic. I like to work under pressure; sometimes I even create the pressure for myself.

8. What have you sacrificed for success?

I’ve had to sacrifice some relationships which sometimes is good and sometimes it isn’t. But my opinion is if it’s holding you back, drop it.

9. What do you consider your favourite achievement?

I have quite a few but one of my favourite achievements would have to be working with one of the leading Investment banks in the UK. 10. What is your motto?

To whom much is given, much is expected Interview by Daniel Udechukwu

group

ceoConfidential ASST. EDITOR Daniel Udechukwu CORRESPONDENT Salome Anyasodo REPORTER Olusola Olujide GRAPHICS Michael Igwe-Ngerem

1. What business do you not want to start but wish someone else would?

A water bottling company that uses glass bottles in place of PET

ACTING EDITOR Auwal Sa'id Mu'azu

FOUNDER Sam Nda-Isaiah CHAIRMAN Hajiya Ireti Kingibe GRP MANAGING DIRECTOR Azubuike Ishiekwene GRP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS Michael Okpere, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye

A number of the articles here are sourced from diverse sources.

Feedback & enquiries ceoconfidential@leadership.ng

CEOConfidential

Sunday, July 27, 2014

27

popular with CEOs Compiled by Salome Anyasodo

The Recommender What are the business quotes for this week that make sense or are just humourous?

A Brief Guide Don’t know what you want to see, hear, smell taste and feel? Don’t worry we did it for you.

SEE 22 Jump Street

Students protestings against ASUU strike

Some union members agitating for salary increment

Incessant strike actions in Nigeria Strike in Nigeria dates back to the pre-independence era when Nigerian workers led by Pa Michael Imodu, went on strike to protest poor treatment by the then colonial masters. This has since become a frequent occurrence, especially in this dispensation.

Strike as it is also known is defined as a period of time when a group of workers deliberately stop working because of a disagreement about pay, working conditions, according to the new edition of Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.

Strike action is a situation where workers refuse to work as a protest or labour revolt, walk away from duty post.

Strike actions have great

Omar

impact in the economy and one of the major impacts is that it brings the economy to a standstill.

Obviously, strike as it is, does not favour the down trodden in any society neither does it favour the so-called rich rather it worsens the general socio-economic status of every individual within the geographic region where it has existed and even beyond.

Over the years in a typical Nigerian society, hardly will a regime complete its tenure without any arm of the Nigerian labour Congress (NLC) going on strike. For the best part of last year into today, one body or the other in Nigeria has seemed to take turn to embark on strike.

From the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural

Abdulwaheed Omar, President NLC “Strike in Nigeria has reached the level it was because government does things with impunity”

BIZ Lingo

Asset stripping

Nyatsumba

Asset stripping involves selling the assets of a business individually at a profit. The term is generally used in a pejorative sense as such activity is not considered productive to the economy. Asset stripping is considered to be a problem in economies such as Russia or China that are making a transition to the market. In these situations, managers of a stateowned company have been known to sell the assets which they

Gas Workers (NUPENG), to Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and recently the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) but to mention a few.

Going forward, government should therefore encourage good living both economically and socially of its citizens to bear on decisions and actions taken by leaders of the world, culminating into good governance and transparency.

Change is a gradual process, and change cannot occur where there is no workforce.

Therefore, leaders at all levels must strive to make their leadership that of the people to avert any manner of strike.

Kaizer Nyatsumba, CEO, Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) “All rights go with responsibilities, and the same applies to the right to strike.”

control, leaving behind nothing but debts to the state. This is a corporate purchaser who discovers companies, which will create more profit by liquidating the parts rather than through business operations.

Asset stripping can be seen as buying a stricken company and selling off its assets with no thought for the future of the company or its people, customers, etc.

It is only the poor who pay cash and that not from virtue, but because they are refused credit. anatole france, Writer Here is simple but powerful rule: always give people more than what they expect to get.

Nelson Boswell,

Author

The 112 minutes Action / Adventure, centres around its major characters who after making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt and Jenko when they go deep undercover at a local college. The movie features Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube.

hear Founder, Daystar Leadership Academy, Sam Adeyemi at the Leadership Training for teenagers in Lagos

With the theme: ‘Unleash your Potential’, the leadership training is aimed at increasing personal efficiency, developing unique leadership skills and achieving productivity. It runs from July 28 through August 1, 2014, at Plot A3C, Ikosi Road, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos.

taste If you can have it done by Wednesday, say you’ll have it done by Friday.

Then deliver it on Tuesday.

Richard Templar,

Author

Steak, Argentina

Literally considered the best in the world, Argentina has the world’s second highest consumption rate of beef and yearly consumption. The cows are highly norished and well taken care of. The cows were first brought to Argentina in 1536.

FEEL Calabria, Italy

There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else. sam Walton,

Businessman

Calabria is at the toe of the boot, the extreme south of Italy - lapped by the splendid crystal blue Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas and separated from Sicily by the Strait of Messina. The warm climate, beautiful colours of the sea, rocky coasts that alternate with sandy beaches, make Calabria a unique place.

SMELL DKNY My NY Donna Karan for women

DKNY MY NY was inspired by hot summer days in New York. A new heart-shaped edition which has the aim to express the contemporary urban spirit of her beloved city.

28 CEOConfidential

Sunday, July 27, 2014

The CEOConfidential interview

Sunday, July 27, 2014

CEOConfidential

Chikan’s interest to develop individual potential Chikan sees his life as a race against time and finds joy in focusing on raising entrepreneurs to the benefit of the community.

INTERVIEW BY ANYASODO SALOME I read every day. I am crazy about books...

I wake up early, most times by 3am. And when I am up, I read. I am crazy about books. I even read books and materials that do not really relate to my course of work.

Afterwards, I head for the office, where I attend to people. Some come for business advice, and others private coaching.

After work, I spend some time with family if I am in town. I travel a lot because I am a board member of so many organisations.

I also speak a lot at conferences.

CHIKAN IN SHORT Solomon Chikan is the CEO, team leader/life coach of Entrepreneurs Resources and Advisory Centre since 2001 till date. He is a graduate of Civil Engineer from the Ahmadu Bello University; a PGD in Transportation Planning from Napier College Edinburgh. He also has a certificate in Entrepreneurship Development from EMPRETEC/ NIGERIA, amongst others.

He has worked as a senior civil engineer with the Jos Metropolitan Development Board, Jos. He has served and still serving on the board of several organisations, government and private companies, and NGOs within and outside the country.

Chikan has received various prestigious awards, and has written and published over 30 books and booklets.

He is married with children.

ERAC...

Entrepreneurs Resources and Advisory Centre (ERAC) is out to make entrepreneurs. It advises and looks out for individuals it aids in life coaching. The company helps people to define and design their lives with a view to defining their purpose and thoroughly develop themselves.

Every human being comes with a message.

When such a person is unable to deliver the message the world suffers...

I am passionate about being seen as one who is interested in helping develop people’s potential so they can live outside their life

purposes. Every human being comes with a message. When such a person is unable to deliver the message the world suffers. I try to instil that in people everywhere I go. That is my focus.

We live in a society where people are after money and not about purpose...

I do not see challenges as challenge. However, we live in a society where people are after money and not about purpose, especially the youth. The adults do not even help matters. Parents even push their wards to do things that are not in line with their talents all in the name of wanting to make money.

Adults are in numerous businesses that they are not happy about but they tolerate it just because of the quest for money. That is not what life is about. Life is supposed to be enjoyed, especially doing what one is happy doing.

When one is unable to do such it becomes a big problem.

I live for purpose and this drives me...

My drive is the knowledge and fact that I am doing what I am here for, loving and enjoying it. I do not live for today. I do not live for what I can get; I

live for eternity. I live for purpose and this drives me. The feedbacks I get from the entrepreneurs really encourage me.

I met a guy in a conference where I spoke six years ago and he said he had been looking for me. He showed me his car with excitement and told me he had a school as a result of what he had learned from my teachings. These and many more happen even when I walk into certain places. Although when I started, the responses were not there, but I knew it was soon; definitely, I would reap the benefits of doing this.

My work is my hobby.

When one finds himself doing what he or she has been called to do, it’s done with ease...

I live out what I preach by helping people to define and design their lives.

Relationship with family always come first. Since all my kids are grown (it’s just my wife and I), we travel and spend time together, and luckily we share the same passion.

This makes it a whole lot easier. I relax on my job.

When one finds himself doing what he or she has been called to do, it’s done with ease. I do not find my work stressful. If I am not talking in a conference, I am reading. If I am not reading, I am watching comedy. I love comedy.

I live intentionally; I do

not live haphazardly. I do things on purpose, whatever I do has a reason. I see my life as a race against time. I am only here for a season and a reason. So I do not waste my time at all. I find joy in fulfilling my purpose. My work is my hobby.

I am happiest when I am sharing and impacting, encouraging or helping people to be themselves.

I live out my faith in my work. That is what keeps me going. I do not do things for my benefit but for the benefit of the community.

It is about raising others...

For every CEO, know it’s not about you. It is about that organisation you lead. Make sure you are raising someone to take over from you. There will always be a time for one to move, and when you do and there is no one to takeover, you have failed.

So it is about raising others.

I see potential in Nigerian youth, but unfortunately, too many of them have not been able to define life correctly, and have been misled by what is going on. However, truthfully there is hope because I have met many Nigerian youth who are doing wonderful things; who have direction in what they are doing.

There is hope.

CHIKAN ON LEADERSHIP For every CEO, know it’s not about you. It is about that organisation you lead

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CEOConfidential

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initiatives

29

Lere Baale, lerebaale@gmail.com

Leadership Inspiration Series for Excellence (LIFE Series)

Developing Africa’s next generation of transformational leaders (III) When leaders are dealing with complex problems every day, the learning horizon may be so extended that connection between actions and consequences can be lost.

Action - learning works by bridging the gap between what we know, and what we do, so that leaders can see quickly and clearly how different behaviours affect personal and organisational performance.

Once the leader experiences this relationship between behaviour and consequence, true understanding can result. To sustain these desired behaviour changes in the real world requires individual coaching.

OTHER BIZ

Coaching equals new behaviour Far too often, leadership learning gets left in the classroom. Coaching, both one-to-one and peer coaching, helps to transfer learning into everyday behaviours. Coaching ensures that the new behaviours are validated as leaders apply what has been learned to their unique real-world circumstances.

Improved business performance Enhance leaders’ awareness of what drives unconscious behaviour through assessment; increase their understanding of the consequences of unconscious

‘When individual behaviour changes, norms change.

And when norms change, organisational culture changes, which is the fastest way to improved organisational performance’ behaviour through action learning; then coach them in more intentional and effective behaviour. This development strategy is consistent with what we know about neuroscience and sustained learning.

The speed and sustainability of this learning comes from the recognition that the best way to effect organisational change is to focus on individual behavioural change. When individual behaviour changes, norms change. And when norms

change, organisational culture changes, which is the fastest way to improved organisational performance.

This approach works to develop leaders for any environment, but is especially critical in a national, continental or global assignment. Unlike earlier global development models that simply imposed Western management and leadership thoughts on African leaders, this individual-centred approach works because it develops leadership strength

and capability from within each individual in the context of organisational and continental demands. The result is leaders who can work effectively across individual, organisational, and regional cultural boundaries—which is the definition of global leadership at its most effective.

Lere Baale Director, Business School Netherlands & Howes Consulting Group.

CONCLUDED

Clippers CEO testifies about Clippers’ sale

Los Angeles Clippers interim CEO Richard Parsons is being called as a witness to support Shelly Sterling’s attempt to sell the team for $2bn to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

The ousted team owner Donald Sterling, Shelly’s husband, objects to the sale. Parsons, a former CEO of Time Warner and Citigroup, took over running the Clippers in May, after Donald’s banishment from the NBA for letting his girlfriend tape him making racist comments. The league ordered Sterling to sell the

team, but after his wife had found a $2bn buyer, Sterling refused.

Shelly Sterling is also on the Tuesday witness list, alongside Dean Bonham, a leading negotiator of business and sports sponsorship contracts and former president of the Utah Jazz.

The court battle centres on whether Shelly Sterling was authorized to make a deal with Ballmer on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust.

Soon after she began negotiations, Donald Sterling revoked the trust, trying to pull the run from under his

wife’s legs. Sterling originally paid $12m for the Clippers.

He told the court he would never sell the team and plans, instead, to be suing the NBA for the rest of his life.

Shelley Sterling says her husband is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and not competent to handle his own affairs. But so far the court has not been asked to decide that matter.

The NBA has threatened that if the Clippers’ sale doesn’t happen come Sept. 15, they could seize the team and sell it at auction.

Shelly and Donald

Oxfam CEO takes part in C4 Undercover Boss to see if charity is ‘spending money wisely’

Goldring

Oxfam chief executive Mark Goldring has taken part in Channel 4’s Undercover Boss TV series to see how its volunteers raise money and to investigate whether the charity is spending its funds wisely.

During the show, which airs on Thurdays, Goldring spent a week posing as volunteer in

both the UK and the Philippines to see Oxfam “from a different perspective”.

In a blog post on the Oxfam website, he said that he took part in the experience to give people a better idea of the “reality” of the charity’s work which he admitted was “a risk” in terms of handing over editorial control.

“The TV crew decided what to film and had full editorial control, but I trust our people and that paid off,” he said in his blog.

Goldring also posted a video on the Oxfam YouTube channel and said: “We have to be open about what we’ve got wrong, as well as what we’ve got right.”

30 CEOConfidential

Sunday, July 27, 2014

situation reports Compiled by Olujide Olusola

Brand Beginnings Globacom Limited: ‘Glo’ with pride

G

lobacom Limited is Africa’s fastest growing telecommunications company.

GLO is privately owned by the Mike Adenuga Group which also consists of Equatorial Trust Bank (ETB) now Sterling Bank, Conoil PLC, a petroleum marketing company, and Conoil Producing, a crude exploration company. Globacom operates in the Republic of Benin and Ghana. Globacom also acquired licenses to operate in the Ivory Coast. It has a reputation as one of the fastest growing mobile service providers in the world. Globacom Limited aims to be recognized as the biggest and best mobile network in Africa. As of June 2009, the company has employed more than 2,500 people worldwide. GLO has an estimate of over 25 million subscribers (June 2009) and it is a 100 per cent Nigerian owned company. GLO built an $800 million high-capacity fibre-optic cable known as Glo-1, a submarine cable from the United Kingdom to Nigeria.

History In 2005, Glo Mobile introduced the Glo Fleet Manager which is the most comprehensive Vehicle Tracking Solution offered. Glo Fleet Manager helps transporters/fleet operators manage their fleet. They also introduced the Glo Mobile internet service which provides subscribers with high speed access to all popular internet sites which have been customized for mobile phone browsing. In 2006, Glo Mobile introduced BlackBerry. GLO started the sponsorship of the Confederation of African Football African Player of the Year Award. The company also started the sponsorship of Glo Lagos International Half Marathon.

In 2009, Glo Mobile launched Blackberry prepaid services which gives subscribers options to pay daily, weekly or monthly for the service.

Blackberry prepaid service gives subscribers free yahoo mail access and free blackberry messenger.

The company also launched 3G High Speed

Internet services through the sale of its 3G modem. Glo Mobile 3G network is available in Lagos, Abuja, Benin and Port Harcourt.

Milestones In August 2003, Glo Mobile was launched in Nigeria. Glo Mobile introduced lower tariffs, pay per second billing and alongside other value added services. Although Glo Mobile was the fourth GSM operator to launch in Nigeria, within seven years of the company’s operation, its subscriber base has grown to over 25 million.

In the first year of operation, it had one million subscribers in over 87 towns in Nigeria and over N120bn in revenues.

In June 2008, Glo Mobile was launched in the Republic of Benin. Glo Mobile showed unprecedented growth through the sale of 600,000 SIM cards in the first ten days of operation. In May 2008, GLO acquired an operating license through its Glo Mobile division in Ghana. In April 30, 2012, GLO officially launched in Ghana after series of postponement.

Sponsorships GLO sponsors sports events as a way to give back to communities within the countries they operate. In Nigeria, GLO sponsored until 2009 the Nigerian Premier League, Nigerian National Football Teams, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Glo Lagos International Half Marathon, Glo People Police Marathon, Eyo Festival, Ojude Oba Festival, Eleghe Festival and the Confederation of African Football African Player of the Year Award. In the Republic of Benin, GLO sponsors the FITHEB and CAF African Player of the Year Award.

In Ghana, GLO sponsors the Glo Ghana Premier League, the Ghana National Football Teams and the CAF African Player of the Year Award.

In November 2009, GLO became an official sponsor of football club Manchester United. The sponsorship also includes young players from Benin, Ghana and Nigeria going to Manchester to train with the club.

Management IDEAS

Corporate governance

America was treated to a peep at the CEO’s expense account recently, to discover, among other things, that the boss of American Express was paid $132,000 for personal use of company cars and reimbursed for snacks from the company dining room. Some people were more upset by the snacks than by the car.

More of this kind of information is being made public because of the US Securities and Exchange Commission has lowered the

threshold for disclosure of perks.

But executive pay and disclosure are only two of an increasing number of management activities subject to the stern eye of ‘corporate governance’ .

Because of the agency problem, shareholders have fretted over good governance for many years. They want to be fairly treated and given a hearing, particularly where there is a big majority shareholder that doesn’t always listen to what the ‘minorities’ want.

ADVICE

Mandela’s economic lesson to African leaders (1) The world recently celebrated Nelson Mandela, a man whose life personalises the tireless struggle against and victorious defeat of racial discrimination and inequality. Born 96 years ago, Madiba by his historic defeat of oppression and hatred, and legendary institution of reconciliation and unity, came to be the Father of a nation, a continent… of the world.

Albeit regretful of our inability to publish this piece yesterdaythe official Mandela day, no Nelson Mandela piece on him can come too late of his long-suffering race, or early; he is A Man for all Mandela towed a different Seasons. line. He did not force the white In celebrating Mandela, the entrepreneurs out, had he battle against Apartheid’s done that, South Africa may socio-economic and political have looked like the Zimbabwe oppression- epitomized by his of today. Bill Keller Wrote three decades in detention in the New yYork Times; ” -rightly dominates his legacy, but there is another component- As President, from 1994 to 1999, he (Mandela) devoted the economic policies of his much energy to moderating presidency. the bitterness of his black Nelson Mandela’s economic electorate and to reassuring policy, though less-talked whites with fears of vengeance. about, was very crucial for the this is a rarity in Africa where success of the Rainbow nation most leaders stoke the fires that South Africa has become. ethnic conflicts often for selfish Mandela’s economics, though political gains. Mandela’s move not bereft of shortcomings, transformed Apartheid-wrecked was not only one of forgiveness, but economically savvy. and isolated South Africa to In 2013, John Cassidy wrote a land greatly admired and of Mandela’s government in reckoned as an example of the New Yorker; “The new peaceful and progressive multigovernment took over an racial African democracy. economy that had been hard When Nelson Mandela became hit by foreign sanctions and an the president of South Africa international disinvestment in 1994, alongside the walls of campaign. In embarking on a racial disaffection that needed moderate and gradualist path, to be pulled down and bridges Mandela and his economic of national unity that had to advisers insured that a be built were huge potholes of multiracial and democratic economic inequality desperate South Africa would receive for patch-ups, large pits of much-needed economic aid poverty crying to be filled, and a gigantic mountain of national from the World Bank and the I.M.F., as well as individual economic development that countries like Britain and the needed to be climbed. And United States. (It is now the similar to how he faced the ninth-biggest recipient of U.S. apartheid system that enslaved aid, receiving about seven him and his people, Mandela hundred and fifty million dollars faced South Africa’s economic a year.) In leaving the existing crises head-on with courage, economic structure largely integrity and most importantly the interest of not just his fellow intact, the new government was also able to rely on steadily blacks but the whole country. rising tax revenues, which While many black South financed spending on new Africans expected Nelson houses, schools, and electricity Mandela to, with the new and water systems—most of power he and his party now possessed, sieze and nationalize them located in non-white areas. Steady growth paid for the country’s lands, mines a big expansion in welfare and financial institutions and programs, too”. redistribute them to people

CEOConfidential

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getting ahead

31

Duncan Bannatyne, Britain’s best-known entrepreneur

Mistakes Businesses Make MISTAKE 39

DIFFERENTIATE OR DIE

Thinking markets will never change (2)

Updating heritage

‘You become set in your ways’ CONTINUES FROM LAST WEEK

Within a few years, M&S had gone from being dependable to frumpy even though it had barely changed: the market moved and it didn’t.

Not taking payment by credit card highlights just how much they had lost touch with consumers.

It wasn’t a case of their designers producing the odd dud range, M&S had become so inward-looking that it failed to spot one of the biggest changes in shoppers’ behaviour. While M&S customers were still writing out cheques rememberthem? - at the till, its rivals’ tills were ringing with speedy card transactions.

Now that M&S has made such a spectacular recovery with its increased food sales and ambitious TV ads, it’s easy to forget just how tired the business had become. Sir Stuart Rose, who was brought in as the new CEO in 2004, instantly recognised that the market had moved away from the retailer and brought in new product ranges, redesigned the stores and put millions into advertising to let lapsed customers know they should give the old dinosaur another look.

Moving with the market is a key plank of any successful business strategy and it really isn’t that hard. If you .subscribe to the trade magazines and web sites for your industry, you will pick up the trends. If you visit

BUSINESS ICONS

the trade shows and conventions for your industry you’ll meet new suppliers and clients. And when you travel you’ll see how similar businesses overseas compare to yours. In the case of Marks and Spencer, just taking a walk down the high street and having a look at what people were wearing would have been enough.

Make time to think about the future The secret to staying relevant is to be organised about it, otherwise it’s too easy to carry on with the way things are.

You need to set aside time to sit down and think about future trends and where your market is heading. I have quarterly meetings with my top team to do a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis for my various businesses. It’s always very interesting when we get to discussing the Os. One of us might have used a health club abroad and seen a new piece of equipment, another might have studied the accounts of a rival operator and found that those with spa facilities were doing better or worse than those without, or someone might have been approached by a new merchandising company who has fantastic ideas about our range of in-club goods. All these opportunities get discussed, and if we think they’re

There are plenty of dates you need to have in your diary to make sure you get things like your VAT return in on time, or pay your invoices or go to a convention. You just need to make sure that you also put some time in the diary to gaze into your crystal ball. Or at least take a walk down the high street and have a look around at how your customers are behaving or what the competition is doing.

CONCLUDED

They are looking to add a casino in hopes of keeping the A-list vacationers coming. The gambling hall will be remodelled after Monte Carlo’s lavish Hotel Hermitage.

The hotel’s president, Ted Kleisner, says that the Greenbrier must add the casino to stay competitive or risk ending up “just another grande dame.”

Locational heritage United States

Computers and airplanes

Japan

Automobiles and electronics

Germany

Engineering and beer

Switzerland

Banking and watches

Italy

Design and clothing

France

Wine and perfume

UK

Royalty and racing cars

Russia

Vodka and caviar

Argentina

Beef and leather

New Zealand

Lamb and kiwis

Australia

Crocodile Dundee

An important aspect of heritage is where you come from.

Leadership lessons CONTINUES FROM LAST WEEK

Jack Welch, former CEO, GE

worth pursuing, someone will be given the task of costing the necessary changes.

Having this meeting quarterly means we never get left behind, but for other industries it might make more sense to set aside a specific time of the year for your futuregazing.

Of course, spotting an opportunity or a threat isn’t enough: you have to react to it. The owners of Our Price, Woolworths, Zavvi or HMV will all tell you their business suffered because customers started downloading their music.

These were all businesses with a reputation for selling music, and yet none of them started selling downloads until a company previously best known for selling desktop computers - Apple - had already become the biggest music retailer in the country. They all knew that change was coming, but they didn’t do anything significant about it.

There are times when you have to change to survive. Consider the case of the fabled Greenbrier, the 222-year-old resort hotel in West Virginia.

GE Leaders ... Always with Unyielding Integrity: • Have a Passion for Excellence and Hate Bureaucracy • Are Open to Ideas from Anywhere ... and Committed to Work-Out • Live Quality ... and Drive Cost and Speed for Competitive Advantage • Have the Self-Confidence to Involve Everyone and Behave in a Boundaryless Fashion • Create a Clear, Simple, Reality-Based Vision ... and Communicate It to All Constituencies • Have Enormous Energy and The

Ability to Energize Others • Stretch ... Set Aggressive Goals ...

Reward Progress ... Yet Understand Accountability and Commitment • See Change as Opportunity ... Not Threat • Have Global Brains ... and Build Diverse and Global Teams Boundary-less Organisation. Welch took the opportunity as CEO to rid GE of some of its bureaucracy and become somewhat more boundary-less. He felt that bureaucracy was a formality that slowed the process of progress down throughout the company, and information needed to be shared

quickly throughout the organisation. Welch wanted to give his management team the freedom and trust to make faster decisions in order to become more effective in the company. As a result he deleted layers from the organisational chart of the company.

In addition, he forged an operating system that relied on a boundary-less sharing of ideas, an intense focus on people, and an informal, give-andtake style that makes bureaucracy the enemy.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

32 CEOConfidential

housekeeping

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

The richest tech tycoons in 15 major countries around the world

Bill Gates Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates has spent the last few years focusing on philanthropic work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and has convinced more than 100 of the world’s wealthiest people to donate at least half of their fortune.

Azim Premji Azim Premji is the chairman of Wipro, an IT consulting and software company based in Bangalore. Premji is the wealthiest tech tycoon in India, but he also happens to be the biggest philanthropist in all of Asia, having given away $4.4bn worth of Wipro shares.

David Cheriton Vancouver native David Cheriton, a professor in Stanford’s computer science department, became one of the first investors in Google after Larry Page and Sergey Brin did a demo of their project on his front porch in 1998.

Gil Shwed Gil Shwed is the CEO of Check Point Software Technologies, one of Israel’s biggest technology companies. The firm’s stock value continues to rise, increasing by 30 per cent in the last year alone.

According to Forbes, Shwed’s hobbies include photography and cooking.

Terry Gou Kim Jung-Ju Kim Jung-Ju created one of the world’s first online games, “The Kingdom of the Winds,” in 1996. He now runs Nexon, South Korea’s largest online gaming company.

Terry Gou is the chairman and founder of Foxconn, a Taiwanese company that manufactures electronics for tech companies like Apple. Foxconn is the largest private employer in China and one of the largest supply chain manufacturers in the world.

Ma Huateng Ma Huateng is the founder and CEO of Tencent, China’s largest publicly traded Internet company.

Tencent created the mobile messaging app WeChat, which now has more than 270 million users. Ma is now the secondwealthiest person in China.

Hiroshi Mikitani Hiroshi Mikitani is the CEO and chairman of Rakuten, Japan’s largest e-commerce site. He’s made several gutsy moves in the past few years, spending a total of $2bn buying Buy.com, Play.com, and a $100m share in Pinterest.

Xavier Niel Xavier Niel is a college dropout who made his first fortune when the Internet provider he developed sold for $50 in 1993.

He has become $1bn richer in the past year alone thanks to the rise in the share price of Iliad, the parent company of his telecom venture.

Goh Peng Ooi Goh Peng Ooi went on to establish Silverlake Axis, a financial services software company, after spending nearly a decade at IBM in the U.S. Silverlake is now the top banking software provider in Malaysia.

Hasso Plattner Hasso Plattner joined four former IBM colleagues to found German software company SAP in 1972. Last year, he signed the Giving Pledge, promising to give at least half of his wealth to philanthropy. He owns a superyacht called “Morning Glory” as well as a luxury golf course in South Africa.

Jason Chang Jason Chang is the chairman of Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, the largest semiconductor-packaging company in the world. Though he was born in Singapore, he currently lives in Taiwan and has made significant real estate investments in China.

Oluwaseun Osewa Michael Lynch Though the deal is currently under investigation by the U.K. Serious Fraud Office and the U.S. Department of Justice. He became a billionaire when his software company Autonomy was purchased by HewlettPackard in 2011.

Eduardo Saverin Eduardo Saverin became a billionaire after cofounding Facebook with Mark Zuckerberg.

He was born in Brazil but attended school in the U.S. before renouncing his American citizenship and moving to Singapore in 2012.

Definitely Nigeria’s Internet Legend. He is the owner of Nairaland.com, Nigeria’s premier forum. Till date it remains the most used and visited forum in Nigeria.

He describes himself as a professional website administrator and the one that runs the popular Nairaland.

40

A GIRL’S GUIDE

HOW TO EAT ALONE IN A RESTAURANT

et cetera ...AND OTHER THINGS July 27, 2014

Wish List

Suwaiba IbrahimLuwa loves Chopard watches

P34

RUBBER SHOES:

A TREND FOR RAINY SEASON Photo: winknpout.files.wordpress.com

The Twitterati

Audu Maikori life’s lessons on Twitter P39

34

et cetera

How I feel about...

BEING A MUSICIAN EMMANUEL OHIRO, 31 I am Emmanuel Ohiro aka O.Z and Music is my chosen profession.

Being a naturally poetic and creative individual, coinciding with the kind of environment I grew up in and the family upbringing I had, if found myself being drawn to the arts.

I sought ways to express myself and the voices I had in me and I found music, poetry and dance to be at the forefront for me. The younger me started out scribbling a few lines with words I was familiar with to make as much sense as I could and over time I naturally became a better writer. Growing up I had the Michael Jackson, Ginuwine, Usher and other artistes as mentors when it came to singing and dancing and with a lot of hard work and time with the support of a great few as team members I made perfection the order of the day.

I also had a strong compulsion to rap music because of the word play and delivery of several rappers like Tupac, Biggie, Bone thugs n harmony, Nas but to mention a few, they showed me ways I could apply my poetry rhythmically and it worked for me. Music for me transcends the Nigerian entertainment premise, because it’s something I’m still going to be actively involved with as long as I live, I love it. In music, we have the artiste and the entertainer, and the later is what we have mostly here in Nigeria. Although a few have been able to balance out these odds and have been able to outlive others in the same field.

I for one seek to acquire that same balance, knowing well that it’s a vital tool for exporting one’s art and music to the world as a whole.

The artiste should seek originality not from his immediate environment but from within, for it is the testament that outlives you.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

SUWAIBA IBRAHIM-LUWA

WISH LIST

Tomford by Black Orchid.

It smells absolutely lovely.

Chopard wristwatch.

I love the watches.

The civil servant reveals some of her wishes to Uche Uduma

Hermes and Fendi handbags.

I find them very striking and they complete my appearance.

IPhone.

I like iPhones because they are unique, flashy and durable.

One million pounds So that I will use it and help the less privileged.

Duplex in Brains and Hammer Estate.

The estate is very beautiful.

2014 Range Rover Sport.

Bold and dynamic SUVs

DILEMMA

DO I TELL HIM MY REAL AGE?

In a light-hearted weekly column, we away from home, my car engine take a wry look at the problems of started to over-heat. I had to return modern life home to get the other car. I walked in to find my husband and maid in a very Good Afternoon! I am a lady aged compromising position. We haven’t 26 and my husband is 34 years old. I talked in two weeks, what do I do? am a very busy woman who is very Mya from Plateau ambitious and have a career path that I am following with my whole heart.

Dear Mya, My husband on the other hand has Your situation is a very sensitive been out of a job for a while, so you can one and as such should be treated understand why I work so hard to pay carefully. I do feel your pain and the bills. One day, I left my husband being betrayed by the one you love and the maid with our 18 month old is a hard pill to swallow. However, I baby at home. About 2 kilometres suggest that you and your husband

et cetera group

sit and talk about these challenges that you are facing. Bring up the financial issues at hand and you may want to pump the brakes on the mission to finding career fulfilment.

Spend more time with your family and take out time to bond with them.

Leaving your “babies” with your maid isn’t a smart move. Think about it. I wish you well.

Do you have a dilemma that you want help with? Write to blessing. ukemena@leadership.ng

CONTENT Ehinome Osezua, Zanswat Bowsan, Blessing Ukemena DESIGN Igwe-Ngerem Michael ACTING EDITOR Auwal Sa'id Mu'azu FOUNDER Sam Nda-Isaiah CHAIRMAN Hajiya Ireti Kingibe GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR Azubuike Ishiekwene GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS Michael Okpere, Dr Kazeem Durodoye FEEDBACK AND MAILS Etcetera is published as an insert in LEADERSHIP Sunday.

Please do send your pictures, stories, mails and enquiries to osezua.gloria@leadership.ng

et cetera

Sunday July 27, 2014

PEOPLE TRACKER

35

FASHIONISTA Chinwe Udechukwu poses beautifully in black dinner dress

You can send your pictures to xanbowsan@yahoo.com

BRIGHT SMILE

Eucharia Alozie has a smile that can lighten the world

ALLURING

Monica Awe-Etuk uses sweet pink to bring out her feminity

CUTE

Farida Sani carries a perfect body frame

TRENDY

Bisi Aileru can’t be pushed to the wall

CONFIDENT Eniye Oghogbodo in a maxi dress poses akimbo

SOPHISTICATED Sophie Pam says simplicity brings out her beauty

36

et cetera

Sunday, July 27, 2014

PEOPLE TRACKER

ELEGANT Victoria Akai looks graceful in her blend of fabrics.

You can send your pictures to xanbowsan@yahoo.com

BEAUTY Malvina Longpet is giving Lupita a run for her money

et cetera

Sunday, July 27, 2014

BOLD Peace Emezue in a little grey flory dress

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Lilian Njoku is certain she looks good

DAZZLING Abby Polit shows off her royal side in this lovely dress

PEOPLE TRACKER

AFRICAN BEAUTIES Ryasai Nuhu and Grace Adamu are beauties to behold in truly dark African skin and look COOL Michael Stevens knows looking good is good business

SILVER It’s a silver theme outing for Debbie Mangut

COLOURFUL Rahila Umar in a trendy yellow, pink and black stripe designed Kaftan

SHY Adaeze Madu poses shyly for the camera

TRENDY Nguher Zaki wears a matching scarf and bangle made from Ankara fabric.

SIMPLE Lilian in a simple designed black Kaftan SASSY Naydo gives off more fierceness than Sasha

37

LIFE Simi Fajemirokun has a smile that is as radiant as her outfit.

38

et cetera

Sunday, July 27, 2014

INSIDE STORY

RUBBER SHOES: A TREND FOR RAINY SEASON

BY BLESSING UKEMENA, Abuja

T

hey come in various shapes, colors and sizes. Rubber shoes used to be something that only secondary school girls wear to school but in recent times working class girls now wear rubber sandals to work.

Rubber sandals have evolved as a fashion trend over the past few years and it is well appreciated by working class ladies. Ruky Ayiola works at the Omega center in Wuse 2, Federal Capital Territory and she says that it is a nice addition to a ladies shoe collection, “It is now a necessity. it is one of those foot wears that comes in handy any day you do not feel like wearing heels or anything complicated. I have about two of them.” She said.

Mariam Gambo is a marketer with one of the banks in the FCT and she says she has about two pairs of the shoes, “My work as a marketer entails that I work around a lot. So I got about two pairs of these rubber shoes because they are very convenient.

Some of them are well designed and velvety on the top. So you hardly know it is rubber except the ladies who use it often. It is very nice.

I have a red pair and a black one.” She said.

Jemima Koladoye is a teacher in one of the government secondary schools in the FCT and says she prefers the rubber sandals, “I like the rubber shoes because they are durable. They tend to last and bear more harsh scuffing than other shoes; they are not easily affected by weather.

They are best for the rainy weather but also good during the dry season.” She said.

Patricia Obong is a youth

What they said...

Rubber Shoes: A Trend For Rainy Season

corp. serving in the FCT says she prefer it to other shoes, “I have about five pairs of these rubber shoes and they are so nice. They are of different colors but the thing is that you have to find your exact size or they may beging to give you bruises. Many ladies I know use it and it is classy because of its velvet top.” She said.

Mr Godwin sell females shoes and says that the rubber shoes are the current trend because the unpredicatable nature of rainfall in the FCT, “What we marketer do is that we go with what is in vogue at a particular season. Now we are in the dry season but we still sell they rubber shoes because young girls like it. It is also very cheap. It goes for N1000 or N1200 depending on the style. Those ones with heels are very rare and more expensive than the flat ones.”

He said.

Another trader who gave his name as Mallam Sambo also deals in females shoes spoke to Etcetera, “Ladies like these rubber shoes a lot but the thing is that we the traders and marketer have to know the ones that is in vogue if not no one will buy from you. Those shiny ones that first came out used to be the ones that ladies like. But now ladies do not buy those ones anymore, they prefer the ones that have this velvet covering on top. Red and blue colors were in high demand during the Christmas season but now everyone wants either black or brown. This is why as a trader in female thing you have to keep up with what is resigning (in vogue).” He said.

Hassan Ilya sells rubbers near the Wuse General Hospital in Wuse zone 3 and he said that he had been in the business for the last three year, ‘I was selling just slippers

“It is now a necessity. it is one of those foot wears that comes in handy any day you do not feel like wearing heels or anything complicated. I have about two of them.”

Ruky Ayiola, Sales person

and children sandal before but with time I entered this women rubber shoes because we noticed that women liked it. So for the past three years I have been selling rubber sandals. When it is rainy season we sell more shoes than in the dry season. Like if we buys good worth N40,000 we can make up to N20,000 profit. We even have for little children from the age of 6years. But in the dry season the market is slow.” He said.

His table displays different designs of the rubber shoes in various colors and the fact that he is located close to the hospital in a very busy area makes him very attractive to the women who pass by the hospital.

Anita Bawa is a fashion designer in Maitama and says that she does not like the rubber shoes, “I see a lot of ladies wearing these rubber shoes. In fact my younger sister has two pairs. Blue and black and they looks nice on her.

As for me I do not like them.

I got the first shiny ones that came out early last year at N1500. It was nice but is soon gave me bruise because I did put on some weight for some time so it became tight for me.

After that time I decided not to wear them anymore. I focus on now on leather shoes.” She stated.

Benita Owan is another fashion designer and she has this to say, “Fashion is very dynamic in nature, it grows and evolves as time goes by.

I believe that rubber sandals have come to stay. One reason is that they are cheaper than your conventional shoes. The weather in Nigeria is also not shoes friendly. Rubber shoes are best during the rainy season. Dry season is best for other types of shoes

“My work as a marketer entails that I work around a lot. So I got about two pairs of these rubber shoes because they are very convenient.

Some of them are well designed and velvety on the top. So you hardly know it is rubber except the ladies who use it often. It is very nice. I have a red pair and a black one.”

Mariam Gambo, Marketer

but you know that majority of the female population would still prefer the rubber shoes because they are can withstand being scratched and hit on the ground unlike leather shoes. The only thing that will change

“I like the rubber shoes because they are durable.

They tend to last and bear more harsh scuffing than other shoes; they are not easily affected by weather.

They are best for the rainy weather but also good during the dry season.”

is that style and designs will change with time.” She said.

She however advised that girls should invest in proper shoes as that will come in handy during proper occasions like weddings and dinner parties.

“Ladies like these rubber shoes a lot but the thing is that we the traders and marketer have to know the ones that is in vogue if not no one will buy from you. Those shiny ones that first came out used to be the ones that ladies like.

But now ladies do not buy those ones anymore, they prefer the ones that have this velvet covering on top."

Jemima Koladoye, Teacher

We want to know what you think about our inside story above. You can have your say by emailing xanbowsan@yahoo.com

Mallam Sabo, Trader

et cetera

Sunday, July 27, 2014

39

THE TWITTERATI CATCH UP WITH WHAT CELEBS HAVE BEEN TWEETING ABOUT

@TiwaSavage

They never see me coming cause I move like a shark...Silently but with purpose #NewNew #ComingSoon July 22 This better be good

@obyezeks No one can seize my democratic rights. I refused to let the SSS get away with trampling on my constitutional right.

July 23 That’s the spirit

@Audu

I just rediscovered that in bizness money isn’t the problem, creating value is the problem. If your skills create value, people will pay for it July 22 Life’s priceless lessons

@ayo_oritsejafor

You shall rule in the midst of your enemies.

April 20 Is this political?

@Osuofiaa_

A relationship should either take you to the altar or the bank. If it only takes you to the bed or kitchen, sweetie, say “NO TO SLAVERY!” Hilarious fact

@abati1990 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking their hands will be so weak...#Scripture #EvilWillNotPrevail Amen o! @alkay This thing about when two elephants fight it is the ground that suffers.

NMA vs FG, citizens who rely on public health are suffering.

Suffering in silence @stanleybentu Go after your dream, no matter how unattainable others think it is...Good Morning friends.

The motivation is highly needed @KATUNG_ADUWAK I heard it again today...smooth seas don’t make good sailors Very true

@RuggedyBaba

I can’t thank you all enough for the love and support, but that won’t stop me from trying...thank you thank you thank you thank you.

July 20 Dont mention

@Kunleafolayan Very boring Friday, where is it happening?

On Twitter, that’s where! @EkuEdewor Don’t think I could chill with you if you slurp your hot drinks loudly, have bad table manners or make loud unnecessary sounds.

I feel you, girl @aishaatiku don’t lose yourself to this world.

July 20 Good reminder @Icepricezamani Life is really what you make out of it...

Everyone’s writing chapters.

What chapter are you on? @Matilda947 Love my job. Period Wish we could all say the same @rubygyang If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough A heart of gratitude is beautiful

@TyengGANG Question of the week: Will Suarez bite again?

Want to be the first to find out?

@MissLind_Sea We do this for the love, for you and mostly for the One who loves me beyond imagination...

Ain’t that the truth?!

@UtomiPat The Presidency would have lost nothing keeping quiet on Gen. Buhari’s statement on impeachment epidemic which was milder than that of NLC. To each his own

@Funmilola I am careful what I say to the religious so as not to cause offence, I’d appreciate the same courtesy Thank you.

People are quick to forget the law of karma

40

et cetera

Sunday, July 27, 2014

LIFE101

A GIRL’S GUIDE HOW TO EAT ALONE IN A RESTAURANT

THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE

“I just want to be aaallone,” sighed Greta Garbo. Sometimes this is true of everybody, she just coined the phrase.

It can be very chic to be alone and have some quality time with yourself.

You just need to know how to manage “Garbo situations”.

You can if the mood takes you, make reservations, but eating alone suits being more of a lost soul or free spirit, wandering into wherever fate has led you. When asking for a table for one, try to opt for a quiet table. It is hard enough to do the whole “eating out alone” thing but really to be put next to a boisterous

laddish table, or even worse, a dating couple, would be more than you should bear.

You WANT to be alone.

You’re not going to be: a) Sobbing into your appetizer. b) Moving to outer space. c) Talking to yourself.

If dining alone, you should always have a book, a notebook, a magazine and a cell phone in your bag. You may be able to gaze off into the sunset quite happily, but always have tools of distraction in case someone tries to break the spell.

Books are infinitely the most interesting, but when eating, especially

Couch Potato

WHAT YOU CAN WATCH ON CABLE TV THIS WEEK

TODAY

The Ghost and the Darkness. 3:55PM on Studio Universal

manoeuvring chopsticks, it can be tricky to Keep the page open.

There can be nothing more frustrating than a piece of flying sticky rice concealing a vital bit of vocab. This is why the book is for pre-order and prefood only. While eating, the magazine or paper is to be absorbed. It also acts as shield protecting you from wanderers who may want to catch your eye and try to engage you in a conversation. Magazines/ papers are ideal as well as being easy to turn and stare at, and it is not too disastrous if food splashes on them, well, unless it’s a collector’s issue.

Notebooks can come

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Freestyle.

1:45PM on M-Net Movies Family Africa

Britain’s Got Talent.

7PM on M-Net West

WEDNESDAY

Ellen Degeneres Show.

1:30PM on M-Net Series Reality

out between courses, as if something has inspired and delighted you. Cell phones should be kept in bags. Constantly looking at your phone-willing it to ring-will inevitably cause the reverse. Leave it on, but on silent, so you can see if you have a missed a call.

Try not to drink too much (alcohol in this case). It is a horrid sight to see a lonesome diner losing charity. Always maintain dignity and poise. If you must drink yourself into oblivion, do it at home in front of the TV. Culled from The Girl’s Guide to Almost Everything

THURSDAY

Elena’s Ghost.

1:30PM on Telemundo

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.

He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up the remaining open areas of the jar.

He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.” “Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter – like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party, or fix the disposal.”

“Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities.

The rest is just sand.”

SOURCE - academictips.org

FRIDAY

Come Dine With Me (South Africa). 3:25PM on BBC Entertainment

SATURDAY

Man of Steel.20:30PM on M-Net Movies Premiere

CEOConfidential

Sunday, July 27, 2014

bottom lines 1,608 N30,000,000,000 Number of goods that worth N936m seized by the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A in the last six months.

Total amount Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has doled out to charity across the continent in the last two years according to the Dangote Group.

Mainstreet Bank records N13.2bn profit before tax in 2013 IN SHORT Sovereign Trust profit dips 82.66 per cent on rising costs Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc 2013 profit dipped by 82.66 per cent culminating in lower return on share holders’ investment, analysis of the firm’s financial statement reveals. For the year ended December 2013, the Nigeria insurer’s profit before tax fell to N274.85m from N1.58bn in the same period of the corresponding year (FY) 2012.

Similarly, profit after tax (PAT) shrank by 76.50 per cent to N346.93m in the period under review from N1.47bn in the preceding year. Sovereign Trust posted a gross premium written of N8.67bn in FY13 this represents a 12.01 per cent increase from N7.74 billion recorded in the same period of the prior year (FY) 2012.

The underwriting capacity was weak as net underwriting income reduced by 6.73 per cent to N4.31bn compared with N4.62bn in the preceding year. Earnings per share EPS reduced by 82.66 per cent to 4k as against 23.07k as at FY12.

Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc commenced business in January 1995 following the restructuring and recapitalization of the then Grand Union assurances Limited.

COMPANY

SECRETS

Percy Nils Barnevik, CEO/ Chairman of Asea Brown Boveri

Chief executive officer, Mainstreet Bank, Faith Tuedor-Matthews

Mainstreet Bank Limited has consolidated its return to profitability as it recorded a profit before tax of N13.2bn in its group financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Speaking at the bank’s second annual general meeting, recently in Lagos, Gambo Ahmed, chairman, board of directors, explained “that this result is the outcome of strategies we have put in place in the last two years to build confidence, optimise costs, improve operational efficiency and customer service delivery.”

The bank’s published financial result shows growth in all key financial indices. Gross earnings grew to a new high of N49.6bn in 2013. The growth was largely driven by increased interest income as the bank significantly grew its loan portfolio by 63 per cent from N34.9bn in 2012, to N57bn in 2013.

Despite the significant growth in risk assets, the non-performing loan ratio (NPL ratio) remained low at 3.66 per cent, well below the 5 per cent regulatory limit. The bank’s operational efficiency strategy yielded a 26.6

41

per cent growth in net interest margin.

“We have achieved this result in spite of the socio-economic challenges and increased competition in the Nigerian banking industry. The result clearly reaffirms that the bank is on the right track of becoming a top tier bank,” explained the bank’s chairman.

“We are particularly encouraged by year-onyear growth in our customers’ deposit which shows their increasing confidence in the Mainstreet Brand,” Ahmed said.

On the several initiatives the bank put in place to bring efficiency in the bank’s operations, Faith Tuedor-Matthews, the bank’s CEO, noted: “Within the period under review, we successfully migrated to the latest version of Finacle core banking application, which has significantly improved our ability to deliver service to our customers and introduce innovative products and services.

In addition, we have also automated many basic banking services such as account opening, funds transfer, card and cheque production etc., which has ensured that customers’ requests across the bank’s over 200 branches are promptly delivered in a standardised and predictable manner.”

The bank has continued to focus deeply on its core business as a commercial bank through the introduction of products and services targeted at the real sector of the economy, she said.

The effective disbursement of N10bn to Agro-dealers under the Growth Enhancement (GES) scheme has ensured we continue to touch the lives of over one million farmers as well as boost employment amongst the Nigerian youth population especially in the rural areas,” she said.

Following the impressive results achieved in 2013, the AGM approved payment of a dividend of N1 per every N1 share held in the bank, totalling N6.25bn. This dividend will be paid to AMCON upon receipt of the relevant approval from regulators.

BoostiNG Sales Home builders do the work Home builders are bold. They go into the neighbourhoods where they’d like to sell and build homes and then –gasp – they build homes! What a great idea. It is the ‘doing the work’ strategy.

The next step is to put in place a follow-through strategy to convert your ‘work’ into customers. Home builders staff their model homes with cheerful souls hired to lead customers through the home selection and buying process (a much easier mission when you have an actual home to show off your trademark features). Even better, a model home is not really a marketing expense: Eventually they sell the home and recoup the original investment plus a profit. How many other industries can actually sell their marketing investments later for a profit?

Another industry that lends itself well to the ‘doing the work’ strategy is the field of consulting. A local organising consultant wanted her fellow business networking group to begin referring clients to her, but she wasn’t getting any business. To help them better understand her services she offered each one of them an introductory package for his or her home or office. Now they understand how she can help.

If seeing is believing, then demonstrating is convincing, and doing the work is inspiring.

Creating a federation of national cultures ABB was built almost ten years ago by merging and acquiring companies in many countries – many of them more than one hundred years old with proud national histories. We have preserved and promoted these national cultures and our organisation today can be regarded as a federation of national companies. We are not homeless; we have many home countries. While we respect and promote the national cultures, we have also developed a global ABB culture – you might say an

‘umbrella’ culture. This is what holds us together and makes us stronger than we would be going our separate ways.

That global culture ensures that we do not split up into national islands. We have summarised our visions, values, and policies in a sort of ‘ABB bible’. It is not a glossy corporate brochure with generalities like ‘being a good citizen’.

It is a practical handbook on what we stand for, how we should behave toward customers and other external interests, and how we should behave

internally. Because we have many profit centers, people can tend to sub optimise and become narrow-minded. Global managers are not born- they must be developed. Decentralisation goes hand in hand with central monitoring – and decentralisation must not be confused with abdication. While we apply a farreaching decentralisation of authority and responsibility, senior management has the right and responsibility to intervene, to coach or correct when things go wrong.

42 CEOConfidential

Sunday, July 27, 2014

hub

218

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

Number of stolen cows that were recovered and returned to their respective owners by the men of the Special Task Force in Plateau State.

$90,000,000

Projected amount to be spent by Transnational Corporation Plc, to upgrade the generation capacity of its Transcorp Ughelli Power Limited to 715 megawatts from 463 megawatts.

L-R: Chief operating officer, Berger Paints, Mr Jatin Madan; out-going chairman, Mr Clement Olowokande, and managing director, Mr Tor Nygard, at the Berger Paints dealers conference in Lagos recently.

L-R: Senior pastor, Christ Apostolic Church, Pastor Tunji Aboluwarin; managing director, ExcelChris Nigeria Limited, Mrs Christianah; guest speaker/ CFO WavetTech Nigeria Limited, Pastor Joseph Aborowa, and head, Technical Training, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, Pastor Tope Dada, during the Festival of Champions 2014 by CAC, New Covenant Assembly, Lagos recently. PHOTO: GBENGA OLAJOBI

L-R: Student, University of Ibadan, Miss Kadri Zaharat Olamide, being presented with a cheque by executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Eugene Juwah, during the prize-giving ceremony of the nationwide essay competition on Mobile Number Portability organised by the NCC.

L-R: Senator Gbenga Kaka; Senator Chris Ngige; managing director/CEO, Bank of Industry, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa; chairman, Senate Committee on Industry, Senator Aladi Usman; deputy committee chairman, Senator Ibrahim Musa, and Senator Ahmad Zannah, during the oversight visit of the Senate Committee on Industry to the Bank of Industry office in Lagos recently.

PHOTO: BENEDICT UWALAKA

Lolly Daskal @LollyDaskal Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy and create some new ones. #leadfromwithin #leadership

Robert T. Kiyosaki @theRealKiyosaki How often do you sit down and talk with your team? If you can’t think of an answer to that question quickly, it’s not often enough.

fav

Harley Petersen Bruce Van Horn tweets @BruceVH @HarleyPetersen Do not let spacious Congratulations! If you plans for a new world are reading this, you have divert your energies been given a precious gift! from saving what is left of the You have another day to live, old. love, laugh, and learn!

Annabel’s Club, London Arguably one of the most elegant clubs in the world, Annabel’s – a Birley Club – has a global reputation that has been established over the past five decades, founded on superb service, enviable ambience, firstclass cuisine and entertainment.

A private members club and restaurant, Annabel’s was founded in 1963 by Mark Birley. Situated on Berkeley Square in London’s exclusive Mayfair district, the Club’s understated entrance leads into a world of elegance and style.

Here, members can relax with an expertly created cocktail in the intimacy of the bar,

surrounded by magnificent artwork, before moving through to enjoy an exquisite dinner in the beautiful dining room, with its Moorish ceiling and unique starlit dance floor. Annabel’s prides itself on impeccable service and on maintaining the best of traditional values and the most exemplary of standards. The highly professional team of skilled and dedicated staff – some of whom have worked at the Club for more than four decades – are expertly trained in their individual crafts and stop at nothing to accord members and their guests the attention that they deserve.

net

works

CEOConfidential

Sunday, July 27, 2014

$46,000,000,000 Worth of the manufacturing sector as contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as released recently by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

30

Number of vehicle manufacturing plants that would soon commence operation in Nigeria, according to the National Automotive Council.

43

3.8%

Percentage increase in foreign exchange reserves, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) resulting to $38.49bn on July 18.

YOUR FYI FOR INFORMATION

L-R: Head, MicroSmall and Medium Enterprises, Diamond Bank Plc, Mr Chima Nnadozie; founder/ CEO, Reqit Limited, Mr Ken Okolo, and senior consultant, Mark George Consultants, Mr John Ekpikhe, at the 44th Business Xpress Seminar organised by Diamond Bank in Port Harcourt recently.

Heaven on earth Though Judaism puts more emphasis on life on earth than Christianity of Islam, some Jews also believe that the human soul immortal and will survive the body, going on to Olam Haba (the world to come). On earth, meanwhile, others await the arrival of the Messiah. When He comes, the righteous will return to Israel, which will live free among the nations of the earth.

God will overthrow the Holy Land’s oppressors, the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt, war and famine will end, and there will be an earthly era of peace and prosperity, culminating in the bodily resurrection of the dead in a Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

DoING Business Leadership and status with Croats

L-R: Executive director, Business Development, Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr Waheed Olagunju; deputy president, Finance, National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), Dr Okereke Lizzy; managing director, BOI, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa; deputy president, South NASME, Prince Segun Agboade, and chairman, Ogun State Chapter of NASME, Chief Oladipo Bankole, during a courtesy visit of NASME executives to the Bank of Industry’s Headquarters, Marina, Lagos recently. PHOTO: BENEDICT UWALAKA

HOW THEY

BLEW IT

Boris Berezovsky

Exile

continueS FROM LAST WEEK

Now in his mid-60s, Berezovsky continues to antagonize from the wings, talking up his liberal-leaning credentials and the importance of limiting the power of the state. But while he has long predicted the end of Putin, it does not look like happening any time soon. Putin has since been succeeded by his preferred candidate, Dmitry Medvedev, in the role of Russian president while he remains very much involved under the title of prime minister.

Of course Putin would be wise not to ignore history. Just as he was appointed

by the Yeltsin regime, Medvedev himself is now top man - and who knows what surprises the lawyer president from Leningrad will throw up. And all the while, Berezovsky lives in the United Kingdom, travels with a retinue of heavies in bullet-proof vehicles and probably fears for his life. He has survived numerous assassination attempts, including a bomb that decapitated his chauffeur. He now has an office in Mayfair and an estate in Surrey, reportedly guarded by former members of the French foreign legion.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

Croatia was used by the Hapsburgs as a defensive outpost against the Ottoman Empire. Croatian loyalty was to the Hapsburg emperor and to the Catholic Church.

Leadership until independence emanated chiefly from imperial or church officials. During 45 years of communism, leadership was invested in Communist Party officials, often Serbian. Tito, however, was a Croat. In presentday Croatia (now converted to a market economy), some former communist luminaries still linger in the halls of power. The many opportunities offered by tourism, however, are leading to the creation of an entrepreneurial class of managers who embrace Western principle. Meritocracy is on the rise, though respect for status and hierarchical rank remains. Croatians respect money, power and influence.

They strive to get qualified first, and then use their education to achieve material ends. Trappings of status such as fine clothes, homes and cars are eagerly sought. Once money is available, there is a tendency toward consumption.

44 CEOConfidential

entrepreneur 17 Age of an American student Catherine Wong who invented a heart- test device that works with the cell phone.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

1958

Year Jim Henson came up with an idea for a new type of puppets that eventually evolved to become the Muppets

SMALL BUSINESS

Ludwick Marishane

Managing information technology

Producing alternative to bathing

Purchasing, finance, and IT people rarely speak the same language.

Techies get excited about new toys that bean counters don’t have the chops to critique, and jargon-challenged purchasers are often at the mercy of tech-savvy vendors. That skills gap is difficult to bridge, leaving a big hole for IT investments to plunge through.

Building that bridge requires three main pillars: 1. The integration of IT into the strategic-planning process.

2. The unqualified support and leadership of upper management (which should include the IT director).

3. The acceptance that IT investment is on-going.

Building IT into strategic planning is the best way to align IT strategy with business strategy.

Getting immediate buy-in from all departments is critical.

Why? Because IT failures are generally rooted in business, not technical, breakdowns. It comes down to change management.

Implementing an IT initiative starts a domino effect – every business process also changes.

That’s why upper management must own and manage an ‘IT project’. Most people resist change – especially technological ones. Your IT staff can manage the technical side, but they can’t mandate that users accept the change. If key users haven’t had a seat at the designing-testingtraining table, and don’t view the new process as markedly better than the old, a project is doomed before it begins.

When South African Ludwick Marishane was 17 years old, he had a school friend who was too lazy to bath. This sparked an idea: what if there was a way of cleaning oneself without actually bathing?

Marishane imagined a lotion that could be applied to the body as a replacement for bathing, but assumed it already existed.

“So I did some research and realised this product wasn’t out there. I spent a couple of months researching different lotions, creams, hand sanitisers, how they were made, etc, and then formulated it. I had a formula on paper, but I didn’t have the resources to make it yet,” he told How we made it in Africa.

Before completing his final year of high school, Marishane drew up a business plan and patented the formula, making him South Africa’s youngest patent holder. He had taught himself how to patent formulas two years earlier when developing his business idea for a healthy cigarette.

After high school, Marishane received a scholarship to study at the University of Cape Town (UCT) where he used the resources available to continue developing his idea. His business plan won third place in a competition in his first year at UCT and he used the prize money to create a sample of his product to see if it worked.

“It didn’t work as well as I thought,” he explained, adding that it would remove the body odour but would flake on the skin after the gel dried, looking unsightly.

Marishane then brought in Dr Hennie du Plessis, a chemical engineer with experience in developing personal care products, who improved the formula and resolved the problems. Du Plessis is now a shareholder and product manager of Headboy Industries, Marishane’s company behind DryBath.

In 2011, Marishane was selected as one of the finalists for the Anzisha Prize, a competition that recognises entrepreneursacross the African continent between the ages of 15 and 22 who are solving problems in their communities. Last year Time magazine named him as one of its top 30 people under the age of 30 who are changing the world.

Speaking on some of the challenge with young entrepreneurs he said, “The biggest challenge I see with

continues Next WEEK

His STORY

young entrepreneurs is not the funding, the networks or even the skill, but the problem with people is not sitting down and doing the research.” Adding that he often receives emails from young people who have business ideas and want to know what their next step should be without actually trying to figure it out themselves.

He noted that entrepreneurship is not just about having a business idea, but about putting in the effort to bring the idea to life. For example, Marishane taught himself how to patent a formula back when he was developing the idea for a healthy cigarette.

“I did months of research on that in order to figure out what the next steps were… and the research was what guided me.”

Oscar Ogbakpan,CEO, Menacro Systems Ltd, Delta State How did you get to where you are today?

I am passionate about information technology, hence the reason I studied computer science in the university to aid my business.

What have you learnt over the years?

I always make sure that customers come first in all our dealings. There will be occasions where customers might not be happy with the way you treat them and I have to make up for that. So customers’ satisfaction, quality service

and innovation are the keys to winning.

What were the challenges you faced?

Finance is always a major obstacle in business. When I started, I didn’t have the capital to start off.

How did you overcome the challenges?

I read the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ where I learnt that when you have a creative idea, write a business plan and the finances will come.

What are your future projections for your business?

I have a 10-year-long-term plan where I

will have retail outlets in every major city in Nigeria and West Africa.

How do you intend to achieving these projections?

I will go into key areas; have an aggressive marketing plan with new ideas and target key cities.

Any advice for younger entreptrneurs?

Remain focused and be passionate about your interest. Just be diligent and focused.

Contact Ogbakpan on 07059013711

46 CEOConfidential

tipoffs Compiled by Salome Anyasodo

SECRETS OF LONGETIVITY

Danger in dampness

Dampness can be dangerous to ones health. Weather conditions such as rain and high humidity encourage the growth of fungal mold that can be very hard to find or even invisible to the naked eye.

Improper construction in the home such as poorly sealed windows, poor drainage in the landscaping and belowground rooms can all contribute to mold infestation. Exposure to mold causes ill effects ranging from sinus ailments and headaches to serious problems such as intestinal conditions and liver damage.

Hence, repair water damage, ensure adequate sunlight, andpromote good air circulation throughout the house.

BOOKMARK

Leading from the Emerging Future

Otto Scharmer, Berrett Kaufer, Publisher:Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2013.

Current ecological and financial disruptions in society have begun to make people question consumer culture and start thinking of the world in terms of deeper human needs. This shift in thinking is a driving force in all leadership today. The shift occurs when people stop operating with an ego-system awareness—caring only about themselves—and start operating with an eco-system awareness—being concerned about the well-being of communities and eco-systems. In Leading from the Emerging Future, Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer challenge leaders to expand their thinking to tap into the deeper levels of their humanity, awaken the hearts of entrepreneurs in all sectors, and move forward to solve today’s crises.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

$3,800,000,000 Estimated amount Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) seeks for the development of the nations’ capital, according Bala Mohammed, FCT Minister

18%

Estimated percentage Airtel targets Nigeria growth in its customer base over the final nine months in 2014

How real is work-life balance?

The following answers were provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). The organisation is an inviteonly organisation comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs.

In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched Start-up Collective, a free virtual mentorship programme that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. Below is its answers to work-life balance: A. Work-life balance is not real Work-life balance is certainly something we all strive for, but when you’re first starting out it’s a complete myth. There were (and still are) dinners happening while I’m on the phone taking care of work things.

I’m blessed to have such a supportive family who understands. Family is incredibly important so always make time. However, being an entrepreneur is a 24/7 job most of the time.

- Parker Powers, Millionaire Network B. Success requires dedication Starting a new business is hard. That’s why you meet a lot more people who have a business plan than people who have a successful business.

If you go home at 5:15 and your competitor goes home at 9:30 (and then works until 3 a.m.), you’re at a big disadvantage. A 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job (or even better, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) are the rewards you earn after you’ve been successful.

- John Rood, Next Step Test Preparation C. Balance matters The work-life balance should always be that: a balance. We all get out of balance at times because situations pull us more in one direction than another, and that’s OK. In general

however, you should always have a good balance as your personal life has a direct and huge impact on your business when you’re starting out.

Just know that when you first start, that balance is one-sided towards work.

- Pablo Palatnik, ShadesDaddy.com D. Your Business is your child For the first two years of a new company, you need to be able to put 100 percent of your energy into the business. There are statistics that reinforce that splitting your energy between a business and a relationship causes both to suffer and neither to flourish. You need to understand that and build your life around that rule.

It isn’t permanent, but it is key for startups.

- Roger Bryan, Enfusen Digital Marketing E. Work-life balance is a myth If you’re a young and hungry startup founder, and you’re spending time thinking about work-life balance, you’re not in it to win it. Some say that working smarter is more important than working harder. I’m in the camp that you should be doing both, for at least 12 hours a day.

- Jeff McGregor, Dash F. Boundaries help Yes, it’s very important -- and something I still struggle with. You need to have boundaries because it’s easy to work all the time when you’re passionate about what you do. Force yourself to do something fun with family or friends. Breaks can help clear your mind and give you perspective. Also, don’t forget to take care of yourself -- you need to be healthy to run a healthy business!

- Ashley Mady, Brandberry

G. It is not possible at first The best businesses are marathons, not sprints. That said, there are times when you have to sprint and there aren’t any alternatives. In the very beginning, sprinting is essentially a requirement. The first year or two will be very intense, but once the business gets into a groove and consistently hits revenue forecasts, work-life balance is possible and critical for long-term success.

- Luke Skurman, Niche.com H. A certain type of balance For start ups, I am an advocate of working double time especially in the early years, and interlacing this with retreats where you simply take one or two days of complete holiday (preferably in nature) to refuel your energy and passion for the project.

- Christopher Pruijsen, Sterio.me I. Strategic imbalance is key Marcus Buckingham’s concept of strategic imbalance. Buckingham believes striving for work-life balance causes too much stress. Instead, the focus should be on misbalancing your life (and work) in a way that plays to your strengths and brings you the most joy, while actively removing the most stress-filled activities in your day. Our entrepreneurial lives can be strategically imbalanced too.

- Natalie MacNeil, She Takes on the World J. Work and life are one and the same Work-life balance is always important, be it your first venture or last. Luckily for entrepreneurs, their passion is their work. Hence, they tend to mix up the two. An entrepreneur is no different from a musician or a painter in that sense.

- Ashish Rangnekar, BenchPrep

RULES FOR BUSINESS Companies should not be run in the interest of their owners What they tell you Shareholders own companies.

Therefore, companies should be runin their interests. It is not simply amoral argument.

The shareholders are not guaranteed any fixed payments, unlike the employees (who have fixed wages),the suppliers (who are paid specific prices),

the lending banks (who get paid fixed interest rates), and others involved in the business.

Shareholders’ incomes vary according to the company’s performance, giving them the greatest incentive to ensure the company performs well. If the company goes bankrupt, get the shareholders lose everything,

whereas other ‘stakeholders’ get at least something. Thus, shareholders bear the risk that others involved in the company performance. When you a company for the shareholders, its profit (what is left after making all fixed payments) is maximised, which also maximises its social contribution.

CEOConfidential

Sunday, July 27, 2014

updates 6.6% Compiled by Dan Udechukwu

Five African countries designated as fragile for business

$170m

Value of oil drilling contract a Scottish based international oil and gas services company, KCA Deutag has been awarded in Angola.

$4.2m

A recent list by Washington-based Fund For Peace Fragile State Index has Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic top the record of fragile African countries in business terms.

The non-profit research institute also listed countries within the Middle East among those with poor ratings.

The report described the challenges faced

by South Sudan alone as enormous with the country’s distorted political system and the attendant military and militant attacks. It is almost impossible that South Sudan will give up the top position in this ranking in a short time, the report said.

These economies all showcase a common characteristics; a relatively thin GDP with a small population and have once dealt with, or currently dealing with spats of violence (terrorism or war).

World Bank estimates suggest that Somalia’s 2013 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at $2.6bn.

Percentage rise in Apple’s profit in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the same period last year.

KFC returns to Zimbabwe

US headquartered fast food giant, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has returned to Zimbabwe seven years after folding operations in the southern African due too economic meltdown.

“After a long wait, our doors are once again opened to the general public in Harare, bringing back our “finger licking good” food,” said KFC Zimbabwe in a statement.

KFC Zimbabwe opened its first shop in the capital Harare this week. It is also planning to open 25 other outlets across the country.

Health

Life Healthcare increases stake in India’s Max Healthcare

Life Healthcare Group, the JSE-listed healthcare group, late last Tuesday said it had increased its shareholding in India’s hospital chain, Max Healthcare Institute (MHC), from 26 per cent to 46.4 per cent, paying $123.7m.

Amount South African The rationale for this acquisition is that India is a critical Premier League side market for Life Healthcare’s global growth strategy. In addition, Life Healthcare said the acquisition is in keeping Bloemfontein Celtic with its global growth strategy. have been acquired by The deal will be completed with a 50 per cent primary issue Free State businessman, of new MHC shares and a 50 per cent secondary acquisition of Matlabe Tshabalala.

MHC shares held by Max India, the parent company of MHC. The primary issue will be used to reduce debt and to fund further expansion. The expected date for the conclusion of the transaction is August 31, 2014. Life Healthcare will fund the deal by raising US and European further debt.

airlines suspended flights to Israel’s Ben Gurion airport after a rocket landed one mile (1.6km) away. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered three US carriers that fly to Israel Delta, United and US Airways - to halt flights for 24 hours.

Boeing second quarter earnings have been boosted by a “strong” quarter for commercial aircraft sales. Net profits rose 52% to $1.65bn from the same period last year.

QUAD-WRANGLE

Technology

Cyber-theft hits eBay’s Stubhub

The online ticket resale service Stubhub has revealed that fraudsters broke into the accounts of more than 1,000 of its customers and made purchases without their permission.

It is the second breach to have been disclosed by the business’s parent company, eBay, this year.

However, in this latest case the firm said its servers had not been hacked.

Instead, it indicated, the thieves had used IDs obtained from other attacks.

Manufacturing

YGlaxo profits hit by fall in sales

Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has reported a 23% fall in pretax profits to $1.7bn from $2.2bn.

The company has been hit by a fall in sales and the strong pound which reduces the impact of overseas profits.

In China, where GSK’s business has been rocked by allegations of bribery, sales were down 20%.

Chief executive Sir Andrew Witty said he has “zero tolerance” of the practices the group is being accused of.

The group has seen a 10% fall in its drug and vaccine sales in the US, largely due to intense competition from generic drugs.

Sales at its consumer healthcare business, which sells brands such as Sensodyne, Panadol and Aquafresh, fell 4% due to problems in supply chains.

City search

Can you find the ten European cities listed below? No vowels are shown and the remaining letters have been jumbled.

Can you discover the sixteen numbers that match all the clues below? All the numbers are whole numbers. No two numbers are the same and no number has a value less than 1.

1. A1=C3 plus D2.

2. A2=either D1 plus B2 or D1 plus D2.

3. A3=either C2 plus B2 or C2 minus B2.

4. A4=B2 plus D2.

5. B1=either either A2 plus B4 or A2 plus A4.

6. B2=either 9 or 10.

7. B3=either D4 minus A1 or D4 minus A4.

8. B4=either A3 plus D2 or A3 minus C3.

12%

Percentage rise in Senegal’s telecommunication giant Sonatel profit in the first six months of 2014.

Economy

47

9. C1=either B3 minus B2 or B3 plus B2.

10. C2=either C1 minus A4 or C1 minus B3.

11. C3=either A4 minus B2 or A4 plus B2.

12. C4=either B1 minus B4 or B1 plus A1.

13. D1=either B4 plus A4 or B4 minus A4.

14. D2=a third of B2.

15. D3=either C4 minus B2 or C4 plus B2.

16. D4=either A1 plus C3 or A1 minus C3

Name of world cities: 1. S M R T M D 2. T S P B D 3. C L N B R 4. N D N L 5. N L M 6. S S S B R L 7. S P R 8. W G G S L 9. P L S N 10. N V C

Last week’s solutions QUAD-WRANGLE 1.

2.

3.

4.

All the numbers are whole numbers (intro), so A4=35 and C4=7 (clues 4 and 12).

B2=28 (6). No two numbers are the same (intro), so D1=21 (13). A3=56 (3).

D3=91 (15). B3=63 (7). A1=42 (1). D4=49 (16).

C1=77 (9). C3=98 (11). D2=70 (14).

B1=6 (5). B4=27 (8). A2=48 (2). C2=54 (2).

European cities 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

SCANBERRA VENICE ANTWERP CALCUTTA PARIS

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

VANCOUVER GENEVA PRETORIA ATHENS BUENOS AIRES

48 CEOConfidential

Sunday, July 27, 2014

updates $450,000,000 Compiled by Dan Udechukwu

$15,000,000 Value of money Nigeria’s aviation industry loses to international airlines annually in cargo and passenger flights, according to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).

Value of First Bank’s Eurobond that has raised amount of funds by Nigerian banks from the Eurobond market this year to $1.55bn.

ECONOMY

World Bank says Nigeria’s economic trend positive, but risks weigh

N1.8tn Worth of wage bill the federal government has expressed concern over its increase from N857m in 2009.

N2bn

The World Bank last Tuesday said Nigeria’s short term macroeconomic outlook, especially in poverty reduction, improved in the first half of 2014, noting, however, that a few risks remain due to uncertainty about future oil output and prices, as well as short term capital flows.

In its new Nigeria Economic Report (NER) launched recently in Abuja, the World Bank noted that revenues to the federation have increased, foreign reserves have stabilised, the Excess Crude Account (ECA) has been augmented, and prospects for growth remained stronger than last year. But the oil sector remains a primary source of macroeconomic uncertainty, the World Bank observed.

The bank noted that Nigeria has faced recent challenges to macroeconomic management related to weakening oil revenues and volatile short-term capital flows.

It also cited the re-based GDP estimates which reveal a larger, more dynamic and complex economy than did previous statistics.n INVESTMENT

British firms look to discover boom in Nigeria

British companies are looking to tap into the growth of Nigeria, its former colony, as the country which has an abundance of natural resources continues the rapid expansion that has seen it become Africa’s largest economy.

Seven of the world’s fastest-growing economies are on the African continent, thus making it an area of interest for foreign investors.

“There is huge capacity for growth in Africa and demand for services from UK companies who want to invest in Africa or are already there and want to expand,” Ian Powell, UK chairman and senior partner, PwC, said recently.

While British companies have been present in Nigeria for decades, there have been more recent gains made by companies from China, the USA, and South Africa.

Foreign direct investments in Nigeria reached $5.6bn in 2013, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development.

HOSPITALITY

Transcorp stakes claim in Lagos hospitality market with $110m hotel

TransNational Corporation (TRANSCORP), the owner of Nigeria’s iconic hotel, Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja is set to invest $110m in the construction of a branch of the hotel in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria.

The company’s CEO, Obinna Ufudo disclosed to Reuters that Value of bio-gas plant the hotel, which will be sited in Ikoyi, will be completed in 36 the federal government, months.

Edo State government, “We have concluded all designs … what we are waiting for is the approval from the state building authority to commence in association with construction,” he added.

Presco Oil plc, last Like Transcorp Hilton Abuja, the Lagos branch of the hotel will Monday commissioned. also be managed by Hilton. It will house 100 rooms relatively small compared to the 667 guest rooms and suites of the Abuja branch. Transcorp also launched a branch of its hotel –Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel – in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State and Indian’s Bharti Airtel tourism hub of Nigeria. is keen to bolster its global subscriber base FINANCE by targeting an 18 per cent increase in its CBN retains key rates on fear of Nigerian unit before inflationary pressure the end of 2014. As at Heightening concerns about liquidity levels in the system and the March, Airtel had 25.5 trending uptick in inflation which may be connected with the poor million subscribers in harvest in some agricultural areas, especially in the north-eastern Nigeria. It hopes to and north-central states of the country, among others, informed increase the number the retention of the monetary policy rate (MPR) by the Central to 30 million in its Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last Tuesday. second largest market after India by the end of this year.

ENERGY

Nigeria’s cement industry will continue its growth spurt into 2020, as investment in capacity continues in response to rapid increase in consumption in a stable-to-strong pricing environment, says investment firm, Renaissance Capital.

Laxity in Nigeria’s oil lifting contracts favours Swiss firms

A new report published by Berne Declaration, a Switzerland-based non-profit transparency organisation, has shed light on how Swiss traders cashed in on the weaknesses in Nigeria’s crude oil lifting contract system from 2011 to 2013.

Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer, sells its oil through annual term contracts awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to a list of companies that are then eligible to buy crude throughout the year, a practice which industry analysts see as creating celebrated traders, elite capture mentality, capital flight, and resulting in loss of potential revenue to the country.

EXECUTIVE CALENDAR CONFERENCE

TRADE SHOW

Upstream and Downstream Expo & Conference Abuja, Nigeria; August 26-28, 2014

Ibadan Motor Fair Ibadan, Nigeria; August 8-15, 2014

Upstream and Downstream Expo and Conference is an event that aims to serve the upstream and downstream gas and oil industries. It is through this event that the attendees will be provided with opportunities for coming face to face with leading industrialists and decision makers related to the oil and gas industries. Upstream and Downstream Expo and Conference will throw light on the latest developments and software and technologies that pertain to the oil and gas sectors.

Ibadan Motor Fair is a 8 day event being held from 8th August to the 15th August 2014 in Ibadan, Nigeria.

This event showcases products like automobile makers & dealers, spare parts dealers, accessories makers & dealers, transporters and transport regulators, motor vehicle insurers, car security experts, road safety policymakers & operatives, government and media agencies etc in the automotive industry.

CONFERENCE

Nigeria Com Lagos, Nigeria; September 16-17, 2014

Nigeria Com is the biggest trade fair & conference dedicated to Africa’s largest telecoms market. It will be held at Eko Meridien Hotel Expo Centre from 16 to 17 Sep 2014. Its unified licensing regime and the high level of investment it attracts from local and international companies alike.

Where to buy/ ABUJA A-Z 49

Sunday, July 27, 2014

What to buy

1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S- This is a new ultra high end Android tablet that is capable of going toe-to-toe with IPad. This lighter and thinner tablet has a 2K-esque AMOLED display which adapts to lighting conditions and generates 100 percent better contrast ratio than LCDs. Available at Samsung Service Center Plot 34, Aminu Kano Crecent, Wuse II, Abuja.

Feeling like upgrading some of your outdated gadgets to more apt ones?

Then you are in luck! In today’s edition we bring you some of the hottest gadgets that will worth your money.

2. Microsoft surface Pro 3- The Surface Pro 3 is the Microsoft tablet that can truly replace your laptop. The tablet has a vibrant 12-inch display with 2,160x1, 440-resolution and strong internals. A lighter, slimmer form factor and updated Surface keyboard are just two more reasons to make the Surface Pro 3 your next Windows portable PC. Available at Available at Gadget and More, ground floor Silverbed Galleria.

Editor’s Picks 4

3. JBL Authentics L16- A free JBL music flow app even lets you easily control the speaker with iOS or Android mobile devices – not to mention that you can also wirelessly charge compatible mobile devices on the speaker’s optional Qi charging pad. Time to connect with the new sound of legacy. Available at Gadget and More, ground floor Silverbed Galleria.

4. Cinema SB400- This sound bar is everything that you can ask for in a sound system it has an integrated Bluetooth technology for streaming music from digital devices. Its HDMI inputs and Harman Display Surround technology, which creates an excellent 3D listening environment. Available at Gadget and More, ground floor Silverbed Galleria.

1

2 5

3

6

5. LG Cinema 3D Smart TV- This TV can be paired with LG’s fun and intuitive Magic Remote that lets you easily select features on your TV with the wave of your hand, the scroll of a wheel or use LG’s unique Voice Mate that is capable of recognizing how you naturally speak to change channel, volume or find something to watch. Available at LG showroom Plot 502, Idu industrial Area,Phase 1,Abuja 6. Samsung 3D Smart Remote -The 2014 Smart Control has voice interaction functionality, enabling users to find Web or video content quickly and conveniently using natural language.

Users can speak directly at the remote to navigate immediately to their desired content. Available at Samsung show rooms in Abuja.

50 ABUJA A-Z

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Maitama Fruit Market: A One Stop Shopping Experience

spectators

STORY: U C H E U D U MA Maitama fruit market is one of the biggest vegetable at some of the shopping malls in fruit markets in the city center of Abuja.

Abuja, but can’t compare their freshness Whether you want fruit or vegetables, with that of the fruits you can find you will find the best at the market. The here. Then again you can hardly find our market place located at Yedseram Crescent seasonal fruits such as mangoes, dates, in the heart of Maitama District is a one pears at the big shop. If at all you find it, stop destination for a variety of seasonal it will be too expensive but here you find tropical fruits like mangoes, cashew, pear our tropical fruits being sold alongside etc. Also on the offer are imported verities the imported fruits. So it makes shopping like apple, pears, strawberries, grapes and easier.” plums etc. Apart from the fresh fruits, Being strategically located in the heart fruit squeezes and vegetables available in of Maitama makes the fruit market an the market, shoppers can also get items easy place for shoppers to go to when like drinks and beverages, thereby making they need fresh supplies. Tosin Akindiya the fruit market a one stop destination for who is a regular at the market revealed, food lovers and traders alike.

“The proximity of the market to the city The marketplace was opened during Dr center makes it easy for buyers to visit the Aliyu Modibo Umar’s administration market regularly. You can easily drive by has about 300 sellers, who converge and pick whatever you need at the market. at the market daily for sales. Though The next big fruit market is Zuba fruit relatively small, the marketplace swarms market, which is about one hour drive with people from the early hours of the from Maitama. Although things are very morning, buying and selling all manner of affordable there, the distance makes a no fresh farm produce till evening. Perhaps go area for people that want to buy fruits best of all, the fruits and vegetables are or vegetables. You can only travel that far neatly displayed in a neat environment, if you are buying in bulk.” which the shoppers at the market find For Mallam Usman Dogo, a seller at very appealing. A visit to the Market the market, vegetables and fruits will expose one to a scene of enthusiastic business thrive at the market because traders and buyers who bargain to get the it is a specialised market. He explains, best price for their choice foods.

“Shopping at the regular markets in Abuja Many shoppers prefer buying at the fruit could be hectic when you want to buy market because of the variety of fruits only fruits and vegetable because you will available, as revealed by Grace Bello. have to comb through different shopsto The lady who was seen shopping at the find what you need, but here is a galore fruit market revealed that shopping at of fruits and vegetable, there is hardly no the market is convenient as you find a fruit or vegetable that you can’t find here variety of fruits at affordable prices at and that makes the market unique.” He the market. She said, “Shopping here is added very convenient. You can get fruits and

MY ABUJA

Bose Akingboye CIVIL SERVANT

My feet sailed to the heart of nation, FCT Abuja on October 19th 2013. The entrance into the city felt like a fool on a trip to paradise as I felt the serenity of the city.

It was a beautiful landscape that quickly enveloped me and I adapted. The beginning of the journey started at Abaji through Gwagwalada to Giri towards the busy Area 1. Abuja has been as a second home to me. It has opened its loving arms of the exquisite layout and beautiful tourist center which never seems to amaze me.

I always look forward to Monday mornings as people rush to work and arrive there early as there is no traffic congestion. The road network is perfectly constructed to complement the master plan of the city.

Friday evenings excite me, as there are different places to visit and unwind like, Ceddi Plaza, Shoprite, Jabi Lake, Silverbird Galleria, Maitama Gardens, Pulse Lounge amongst others.

Being the Federal Capital Territory, we have the liaison offices, federal ministries all laid out with calculative and the perfect architectural structures which always awed me each time and I stare in wonders.

Why did I stay this long before coming to this city? I just love it!

LISTINGS/ABUJA A-Z 51

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Listings CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES SETERACO Setraco Nigeria Limited is a leading engineering company with a vision to touch the lives of all Nigerians positively by completing much needed infrastructure development in their region.

The construction company was established in 1977 and over the years the company has rapidly grown to become one of the largest construction companies in Nigeria specialized in roads and bridges. Setraco ensures that all projects are successfully completed to specification and in line with the company’s sense of responsibility towards its Clients and host communities.

It is the company’s belief that the success achieved by the company is a result of the management’s attention towards community relations, customer satisfaction, supplier relations and employee motivation.

Plot 526, Shehu Yar’Adua Way Kado District Abuja JULIUS BERGER Julius Berger is a Nigerian company offering integrated construction solutions and related services. The company’s value system is built on the belief that the company’s duty, apart from delivering the highest quality standards in work, is to support and advance the development of its staff, host communities and the country of Nigeria itself. The company’s business is built on the strategy of having vertically integrated operations, which improve efficiency and timeliness of project execution. Additionally, subsidiaries support Julius Berger’s ability to offer a complete range of construction related services. Julius Berger holds itself accountable

Construction companies, Airlines

for being honest, fair and respectful in all aspects of its business, and operates in a zero tolerance atmosphere for any actions that could be perceived as contrary to these values.

10 Shettima A. Munguno Crescent | 900 108 Utako | Abuja FCT

ARAB CONTRACTORS The Arab Contractors is one of the leading construction companies in the Middle East and Africa, committed to providing high standards services and products that are fit for purpose. Its 77,000 employees work in collaboration with its esteemed customers, partners, and suppliers in more than 29 countries.

The Arab contractor’s experience covers a wide spectrum of the construction industry and its ancillary services include public buildings, bridges, roads, tunnels, airports, housing, water and sewage projects, water treatment plants, power stations, dams, hospitals, sports building, restoration of monuments, irrigation, producing ready to mix concrete, ship building, electromechanical projects, engineering consultancy etc.

89 Alfagyum Street Wuse Zone 3 Abuja EL-MANSUR ATELIER GROUP El-Mansur Atelier Group is an AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) company (in Nigeria with international affiliations) with a commitment to providing bespoke design and construction services. The construction is currently working on its fourth airport project in Bayelsa State of Nigeria and has also been involved in the successful delivery of other project types including but not limited to Commercial Real Estate, Health Facilities and Residences.

The construction company is committed to taking advantage of modern technology as well as adopting an integrated approach which combines the best in architectural

SPOTLIGHT

and engineering practice to resolving design and building issues aims to deliver quality with the highest standard of professionalism within the nation and beyond.

No 17, Parakou Cresent, Off Aminu Kano Cresent, Wuse 2, Abuja FCT Nigeria.

AIRLINES AERO CONTRACTORS Aero, West Africa’s 51 years old Aviation Company is well respected aviation service provider in scheduled commercial and helicopter offshore oil and gas sector operation. Aero is uniquely placed in the Nigerian market to offer both rotary and fixed wing services to the highest international standards of safety. Currently the fastest growing Nigerian carrier passenger, Aero is focused on bringing customers world class aviation services with affordable fares, quality on-board services, good customer relations with effective online services and operational competence.

Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro is Nigeria’s favorite and fastest growing restaurant chain. Privately owned by Nigerians, its management is made up of a team of young and dynamic professionals with wide range of exposure and experience obtained from within and outside the food industry. From their humble beginnings with a single restaurant in Port Harcourt, the restaurant chain has spread to several other locations in Port Harcourt and Abuja with many more in the pipeline for other cities around the country. The restaurant aims to bring their unique and popular food and services closer to families around the country and someday, the African continent at large.

70, Usuma Street, 911 Mall, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria.

SPOTLIGHT

Transcorp Hilton Hotel, 1 ,Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama,

AIR FRANCE Air Franc is one of the leading airlines operating in Nigeria.

Formally Société Air France, S.A, and stylised as Air France, the French flag carrier has its headquarters in Tremblay-en-France, north of Paris. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. As of 2013 Air France serves 36 destinations in France and operates worldwide scheduled passenger and cargo services to 168 destinations in 93 countries including overseas departments and territories of France. The Abuja booking office is located at

Suite 15-17 Shopping Centre Plot 264 off Ahmadu Bello Way Garki ll, Abuja

Summerset Continental Hotels Group Summerset Continental Hotels Group is one of the top class hotels in Abuja. The hotel offers two of the finest properties in Abuja, located in Maitama and Asokoro districts. Their hotel is situated in the vicinity of Transcorp offices and with very close distance to the Embassy Areas. A warm and friendly welcome awaits guests who want to experience the best of Nigerian hospitality.

The hotel has been designed for business travellers, diplomatic delegation, elite and leisure travelers in mind.

From entertainment to relaxation, they have kept all the preferences of their guests in mind while bringing to them world-class facilities and great decor.

73 Usuma Street, Maitama, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria

52 ABUJA A-Z/LISTINGS

SPOTLIGHT

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Listings ESTATES

Traffic Bar and Restruant

Traffic Bar and Restaurant is a world class restaurant that offers excellent intercontinental and African cuisines. The restaurant is part of Missouri hotels. Traffic Bar is more of an open air bar and it is situated outside amongst trees and plants. The ambience of the restaurant is great. From their food menu to drinks list, Traffic offers you more than the regular garden. The Traffic is strategically located in the heart of Abuja metropolis, in Maitama. The location allows guests to move easily to and from the airport, the several business and entertainment districts of Abuja.

The traffic has great choices of seating, guest can sit at the high raised bar, under the lights, or sit under the palm trees at the back for privacy.

No.8 Missouri Street, Off Colorado Close Maitama, Minister Hill, Abuja

SPOTLIGHT

Masala Wahala Masala Wahala is a subsidiary of Nkoyo. The restaurant serves beautifully cooked South Indian food in the heart of Abuja. They have dishes to cater for different tastes. Seafood Dishes, Meat and Poultry and also vegetarian options. Some of the cuisines in their menu include: Meen Mappa; a meal of boneless giwan ruwan cooked in ground coriander, coconut and curry leaf cream, Mangalorean Lamb Curry, Allapuzha Meen Curry, boneless nile perch, simmered in a moderately spiced gravy of freshly ground coconut, ginger and raw mangoes and more. The atmosphere of the restaurant is sophisticated and inviting. Masala Wahala has a clean open kitchen to entertain and ensure their customers that their meals are prepared with the utmost respect and in standard conditions.

First Floor, Ceddi Plaza, Abuja

LAKEVIEW ESTATE The Kado housing estate is a beautifully designed and strategically located at Kado District directly facing the Kado Lake, obviously the only estate enjoying such advantage in Abuja. The housing estate is developed by Urban Shelter Limited, a company that has over the years made its mark in the provision of quality and distinctive homes to all strata of the society.

The estate is cited on 4.26 Hectares of land and has been conceptualized with all the trappings of luxury to ensure comfortable and healthy living of its proposed occupants. The houses are well finished in high quality specification, with our well skilled workers meticulously paying attention to the minutest details. There are ample parking spaces for all the occupants of the estate and their visitors with a lush green garden and playground and a standard swimming pool to carter for the comfort of the occupants.

A Jetty is also sited by the water front, wherein the residents can enjoy unhindered access to the sprawling Lake for relaxation. Boats will also be provided. Sited directly by the water front gives it an atmosphere of serenity with fresh air as a result of the lush green surrounding engulfing the whole estate.

Plot 41, Kado District By Kado Housing Estate, Abuja RIVER PARK ESTATES, River Park Estates is a world class, luxury development in Abuja. River Park Estates is based in the heart of one of the fastest growing cities in Africa.

The estate consists of 475 hectares, combining a residential mix of 11,000 dwellings split into five phases. The estate is strategically located at the heart of Abuja with great transport links.

Everything about River Park Estates is world class, from the design

Estates

and finish, through to the facilities and location.

Much more than just luxurious community dwellings, River Park Estates is the latest phase in Family Friendly living, located in an exclusive quiet and serene gated community.

City View Estate, Dakwo District FCT PALM SPRING GOLF ESTATE Palm Spring Golf Estate is one of the exquisite estates in Abuja. The estate is sited on the mountainous terrain adjacent Mpape Hills. The estate is situated at the outskirts of Abuja in a very peaceful environment with elegant palm trees lining its streets and surround the houses in neat rows, giving it a breathtaking look. The estate consists of three blocks - Villas E1, E2 and E3 - of 28 housing units. The houses are either three to fourbedroom single-storey houses or five bedroom two-storey houses, each with a ‘boys quarters’. The houses come with fullyequipped kitchens, among other furnishing and other amenities, and each house has a swimming pool. Provision is made for multiple boreholes with water reservoirs and a water treatment plant.

Palm Spring Golf Estate is located adjacent to Mpape Hill EFAB ESTATE LIFECAMP Efab Estate Lifecamp is a beautiful estates situated along Life Camp-Karmo road. The estateis designed to suit the taste of the upper class in Abuja.

Efab Estate is sited on 6 hectares of land with about eighty housing units comprising of five bedroom duplex and three bedroom detached bungalows only.

This estate is unique when compared with other estates in Abuja in terms of designs, space and proximity to the hub of the capital city. The finishing is superbly designed to meet the desires and need of high income earners.

The estate is about 15 minutes’ drive into the

city center. Efab Estate Lifecamp is owned by Efab Properties Limited, one of the foremost real estate companies in Nigeria.

Situated along Lifecamp/ Karmo road.

MBORA ESTATE Patnasonic Estate Mbora is a mass housing project developed in 2012. The estate is strategically located at a serene environment at the Mbora District, along the Old Karmo Road, Off Jabi-Airport Road. It is one of the properties constructed and managed

by Patnasonic Industries Limited, a subsidiary of Chelsea Group Limited.

There are two phases: Phase I and II of which Phase I is fully developed with 148 units of two bedroom and three bedroom bungalows and a good road network.

Patnasonic Estate is a comfortable place to live.

Mbora Estate along the Old Karmo Road, Off Jabi-Airport Road.

CITY VIEW ESTATES City View Estate is strategically located at Dakwo District, Abuja.

The estate is within 15 minutes of Federal Capital City Centre and surrounded by five other fully occupied estates.

The estate has a land area of 100 hectares and the estates is adequately planned with expansion provisions to cater for population variations and approved in line with FCT high standards. The estate has fully serviced mixed house types. The estate has houses such as two bedroom semidetached bungalow and three bedroom detached bungalow, all in-suite. The estate has school, worship centre, recreational park, shopping centre, security/Police post, and the best of Infrastructure development and management.

City View Estate, Dakwo District FCT Off Abuja Ring Road II.

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

business

Some of the unemployed youths protesting . PHOTO BY naija.com

Tackling Unemployment In Nigeria The issue of unemployment in Nigeria has remained a recurring decimal. In this piece, Friday Atufe, Samson Echenim, George Okojie, Taiwo Ogunmola and Olushola Bello, examine some of the efforts to bring the rate down to the barest minimum

U The rate of unemployment within the age group of 20 to 24 years is 40 per cent and between 15 to 19 years it is 31 per cent

nemployment, according to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, occurs when people are without work and actively seeking work.

The unemployment rate is a measure of the prevalence of unemployment and it is calculated as a percentage by dividing the number of unemployed individuals by all individuals currently in the labour force. During periods of recession, an economy usually experiences a relatively high unemployment rate. According to International Labour Organisation, more than 197 million people globally were out of work or six per cent of the world’s workforce was without a job in 2012.

Causes On a global scale, there are considerable theoretical debate about the causes, consequences and solutions to unemployment. For classical economics, new classical economics and the Austrian School of economics, market mechanisms are reliable means of resolving unemployment.

According to these theories, interventions imposed on the labour market from the outside, such as unionisa-

tion, bureaucratic work rules, minimum wage laws, taxes, and other regulations discourage the hiring of workers.

Unemployment is one of the most critical socio-economic problems facing Nigeria. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) the unemployment rate in Nigeria increased to 23.90 per cent in 2011 from 21.10 per cent in 2010 while the unemployment rate averaged 14.60 percent from 2006 until 2011, reaching an all time high of 23.90 percent in 2011 and a record low of 5.30 per cent in 2006.

Some of the causes of unemployment in Nigeria can be attributed to sustained level of corruption, civil war, military rule, and mismanagement of abundant natural resources both in human and material, a development which has hindered economic growth of the country over the years.

Despite the fact that the country is endowed with diverse and infinite resources, both human and material, long years of negligence and adverse policies have led to the underutilisation of these resources. These

resources have not been effectively utilised in order to yield maximum economic benefits. This is one of the primary causes of unemployment and poverty in Nigeria.

The unemployment situation in Nigeria has over the years been a major problem both economically and socially and it has therefore resulted in more and more people who do not have purchasing power. Less consumption has led to lower production and economic growth has been hampered. Unemployment also has social consequences as it increases the rate of crime. The secondary-school graduates consist of the principal fraction of the unemployed accounting for nearly 35 per cent to 50 per cent.

The rate of unemployment within the age group of 20 to 24 years is 40 per cent and between 15 to 19 years it is 31 per cent.

Under employed farm labour, also referred to as disguised unemployed, makes the rural unemployment figures less accurate than those for urban unemployment. Almost 2/3 of the unemployed rural population is secondary-school graduates.

Panacea to unemployment According to the minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, “We need to create a minimum of 1.8 million jobs annually. To keep the unemployment level at 33 per cent.”

He adds that anyone establishing companies in the country is assisting the central government to provide the needed platform to create jobs

for the teeming unemployed youths.

He explains that one major method to sustain the existing jobs and to create new ones was that citizens of the country must support the existing and new companies through patronage.

For Mr Babatunde Fashola there is need for a complete overhaul of programmes and courses being run

by Nigerian universities so that they could be in tune with the nation’s current realities.

He explains that the courses being offered in Nigerian universities were designed over a century ago by the colonial masters to advance their own economic gains and set up trading businesses under royal charters within their territories.

“To man such business setups, the colonial masters needed lawyers, accountants, clerks to oversee them and that was the purpose for which they designed those programmes to suit their needs,” he says.

He advises the youths to have a change of mindsets from white collar jobs and be adaptive to vocational and skill-oriented jobs that are relevant to the Nigerian nation of today.

The governor also says every major city in Africa, including Nigeria, is contending with the problem of transport planning and management, yet no Nigerian university is offering any course in both fields.

According to him, this posture accounts for why many of the giant construction companies operating in the ➔ CONTINUEd ON PAGE

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54 BUSINESS

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Tackling Unemployment In Nigeria ➔ CONTINUEd from PAGE

One key sector that holds the key to the growth and development of the country is the energy sector, particularly the electricity industry

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country are owned by foreigners that are willing to embrace dirts and jobs we term dirty jobs”.

He says several years ago, it was almost unthinkable for a Nigerian graduate to accept to drive a bus in Lagos but would rather travel abroad to drive a cab in the harsh weather of London, adding that many are now coming back home to embrace such jobs.

Fashola says unlike what it was when he was growing up as a child, when every fresh graduate had a job waiting for him, “now it is only those who are ready to change and adapt that will partake in the paradigm change.”

Enjoining the youths to stop waiting for automatic white collar jobs, but “think of new options that are too enormous for anyone to remain jobless or idle,” he reminded the youths that though they require academic certificates, it is not a meal ticket but a preparation for how they would behave, interact, reason well and interact with others in the nearest future.

“We want to stir you into areas where there is a legitimate livelihood for you, so that you can engage yourself in new areas where you are adaptable to quickly responding.”

He charges participants to be ready to undergo more training in diversified fields of human needs, while assuring that the State Government was going to assist them in realizing their dreams along such new lines.

For Comrade Issa Aremu, vice president, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and General Secretary, Textile Workers’ union a positive relationship exists between economic growth and job creation.

“With 50 per cent open unemployment Nigeria is not just seating on time bombs but as we can see the bombs are exploding in scores through murderous insurgencies.”

According to him, economic growth must translate into expanded employment and prosperity for the citizens, saying people must reject the neo-liberal policies that celebrate “jobless growth.”

He reasoned that, “Mass unemployment and huge idle human capacity are more expensive to the society both in the short and long terms as we have seen with the violence fuelled by idle capacity willing to unleash terror.

“Unemployment is one of the greatest challenges facing Nigeria’s democracy today. Federal Government has set up a committee on Job creation and has recently held a oneday Job Summit. Several State Governments have also initiated some programmes of Job Creation, but they all constitute a drop in the sea of head counts of the unemployed.

“The real challenge is the urgent need to revive the closed factories and import substitutes the mass goods and services that Nigeria currently imports. Every imported good to Nigeria means imported unemployment and exported employment while every locally produced good means job creation and job retention in Nigeria.”

President of Trade Union Congress, Comrade Bala Bobboi Kaigama affirms that the country missed it

Jonathan

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Emeka Wogu

when it endorsed what he called privatisation without human face that amounted to nothing, pointing out that the policy has cut jobs and worsen the situation.

The labour leader argues that government should have consulted workforce before privatisation, saying the policy amount to nothing without the workforce.

While proffering solutions, he says that governments at all levels need to provide an enabling environment especially on the supply of electricity and road rehabilitation that will boost agriculture which in turn will

create jobs.

Kaigama cites the jobs created by the GSM companies in the country, adding that if there is stable power, more companies will come into the country.

Though the TUC boss disagrees with the fact that some of our graduates are not employable, he said the school’s curriculum should include entrepreneurial subjects that will make our school leavers or graduates self employed. He suggested that government should be able to provide fund that would assist the project.

Government should also know that it must listen to the plight of the people. ‘The joblessness has created insecurity and it is the people at the helms of affairs that would be at the receiving end. We pray government will put power in place and boost agriculture,’ he says.

On his part, the General Secretary of Joint Action Front (JAF), Comrade Aremu Abiodun adds that policy of privatization promote job cut, saying it does not create jobs.

“It is not possible for government to provide jobs with such policy and there is little organized labour can do because they cannot create jobs. They can only engage government on the policy made,” he added.

Former TUC boss, comrade Peter Esele attributes the problem to inconsistency of government policies and lack of direction.

“We need to look at the area where country is lacking whether inadequate of doctors or others and do the needful. Also, our education system needs total overhauling,” he said.

For the chairman of the Nigeria Shipowners Association (NISA), Dr. Isaac Jolapamo, the problem with unemployment in Nigeria is largely government’s failure to make requisite policies and implement such policies where they existed.

He says government needed not to build factories or companies in order to employ people because it is not a good manager of business, especially in this part of the world.

According to him for a focused government, employment creation would not be a problem and would not be a challenge. Formulation and implementation of specific policies backed by legislations to develop the various industries in the economy would lead to employment creation.

He says in the maritime sector, there is enough potential to activate about five million jobs for Nigerians.

The Cabotage Act is a very good piece of legislation hinged on local content development in the maritime sector.

Particularly, the law seeks to protect the local shipping industry by giving it the right of first refusal on any job that has to do with cabotage trade.

This means that if there is a job to be done, the local shipowners will have to be engaged first.

He says it was envisaged that when the indigenous shipowners could get jobs regularly, they would be able to employ so many seafarers and the industry would develop, remarking that unfortunately agencies of government responsible for the implementation of the act have refused to allow it work. The same agencies are deliberating suffocating the indigenous shipping industry. So, the shipping industry is not

tapped at all “Imagine if some five million Nigerians could be engaged directly and indirectly in the shipping industry, more people could be exported to earn foreign exchange, just like Philippines. There is also employment generation in the area of ship building, ship repair and this will have ripple effect of boosting other trades. It’s simple. Let government begin to enforce the Cabotage Act now and unemployment situation in the country would be halved in this country.” Jolapamo said.

According to the director -general of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, the rate of unemployment in Nigeria is currently one of the highest in the world, at 24 per cent, particularly with over 50 per cent of the youths in the urban areas unemployed.

He proposes that there should be increased support for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and business start-ups through capacity building and funding, domestication of private and public sectors spending in order to boost the multiplier effect of domestic spending on the economy and promotion of sector-linkages in the economy so that all sectors could be mutually supportive.

He notes that the agricultural sector has enormous job creation potentials and should therefore be given more attention, adding that SMEs have some challenges ranging from lack of finance, inadequate infrastructural facilities, shortage of skilled manpower, poor entrepreneurial skills and lack of enabling operating environment.

Also speaking, the president of Association of Small Business Owners (ASBON), Dr. Femi Egbesola said that all over the world, SME is key to real sector growth, saying, SMEs generally have huge potentials for employment generation and wealth creation in any economy and that if they were duly encouraged, they would help create more jobs thereby reducing the high level of unemployment and consequentially helping to reduce crime rate in the country.

He stresses the need for the establishment of small-scale enterprises as a way of developing and providing a training ground for indigenous entrepreneurs.

He also noted that small-scale enterprises would help to reduce rural urban drift particularly when they are cited in the rural areas, explaining that the drifts are due to lack of job opportunities in the rural areas.

Egbesola says government should as a matter of urgency prioritise the SME sector by giving it devoted, practical and visible attention with a view to making it virile, vibrant, focused and productive.

Conclusion From the foregoing, we can conclude that one key sector that holds the key to the growth and development of the country is the energy sector, particularly the electricity industry. The federal government should do all within its powers to enhance electricity generation to its fullest capacity.

business Sunday, July 27, 2014

news

L-R: Permanent secretary, Ministry of Power, Amb. Godknows Igali; Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo and United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle, during the signing of $2.5bn Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on power in Abuja. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

Nigeria’s Oil Export Drops In 2 Years

by Chika Izuora, Lagos

The effects of the new era of energy sources may have hit hard on Nigeria’s export market as the nation’s crude differentials and demand at the international market dropped to the lowest ebb in the past two years.

Reports showed that about 20 to 25 Nigerian cargoes were still on sale out of a total of 65 for export even as traders said that this was the biggest supply glut they had seen for years and that sellers may be forced to keep differentials at multi-year low to attract buyers.

However, LEADERSHIP Sunday’s enquiries to ascertain the current export figure from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was unsuccessful as the manager, group public affairs of the Corporation, Ohi Alegbe could not respond.

However, the declining state

was linked to the emergence of shale oil in the major oil importer nations such as the United States, and some Asian countries.

Other observers believed that the return of Libyan crude to the market was also weighing heavily on prices. The 340,000 barrelper-day El Sharara Oil Field also resumed operations after protesters ended a four-month strike.

A trader who differed in opinion stated that freight costs for suezmax-sized vessels were also acting as a deterrent to European buyers who would look to buy cargoes from nearer destinations such as the North Sea or the Mediterranean.

“Freight has gone crazy so people who are buying for later dates will wait in hope that prices will fall,” the trader said.

However, a preliminary loading schedule showed that Nigeria’s Qua Iboe crude stream will load 380,000 barrels per day (bpd) in-

cluding two cargoes that have been deferred. The programme was revised down from an initially planned 398,000 bpd. Excluding the deferrals, Nigeria will export 10 cargoes carrying some 317,000 bpd of the benchmark grade in the next few weeks.

Other grades on the list including Bonny Light and Forcados were broadly in line with levels from last month.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s crude oil sales have remained a big secret, the outcome of a new research published during the week showed that national oil companies in Africa have grossly under-reported oil sales over the years.

The report noted that Swiss commodity traders like Arcadia, Glencore, Gunvor, Mercuria, Socar Trading, Trafigura, and Vitol purchased about $55 billion worth of oil from state-owned oil companies in Africa.

Global Internet Regulator Accredits Nigerian Registrar

By Chima Akwaja, Lagos

The Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has accredited Nigeria’s leading Internet registrar, Upperlink Limited, making it the first Nigerian company and eighth accredited registrar in Africa. With the new status, Upperlink would serve Nigeria and international markets.

As the leading Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) registrar, Upperlink is in the forefront of registrars spearheading the migration of Nigerian companies from .com to the .ng domain name, which is Nigeria’s country code top level domain (CCTLD). Upperlink’s core areas are in internet and mobile applications, software development and deployment, database management, systems integration and cloud solutions.

As ICANN registrar, Upperlink would offer Nigerians opportunities to register any domain name extension such as .com, .org, .net etc at affordable prices locally. Upperlink’s

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accreditation follows a similar exercise that was achieved in Ghana, Senegal and South Africa.

Upperlink has a robust domain registration platform developed in accordance with ICANN’s standards with complimentary domain services such as hosting, IPv6 accessibility, trademark validation and an excellent support service. As an added value, Upperlink offers alternative payment methods and a user-friendly API connection for domain registration.

Managing director/CEO of the company, Mr Segun Akano, said the .ng domain is a shorter and unique domain, adding that with the accreditation, Upperlink “will serve Nigeria and all African countries for any purposes related to domain names business”. ICANN which coordinates the internet’s global domain name system (DNS), has introduced competition in the registrar marketplace, which has produced over 890 accredited registrars that are offering a range of registration services.

IFC, Kenyan National Cement Company Partner To Develop Infrastructure In Africa

By Friday Atufe, Lagos

International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is providing up to $70 million to Kenya’s National Cement Company Ltd. to expand the company’s operations, increase the local supply of cement and promote infrastructure development in Africa.

IFC will provide up to $55 million in debt. In addition, IFC and the IFC African, Latin American, and Caribbean Fund will inject $15 million equity into National Cement and will have a seat on the company’s board. The project marks IFC’s largest investment in building materials globally in the recent past.

IFC’s investment will enable the company to multiply its production capacity five-fold to 1.7 million metric tons per year. National Cement plans to expand its cement factory in Nairobi, creating over 6,000 jobs.

Small businesses that transport the company’s raw materi-

als and provide general services will also benefit economically.

National Cement is part of the Devki Conglomerate, which also has steel and services industries in Kenya. Founded in 1986

by CEO Narendra Raval, Devki has grown from a modest beginning into a robust group of industries. Cement consumption in Kenya has grown at a rate of 13 per cent per year in the last six years, as the country’s economy grows. National Cement is one of Kenya’s few local cement producers, offering building materials at competitive prices.

Chairman Devki Group, Narendra Raval said, “By partnering with IFC’s National Cement, we look forward to combining our long-standing experience in Kenya’s building materials sector with IFC’s international expertise in infrastructure and environment management. As National Cement expands, we aim to contribute actively to improving infrastructure and housing in Kenya.”

Skye Bank Launches Personalised Internet Banking

by Bukola Idowu, Lagos

As part of its recent information technology upgrade, Skye Bank Plc has launched a new and an improved internet/mobile banking platform – SkyePlus+ to deliver consistent and personalised experience through a combination of enhanced self service options.

According to the bank, the new Skyeplus+ comes with comprehensive functional coverage to provide the convenience of anywhere, anytime banking thus, giving customers greater control over their fi-

nances.

A statement issued by the bank said that with the initiatives, customers would be able to carry out banking transactions anywhere, anytime with quality service guaranteed.

To enhance its capacity for transaction processing and service delivery, Skye Bank recently migrated to the latest Core Banking System from Oracle Financial Services Systems (OFSS) called Flexcube Universal Banking System version 6.0 to FCUBS v 12.0.

The new flexcube is an integrated

banking application that supports both corporate and retail operations. It is tailored specifically to deliver improved systems availability and superior services to customers across all interaction channels.

The bank said the migration stemmed from the fact that banks the world over are faced with unprecedented changes in customer behaviour and expectations as a result of advances in technology and the fierce competition in a rapidly expanding financial services landscape.

“Buffeted by such trends as e-

commerce, social media, instant messaging and self-services, the need for new electronic banking offerings to deliver enhanced convenience has become a major force shaping the way financial institutions now develop, market, and deliver services,” the bank’s statement read.

The bank explained that in line with its commitment to service excellence and efficiency through the use of information and communications technology, it has, in the last 24 months, made significant investment in best-in-class

technology.

“The upgrade is at the centre of the bank’s IT transformation programme, a strategic decision that has far-reaching implications on the bank’s future business strategies and success,” the bank said.

The new flexcube is an integrated banking application that supports both corporate and retail operations.

It is tailored specifically to deliver improved systems availability and superior services to customers across all interaction channels.

56 feature

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Some street sweepers at work in Abuja.

PHOTO BY cindywockner.com

FCT Street Sweepers: Coping With Inadequate Safety Materials There have been concerted efforts by street cleaners to acquire basic equipment for cleaning the Federal Capital Territory. CHIKA OKEKE writes that the absence of protective clothing and equipment puts the cleaners at risk of a looming epidemic as sweepers plan a showdown over the situation

D

Let our employers treat us like human beings by paying us good salaries, providing safety materials like gloves, reflective jackets and road sign posts

riving through the Berger – Wuse expressway towards Area 1/Apo, one would visibly see men and women in bending positions all carrying black cellophane bags along the expressway especially in the morning hours.

These are the street sweepers and cleaners concessioned to independent contractors through the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) to rid the city from all forms of dirt either in the drainages or on the roads.

Abuja is divided into about 20 districts; the cleaning of each district and waste evacuation are handled by 20 independent contractors so as to reduce the work of AEPB whose sole responsibility is to monitor the activities of these independent contractors.

Investigations made by LEADERSHIP Sunday revealed that while the major roads and expressways were not totally rid from filth, the contractors’ attitude towards them may not be unconnected with the state of sanitation in the city.

Despite their important role, they have been grossly neglected as a good number of them live from hand to mouth and suffered from strange diseases while some were owed salary for months.

A cross section of sweepers and litter pickers who spoke to LEADERSHIP Sunday regretted that the prevailing unemployment situation in Nigeria led to their involvement in dirty jobs saying that the contractors have refused to provide safety equipment notwithstanding the nature of their jobs.

A female sweeper that spoke on the condition of anonymity maintained that there were plans by re-

fuse pickers to protest over unjust treatment meted to them by the contractors as well as their failure to provide safety materials that would shield them from death and diseases.

“The entire refuse pickers and sweepers in FCT are planning to protest because of the ways we are treated like animals by our employers. If not, how can mothers and fathers be sweeping the streets of Abuja without using hand gloves and wearing reflective jackets? Many of us decided to purchase these items with our little salary just for our safety and nothing is done about that.

“The AEPB who concessioned this business to private people should have known that they are supposed to be monitoring them on daily basis but we are not seeing that here and that is why they (contractors) have refused to provide safety equipment for us.

“For instance, a female sweeper that lives at Mararaba was ill and when she managed to go the hospital, the doctor informed her that she was suffering from scabies because she was always handling dirty objects without using protective gloves. She spent so much in treating herself and nobody even cared to refund part of the expenses she incurred while in the hospital.

“The most surprising thing is that they don’t even assist people. So, the moment you fail to show up at work for a period of two weeks probably because of illness or any other problem, they will look for your replacement immediately,” she stated.

The woman who was recruited by an employer two years ago which she refused to mention his name further noted that another female picker was killed along the airport saying that AEPB should wade into the is-

sue to avoid many casualties.

“I am appealing to AEPB and the FCT minister, Sen Bala Mohammed, to wade into this issue before it’s too late. Last year, one of us was killed while in active service because there were no road signs to show that people were cleaning the expressway. So, it’s a big challenge.

“There is high rate of unemployment in Nigeria and because many of us were not privileged to attain formal education, we decided to do dirty jobs so that we can feed our immediate families,” she stressed.

A male litter picker who identified himself as Danjuma was seen picking filth along Finance – Berger expressway. Though he declined speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday for fear of losing his job, he said, “I can authoritatively tell you that we are highly marginalised in all the states in Nigeria despite our roles in making sure that the cities were rid from dirts and. Our efforts are not appreciated yet the government cannot do without us because we do many dirty jobs in the cities”.

The man who claimed that he has a wife and three children wondered how a married man would provide for his immediate family with just N20, 000 monthly wage not to talk of extended families stressing that most times, they were owed salary for months.

“You can hardly spot any sweeper living a decent life because our salaries are just too meager. We are paid between N10,000 and N20,000 depending on our years of experience in the job. From the money, we buy other equipment which were supposed to be given to us free of charge yet AEPB is not doing anything about it,” he stated.

On their demands, he said, “Our demands are very simple. Let our employers treat us like human beings by paying us good salaries, providing safety materials like gloves, reflective jackets and road sign posts that will signal to motorists that work is in progress.”

He further appealed to the AEPB to enjoin the contractors to imbibe best practices saying that sweepers and litter pickers in developed coun-

tries were not exposed to dangerous diseases due to the governments’ sensitivity to their plight.

Health Insurance Another female cleaner identified as Aishatu Danlami who cleans Mpape road suggested that AEPB should compel the contractors to include health insurance policy in their contract agreement stressing that they had been inflicted with skin diseases in their line of duty.

According to her, “The most important thing is a health insurance that will cover the costs incurred when a sweeper or refuse picker falls sick. This is because, a good number of our members had fallen ill and were diagnosed to be suffering from skin diseases and one was even diagnosed for a heart disease.

If not for the goodwill from family members and friends, she would have died because she didn’t have money to treat herself.”

On reflective jackets and sign posts, she added, “They are very important to avoid our people from being knocked down by hit and run vehicles. Some leave their houses very early in the morning to sweep only to come back with injuries because they were not fully kitted. So, the provision of reflective jackets, hand gloves and other essential equipment is paramount for our job”.

AEPB Reacts In an earlier interview, the director of AEPB, Mrs Aishatu Adebayo said, “The women in question are staff members of independent contractors and have no direct dealing with AEPB. We cannot dictate to a company what they will pay but if a woman discovers that she is not properly paid, she can look out elsewhere. Issues of wages are part of internal operations of a firm which AEPB has no jurisdiction. So, the issue of getting cleaning materials free of charge from AEPB does not arise here.

“However, we regulate and ensure that the women are properly kitted. We have had course to reprimand contractors found wanting”.

nollywood Sunday, July 27, 2014

57

AFRIFF 2014: SouthAfricanActress Xolile Tshabalala Appointed Ambassador stories By SOLOMON NDA-ISAIAH

As the world eagerly awaits November 9 to16 when the much -publicised 4th edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) will come up, one remarkable move by the organisers to create a sense of harmony among filmmakers in the continent is the endorsement of notable South African actress, Xolile Tshabalala, as Goodwill Ambassador of the festival.

Tshabalala met with the AFRIFF team at the ongoing Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), where she held talks with the Project Director Afie Braimoh and the Artistic Director Keith Shiri who joined the team from London.

The actress, whose short film, Through Her Eyes, is screening at DIFF, was excited to join the team, having been eager to lend her voice to projects that promote Africa.

“I’m very excited as an artiste and as a female filmmaker. Also, as an African, I am so happy about anything that brings Africa together and puts us on the world map. I’m overwhelmed with joy for being a part of the AFRIFF team,” she said to re-

L-R: Festival manager, Ikenna Ezenyirioha; project director, Afie Braimoh; South African actress Xolile Tshabalala and artistic director, Keith Shiri, at the Tsogo Sun Elengani Hotel, hub of the ongoing Durban International Film Festival

porters at the festival.

The star of Mnet’s Jacobs Cross and SABC1’s soap, Generation, alongside Nollywood actress Rita Dominic, will be the ambassadors for the festival.

Interestingly, Tshabalala resumed duty immediately, talking to people at the ongoing DIFF about the qualities that differentiate AFRIFF from oth-

er festivals.

The actress, who has already marked the festival date in her diary, further added that it would be her second time in Nigeria, when she arrives on November 8, a day to the festival’s opening ceremony.

AFRIFF holds at the popular Tinapa Business Resort in Calabar, Cross River State. The event

High Expectations as HOAYS Movie Hits Cinemas After the aborted April 25 cinema release of the highly anticipated movie, Half of a Yellow Sun (HOAYS), high expectations await the movie as it hits cinemas on August 1, 2014.

Half of a Yellow Sun which was slated for cinema release earlier this year, could not be shown as the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board did not rate the movie due to concerns that the movie could incite the public to religious violence in a move which was considered political, in order to thwart the efforts of the producers. However, the board finally rated the movie 18 and has thus approved its new cinema release date.

As Half of a Yellow Sun goes to the cinemas across the country from August 1, high expectations await its performance at the cinemas, due to the fact that the movie which had been released in cinemas in the UK, USA, New Zealand and Australia has grossed about N280 million from cin-

Chiwetel Ejiofor

ema releases, Inflight viewing right sales and Online viewing rights.

According to an avid HOAYS fan; “I am really waiting to see how the movie would fare at the cinemas. Considering the fact that it was not released

when it was supposed to and all the controversies that surrounded it. It is one movie that we really want to see, but the only question now is if it would fare very well in the Nigerian market.”

According to the distributors of the movie; “we have high expectations for Half of a Yellow Sun as it goes to the cinemas on August 1. It is the biggest project from the Nigerian movie industry and with all the love and support that we got from Nigerians, we are sure that they would also show that same love and support as we go to the cinemas with this movie.”

Half of A Yellow Sun is a movie set in the time of the Biafra war; it’s a love story that depicts the effects of war on all aspects of life. The movie features BAFTA award winner and Oscar nominee, Chiwetel Ejiofor, BAFTA award winner Thandie Newton, and other award winning actors and actresses including Genevieve Nnaji.

will feature daily film screenings, workshops, master classes, exhibitions, film premieres, glamorous opening and closing ceremonies. It will round off with an award night that will celebrate winning film entries as well as their cast and crew.

Tshabalala’s Through Her Eyes, a ‘Man’s World’-themed film will also be showing at the festival.

Although her first stint with Nigeria was in Abuja, she cannot wait to witness Calabar, a city she learnt is the tourism hub of

Nigeria.

“When Chioma Ude, the founder of AFRIFF, called me, I had no choice but to jump at the offerperhaps, it is also because it’s woman power.

“Yes, the festival is being run by an amazing woman. So, I feel excited about an opportunity for me to share my experience and belief about the beauty of Africa. More importantly, I am excited because it will also offer the opportunity to show that AFRIFF has demonstrated that she can hold a film festival equal to internationally acclaimed festivals,” she said.

Born in Vrede in the Free State, the 37-year-old actress is best known for her role as Julia Motene in Generation. She also played alongside her mentor, Thembi Mtshali, in The Crucible at the Market Theatre.

She enrolled at the National School of the Arts and graduated with the honour of best overall performer. She has worked on other television productions, including Justice for All, Scoop Schoombie, Isidingo, Secret in my Bosom and Soul City, among others.

Xolile, as she is simply called, has received a number of acting awards, including Duku Duku Viewers Choice award (2003) and People Magazine Crystal Award for Best Soap Actress (2004), among others.

Omoni Oboli: Certified NYFA Graduate Actress and movie producer, Omoni Oboli, has a ready-made answer for those who question her directorial credibility after she disclosed to the media that her movie, Being Mrs Elliott, which she wrote, produced and directed would soon hit cinemas.

Some critics had gone to town, questioning why Omoni Oboli, who has established massive credibility as an actress would delve into directing, a field that is considered only for those who are highly trained. To them Omoni should have just stuck to acting and leave directing to the directors.

But speaking in a statement issued by her publicist, Omoni declared that she did not jump into an unfamiliar field “I learnt some people asked if I am competent enough to direct a movie, without wanting to join issues with those people, the answer to their question is yes. Not only have I

picked up on-the field experience, I also went to one of the best film schools in the world, the New York Film Academy (NYFA) to learn directing specifically. My lecturers were impressed with my project and I remain one of the few female practitioners in the industry who have gone to the school. If my years of experience and NYFA education don’t qualify me, I wonder what will. For those who know about movie and those who have taste for good movie, Being Mrs Elliott will more than impress.”

The New York Film Academy, located in New York, United States of America is one of the best film academies in the world and has produced some of the best movie producers and directors in the world. Other Nollywood practitioners who are products of the Academy include Stephanie Okereke-Linus, O.C Ukeje, Kunle Afolayan, Chinezie Ayanele, Peggy Ovire, etc.

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e-train

Sunday, July 27, 2014

PMAN Seeks Partnership To Fight Insurgency

BY ANTHONY ADA ABRAHAM

Nigeria needs a collaborative effort in fighting the evils of democracy in the country

The Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) FCT Chapter has said it is seeking to collaborate with Government to give appropriate support to victims of insurgency in the FCT. The governor of the association, Collins Adeyemi who made this known during a recent courtesy visit to Lady Onyeka Onwenu, director general, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) in Abuja said, Nigeria needs a collaborative effort in fighting the evils of democracy in the country, “At this time the country is facing the dark challenges of evil in terrorism, the association specially lends its voice to the global call in saying, “Bring Back our Girls.” Enough of this shedding of innocent blood; enough of these abductions.

In this regard, he continued, “PMAN FCT Chapter and Displaced Women & Children Foundation have come up with a concept to help alleviate the lives of our displaced women and children by organising a launching of Relief Ticket and a Concert to raise funds to provide succour for these displaced persons in the following areas; scholarships especially to the girl child, financial aid, relief materials, food stuff and shelter.”

The DG in advising members of the association charged them to channel all their expectations to the appropriate quarters adding that meeting with the FCT minister is a good idea in realising some of their proposals.

She added that if the association wishes to be part of the fund-raising for the displaced victims, they should write to the already set up presidential committee on victims support led by General TY Danjuma (rtd) with their plans. She urged the association to borrow a leaf from her administration that had to join existing projects instead of duplicating them.

“There were lots of things we wanted to do when we came into office, some replicating what was already in existence but the minister for finance said to us, “Do not try to reinvent the will.” If something has been established, join yourself as part of that thing; do not try to set up your own again thereby duplicating what is already

Director General, National Centre for Women Development, Onyeka Onwenu (middle) flanked by the executive members of PMAN FCT chapter and directors of NCWD, during a courtesy visit by the PMAN to the DG in Abuja.

in place. You will save energy, money and be more effective.

We have learnt that lesson and I’m asking you to do same. You can write to the Victims Support Fund committee and lend your own contribution,” she said.

Although the DG noted that the Centre might not be able to partner with the association to do some of the things they mentioned because it does not have the capability and cannot go outside its reference, she assured the association that if there are things NCWD are involved in that would require PMAN’s expertise, the Centre will not hesitate to call on them.

Mr Adeyemi who commended the DG for a patriotic and great job on the centenary theme song said that it has become an anthem in all homes in Nigeria. He thanked her for her kind and warm reception. The PMAN governor ceased the opportunity to thank president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for the enormous support given to ensure that all the victims of insurgency are rehabilitated and also for the support he is giving to the Entertainment industry through his numerous programmes especially in setting up of grants for artistes and stake holders, engaging musicians to be part of propagating government policies (Advocacy), ensuring that musicians perform at major state and ceremonial functions as well as creating an enabling and encouraging environment for artistes to thrive. Similarly, he thanked the president’s wife, Dame Patience Jonathan on her Wom-

en for Change Initiative programme and the continuous support she has been giving to displaced women and children.

The chairman also shared some of the plans and dreams that the organisation wish to achieve during its tenure.

“Music Is Business”, “Music Is Love… and like Shakespeare said if music be the food of love then let it play on”. Together we can all sing a new song of progression.

• Rebirth and reposition the FCT Chapter of PMAN • To make our chapter a shining example for other chapters.

• To fight for the welfare and insurance of musicians, presenters, dancers and all relevant stake holders in the industry.

• To bring about a code of conduct for musicians in the FCT as to comportment and discipline.

• To create and foster a sense of unity, one-family and love with all artistes. A scenario that has been long gone.

• To encourage our youth to take up the business side of music.

• To introduce twice a year refresher courses for our musicians on the best practices in the industry as well as the proper ethics and standards.

We shall be having one in October and we have also penned your name down as one of our resource persons. We shall be writing officially to

you regarding this.

To ensure that our Hotels, events planners, individuals etc remunerate our musicians at an expected standard accepted fee.

• To ensure that our FCT artistes are also included on the bill of government functions.

• And finally the one that is very dear to my heart… To build an Entertainment Village that will also serve as a tourism hub within the FCT. This entertainment village will be a one stop recreation centre comprising of • Hostels (Self-contained rooms for artistes at affordable rates.

• Music Institute • Hall of Fame • Recording Studios • Cinemas • Swimming Pool • Multipurpose hall • Open air stage for live shows • Shops • Lawn tennis, football and basketball courts • Nite Club • Restaurants • Music shops etc.

Concluding, the PMAN governor said that they will write and he is hopeful that PMAN FCT Chapter can collaborate and make contributions to the Gen. TY Danjuma-led committee.

It has been less than two months since the Adeyemi-led Executives took over the mantle of leadership of PMAN FCT chapter.

•

sunday e-train

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Gospel Music Is A Vineyard – Volla Kelvin Odemwingie Idahosa also known as Volla is an Abuja-based gospel artiste. He released his new album Dem Go , which has been enjoying widespread airplay, even as far as Canada.

SAMUEL AJUWA writes that nightlife in Abuja and entertainment in general is also grossly affected by the growing insecurity in the land Please tell us, who is Volla?

Volla is just a wonderful person favoured by God to reach out to His generation using music as a medium to drive His purpose.

What kind of music does Volla do?

Volla is a combination of Rythm ‘n’ Blues embedded in a cultural blend of hip-hop, jazz, afro, and highlife depending on the kind of people.

Tell us a bit about your music career

I started my music career officially in 2003 with a group in Calabar called ‘de revealed 14’ later released an Album in 2006 titled Flight Praize under Charlz nd Family. I also had affiliations with other groups like SCK, Da gees and others.

I got back to Abuja in 2008 and started up with my friend Magnito of Big E music. I also had affiliations with Perez music, Sky records, Loops records, Nomeemeek and other church groups. During this period, I also had singles and collaborations with various Artistes in Abuja. In 2013, I released an Album titled Dem Go Know. A gospel sensational music produced under Sky records.

Tell us a little about the albumDem Go Know

The album is just a mixture of my kind of music with the sole aim of acknowledging the existence of an omnipotent,omnipresent and omniscient God. The album is supposed to reach out to the young people on the streets.

Those who have little or no knowledge of the grace and mercy of our God.

down the presence of Our father in spirit and truth so that his presence is felt amongst the people and the place is set for extraordinary manifestations which is adequately rewarded.

It’s not really competitive in nature but its growth is geometric in progression. The word of God does not die.

Do you have any video?

Yeah! I have a video of one of my songs titled Listen it had a lot of views and download on the internet. It was directed

by Klaze the Filmmaker under ‘Tales By Streetlight’ Tv show.

So how do you relax?

Listening and composing music, planning and strategising, chatting with family and friends.

What have you been up to recently?

Currently I’m working on another video of ‘Call to worship’, am also working on other songs. Recently, I released an Album with a group affiliate ‘Devine Xpression’ titled Sound of Heaven.

Are you in any relationship?

It might just interest you to know that I am married with two kids.

What should your fans expect from you?

By the special grace of God every living Soul should expect the outpouring of the spirit of God upon all flesh and there is going to be another manifestation of Kelvin Odemwingie Idahosa aka Volla! In a new dimension to the glory of God.

How do you rate the general acceptance since it came out?

The album is just a mixture of my kind of music with the sole aim of acknowledging the existence of God

To God be the glory, the album has been accepted by those who have already listened to it and it’s still growing among the trends. So far, God has been faithful because He will not let His own die.

How do you rate the growth of the gospel music industry

The “gospel music industry” as perceived is not an industry but a vineyard where gospel ministers stay in a place of Praise and worship and bring

Kelvin Odemwingie Idahosa

59

60 KIDDIES

Sunday, July 27, 2014

kiddies kingdom

SPOT

BY CHIKA MEFOR

08156719304 (SMS ONLY)

Hard Work Pays Hello everyone! My name is Funke Ajah. I was told that this page is for Kids. Though I am 17 years old, I have been given an opportunity to share my experience with you kids and I hope it will help you a great deal.

It was my experience during my exam. I just finished writing my WAEC exams. My school was one of the government schools in the city. We had corps members who taught us too to complement the efforts of the teachers. We were lucky to get corps members who were intelligent but also unlucky that those corps members were looking for every way to make money.

They came up with an idea to make money. They told us to contribute money so that they would help us in the exam hall. Everybody in my class was willing to contribute the money except me.

I had second thought about the whole thing. But it seems everyone was doing it so I decided to pay the money from my pocket money. I didn’t want to look like I was not with the pack.

My class mates where excited about the exam and since they

had paid people to help them in the exam hall, they didn’t spare any time to read while those who spared some minutes to read were only playing with their books. They all had hope of doing well in their exams with the help of the corps members.

But someone among my classmate has become the biblical Judas. That someone went behind us to tell the teachers our plan. On the day of the English exams, the teachers invigilating us were quite ready for us. They even hired the help of Old Mag-

aji, our gate man cum security man with his double barrel to help scare any intruders away.

My classmate were wondering what the development meant for them. When the exam papers were distributed, they waited hoping that the corps members would find a way to get to them.

They did find a way to reach the hall through the bush but a vigilant teacher, Miss Okeke, noticed their Khaki uniform and shouted.

The corps members immediately disappeared. My classmates waited in vain for help but the corps members didn’t return and because they (my mates) didn’t study, they didn’t know what to write. Some of them submitted blank sheets. I had studied, so I was able to write the exams.

You need to see the face of my class mates after the exams. They knew they were going to fail the subject and that nothing under the sun would help them.

When the result came out, I did well but my friends failed it and they had only themselves to blame. That is the reason I tell you that hard work pays.

PUZZLE

MAZE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Shiylowniy Tanjira-Alanza Pembi clocked two years on July 16, 2014.

Kiddies Kingdom wishes him long life and God’s blessings.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

zonal watch

61

NIGER STATE KWARA STATE KOGI STATE BENUE STATE NASARAWA STATE PLATEAU STATE FCT ABUJA NASARAWA: Impeachment Plot Against Me Will FaiI – Al-Makura

BY DONATUS NADI, Lafia

Some people are not happy with the way and manner we are running the affairs of Nasarawa State because of the high level of financial discipline

cause of his leadership qualities and accountNasarawa State governor, ability.

Tanko Al-Makura has Al-Makura said he resaid that the impeachmains unshaken and ment plot against him would continue to diswould fail. He described charge his duties dilithe move to oust him gently without fear or through the back door Al-Makura favour. as unnecessary and un“Some people are not called for. happy with the way and manner The governor spoke through his we are running the affairs of Nasenior special assistant on media sarawa State because of the high and press affairs, Sani Musa Mai- level of financial discipline and riga. prudence in the management of He said this is not the first time the state’s resources which has such impeachment plots were con- made some elites and so-called ceived against the governor but he power brokers uncomfortable,” was able to weather the storm be- he declared.

KOGI: Ankpa Youths Endorse Halims For Reps

BY SAM EGWU, Lokoja

The youth wing of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ankpa federal constituency has expressed their intention to support Hon Ibrahim Abdullahi Halims for the House of Representatives in 2015. Halims is a former member of the House of Assembly.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting at Ankpa and signed by the youths forum leader, Hon Atabor Johnson, the group said "The contemporary of Hon Halims is seriously lacking and his passion at alleviating the suffering of people is quite noticed.

"He has shown the capacity to be on the side of the people when he was representing Ankpa 1, Kogi State constituency in the House of Assembly by

making the people of his constituency feel the presence of government as he was always with the people to understand their yearnings and aspirations".

The communiqué noted that the youths of Ankpa federal constituency would no longer allow "foreign politicians" to dominate the leadership opportunities which persons like Hon Halims would have provided, urging the people to rise to the challenge of leadership vacuum in Ankpa federal constituency and support Halims.

During his tenure in the state Assembly, Halims attracted projects to the constituency such as Ankpa township erosion control, construction of drainages at Ojede and Owelle and establishment of primary schools in villages.

NIGER: Speaker Donates N6.1m Health Centre To Community

BY ABU NMODU, Ilorin

HEADS FROM THE ZONE

Chancellor, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Bishop David Oyedepo (middle) and the vice chancellor of the university, Prof Matthew Ajayi (right) during a news conference heralding the maiden convocation of the university.

PHOTO BY ABDULLAHI OLESIN

➔ The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Mr Ambrose Aisabor, has assured the people of the state of adequate security of lives and property before, during and after the Sallah celebration.

EKITI: LG Presents Over N991m Appropriation Bill For 2014

BY ABDULLAHI OLESIN, Ilorin

The chairman, Ekiti local government area of Kwara State, Hon. Akintoba Fatigun, has presented the sum of N991,301,670 as 2014 budget proposal to the legislative chamber of the council.

This was contained in a statement signed by Fatigun, a copy of which was made available to LEADERSHIP Sunday.

According to the statement, the budget will take care of the vital socio-economic de-

velopment aspect of life of the people in the area, which include construction of two blocks of classrooms, construction of health care centre, ultra-modern legislative chamber and drilling of boreholes across the local government area among other things.

“The budget is hinged on the need to build on the solid foundation laid by the past administrations in making life more comfortable for the rural populace through proper maintenance of existing in-

frastructure and provision of new ones”, he said.

He gave the breakdown of capital expenditure thus; N65,746,250 for housing and community amenities; N42,386,842.14 for general public services; N37,000,000 for recreation, culture and religion; N35,000,000 for education and N2,192,325.36 for public order and safety. Others are N3,000,000 for economic affairs; N4,500,000 for health while the sum of N10,000,000 was allotted for social protection.

forms of casual and normal leaves for the officers.

The spokesman of the state police command, Mr Ajayi Okasanmi, who made this known during an interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday, disclosed that the commissioner had met with top ranking and divisional police officers on the need to curtail the increasing wave of security threats in their various domains.

He said, “The commissioner of police in his wisdom addressed the DPOs and all policemen and women in Kwara State and told them the essence of this particular season that security must be very tight, the road must be very free based on the influx of people to and out of Kwara.

So, there is need for the roads to be well protected. There should be traffic log; there should be no crime of any sort”.

EID-EL-FITR: Kwara Police Order Watertight Security In Kwara

➔ The chairman of Ekiti local government area of Kwara State Akintoba Fatigun has announced plans to spend N991,301,670 on infrastructure and other commitments of the council.

BY ABDULLAHI OLESIN, Ilorin

Ahead of the Eid-el-Fitr festival, the Kwara State police command has ordered a water-tight security in flash points across the state to ensure security of lives and property before, during and after the Muslim festival.

To this end, the ranks and files of the command have been placed on alert as the commissioner of Police, Mr Ambrose Aisabor, proscribed all

The speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Barr Adamu Usman, has commissioned a N6.1 million primary health care centre he built for the people of Dokomba in Mokwa local government area of the state.

Speaking at the ceremony, Usman said that the project was part of his community social service aimed at improving the health status of his constituents.

According to him, the project was the third in the series of his intervention in the health sector and that the project would go a long way in solving the problem of inadequate health facilities in the area.

He disclosed that he has also constructed and renovated a number of projects such as places of worship, schools, and provision of transportation to his constituents under his community social service.

The speaker explained that, the idea behind his interventions in various sectors of the economy is to connect with his people so that at the end of his tenure as an elected representative, he would have justified the mandate given him.

While calling on all elected and appointed public officers to identify a project in their constituencies as a way of leaving behind a legacy, Usman called on Dokomba community to make good use of the facility. The Speaker disclosed that he would not contest for any elective office during the 2015 general elections. He hinged his decision not to contest in 2015 on the need to promote peace and unity in Mokwa local government area and also to allow the younger ones participate actively in politics .

He said the gesture would also allow for the rotation of elective offices among the three geographical zones of Kede, Kusopa and Mokwa-Kinti of Mokwa local government area.

Aliyu

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

THE ELECTABLES Special Edition on July 30th, 2014

Who makes the list?

The best among Nigeria’s politicians; the best among those who aspire for political and elective office; the most popular candidates; the traiblazers; Nigeria ‘s most presentable candidates and those who have the vision and sense of mission to lead.

This is a must read!

For ENQUIrIES PLEASE CALL: AbujA:

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STAnlEY ZAngInA MIDAT rICHArD bEnjAMIn bICHI bEllo SAlIHI MuAZu jAMIl SAM AbDullAHI ADEMolA YuSuF VErA DonATuS Abu FEMI DAVID SAFIu ADEbAYo ACHor AnAYo AnkElI AnDrEW AbbA

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SPECIAL ProJECTS PUBLICATIoN

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE 65

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Pastor W.F. Kumuyi The Study Of God’s Word info@deeperlifeonline.org

Serving God With Pure Motives Following Christ Till The End (2) The Ministry Of True Followers Acts 6:4; 20:24; 2 Timothy 4:25; Colossians 4:17 Followers of Christ have a “ministry of the Word”. This involves ministering the word of salvation to sinners and preparing believers for heaven. We must be dogged, persevering and uncompromising to fulfil this ministry of the Word in whichever area we are engaged in the Lord’s service. In spite of temptations, trials and challenges that may come, we are commanded not only to “preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season” but also to “watch thou in all things, endure afflictions...” Followers of Christ do not become careless and frivolous, but keep their gaze on

Christ their Master. We must follow the Master, possess the marks of true followers and get involved in serving the Lord to ➔

CONCLUDED

receive full rewards in heaven.

Serving God With Pure Motives Matthew 6:22,23 Our Lord introduces an important parable in the sermon on the Mount. This parable is put between two indispensable messages from Christ.

First, “lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The second, “No man can serve two masters. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” The two messages are clear. On one hand, fix your heart on heaven; have eternity in view; set your

affections on things in heaven, not on things on earth. On the other hand, love God supremely and serve Him without any distraction; let Him be the only Lord and Master of your life and do all things with God’s glory as your goal. Let nothing compete with seeking His glory in anything and everything you do.

The parables in verses 22 and 23 further explain these messages. The illustration of the eye in relation to the body is used.

There are two kinds of eyes - a single eye, meaning a sound, healthy eye and an evil eye, meaning a diseased, dim, darkened eye. The single, sound, healthy eye gives light to the body, helping a believer to move in line with God’s will and towards heaven. The evil, dark eye cannot see the eternal future, making a sinner to walk in darkness, which will ultimately lead to eternal damnation. The “evil

eye” speaks of a heart, mind or conscience darkened by sin, self and Satan. The actions and motives of the “body” directed by an “evil eye” will be sinful, selfcentred and Satan-controlled.

Proper Meaning Of Symbolic Eye And Body Matthew 6:22; Luke 11:3436; Psalm 36:9; Proverbs 20:27; Ephesians 1:18; Revelation 3:18; Proverbs 22:9; Romans 2:15; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Acts 24:16.

“The eye” and “the body” are used as figures of speech. What light is to the world, the eye is to the body. Without the light of the sun, there will be total darkness: positive, productive activities on earth will be impossible.

The activities of the body are directed according to the light which is received through the eye. ➔

TO BE CONTINUED

Bishop Matthew Daniels Insight For Living bishopmatthewdaniels@yahoo.com +234 811 189 6866

Life Does Not Merely Exist (2)

Successful and unsuccessful people do not differ substantially in their abilities. They only vary in the choices they make in life and in their pursuit towards success

Relate with older people: Those who have lived through life are more experienced, more learned and they are wiser. They can offer you advice and tell you stories that can enhance your usefulness in life. They can tell you about their shortcomings so that you learn from them and avoid the same mistakes. They are the wisdom bank of our society; take advantage of their existence while they’re still around.

Open your heart: Get out of your cubicle. Is your heart a closed bundle of scar tissue?

Open it, allow your heart to receive love and to give out love unconditionally. Break free from the cubicle environment spread random acts of kindness and love generously. Hatred will do you no good, and it has painful consequences. Love is far more powerful and useful; the more you love, the more you will become useful to life.

Greet every morning with a smile: It takes more muscle to frown than to smile; so, smile more often. Wake early and greet the day with a smile. Tell yourself that you will not waste this day, which is a gift from

God. Watch the sun rise. Sometimes during the day, give attention to the sights you see around you, the sounds around you, and feel the air touching your skin.

The natural things you pay attention to will fill you with contentment that will make you to appreciate God for the day. Understand that happiness does not lie in the past or in the future; it lies in the present moment. So, embrace everyday with the right attitude and you will be rewarded with joy. Maintaining a positive attitude will give you inner strength for living, but maintaining a negative attitude, complaining, criticising and saying how terrible things are, will never improve your life. No matter how many times things go wrong, maintain an overwhelming positive attitude and believe they will become better.

Successful and unsuccessful people do not differ substantially in their abilities. They only vary in the choices they make in life and in their pursuit towards success; and nothing is more effective when it comes to attaining success than adequate commitment to person-

al growth. Pause for few seconds and ask yourself, “What specific ways have I grown lately?” Growth is change. Everyone thinks of changing the world without thinking of changing self. Growth is option. You can choose to grow or resist it.

Most people either fight growth or struggle with it. But be aware of this: People that are unwilling to grow will never be useful to life. This column is dedicated for your personal development that will enhance growth.

How do you define success?

Have you been captivated by some of the wrong definitions, like money, happiness, possession, power, or achievement?

Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself, it is what you do for others.

The key to success is to find your purpose and help others while you’re pursuing it.

“Success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others.”

You can see by this definition that success is a journey rather than a destination. No matter

how long you live or what you decide to do in life, you will never exhaust your capacity to grow toward your potential, nor will you run out of opportunities to help others. When you see success as a journey, then you will never have the problems of trying to “arrive” at an elusive final destination. And you’ll never find yourself in a position where you’ve accomplished some final goal – only to discover that you’re still unfilled and searching for something else to do.

The benefit of seeing success as a journey instead of arriving at a destination or achieving a goal, is that you will have joy and peace everyday of your life.

Knowing Your Purpose Every person has his own specific vocation or mission on earth. God created every person for a purpose. You have a concrete assignment that demands fulfilment. Your life cannot be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is as unique as his specific opportunity to implement it. Each of us has a purpose for which we were created. Our responsibility, and our greatest joy, is to identify it.

What light is to the world, the eye is to the body.

Without the light of the sun, there will be total darkness

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Katsina: Improving Wellbeing Of The People Through Sanitation

By HASSAN B NAGADO

The era of communities being displaced by floods has since been overtaken through conscious but deliberate efforts aimed at making the environment as friendly as possible

Ever since the advent of the current administration, sanitation has become an integral part of the wider approach to the provision of sound health-care delivery. Several administrations, especially after the military tradition of end of month weekly sanitation exercise that look to enforce environmental cleanliness, the attitudes of people on their environment have been anything but encouraging.

Realising that cleanliness is an attitudinal behaviour that requires more than enforcement, the Katsina State government under the current administration introduced far-reaching decisions that choose to inculcate sanitary discipline rather than monthly enforcement that has since its introduction proved inconsequential in tackling environmental issues.

The approach that uses intense information dissemination, persuasion and practical efforts at keeping the environment clean through public-spirited and organised environmental daily exercises has turned Katsina into one of the most environmentally-sanitised states in the country. This effort has tremendously impacted

on health-care delivery, reduction in communicable diseases, limited environmental degradation such as erosion, and reduces the impact of rain flooding that in years back have caused havoc in communities within the state.

Today, thousands of youths, among them women and widows, have been recruited to daily clean the streets in Katsina and other local government councils in an effort to rid the state of the negative impact a dirty environment can cause.

A decade ago, annual flooding was part of events that destroyed, maimed, and killed hundreds of residents, leading to annual mass funerals and movement of international NGOs. The era of communities being displaced by floods has since been overtaken through conscious but deliberate efforts aimed at making the environment as friendly as possible.

Today, the state is one of the few that provides drainage systems to other major towns, cities and communities, as well as one of the few that organises and supports community’s self-help initiatives that focus on environmental sanitation as a development paradigm.

Hundreds of lives have been saved through this initiative, while socio-economic growth has been sustained as a result with communities now being able to carry out their economic and social activities without fear of flooding that annually sacked communities, destroyed farmlands, houses and lifestyles.

These deliberate but conscious efforts at improving the environment through drainage and sewage provisions across the state have demonstrated the fact that proper budgeting implementation can simply have impact and multiplier effects on several social issues such as health, environment, agriculture and general wellbeing of the citizenry as vindicated by what is happening today in Katsina State.

This effort has today reduced to the barest minimum, cases of malaria, cholera and other communicable diseases in the state, according to a recent statistics released by the state ministry of health in conjunction with other relevant organisations, both local and foreign. The report cited improved environmental sanitation, provision of sewage and drainages as reasons for reductions in flooding menaces as well as in reduction on commu-

nicable and transmittable diseases. Conscious and visionary efforts like these have distinguished Governor Ibrahim Shema from other governors.

No wonder several organisations, local and international, have recognised these efforts and have supported the state government through the provision of various initiatives aimed to improve the living condition of the people, as well as reducing the negative impact of flooding and communicable diseases in the state. Bodies such as Bill Gates foundation, WHO and other relevant organisations have identified these efforts and have recognised the visionary foresight of Governor Shema in these areas of infrastructure development.

It is this simple but visionary foresight in sewage and drainages development that has tackled various social ills bedevilling communities in the state that distinguished the person of Governor Ibrahim Shema and the rest, who have at one time or the other ruled the state as an entirely different leader whose wisdom and impact will be felt for centuries in the state.

Nagado wrote from Katsina

Time To End The Rivalry In FCT’s Health Administration

By Mohammed Aminu

Nigerians may not benefit something more important from their governments and leaders than social policies designed to impact directly on the lives of the people. Such policies include the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which is designed to shield Nigerians from high cost of health-care across the country.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, presumably, had a laudable plan for its populace and workers in the FCT Administration (FCTA) and the six area councils when it set up an independent project named FCT Health Services Scheme (FHSS) to handle health insurance in the FCT in 2006. It was a welcome development. Following this, residents in the FCT had hope to start enjoying full benefits which the scheme promised as poverty level seemed to compete with efforts to create wealth.

The startling revelation in LEADERSHIP Friday of June 20, 2014 titled “Controversy, Rivalry Set To Cripple Health Insurance In The FCT” (page 55), has provided a rich insight into the cause of the setback being suffered by the scheme as witnessed in its abysmal performance.

The cause is not far-fetched. Rather than concentrating attention on effective implementation, efforts, attention and intellect are now being diverted to controversy, rivalry and confusion which have set in to derail the scheme and its key personnel.

As a keen observer, it has been however observed that the scheme is far from meeting people’s expectations in the FCT. This is made clearer when one visits a hospital and observes some poor Nigerians who languish in the hospital because of inability to pay hospital bills. Some women in the villages have rather taken to the option of delivering their babies in the hands of native midwives, because of fear that they would become doctors’ “property” by barter for unpaid bills. There is no need, of course, to say that childbirth in the hands of traditional nurses is not acceptable in this century as complications, bleeding and other forms of side effects take the place of jubilation after such births.

According to the report, the FHSS was created by the resolution of 12th FCT Executive Committee meeting of April 4, 2006, and was set under the supervision of the Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS) of the FCT Administration. Later, a parallel scheme was created purport-

edly under the office of the FCT minister of state called FCT Area Council Health Insurance Scheme and Community-based Health Insurance Scheme (FACHIS/CBHIS) which was headed by Dr Grace Aganaba, a former project coordinator of FHSS. That development, according to LEADERSHIP Friday report, followed the redeployment of Aganaba to the FCT Primary Healthcare Development Board (FPHCDB) and her refusal to comply with the redeployment.

However, what was not clear was which resolution set up the FACHIS and its CBHIS. However, according to the report, Aganaba claimed to have an extract to the effect of the creation of FACHIS/CBHIS. Whichever side of the argument is plausible, there is the need for the FCTA to look into the issues raised and harmonise the operation of the scheme.

This urgently needed to be done.

In the course of doing this, there is also the need to seek answers to pertinent questions surrounding the disparity in the charges between the two schemes. If the FHSS/CBHIS charges N1,500 per household (a man, his wife and four children) annually as approved by the supervisory authority, how can Aganabaled FACHIS/CBHIS charge as much

as N1,800 per head. The question that follows this disparity is: “Is it the same FCTA that set the higher charge in the same scheme for area council staff and rural community members?” Again, what criterion could suffice in explaining the inconsistency and divergence which result in area council staff and rural dwellers with lower income paying higher than FCTA staff?

It is also necessary for the FCTA to consider the expression of dissatisfaction by subscribers to the scheme.

Urgent decisive steps should be taken in addressing such dissatisfaction as a way of restoring people’s confidence in the scheme. This will not only keep the scheme in the right course and ensure efficiency, but also attract largesse from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to the scheme.

Similarly, with Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) assigned to work with the scheme in management of funds generated for its operation, the essence of assigning the HMOs can only be justified when the needed pool of funds is available for them to manage through popular participation in the project.

Aminu wrote from Abuja.

Some women in the villages have rather taken to the option of delivering their babies in the hands of native midwives

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Education Initiatives And Fight Against Insecurity

By Moshood Isah

Most important aspect of the project is proper monitoring and evaluation.

As a matter of fact, critics are already trying to flay the initiative, due to the level of corruption in the country

The appointment of educationist and former governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, as the new minister of education has no doubt made immediate impact. Thumbs up should be given to the new minister as his first assignment of meeting the striking polytechnic lecturers led to the immediate suspension of the 11 months old strike. The Minister of Education Ibrahim Shekarau had met with the leadership of the union after which the ASUP National Executive Committee took the decision to shelve the protracted strike for three months. This major stride by the new minister is an indication that the new minister has hit the ground running on his assumption of office.

The federal government has so far met some of the demands, including the inauguration of governing councils and setting up of the needed assessment committees. Thus, the coming couple of weeks will ensure that government proffers a long lasting solution to the crisis in the education sector as a whole. It is more an assertion, but fact, that education remains the bedrock of any society, and thus, remains a gold mine for any government that is ready to transform its citizens for the bet-

ter. In this vein, there is need for not only quality education but also secured academic terrain for all citizens. The idea of safe academic environment is surely not unconnected to the schoolgirls who were reportedly abducted from their schools some months ago.

The quest for the rescue of the girls led to the recent visit of the Pakistani girl-child education campaigner Malala Yousafzai, who herself survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban. The vision of this girl-child campaigner remains unambiguous. In her words, “On my 17th birthday, my wish is to see every child go to school and I want to see my Nigerian sisters being released from their abduction, and I want them to be free to go to school and continue their education”.

The education advocate is also ready to share ideas on how to rescue the girls, and ultimately, how to improve quality and safe education in the country, especially for the female gender. Thus, there is no gainsaying that the money donated by the Malala Foundation will be used judiciously to ensure scholarship for both the escapees and abductees when they are eventually rescued. It is also good to know that the President shares the vision and dream of a quality and unhindered education. The feder-

al government says Nigerian children must have an environment in which they could come back to school and not have anyone truncate their education. In this vein, the government can partner with the Malala Foundation to sponsor and thus champion the cause for free and compulsory education for every child around the world.

A quest to ensure the fruition of this actually led to the launch of the Safe School Initiative by President Goodluck Jonathan with a start off fund of N3.2 billion. It would be recalled that after a meeting on the initiative between President Jonathan, former British prime minister Gordon Brown, and governors from Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, the minister of finance Ngozi OkonjoIweala told reporters that the fund would help ensure that school children get educated in a safe environment. It is also not surprise that the initiative will begin with the three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa which have been worst hit by the ugly trend of insurgency. The project has also garnered financial support from the international community.

These ideas, which include Emergency Relief, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation are basically aimed at providing fortification, telecommunications, security guards, and

OPINION 67

safety equipment as well as rebuilding vandalised schools. This will also provide employment for the jobless youths as they will be serving as trained security guards in and around the schools.

Some of the ongoing initiative which are part of the Soft-Approach to countering terrorism, which was launched early in the year by the National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki are geared to address major challenges in the northeastern Nigeria due to activities of Boko Haram elements. The most important aspect of the project now is proper monitoring and evaluation. As a matter of fact, critics are already trying to flay the initiative, due to the level of corruption in the country. This is a massive challenge to the authorities concerned, to ensure that the project yields required dividends.

Finally, this gradual approach coupled with the northeast intervention will go a long way in rehabilitating the affected states and region. The initiatives would also pave way for immediate economic growth even as the nation intensifies effort in fighting terrorism to a standstill. This soft approach may seem languid, but apparently. Its efficacy cannot be underestimated.

Isah wrote from Abuja.

Imposition Of Candidates: Katsina Opposition And Matters Arising

By Lawal Ibrahim Saulawa

The only way to describe the confusion plaguing the scattered members of the opposition group in Katsina State is that they are like contenders looking for a way to dodge the contest. First, they were shouting at every opportunity they got for local government elections to be held so that they could show to their masters that they were “on ground in Katsina”.

When a timetable for the election was released early this month, they started screaming that the time given for campaign was too short, that the age limit was too high, that the money for the purchase of form was too much. To everybody’s surprise, the Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC) granted their every wish: it extended the time for campaign, halved the amount for the purchase of form, and lowered the age limit for contestants.

Now, having run out of excuses and even out of credible and quality people to make noise in the media, they are resorting to getting a few disloyal and disgruntled members of the ruling PDP to do their bidding, albeit unsuccessfully. They found an individual, Sani Aliyu, who approached a couple of reporters to interview him. In the interview which was published in the LEADERSHIP newspaper of

Thursday, July 24, 2014 on page 37, Aliyu, who is claiming to be a member of the PDP, made some very unwary remarks. He claimed that so-called members of a socalled “Concerned PDP Members Forum” in the state will not accept imposition of candidates when the time comes to field a candidate for the governorship election next year.

This is curious, to say the least.

Who is imposing who on anyone?

Aliyu did not say where he got the story about imposition from, beyond some incomprehensible claim about moneybags coming to pick the party’s ticket. My wonder here is that why couldn’t Sani reveal to his members the names of the moneybags? Sani did not also say whether, as loyal party member, he has tried the official channel of complaints that are available to all members of the PDP to lay his complaint, rather than running to get unconscionable reporters to ask him leading questions.

What I personally expect Sani, and if indeed his forum does exist, to do is to do their homework well and consolidate their hypothetical popularity with the people. Democracy is a game of numbers and if you have the numbers, nobody can impose anything on you. But I think I understand the predicament of those that are

afraid of Governor Ibrahim Shema: They can’t rise up to his level, morally and politically, and he is not prepared to lower himself to their level.

The second thing I understand about the interview which curiously was published by only one newspaper even though the reporter, a chronically compromised person, had claimed in the introduction to the interview that Aliyu spoke with “select reporters”, is that Sani Aliyu is frustrated that he is not getting what he wants to get from the present arrangement and even though he is claiming to be a member of the PDP, he is gearing up to play the role of a spoiler. He also seems to be struggling to find fault with the governor, Barrister Ibrahim Shema.

Unfortunately for Sani, the governor, who is human and like all mortals has his own human weaknesses, injustice and mediocrity are not among his shortcomings.

So, Sani is left with singing discordant tunes, making spurious claims about the governor not being accessible, or listening only to a small group of people.

Okay, for the record, Governor Shema, by my understanding of him, selects his advisers carefully. One of the reasons why Sani Aliyu was probably not among them is because of his dismal record as a political player in the

state. Whereas Governor Shema has won every election he had ever contested for (even as he had won every case he fought as a lawyer), Sani for example has never won an election in the state. Secondly, all the people whose campaign Sani had identified with for governorship have never won their elections. So, he has little or no track record to speak for him.

Therefore, it is not surprising that, frustrated by his own inadequacies, he is desperately struggling to attract the attention of the governor, whose sterling performance at every level of his political journey has earned him the trust, support and confidence of the good people of Katsina State.

From his days as attorney general and commissioner for justice in Katsina State under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, to his tenure as deputy national chairman of the PDP, to the various strategic PDP committees he has headed successfully, up to the time that God elevated him to be elected governor of Katsina State twice by a landslide in free and fair elections, Governor Ibrahim Shema has never disappointed himself or his people.

People like Sani Aliyu are simply not qualified to assess him, not to talk of criticising him.

Saulawa wrote from Katsina.

The governor... sterling performance at every level of his political journey has earned him the trust, support and confidence of the good people of Katsina State

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

Zainab Jaji Zee’s Corner zeescorner@gmail.com,Twitter. @addazee

Are We Indigenes Or Citizens?

In the world today, there is hardly a country that is not facing the complex challenges of immigration and citizenship. Nigeria is not alone here. We are dealing with internally displaced citizens turned refugees as a direct result of terrorism as well as refugees and settlers from other African countries. Now, to me, though, the most disadvantaged of the group are the actual citizens of Nigeria. We might hold a green passport to identify us but we also need the abhorrent indigene letter to complete documentation.

When asked who you are, do you say ‘I am a Nigerian’ or do you reply with your ethnicity as your identity? It appears that we are not quite sure who we are because we have leaders who are hell-bent on driving a wedge between citizens under the disguise of ethnic group registration. It was simply laughable to read that the local communities actually asked to be registered for their own safety. As a nation, we are currently in such a heightened state of tension coupled

with so much suspicion that this should be something carefully handled.

Rochas Okorocha, the effervescent governor of Imo State in his wisdom has pushed for northerners to register their presence in the state. Despite his denials, we know with politicians, there is no smoke without fire.

This is somewhat surprising coming from someone who has spent a large part of his existence in northern Nigeria. I am told he is a fluent speaker of the Hausa language as well. Imagine if he was told to justify and verify his being settled in Jos? His first response would probably be, ‘but I am a Nigerian and can settle anywhere’.

Now, as a Nigerian, I always say it is important to assert our being in our citizenship first rather than our indigeneship, but it is difficult to divorce one from the other.

Our indigeneship is part of the greater whole of who we are. It is a major component in defining our place in the history of Nigeria.

It is encompassed in a presumed outcome of who we are. If I say I am a Fulani person first from Adamawa State, then there is a certain behavioural expectation; or if I say, I am from Ijebu and Egba by tribe, there are also already presumed characteristics.

As Chimamanda Adichie cautions in her TEDx presentation on ‘the dangers of a single story’, we are more than our perceptions of each other. Why would northerners be singled out in Imo State to register? If one imagines the same happening in Yola, where the monopoly of the spare parts market is in the hands of the Ibo populace who have settled there over generations, then we will only expect a downward spiral for all. Every citizen certainly has something to offer the nation. If we see each other as encroaching on resources, then we start to instill fear and suspicion in each other.

Essentially, our concept of patriotism in Nigeria clashes with our concept of ethnicity thereby

relegating citizenship to the back seat. We are always Nigerians when there is positive news even if the subject matter happened abroad, but we are indigenes when we fight for resource control. Our ability to find a plateau to merge these concepts and become comfortable with ourselves is what should be paramount.

We have seen the government taking a hard stand against the issue of picking on certain groups.

It is no doubt a worrying trend and a form of apartheid in our midst.

Common sense which is often said not to be so common must prevail, as the consequences of even thinking about pursuing such form of discrimination against any group can only be best imagined.

As we evolve as a nation, we must always consider our history and the sacrifices that have been made for us to remain as a single entity. Our leaders in all areas must act with a sense of responsibility that would justify our choosing them to lead us.

Hamza Atta Isn't It Funny? hamzolo@yahoo.co.uk 08181091784

How do you have a premier league without opposition? ... A strong healthy opposition is crucial to any democracy

Why should laws be applied equally to all? If a small cabal has political power and the rest don’t, it is only natural that whatever is fair game for the cabal should be banned and punishable for the rest. It is only when many individuals and groups have a say in decisions and the political power to have a seat at the table that the idea that they should all be treated fairly starts making sense. – Why Nations Fail.

Democracy by its very definition is the embrace of a pluralistic society.

We should not entertain absolute power as it delays development and that is why we remain a developing nation today. We must never allow our enthusiasm or loyalty for our party to contravene the very rules which we swore to protect in a democratic setting. We must create and strengthen inclusive political institutions, which will in turn support inclusive economic institutions that will empower a broad segment of society and make for a more level political playing field.

Our democracy was not the replacement of our military dictatorship by another absolute power. It was a broad coalition made up of all of us. We rose up against absolutism and the emergence of

Absolutism

our various political parties was a consequence of this. The rule of law, in its true sense, also emerged as a by-product of this process. With many parties at the table sharing power, it is natural to have laws and constraints applicable to all of them, lest one party starts amassing too much power and ultimately undermine the very foundations of pluralism. We should take care not to throw away the good that we have established. Protecting this ideology does not mean that you are against one party or the other. It means that you are protecting the very principles that some of us have died for. Those in the midst of this melee should be mindful of this and our Nigerian Bar Association should protect the spirit of the law for all.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the ruling party, is attempting to take us down a very dark path. They seem intent in crippling the opposition by hook or by crook and making Nigeria a one-party state. A party which has an unhealthy resentment for dissenting voices is paralyzing the democracy we all labored for. PDP politicians talk about “capturing” this state or that state, but, actually, that is exactly what the party is

doing (and plans to do) with its corrupt impeachment or pardon policy.

The PDP wants to be all-powerful and kill a healthy opposition. What then is our democracy? How do you have a premier league without opposition? Football teams need rival football teams lest they do not get any competitive games and the sport will not develop. The issue is really as simple as that. A strong healthy opposition is crucial to any democracy. If we cannot learn from developed countries, then let us use India as an example. In this year’s general election, the world’s largest democracy demonstrated the beauty of a healthy opposition clearly evident in the electorate’s voting pattern.

Ekiti has been “captured” and a former governor who was impeached though never arraigned for fraud has been reinstalled by the PDP’s old boy network. Adamawa has been “conquered”. The governor there dared to speak up against his protector and benefactor, and worse still jumped ship and joined the opposition. Nasarawa governor’s impeachment process has already begun. The same show of force, suppression and inducement, which was used to

guarantee success in Ekiti, is in full sway in Osun ahead of the governorship election there. We know that Rivers, Oyo, Kwara, Edo, Kano and Imo are all on the radar.

Subsequent impeachments might even be messier than that which toppled Murtala Nyako. Of course, the former governor wasn’t a saint in office, but this doesn’t justify why the rule by law – not the rule of law – was deployed to remove him.

State Houses of Assembly are being bribed into using political imbalance in favour of the ruling party. The Adamawa State House of Assembly, which, in 2013, passed a vote of confidence on the then PDP Nyako, suddenly finds him culpable of impeachable offences.

He is now found guilty of financial recklessness dating back to 2007.

The House has certainly indicted itself, because, if this is true, then why did they close their eyes to it when Nyako was their son?

It was Nelson Mandela, after a life long struggle with the apartheid regime, that extended his hand to a former foe and declared that they needed each other as united they could build the Rainbow Nation but divided would destroy their homeland. Our leaders would do well to learn from his words.

If we see each other as encroaching on resources, then we start to instill fear and suspicion in each other

Sunday, July 27, 2014

69

70

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Mick Gault Equals Commonwealth Games Record

sports

England’s Mick Gault equalled the Commonwealth Games record of 18 medals by winning bronze in the 10m air pistol competition at Carnoustie.

The 60-year-old, who came out of retirement to compete in his sixth Games, moved level with Australian shooter Phillip Adams, who last competed in 2002. Australia’s Daniel Repacholi took gold and Indian Prakash Nanjappa silver.

Gault can claim the record outright in Monday’s 50m air pistol.

news

“It didn’t matter what colour it was - I’ve got the 18 medals now.

It’s job done,” said Gault.

“It’s a weight off my shoulders and I can ‘chillax’.”

Gault, who led after 13 shots, finished with a score of 176.5, behind Repacholi’s 199.5 and Nanjappa’s 198.2.

Stewart Nangle of England was fifth with 135.9.

Gault made his Commonwealth Games debut at Victoria, Canada, in 1994 and retired after Delhi 2010.

Gault

Commonwealth Games: FG Pledges $7,000 For Gold Medalist

By George Agba, Abuja

The federal government has pledged to dole out financial rewards for any athlete who win medals at the ongoing Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scotland.

According to the arrangement, an athlete who clinches a Gold medal will go home with $7,000, Silver medalist will get $4,000, while any athlete who wins Bronze medal will get $3,000.

Minister of Sports, Dr Tanmmy Danagogo who announced the financial package during an interactive session with the Nigerian athletes and officials, at the Games Village’s Chef-de- Mission conference room, Glasgow on Friday night said the financial gesture was designed to motivate the athletes to victory.

“This financial reward is designed to motivate all of you to win more medals for Nigeria. We are proud of the medal we have won at the weightlifting category and we are expecting more from all of you. Let me assure you that the government is ready to do more for all of you if you win more medals for the country”, he said.

Danagogo noted that, apart

from the $7,000 for Miss Chika Amalaha, the first Gold medalist for Nigeria in the women’s weightlifting category, additional $1,000 will be given to her for her breaking the Commonwealth record in the weightlifting category.

Assuring the athletes of government’s commitment towards their welfare and successes at the event, the minister said the over 170 million Nigerians were

Commonwealth Games Medal Standing Country

Gold

report

Commonwealth Games hero, Chika Amalaha of Team Nigeria has revealed that if not for her perseverance her parents would have stopped her from becoming international figure in sports.

The 16-year-old athlete, on Friday at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, snatched a best of 85kg before managing 111kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 196kg, to become the youngest Commonwealth weightlifter gold medalist. But she said her family were against her four years ago when she started doing the sport.

“I started at the age of 12, but my family were strongly against me doing the sport at

Silver

Bronze

Total

England

13

11

11

35

Australia

12

9

14

35

Scotland

7

5

5

17

Canada

7

1

5

13

India

4

6

3

13

New Zealand

2

2

4

8

Cyprus

2

1

2

5

Wales

1

6

4

11

South Africa

1

3

5

9

Nigeria

1

0

1

2

Singapore

1

0

0

1

Malaysia

0

2

3

5

Bangladesh

0

1

0

1

Cameroon

0

1

0

1

Jamaica

0

1

0

1

Papua New Guinea

0

1

0

1

Sri Lanka

0

1

0

1

Ghana

0

0

1

1

‘My Family Were Against Me Doing Sports’

By Salifu Usman Abuja, with agency

looking up to the athletes to win medals for the country.

“I can tell you that President Goodluck Jonathan has done everything possible for all of you to succeed in this tournament. The expectations of Mr President and the rest of Nigerians is that you all win medals for us. We are proud of you and will give you all the necessary supports that you need to succeed”, he said.

first. They kept telling me to stop doing it, but I persuaded them by getting a female coach.

“From then on, it was hard work, training, a lot of pain and dedication that got me here today. And now my family were in the audience and they are so excited and so proud,” she stated.

Amalaha, who defeated Papua New Guinea’s Dika Toua with just three points in the keenly contested event, said her vision to her first Commonwealth Games appearance was to break her own record and not to win gold for Team Nigeria. I’m absolutely delighted,” said Amalaha.

“I wasn’t coming here to go for gold, I just wanted to break my own record. I’m so happy that I’m going home with gold in my first Commonwealth Games.”

Chika Amalaha, winner of Nigeria’s first gold medal in weightlifting at the ongoing 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Bafana Bafana Job: South Africa Dumps Keshi

By Salifu Usman, Abuja

Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi’s dream of taking up South Africa’s senior national team, Bafana Bafana job has been dashed, as South Africa Football Association (SAFA) has settled for Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba as its new coach.

SAFA listed Keshi as one of the candidates to replace Gordon Igesund as the Bafana Bafana coach but had to appoint one of their own to tinker their national team.

The appointment of Mashaba comes as a big surprise with Iran’s coach Carlos Queiroz believed to have been the front-runner alongside Kes-

hi for the plum job to coach South Africa.

SAFA president, Danny Jordaan said choice of Mashaba ahead of Keshi and Queiroz was unanimously taken by the executive committee. “The appointment of Shakes Mashaba was a unanimous decision by the NEC,” Jordaan said.

This will put an end to speculation linking Keshi with the South African job, and it appears that he will now have to make do with managing the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

Already the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said that they are working on renewing his contract within Keshi the next seven days.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Gov Dickson Assures Quick Completion Of Samson Siasia Stadium’s Renovation

By Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Government has assured the contracting firms involved in the laying of a new organic fibre turf on the football pitch and tartan tracks of the Samson Siasia Stadium of the readiness to release funds and ensure quick completion of the project.

The state government, through the state commissioner for Sports, Hon Ebikitin Diongoli, said though the issue raised on poor drainage system at the exterior part of the Stadium complex have been noted, it will ensure the release of funds and support needed to complete the project and stop the state teams from playing league matches outside the state.

Diongili spoke yesterday in Yenagoa during a call on him by the contractor and managing director of MoniMichelle Sports Facilities Construction Company, Mr Ebi Egbe and the representative of the Fifa rated Organic Fibre Turf Company, Limonta Sports.

He said the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson is focused on completing the project to encourage sports tourism through organisation of local and international matches.

The representative of the Italy based

Dickson

Natural Infill laying company,Limonta Sports company, Mr Florin Lemonta, commended the state government for its decision to raise the standard of the facilities in the complex and gave a pass mark on the stone base of the football pitch done by MoniMichelle.

Burkina Faso Postpones League After Crash

By Salifu Usman, Abuja

Burkina Faso ministry of sports has announced the postponement of the domestic league fixtures following the fatal crash of Air Algeria on Thursday.

The 30th and final match day of the league had been scheduled for yesterday (Saturday July 26) but players and

fans were told to stay at home.

A minute of silence will be observed before kickoff of all the matches that will hold today (Sunday July 27), according to a new schedule released by the country’s football federation.

Airport reports say all 116 passengers aboard the airliner were killed in the crash. Local authorities say 24 Burkinabes were among the victims.

Rooney Eyes Manchester United Captaincy Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has reiterated his desire to captain the club under new manager Louis van Gaal.

Rooney, Darren Fletcher - who skippered United in Thursday’s 7-0 win over LA Galaxy - and Robin van Persie are seen as the main contenders for the armband.

Van Persie led Holland during Van Gaal’s time with the Dutch national side, which ended after the Oranje’s third-placed finish at the World Cup earlier this month.

Rooney said: “Of course I would like the captaincy but it’s the manager’s decision who he chooses. He wants to work with the players and then choose a captain from there.

“I don’t think he was ever going to just walk in and choose a player from the off.

I’m sure he will look at the players now and make his decision in a couple of weeks.”

Meanwhile, Van Gaal opted for a 3-4-12 formation in his first game in charge of the Red Devils, and Rooney says the side are enjoying his methods early on.

“Louis van Gaal has been great. I’ve only had a few days but he’s a strong guy who

Rooney

has been good in training and it’s been enjoyable.

“He is bringing in a new style of play and that’s been enjoyable. It was good to see it work [against LA Galaxy].

sports 71

AMUSEMENT PARK

I slept well only once in my life, and even then i dreamt i was awake — NIrving Berlin

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

27.07.14 No. 442 N300

Aniebo Nwamu

The Sunday Column aniebo@leadership.ng

E

Something always happens whenever an innocent human being gets killed

very day brings fresh material for writers on the Boko Haram war in Nigeria. For those who had been groping in the dark while trying to unravel the mystery of Boko Haram, the events of last Wednesday were the turning point. A respected charismatic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, and a former head of state and three-time opposition presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, became targets of suicide bombers in the city of Kaduna. It was the closest that “Boko Haram” had got to achieving their devious aim of destabilising the country.

If Bauchi and Buhari had been among the 110 innocent people that were murdered on that day, what would have happened?

Many have suggested that the outcome would have been unimaginable. And when I probed further, some people told me that the entire north would have been in turmoil as miscreants would have been used to chase everyone from the south, especially the usual whipping boys from the “east”.

“Wouldn’t the miscreants have reasoned that easterners are not members of Boko Haram?” I asked. “Do the almajiri reason?” came the reply. “A politician would have given them money and told them to attack everyone from Goodluck Jonathan’s area. They regard all the southern minorities as Igbo.”

Apparently as a counter-measure, the Kaduna State government had declared a 24-hour curfew in Kaduna. Buhari and Bauchi were also shown to everybody to prove that they had not been killed. The attempt on Buhari’s life should be a pointer that even the rich and the powerful are not exempted from terror attacks. Regicide has been averted in Kaduna!

Do we now understand what “Boko Haram” is? Several theories should now be eliminated.

We can now assume that the BK members are not Islamic mili-

If They Had Got Buhari…

tants; they are not fighting Christians; they are not fighting southerners; and they are not sponsored by government. Two theories are left: Politicians with eyes on 2015 are behind them, and this terrorism is an international conspiracy to dismember Nigeria. The scales seem to be dropping off; a picture is emerging.

Fifth columnists and other evil people have since seized the BH franchise. But I find the government guilty of inaction. Why have all the security agencies not been able to unravel the sponsors of this terrorist group? Has the trillions of naira spent on security and defence been so useless? Can BH stand up to the Nigerian armed forces? If President Jonathan, defence minister Aliyu Gusau and NSA Sambo Dasuki do not know those behind this evil, then, they have failed in their duty. And if they know them but fail to expose them because they have been killing the poor and the unknown, they will have questions to answer before their Creator someday.

Buhari was not killed on Wednesday, but he did not escape unhurt. There were blood stains on his clothing – probably from a human head that was said to have flown into someone’s compound. His vehicles were shattered. His aides and those of Bauchi were either killed or wounded.

Buhari saw corpses all around him – a spectacle he had not seen since the civil war.

Everyone agrees that the BH war has lasted too long. It should be ended soon before it brings Nigeria to an end. In May, the president announced that BH had killed over 17, 000 people. The figure could now be updated to 19, 000+. Several villages have been sacked and millions of people have been displaced.

There are those who believe that, if they had got Buhari on Wednesday, nothing would have happened. They cite Abiola and

Abacha as examples, not knowing that we have come a long way since 1998. Maybe nothing happened after their deaths, but the reason could be that it was not obvious they were killed. Something always happens whenever an innocent human being gets killed.

And if a head of state or a former head of state was involved?

Regicide has always attracted unsavoury repercussions to Nigeria. Balewa and Aguiyi-Ironsi’s murders cost the nation at least two million other heads and unquantifiable assets. Aguiyi-Ironsi was said to have told his assailants, “Shoot me and you shoot Nigeria.” Since then, Nigeria has not been a nation in the hearts and minds of Nigerians. Nigeria has not worked. Yes, something has happened. Those who murdered the beloved Murtala Muhammed are no longer here to eat garri with us.

If they had got Buhari, rioters should have had no reason to attack innocent people from the south. They should have taken the battle to Sambisa forest and wherever a terrorist could be located.

Young people should no longer allow themselves to be used by evil politicians. Mobs in the north perhaps need to be educated that President Jonathan has no drop of Igbo blood in his veins. I don’t think he understands any Igbo word except kedu, which he could have learnt from his wife whose grandmother is Igbo. Many of his brothers fought “to keep Nigeria one”, 45–47 years ago.

And are the easterners not really wanted in the north? Economic activities have crumbled in troubled areas because many easterners have fled since the BH war started. As a result, many northerners have sunk deeper into poverty and misery. One more attack on the Igbo would spell doom for many states. Governor Kwankwaso of Kano understood the situation when he reassured southerners recently that the “Arewa Youth

0805 410 0220 (sms only)

Development Foundation” was mistaken when it gave a two-week ultimatum for them to leave the north. Some other misguided elements have been pushing for “registration” of “non-indigenes” in some northern states, apparently as a response to a hoax created by the political opponents of Rochas Okorocha in Imo State. The Buhari attack was perhaps contrived to set off a conflagration.

Those plotting to divide Nigeria in 2015 may succeed. Unless we see the Jonathan government taking charge, many of us will leave the north (including Abuja) by 2015. I may not wait until 2015 because Abuja itself is not safe. If they had succeeded in bombing Buhari, I would have been in my village by now, eating fresh maize and palm kernel. It would be wise to set aside some transport fares now, in preparation for Jonathan’s declaration of his candidacy for the presidential election, in a fortnight or so. Likely, the men behind the mask of BH will up their game after then.

The attack on a big fish like Buhari might have been designed to stop Jonathan from taking the decision. But it’s too late for bombers or anyone else to stop him.

GHANA MUST GO Stop insulting Jonathan, Presidency warns — ­ News

Can we yab him in pidgin instead?

• LEADERSHIP (ISSN 0331-328X) is published in Abuja by LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, 27 Ibrahim Tahir Lane, Off Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Way, Utako District, Abuja P. O. Box 9514, Garki II, Abuja. Lagos Office: 34/36 Adegbola Street, Anifowose, Off Oba Akran, Ikeja. E-mail: info@leadership.ng, advert@leadership.ng, newsroom@leadership.ng