Leadership new1

No. 467

N300

25.01.15

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

nigeria's most influential newspaper

President In Maiduguri Promises $1bn For Boko Haram Victims News, > 6

Leadership Newspapers

@leadershipNGA

Ex-Militants Threaten To Retaliate Attacks On Jonathan

Lagos Records First Successful Cochlear Implant Surgery

News, > 70

Sports > 64

AS GROUPs plan TO use courts to STOP FEBRUARY POLLS

Judiciary Workers Under Pressure To Call Off Strike5 Hold crucial meeting today

L-R: Former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi; a former presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Mr Sam Nda Isaiah; APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; APC vice presidential candidate, Mr Yemi Osinbajo and APC presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, during a rally held at the Ekiti Parapo Square, Ado-Ekiti, yesterday. PHOTO BY GOVernment HOUSE

Chibok Diary DAY 286

Alicia Keys To Honour The Dead > Page 61 In Baga – BBOG Group

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

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our stand January 25, 2015

Practical Way To Regulate Campaign Funding

W

hile inaugurating fundraising platforms for its presidential candidate in Lagos recently, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential election fundraising committee, Governor Babatunde Fashola, rightly pointed out that it was high time Nigeria shifted to a transparent and participatory campaign fundraising culture. We align with this notion that insists on transparent and inclusive donation platforms as a means of promoting greater political participation and regulating election financing.

The Electoral Act stipulates that election expenses to be incurred by a presidential candidate should not exceed N1billion, while individual donations to a presidential campaign are pegged at N1million. Politicians keep violating this provision, because it is difficult to ascertain just how much goes into campaign financing and through what means. For instance, President Jonathan’s campaign organisation recently announced that it had raked in over N21billion through donations into its coffers. Who donated what and where are all unverifiable concerns. We may never know, as moneybags and perceivably corrupt public officers often hide under corporate Nigeria and ‘Friends of the President’ committees to launder funds and retain their loyalties in

the corridors of power.

Apart from enhancing the credibility of any election, properly regulated financing prevents the kind of economic backlash reckless campaign fundraising and spending could cause. The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, said in a press briefing after the meeting of the 96th Monetary Policy Committee recently, that the apex bank would “monitor spending of government and individuals as we go into election season, to ensure that election spending does not adversely affect the Nigerian economy through high inflation.”

This has already become a pipe dream, as one dollar now sells at N205. We hold that the only way to achieve this is by transparent fundraising platforms, as proposed by Governor Fashola

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

and his committee.

The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has not shown enough commitment to enforcing the statutory provisions that empower it to sanction politicians who violate aspects of the Electoral Act, including campaign financing. Our political system, through INEC, should begin to imbibe election international best practices. In the United States of America, for instance, there are restrictions on how much individuals and organisations can donate to election campaigns.

In fact, corporations and trade unions are not allowed to donate directly to candidates or party committees. Under the American law, an individual cannot give above $2,600 to a candidate.

The law is enforceable, because donations are so transparent that they are traceable.

Here, on the other hand, we see government departments, trade unions and governors donate taxpayers’ funds indiscriminately to campaigns. If INEC, the CBN and other relevant stakeholders are sincere about restoring sanity in the polity by regulating election campaign fundraising and spending, they should insist that future financial activities among politicians during elections are guided by transparency and accountability. INEC, we aver, should not hesitate to wield the big stick if any political party or candidate contravenes provisions of its Act.

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah

Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Divisional Directors Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Abdulmumin Balogun Zipporah D. Tanko

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

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!

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

NEWS 5

Sunday, January 25, 2015

LIVING TO BE 100

Some health tips daily Miscellaneous Take hot water after every meals to control the fatness and improve digestion.

Early in the morning, without cleaning your teeth of mouth drink a glass of water so that all the accumulated saliva in your mouth goes back to your stomach. This method in principal is similar to homoeopathy and is used widely in Japan to prolong the life span and cure many diseases automatically.

Mr Morarji Desai, the former Prime-Minister of India resorted to autourine therapy when he had tried all types of therapies and failed to get any cure out of them.

After washing your face with water don’t wipe it off. Let it dry itself on the face. It keeps the face skin young and healthy.

Sleep with your head towards south., it helps to improve the blood circulation of body, due to the body’s alignment with earth’s magnetic field.

Sleep with the leg side of your bed higher than your head side. It increases the blood circulation of your body more towards head side. It keeps you young and rejuvenates your body functions.

Take magnetic water -You can prepare it by keeping a glass of water with two magnets, one on top with north pole facing downward and second under it with south pole facing up, kept overnight and drink in the morning.

Daily intake of Aspirin, even one fourth of a 100mg tablet, avoids chances of heart attacks. Aspirin stops the Aging process by keeping the tissues flexible - it is also good for eyes. (Take only with the advice of doctor.)

Daily apply a drop of mustard oil mixed with some water into your nostrils. It is beneficial for your eyes and keeps the breathing passage clear and smooth.

Daily rub mustard oil on the toe of your feet, it helps in the improvement of eyesight.

Smoking, or intake of tobacco in any form narrows down the arteries and restricts the blood circulation.

— Source: livelongto100years.com

President In Maiduguri Promises $1bn For Boko Haram Victims

By Kareem Harunai, Maiduguri,

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday took his campaign train to the city of Maiduguri, Borno State capital, where he told the electorate that his reelection would, amongst other things, bring about a speedy end to the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency.

At the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Shehu Garba El-kanemi, where he went to pay homage, the president told the royal fatherthat his

administration would raise one billion dollars to support over one million victims of Boko Haram. He also added that destroyed communities would be rebuilt. He also promised to do everything possible to rescue the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

The president said if given a second chance, he would provide special interventions that would provide job opportunities for the people ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Judiciary Workers Under Pressure To Call Off Strike

By Michael Oche and Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

There are indication that the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) is under pressure to suspend its ongoing strike to enable the court hear a proposed motion seeking to postpone the February election.

Investigation by Leadership Sunday revealed that there is a strong move to use the court to stop the polls from holding in February but such a move will only succeed if the courts re-open and they accede to the request of two civil society organisations seeking the nod of the court to postpone the elections.

A source also confirmed to our correspondent that already, pressure is being mounted on the leadership of JUSUN to call off the strike to enable the organisations file the suit.

According to a source, the process has already been prepared waiting to be filed immediately the courts are reopened.

JUSUN had embarked on a nationwide strike on January 2 seeking the implementation of a January 13, 2014 Federal High Court Judgement delivered by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, which granted financial autonomy to the judiciary and restraining executive interferences with judicial funds.

Court activities have been grounded following the action but as the election date draws near, indication emerged that the union had come under pressure to suspend the strike.

Evidence of the pressure is the frequency the federal government team has been willing to meet with the union to resolve the issues.

Mr. Marwan Adamu, JUSUN president confirmed to our reporter on phone that in the last one year, since the Federal High Court judgement, the union had made efforts to ensure the implementation of the judgment, adding that the union had met about 25 times with the government.

However, it is the government team that has now shown willingness to meet with the union. The AGF recently claimed that the federal government had met all the demands of the union. For instance, in the last one week, the union met with the federal government officials on two consecutive days.

On January 19, the union met with the government delegation at the ministry of

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed

labour and on January 20 the union also met at the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government. Both meetings ended in a deadlock.

According to the source, the CSOs are concerned about the inadequate preparation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the election.

The source said, “We are concerned that INEC is not prepared for the elections. So far, the arrangements by INEC for the elections have been very shoddy. If the elections go on with the present arrangement on ground, we will definitely have results that will be disputed”.

The source further said that the groups are already searching for a jugde that will be favourably disposed towards granting their request.

The process that led to the annulment of the 1993 elections which was won by Chief M.K.O. Abiola began this way.

A group, Association for Better Nigeria led by Chief Arthur Nzeribe had gone to court to seek the cancellation of the elections.

It would be recalled that the former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, who annulled the June 12, 1993 election hinged his decision on the judgement of the court.

Justice Ikpeme had issued an order stopping the election but in a swift reaction to the order of the court, the chairman of the electoral body during that election, Professor Humphery Nwosu said that no court could stop the election. The electoral body later went ahead to conduct the election.

However, speaking to Leadership Sunday on telephone, Adamu said JUSUN was not under any pressure from any political group, stating that other stakeholders such as the NBA have pleaded with it to suspend the strike He said, “We are not under any pressure because of the election. But the people pleading with us are basically stakeholders. For us, we are not politicians. Nobody will use us to jeopardise our democracy”.

He confirmed to Leadership Sunday that the union would be having its national executive council (NEC) meeting today where issues relating to the strike would be discussed.

“We are meeting today for our NEC to discuss the proposal and the way forward,” he said, noting that the union would continue to work to salvage the judiciary from the tyranny of the executive arm of government.

JUSUN has been on strike to press for the implementation of the Ademola’s court judgment. The court, among other things, ordered that the amount standing to the credit of the states’ judiciary in the Federation/Consolid ated Revenue Fund be paid directly to the heads of courts in the various states’ judiciary in compliance with the provisions of sections 81(3), 121 (3) and 162 (9) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

The court also ordered the executive arm of government to stop budgeting for the judiciary and to hand over funds meant for the judiciary to the National Judicial Council for further distribution to courts.

6 NEWS

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Town Hall Meeting: Presidential Campaign DGs Debate Oil Price Fall, Economy, Others

BY BODE GBADEBO AND JONATHAN NDA-ISAIAH, Abuja

The first in the series of the 2015 presidential election debates started yesterday with only four out of the 14 political parties contesting the February 14 election participating in the well-publicised Town Hall Meeting of directors-general of the various Presidential Campaign Organisations organised by the election Think-Tank group- Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG).

Surprisingly, the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) was one of the ten parties who stayed away as the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kowa Party, Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and United Progressive Party (UPP) graced the occasion

superintended by top media executives, who are board members of the NEDG. Questions were posed by members of the audience to which all representatives of the participating political parties provided answers from the perspectives of their respective parties.

The crude oil price fall and the way out by each party, if elected, attracted rapt attention of the audience as the ruling PDP represented by the deputy director-general of its campaign, Prof Tunde Adeniran, said government has envisaged the current situation, hence the creation of Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) as a stabilisation fund.

The Hope Party representative, Haruna Shaba, said this is one of the dangers of a mono-cultural economy being practised in

Nigeria, adding that given fluctuation of oil price, his party will diversify the economy. On its part, the UPP representative, Chekwas Okorie, said that his party will encourage diversification of the economy since the country is one of the most blessed in the world as almost every community has productive resources.

On what each of the parties will do if eventually elected into office of the President of Nigeria, Hope Party said his party’s presidential candidate will legalised free education and housing for all Nigerians, adding when citizens are socially secure, they will be not be tempted to be corrupt.

Responding on the same question, UPP representative said his party will apply revolutionary leadership style on the matter. For his

part, the representative and vice presidential candidate Kowa Party, Saidu Bobboi, said their government, if elected, will make an enabling law to enable citizens enjoy their rights while the party will ensure implementation of plans and policies to the letter.

However, PDP said his party is not comfortable with the condition of non-justifiability of socio-economic rights and they were working hard to ensure justifiability.

Another question by Alistair Soyode from the United Kingdom on what is the agenda of each party for Nigerians in the Diaspora made Kowa Party to promise an all-inclusive government, if elected, while PDP reminded Nigerians that it conceived Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) to

cater for their interests.

Adeniran added that his party appreciates their remittances to the economy of the nation, revealing that President Goodluck Jonathan will continue, if re-elected.

Also responding, Hope Party said its candidate is from the diaspora, hence he knows better how to take care of their interests, if elected on February 14, 2015. For its part, UPP said it was disposed to a better life for Nigerians in the Diaspora and had always canvassed their rights to cast their votes as Nigerians.

No reason was given for the absence of the directorsgeneral or representatives of other parties as DG of APC campaign organisation, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and his PDP counterpart, Dr Ahmadu Ali, were conspicuously absent.

President In Maiduguri Promises $1bn For Boko Haram Victims FROM PAGE 5

of the state especially those affected by insurgency.

Jonathan, whose aircraft arrived Maiduguri at about 1pm, was received by a mammoth crowd of supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by the minister of Power and Steel, Barrister Muhammed Wakil as well as former governor of Borno State, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff.

Vice President Namadi Sambo and the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Ahmed Muazu were conspicuously absent during the visit.

Armed soldiers and policemen dotted all nooks and crannies of Maiduguri hours before the arrival of the presidential campaign train.

Jonathan said his heart bleeds daily over the misfortune of the people of the Northeast, where Boko Haram insurgents had ruined the area and dislocated its socio-economic fabric.

While addressing crowd of supporters at the Ramat Square, the president said Borno State being the largest state in the country by land mass with about 4.1 million population, has a vast land for agriculture which he said if voted in would be harnessed to improve the well-being of the people.

According to him “Borno can support the central government in terms of agriculture and we intend to invest in that area to

harness that natural resource that will better the lives of the people”.

Jonathan said his first priority if re-elected on February 14 would be a total war against Boko Haram insurgents.

“We have a commitment to end terrorism in Nigeria”, he said. “We must defeat and bring Boko Haram to an end.

Borno people deserve a return of peace; we shall ensure that all our captured territories are reclaimed and all the kidnapped persons, including our daughters, the Chibok girls are rescued safe and alive”.

“Boko Haram cannot come and alter the good history of the Borno people; since when I was in form 3 in the secondary school I have been reading about the history of the great Borno people who were known for commerce and horsemanship.

Borno people deserve the peace that has eluded them and other parts of the country because of the activities of our common enemies, Boko Haram.

“I feel sad each time I hear some unpatriotic people accusing the president or the federal government of being responsible for Boko Haram. It is sad and disturbing because nowhere in the world would a leader bring pain to his people.

It is never heard of anywhere.

But that will not deter us in our commitment to help our citizens regain peace.

“The federal government has special plans to help the people of northeast Nigeria through the provision of potable water, and improved support for our local farmers with soft loans to enhance their businesses.

And immediately we recover our captured territories, we will ensure that we give special support for these communities to enable them bounce back.

Speaking earlier, the minister of Power and Steel, Barrister Muhammed Wakil, said the mammoth crowd that turned out to welcome the president was the people’s way of saying “thank you” to the number one citizen for approving the construction of 330 KVA substation which is almost at the 95 percent stage of completion; as well as the 150KVA upgrade carried out on the existing Baga substation.

Wakil said the mood in Borno State was of support and massive vote for the president in the February 14th election.

“Mr President as you can see, this is just less than 30 percent of the total support you enjoy in Borno State, because many of our supporters could not make it to this venue due to the tight security organised for today and many people here had trekked more than 5km to get here”, said the minister.

“But be rest assured that come 14th February this year, you will be massively voted here in

Jonathan

Borno State because the people love you so much”.

Other speakers, including Alhaji Ahmadu Ali, the directorgeneral of the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation; Dr Shettima Mustapha, a former Minister of Defence, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and some other local politicians had all condemned those accusing the federal government of being accomplice in the Boko Haram insurgency.

According to Ambassador Dauda Danladi, “those accusing the federal government over

Boko Haram had no sense of history; we had the conflict of Maitasine in the 80’s and no one accused General Buhari or Alhaji Shehu Shagari. We had other conflicts in this country of equal proportion and no one is accusing Babangida; so why should Boko Haram be different in Jonathan’s administration.”

The president had earlier visited the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai ibn Alamin Elkanemi, where he paid homage and made similar promises to the top monarch.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

I Will End Corruption In Nigeria If Elected – Buhari

BY Tope Fayehun, Akure

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), yesterday vowed to tackle insecurity, poverty, unemployment, bribery and corruption, if elected in the forthcoming general election.

Addressing a mammoth crowd that trooped out to welcome him to the campaign ground at Democracy Park in Akure, the Ondo State capital yesterday, Buhari emphasised the need to rid-off these problems for the country to return to the path of progress.

According to him, such problems were major impediments to the nation’s progress and the moment they are fully tackled, Nigeria would be better for it.

“The issue of insecurity, unemployment corruption and kidnapping in the Southern part of the country are major impediment to the nation’s progress and development.

“An APC-led federal government will imme-

diately create more job opportunities for the unemployed youths under administration, if elected,’’ he said.

Buhari pledged to equip all the Armed force and ensure that lives and property of citizenry are guaranteed.

He urged the people of the state come out enmass to collect their Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs) and vote for all the candidate on the of election.

The Vice Presidential candidate,Prof.

Yemi Osibajo said those that are calling for postponement of the forthcoming elections are cowards, saying the call was an admission of failure by the federal government and as such should vacate the seat and allow capable hands to take over the mantle of leadership of the country.

In a remark, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, said with the mammoth crowd that came out to welcome the party’s national leaders as showed that the people were for a “charge” in

government.

Also speaking at the event, the national leader of the party,Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said over Sixty years,Nigerians as been in bondage of fake promises and urged the people to liberate themselves with this time.

He”This is a common revolution. They gave you fake promises all the time, fake economy revolution,now things have failed. We can not continue to spend 8years for the programme of 4years in our institutions. We will give you necessary tuition fee and equip our institutions like those ones in developed world”.

The State Chairman of the party, Hon. Isaacs Kekemeke said the state had become the home of progressive politics saying the people are able to discern between change and stagnation.

Present at the rally were the leaders of the party in South-west, national leaders and Presidential Aspirant and the founder of Leadership Newspaper, Sam NdaIsaiah.

Feb Polls: Youths Back Abuja Accord, Condemn Political Attacks

By BODE GBADEBO, Abuja

Youths under the aegis of Coalition of Nigerian Youth Organisation (CNYO) have thrown their weight behind the recently signed Abuja Accord on non-violent elections by the 14 presidential candidates in the February 14 election.

The youths also condemned the violent attacks on the motorcade of President Goodluck Jonathan in Katsina State on Tuesday and the burning of some State offices of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, Chief Ezekiel Kuje, who spoke on behalf of the coalition urged all youths across the country, irrespective of political affiliation or religion to show

commitments to the nonviolence pact. “We vehemently and unapologetically condemn the recent acts of vandalism of political campaign offices, the burning of campaign vehicles and most recently the attack on the President’s convoy on his recent visit to Katsina State. We, the coalition of youths of the North strongly disassociate ourselves from such misguided elements.

“No one is above the law.

Anyone found wanting of instigating violence, before, during or after the elections must be decisively dealt with by the constituted authority. We the coalition of youths strongly stand by the Abuja Peace Accord and pledge our support for peace. As young people. We form a large constituency and we must

channel our energy towards propagating peace in our polity,” Kuje said.

For his part, the representative of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, said that the group is apolitical, adding that the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria after the elections was paramount to them.

The coalition include the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Northern Minority Youth for Positive Transformation, Abuja Original Inhabitant Youths Empowerment Organisation, Southern Kaduna Progressive Movement, Northern Youth Democratic Union, Gbagyi Reforms Youth Empowerment Abuja, Swing Nationalities of Nigeria and Fulani Youth Organisation.

news across the states 7

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

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NIGERIA DECIDES

2015 NIGERIAdecides 20 Sunday, January 25, 2015

COUNTDO W

THE CAMPAIGN FALLOUTS, THRILLS & FRILLS

www.election2015.leadership.ng

Election Postponement: Politics Or Necessity?

Jega

Dasuki

Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Dasuki Sambo has urged the electoral commission to delay next month’s elections to allow more time for voter card distribution.

The polls are the first in Nigeria to require voters to have biometric cards (popularly known as Permanent Voters Cards). Nigeria, wracked by a violent uprising by Islamists Boko Haram, is scheduled to hold the election on 14 and 28 February.

Millions of voters still do not have their biometric ID cards.

Thursday, the NSA told an audience at the Chatham House think-tank in London, that 30 million cards had been distributed over the last year but the same number still remained to be handed out.

President Goodluck Jonathan is standing for re-election. His main challenger is former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking at the London think-tank Chatham House, the NSA said he had told the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega that it would be sensible to postpone the poll within the three months it had to legally take place.

“It costs you nothing, it’s still within the law,” Mr Dasuki said he had told the INEC chairman.

He told Chatham House that a postponement would be “safer for all of us”.

“If in one year you’ve distributed 30 million, I don’t see how you will distribute another 30 million in two weeks. It doesn’t make sense.”

The chairman of INEC, Attahiru

If in one year you’ve distributed 30 million, I don’t see how you will distribute another 30 million in two weeks. It doesn’t make sense

FACTCHECKER

Nigerian voters

According to a recently released Gallup poll, confidence in elections in Nigeria has eroded significantly since 2011: whereas 51 percent of Nigerians expressed confidence in the honesty of elections in 2011, that number declined to 13 percent in 2014.

A number of Nigerians have

DAYS T OG

O

oddbAlls Buhari’s certificate: Okupe Is Still Protesting

Gbajabiamila

Jega, said Friday that the commission remains ready to go ahead with the elections as planned.

Speaking at the launch of Mitigation Of Violence In Elections (MOVE) project by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Jega said while he would not respond to media reports of the NSA’s call, he could confirm that INEC is determined to hold elections in February.

“We have assured that the issue of concern, namely distribution of PVCs, will be addressed before elections; and the cards will be made for all registered voters. As evidenced in our preparations, we are ready to hold elections in February,” said the INEC Chairman.

He added that over 40 million cards had already been made available, while assuring that the remaining ones will be delivered before the end of January.

He explained that the delay over complete availability of the PVCs results from the fact that some cards are yet to be produced due to late registration during the continuous voters registration, CVR, exercise.

‘Tenure elongation’ The Minority Leader of House of Representatives and leader of APC House caucus, Femi Gbajabiamila tagged the proposal to extent the elections as a ‘clandestine move’ by President Jonathan’s government to extend its tenure.

He said the move was as a result of the PDP’s “fear of imminent defeat and an afterthought ready to die in the manner of Obasanjo’s third term plot.”

N

el-Rufai

God is my godfather – el-Rufai The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kaduna state, Nasir elRufai, says God and the people of the state are his “godfather.”

The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory was addressing a crowd of supporters in Saminaka, headquarters of Lere local government, during his ongoing state-wide campaign.

“I don’t have a godfather,” he said. “The almighty God is my godfather and the good people of our dear state. I will not be answerable to a godfather but to God and the good people of our state. I am here to seek your support and I thank you for your assurances and hospitality.”

Despite the presentation of the secondary certificate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, by his school, the Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe is still protesting.

“Is Criminal impunity not an issue?” Okupe posted on his Twitter handle @doyinokupe.

“APC says they have moved on in spite of perjury&forgery.

They want to discus issues. Is Criminal impunity not an issue?

Honesty no longer virtue” Okupe’s full post read.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation (PCO) has already described the document as “Oluwole” - an euphemism for forgery - and tendered evidence.

Okupe

2015: Confidence In Elections Has Eroded expressed concern that insufficient communication by the election management body – and disparagement of INEC’s efforts by some of its critics – could undermine the efficient administration of the polls.

The February elections look to be the closest fought since the end of

military rule in 1999.

They pit President Goodluck Jonathan of the governing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidtdate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who ruled Nigeria from January 1984 until August 1985 following a coup.

Nigeria is gripped by a violent uprising in the north-east led by Islamist Boko Haram rebels. Elections will not hold in large swathes of the area controlled by Boko Haram.

The government has assured that adequate security will be in place for the poll and that those displaced by the fighting will be able to vote.

10 NIGERIA DECIDES

Sunday, January 25, 2015

QUOTES

Jonathan In Maiduguri

➔ Femi FaniKayode “The documents purportedly released by Government College (Pilot) Katsina, upon which the APC Presidential candidate hopes to bury the doubt about his eligibility for next month’s election are forged, manipulated and fraudulently procured. They are therefore untenable in fact and in law”.

➔ Gen. Muhammadu Buhari “Our Army and Police will be highly equipped with all the required weapons, educated and uneducated youths will be employed through different programmes that will be created by our administration.”

President Goodluck Jonathan ackowledging cheers from supporters during PDP presidential campaign rally in Maiduguri, Borno State yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN

NUMBERS 14 People currently seeking to be Nigeria’s president

1 Woman running for president 52 Is the age average of presidential contenders, but both front runners are older.

1 Of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones has no presidential candidate. The North-East is the only region without a candidate.

5 Presidential contestants are PhD holders.

Mbu, Lagos And February Elections The All Progressives Congress (APC) hopes that Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Joseph Mbu, redeployment to Zone 2 (comprising Lagos and Ogun state) is not for the purpose of doing the political hatchet of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February election.

He was among the 28 AIGs whose redeployment was announced recently by IGP Suleiman Abba.

Monitors say if the APC expresses its apprehension over the posting, it is not misplaced.

Mbu’s shenanigans in Rivers state and the country’s capital, Abuja are well reported. His redeployment to states under the control of opposition parties had generated different reactions, particularly on social media. Lagos and Ogun state are presently APC states (governors that is).

Well, Mbu, has warned that

INECWATCH

he would not tolerate any form of lawlessness in his new zone.

Mbu, who courted controversy when he was commissioner of police in Rivers state, denied the allegation that he was transferred to Zone 2 for a political hatchet job.

Lagos APC said in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary of the APC, Joe Igbokwe, that “Mbu’s known role as a professional attack dog for the PDP and the Jonathan’s presidency has opened his latest posting to Lagos and Ogun to justifiable speculations that will become clearer as the 2015 election approaches.”

The party said that while it welcomes Mbu to his new post with its promises of “reforming him from the indecorous notoriety he has courted through his posting as Rivers State Police Commissioner,” the new AIG

should know that “there is little room in Lagos for the kind of hatchet role he played for the PDP in Lagos.”

But the police boss said: “At the appropriate time, I will respond to this allegation. “I reserve my comment on the spurious allegation by the APC in Lagos state; I will not say APC in general. I am not going to Lagos to fight but I will not tolerate lawlessness.”

Mbu also dismissed insinuation that he was controversial officer, saying: “I am not controversial. I love my job; I am very proud of my job and I do my job very, very well. I am not afraid of anybody in the execution of my job.

“Anywhere I go, I am not a politician. Any governor is not my enemy, any of the ministers is not my enemy, the enemy of anybody is not my enemy.”

Mbu also dismissed insinuation that he was controversial officer, saying: “I am not controversial.

I love my job; I am very proud of my job and I do my job very, very well

➔ Louis Ebodaghe“ “Buhari is an elder statesman who worked for the most corrupt leader in the history of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha and he once publicly declared that Abacha never squandered public funds.

We all know better today. His only democratic credential is that he toppled an elected democratic government in 1983.”

2015 Election Security Threat Assessment

As part of its Election Security Management Project, CLEEN Foundation in the eighth edition of its election security threat assessment towards 2015, has highlighted major threats to peaceful and credible conduct of the elections.

Key Risk Factors 1. Boko Haram insurgency in the north

east: Until the situation in the north east is addressed we cannot rule out the possibility of more attacks across the country. It is even more likely now that electioneering is fast picking up. Criminal elements and political party thugs can disguise as Boko Haram to perpetuate mayhem on opposition and innocent

Nigerians; 2. Inadequate logistics and welfare for security agents on election duties pose a serious danger to the electoral process as this will make them susceptible to political influence. Inability of electorates to obtain their PVC and register during the CVR exercise is tinder box that could cause

violence during the forthcoming general elections in the entire South West. INEC has repeatedly announced that only those who have PVC will be allowed to vote.

3. Campaign speeches: inciting statements and hate messages by desperate politicians across the party divides could be a major risk of political violence.

NIGERIA DECIDES 11

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Buhari Has Nothing To Offer Again- Jonathan’s Campaign Coordinator

voices

To Loosen Boko Haram’s Grip, Nigerian Voters Look to Ex-Leader

Chief Tokunbo Modupe is the campaign coordinator for President Goodluck Jonathan in Ondo state. In this interview with ABIODUN OLUWAROTIMI, the PDP chieftain says the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has nothing to offer Nigeria again. He also speaks on variou issues surrounding the forthcoming general elections among others. Excerpts: The APC accuses President Goodluck Jonathan of non performance. How do rate Jonathan’s chances in the February 14 election?

Buhari

That is very wrong and I can call all that a political statement. Campaigns are ongoing and you expect the opposition to wake up every morning and fabricate one or two things to say against the president. The ruling party has an edge as a result of its performance and the evidence of the works that are being done. It is one thing to make promises and it is another thing to fulfil it. As a result of his ability to show the people all he has done, I think he stands a very good chance.

PDP always has a way to manage issues. We have our ways to handle our internal crisis because we are not divided at all. Although people may have their interests but I can tell you now that efforts are in top gear to make sure that we go into the elections united. The situation we had a month ago is not the one we have now. Like I said, we will win this election and win it big in Ondo state.

The APC appears to be very much on ground in Ondo state now, so how do you intend to win this state for Mr. President

Modupe The party is filled with politicians without followers. Let us leave it all for the electorates to vote for the candidates of their choice. I assure you that with the joint efforts of all the leaders in the PDP, Ondo state will be delivered to President Jonathan. This is a PDP state.

People clamour for change anywhere you go to now, so why do you think the president deserves a second coming?

He should be returned to continue all the good works he is doing. Someone said recently that his name should be changed from Goodluck to Goodwork Let me correct something. The APC and this will tell you why he should be doesn’t have any heavy presence here returned. His transformation agenda in Ondo state and there is no amount in all areas is a physical proof that of threat from them that can stop us he is working. Again, he is a young from winning this state during the man. He is relatively young and still elections. We have had elections in has the power to do the job. If you this state even when the propaganda are talking about change, are you machinery of the defunct ACN was going to replace Mr. President with at its peak. We had the Labour Party Buhari who is 72 years old? There is then and ACN came third. The APC no basis for comparison at all. What stands no chance in any election in freshness is Buhari going to offer Ondo state now that we have the us? Of course, Buhari has nothing to old PDP and the Labour Party come offer us. The real change is what we together in a Mega PDP.Aduroshakin Chukwuani

are experiencing now which is the performance of Dr. Jonathan. His manner of approach is constitutional and institutional.

The APC has threatened to form a parallel government if the outcome of the election is not favourable to them. How do you react?

We are not moved by their threats because that is what they are known for. As for us, we will go into the elections with a full force and win at all levels. We should leave the judgement to the electorates because I wonder who they want to fight with if the electorates say they don’t want them in power. If the APC wants to change the decision of the people, the people themselves will rise up. It is now the situation of who is more popular because if somebody is already preparing for failure, definitely they are going to fail. Nigerians are very clever now so forget about all the propaganda in the media. It is now about the people and the candidates of their choices.

ANSWERS

QUIZ TEST YOUR POLITICAL IQq 1. How many federal constituencies in Nigeria?

2. How many general elections has Nigeria conducted since

the end of military rule?

3. Deaths after violence in some northern cities in

the immediate aftermath of the announcement of election results in 2011?

4. Cumulative total

registered voters in the insurgencywracked north east states (Adamawa, Borno and Yobe) according to INEC?

1. 360 2. 4 3. over 800 deaths 4.4.5 million

In Ondo state where you will be heading his campaigns, it appears that there are two factions of the PDP. Any move for harmonization?

Boisterous crowds packed the streets for the retired general, while young men climbed lampposts, walls and billboards to glimpse his gaunt face. Others danced on careening motorcycles, brandishing homemade brooms, symbols of his campaign.

With Nigeria’s presidential election only weeks away, Boko Haram’s unchecked rampaging here in the country’s north is helping to propel the 72-year-old general, Muhammadu Buhari, to the forefront.

After ruling Nigeria with an iron hand 30 years ago as the country’s military leader, Mr. Buhari is now a serious threat at the ballot box, analysts say, in large part because of Boko Haram’s blood-soaked successes.

A Buhari win would be a rare upset for the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan, in a country where petrodollars have long flowed and the presidency has great latitude to distribute them.

But oil prices have crashed; attacks on schools, markets

and entire villages continue unabated; and Nigeria’s army has been thoroughly incapable of stopping Boko Haram, which now controls substantial portions of the northeast and regularly sends the country’s soldiers fleeing.

The campaign has become a vociferous, at times violent, joust between Buhari partisans in the mostly Muslim north and supporters of Mr. Jonathan in the largely Christian south.

Mr. Buhari’s tenure as Nigeria’s military ruler was brief: a 20-month stint in the 1980s, ended by another military coup. Yet it is remembered with trepidation by many Nigerians.

His self-proclaimed “war against indiscipline” was carried to “sadistic levels, glorying in the humiliation of a people,” wrote the Nobel laureate and writer Wole Soyinka.

The current president and his party, which has held power since military rule ended more than 15 years ago, have made this past a central part of Mr. Jonathan’s reelection strategy, hoping to fan old fears about the general.

–By Adam Nossiter (culled from the New York Times)

trending The trade of words continue as Jonathan and Buhari continue campaigns across the country Catherine Angai @AngaiCK Its a movement. Its gathreing momentum. #NoHateSpeechNG #NoHateSpeechNG #NoHateSpeechNG is the buzzword! #NigeriaDecides @inecnigeria Aminu Gamawa @aminugamawa Just last week Yuguda promised Jonathan 100% votes in Bauchi. Today he couldn’t even get the hired crowd to stop chanting “Sai Buhari.”

Ediong @Ediong I’m even expecting FFK and GEJites to now say GMB

had F9 in Mathematics and cannot restore the economy due to that. #NigeriaDecides Femi Gbajabiamila @femigbaja We all know what happened last time an attempt was made to amend the constitution for the purpose of extending tenure of a sitting govt Otunba Dino Melaye @dino_ melaye An institution like the Army will admit that Buhari got credit in 6 subjects and claim no result. The credits,are they from mammy market?

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cover story

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

How Politicians Turned Adamawa IDP Camps Into Rally Grounds

An IDPs Camp

With barely twenty days to the February 2015 general elections, political parties and indeed their gladiators are leaving nothing to chance in their quest to win over the electorates. In this piece, MOHAMMED ISMAIL, writes that even the various camps of Internally Displaced Persons in the northeast, particularly Adamawa State are besieged daily in the frenzy

The visitations of politicians to the camps to donate relief materials with the approach of the by election, suddenly became the new passion of politicians in their quest to win the sympathy of the IDP’s during elections

I

n Adamawa State, the Internally Displaced Persons’ camps, especially the central IDP camp at the NYSC Damare Camp ground have become a Mecca of sorts as politicians now flock the encampment trying to outdo each other in giving their assistance to the IDPs taking refuge in them.

With the electioneering campaigns in full swing, many of the campaigning politicians are known to have capitalised on the pitiable conditions of the IDPs to seduce them into parting with their treasured votes during the forthcoming elections through relief materials described as ‘subtle bribe or Greek gift’.

The politicians have practically turned many of the IDP camps to campaign grounds as they frequent them with visitations and orchestrated show of concern to the plights of the teeming inmates.

Although the campaigns are shrouded for now, the fact that many of the politicians troop to the camps with their praise sing-

ers mostly dressed in the colours of their respective political parties in tow, are enough to tell any discerning mind that the visitations was a political gimmick wrapped in a show of human compassion.

The frenzy and frequency of the visitations started in the run up to the botched October 11 gubernatorial primaries campaigns which could not hold because of an Abuja High Court verdict which truncated the administration of the then Acting Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and reinstated former Deputy Governor Bala James Ngillari as the substantive governor of the state.

Investigation by LEADERSHIP Sunday has revealed that before the heightening of electoral campaigns in the build up to the botched October 11 gubernatorial primaries in the state, the various IDP camps within the state did not witness influx of politicians willing to donate relief materials but the story has now changed, a few weeks to elections proper.

It was established that the visitations of politicians to the camps

to donate relief materials with the approach of the by election, suddenly became the new passion of politicians in their quest to win the sympathy of the IDPs during elections.

Sources in the camps also revealed that the frequency of visitations drastically subsided with the postponement of the October 11 by-election, only to resurface in the build up to the 2015 general elections.

Many among the contenders for various elective positions were said to have acknowledged the existence of the camps only recently as they struggled to reignite the spirit of being their brothers keepers, compassion, empathy and concern, but the trend was not lost on the teeming IDPs who said they have established a correlation between the visitations of politicians into the camps and politicking because the frequency of the visits by the politicians always heightened at electioneering times.

An IDP in Damare NYSC camp who does not want to be mentioned noted that when they arrived the refugee camp long before the political activities peaked, nobody seemed to care about them as they were left to wallow in isolation and abandonment.

He added that before campaigns for political posts started, only the state and federal government agencies came to their aid making them to feel rejected as hardly anyone cared about their existence in the camp.

The source further noted with dismay that few weeks to the then botched by-election, their camp became a Mecca of sorts by politicians who wanted to make a statement and score cheap political point by showing their concerns to the plight of the teeming IDPs with their visits to the camp and donations of relief materials ostensibly to sympathise with them over their perceived predicaments.

According to our findings, the visitations of the politicians to the various camps was a gimmick used in killing two birds with one stone, firstly it was a strategy used by the politicians to warm their way into the hearts of the IDPs so that they will not forget them during elections and secondly to get the world’s admiration about their concerns for humanity which exhibited their willingness to donate generously to the camp dwellers.

But one issue that became poignant in the attitude of the politicians was that in the wake of the intense insurgents’ annexation of many local governments of the state many of them relocate their families to safer grounds leaving the IDPs who have nowhere to go, to their fate.

But after the success recorded by Nigerian Troops in liberating the occupied towns, and with the approach of the general elections, the politicians have suddenly remembered that the IDPs are around the corner hence their new wave of visitations and donations to the various IDP camps scattered within the state.

An IDP at the Girei camp who expressed dismay over the mercurial attitude of politicians noted that it is high time people especially the plebeian electorates drew the line between trustworthy politicians and deceitful ones adding that they should not allow themselves to be deceived by the ‘political donations of relief materials’ they are getting from the politicians.

He appealed to Nigerians especially the teeming IDPs to vote according to their conscience during the coming elections and should ensure that they voted people of integrity, reputation, character and proven track record instead of those who pretend to be in love with them to attain and fulfill their selfish motives.

Another IDP John Markus said that from the onset, he never felt touched by the items being brought to them by the politicians as they are mere Greek gifts and deceit being deployed by the politicians to confuse the IDPs into making wrong decisions and wrong choices come 2015 general elections in the state.

“We are here in this pathetic situation due to the failure of the politicians to protect us even though they are fully aware of the incursion of these insurgents into our territories.

“I have always made it categorically clear that for us to get things right and for this present situation to be salvaged, we should do away with any sentiment and vote people of proven integrity regardless of their financial, religious and other differences.

“As for me, I will never vote any politician based on the relief material he brought to me but for the goodwill he commands from me,” Markus added.

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sunday politics

Ag. Politics Editor Sunday: EDEGBE ODEMWINGIE

Sunday, January 25, 2015

NDI/IRI: A 2015 Preelection Assessment Despite a peace pact signed by the presidential candidates of the various political parties participating in the February 14 election, elections violence remains a real threat. EDEGBE ODEMWINGIE presents a pre-election assessment report by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican institute (IRI).

O

n January 14, a public pledge for a peaceful election and the avoidance of violence after the polls was signed by the seven presidential candidates, including the two front-runners: President Goodluck Jonathan and the former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari.

Despite the peace pact hailed widely as a positive first step, the possibility of election violence remains a real threat.

The are early signs. Violence intensified in January, and included a gun attack on seven opposition members, allegedly

by PDP agents. In Kano state, PDP supporters have been unable to campaign for fear of lynch mobs. Jonathan’s campaign bus was attacked and burned in Jos, Plateau state. Supporters of both candidates have threatened violence if they feel their man has been cheated.

In the North East, Boko Haram’s attacks make the elections there hazardous. The insurgents are hampering the work of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and have already forced it to halt elections in high-risk areas of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

On January 20, the joint international pre-election assessment mission submitted that the 2015 polls will be Nigeria’s most competitive election since the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999.

The international delegation organised jointly by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican institute (IRI) addressed the media in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja after they met with INEC, political parties, civic organisations, professional associations, a presidential candidate (and representatives of others), legislators, senior government officials and religious leaders from January 15-20.

Both NDI and IRI have deployed international election observation missions to every presidential

election in Nigeria since 1999. A similar mission will be deployed to the February 14 presidential election.

In a joint statement by NDI and IRI, the delegation’s goals were outlined as assessing the current political and electoral environment in the lead-up to the February 14 presidential election; assess preparations for the presidential election; offer recommendations to enhance citizen confidence in the process and demonstrate international support for the Nigeria’s democratisation process.

The delegation comprised: Ambassador (rtd) George Moose, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, and vice chairman of the board of directors of the U.S. Institute of Peace; Brigalia Bam, former chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa; Hon. Patrick Muyaya, member of parliament, the Democratic Republic of Congo; Pauline Baker, former president of the Fund for Peace; Michael Bratton, distinguished professor of political science and African studies at Michigan State University; Robert Lloyd, professor of international relations at Pepperdine University, and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center; Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Central and West Africa at NDI; and Gretchen Birkle, regional director for Africa at IRI. The delegation found that the views of most Nigerians with regards to the February polls are influenced by past issues of national significance. These include: history of past elections; perceptions of political power in Nigeria; flashpoints of insecurity and political polarization; declining oil prices and the emergence of a strong opposition party.

History of past elections Since the end of military rule, Nigeria has conducted four electoral contests – in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. The successful

Moose

Jega

Despite the peace pact hailed widely as a positive first step, the possibility of election violence remains a real threat

South West Is Marginalised, Akande – Adeola > 33

conduct of the 2011 elections marked a turning point in the country’s democratic trajectory, as it contrasted sharply with the electoral mismanagement and widespread fraud of previous polls. Even then, violence in some northern cities in the immediate aftermath of the announcement of election results in 2011 resulted in over 800 deaths and tremendous destruction of property. In the public’s mind, perpetrators of election-related violence and/or electoral fraud from 2011 have not ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

PDP, Atiku NDI/IRI: A 2015 And Facts Pre-election Of History Assessment 18

been prosecuted. Furthermore, the delegates heard that the failure to create the Electoral Offences Commission recommended by the “Justice Muhammed Uwais Electoral Reforms Panel” of 2007, and advocated for even

by INEC, calls into question the commitment of the country’s political leaders to curb or deter fraud, violence and other criminal activity around elections.

Perceptions of political power in Nigeria.

Access to public resources by government officials at the federal and state levels, and the abuse of same by some office holders intensifies competition for political power. The “winnertakes-all” frame of reference in the Nigerian political system exacerbates exclusion and inequality while ethnic, religious and regional identity is frequently manipulated by politicians for personal gain. Many political elites are alleged to dispense public resources and services through patronage networks that cater less to the broader populace and more to a select few. Many of the persons from civil society and political parties with whom the delegation met agreed that the patronage system starts with weak democratic norms and processes within political parties.

For example, they point to the lack of transparency in candidate nominations or party primaries, citing cases in which the candidate preferred by party leaders is given the nomination regardless of votes cast in the primaries.

As noted by a highly respected Nigerian democrat, “Once an unpopular candidate emerges through this ‘selection process,’ the leadership that anointed that candidate then has no choice but to use fraudulent means to help the candidate win.” Given that party leadership in Nigeria is mostly male, this process also discourages the meaningful participation of women in politics and their access to positions of leadership.

Confidence in elections in Nigeria has eroded significantly since 2011: whereas 51 percent of Nigerians expressed confidence in the honesty of elections in 2011, that number declined to 13 percent in 2014

Flashpoints of insecurity and political polarization.

The 2015 elections are taking place in a difficult security environment, as an insurgency led by the extremist group “Boko Haram” continues to kill innocent citizens and attack villages and military installations in the North Eastern geopolitical zone of the country. The assessment team learned that at various times, debates over the Boko Haram insurgency have taken a partisan tone, with accusations of complacency and complicity levelled against each other by ruling and main opposition party members. Media reports allege an increase in the circulation of small arms and light weapons in some areas, notably parts of the Niger Delta, while intercommunal violence between herdsmen and farmers continues in the Middle Belt. Overall, on the eve of the February elections, the country

Jonathan Buhari after signing the peace pact

is fairly polarized along partisan, regional and religious lines. Some Nigerians are fearful that should extraordinary steps not be taken to temper partisan rhetoric and stigmatization, violence could erupt in the strongholds of whichever candidate loses the presidential race.

Declining oil prices.

Although the decline in world oil prices has not yet become a matter of national debate, many analysts told the delegation that the effects of this decline on the country’s foreign reserves, its economy and its national budget could further exacerbate tensions.

Emergence of a strong opposition party. The 2015 polls will likely be the most competitive elections since the return to civilian rule in 1999. While the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has dominated national politics since that time, the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the merger in 2013 of several opposition parties, has created what many Nigerians now see as a viable alternative.

Several former PDP stalwarts, including state governors and national legislators, have crossed over to the APC. For the first time in recent Nigerian history, two closely matched contenders for the presidential race have emerged – incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP and General (rtd) Muhammadu Buhari of the APC. Closely contested races are also projected for the national legislature, governorships, and state houses of assembly. As of the time of the delegation’s visit, significant numbers of supporters of the two frontrunners in the presidential race believe strongly that their candidate would win.

2015 Election Challenges The impact of Boko Haram.

Ongoing terrorist attacks and killings of Nigerians by Boko Haram have disrupted daily life in Borno State and several local government areas (LGAs) in Yobe

and Adamawa States. The presence of Boko Haram poses a political risk in that not conducting polls in significant parts of a region viewed as the stronghold of one of the contesting parties, even if for reasons of insecurity, would mean the disenfranchisement of a large number of voters. This would well call into question the legitimacy of the election in the eyes of the population, not only in the affected states but more widely. According to INEC, the three states have a cumulative total of approximately 4.5 million registered voters (Adamawa 1.5, Borno 1.9 and Yobe 1.1 million).

Internally displaced persons (IDPs).

In the north east geopolitical zone, a number of LGAs are inaccessible because of insecurity caused by Boko Haram. The presence and de facto control of territory in these states by Boko Haram has resulted in the internal displacement of hundreds of thousands of people (IDPs). Advocacy for steps to be taken to facilitate IDP voting continues to grow, as INEC pursues its consultations with political parties and other election stakeholders on ways to facilitate such IDP voting. Nigerians recognize that it is imperative that their fellow citizens already traumatized by terrorist attacks be afforded the opportunity to exercise their constitutional rights.

Miscommunication.

The delegation noted that a number of positive steps taken

by INEC to enhance the integrity of the electoral system were either misinterpreted or misunderstood – sometimes willfully – by some segments of society. For example, while INEC introduced a biometric registry and machine-readable permanent voter cards (PVCs) to curb fraud and duplicate registrations, some critics of INEC argue that there are no legal provisions for INEC to require a PVC (in lieu of a temporary voting card), and that the biometric features of the PVC go beyond

minimum requirements of Nigerian law. Similarly, INEC explains the reduction in the number of voters in the voter registry from 73 million in 2011 to 68.8 million in 2014 as a result of steps taken to expunge from the registry double registrations and underage and deceased voters. However, some critics of INEC are concerned that the new figure does not reflect the growing population of the country.

According to a recently released Gallup poll, confidence in elections in Nigeria has eroded significantly since 2011: whereas 51 percent of Nigerians expressed confidence in the honesty of elections in 2011, that number declined to 13 percent in 2014. A number of Nigerians with whom the delegation met expressed concern that insufficient communication by the election management body – and disparagement of INEC’s efforts by some of its critics – could undermine the efficient administration of the polls.

The delegation concluded that there is a paramount need for more, and more regular, updates and increased service announcements to the public regarding progress in election preparations, including with regards to the procurement and distribution of PVCs and other materials, to dissipate mistrust among citizens.

Election administration.

The delegation is concerned that millions of permanent voter cards (PVCs) have not yet been distributed by INEC. Although INEC plans to move the distribution of PVCs from the LGA level down to the level of wards (which are smaller units under the LGAs and closer to the polling points), that exercise has not started in all states. Moreover, some Nigerians stated that in a number of states, the distribution exercise has repeatedly been postponed in some locations, leading to further erosion of trust in INEC. Some Nigerians are still unsure whether a voter without a PVC, but whose name

20 politics

Sunday, January 25, 2015

NDI/IRI: A 2015 Pre-election Assessment

With sufficient political will, many of the immediate challenges can be addressed in ways that enhance citizen confidence and participation in the election and hence mitigate violence during and after the polls

is on the register, will be allowed to vote on election day and what arrangements will be put in place to adjudicate such matters.

Similarly, INEC brands the voter card readers (VCRs), a handheld machine that will be used to scan the biometric voter cards, as an innovation in Nigeria that would strengthen the integrity of the voting process; however, the procurement of the VCRs is still underway and not all card readers have been delivered to INEC. INEC is confident the delivery will be made and has issued guidelines to address card reader malfunction.

INEC also views the card reader as a confidence building measure that would allow the commission to track the number of accredited voters and make sure they match the figures to be reported on the results sheet. Yet, some Nigerians are apprehensive about what would happen should the 2011 Post-election violence remaining VCRs not be delivered on time, or should many of these new machines malfunction on larger interests of the country and election day. votes for Nigeria.” This ‘moderate While INEC has specific plans center’ should be encouraged to for recruiting and deploying speak up and help restrain more ad hoc poll workers that would extreme positions in the lead up include current and former to the elections, as well as in the members of the National Youth post-election period. A greater Service Corps and students in focus on issue-based campaigns tertiary education institutions, and the substantive difference some members of the public are between party platforms would concerned that training of these enrich the political discourse and workers has yet to begin. allow voters to make informed choices on election day.

Violence in pre-election period.

Rejection of election results.

The delegation heard reports of Many Nigerians believe that recent election-related violence having two strong and closely in Jos, Plateau State and Port matched parties in competition Harcourt, Rivers State, and the provides an incentive for the use of inflammatory messages effective deployment of party by some party officials and agents by political parties so supporters, sometimes delivered as to minimize or deter fraud through print and social media. while increasing confidence in Some interlocutors alleged that the electoral outcome. Others in response to these acts of are more skeptical and argue violence and utterances, certain that the losers in close races may elements of the security services reject an unfavorable outcome. have not conducted themselves The delegation urges candidates evenhandedly. Security services and parties to respect electoral interviewed by the delegation outcomes within the framework denied this allegation. Lack of Nigerian electoral law. The of confidence in the security delegation applauds the signing services, were it to persist, could on January 14 of a pledge by 11 as just one example provide an of the 14 presidential candidates excuse for vigilante activity, which exhorts Nigerians to reject which would then raise the risk incitement to violence before, of spiraling partisan violence during and after the election. The at the state and local levels. The delegation strongly supports this delegation learned that unlike “Abuja Accord” – signed in the during past elections when presence of former United Nations interagency collaboration among Secretary General Kofi Annan – security services was a challenge, which can serve as the foundation INEC has created and co-chairs for a broad campaign for violencewith the national security adviser, free elections. Nigerian civic and the “Interagency Consultative political leaders with whom the Committee on Election Security” delegation met agreed on the (ICCES), to facilitate seamless urgency of implementing the coordination. ICCES committees Accord and ensuring that its have been created at the state and provisions are communicated to LGA levels as well. party supporters at grassroots Despite political polarization, level across the country. In the many Nigerians are hopeful words of one political leader that the political situation of with whom the delegation met, the country will not degenerate “Leaders have to drum [the as a result of the polls. There is a Accord] into the ears of their very significant pool of Nigerians supporters.” within and outside of political parties (what some called the Recommendations ‘third voice’) which “sees the The delegation express

optimism that with sufficient political will, many of the immediate challenges can be addressed in ways that enhance citizen confidence and participation in the election and hence mitigate violence during and after the polls.

The NDI and IRI delegation reported a perceived gap between those election preparations that have been undertaken by INEC and what some stakeholders understand to be the status of election preparation. This miscommunication, the delegation submitted is contributing to heightened tension around the election process. All parties should ensure that citizens have the knowledge and information they need to vote, and that citizens have confidence their vote will contribute to a credible electoral process, the delegation said.

It called on government to reinforce security measures within the framework of the law and without intimidation to facilitate the conduct of polls in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Communications The delegation called on INEC to improve its communication strategy with voters, to include, for example, daily press briefings and more frequent public service announcements, including in local languages, in order to bridge any miscommunication on electoral preparedness and voting procedures.

INEC should also undertake a concerted and uniformed voter education effort to demonstrate to the public the use of new technology such as the PVCs and card readers.

INEC should better inform stakeholders and make publicly available contingency plans to expeditiously repair or replace technical broken-down equipment. They should also inform the public in advance of procedures such as those that relate to the handling of voters

who appear on the voter list but do not have a PVC. INEC should commit to make public in its final results the results from each polling unit.

Election administration INEC should urgently complete the distribution of PVCs to get them in the hands of the voters.

INEC should also urgently complete the procurement of card readers, and communicate relevant information on these issues to the electorate as soon as possible in advance of election day.

INEC should accelerate recruitment and training of polling officials.

INEC should explore ways to increase voting by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and ensure that properly registered IDPs are not disenfranchised.

INEC should make maximum efforts and take concrete steps to avoid the disenfranchisement of sizeable populations in LGAs in north eastern states impacted by the Boko Haram insurgency.

The government should make all possible efforts to provide the security and support necessary for the conduct of elections in those areas. INEC should facilitate consensus building around these efforts among all stakeholders.

INEC should fully implement its gender policy that fosters gender equity in the recruitment and deployment of poll workers.

Political parties Political parties and candidates should focus on issue-based campaigns that address national priorities, such as security, the economy and governance.

Political parties should train and deploy party agents to all polling sites to facilitate evidencebased monitoring of voting activities and documentation of any irregularities that may occur.

Political parties should adhere to the rule of law and respect the INEC guidelines for political parties, specifically provisions

politics INTERVIEW 21

Sunday, January 25, 2015

2015 Presidency: Votes Should Be Based On Record Of Achievement – Ebodaghe What is your assessment of the political situation in Nigeria ahead of the February election?

Two eminent Nigerians are vying for the office of the Presidency.

The choice is clear, that is why I expect Nigerians to rise above mundane issues in this election

The atmosphere is charged and Nigerians are enthusiastic about the elections. However, there is also apparent apprehension in the air, with preparation by INEC and the security agencies and so forth. Based on all the relevant information so far, it appears that there would be no such need for much anxiety. People are eagerly waiting for the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right to vote. In this regard, I would like to encourage all those that are registered to vote and yet to pick up their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) to do so as soon as possible.

This administration had requested INEC to extend the period of this exercise. This is remarkable and commendable because all eligible voters will have the opportunity to do so. For the avoidance of doubt and for whatever it is worth, adherence to the rule of law is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength and faith in our democracy. Rain and not thunder grow flowers. I think the present administration has not deviated on that focus. In a typical Nigerian scenario, there are two types of voters; “The educated voter” and “The non-educated voter”.

The ratio of educated voters to the non-educated voters in Nigeria is estimated at approximately 90/10. The educated/non-educated refers to the basis on which voters will make decisions in this context.

Non-educated voters will make decisions based on the following: Political Party, Religion and Tribe.

Under this premise, the educated voter will make decisions based on the factors such as the economy, education, health, and general quality of life issues, etc, but will also question what impact the government or opposition will have on him or her.

Two eminent Nigerians are vying for the office of the Presidency. The choice is clear, that is why I expect Nigerians to rise above mundane issues in this election. It will not be based on religion, political party, nor ethnicity, but based on record of achievement and focused leadership. President Jonathan of the PDP and General Buhari of APC are the major contestants.

I believe that Jonathan is in a better stead based on his record of accomplishments. Buhari is an elder statesman who worked for the most corrupt leader in the history of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha and he once publicly declared that Abacha never squandered public funds. We all know better today. His only

300% under this administration and currently produces more oil than most countries in Africa.

SEPLAT, a company created due to the government’s policies now employs over 5,000 workers and produces over 70,000 barrels of oil per day.

Some Nigerians believe that the Government has done little to improve on the economy?

Ebodaghe

A United States based Nigerian, Louis Ebodaghe is the founder of Nigeria Prosperity Project (NPP) - a voter education platform. Ebodaghe says Nigerians should not vote on the basis of religion, political party, nor ethnicity, but based on record of achievement and focused leadership.

ADESUWA TSAN presents the excerpts democratic credential is that he toppled an elected democratic government in 1983. Former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of River State, as well as the former of Bayelsa State, are Buhari’s benefactor. Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are, is an old saying.

You have mentioned Tinubu and Amaechi in controversial circumstances. How does that play out?

We need to put the record in proper perspective. It has been generally speculated that Bola Tinubu deliberately schemed out other presidential aspirants because the calculation is that Buhari will not be able to complete two terms because of the state of his health and age. It is assumed therefore, that he (Tinubu) can conveniently run Nigeria from Boirdillon Road.

How can we entrust Nigeria in the hands of this type of puppet master? For the Northerners, they are better off with another four years of Jonathan and thereafter provide a young vibrant northerner with the requisite democratic credentials and a record of achievement to govern for eight years, rather than have a weak

president who will be manipulated

by Tinubu for four years.

Most Nigerians seem dissatisfied with the PDP government administration. How can this mindset be changed ahead of the polls?

Let us not dismiss the achievements of this government on mere sentiments. Let us look at the facts on ground. For example the local content law which has empowered Nigerian oil professionals and 30% of oilfield services revenue now goes to companies owned by Nigerians.

This is projected to hit 50% in 2015.

For the first time in the history of this country, Nigerians quit the major oil service companies like Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Halliburton and joined companies owned by Nigerians and get better conditions of service. Engineering plants and companies that were hitherto dormant have bounced back. Interestingly, our local content law has been copied by Ghana, Brazil and Angola.

Besides, the Initiatives of the Government have resulted in the following; Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) oil production has increased by over

That cannot be correct. We have surpassed South Africa and our economy is now the largest in Africa and the 26th largest in the world. GDP growth is at 7%per annum for the past six years, the highest in sub Saharan Africa. According to a recent World Bank data, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the first six months of 2014 stood at $9.7billion. The moribund automotive industry has been revived. Cars are currently being assembled in Nigeria after over 20 years. Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Peugeot, Stallion motors and Innonson motors and several others, now assemble/manufacture cars and trucks in Nigeria.

Food importation has been reduced by over 45% as at the end of 2014. Food sufficiency through the growth of the agricultural sector is the ultimate goal. Before 2012, there was only one world class rice mill in the country, but between 2012 and 2014, over 18 world class rice mills have been established across the country. A sugar backward integration policy is now in place that will see Nigeria become self sufficient in sugar production between 5 to 10years.

Cassava, apart from being used to supplement hitherto imported wheat for bread making is now being exported to countries like China.

The railway system once moribund has been resuscitated and the Lagos-Kano line carries 14,000 passengers on a regular basis, with work ongoing on other lines. The policies of this administration are highly commendable as we have witnessed an increase in the number of passengers conveyed by rail which stood at 1,285,000 in 2009, to well over 4,000, 000 in 2013 Projections for 2014 was for over 5,000,000. This growth is expected to be surpassed in 2015 and beyond as the development of standard gauge under Public Private Partnership (PPP) is implemented over the next 5-7 years, covering a total distance of approximately 8,139 KM, in line with the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIMP)

22 politics INTERVIEW

Sunday, January 25, 2015

2015 Presidency: Votes Should Be Based On Record Of Achievement – Ebodaghe 21

document.

Accepted, we are not where we should be in electricity supply but we are not where we used to be, as a lot has been achieved.

Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was unbundled.

Ten new power plants for power generation and distribution were established. These include; Geregu 1 and 2 located in Kogi State and the gas plants in Gbarain, Bayelsa State.

A number of Dams are also in the Northern part of Nigeria, with a good example being the Zungeru Dam in Niger State.

For the first time in the history of Nigeria, power generation currently at about 4,000 MW is expected to exceeded 5000MW by the end of January 2015. However, recent vandalizing of power generating infrastructure may upset this target. It is expected that appropriate measures would be put in place to mitigate this wanton behavior. I therefore encourage Nigerians especially those in the affected regions to be more vigilant and support the efforts of this administration to achieve optimal power supply.

What is your assessment of the State of Infrastructure in the country?

At the inception of Jonathan’s government less than 15% of the federal roads were motor able.

Today the number has increased to more than 65%. It now takes three hours to travel from Lagos to Benin and the road is in the best shape it has ever been in the past 20 years. Passengers slept on that road before Goodluck came into power. The East/West road is about 70% complete and this road has been on the drawing board for the past 30 years. The second Niger Bridge that was commissioned last year is a reality. Last week, the President took a working tour of the project. Upon completion, the bridge will improve the East/ West access corridor for increased commerce, job creation as well as a boom to the local economy of the region.

The government is accused of handling corruption with kid gloves, giving credence to the fact that corruption is on the rise, what is your take on this?

Let’s look at the facts on ground: the transparency international (TI) 2014 report shows that Nigeria is making significant progress in its rating as it attained one of the best rating since 2003. Also the rating

by Global Financial Integrity (GFI) a Washington based research and Advisory organization on illicit funds transfer and corruption show that between 2003 and 2012, the average amount of illicit money transfers from Nigeria averaged $15.7b yearly, while between 2012 and 2014, it dropped to an average of $7.9b yearly. These were due to measures taken by this government which includes

government clearing up all legacy issues in the industry and the successful completion of some of the major pipelines to feed the gas plants, generation and distribution capacity is climbing steadily and is expected to hit 5000MW. With the start of construction of private power plants like the Azura plant in Benin and the expected private sector led service delivery in this sector, hundreds of thousands of jobs are expected to be created yearly.

What is your rating of Nigeria democracy and the press freedom?

Ebodaghe

; e-payments for all government financial transactions, cashless policy, electronic payment systems for all government workers salaries, eliminating ghost workers and diversion of funds, e-wallet for fertilizer distribution to farmers and the implementation of a single treasury account to track Federal government finances 24/7 etc.

Unemployment in Nigeria is worrisome. What is the way out?

The government has made certain policies and taken actions, which are geared towards massive job creation and expects rightly that in the coming years estimates of two million jobs will be created annually. The policies and measures taken include amongst others; Agricultural Transformation agenda where agric is now being transformed from rural activity into businesses with involvement of the private sector through the sustained program of exploiting the full value chain in all agricultural produce…

The Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) Rice growing harvesting for paddy rice to full processing in world class rice mills to international standards and marketing is now happening in Nigeria. From only one rice mill in the country two years ago to over 18 mills currently operational with associated rice farms. Last year, the President inaugurated the 105,000 metric tones Integrated Rice Mill in Nasarawa State. What does this mean? It is a commitment to reduce the dependency on food importation. It is also to encourage and boost local productive capacity. This initiative will largely impact the economy of the local communities through job creation efforts especially for youths and women. With large commercial farms, the area will equally attract funding for infrastructural development. Thousands of

people are engaged in this value chain alone and this has been repeated for cassava. Grains, with storage silos are being built across the country for strategic storage and reserve purposes. Backward integration policy for sugar is in place and being pursued vigorously.

Sugar plantation, processing and marketing will all be carried out within the country instead of imports. Industrialization, specific policies have been drawn up with clear actions that will lead to industrial awakening in the country. The gas monetization projects such as the over $26Billion gas revolution industrial city to be sited in Ogidingben in Delta state is expected to be launched soon where world class fertilized petrochemical, methanol and other gas based industrial plants are to be built are expected to create over a million direct and indirect jobs when fully operational.

It is important to note that learning from past mistakes, all these initiatives are designed by the government to be private sector driven, which means that 95% of the funding will come from the private sector. The new auto policy which has seen car and truck assembly plants being set up in the country in the last one year is expected to create millions of jobs simply because this is one industry that employs directly and indirectly very large amount of labour. Furthermore, production line attendants, car battery manufacturers, car accessories manufacturers, seat belt manufacturers, manufacturers of components of the vehicle/truck assembly plants like bolts and nuts, cables tires, rims etc, will witness an increase. All these are expected to run into hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Power generation transmission and distribution with the transparent conclusion of the sale of gencos, and discos, and

Under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan administration, APC was registered by INEC and APC is a Party strong enough to challenge PDP at all levels. This would not have happened but not for the liberal posture of president Goodluck. The judiciary has been given the freedom to pass judgments that went against the ruling Party without undue interference. Stifling of the press and suppression of the rights of the citizens to the citizens’ right to freedom of speech was a common practice during the years of the military and during the initial stages of the current democratic dispensation.

Nigerians are today free to air their views on all issues just like in any other truly free country in the world. Under President Jonathan’s administration, the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) was enacted and became law forthwith.

The Jonathan administration has announced reduction of the pump price of petrol from N97 per litre to N87 per litre.

Nigerians, and indeed the organized labour have said it is not enough judging from the devaluation of the Naira?

Well, the reality on ground is that government deserves commendation. Remember that we are still operating in regulated economy. Until we fully deregulate, let us do what is practicable. We must allow for a period of not less than three months to see price stability before further reducing the price,because you have to hold it steady for a reasonable period so as not to affect other aspects of the economy. It is also very instructive to understand that Nigeria operates in a global economy, so it is not cast in stone; it is dynamic and a function of the global economy.

Let me also add that this President has systematically and judiciously established more Almajiri schools in the North than any President in the history of this nation, because he understands the value of education in nation building. Under his watch, an additional 10 universities have been established in the North as opposed to about three or so in the South.

Nigerians are today free to air their views on all issues just like in any other truly free country in the world. Under President Jonathan’s administration, the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) was enacted and became law forthwith

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES LIMITED

c

(A SUBSIDIARY OF LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPERS GROUP)

2015 ANNUAL

CONFERENCE & AWARDS CEREMONY Chairman PRINCE JULIUS ADELUSI-ADELUYI Former Minister of Health and Chairman, Juli Pharmacy Plc.

Royal Father Of The Day HRH. ALHAJI (DR.) YAHAYA ABUBAKAR CFR Etsu Nupe

Keynote Speaker PROF. IBRAHIM GAMBARI

Former Nigerian Permanent Representative To The United Nations

Theme: “Reclaiming Nigeria: A Pathway” STAR AWARDS 2014 LEADERSHIP PERSON OF THE YEAR Chief Olusegun Obasanjo LEADERSHIP GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR Alh. Kashim Shettima

LEADERSHIP POLITICIAN OF THE YEAR Gov. Tanko Al-Makura LEADERSHIP BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Adewale Jubril Tinubu

AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2014

LEADERSHIP CEO OF THE YEAR Benedict Peters Founder, Aiteo Group LEADERSHIP COMPANY OF THE YEAR Stallion Group LEADERSHIP BANK OF THE YEAR Jaiz Bank LEADERSHIP BANKER OF THE YEAR Henry James Semenitari MD/CEO, Unity Bank LEADERSHIP GOVERNMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria SMEDAN

LEADERSHIP PRODUCT OF THE YEAR Innoson Vehicle LEADERSHIP MICROFINANCE BANK OF THE YEAR Fortis Microfinance Bank Plc. LEADERSHIP PUBLIC OFFICER OF THE YEAR Gimba Ya’u Kumo MD/CEO, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria LEADERSHIP BRAND OF THE YEAR Brains and Hammers LEADERSHIP ARTISTE OF THE YEAR Ali Nuhu LEADERSHIP YOUNG PERSONS OF THE YEAR The Chibok Girls LEADERSHIP SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR Asisat Oshoala

Venue: Sheraton Abuja Hotel Time: 9:00am Date: February 5th, 2015

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

ceoConfidential #148, January 25, 2015

TIMELESS TRUTHS

undeRstand What is behind eveRy employee complaint >26

>29 INITIATIVES

uRgent need fo foR puRpose-dRiven leadeRship in afRica >31 GETTING AHEAD

the customeR is al alWays Right, except When he is WRong >47 UPDATES

‘WesteRn W WoRld ‘vulneRable’ to epidemics, WaRns ebola expeRt

• Craig Reid

CEO, Auberge Resorts

Reid’s footpRints in the hospitality industRy

26 CEOConfidential

Sunday, January 25, 2015

in brief ESSENTIALS

10 Questions for...

FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Bright Osula CEO, Bright Minds, Benin City

Set realistic, achievable goals “Part of the issue of achievement is to be able to set realistic goals, but that’s one of the hardest things to do because you don’t always know exactly where you’re going, and you shouldn’t” George Lucas, 1944Academy Award-nominated American film director, producer and screenwriter, creator of the Star Wars saga and the Indiana Jones films.

There’s nothing more frustrating than failing to achieve a personal goal for reasons that are beyond your control. lt’s the same with business goals.

Always set goals that you can realistically achieve within a set time period and over which you have as much control as possible.

Making $1m in 12 months is not easily achievable: try making $1m in 5 years instead. How do you go about this? Where do you start? What goals can you set to guide you on the path to this larger aspiration?

Set small but achievable goals to boost confidence with small but meaningful wins.

Rise to the challenge “Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory” Mahatma Gandhi, 1869-1948 Political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement, whose birthday, 2nd October, is celebrated as a national holiday and the International Day of Non- Violence.

There will be challenging times in any business, but particularly in a start-up. It is imperative that you focus on the task you have set yourself. There will be times when competitors outflank you or when nature conspires to disrupt your business.

These challenges are mostly outside your immediate control.

Learn from disasters and work them to your advantage. Some people take the easy route back to their former lives if things go wrong. Have the courage to strive and persevere in order to succeed and create a different world for yourself.

IF YOU’LL BE...

Maryam Salami Creative director, Made Creations And Designs Limited

Don’t be afraid to try something new Adebola is a strong and willing woman who is never afraid to try something new. With the full knowledge of how unpredictable the Nigerian market is in terms of fashion, she welcomed every mistake which laid the foundation for her to be who she is today. She represents the Nigerian women who are strong; know what they want and always discovering themselves.

Never get intimidated. Fulfil your dreams Adebola is never intimidated by other competitors. She goes about doing what she knows best, learning, receiving and giving. According to her, she doesn’t see anyone as a competitor, rather she learns from them. To her, fashion is passion which she says goes beyond money. She says it’s a fulfilment of a lifetime.

– By Olujide Olusola

TIMELESS TRUTHS Understand what is behind every employee complaint “Behind every employee complaint is an idea or a belief for a value that a person is committed to. Otherwise, why would they be upset? A person who complains that his boss is a jerk might be committed to the idea of having a relationship with that boss that is based on respect and trust.”

Lisa Laskow Lahey, professor, Harvard University

group

ceoConfidential ASST. EDITOR Daniel Udechukwu REPORTERS: Olusola Olujide, Jennifer Ayomoh GRAPHICS Matthew Akhabue

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

A life-changing company with branches all over the world, aimed at training millions of youths in entrepreneurship and providing them with all they need to start their businesses for free.

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

Mike Bamiloye of Mount Zion Films. He has been a blessing to all who love Christian movies.

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

A party that would boost the economy of the country and put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.

4. Whom would you trade places with?

Barrack Obama, president of the United States of America and the first black president of the United States.

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

I would pray, commit the business trip to God’s hand and then rest for the night.

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

I’ll be in the future to see that my company’s branches are over the world.

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

I have learnt to be persistence, patient, truthful, prayerful, expectant and very friendly.

8. What have you sacrificed for success?

Time and good sleep.

9. What do you consider your favourite achievement?

The acknowledgement I receive from people when they say, “You have really blessed me. Thank God for your life.”

10. What is your motto?

I can do all things through God who gives me strength

Interview by Daniel Udechukwu

ACTING EDITOR Auwal Sa'id Mu'azu

FOUNDER Sam Nda-Isaiah 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, January 25, 2015

27

popular with CEOs Compiled by Jennifer Ayomoh

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 Something ventured

Cocoa plantation

Cocoa beans

Improving cocoa production in Nigeria Cocoa has been the main agricultural stake of Nigerian economy until early 1970’s when crude oil was discovered in the country in commercial quantity. However, cocoa has remained a major foreign exchange earner among agricultural commodity exports of the country as it is Nigeria’s second biggest foreign-exchange earner after crude oil, representing about 35% of earnings from non-oil exports.

Currently, Nigeria is the world’s 4th largest producer of cocoa, behind Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Indonesia.

Nigeria has the potential to produce over 300,000 tons of cocoa beans per year, but production only amounted to 145,000 tons in 1999.

Only about 20% of Nigeria’s cocoa output is processed

Awolowo

locally; the rest are exported as raw beans. Chocolate, a cocoa-centric product, is heavily imported into Nigeria from Europe and the United States. Thus, cocoa is grown in Nigeria and packaged and exported for processing into products that are imported.

Ownership of most of the cocoa processors is private, with no government or nationally owned firms. The processors come together under the umbrella of the Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria (COPAN). Three cocoa production factories were set up in south western Nigeria in the 1960s and 1970s and most subsequent factories were situated in the western states. Cocoa processors on their own have invested in increasing the technological know-how

Segun Awolowo, CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) “Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire have managed to leapfrog over Nigeria in quality and quantity of cocoa they produced.”

of factory workers through training and education programs.

Each processing factory employs about 200 people and provides up to 1,000 indirect jobs.The industry is targeting employment generation through the creation of at least 365,000 jobs by the end of 2015.

Challenges to the industry include high cost and inadequate supplies of cocoa beans to local factories, policy instability, access to funds, low capacity utilisation, high energy cost,and high cost of imported machinery spare parts that are not available in Nigeria.

If the above challenges can be overcome in the industry, it wil be a major revenue earner for the country.

Eduardo Tugendhat,

CEO, CARANA Corporation “Nigerian policy makers and industry players need to take advantage of new developments around the world to boost the capacity in cocoa industry.”

When we’re unemployed, we’re called lazy; when the whites are unemployed, it’s called a depression.

Jesse jackson

Black rights activist

Balanced budget requirements seem more likely to produce accounting ingenuity than genuinely balanced budgets.

THOMAS SOWELL,

Economist

I like work: it fascinates me. i can sit and look at it for hours.

Jerome K. Jerome,

Engagement

Mr Tola Mobolurin

At the event: ‘The Capital Market & The 2015 Federal Budget’, the chairman, NASD Plc will be among the speakers.

The first session of the event will be an overview of the 2015 budget and the capital market, while the capital market as a catalyst for a new Nigerian economy will be discussed in the second session.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2015, at The Muson Centre, Onikan, Victoria Island, Lagos.

taste Beluga Caviar

Beluga Caviar is the most expensive food item in the world, costing up to $5,000 per kilogram. Caviar is fish roe (eggs).

Beluga caviar is generally served on its own on small pieces of toast as it needs no additions of flavour to improve it.

FEEL Stax SR-009 Earspeakers

Able to handle frequency of 5-42,000 Hz, The Stax SR-009, is quite dominating over the “Beats by Dre”. The earspeakers, as the company likes to call them, require a further investment of $2,000 for the amplifier to power it and costs $5,250.

BIZ Lingo all of the resulting actions, when in reality each action should be weighed separately and with corresponding degrees of value.

Engagement is a fluff word in a world of increasingly improving measurement and evaluation tools.

hear

Novelist

Tugendhat

A common and discreditable practice among startups and marketers alike is using the buzz word “engagement” as a real measure of evaluation.

It dilutes the success of your efforts with a vague statement that generalizes

If you happen to be an entrepreneur looking forward to exploring the Venture Capitalists, avenue, this documentary is the right fit for you. Something Ventured is a documentary movie based on the perspective of the Venture Capitalists who were the first in the industry in Silicon Valley.

SMELL Clive Christian Without promotion, something terrible happens...Nothing!

P.T. Barnum,

Showman

Clive Christian is a famous name in the luxury perfume industry, and this particular scent was even believed to be the most expensive perfume in the planet from when it was launched in 2001, to 2006. It comes in two selections: Floral Oriental for women, and Woody oriental for men.

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CEOConfidential

Sunday, January 25, 2015

The ceoConfidential interview Reid’s footprints in the hospitality industry

The hospitality expert shares his insights in the evolving expectations and demands of hotel guests.

Interview by Samantha Shankman

REID IN SHORT Craig Reid is the CEO of Auberge Resorts, a high-end collection of owned and operated hotels located across the U.S. and internationally.

Each property is designed to reflect their unique outdoor surroundings, with an emphasis on personalized service and access to unique experience.

Reid joined the group in January 2014 following a more than 30-year career with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. His primary task is to expand the Auberge collection internationally through the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Africa.

Reid started his hotel career with a four-year apprenticeship that placed him in the hotel kitchen, at the front desk, handling reservations and accounting, setting up room service, and finally getting into management.

Shifts in guest expectation and demands over the years are…

The single biggest thing that we’ve seen postdownturn is people want a greater sense of, what I call, real identity. They want a sincere product and they’re moving away from routine or traditional products.

If you were to look at, for example, the top ten hotels that Travel + Leisure or Conde Nast writers historically comment on, it would be big brands. As of late, it’s hotels that are more intimate and bespoke, have a greater sense of personality, and resonate with the environment.

Some of my biggest challenges…

I spent a 30-year career with Four Seasons, which is a brilliant company that has a sensational job with service. Yet, there we were looking for ways to become more agile, more responsive to the guests. I was curious as to how that would translate with Auberge: We’re a smaller portfolio and our hotels are smaller.

By virtue of both, it’s easier for us to change the way we do things and/or adjust to the sensibilities of the

guests. Due to our scale, we’re closer to the guests.

The guest as an individual verses a room. The larger the hotel, the only way to truly track your guests is by the room number so they’re associated with a spot versus as an individual.

In a small hotel it’s very easy to develop an intimate relationship, to get to know your guests, and for us to have our employees react.

I think the single biggest thing that we’re trying to push within our organisation is to look for ways to become even more attuned to the guest, to make sure we’re not scripted in the way we do things, and to encourage creativity, reward agility, and allow properties to really connect with local communities and share that in a caring way with guests.

Our entire screening process is less about skill and more about culture and service affinities…

In our business, the fundamental to hiring has always been to identifying individuals who are truly caring and enjoy serving, who have a personality that quickly warms up to the guests. Certain people

Sunday, January 25, 2015

CEOConfidential

45

REID on TEchnology

Technology is often the medium by which guests are introduced to you or communicate with you either in the first interaction and/or as a way of reconnecting

have it innately and certain people don’t.

On that front, things have not changed. We would prefer to take someone with less experience and a personal gift than someone who is very experienced but at risk of being set in their ways. Having said that, we want people who are going to be able to empathise and respond to what the customers’ wants are.

Technology has a role on two levels…

One, technology is often the medium by which guests are introduced to you or communicate with you either in the first interaction and/or as a way of reconnecting.

So mobility and how we portray ourselves is fundamental. We are in a world now where association and affiliation are key. We look to manage our community, create a relationship, and communicate in a very social way with our customers. Technology gives us the platform to do that and keep a very intimate relationship with our guests in a way that’s comfortable and in a medium that they can relate to.

I see us providing and looking for ways to provide much more choice…

You typically go to a hotel, which has a line of soaps and a line of linens and one approach to food. I think the guest wants to be provided choice.

If you think about the hotel experience, guests go up to a wall where there’s a receptionist who looks at a screen, selects a room and gives you a piece of plastic.

It’s almost a secretive and

surreptitious in how it happens.

Compare that to where the airlines have gone, where customers control the screen, seat and menu in advance. I think that’s just become the norm. Customers go into a shoe store and select the material or assemble furniture by matching different bottoms and tops.

I think the hotel industry has to do the same thing and offer guests choices of pillows, sheets, and mattress strength, to allow the guest to be able to select the room type.

Some guests want baths, some want big showers.

Some guests want more furniture, some want less furniture. This is on the physical side.

On the service side, the guest is saying, “My flight from Europe arrives in early in the morning and I need availability then. I expect you to tailor the experience to me versus me having to conform to you.”

Customers are always first…

The single most important thing throughout the guest experience has always been about the interpersonal exchange, which will be defined by the quality, motivation, and inspiration of the employee. Our responsibility as a business, first and foremost, is selecting the best employees. Secondly, that we do the best job inspiring them. Lastly, providing them with the tools and know-how to really create magical moments for our guests. That will be the most defining point of experience, always.

Culled from: www.huffingtonpost.com

CEOConfidential

Sunday, January 25, 2015

initiatives

29

Lere Baale, lerebaale@gmail.com

Leadership Inspiration for Excellence – (LIFE) series

Urgent need for purpose-driven leadership in Africa (I) When you are surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment and common purpose, anything is possible.

– Howard Schultz During the last Christmas and New Year holidays, a number of my colleagues in diaspora complained and lamented on the state of affairs of things back home in Africa.

We argued extensively on who is responsible between our leaders and followers who elected the leaders. We agreed on the need for our people in diaspora to come back home to Africa, join public or private sector in order to help address our issues, salvage whatever is remaining and help transform our continent so that we can be respected wherever we choose to visit in the world. We

HOW I DID IT

recognised that Africa continent which is as big geographically as a combination of Europe, China, USA and India, and it is richly endowed with many resources: manpower, minerals, money, good weather, etc. We also agreed on the urgent need for a valuable purpose-driven leadership in both public and private sectors of Africa to harness these resources towards achieving clear goals that will benefit generations.

This column was born with the primary purpose of addressing Africa’s leadership challenges.

The problems of African Leaders are not genetic but rather due to lack of necessary tools, abilities, skills, right attitude, knowledge, right actions, poor results, failure to learn from failures and history, etc. This column

‘Most African leaders have no clear purpose for being in leadership roles than a desire to have raw power’ provides the column to discuss the issues and address the challenges to prevent future generations from making same leadership mistakes.

Most African leaders have no clear purpose for being in leadership roles than a desire to have raw power in order to amass wealth for their greedy selfish ends rather than do something concrete for the benefit of generations. Most African leaders suffer from lack of self confidence and internal validation.

Their minds are not yet fully developed so they pursue primarily accumulation of money rather than pursuit of a veritable legacy for the

benefit of generations.

They have very little knowledge about creating an enabling environment for generations. Many new business managers and leaders are also very task-focused and bottomline oriented. They often complain that their team is stuck and the organizations culture is not a healthy one. They share communication challenges and lack of accountability across the organization. Some are very quick to point the finger at another manager and fail to realize where the solution resides. But how can you hold yourself accountable if you have not taken the time to reflect on who you are

as a leader, why you choose to lead, and what matters to you right now?

My questions to emerging leaders are, “Do you have a leadership purpose or do you know your Why?” The purpose, drive, or values that inspires you to be a leader every day?

Purpose and values are vital to successful leadership. As a leader, you can’t delegate purpose and values to Human Resources or middle management. The top executive of every organization needs to focus and believe in the values and purpose of what the organisation is all about.

CONtiNues NeXt week

Zappos’ CEO on going to extremes for customers CONtiNued frOm last week

But we’re not trying to maximise picking efficiency. We’re are trying to maximise the customer experience, which in e-commerce involves getting orders out to customers as quickly as possible.

Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos

working at any hour, which would help us find people willing to take the overnight shift at our call center. And because so much of the city’s economy is focused on hospitality, Las Vegas has a customer service mentality-employees there are What we’re learning from Amazon used to thinking of people as guests.

In the debate about moving our Two days after the lunch at Chevys, we headquarters, we settled on Las Vegas. held a company meeting and announced We didn’t consult with our board or our that we were relocating to Las Vegas. investors- we just told them we were doing We would pay the moving cost for any it. (It may have helped that Nevada has employees who came along, and we’d no income tax; some of them probably help them find new homes. When the figured we were moving for tax reasons.) announcement was made, everyone in the Las Vegas wasn’t the cheapest option we conference room was in a state of shock. considered, but we thought it would make We told everyone to take a week before our current employees the happiest. It making a decision one way or the other. also made sense for other reasons. It’s an We had about 90 employees in San all-night city where employees are used to Francisco at that time, and I guessed that

maybe half of them would decide to uproot and move the company. A week later I was pleasantly surprised that 70 were willing to give Vegas a shot. In their minds it was all about being adventurous and openminded. The move cost about $500,000 altogether, which was a significant amount of money for us at the time. It also cost us some good people: Our star software developer loved San Francisco and decided not to leave. Some of those who did move were taking a real leap of faith. One employee had been with Zappos only 10 days (and married for only 15) when we announced we were moving. He came with us-and, luckily for him, so did his wife.

CONtiNues NeXt week

30 CEOConfidential

Sunday, January 25, 2015

situation reports Compiled by Olujide Olusola

Brand Beginnings Boeing: If its not boeing, I am not going

The Boeing Co. is an aerospace company that

manufactures commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. Its products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication systems, and performancebased logistics and training. The company is organized into two business units: Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The Commercial Airplanes segment develops, produces and markets commercial jet aircraft and provides related support services, principally to the commercial airline industry worldwide.

Unethical conduct In May 2003, the U.S. Air Force announced it would lease 100 KC-767 tankers to replace the oldest 136 of its KC-135s. In November 2003, responding to critics who argued that the lease was more expensive than an outright purchase, the DoD announced a revised lease of 20 aircraft and purchase of 80. In December 2003, the Pentagon announced the project was to be frozen while an investigation of allegations of corruption by one of its former procurement staffers, Darleen Druyun (who began employment at Boeing in January) was begun. The fallout of this resulted in the resignation of Boeing CEO Philip M. Condit and the termination of CFO Michael M. Sears. Harry Stonecipher, former McDonnell Douglas CEO and Boeing COO, replaced Condit on an interim basis. Druyun pleaded guilty to inflating the price of the contract to favor her future employer and to passing information on the competing Airbus A330 MRTT bid. In October 2004, she received a jail sentence for corruption.

In March 2005, the Boeing board forced President and CEO Harry Stonecipher to resign. Boeing said an internal investigation revealed a “consensual”

Management IDEAS

relationship between Stonecipher and a female executive that was “inconsistent with Boeing’s Code of Conduct” and “would impair his ability to lead the company”. James A. Bell served as interim CEO (in addition to his normal duties as Boeing’s CFO) until the appointment of Jim McNerney as the new Chairman, President, and CEO on June 30, 2005.

Industrial espionage In June 2003, Lockheed Martin sued Boeing, alleging that the company had resorted to industrial espionage in 1998 to win the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) competition.

Lockheed Martin claimed that the former employee Kenneth Branch, who went to work for McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, passed nearly 30,000 pages of proprietary documents to his new mployers.

In July 2003, Boeing was penalised, with the Pentagon stripping seven launches away from the company and awarding them to Lockheed Martin.

Furthermore, the company was forbidden to bid for rocket contracts for a twenty-month period, which expired in March 2005. In early September 2005, it was reported that Boeing was negotiating a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in which it would pay up to $500 million to cover this and the Darleen Druyun scandal.

Boeing Defense, Space & Security Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) is one of the largest, most experienced companies in the markets it serves around the world. It provides best-of-industry solutions for the design, production, modification and support of military fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft, weapons, and satellite systems, among others. It helps customers address a host of requirements through a broad portfolio that includes the 702 family of satellites; AH-64 Apache helicopter; cyber security; EA-18G electronic attack aircraft; KC-46 aerial refueling aircraft, which is based on the Boeing 767 commercial airplane; the P-8 anti-submarine/anti-surface warfare aircraft, which is based on the 737 commercial jet; and the Phantom Eye unmanned aircraft system that is fueled by liquid hydrogen.

Boeing Capital Corporation Boeing Capital Corporation is a global provider of financing solutions. Working closely with Commercial Airplanes and Defense, Space & Security, Boeing Capital Corporation ensures Boeing customers have the financing needed to buy and take delivery of their Boeing products. With a year- end 2013 portfolio value at approximately $3.9 billion, Boeing Capital Corporation combines Boeing’s financial strength and global reach, detailed knowledge of Boeing customers and equipment and the expertise of a seasoned group of financial professionals.

Project management

There are more lawyers, accountants and business school graduates in top management these days and fewer engineers. The engineer as business manager is in eclipse, along with the shrinking weight of manufacturing in developed economies.

Yet there is much that managers can do and learn from the down-and-dirty business of project management, in planning complex projects and forcing them through to conclusion.

A project is very different to a process. A process carries out the same function again and again to yield a product or a service. A project is one –off

undertaking, with clear beginning and end, usually aimed at creating some useful change or adding value – typically to build a new plant or create a new product. The skills needed to complete a project successfully are not those required to manage a process, and so project management has evolved as a discipline of its own.

Projects bring together resources such as people, money and material and these must be organised and managed to produce a defined result. The hard part is to bring the project to completion within a specified time, at no more than a specified cost.

leadership traits

Richard Branson on learning to delegate I recently came across a letter I wrote in 1986 to a man named Jack Clayden, thanking him for all he did for me and Virgin over the years. “It is not an exaggeration to say that we would never have got off the ground without you,” I wrote.

“Your understanding since then very much kept us going, and I’ll always be enormously grateful to you. I always saw you in the early days as the kind of second father Richard Branson in my business life and then as a friend -- not only to me but to sub-Saharan Africa; Stephen my whole family.” van Coller, the chief executive Who was Jack? Our first of corporate and investment accountant. People often ask banking at Absa Bank; and Given me for my secret to success: the Mkhari, the CEO of MSG Afrika answer is Jack and people like Holdings. During our discussion him, because they had skills that of delegation, I pointed to them I did not. In some areas they as good examples of leaders who knew better than I did how to knew how to let go in order to make my vision a reality. grow.

If you really want to grow as Afterward I walked around the an entrepreneur, you’ve got market that had been set up to to learn to delegate. When my showcase the entrepreneurs’ friends and I started up Virgin, startups and browsed the I knew that I was lacking vital brilliant products on display. knowledge on some subjects, I was impressed with how and so I started learning this passionate and knowledgeable skill very early on in my career. the entrepreneurs were about I was never any good with their offerings. They were numbers. Rather than act as superb at conveying a company’s our business’s accountant purpose and excitement (after and do the job badly, I found all, they started it!). At that Jack, who shared my vision stage, what they really needed for the business and wanted was to find people they could to get involved, but who also trust to put their plans into understood the difference action. between net and gross!

When you are ready to make I had that letter in mind a your first hires, look for people few weeks ago, during an who understand your passion, enjoyable and inspiring want to add to your ideas and visit to the Branson Centre can envision ways to make of Entrepreneurship in improvements. Keep in mind Johannesburg where I shared that you do not want yes-men some of my experiences with or clones: you want people on a great group of promising board who have strong views entrepreneurs. During a panel on how to scale up the business discussion, I heard some over the long term, along with excellent pitches from five the skills and presence of mind Branson Centre entrepreneurs: to push the company forward in James Coetzee, Bonga Bangani, the short term and the ability to Reamo Tshabalala, Khomoto manage crucial day-to-day tasks.

Mopai and Lesego Mathaba.

Delegating to these people will They had good ideas for free you to plan for the future businesses, but they were and find new ways to develop all facing a similar problem: your company -- but delegating figuring out how to juggle their is not an easy skill to master. commitments and still have time Five decades after Virgin’s to think about the big picture. launch, I’m still learning. In fact, This is common quandary for when I get really enthusiastic business founders, since the about one of our new products early days are all about survival. or companies, our Virgin CEOs After launch, so much of your probably wish I was a little less energy goes to to keeping the hands-on sometimes! business afloat as you resolve The key is to find the right the unexpected issues connected balance. While you absolutely to developing your product or must delegate, if you become service. But you must be able to too disconnected from your move on from that role, or the business, it can quickly spiral in business will not grow and thrive a direction you never wanted. in the long run.

But if you hire incredible people My fellow panelists were Yossi to lead your companies, your Hasson, the owner and founder departments and your teams, of SYNAQ, the largest provider you can have the best of both of cloud email services in worlds.

CEOConfidential

Sunday, January 25, 2015

getting ahead

31

Secrets They Won’t Teach You At Business School Richard Branson, one of world’s most-respected entrepreneurs

The customer is always right DiFFeRenTiATe oR Die

...except when he is wrong What to do when an angry customer calls and asks, unreasonably, that your company redo their costly order? If you are an entrepreneur launching your first venture, you might be tempted to fall back on the common misconception that ‘the customer is always right’ and make a decision that will pull funds from your hard-earned war chest.

But in my experience, going along with the crowd is rarely a good choice.

The expression about customers’ infallibility was coined in the early 1900s by Henry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of the eponymous London department store. It has endured because it sounds wonderful to marketers, but most established companies have learned from experience that it is way too allencompassing to apply in everyday business.

In truth, the customer is only right most of the time - after all, they’ re only human.

I once wrote, ‘since your employees are your brand ambassadors, their needs should come before your customers’.

That doesn’t mean that your customers’ opinions aren’t important, but simply that you should not build your customer service system on the premise that your organisation will never question the whims of your clients.

No matter how well you run your company, there are always going to be a few chronically unhappy customers who cost more to maintain than to lose. One of my heroes in the aviation business is Herb Kelleher, the legendary founder of Southwest Airlines. There are many wonderful stories about Herb but I have always loved the one about the woman who

Business icons

was one of the low-cost carrier’s most frequent fliers - even though she constantly complained about the service. The more she flew, the more she complained, until, finally, Southwest’s head of customer relations sent one of the woman’s outpourings to Herb, with a despairing note that read, ‘This one’s for you’.

Herb’s response to the customer was brief: ‘Dear Mrs X, We will miss you.

Love, Herb’.

No one is sure whether she ever flew with Southwest again, but she never sent them another nasty letter. What’s more, the customer service staff probably heard this story within hours and you can only imagine what a boost it was to their morale.

The irony is that many entrepreneurs think that they are upping their company’s level of customer service by pursuing a ‘the customer is always right’ approach, when in fact they end up doing quite the opposite, damaging relationships between customers and staff. If you take away your employees’ ability to negotiate on your company’s behalf, some will end up at your customers’ beck and call- even when they know of a better way to resolve a dispute.

This is an especially important issue for entrepreneurs introducing an innovative product or service to a market.

Since creativity and game-changing innovation are two of Virgin’s most important brand values, we are aware of the risks involved. One is that no matter how dissatisfied some people may be with the product or service they are using, change is anathema to them. If you are introducing something that’s radically different, it’s important

not to confuse these reflexively negative reactions to change with real rejection.

Try to prepare your customer service staff for what’s coming by looking at your product-offering from the customer’s perspective. Keep in mind that consumer expectations are severely limited by the scope of their past experiences - most customers cannot tell you exactly what they want. When we started Virgin Atlantic Airways, no potential customers ever said that they’d like to see a new airline offering video screens at every seat or on-board massages. Why? Simply because no other airline had ever provided such things! Will your customers have trouble recognising the upside of the unfamiliar product or service you are offering? What problems can you anticipate?

When clients start contacting your customer service team, use their feedback and your team’s insights to understand why some people are having trouble adapting to the change.

Look for creative responses and solutions, which may involve anything from an informative marketing campaign to additional technical assistance.

The key to providing great customer service is for your management team to recognise the true worth of your frontline staff, the most talented of whom are expert negotiators with deep understanding of interpersonal relationships. Make sure that they have the tools they need to exercise those skills that they all have the information they need and they can work with real autonomy to find fair resolutions to the issues that come up. (No scripts!)

High-tech ingredients The more complex a product, the more you need a magic ingredient to differentiate it from its competitors.

Silicon Graphics pioneered threedimensional or visual computing workstations. These were amazing but very complex machines.

It was discovered that what made all those visuals work was a unique piece of technology called a geometry engine. We convinced them to take this design element and make it front and centre in their marketing programs. It’s what made their visual computing work-stations not only better but different.

AccuRay is an Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) company that makes quality control systems for the paper industry. Their new system enabled a company to monitor the full sheet of paper as it was being produced. Any imperfections were instantly spotted, which enabled the technicians to quickly make corrections, thus dramatically reducing waste. The benefit of maximum visibility was obvious, but we wanted to know how this all worked. We discovered they had a magic ingredient, which we called a “patented prism technology.”

Did anyone understand what it was? Nope. Did it matter? Nope.

It just sounded very impressive.

It’s what made their quality control system not only better but different.

Leadership lessons continued from last week

Phil Knight Chairman, Nike, Inc.

Knight liked to shuffle the employees and executives around. That habit created what Nike called its “matrix.” In this type of management model, people answer to more than one boss. For example, a basketballshoe marketer reports not just to the head of basketball but also to the heads of U.S. marketing and overall footwear-and, more informally, to anyone else who wants to add their opinion. Because Knight moved executives around, some- one who was a boss one day could find himself a subordinate to his former charges the next.

Rotating titles meant there might be half a dozen people in the company who had

served in anyone position, giving them license to critique the performance of the newcomer. In this situation, employees learn quickly that the only way to get things done is to come up with good ideas and build alliances.

This management style didn’t mean that Knight would not make decisions without consulting others. Quite the contrary. It was characteristic of him to make big decisions without holding a vote.

In the wrong hands this management style could easily lead to chaos. Twentyfive thousand employees moving jobs, not knowing whether they will be the boss or

the subordinate, answering to multiple managers, and not knowing what the boss will do next seems a sure recipe for disaster.

But it wasn’t at Nike, and that is largely because Knight inspired the employees to strive for something higher-to satisfy not just themselves but fans, coaches, and teammates.

Inspire Companies that evolve quickly-sometimes too quickly-from start-up to mega corporation face the challenge of keeping the entrepreneurial spirit alive within the organisation. continues next week

32 CEOConfidential

housekeeping

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

5 CEOs that social media users can’t stop talking about

Tim Cook

CEO, Apple

On Sunday, June 15, The New York Times ran a profile of Cook that included details about Apple’s highly anticipated iWatch. Following the article’s publication that day, the CEO received his greatest social media buzz of the week.

Over the next few days, Cook’s social mentions petered out, even despite news later in the week that production of the smartwatch will likely begin in July. He is an American business executive, and is the CEO of Apple Inc. Cook joined Apple in March 1998 as Senior Vice President (SVP) of Worldwide Operations—he also served as Executive Vice President (EVP) of Worldwide Sales and Operations—and was Chief Operating Officer (COO) until he was named the CEO of Apple on August 24, 2011, when he succeeded Steve Jobs. (Cook had previously served as acting CEO of Apple after Jobs began medical leave in January 2011.) In early 2012, he was awarded compensation of one million shares, vesting in 2016 and 2021, by Apple’s Board of Directors. Cook also serves on the board of directors of Nike, Inc. and the National Football Foundation. In 2014, Cook became the first CEO of a Fortune 500 company to publicly identify as gay.

Mark Zuckerberg CEO, Facebook

Elon Musk CEO, Tesla Motors

Of all the CEOs on this list, Musk had the greatest number of mentions in a single day--he was mentioned a total of 11,021 times on Wednesday, June 18 2014, after an announcement that energy company SolarCity (of which he is the chairman and largest shareholder) is buying solar panel maker Silveo. He is a South Africa-born, CanadianAmerican engineer, entrepreneur, and inventor. He is the CEO and CTO of SpaceX, CEO and chief product architect of Tesla Motors, and chairman of SolarCity. He is the founder of SpaceX and a cofounder of PayPal, Tesla Motors, and Zip2. He has also envisioned a conceptual high-speed transportation system known as the Hyperloop.

Some times last year, Facebook experienced a crash in several parts of the world. People on social media turned their focus on Zuckerberg, resulting in a massive spike in his mentions. Although the exact amount of time the social media network was down is unknown, service was returned within an hour. is an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur. He is best known as one of five co-founders of the social networking website Facebook. As of April 2013, Zuckerberg is the chairman and chief executive of Facebook, Inc.[and his personal wealth, as of July 2014, is estimated to be $33.1 billion. Mark Zuckerberg receives a one-dollar salary as CEO of Facebook.

Together with his college roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, Zuckerberg launched Facebook from Harvard’s dormitory rooms. The group then introduced Facebook onto other campuses nationwide and moved to Palo Alto, California shortly afterwards. In 2007, at the age of 23, Zuckerberg became a billionaire as a result of Facebook’s success. The number of Facebook users worldwide reached a total of one billion in 2012.

Zuckerberg was involved in various legal disputes that were initiated by others in the group, who claimed a share of the company based upon their involvement during the development phase of Facebook.

Marissa Mayer CEO, Yahoo The CEO of Yahoo took some heat on social media after her June 17 presentation at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Mayer’s presentation was attacked online for resembling a “sales pitch.” She was also insulted for her lack of stage presence and her use of “awkward props”. She is the current president and CEO of Yahoo!, a position she has held since July 2012. Previously, she was a long-time executive and key spokesperson for Google. Mayer was ranked eighth on the list of America’s most powerful businesswomen of 2013 by Fortune magazine as well as 16th most powerful business woman in the world in 2014 according to the same publication.

Jeff Bezos

CEO, Amazon

The unveiling of the much-anticipated Amazon Fire phone on Wednesday resulted in a boost in social media mentions for the Amazon CEO. He is an American business magnate and investor. He is a technology entrepreneur who has played a key role in the growth of e-commerce as the founder and CEO of Amazon.com, an online merchant of books and later of a wide variety of products.

Under his guidance, Amazon. com became the largest retailer on the World Wide Web and a top model for Internet sales. In 2013, Bezos purchased The Washington Post newspaper.

As of October 2014, Bezos’s personal wealth is estimated to be US$27.6 billion, ranking him number 21 on the Forbes list of billionaires.

politics interview 33

Sunday, January 25, 2015

South West Is Marginalised – Akande 17

Honourable Mulikat Akande-Adeola is the majority leader in the House of Representatives. But for the politics in the lower chamber, she should have emerged Speaker of the House as the position was zoned to the South west by the PDP. In this interview with newsmen, she spoke of her contributions to lawmaking in the green chamber. ADEBAYO WAHEED was there for Leadership Sunday You’re a second term member of the House of Representatives; why are you seeking a third term in the House?

Whatever happens, if states are going to be created, at least Oyo State will not be left out in the scheme of things

I think the reasons are not farfetched because the issue of ranking is very important in the House of Representatives, and right now the people of Ogbomoso do not have people at the top except for me, and if, assuming somebody else goes to represent them he or she will have to start from the scratch, that is from the bottom of the ladder. I have been in the House since 2003, in fact, some of my colleagues will even say they didn’t know me at that time and this is because when you come just come to the House, you cannot hold any important position in the House, therefore, there is nothing really you can do for your people. But as a second timer, you know that I was supposed to be the speaker, but I’m sure it wasn’t the time for me then. Going there now as a third timer, I don’t think there will be any reason for anyone to say I cannot hold any post or she will not be a ranking member anymore. So it is very important and my people feel that they need to be part of government to be able to get whatever they want from government and if they have a daughter up there, why remove her and bring somebody new. So, that is one of the key reasons why I am going back for the third time.

And also, projects that I have attracted to this community, some of them I have not completed yet and you know the status of the budget this year. Last year, it was just 45 per cent realised;so these projects will be at a standstill because when a member does a project, a new member will not be willing to complete your own projects and they become abandoned.

And there areother things that my people are looking forward to and apart from even Ogbomoso, talk of the South West, you can see that in this present administration, the South West did not really get much and we hope to really get back to our place in governance in this country and I am sure between me and my other colleagues, we are very hopeful that the PDP will have a larger number from the South West this time around so we can be able to get our rightful place.

Could you give us examples of the ongoing projects that you wish to complete and those things you said your people are looking forward to?

State creation is uppermost in my people’s minds. My people really wish that Ogbomoso will be able to become a state capital and if the government, I know in the parliament, nothing about state creation came in during

the constitution amendment but at the National Conference, which we are yet to get the report, are very much in support of that. Whatever happens, if states are going to be created, at least Oyo State will not be left out in the scheme of things. Also, the Ogbomoso / Oyo axis of Ilorin express road is also something that we need the government to complete because it is causing a lot problems and havoc to our people and movement from Lagos to Ilorin is not as smooth as is supposed to be because of this road and that road needs to be completed and they all feel that with me there, the road should be completed even though the road was started in 2001 and you know, they have been going back and forth on it because the amount of money required to complete the road is huge. Within Ogbomoso itself, we have a lot of projects such as erosion control because we have a lot of erosion problem here; we have been able to get the government to start working on it. All of these projects may be left uncompleted, if an old legislator from the axis does not return. Definitely, those who are vying against me are not from the PDP, they are from other parties, which these projects may not be of interest to. And you know the way Nigerians behave, instead of working on continuity, they want to start work on something different and that does not allow for progress, as far as I am concerned. We also need a federal institution in my constituency which I have promised my people they will get in the next dispensation.

As a member of the legislature, you do not have executive powers to execute projects, which is one of the reasons it is important that you become a principal officer of theHouse. What do you think your chances are this time around, to be the Speaker of the House if elected?

Akande-Adeola So to what extent will you say that incident has affected the fortunes of the South West?

It has affected it a lot because all the positions or appointments that were supposed to come to the south west, of course, majority of them were not achievable because there was nobody at the top within the first six hierarchy in country to fight for the South West.

Usually, the way it is done is for these positions to be shared according to geo-political zones, but we didn’t get anything. The North-West took two slots and so the positions were going to the northwest. If you look at positions in the country and how they have they are filled, you will see that the south west really did not get what they were supposed to get and these positions could have spread to anybody in the south west as long as it is being held by somebody from the south west, then it will benefit the people of this zone. So, it is very key that in the next dispensation, we get our rightful position and whatever the position is allocated to the south west must be filled by a south western.

If at federal level the PDP wins and you also win, there will be an opening for the Speakership of the House.

Is this something you are working towards?

First of all, I am working now on my winning the elections. The issue of I believe in only what God says it’s becoming speaker, I leave that to God. possible. If God had wanted me to be So, are you sure of your chances of a speaker at that time, I don’t think winning this election? there was anything anyone could have Sure, I am very confident of winning done to stop it. So, we can only hope for the best and wait for the best. And this election with the support of God I am sure you know that why I did and the support of my people, except not become speaker then was partly if hard work is not being rewarded. But because my fellow legislators from if my people are going to reward hard the South West, who were in another work, then I don’t have a problem. party did not support me and that a You speak so much about your lot of people were not happy about it. conviction in your people and your If south west has to get anything at relationship with them. Why should all, I think we should all work together, they give another term? What exactly irrespective of the parties because they have you done for them? too will have something to benefit, I am sure I have touched the lives whether they are from the ruling party of my people in so many ways. I am or not, the fact that you have someone not representing any other place from the south west in that position, and myself or any other person, I things can be achieved from the zone. am basically there to represent them.

People in the community can testify to that, I can testify to that. For instance, I have a Foundation, it is basically in line with poverty alleviation, scholarship programme and lots more. We also have associations too where we put our money into for the people to be happy and be fine. I don’t believe in giving people money because I want you to vote for me, I believe in doing things that will make the people happy and this will make them vote for you willingly, and not by monetary inducement to vote.

In this regard, I have done a lot like giving the community boreholes, schools, and getting involved in erosion control projects which we are focusing on and this project is worth N67million and the work is on going. I believe in projects that will impact the society, not giving money. People who are against politicians and other big people out there are people who have asked of money or materials things from this people and they were not given, and because of this they decide in their heart and mind of others that the person is a bad person, and through that will not allow people to vote for him/her. Or maybe you might have been giving them, and they are always coming and I say to them that I can’t give them anymore and they take you as an enemy. People will tell you that I have done a lot for the community.

What are your personal principles in the political world?

My personal principle in politics is to put smiles in the eyes of my people, that is my main ambition, and also ensuring the standard of people is improved that is the bottom line.

That was why I set up my Foundation which we started with N30 million, and our work or ambition is to help the less privileged, give scholarship to children, give employments to people who don’t have jobs, and by God’s grace, I have given 120 federal jobs to people in my constituency.

And we are working on more job opportunities for them. We work with the motherless homes, blind and host of the others. We touch every aspect in the community.

34 politics interview

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Jonathan, Buhari Are Not The Best Nigerians Deserve – Ajulo

In this interview with ABIODUN OLUWAROTIMI, Barrister Kayode Ajulo, the National Secretary of the Labour Party says the President Goodluck Jonathan and General Mohamad Buhari are not the best the Nigerians deserve. He also speaks on other important national issues.

It is rumoured that Labour Party didn’t present a presidential candidate because of a mutual agreement to work with President Goodluck Jonathan?

That is a blatant lie because our party hasn’t identified with any of the presidential candidates on ground. Let me put it this way, after our election as the national excos of the party in October, 2014, our first interaction with the press was that Labour Party would have to go back to what it is known for. We are socialists, we are realists, and having no presidential candidate really spells out the strategy of a nation. This is a nation of over 170 million people and it is expected that at least 10 per cent of such nation should have leadership quality in them.

I am not saying that we didn’t have that quality. As a party, we did our assessment and our initial plan was to have a presidential candidate, not just anyone but

a candidate that can win the election, and since we cannot have a candidate that will eventually be a president-elect, then why should we have a presidential candidate?

How can someone say we are being asked by the PDP not to present a presidential candidate when it is even clear that the Labour Party happens to be the only political party with ideology in Nigeria. This is an ideology that has been there for over 100 years.

We set out our guidelines and with these guidelines, all those that approached us to be nominated as presidential candidate were found wanting, I have to be sincere. There is nothing to write about them and that was why we didn’t field any candidate for the post. If we must do so, it has to be a candidate that can win the election. Nigerians know who their leader is and when he comes out, they recognize him.

So I want to state that it was the

tragedy of our system that made it impossible for us to have a presidential candidate and that is so unfortunate. We know that both Buhari and Jonathan are not the best but we had to forget about fielding a candidate as a way to show that the Labour Party knows how to do things right.

So how does your party intend to become relevant in the forthcoming general elections since it didn’t present any candidate for the presidency?

What we have done is to ensure that we address issues during the elections. Our campaigns and other things that we do will be issue-driven, and that is what it is. And that is why you see today that Labour Party will never abuse anybody we don’t believe in harassing people. For you to win elections, you have to carry the people along, and we are the

to the PDP?

Ajulo

party that believes in the fact that power belongs to the people. All we need do to make our party to be relevant is to move very close to the people, ask to know their aspirations and yearning. That aspiration is what the Labour Party will pursue once we identify it. People’s interest is what our party will pursue and once we can do that, then you have people by your side even without being bribed or harassed. That is why we have gathered huge fortunes between the last October and now.

It is believed that your party has lost its popularity and winning chances in Ondo state as a result of Governor Mimiko’s defection

I don’t want to believe that and we have to face facts here. It is true the governor left the party. it is true that his exit has created a vacuum in the party but what matters most is the ability to forge ahead.

The challenge that the party faces now doesn’t matter at all. Mimiko left about three months ago and within the period, we have been able to come together. Despite his exit, we have been able to present credible candidates for the elections. It was actually expected that his defection would bring a final death to the Labour Party but we have been able to dismiss that believe by harmonizing our home, by standing firm, and by making the electorates know what our party stand for. His exit cannot in any way diminish the big stature of our party. The flag of the party is still flying and people are still joining us, and that means the party is not dead. I still tell the governor anywhere I see him that he is only on a sabbatical leave and he will still return back to the Labour Party when the leave expires.

Elections Must Hold In Borno, Adamawa, Yobe – Bello Hon Ibrahim Bello representing Igabi federal constituency of Kaduna state insists that Nigerians in the insurgency wracked north-east state must be accommodated and allowed to vote in the February general elections. In this interview with RUTH CHOJI, he also speaks on topical legislative matters Do you think elections should be held in the effected states?

It is the government that has refused to end this insurgency.

We have the best military in Africa and they have won several awards in peace keeping in other clime, yet they run away from a rag tag army of insurgency, does that make any sense

Of course. You cannot deny them their right. It is the government that has refused to end this insurgency.

We have the best military in Africa and they have won several awards in peace keeping in other clime, yet they run away from a rag tag army of insurgency, does that make any sense? The people affected by insurgency must be allowed to make their choice on whether they want this government to continue or no.

Do you think the state of emergency should have been extended?

I cannot speak for the house but personally I want to ask, since government declared this state of emergency and has been pumping billions of naira into security, what has changed? Has the killing and attacks stopped? Have those states affected by the insurgency had peace?

Do you think the elections will be violence-free judging from what we have on ground now?

I am really afraid because of

the tense atmosphere. Look at the few elections we have had in some states, the way they deploy soldiers to these states and then imagine what they are likely to do in 2015. I am also afraid because of the two monsters we have on ground, unemployment and poverty. These are the major source of our problems in Nigeria and it is like, this government has not done anything about it. Look at the news we see and read in the media every day, death here and there. People have stopped being afraid of bomb blast and other attacks because it has become an everyday affair. The government doesn’t even care. You think the elections will be violence free? I am not sure. Nigerians are already disenfranchised, let’s just pray that it will be peaceful.

Many federal lawmakers lost their party ticket at the primaries, what does this portend for our nascent democracy?

It is not good at all because it is effecting the growth and development of our democracy.

It always takes us four years backward when legislators are not

returned after the first session. If any constituency replaces an active member, it means they have taken themselves four years backward.

The worst are those that will remove educated legislators and bring in a secondary school holder or semi illiterate because he has more money to secure the ticket, without considering the effects the change will have on their constituency and Nigeria as a whole.

Most people expected the primaries election to be a walk over for you, what happened?

Well I thank God It was done. It started at dawn and we were four aspirant and it was transparent. The winner got one hundred and thirty two votes, I came second with a hundred and nineteen votes, others got twenty seven and the other less.

Before the primaries, when we went to summit our forms, there was a petition to the leadership that one of us had fake documents, in which he lied that he schooled in Barewa College Kaduna and that he was from Igabi. As a lawyer, I didn’t react because I know you cannot accused anybody without prove.

We all know that our way of live in the north makes it mandatory to mingle with each other. So if he had schooled in Barewa like he claims, then he should be able to produce at least five or ten people that were his mates in class or school, because if you asked me to bring twenty of my

Bello

classmate, I can do it. We all know ourselves because of our rural life style Some are of the opinion that the House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal should resign since he has defected to the opposition. What is your take on this?

There is no place in the constitution where a particular speaker must be from a particular party, the law is silent there, beside the constitution is subject to amendment. But since the law has not been amended, it remains the same. The law states that the three hundred and sixty members after inauguration must elect two people out of themselves, a speaker and his deputy, then the remaining eight should come within the political intrigues of the house. No law states that only the majority be elected as speaker. I stand to be corrected, it is just that politics is a game of the majority. If the law had state that

35

Sunday, January 25, 2015

for the record

Christians, Beware Of Dogs! ➔ CONTINUED from yesterday

By Sharon Faliya Cham

In the run up to the year 2007 general elections, as early as May 2006 he threatened to sack any member of his cabinet who didn’t support his 2007 political ambition so much that a group called The Bayelsa Patriotic Front (BAPAF) berated him for this threat on page 4 of the THIS DAY newspaper of Saturday, May 27, 2006. The Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Philip Opongote, was quoted saying that ‘’given the circumstance in which Gov Jonathan became the substantive governor of the state, he ought to show greater concern for the ethos of democracy by allowing freedom of association, and above all, think of how to improve the lives of the impoverished Bayelsa people.’’ Mr. Opongote further expressed worry that ‘’the early focus the governor has devoted to the political contest, whose nature is still fluidy (sic) and about a year ahead, will serve as great distraction to the business of governance....’’

There you have precedence to how and why President Jonathan often sacks ministers who are either loyal to state governors he doesn’t like or they don’t seem to be keen on his political desires. This is the attribute of very selfish persons, and all through President Jonathan’s six years as President, he has amply demonstrated that all that matters to him is his morbid political interest even if the entire nation was going to sink as Nigerians and the entire world have noticed in his brazen intolerance and subversion of institutions of state like the following: • shutting down airports against his political opponents, • grounding their aircrafts from flying, • locking up courts and having thugs beat up judges in the presence of policemen, • locking up State Assemblies with the aid of policemen for 7 airheaded ‘’lawmakers’’ to impeach a Speaker in a parliament of 26 members, • commissioning 5 airhead ‘’lawmakers’’ in another state parliament of 32 members to destabilise the state against the governor, • destabilising and disuniting the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) by immorally and unethically recognising the loser of the election of the group’s chairman as the chairman, • ordering policemen to block a governor from accessing his official residence, • ordering a mere police DPO to disrupt a meeting of governors not favourably disposed to him, • stationing heavily armed soldiers on a major highway to stop some governors from accessing another state by road so that the election in that state could be successfully rigged against the opposition,

• ordering policemen to seal up the offices of a breakaway faction of his party, • marking for demolition the properties of politicians not favourably disposed to his selfish and worthless political career, • sealing up of newspaper houses for nothing, • withdrawing the security cover of the Speaker of the House of Representatives simply because he chose to defect from their vain and inglorious party even when a fortnight before the Speaker defected, a governor and his state’s parliament speaker defected from another party to the PDP and no security cover was withdrawn from them, • and the sealing up of the National Assembly to prevent the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives and other lawmakers from accessing it to perform their legitimate business, and the tear gassing of the same people for daring to break the illegal cordon.

In the history of Nigeria, no ruler has been this corrupt, brutal, indecent, intolerant, selfish, divisive and contemptuous of law and order like this President has proven to be, and all of that by a President seeking reelection? Which means if he isn’t seeking reelection he will do worst things against his opponents and against the Nigerian state.

And the Lord Jesus Christ in describing such people said in Matthew chapter 7 verse 17 that ‘’Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.’’ And because it is usually difficult to assess or evaluate human beings by their bodily or facial appearance, because there are people who always look as harmless as doves on the outside while being extremely malicious and evil on the inside, the Lord Jesus Christ said in verse 20 that ‘’Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them’’, which again proves that in leadership recruitment, you must consider the fruits

of the candidates under consideration, and these fruits are nothing but the person’s record in public or private service plus their ethics and relationships, and that’s why the Holy Bible underscores this also by commanding us to ‘’Prove all things’’ before making decisions, and that’s why it is baffling how CAN and the highflying team of ‘’Men and women of God’’ in Nigeria arrived at endorsing and campaigning for this brand of Christian to be ruler while knowing quite right that merely being a Christian does not automatically qualify one to be a good and worthy person, otherwise the Lord Jesus Christ wouldn’t have said in verse 21 of Matthew chapter 7 that ‘’Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.’’

And what is that will of the Father Christ was talking about as it relates to this matter?

It is simply making every effort to prove all things about the candidates and abide by the provisions enshrined in Exodus chapter 18 verse 21.

Human looks could be extremely deceptive, and that’s why one of the greatest prophets in the Holy Bible, prophet Samuel, nearly fell for mere looks when he went to anoint a king for the nation of Israel until the Lord God Almighty saved the day for him by telling him the right person, and then made him understand that while men look on the outside, He God looks on the inside – the heart of men – because the heart of a man is what cooks the fruits that will be exhibited by that same man, and that’s why Christ emphasises for us to always look for the fruits instead of the tree itself. Therefore, checking up on candidate Jonathan shouldn’t and couldn’t have been difficult for CAN or any religious leader or any person for that matter, for there are enough libraries across the country to check up press and media coverage of his public life apart from even making direct enquiries

in Bayelsa state. And, moreover, don’t we all know that pastors always recommend intending couples to do due diligence check on each other before tying the nuptial knots, and don’t parents even do the same for their children?

And, is he a democrat? Does he believe in morality in politics and political pluralism?

Well, his stand and support for President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Third Term Agenda clearly betrays his fecklessness as a politician. The THIS DAY newspaper called the state governors who supported President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Third Term Agenda as THE GREEDY CHOIR. At least that’s the title the influential newspaper gave to their cover story of Saturday, February 25, 2006, which ran from pages 57 to 60, and which listed all the state governors that were supporting and sponsoring the Third Term Agenda, and they were Governors Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti State), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun State), Olusegun Agagu (Ondo State), Olugbenga Daniel (Ogun State), Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo State), Ali Modu Sheriff (Borno State), Danjuma Goje (Gombe State), Adamu Mu’azu (Bauchi State), James Ibori (Delta State), Goodluck Jonathan (Bayelsa State), Peter Odili (Rivers State), Abdullahi Adamu (Nassarawa State), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi State), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu State), and Achike Udenwa (Imo State).

According to the newspaper’s analysis, those state governors were either supporting the agenda because the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was on their neck for corruption cases involving them, or because they also stood to enjoy a third term as governors, and in the case of Governor Goodluck Jonathan, the paper claimed that his support was to show some gratitude to President Obasanjo for upstaging Alamieyeseigha and making him governor. In fact, the paper reported that ‘’The presidency kept and fed Jonathan in Abuja until the ‘’capture’’ of Alamieyeseigha’’ in London for money laundering, and that it was also a huge opportunity for Jonathan to use incumbency powers to edge out other politicians aspiring to be Bayelsa governor in 2007. Governor Goodluck Jonathan was to later justify their support for the Third Term Agenda by saying they considered President Obasanjo as having ‘’the capability to stabilise the country’’ which was the common excuse being bandied about by the entire pro – Third Termers at that time (see page 6 of THIS DAY newspaper of Tuesday, June 13, 2006).

Should we also talk about how he brazenly denied the existence of a political power zoning agreement in his party, the PDP? All that has come and gone, and we as a nation are saddled with the sad consequences of having a ruler who denies what he appends his signature to, a ruler that cannot go to any primary school to teach kids morality, or teach business and political science students the imperative ➔ CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

36 FOR THE RECORD

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Christians, Beware Of Dogs! ➔ FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

of honouring business agreements and commitments, and it is not as if that was a one-off thing that happened only in the year 2010. Rather, even after he and his party’s stakeholders trashed out an agreement towards the end of year 2010 that he will serve for only one term as President and then allow the zoning arrangement which he selfishly truncated to continue, he still came out without shame and contrition to deny ever negotiating and agreeing to a one term pact in spite of overwhelming evidences to that fact in the public domain.

There was palpable tension in their party and the nation generally in the year 2010 over the demand of northern Nigerian PDP politicians to have the region complete Yar’adua’s tenure that was cut short by his death, and which was in tandem with their party’s zoning agreement. But President Jonathan, basking under the euphoria and drunkenness of power that just landed on his lap at that, blatantly denied there was any such agreement, and when the agreement was published on pages 60 and 61 of THE NATION newspaper of Wednesday, May 12, 2010 showing Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as number 35 in the list of the PDP national stakeholders who met and trashed out the agreement, he and his supporters quickly changed their coarse song to that of a farcical argument that any such agreements are unconstitutional, that the federal constitution guarantees him the right to contest without telling Nigerians the portion of the country’s constitution that forbids political parties, individuals or business concerns from negotiating and reaching agreements that will enhance their smooth and peaceful operations.

And moreover, is there any part of the world where politics is not about various interest groups making concessions through agreements? If any country’s constitution does not allow politicians to trash out agreements, then it is as good as saying such a constitution does not also recognise the existence of political parties because parties are always built and sustained by agreements negotiated by all the interest groups in them, and then individuals will run for political offices as individual persons and not on any symbolic platform if that were the case.

In any case, in realising that Goodluck Jonathan and their party cannot ‘’win’’ the 2011 presidential election under the prevailing tense situation, the party managed to reach some accommodation with all sides through a pact that seemed to be a win-win situation for all sides, and that pact was for President Goodluck Jonathan to serve only for one term after which presidential power will come to the north. This one term pact was a major news item on the African Independent Television (AIT) news broadcast and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) news broadcast of December 16, 2010, which reported and showed the Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema briefing the media after a long meeting that 20 PDP governors and President Goodluck Jonathan and other stakeholders have agreed and signed a pact whereby President Jonathan would serve for only one term, which will end on the 29th of May 2015.

And very importantly, prior to the

Dr Paul Enenche

reaching of this one term deal, THE NATION ON SUNDAY newspaper of August 8, 2010 on page 65 exclusively reported a story titled ‘New power sharing deal likely’. The paper’s Managing Editor, Yusuf Alli, who reported the story wrote that ‘’Fresh facts emerged yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may come up with a new power sharing deal to appease aggrieved Northern elders, especially members of G-15. Notable northern leaders like former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma have expressed preference for the retention of the zoning formula.... ‘’It was learnt yesterday that the new pact may leave President Goodluck Jonathan with an option of one term in office if he wins on the ticket of the PDP. If the horse-trading succeeds, the 10 prozoning Northern governors may drop their campaign. ‘’By 2015, The Nation learnt yesterday, the North may enjoy power shift of a fresh eight-year term of presidency. ‘’Investigation by The Nation revealed that the new pact may form an integral agenda at the meetings of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and the Enlarged Caucus of the PDP scheduled for next week. ‘’According to findings, the new power sharing pact is one of the negotiating weapon (sic) of those who want the zoning formula altered..... ‘’It was gathered that why PDP leaders are prepared to resolve the zoning logjam is because time is no longer on the side of the party....’’

Did you see how and why the PDP entered the 2011 elections as one and united family in spite of the heated rage and tension within them just before the campaigns commenced, and how they were united in allocating to themselves electoral figures they clearly didn’t deserve?

Well, along the same lines, the PDP National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of December 15, 2010 had the party’s chairman at that time, Chief Nwodo, announcing that President Jonathan has agreed to forgo his right for a second term in order to allow peace to reign in the party, and prior to this, Jonathan’s campaign organisation’s Director – General, Senator

Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, told the media on September 17, 2010 that Jonathan was going to be a one term President.

During the Grand finale of Jonathan’s campaign for the 2011 presidential election on March 26, 2011 at Abuja’s Eagles Square, his mentor and chief backer at that time, former President Obasanjo, also confirmed to the world that President Jonathan has agreed to serve for only one term, and Obasanjo described it as a great sacrifice for which he appealed to Nigerians and other people within the PDP still bitter to support Jonathan to win and serve for that single term he willingly agreed to.

Not long after that, President Jonathan himself affirmed that decision at their party’s NEC meeting in July 2011 apart from similar statements he made in Ethiopia and Uganda. In any case, his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Reuben Abati also confirmed his boss’s commitment to a one term pact at a press briefing on the 28th of July 2011, and The Guardian newspaper of Friday, July 29, 2011 boldly captured it on their front page headline that ‘’I won’t stay in office beyondb2015, Jonathan insists’’.

However, with all these overwhelming evidences that President Jonathan did, indeed, enter into a one-term pact with his party’s stakeholders, yet he brazenly lied on national television that there was no such pact, and even, with a pierced and seared conscience, challenged anyone holding such a pact to present it to the public, and this was after it was rumoured that the paper documenting the pact was being kept by a truculent South-South Governor after the Northern Governors were foolish enough not to make copies of the pact for themselves. But, in any case, even if they had made copies, President Jonathan was not going to honour it in tandem with his character of not honouring the zoning pact that was much earlier made, and which he signed, and which there were copies available in the public domain, and that is why the recent call by former External Affairs Minister, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, that President Jonathan and General Buhari should sign a post-election peace bond was needless, because there is nothing in the President’s character to suggest he could ever honour any agreement or pact

or bond with anybody, and, in any case, a monumental violence craftily weaved for the 2015 presidential election in the name of ‘’Boko Haram’’ has already been on since 2011 till date in northern Nigeria. So, what post-election violence was Professor Bolaji Akinyemi talking about?

The fact that such people who dishonour pacts along with those who help and encourage them to be this morally bankrupt are as nauseating as a broken public septic tank can be gleaned from the crisis of the Nigerian Governors Forum and the crisis deliberately generated against Governor Rotimi Amaechi in Rivers state to make the state ‘’ungovernable for him’’ for daring to stand against the impunity of people who love and caress impunity.

During the NGF crisis, there were some northern governors that threatened or even outrightly pulled out of the Northern Governors Forum on the premise that they had all agreed at a meeting to back Governor Jonah Jang as their consensus candidate for the Nigerian Governors Forum chairmanship election, but that the bulk of the northern governors reneged and backed Governor Amaechi instead, and therefore, according to them, they could not stay among people who cannot abide by any collective agreement. And the sad and irritating thing about these governors was they were among those who encouraged President Jonathan to deny the existence of any one term pact, and have even become his chief promoters at the expense of any modicum of honour.

And in Rivers State itself, one of such people who were shouting on top of rooftops that President Jonathan did not sign any one term pact and that even if he had signed any such agreement with anybody it wasn’t backed by constitutional law was former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Prince Chibudom Nwuche. In trying to justify the crisis they contrived against Governor Amaechi in the state whereby 5 lawmakers out of 32 were being engineered to impeach him, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, in an interview with journalists in Abuja, which was published on page 25 of The PUNCH newspaper of Monday, December 9, 2013, said ‘’Before the 2011 general elections, the political stakeholders in Rivers State agreed that we would support President Goodluck Jonathan and ensure that he succeeds and completes his constitutionally guaranteed tenure. So, the attempt by Governor Rotimi Amaechi to reverse the agreement is the cause of the friction. If people sit down and agree that this is what we should do and you go behind to negotiate another thing, it is a betrayal of the whole zone and calls for friction......

The issue is the difference in world views and my underlying belief that politics must be about the welfare of the people and played with honour and integrity.’’

Don’t laugh, please, as this is a serious national issue, and it is coming from someone helping someone to dishonour agreements, and they are angry because someone also has denied or breached their own agreement, which is in tandem with their own attitude and character of not honouring agreements.

— To read the full article, visit: www. leadership.co.ng ➔ TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW

37

nollywood Sunday, January 25, 2015

Blame Female Actresses For Sexual Harassment In Nollywood – Bako You have acted with a lot of people in the industry, what are the challenges you encountered during the period?

I have worked with a lot of people in the industry having come from the field of Business Administration and Management because I didn’t study Theatre Arts. Because of this, initially, I had a little problem because I couldn’t catch up. I learnt a lot from my colleagues on positioning, character description because acting is my passion. By the way, I am from Kuje area council of the FCT born and bred in Niger State. As an actress, it’s not been easy because you have a lot of competitors and the accessibility to meet up with some jobs because I reside in the FCT. Although we shoot movies once in a while, Abuja is not much of an entertainment place. For example, if 20 movies are produced in other places, in Abuja, only five would be produced. But I have been going around the country shooting movies, so it’s not been easy.

Nazareth Jesse Bako is a relatively new face in Nollywood, but she has already featured in a number of flicks. In this interview with ANTHONY ADA ABRAHAM, she debunks claims that men are solely behind sexual harassment in the industry

location and you don’t dress properly and you don’t expect the men to look at you? (laughs); there is freedom of looking, you know! I believe it is the ladies that has most of the problems.

There’s nothing like harassment in the industry. Sometimes, you find out that most girls walk up to their rooms, chatting and even end up sleeping there. So, I don’t think the men are to be blamed.

Has any of your male fans ever approached you for a relationship before?

Yes...lots of them. Some of them called me and I don’t even know how they got my contacts. I have many that come down from Europe. Some text while others call.

So how do you cope with them?

Ehmm...(laughs) I just give attention to the one I can and leave the ones I can’t mingle with because I study you from the first moment I get in contact with you. I get to know the kind of person you are, your intentions.

It doesn’t mean that I have to date them all. We can be friends.

How would you rate the growth in the movie industry today especially in terms of grooming young talents?

The Nigerian movie industry is doing great. At least, we are in the second position now. We have grown from shooting movies with low quality cameras to high tech camera now.

Our videos are crisps and the quality is getting better and better everyday. On the scripting, I think we are telling a lot about our culture and the happenings in the country. And a lot of talents have emerged. Today, the industry gives many people the opportunity to showcase themselves.

It’s great and it should be appreciated.

As someone coming from this side of the country, what have you learnt so far in the industry?

I have gained a lot. I have been opportuned to read about lots of stories, and about things that happen in the world in general. I have met different kinds of people. I don’t have to keep malice with anyone. I have known more about what it takes to be an actress and how to make it real in the industry.

As a script writer, when should we be expecting a movie produced by you?

I’m working on something now but I can’t reveal it until it’s ripe.

You can give a scoop

Bako tory role in a movie?

Really, I can’t point at any because I have had the opportunity of playing various roles. Like the role of a house wife, a rich man’s daughter, the role of a prostitute, a lawyer and others.

They are all different roles and it’s your ability to deliver that matters and that is what makes you an actor.

Have you ever been harassed by a fan before?

Which has been your most challenging role as an actress?

Yes, I have (laughs)

What’s has been your most satisfac-

It was this fateful day when someone accosted me and said, ‘This was the girl I saw fighting on the screen with only bra calling names’. I had to enlighten her that I am just an actor maintaining that it was a role I had to play in the movie which doesn’t depict what I do in real life. She’s even a woman. Even with my explanation,

The most challenging role I have ever played in a movie was being a Catholic Reverend Sister. It was challenging because I don’t know the doctrine. I had to learn how to recite the rosary and also how to say some prayers.

I spent days trying to catch-up. It wasn’t smooth though, but I was able to meet up.

Let’s get the gist.

she said, ‘No, don’t play that kind of role’. I then told her that if I don’t play that kind of role, how will she and others know about the disadvantage of being a prostitute or a good or bad person?

This takes us to the issue of sexual harassment in the industry. Have you ever been tried to get a role?

I have never been harassed before.

If you look at it critically, this things happen in every sector and not just in the movie industry. Go to the ministries and their parastatals, even in all these private organisations, they practice exists. Sometimes, your boss will walk up to you and start touching you. In the movie industry, there is nothing like that because there is no way, a producer, director or a marketer infringe in your privacy or hold you in an uncomfortable way. The fault is always from the women. You come to

Its confidential for now but I tell you it’s a good story that when it comes out, it’s going to blow your mind. I have Majid Michael, Ramsey Nouah, Frank Athus, Ngozi Ezeonu and my humble self on set but I wont release the details for now.

Where do you see yourself in the next two years as a movie producer, director and actor?

I think I have to leave that to God but honestly, in two years time, I want to see myself at the summit of the world in the clouds.

What are the message to your fans?

Be focussed on whatever goal you want to achieve . Shun every side gossips. If you are coming for the money, fine. If you are coming for the exposure, it’s also great because the industry has to do fun and work.

So who is your best actor in Nollywood ?

My best actor in Nollywood so far has been Ramsey Nouah because he is versatile. He can interpret any kind of role. He is still very relevant.

You come to location and you don’t dress properly and you don’t expect the men to look at you? (laughs); there is freedom of looking

38

sunday e-train

Sunday, January 25, 2015

e-train

Praise Singers Fleecing Political Office Seekers Public places all over Nigeria are inundated with political campaigns. The tool mostly used is praise singing. ABUBAKAR SALIHI and SAMUEL ABULUDE, write on the art of praise singing, the new trend, essence and why musicians are using it at political campaign venues

P

raise singers whether for the political office seekers or other office holders have been enjoying a great deal of monetary support from the people they praise. With the political campaigns for 2015 general elections in full swing, these praise singers have intensified and remained the voice of so many contestants. What is agonising perhaps is the way and manner they put down rivals of the clients with abusive comments and nonchallant innuendos.

The history of praise singing in Hausa community dates back many centuries ago when those in traditional corridors of authority and affluent people received their fair share of praises. So also the larger Nigeria setting with the military juntas and past and present political leaders receiving praises from ‘praise singers’.

It is still fresh in the memories of many Hausa speaking people that the visit of President Jonathan to Kano a day after the April 14, 2014 Nyanya bomb blast. The visit had prompted the renowned political praise singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara, to produce a song titled “Zuwan mai Malafa Kano” meaning ‘Visit of the man with hat”.

The song had received a boost withe the sale of about half a million copies as reported by the industry he belonged, Kannywood.

However, it went unchecked considering the derogatory statements in it which tended to attack the personality of the former agric commissioner to governor Kwankwaso who left APC for PDP. Dauda Rarara had depicted the former commissioner who is now an aid to president Jonathan on Secondary schools agricultural programmes, Hajiya Baraka Sani as a casual and political w***e who could

Praise singer at work

Gurmi praise singer Abdullahi Sanni

do anything for money. The praise singer in the work also went further to also denigrate the former Kano governor, who is now the minister of education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau as another Oliver Twist who joined PDP purposely to make more money.

At the tail end of the saga, the praise singer, Kahutu Rarara was reported to the police by the affected personalities. It happened that the present Kano government of-

ficials were visibly seen making moves to free him as their own.

The same APC officials have been playing this particular song at their various political campaigns and programmes.

However, praise singing for ‘haves’, traditional title holders and politicians alike became a money spinning venture in which the Hausa film industry, singers in particular have continued to churn out more political praises songs and

smiling to the banks.

Kannywood film industry reportedly has taken the bull by the horn by performing songs whose lyrics tended to praise one political party and its member and ridicule the opposition. Many more of such songs could be played anywhere and at every spot, in peoples cars and on radio stations.

However, there is presently another popular political song being used by PDP officials at any of their political events around Kano State.

This singer, named Musa Saye once stood behind governor Kwankwaso and praised him. Musa Saye for reasons best known to him defected to PDP and gave the persons of APC leaders in the state the best in derogatory singing, What makes this song performed by Musa Saye a delight to PDP members is that it touches the personality of members in APC over the red cap they normally adorn. One of the stanzas rendered in Hausa language runs: “Alamar rashin mutuncine, ace wasu su sanya jar hula”, meaning “it’s a sign of disrespect for anyone to put on red cap”.

Worthy of note is that some of these political songs could be simply amazing for the listening pleasure of many, perhaps not because

Praise singing for ‘haves’, traditional title holders and politicians alike became a money spinning venture in which the Hausa film industry, singers in particular have continued to churn out more political praises songs

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

Praise Singers Fleecing Political Office Seekers 38

of their lyrics content but for their popularity and underlying messages in them.

Looking at the lucrative aspect of political praise singing, such singers are often rewarded abundantly by their clients. Some of them have rewarded both in cash and kind including money, cars, houses and fields. These presents to praise singers come from both individuqals and parties as well as corporate organisations.

Meanwhile in the South West, praise singing as an art is as old as the African culture itself. In every tribe, there are praise singers who eulogize very important persons like traditional rulers- the oba, obis and emirs. For yours sincerely that hails from the South western part of Nigeria, praise singing is a thing we are used to when events are held. Mothers, elders praise the ‘orikis’ of their children to commend or celebrate them particularly at special occasions.

Political Sphere In politics of today, where the positive qualities of a person/candidate needs to be sold to the public. Their names are sung or praised via oratory or music.

Now the services of broadcasters, orators, musicians and MCs are used in praise singing. During the last People’s Democratic Party PDP Presidential rally held at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, musicians were used to extol the essence of the party and its presidential candidate, incumbent President of the country, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Abass Akande Obesere, prominent Fuji musicians was the artiste used in the art of praise singing apart from gospel music veteran, Sammie Okposo. In fact, Obesere’s coinage of the doings of PDP over its rival APC got me laughing. He sang in typical Yoruba language, ‘A wan gbadun, Eyin gbale’. Oritsefemi and other artistes were also used to galvanise the youths for the campaign rally. K1 Ultimate, the endorsed musician of the ACN now APC is an expert in praise singing, thanks to the tools in trade available in Fuji music. Yours sincerely saw the poster of a video done for APC by Fuji musician, Alhaji Alabi Pasuma. It is a known fact that the present political dispensation provides an avenue for the services of musicians and orators to be used in praise singing the candidates of the parties. So some of our popular artistes have been smiling to the bank thanks to the campaign era we are in since election is less than three weeks away. But is it right for artistes whose loyalty are to the people to praise sing a candidate who has his name soiled or perhaps stand for ‘corruption’?

For me, it is a matter of principle, I may choose to praise a politician and I may not. It depends on me and if the effort will enhance my brand

Yoruba traditional talking drummers

onel Ritchie, Mariah Carey, Beyonce were hired to perform for the Gaddafi family. It was not a pleasant moment for the artistes as some of their fans condemned them for collecting ‘blood money’. It got to a point that pop singer; Nelly Furtado had to refund the money she was given, however true that is. According to the story from Rolling stone website, “Libyan protesters close in on Tripoli, the nation’s capital and dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi’s seat of power, a number of pop stars, including Lionel Richie and, according to WikiLeaks documents, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé and Usher, may be regretting the lucrative private concerts they performed for members of the Qaddafi family…. According to one of the many cables obtained by WikiLeaks, the American Embassy in Tripoli informed the State Department in February 2010 of the New Year’s Eve bash “reportedly featuring copious amounts of alcohol and a million-dollar personal concert courtesy of Beyonce [sic], Usher, and other musicians. A year earlier, another Qaddafi son, Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, had used his role as the head of Libyan newspaper Oea to deny reports that he had paid Mariah Carey $1 million to perform four songs at a New Year’s party at St. Barts. Sound familiar? These sort of secret private events featuring big-time pop stars are not unusual, but in this case the artistes in question are being criticised for accepting money from a violent and oppressive regime.

In legal terms, there is no problem here -- the United States welcomed the Qaddafi regime during the Bush administration as an ally in the war on terrorism, leaving the door open for such dealings. The ethics of the performances are murkier.”

The report is one of the challenges entertainers go through and there have been reports also in our clime where the public or fans have condemned their artistes endorsing a candidate tagged corrupt or controversial.

Should Musicians Praise Sing Politicians?

The question has often been asked whether musicians should be used to endorse a candidate vying for a political post. Artistes as we know speak inspirationally and are either worshipped by the people or vilified. Musicians are normally at the whims and caprices of the wealthy who can pay for their services. More often than not they entertain either the corrupt public official or a controversial celebrity or politician hated by the people or fans of the artiste. In Artistes Speak fact, February 24, 2011 of Rolling stone Adewale Ayuba, popular Fuji artiste Magazine and other websites widely re- and Bonsue Fuji King sees praise singported the uproar that came when Li- ing of artiste, a non-issue if it is done

A Gurmi praise singer

with decorum. The KORA award winner who recently dropped a video said that Fuji music permits praise singing. In fact there won’t be Fuji music if praise singing was not part of the genre.

“We also praise God, don’t we? So if a musician praises God or Allah, it isn’t out of place since God gave you the gift anyway. So you can also praise distinguished individuals if it goes down well with you. For me, it is a matter of principle, I may choose to praise a politician and I may not. It depends on me and if the effort will enhance my brand, “says Adewale Ayuba.

An upcoming artiste, Skippo, a member of the group Whitesocks Boys WSB says praise singing is part of some musical genre and he does praise sing. The young artiste who drops Shoki party produced by Don Jazzy soon, said that all musicians do endorse praise singing since it is an aspect of music. But he will not endorse any questionable candidate in the name of praise singing if his service was needed. He says, “Praise singing is part of music. Davido also did praise singing, in fact all artistes, rappers do practice praise singing. Saying Omo Baba Olowo OBO referring to himself as the son of a rich man, Davido is endorsing and oraising himself and

this enhances his market value. MI did Chairman recently, in fact his album is titled Chairman and the rapper praised himself in the video as all rappers will do. So praise singing is in order as we have to sell ourselves to our fans and the public. Now singing the praises of politicians is a job and there is nothing wrong with it. For me, I will praise sing a politician that has the interest of the people at heart. What some artistes and fans alike condemn is for their artistes to endorse someone that is corrupt or a politician that has a bad reputation.”

Conclusion The art of praise singing is being modified by today’s artistes and it is being deplored in today’s political campaigns. What artiste should have in mind is that they owe their fans the loyalty and responsibility of endorsing the candidate that their fans would also endorse as the popularity of stars like Obesere, K1 Ultimate, D’Banj, Oritsefemi, Davido, Sammie Okposo were made by the fans by acceptance. So artistes should respect their fans by endorsing the right candidate but who is the right candidate? This subjective and based on opinions.

40 sunday e-train

e-train foreign Latest Movies C

Mortdecai

Charismatic British aristocrat and part-time shady art dealer Charlie Mortdecai (Johnny Depp) suffers from a constant lack of funds to support his lush lifestyle, so when Alistair Maitland (Ewan McGregor), a college friend and officer in MI5, asks him to find a stolen Goya painting, he accepts. But Charlie’s not the only one with designs on the painting; an American heiress and a revolutionary want it too, for the artwork is rumoured to contain the code to a bank account filled with Nazi gold.

In theaters on January 23, 2015 Production company: Infinitum Nihil & Mad Chance Productions Starring: Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan Mc Gregor, Olivia Munn, Jonny Pasvolsky, Paul Bettany, Jeff Goldblum Directed: David Koepp Produced: Christi Dembrowski, Johnny Depp Andrew Lazar Duration: 106 minutes

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Paula Patton In Hot Seat For Lawsuit Paula Patton could have Robin Thicke by the short hairs ... again -- she’s being called to testify in the court battle over whether he ripped off “Blurred Lines” from Marvin Gaye.

According to court docs ... Robin’s estranged wife is listed as a witness for the case which still looks like it’s heading to trial. Marvin Gaye III and Robin have been warring over ‘Blurred’ and a handful of other Thicke tunes.

Paula is expected to testify about the 2011 song, “Love After War” ... which Gaye thinks copies Marvin’s “After the Dance.” Paula appeared in the ‘Love’ music video, and we’re told she co-wrote it with Robin.

Going through a very public, painful, drawn out break-up with your ex -- and then calling her to testify on your behalf in a major le-

Jordin Sparks - Double Tap Feat. 2 Chainz (January 22)

Paula Patton

gal battle ... seems like a recipe for disaster.However, as TMZ first reported ... Robin actually went to a holiday party at Paula’s house -- so maybe the dust has settled. We’ll see, when and if she takes the oath.

One thing’s for sure ... the video was freakin’ hot!

Madonna Speaks Out After Hacker’s Arrest For Leaking Her Rebel Heart Music

The Boy Next Door When a handsome, charming teenager named Noah (Ryan Guzman) moves in next door, newly separated high-school teacher Claire Peterson (Jennifer Lopez) encourages his friendship and engages in a little bit of harmless -- or so she thinks -- flirtation. Although Noah spends much of the time hanging out with Claire’s son, the teen’s attraction to her is palpable. One night, Claire gives in to temptation and lets Noah seduce her -- but when she tries to end the relationship, he turns violent.

In Theaters January 23, 2015 Production company: Blumhouse Productions Entertainment Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman, Kristin Chenoweth, John Corbett Directed: Rob Cohen Produced: Jason Blum, Jennifer Lopez, John Jacobs Duration: 91 minutes

An Israeli man was arrested in Tel Aviv on suspicion of hacking the computers of celebrity singers, NBC News confirmed today.

The 39-year-old’s arrest comes after an investigation was launched

by Israel’s Lahav 433 crime-fighting agency over leaked songs from Madonna’s new Rebel Heart album.

According to a statement by Lahav 433, the suspect “broke into the personal computers of several international artists over the past few months and stole promotional final-cut singles which have yet to be released and traded them online for a fee...In light of the findings of the investigation the unit collaborated closely with the FBI, with suspicion of even more break-ins to computers owned by unknown

Madonna

international artists, stealing and selling their works.”

Since the arrest, Madonna took to her Facebook page to release a statement concerning the events.

“I am profoundly grateful to the FBI, the Israeli Police investigators and anyone else who helped lead to the arrest of this hacker.

Drake: Bails On New Track With His Dad Drake’s dad is making a return to music, but he’ll be doing it without his famous son ... because Drizzy was just too busy to hit the studio with his pops.

Dennis Graham put out the word on Instagram ... he was looking for a “classy” female rapper for a new song -- and in his words, “ghetto style” rappers need not apply.

Well, Graham tells TMZ he found his woman in rookie rapper Ze Monroe, and she’s going to rhyme on his new song, “Kinda Crazy.” The original plan was for Drake to guest star too, but he couldn’t fit studio time into his schedule ... but DG says there are no hard feelings.

As for future family collabs?

Dennis, who’s in his early 60s,

Latest Music

Jordin Sparks is prepping the release of her new album, Right Here Right Now, for later this year, and today she’s dropping off another new single for us.

Following in the steps of her DJ Mustard-produced “It Aint You”, Jordin comes through and liberates a new version of her 2 Chainz-assisted cut “Double Tap”.

The song previously appeared on her latest mixtape, #ByeFelicia, but this new version features some different production and arrangement. Leaving 2 Chainz’ verse intact, Jordin meshes a variety of genres and delivers a club ready record for fans to get down to.

Quotable Lyrics You must be a psychic, cause I been lookin’ Ya ass gettin’ fine with ya big cookie Niggas know I would’ve been tookin’ School of hard knocks, they were playin’ hooky - 2 Chainz

Sean Brown - FAH (January 22)

Sean Brown has been releasing a ton of new music lately, and yet he doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon either. After hitting us with 5 tracks in December, the Alumni affiliate kicked off 2015 by dropping off “Probably Don’t Know” a couple weeks ago, and now today he’s back once again with “FAH”, which is an acronym for “Forget About Her”.

With an electronic intro/sample that sounds like it could be in the movie “Drive”, Sean delivers an upbeat, self-produced record that finds him expressing various ways to move on from your ex-girlfriend. Highlighted by its catchy chorus and infectious production, this is definitely another strong addition to Sean’s steady growing catalogue of overlooked hits. Don’t sleep on this or the rest of his recent releases either (listen to those here).

Quotable Lyrics Make up sex to break up sex To ignoring your texts like damn whats next?

Get it off my chest, aint playin’ no checkers though But baby you know that I really play chess

Fat Joe - How U Luv Dat Feat.

Troy Ave (January 23) Back in August, Bronx veterans Fat Joe and Jennifer Lopez linked up for a catchy, retro number called “Stressin’,” and now Joe’s latest track finds him pairing off with one of NYC’s younger (aspiring) stars. Brooklyn’s Troy Ave lends his reedy voice to Joe’s “How U Luv Dat.” Kicking off with a groovy bassline, the song has Troy and Joe spouting off some ad-libs before the latter delivers the first verse. With references to Polaroids and Instagram appearing within seconds of each other, Joe encapsulates the many changes that have occurred over the years that span his career. It’s cool to see him work with younger artists.

Drake

says he was asked to do a club gig near Coachella -- where Drake’s headlining -- but adds he’s not sure he can stay up that late.

Quotable Lyrics I’m going swimming in Givenchy trunks Listen pussy nigga this ain’t what you want Pourin’ champagne til we capsize Coming up for air, you been baptized Compiled by Aderibigbe Tolulope

CEOConfidential

Sunday, January 25, 2015

bottom lines N2000

N100

The price of a brand new car in 1975.

41

The approximate price of air ticket to London in 1975.

Goldman Sachs posts lowest annual trading revenue since 2005 IN SHORT Banking sector nonperforming loan to rise 4.6% in 2015 The banking sector, while attractive with low valuations, would have to navigate a difficult operating environment in 2015, as regulatory actions amid economic challenges cap loan growth, according to analysts at Vetiva Capital Management Limited.

“With the continuous decline in global oil prices, banks’ exposure to the oil and gas sector has come under the spotlight with fears of possible loan default even as the oil and gas value chain account for the biggest share (an average 25%) of banks loan portfolios; we forecast aggregate industry non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of 4.6 per cent for 2015,” Vetiva analysts said.

Meanwhile, banks asset quality as reflected by the ratio of NPLs to total loans improved to 3.23 per cent in 2013, from 3.51 per cent in 2012, which compared favourably with the industry maximum threshold of 5 per cent, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation said in its 2013 annual report.

Under best case scenario, analysts at Exotix Frontier Equity Research estimate the average cost of risk and NPL ratio increases by 100bp and 130bp in FY15 to 2.3 per cent and 4.3 per cent, respectively.

“Base case scenario: we assume the average cost of risk and NPL ratio increases by 210bp and 200bp in FY15 to 3.4 per cent and 5.0 per cent, respectively.

COMPANY

SECRETS

Southwood J. Morcott, Dana Corpration

Chief executive officer, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Lloyd C. Blankfein

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS), which set a Wall Street record for trading revenue in 2009, posted less than half that amount in 2014 as revenue from the firm’s biggest business fell to the lowest in almost a decade.

The decline helped push fourth-quarter net income 7.1 per cent lower to $2.17 bn, or $4.38 a share, from $2.33 bn, or $4.60, a year earlier, the New York-based company said recently in a statement. The average estimate of 23 analysts in a Bloomberg survey was $4.36.

The results offer a glimpse into a future in which Chief Executive Officer Lloyd C. Blankfein’s prediction that trading will rebound fails to materialize. Goldman Sachs in 2014 achieved a return on equity of 11 per cent for a third straight year by paying employees a smaller share of revenue in response to trading declines.

“Goldman is reacting the best they can within a very challenging backdrop,” Devin Ryan, an analyst at JMP Group Inc., said in a phone interview. “It’s hard to predict when we return to some level of healthy volatility and strong business growth globally that could drive better trading activity.”

Fixed-income, currency and commodity trading revenue was $1.16 bn, down 31 per cent from a year earlier, excluding accounting

adjustments and a one-time gain in the same period of 2013. That compared with estimates of $1.65 bn from Barclays Plc’s Jason Goldberg and $1.55 bn from Brian Kleinhanzl at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods.

FICC Performance The three largest U.S. banks -- JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. -- posted their worst combined quarterly trading revenue since 2011, led by a 23 per cent drop in fixed-income, currencies and commodities, or FICC. In the first half of the year, executives bemoaned markets that weren’t moving much, giving clients little reason to trade. That reversed in the fourth quarter, as oil prices plunged to the lowest since 2009, interest rates fell the most in two years and credit spreads widened.

“You have a lot of the investment banks blaming the lack of volatility, a year ago they blamed commodities backwardation,” or when quotes on futures contracts are lower than current prices, Chris Kotowski, an analyst at Oppenheimer & Co., said on Bloomberg Television before results were announced.

“The year before that they blamed the euro crisis, but you stand back after four or five years and it just seems to me like there’s some ongoing pressure here.”

Revenue Drop Revenue at Goldman Sachs fell 12 per cent to $7.69 bn. The firm’s return on equity, a measure of profitability that takes into account how much capital the business uses, was 11.2 per cent in 2014, compared with 11 per cent for 2013.

Compensation, the firm’s biggest expense, rose to $12.7 bn for 2014, or 36.8 per cent of revenue, compared with 36.9 per cent in 2013. That was the second-lowest ratio since Goldman Sachs went public in 1999, surpassing only the 35.8 per cent ratio in 2009.

Revenue from the equities division rose 10 per cent from a year earlier to $1.9 bn, excluding accounting charges. That compared with Goldberg’s $1.65 bn estimate and a projection of $1.76 bn from Kleinhanzl.

BoostiNG Sales

Short-term goals are golden

Nothing compares with the shine reflecting off the shortterm growth goals of your prospects. It can nearly blind you. In fact, they haven’t been able to see for weeks – maybe months. But you can bring s new set of eyes to the situation.

Be bold. Ask prospects what their short-term business growth goals are and how they are doing in achieving them.

It’s usually good conversation and that is always a good start when you are in the trust and rapport building stage.

Don’t be concerned about what this has to do with your products. Just learn!

Find out what inspired them to establish these particular growth goals in the first place and you will begin to get a useful perspective. There is also a good chance they you will uncover an important tidbit that will be useful in positioning your product when it’s time to make the pitch.

Attaching yourself to a rising star can have an uplifting effect on your business.

Igniting a firestorm of creativity On the surface, it looks as if Southwood J. Morcott, CEO of auto parts maker Dana Corporation since 1989 has set himself a quixotic goal. In an industry famous for its cyclical swings of demand, ‘Woody’ Morcott is bent on making Dana a growth company.

And so far he’s succeeded. Dana has racked up a five-year runoff interrupted increases in revenue and profits, backed by a steady stream of productivity enhancement.

What is his secret? Morcott believes that Dana reaps all the advantages of

a large global presence but acts like ‘an entrepreneurial company in the way it handles human resources.’ Few CEOs have gone as far or have worked as hard as Morcott to adopt the Japaneseinspired ‘continuous improvement’ philosophy or to invest in worker motivation and training.

Dana Corporation is taking a substantially different approach and it’s generating thousands of new ideas every year from most of the company’s forty-eight thousand people worldwide. The stated goal of Dana’s

idea-generation program: two ideas per person per month – expected from the chairman no less than from the new hire on the plant floor. Dana’s goal is to have 80 per cent participation company wide, and to implement 80 per cent of the ideas submitted.

Dana wants every idea it can get, big and small, from both individuals and teams. Ideas that identify a better way in all areas of the business whether you work in an office or on the assembly line. The company looks for ideas on combining operations, functions and

42 CEOConfidential

Sunday, January 25, 2015

hub

174,507,539 Estimated population of Nigeria, making it the most populous black nation in the world.

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

521

Number of languages spoken in Nigeria of which 510 are living languages, two second languages without native speakers and nine extinct languages.

L-R: Director, technical programme, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Alade Adeleke; director general, NCF, Adeniyi Karunwi; representative of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr Deji Haastrup, and lecturer, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Dr Babatunde Lawal, at the 13th annual S. L. Edu Lecture with the theme ‘Sustainable Agriculture And The Environment’ in Lagos.

PHOTO: BENEDICT UWALAKA

L-R: Project coordinator, Women On The Winning Edge Foundation, Pastor Titi Adeosun; founder and convener, Women On The Winning Edge, Funke FelixAdejumo, and Event Planner, Women on The Winning Edge, Mrs Kofoworade Macaulay Olawoyin at the press conference held in Lagos to unveil the foundation’s 2015 Summit recently. PHOTO: BENEDICT UWALAKA

L-R: General manager, marketing, MTN, Richard Iweanoge; one of the winners of N10 million Cash Quest Promo Prize, Okoh Chigozie; chief marketing officer, MTN, Bayo Adekanmbi, and Nollywood actor, Fred Amata, at the first prize presentation to winners in the ongoing MTN Cash Quest promo, recently in Ikeja.

PHOTO: GBENGA OLAJOBI

L-R: Managing director, Financial Derivative Company Ltd, Bismarck Rewane; Group CEO, United Capital Plc, Toyin Sanni, and MD, UBA Securities Ltd, Mr Jude Chiemeka, at the Nigerian Economy and Financial Market 2015 report, in Lagos recently. PHOTO: BENEDICT UWALAKA

Robert T. Kiyosaki @theRealKiyosaki The moment you need a paycheck, you are no longer free.

Sam Adeyemi @ sam_adeyemi No one can curse whom God has blessed (Numbers 23:8, 20).

Hold on to what God has said to you. Your success is irreversible.

Richard O. Ikiebe @ROIkiebe Your uniqueness stands you out. Do not be eager to conform because you fear being different. Indeed work on your uniqueness; be different.

fav

tweets

Bruce Van Horn @BruceVH People never lose the ability to dream, they just quit doing it. If that’s you, start dreaming again!

The British Club, Bangkok Often described as “an oasis in the heart over 1,000 Members from over 40 of Bangkok”, the British Club Bangkok is countries. Many activities are organised the social, sports & cultural centre for the for the juniors, including discos, sporting English-speaking community in Bangkok. events, sporting camps and seasonal The Club provides a relaxed and parties, all which foster friendship friendly atmosphere for a wide amongst children and parents alike. range of sporting and social The Club has changed over the years activities for the whole family, to meet the needs of its younger while remaining a popular and more transient members works providing venue for a business lunch or a relaxed and friendly convivial drink. The Club is also atmosphere for a wide range of well-known for its high standard sporting and social activities for the of catering for functions held both on whole family. It also remains a popular and off the premises. Membership is open venue for a business lunch or convivial to all nationalities and there are currently drink.

net

CEOConfidential

Sunday, January 25, 2015

$7,300,000,000,000 Amount Barclays Plc invested in Mergers & Acquisitions in Africa in 2014.

80%

Percentage of land mass of the northern part of Nigeria. In size, it is four times the South.

43

60,000 Total population of Lagos in 1872

YOUR FYI FOR INFORMATION

L-R: The governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha; chairman, MTN Nigeria, Dr Pascal Dozie; Imo State commissioner of health, Dr Edward Ihejirika, and the executive secretary of the MTN Foundation, Ms Nonny Ugboma, at the MTNF EyeRIS commencement ceremony at the Imo State Specialist Hospital, Umuguma, Owerri.

Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day, Mardi Gras carnival: February 5 (Christian)

Falling the day before Ash Wednesday, in the United Kingdom this is known as the Pancake Tuesday because fats, which were traditionally prohibited during Lent, had to be used up – so pancake are cooked. In some rural areas ‘pancake races’ are still held. In French, the day is known as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday); Mardi Gras celebrations are held in several American cities, notably New Orleans. In the rest of the world this is the end of the carnival season, celebrated most famously in Rio de Janerio. (Carne vale means ‘Good bye meat.’)

The next day, Ash Wednesday, is a day of public penance in Roman Catholic countries. Palms blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday are burned. The priest takes the resulting ashes and marks a cross with his thumb on the forehead of each worshipper.

DoING Business L-R: Head, legal and regulation division, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Ms Tinuade Awe; executive director, business development, Mr Haruna Jalo-Waziri; chief executive officer, NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema; executive director, market operations and technology, Mr Ade Bajomo, and head, corporate services division of the stock exchange, Mr Bola Adeeko, during NSE yearly review of 2014 market recap and outlook for 2015, held at the exchange floor, Marina, Lagos.

PHOTO: BENEDICT UWALAKA.

HOW THEY

BLEW IT

Mark Goldberg

Paying the penalty continued FROM LAST WEEK It all meant that Goldberg was barred from being a company director for at least two years.

He lost his villa in Marbella, his assets, shares, cash, reputation and it even caused his marriage to fail. He literally blew it.

The Crystal Palace affair was nit his only legal wrangle. A dispute with former business partner Peter Browne over a property deal also ended up in the courts. Again Goldberg was found wanting. The high court judge Justice Jacobs branded Goldberg ‘dishonest’ and a ‘liar’. At one stage he said, ‘I have already stated that Mr Goldberg is not to be trusted.’

Throughout all his difficulties, though, Goldberg has remained remarkably upbeat. Although bankrupted, he was soon embarking on a new

recruitment-based venture, called TV Jobshop, although he was at pains to point out (especially to his creditors) that he was merely the sales and marketing manager. ‘I don’t direct the business,’ he said in one newspaper interview, ‘I drive the business’- whatever that means. More recently Goldberg has been talking up a new propertyrelated business venture. ‘I’m hoping to build a couple of sports villages in the UK before the 2012 Olympic Games.

Day to Day, Goldberg has returned to football by becoming manager of Bromley Football Cub, a Kent-based outfit operating in the Conference South League. While he got the job on the back of his brother-in-law being chairman, Goldberg’s football record is good. continues next week

Leadership and status with Japanese Although Japanese top executives have great power in conformity with Confucian hierarchy, they actually have little involvement in the everyday affairs of the company. On appropriate occasions they initiate policies that are conveyed to middle managers to the rank and file. Ideas often originate on the factory floor or with other lower-level sources.

Suggestions, ideas and inventions make their way up the company hierarch by a process of collecting signatures among workers and middle managers. Many people are involved. Top executives take the final step in ratifying items that have won sufficient approval.

44 CEOConfidential

entrepreneur 50 Number of women for whom the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced a two-week training on shoes and bags making in Zamfara.

SMALL BUSINESS 3 resolutions every small business owner should make

It’s a new year, which means it’s time to set goals you want to accomplish with your small business. Rather than creating a list you’ll forget about by February, here are three resolutions every small business owner should make to reap immediate results and stay motivated all year. Write down your goals and publicly post them to help you and your team stay focused and committed to making 2015 the best year yet.

Resolution 1: Outsource the small stuff To help you focus on the most important activities that will have the biggest impact on your bottom line, outsource the small tasks that take up too much time or that aren’t a particular core competency.

Measure the value of this resolution by tracking the improvement of the outsourced job and/or the amount of time you’ve freed up and what you’re doing with that time instead.

Resolution 2: Become a thought leader It’s such a trendy term, ‘thought leader,’ but becoming one is an efficient way to establish yourself as a subject matter expert, as well as an experienced leader in your industry. continues next WEEK

His STORY

Sunday, January 25, 2015

9,000

Number of bags of fertiliser, Dame Patience Jonathan donated to Zamfara women farmers recently.

Emmanuel Ikhiboya Keeping the memories alive Few years back when Emmanuel Ikhiboya ventured into photography, he never anticipated the speedy growth he had recorded within the period of inception. But he was sure of one thing – the drive to translate his passion into a money-spinning machine. And today, Ohis Digital Pix And Video Production Studios, a reputable digital studio has come to stay.

Speaking on what informed his going into that line of business, he said: “I started the business because of the passion I have for photography.

It was like a joke, as people would invite me to cover their birthday parties, wedding ceremonies and other events. I started as an amateur, but later went for a training. Afterwards, I got all the necessary equipment to help me succeed in the business.”

According to him, he had consistently channeled his expertise on every job to ensure that his customers return for more jobs. “I am not surprised so many people prefer us to other photographers. This is because of the professional services we offer,” he said hinting on the company’s edge. “We don’t joke with diligence and professionalism.”

Ikhiboya explained that going into photography has taught him to be more diligent, patient and dependent totally on God’s favour; citing the above as very vital tools to succeed in the industry.

In its infancy as would be expected of any young business, the company was confronted with some challenges. In his words: “One of the challenges we have faced was coping with the integrity of some of our staff members. They come with the intention of learning quickly to go establish their own businesses. And as such fail to get the basics to compete favourably in the industry. Some of them even go as far as feeding our customers with lies just to win them over, but they have not been successful.

“Another challenge is that of always running on a standby generator. This made our profit margin to be very small.”

Since the business is one that he is passionate about, overcoming these challenges was not much of a difficulty for him. “We overcame our challenges by trusting in God for his guidance and protection,” he stated. “Our professional touch and truthfulness also helped.”

Projecting into the future he said, “Our future plan is to open an online platform where our clients would be able to book for our services online, access their pictures in our photo bank to view and download.”

Having spent some time in the industry, he advised young and aspiring entrepreneurs thus: “Be optimistic about your business. Learn from your mentors in the business and above all, always trust in God.” Contact Ikhiboya on 07039122226

By Daniel Udechukwu

Oluwatosin Adesile, Managing Director, Bright Media Production Adesile is a twenty seven year old entrepreneur who began his business 10 years ago. He studied Mass Communication and it was natural of him to follow up his dreams of owning a media firm.

Starting up wasn’t easy for him as he was discouraged from everyone even his parents. Whenever he ran into financial problems, he couldn’t run to meet his friends except for a few friends and he would sell his phones to make

ends meet. According to him, he has over twenty phone covers which he changed within six months. And what is the reason for keeping them? To remind him of his humble beginning.

His ambition to own a publishing firm didn’t come over night.

When he was 16 years old, he had already written a book which he published two years after.

According to him, he is also into event planning. Adesile is of the

opinion that the Nigerian business world is so harsh that he advices fresh graduates who will want to go into his line of business to be passionate and hardworking. He further tells them to have it at the back of their mind the Nigerian government isn’t ready to help anyone become an entrepreneur, urging them to be determined, passionate and zealous.

By Olujide Olusola

46 CEOConfidential ,

tipoffs Compiled by Jennifer Ayomoh

SECRETS OF LONGETIVITY

Sunday, January 25, 2015

21

Number of part-time courses approved by the National Universities commision (NUC) for Bayero University Kano (BUK).

N1,540,000,000 Amount donated by Rotary for polio eradication in Nigeria, according to its chairman, Dr Tunji Funsho.

10 tips for leadership when you’re not the boss

Breathe away toxins

Breathing, our first independent activity when we are born, is soon taken for granted as an automatic function. However, due to habits developed in response to illness, emotional trauma, and other experiences, many people do not breathe properly. It has been estimated that we eliminate only about 30 per cent of the toxins in our bodies through defecation and urination- the rest are purged through the respiratory system. In other words, if you don’t breathe correctly, you are accumulating toxins and wastes in your body.

Practice deep, slow, rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing daily and you will reap the reward of better energy, improved skin complexion, clearer mind, and elevated moods.

Mind-body disciplines such as tai chi, yoga, qigong, and meditation all incorporate breath work into their routines.

BOOKMARK

The Power of Paradox

Schroeder-Saulnier, Deborah The Career Press, Inc., 2014 In The Power of Paradox, Deborah Schroeder-Saulnier presents a compelling argument in favour of paradox thinking.

She argues that finding balance between paradoxical points of view can provide an organization with a roadmap to success.

While opposing, contradictory needs in an organization can cause a great deal of tension, they can also be the source of great inspiration. Schroeder-Saulnier argues that when organisations adopt “and” thinking instead of “or” thinking, it opens up a new world of possibilities.

Remember, a leader is someone who demonstrates desirable characteristics.

5. Take responsibility for your mistakes. We all make mistakes.

Own your mistakes. When someone points out an error, don’t start throwing blame, simply say, “Thanks for letting me know. Let me fix that.”

Additionally, when things start going south, ask for help rather than panicking and trying to fix everything on your own. That usually makes it worse.

When founders and CEOs look to hire and promote managers, they want people who exhibit leadership.

Here are 10 ideas to possessing good leadership skills: 1. Communicate clearly Leaders don’t grumble behind closed doors when things don’t go their way.

They don’t say yes when they should have said no. They say what they mean, and do so in a way that people understand. This is not advocating rudeness, but it is advocating dropping passive-aggressive behavior.

2. Learn flexibility There’s rarely a “right” way to do something. If you are going to insist that things be done a certain way, you’re headed down the micromanager path, and that’s not what leadership is about. Ask yourself, “Is this the

wrong way to do it, or is it just a different way?”

3. Don’t be a doormat Leaders stand up for themselves, politely. Jerks stand up for themselves rudely. If somebody interrupts you in a meeting, simply say, “I’m sorry, can I finish?” If your slimy co-worker tries to dump her work on you, say, “That won’t be possible.” Does this mean you never do a favor? Absolutely not. You do do favors, but you do so because you are nice or because it benefits you and the company, not because you can’t say no.

4. Help others Leaders bring others along with them, and share credit for work well done.

Leaders don’t look for opportunities to step on others, but rather look for opportunities to help others succeed.

6. Listen to others’ ideas You may be bursting with ideas and can’t wait until it’s your turn on the stage, but take time to listen to others.

Other people have great ideas as well, and a true leader acknowledges that good things can come from many sources. Don’t cut people off. Do solicit ideas. You may be surprised at what you learn.

7. Take risks Lots of times, people think leaders have led charmed lives where everything went well. This is rarely the case. Failure is an integral part of success. When you can acknowledge that the risks are real but the potential payoff is enough to counteract that, you’re demonstrating leadership. If you jump blindly, that’s stupid. But if you evaluate the situation and take the risk anyway, that’s leadership.

8. Remember to network Networking isn’t just about finding jobs, it’s about connecting with people.

As you learn how to interact with people, you’ll learn which interactions are effective and which are ineffective.

As you help others with their career, you’re demonstrating your ability to lead and guide.

CAPITALISM Good economic policy does not require good economists What they tell you Whatever the theoretical justifications may be for government intervention, the success or otherwise of government policies depends in large part on the competence of those who design and execute them. Especially, albeit not exclusively, in developing countries, government officials are not very well trained in economics, which they need to be if they are to

implement good economic policies.

Those officials should recognise their limits and refrain from implementing ‘difficult’ policies, such as selective industrial policy, and stick to less-demanding free-market policies, which minimise the role of the government.

What they don’t tell you Good economists are not required to run good economic policies. The

economic bureaucrats that have been most successful are usually not economists. During the ‘miracle’ years, economic policies in Japan and (to a lesser extent) Korea were run by lawyers. In Taiwan and China, economic policies have been run by engineers.

This demonstrates that economic success does not need people well trained in economics- especially if it is of the free-market kind.

CEOConfidential

Sunday, January 25, 2015

updates Compiled by Dan Udechukwu

7%

11

Percentage the world’s second biggest brewer, SABMiller’s African businesses grew in both volumes and revenues.

hEAlth

Western world ‘vulnerable’ to epidemics, warns Ebola expert

The Western world is “vulnerable” to epidemics such as Ebola, and must invest more in researching vaccines, a leading scientist has warned.

Prof Peter Piot told the BBC that developed nations would be in “deep trouble” if they failed to adequately prepare for another outbreak.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, he urged global leaders to take a “longterm view”.

Public health policies must “transcend politics and borders”, he said.

Prof Piot co-discovered the Ebola virus in 1976, and is now in charge of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

He said the UK was relatively well prepared for an outbreak, and praised NHS staff who travelled to West Africa to combat the recent Ebola epidemic.

The threat of Ebola, and other infectious diseases such as influenza and Sars, are set to be discussed in Switzerland this week, as politicians and business leaders from around the globe gather for the annual WEF. Prof Piot, who will address the WEF alongside leaders of pharmaceutical companies and West African leaders, said he wanted audiences to understand that “we weren’t prepared enough” for the Ebola outbreak that spread across Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia last year.

OCTA-PLUS

$137

Amount Nestle, the Swiss food group, is set to inject in Egypt in the next couple of years, according to CEO, Nestle North East Africa Region, Suresh Narayanan.

$750m Worth of loan Kenya is seeking from the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Earnings for the world’s largest technology services company, IBM, slumped in the fourth quarter as it moved away from its hardware business.

The falling oil price has forced the world’s biggest miner BHP Billiton to cut its US shale oil operation by 40%.

Number of African countries that have slashed fuel prices according to Mail & Guardian Africa.

sports

Atletico Madrid: China’s Wang Jianlin buys 20% stake

Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin has bought a 20% stake in Spanish football club Atletico Madrid for $52m as he looks to diversify his business empire further.

He heads China’s biggest property company Dalian Wanda, which has been buying up big foreign brands amid a weak domestic real estate market.

Legal costs for the whole of 2014 were $2.9bn, well below the $11.1bn it paid the year before.

This includes US cinema chain AMC and luxury British yachtmaker Sunseeker.

telecommunication

Apple’s big ‘spaceship’ is well under construction

When in April 2006, Former CEO Steve Jobs announced to the city council of Cupertino that Apple had acquired nine adjoining properties to build a second campus, it left many with budding anticipation of what to expect as regards what the technology giant had in mind for the project. The project which is going to be Apple’s new headquarters, is currently under construction and has been described by industry insiders as “going to be big”.

The office which according to its CEO Tom Cooks will be the “Greenest” is so big; the Cupertino Company has spent $161 million on the auditorium alone.

technology

Banking card technology to complement Vodacom’s mobile money service Leading digital security company, Gemalto has announced the deployment of prepaid EMV banking cards to complement Vodacom’s m-pesa mobile wallet service in South Africa.

The card is certified by the major international payment schemes and accepted at any of the 240,000 EMV-compliant payment terminals and over 27,000 ATMs throughout the country, which will significantly extend the reach of the leading South African operator’s services.

Gemalto’s off-the-shelf solution for Vodacom encompasses design and production of the card, as well as automatic packaging and point-of-sales delivery.

technology

SpaceX gets $1bn from Google and Fidelity

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has raised $1bn in funding from Google and Fidelity Investments.

The firms together own just under 10% of SpaceX, the spacecraft manufacturer backed by billionaire Elon Musk.

The deal values the firm at $10bn. It said the money would go towards innovation in space transport and satellite manufacturing.

HUB-WORDS

Can you work out which eight numbers correspond with the letters A-H on the Octa-Plus diagram? No two numbers are the same. Each number is a whole number and no number is less than 2 or greater than 50.

1. C is an odd number lower than H. 2. D is an even number.

3. G minus F is either 11 or 12.

4. A fifth of B is equal to a third of C. 5. F minus D is an odd number.

6. H is a third of F and E is a third of B. 7. G divided by five is a whole number and odd.

8. D is equal to B minus C. 9. A is equal to 150 minus the sum of the other seven numbers.

47

How many words can you make from the letters in the wheel? Each word must contain the hub letter C. Can you find a 9-letter word and at least 20 other words of five letters or more avoiding proper nouns?

LAST Week’S SOLUTiOnS OCTA-PLUS

All the numbers are whole numbers (intro) and no number is less than 1 or greater than 32 (intro). A third of D is an even number (clue 2), so D is an even number. D minus B is an even number (clue 1), so B is an even number. C is half of G (4), so G is an even number, so G minus B is 16 (3 and above). B is either 6 or 12 (5 and above) but not 6 (4 and above), so 12. G is 28 (3 and above) and H is 4 (5). C is 14 and E is 7 (4). D is 18.

HUB-WORDS

9-letter word - ACROBATIC Some other words of four letters or more containing the hub letter R: airt, aria, boar, brat, brit, cart, coir, crab, crib, riot, rota, taro, tori, trio, abort, actor, aorta, atria, bract, carat, carob, circa, cobra, orbit, raita, ratio, riata, tabor, taira, tiara, aortic, rabato, acrobat, carioca.

48 CEOConfidential

updates Compiled by Dan Udechukwu

Sunday, January 25, 2015

4.6%

Percentage by which Nigeria’s banking sector nonperforming loan is to rise in 2015.

Telecommunications

Telcos target fresh revenue in video streaming amid rising user affinity

Telecommunications companies in Nigeria are tapping into video streaming as a fresh revenue source, as consumer preference for this new service continues to rise, especially amongst high networth individuals, BusinessDay investigations show.

More Nigerians will watch streamed video on a weekly basis than broadcast television this year, according to the latest ConsumerLab annual report released by telecommunications equipment manufacturer, Ericsson. “Viewers are currently shifting towards easy-to-use on-demand services that allow cross-platform access to video content”, said Rebecka Cadering Angstrom, senior advisor, Consumer Insights, Ericsson, in a recent interview with BusinessDay, which was conducted via video conferencing.

Video on Demand (VoD) is a system that allows consumers to select and watch video content of their choice on Personal Computers (PC) , tablets, smartphones and television.

Over the next two years, VoD service revenues will reach an estimated $40bn, growing by 150 per cent in 2017, says recent research from iDATE. Growing user affinity for video streaming is heartwarming for mobile operators, as many are working aggressively to build up alternative sources of revenue, in an attempt to offset the sharp decline in voice revenues, which is driven essentially by regulatory and competitive pressures.

Telecommunications

NCC yet to lift market dominance sanctions on MTN, Globacom

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is yet to lift regulatory sanctions imposed on MTN and Globacom, two of

N2.3bn Value of transactions NASD Plc reported it recorded in 2014, according to its managing director, Mr Bola Ajomale.

$25bn

Worth of foreign direct investments Nigeria’s economy loses in the telecommunications industry amid low local content push.

N87

New petrol pump price after the federal government announced a reduction.

the biggest players in the telecoms market, over allegations that they used their market dominance to compete unfairly in Nigeria’s telecommunications market, reports Technology Times.

Both telecoms operators are, however, concerned about the deficiencies inherent in the determination process.

Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman, NCC, had in a determination dated April 25, 2013, held that both telecoms companies, South Africa’s MTN and Globacom, second national carrier, are dominant mobile operators in critical segments of the nation’s telecoms market.

transportation

Arik Air resumes flight to Cameroon, Benin as Ebola fears subside

Yet another testament to the subsiding Ebola tide is the resumption of flights to certain countries whose suspension had been necessitated by the outbreak. Arik Air, West and Central Africa’s largest carrier, has resumed flight services to Cotonou, Benin Republic and Douala, Cameroon.

With this resumption, the airline will be operating four weekly flights from Lagos to Cotonou and Douala on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. “We are pleased to return to Cotonou and Douala after the brief period of suspension of flights, Arik Air’s managing director, commented.

real estate The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will engage with JPMorgan to ensure that Nigerian bonds remain on its emerging markets bond index (GBI –EM) as a result of the recent negative watch placed on them by the New York based global financial services firm.

The federal government has approved a new funding mechanism that will ensure that cotton, textile and garment companies access long-term, low interest loans to finance their operations.

Investment growth, increased real estate revenue in Lagos land tax cut

The recent executive order signed by Babatunde Fashola, governor of Lagos State, cutting down land tax charges by 10 per cent, promises to grow investment and increase the state’s revenue from real estate transactions and development significantly, analysts say.

The drop of land charges from 13 per cent to 3 per cent, the analysts observe, is quite remarkable. They describe it as not just attractive, but also the most innovative and forward-looking decision taken in the history of land administration in the state.

A few weeks ago, Lagos slashed its Consent Fees from 6 per cent to 1.5 per cent, while Capital Gains Tax, which was previously 2 percent, was reduced to 0.5 per cent.

economy

Nigerian woman launches West Africa’s largest data center in Lagos

Leading provider of innovative telecom services and network solutions for businesses in West Africa, MainOne, recently announced the opening of its premier Tier III Lekki Data Center, to address the growing demand for Colocation, Cloud and Disaster Recovery Services in West Africa.

The N7 billion ($37.7 million) investment has capacity for 600 racks.

The Nigerian company explained that the purpose built facility designed to international TIA 942 standards will be managed under a new subsidiary branded as MDX-i.

“We are delighted to launch West Africa’s largest and best-connected data center,” said MainOne’s chief executive officer, Funke Opeke, at the launch in Lagos, Nigeria.

EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Exhibition

Conference

ConMach Nigeria 2015 Victoria Island, Lagos; March 11-14, 2015

Exhibition

2nd Annual Leadership Development For Women Windhoek Namibia; February 11-12, 2015

Nigeria Oil & Gas Exhibition Abuja, Nigeria; March16-19, 2015

ConMach 2015 brings the exporters in a room with so many African & global potential customers actively looking for suppliers and give the companies the chance to have hundreds of one-on-one meetings in such a short period of time.

ConMach is organised for those who want to expand their business and find importers /distributors in Africa.

ConMach is a good opportunity to promote existing brands, introduce new ones, and most importantly obtain useful feedbacks for further product development, all under one roof.

Following the success of the inaugural Leadership Development for Women Conference in February 2014, Intelligence Transfer Centre (ITC) is looking forward to once again create an objective platform for women in Namibia to meet, excel and empower. A faculty of incredible speakers will once again share with you their experiences and guide you to becoming successful and influential Women Leaders.

The Nigeria Oil & Gas Exhibition is a 4-day event being held from March 16 to March 19, 2015, at the Abuja International Conference Centre in Abuja, Nigeria. This event showcases product from Chemicals & Dyes industry.

Stakeholders in the industry are advised to take full advantage of the event.

49

Sunday, January 25, 2015

business

Transformer

Unmetered Electricity Consumers And The Burden Of Estimated Billing Since taking over operations of the various utilities in November 2013, the Distribution Companies (Discos) have done little to close the huge metering gap that exists in the electricity sector, leaving millions of consumers at the mercy of estimated billing, writes, Juliet Alohan

The reality on ground is one where consumers are unilaterally billed at the discretion of the Discos, with the bills periodically increased without the increase of electricity tariff by NERC

T

he privatisation of the nation’s power sector brought renewed hope for Nigerians both in the area of better power supply and general improvement in services.

Specifically, closing the huge metering gap which existed in the sector where less than 50 per cent of electricity consumers are metered, was one of the areas many thought would be quickly addressed by the new owners.

This would ensure that consumers pay for the energy they consume, but findings on the ground suggest that the utilities are not in a hurry to meter customers but rather, prefer to have them on estimated billing where customers are served outrageous bills monthly whether or not there was power supply the entire period.

The bills are unrealistic in most cases, taking recourse to nothing, not even the methodology on estimated billing initiated by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Normally, in arriving at an estimated billing for a customer, a Disco is expected to establish a basis, considering the duration of electricity supply to the customer, apartment size and electrical appliances used and more importantly, benchmark with customers on prepaid metering within the same cluster.

But the reality on ground is one where consumers are unilaterally billed at the discretion of the Discos, with the bills periodically increased without the increase of electricity tariff by NERC. Narrating his ordeal, John Ebuka, a resident of Mpape, an Abuja suburb, told LEADERSHIP Sunday

that he is confused about the manner he is being billed adding that it lacks normal reasoning.

He said: “In my area, we were initially having power rationing of one day on, one day off and at that time my monthly estimated bill was N3, 000 for my one bedroom flat.

“But since September 2014, the bill increased to N11,000, it beats normal reasoning because the rationing is now one day on and three days off because of a faulty transformer. One would expect a reduction in the bill rather they increase.” he said.

Another consumer, Mary Ebilegbe, who resides in Kubwa, another Abuja suburb, said while she is billed between N3,800 and N4,800 monthly for her one room self-contained apartment, her next door neighbour who is on prepaid metering spends N2,000 on energy units monthly.

Ebilegbe said although she has applied for a prepaid meter since 2012, she is yet to get one installed as the operators keep telling her meters are not available.

She said she’s pained more by the fact that while she goes to work daily and switch off her appliances, her neighbour who is mostly a sit

at home mother of one and having same appliances as her, who ought to pay more for utilising electricity all day, ends up paying less because she’s lucky to have a prepaid meter.

But the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has explained that the disco does not operate as an island, stressing that it is guided by procedures spelt out by the regulator as far as metering and billing of customers are concerned.

The Disco explained that its billing of unmetered customers is scientific, saying, whatever amount of energy is injected into a district is measured in KWH with various transformers and feeders for various sets of customers.

“Now we have measured this number of units in terms of KWH of power into this particular district, we remove the amount for metered customers on pre-paid and metered credit meters, then the reminder is what goes to the unmetered customers,” the company’s spokesman, Ahmed Shekarau, said.

He pointed out that in places where customers complain of over billing, load audit conducted revealed that such customers where initially being under-billed. ➔ CONTINUEd ON PAGE

50

50 BUSINESS

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Unmetered Electricity Consumers And The Burden Of Estimated Billing

Prof. Chinedu Nebo ➔ Continued from PAGE 49

He explained that there is a difference between generalising a problem and going to the specifics, adding that, “We do not want to be unfair to our customers that is why for the unmetered customers we are sensitive about the energy we delivered to them for a particular month.”

While assuring customers that the company is doing everything possible to provide smart meters for them, he urged those who are not satisfied with their bills to complain to the nearest business unit.

Discos now engage in price loading whereby they unilaterally increase a consumers unit consumption and bill them as such without carrying out a load audit to ascertain the appliances used by the customer

NERC Fact Finding This development is not limited to any particular Disco as a recent fact finding mission embarked upon by NERC to ascertain Discos’ compliance with the Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation Scheme (CAPMI) revealed it is a sector- wide challenge.

CAPMI is a scheme initiated by NERC whereby willing customers can advance money for purchase and installation of meters which should mandatorily be installed within 45 days by the Disco. The payments would be subsequently refunded through a rebate on the fixed charge element of the customers’ electricity bills.

This initiative was taken in recognition of the fact that the Discos are heavy burdened with lots of challenges and may not have enough funds to deploy meters at once to all customers.

However, many Discos were found wanting of sluggishness to provide meters for customers who had paid under CAPMI. But during the fact finding mission to Jos, NERC expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) over its implementation of the CAPMI scheme.

Chairman of NERC, Dr Sam Amadi, who was represented by the general manager, Govern-

Amadi

ment and Consumer Affairs, Dr Anthony Akah, said the regulator was not pleased with customers’ compliant of non-installation of meters by the Disco despite having paid, noting that such failure is a breach of contract.

He said, “We are not satisfied with your performance in terms of metering of your customers. This is a breach of contract, especially when a customer has paid for a meter under the CAPMI scheme. It is not that the meter suppliers are not forth coming, we demand a satisfactory performance from you.”

It was during the meeting that JEDC’s executive director, Marketing, Verr Jirho assured its consumers who have applied for CAPMI of installation within weeks while explaining that the company would have about 95,000 meters in its possession in the coming weeks which would be deployed to its customers.

Similarly, at the Benin forum, there were several complaints bordering on outrageous estimated billing from unmetered customers most of whom made payments pre-privatisation.

One of the complainants said, while he was spending an average of N7,000 monthly on energy units for his three bedroom apartment, using a prepaid meter, the company served him an estimated bill of N17,000 a month when his meter went bad, but said the issue was later resolved after months of petitioning.

BEDC’s executive director, Commercial, Abu Ejoor, speaking at the forum also assured the aggrieved customers that the Disco has completed plans to meter them despite the fact that most of them made payments to the defunct PHCN prior to privatisation.

NERC Criticised The regulator has been criticised by the president, Nigeria Consumers Protection Net-

work, Kunle Kola Olubiyo, who expressed concern that a lot still needs to be done by NERC in its oversight function of the sector.

He alleged that the Discos now engage in price loading, whereby they unilaterally increase a consumers unit consumption and bill them as such without carrying out a load audit to ascertain the appliances used by the customer.

Olubiyo said: “NERC has done a lot but gaps still exist in the regulatory function for which it needs to do more to make sure these things are checked. I am resident in Abuja and am not on prepaid billing and I have seen across board, complaints from consumers where people are just placed on say, 100 units monthly, and that translates to a lot of money.

“Consumers should be billed for energy they consume, it should be scientific, not at the whims and caprice or discretion of the Discos or sharp practices to the disadvantage of the consumer,” Olubiyo told LEADERSHIP Sunday.

FG’s Intervention Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo has said government was not unaware of the challenge faced by unmetered electricity consumers and as a way to cushion the effects, he said government has concluded plans to roll out 1 million meters which would be distributed amongst the Discos to be installed for consumers.

Nebo who explained that the gesture is aimed at bridging the huge metering gap said, “The president has approved funding for the purchase of 1 million meters to be deployed to consumers, a mechanism would be developed on the sharing formula.

“The problem is if you have no meters you are subject to estimated billing, that’s why some people may not even be happy to give you meters. But

we think we should continue to insist that every consumer must be metered. When government kick-starts the massive deployment of meters, estimated billing will stop, the gesture is to support the Discos which are overburdened by lots of challenges,” Nebo said.

Meanwhile, chairman of NERC has explained that two possibilities could result to a customer receiving an exorbitant bill. According to him, “It is either that power has improved significantly and the person enjoys more power and in that case the Disco bills for higher consumption.

“The second likely option is that the Disco increases the bills unfairly and claimed that some people are chronically underestimated and then optimises them properly. I think the consumer should always benchmark their consumption with metered consumers in the same cluster to know if they are overbilled,” Amadi noted.

Speaking further he said, “Estimated consumers by virtue of their status are subjected to unfair pricing and the only way to overcome such challenge without metering, is to benchmark with metered customers within their area because the Commission cannot determine proper billing without evidence.”

On what punitive measures are there for Discos engaged in billing sharp practices, Amadi said, while there are sanctions for such, the regulator cannot apply them if consumers don’t complain with evidence.

“Our job will be to address these kind of issues with samples, we will ask questions that bother on the frequency of such complaints and then mandate the Discos on what to do with a closer check on them,” he said, adding, “there are 11 Discos across the country and the only way to deal with them is through general sampling with a view to zero in on them through patterns of consumer complaints.”