5th oct 2014 by Newtelegraphonline

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Sanctity of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

Sunday, October 5, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 229

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N150

Dangote, Chike-Obi, Lemo endorse New York Times /New Telegraph pact Ayodele Aminu

frica’s richest man and philanthropist, Aliko Dangote, and the Managing Director of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Fashion Playsuits are trending 22&43

Bed Work &

The evil that women do... 21

Life

Mr. Mustapha Chike-Obi, have joined the growing list of business and political leaders that have endorsed the partnership between the New York Times NYT and New Telegraph newspaper, billed to debut

Body Soul

tomorrow. Others, who have also lauded the deal include the immediate past Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Babatunde Lemo, and the Managing Director of

Financial Derivatives, Bismarck Rewane. Speaking on the development, Dangote described it as a synergy that will offer readers incisive, rich and refreshing news reports on business and

politics. “This partnership especially with a globally respected newspaper like the New York Times has shown clearly that New CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

DR. SCK UCHE

MODUPE OZOLUA

DIMGBA IGWE

Some Nigerian church leaders are shamefully materialistic }51

Body enhancement expert charts new course

Tributes for late The Sun Vice-Chairman

}46

SUNDAY 05 OCTOBE

R 2014

I play Table Tennis regularly with my wife –Victor Famuyibo

APC PRESIDENTIAL TICKET Eid-el-Kabir: Jonathan, others admonish Nigerians Our Reporters

resident Goodluck Jonathan; Vice-President Namadi Sambo; governors and other eminent Nigerians yesterday said called on Nigerians to continue to imbibe the lessons of Eid-el-Kabir as the nation strives to surmount its challenges. They spoke in separate messages to Nigerians. Speaking in Abuja, the President said the unfortunate security challenges being CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

President, govs, ministers won’t enjoy electricity subsidy, says power minister Ojiaku Kalu

op public office-holders in Nigeria may soon be in for a surprise if plans by the Federal Government on the reform of the power sector sail through. Government, through the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, is said to be pushing for the President, Vice-President, governors, deputy governors, ministers, commissioners and other top public officers to pay full rate for electricity enjoyed. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

THE BIG

BATTLE

l Why odds may favour Atiku l Age, resources hinder Buhari, others l 10 hurdles threatening Jonathan’s candidacy

}4, 5 & 31

SUNDAY, 05 OCTOBER, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Contents | 05.10.14 BODY & SOUL

I didn’t drink as a kid Chairman and President of Council, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) and Director, Human Resources, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Victor Famuyibo, talks about his life and career

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LIFE

Bless the rains Washing dirt off shoppers’ feet in Lagos markets during the rains has become a thriving business for local women

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POLITICS

Hurdles for Mr. President Despite the avalanche of endorsements, President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid in 2015 will be determined by his ability to scale 10 hurdles. What are they?

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BUSINESS

CBN’s N65 ATM fee stance Bank customers reject Central Bank of Nigeria’s explanation for re-introducing the N65 ATM service charge, saying it is antipeople and misleading

}24

FAITH

God originated politics The Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. SCK Uche, takes you on a roller-coaster on how God is the originator of politics

}51

SPORT

Forgive me, Amaju begs The new NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, begs those he must have offended since he delved fully into sports administration

}59

Editorial

Time to diversify the economy

igeria may have successfully transformed its mostly agrarian economy at Independence in 1960 to one driven largely by resources from the oil and gas sector 54 years after. But, the pulse of stakeholders especially members of the organised private sector still indicates a deep concern that all may not be well after all. This scenario is notwithstanding the 6 per cent average GDP growth achieved against all odds in the past decade. As the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) rightly observed, “the biggest shortcoming of the (Nigerian) economy is its dependence on oil.” Yet, this same capital-intensive oil and gas sector is what the nation has riveted its gaze on for 95 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings and about 80 of budgetary revenues for decades without giving heed to calls by stakeholders to diligently diversify the economy and awaken the giant in other sectors. Until the deep-seated reforms in the telecommunications sector were implemented in 2001, the present day miracle of 130 million active lines achieved in 13 years and the astounding growth and opportunities spurred by a princely investment of $130 billion foreign direct investment and contribution of more than N300 billion to the coffers of the federal government through frequency spectrum sales witnessed by Nigerians, remained unthinkable. This development strengthens our position that similar transformation should be initiated to open up other sectors of the economy to bake larger pies and improve the overall wellbeing of Nigerians. Sure, 15 years of continuous democracy in Nigeria have earned the country enormous goodwill as one of the few stable democracies in Africa, with the economy as major beneficiary as demonstrated by the huge investment inflow. However, core democratic values are yet to take firm root in our democracy, especially in the areas of accountability by the political leadership at all levels; transparency in the management of public finance; rule of law; separation of powers and the inherent checks and balances as well as quality and independence of democratic institutions, among others. While it is recognised that Nigeria democracy is still work in progress, the importance of these democratic ideals in the sustenance of our democracy cannot be over-emphasised. But even more crucial for the economy and our democracy is the need to reverse the credit challenge identified as the factor with the biggest negative impact on business confidence in the economy, if further expansion and growth must be achieved. For this reason, we vehemently oppose the prevail

ing high interest rate regime and demand a single digit rate to mirror the inflation rate. It is regrettable that the power situation still remains a major burden on business as an area that has progressively declined since independence. The negative impact of this awful development on investment over the past decades and its consequences of declining productivity and competitiveness remain too heavy for the economy to continue to bear and therefore must be reversed too. For decades since independence, manufacturing enterprise in the economy had been hamstrung by poor quality infrastructure, exacerbating the high and increasing risk of industrial investment in the business environment. We believe that this poses great constraints to the real sector and requires a reversal. Members of the organised private sector (OPS) are in unison however, that the transformation in the telecommunications sector stands out as the most successful reform story in the economy. While they note the measure of progress being made in the agricultural sector that has seen productivity levels leap 325 per cent as recently acknowledged by Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) at the 25th Ordinary session of the African Union Executive Council, they also note that the sector cannot be transformed in isolation of infrastructure development and industrialisation. We agree with this viewpoint. We are encouraged that the financial services sector has also shown significant transformation since independence, leveraging technology to enhance service delivery and attain the level of sophistication that can compare with its counterparts even in the advanced economies. But we believe that this is not the destination yet; there is still room for improvement. We are worried that the impact of growth on private sector productivity and the welfare of Nigerians remains very weak. This in turn has adversely affected the quality of the business environment, especially in the real sector. We believe that the adverse effects on efficiency, productivity and competiveness of enterprises in the economy arising from weak infrastructures and institutions pose ominous risks to inclusiveness and job creation in the economy. Our low rankings in the Human Development Index by the UNDP (153 of 186) and in the Ease of Doing Business Ranking of the World Bank (147 of 189 countries) underscore the lack of alignment between economic growth, investment climate and the welfare of citizens in Nigeria and must be reversed now.

Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief n Eric Osagie Deputy Managing Directors n Gabriel Akinadewo

Felix Oguejiofor Abugu

Managing Editor n Suleiman Uba Gaya

Editor, Daily n Yemi Ajayi

Editor, Saturday n Laurence Ani

Editor, Sunday n Emeka Madunagu

Deputy Editor, Sunday n Juliet Bumah

Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz

Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins

Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam

Asst. Editor, News & Politics n Biyi Adegoroye

Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed

Ag. Sales/Circulation Manager n Uchey Okezie

Head, Graphics n Timothy Akinleye

Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER 2014

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

The Sunday Magazine SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER 2014

APC presidential ticket

Ahaoma Kanu

s the momentum gathers for the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) billed to hold on December 2, there are indications that a big battle is in the offing. Already, the floor has been thrown open by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for political activities to commence in full. So far, those who have indicated interest in picking the ticket are a former Head of State, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; the publisher of Leadership newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah; Governors Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Rabiu Kwankwaso and Rochas Okorocha (Imo). Also mentioned is the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal. Buhari, Atiku and Nda-Isaiah have openly declared interest while Oshiomhole is said to have picked the form. Governor Rotimi Amaechi is said to be willing to pair with any contender from the North while Okorocha may either push for the ticket or offer himself as a running mate. Nda-Isaiah, a Northern Christian minority, is banking on a possible swing of sympathy to the Middle Belt. If this happens, he will cash in on it and pick the ticket. He is hoping to divide the votes of minority ethnic groups in Nigeria, since Jonathan is also from the minority Ijaw ethnic group in Bayelsa State. Kwankwaso was said to have been sure that Buhari would anoint him as his political successor but was disappointed when the former head of state and three-time presidential candidate came out to declare his interest. Kwankwaso is said to have developed cold feet with the emergence of Buhari. Sources in his camp said that he had indicated interest in the race on the assumption that Buhari would not run. Tambuwal is being remotely linked to the presidential race, although there are indications that he may opt for the governorship ticket in Sokoto State. The big battle has already splited the party. There are fears that may undermine its choice of a suitable candidate to match the Peoples Democratic Party’s adopted candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan. While Buhari reportedly prefers consensus candidacy, Atiku has declared that he will be ready to face any contender in open primaries. Sunday New Telegraph gathered that leading lights in the party as well as in the North were wary of pushing Buhari’s bid over fears that his popularity may might dwindled considerably. A top Northern politician told our correspondent that there were fears that Buhari’s famed huge crowds, which he drew during previous attempts at the presidency, might not materialise this time around as the electorate had gradually become tired of his serial candidacy. It was also learnt that age and lack of funds were militating against Buhari, as no billionaire had come forward to pledge funds in support of his bid. Another source of worry is that Buhari, who will be 72 on December 17, may not be in full control of his administration, if elected, as he may have to choose a strong personality as running mate. There are speculations that one of the Southern APC governors may be picked as running mate if the party picks its candidate from the North. Top on the list are Governors Oshiomhole, Amaechi, Okorocha and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti). The source said Buhari might have personality crisis he had when, as head of state from

The Big Battle

•Why odds favour Atiku •Funding, waning popularity threaten Buhari’s chances

Atiku-Abubakar

1983 – 1984, he shared the limelight with his then deputy, the late Brig.-Gen. Tunde Idiagbon. Oshiomhole and Okorocha have already picked forms for the APC presidential ticket. “The only thing Buhari had going for him were the crowds he pulled during his previous campaigns. However, in terms of finance, charisma, manifesto, personality and wide acceptability, Atiku is ahead of all the contenders. “He is the only candidate who has the financial resources and support base to challenge the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, in the 2015 presidential election. “Having been in politics for far much longer than all the other contenders, Atiku understands what it takes to tackle a sitting president. After all, he pulled his weight under Obasanjo and has remained a force to reckon with in Nigerian politics. “Remember that there are issues about Jonathan’s eligibility pending before the courts. One thing going for Atiku is that he has the resources and knows how to deploy them well. “Recall how he dealt with Obasanjo directly and through the courts. If his name had been excluded from the ballot in 2011, you know the presidential election would have been cancelled. “Also, Atiku has some of the best lawyers in the country; and in terms of adjudication, PDP knows it has to be very careful. It knows

Buhari

“Atiku is the most respected politician anywhere in Nigeria. He cuts across board, even in PDP. To show his clout, he married from the South-East, South-West and the North” that things could swing against it in the courts. One wrong step by PDP may actually ruin Jonathan’s re-election bid. “Kwankwaso has a strong base in Kano, with his Kwankwasiyya movement. But he is not strong nationwide. He thought he would be anointed by Buhari but when the former head of state joined the race, his bid lost steam. “Give it to Buhari, he has mass following in the North. But when it comes to reaching across different strata of the society and all over Nigeria, Atiku has an edge. You have to know that those states with the largest population of voters are Kano, Kaduna and Lagos and APC is very strong in these states, besides controlling the first and third. “The voters in Kano and Kaduna are fanatical followers of Buhari. However, when it comes to personality, top politicians would

rather prefer someone who can stand his ground rather than a puppet. “Atiku is the most respected politician anywhere in Nigeria. He cuts across board, even in PDP. To show his clout, he married from the South-East, South-West and the North. His campaign team is also diverse. Jonathan has funds at his disposal, no doubt, but Atiku has resources and knows how and when to deploy them. “No governor can match Jonathan in terms of funds because there isn’t much they can muster. If they tamper with funds belonging to their states, Jonathan will simply send the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after them. “Of course, you know that in primaries, it is the aspirant who can woo delegates with the largest amount of cash that wins the day. Which of these contenders can match Atiku’s immense wealth? “Tambuwal is no match for Jonathan in the presidential contest. He knows that fully well. As for Nda-Isaiah, his chances are quite slim because he lacks the financial strength and the national acceptability to match Jonathan. “Besides, many wealthy Nigerians are pledging funds for Jonathan’s campaign and so, he doesn’t really need to bother about funding his campaign,” the source stated.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

The Sunday Magazine

APC: All the hopefuls

Kwankwaso

Oshiomole

“With the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), the battle for who becomes the presidential candidate of the opposition party in the February 14, 2015 poll went into full gear”

Tambuwal

Ahaoma Kanu

s the December 2 date set for the general convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) draws near, party leaders and candidates interested in elective offices are having high powered consultations to achieve their objectives. With the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), the battle for who becomes the presidential candidate of the opposition party in the February 14, 2015 poll went into full gear. Sunday New Telegraph takes a look at some of the party chieftains that nurse the presidential ambition. Though several contenders have publicly declared their intentions to have a shot at the presidency, the race for the ticket appears to be between the former Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Also, Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) believe they have what it takes to be the party’s choice for the presidency. There are also indications that the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, though still in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), may join the race. Publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah is also in the race. The main contenders

Muhammadu Buhari Former military Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, has run unsuccessfully for president on three occasions under two defunct parties, the All Nigeria People’s Congress (ANPP) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). The two parties coalesced to form APC. Buhari has a strong followership in the North and this was demonstrated in the 2011 elections where he polled 12 million votes mostly in the North. His intolerance for corruption consolidates his popularity but many still fault his human rights record. As head of state, he clamped several people into jail. Age is also a factor against him. He will be 72 on December 17. The paucity of fund to run a serious campaign is also a hindrance to him. His support base is restricted to the North. In the race for the APC presidential ticket, Buhari is still the aspirant to beat. Atiku Abubakar Like Buhari, Abubakar has made several attempts for the presidency. The former vice-president is a politician with a strong political structure. He has never hidden his ambition to become the president. Born November 25, 1946, Abubakar had a successful political career since leaving the Nigeria Customs Service in 1989. His frosty relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo rocked his presidential ambition but he jumped ship to the Action Congress (AC) and was defeated by Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007. Atiku returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party on whose platform he was elected vice president in 1999, but dumped it in the pursuit of his presidential ambition. He returned to the PDP and was adopted as the

Okorocha

Nda-Isaiah

Northern consensus candidate to challenge President Jonathan for the PDP ticket. He floored former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; former governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, now in APC and Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau, now Minister of Defence. Jonathan defeated Atiku in the presidential primaries. Atiku remained in PDP but joined APC last year. His penchant for changing parties is seen more as an act of desperation than principle. Atiku wields strong political influence in the APC and has network of friends across the country. He has a lot of financial resources to do the battle. If money is a major factor in winning the presidential ticket, the former vice president has abundance and none of his co-contestants can challenge him on this.

coming from the same oil-rich region with President Jonathan. Oshiomhole is angling to be vice president. Rochas Okorocha Okorocha’s indication that he will be contesting for the party’s presidential ticket came as a shock to many analysts considering the fact that he is still in his first term as a governor. Abandoning the governorship position for the presidential ticket is considered the biggest gamble in the coming elections. Okorocha’s emergence as the Imo State Governor was by the choice of the Imo people who wanted a change of government against the then Governor Ikedi Ohakim. He contested on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), but dumped it for the APC. This is not the first time Okorocha would be contesting for the presidential ticket. He did so in 2003 on the platform of the ANPP but lost. In 2006, he formed the Action Alliance (AA) to contest the 2007 presidential but dumped the party and moved to the PDP where he contested for the PDP national chairmanship and lost. In the contest for the APC presidential ticket, Okorocha is not seen as a serious contender. He may end up going for a re-election as governor of Imo State.

Rabiu Kwankwaso The Kano State governor has shown his political dexterity when he got back his mandate as governor after being defeated during his first term in office. He is among the governors that initiated the exodus of fellow governors and other big wigs from the PDP after creating a divide in the party with the emergence of the new PDP. Since joining active politics in 1975 at the age of 19, Kwankwaso has grown through the ranks in different political platforms, gaining extensive political exposure and structure. His introduction of sound policies in education, agriculture, electrification and transparency in government has endeared him to his people and propelled him to a much higher status in the region; his movement, Kwankasiyya, is a structure to be reckoned with in Kano. The manner in which he handled the selection of former Central Bank Governor, Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, shows his tactical preparedness in politics. But his entrance into the APC caused a massive walkout of prominent politicians from the party and these are the people he will have to contend with in the comingelections. Kwankwaso does not stand a bright chance of picking up the ticket in the primaries. His strength resides mainly in Kano where Buhari also has enormous goodwill. Kwankwaso stands little chance of winning the ticket. Adams Oshiomole Oshiomhole is the latest entrant into the presidential race. Regarded as the man of the people during his days as the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oshiomole’s chances of picking the presidential ticket of the APC in the December 2 primaries is very slim because he is from the Niger Delta. The permutations do not favour him,

Sam Nda-Isaiah Nda-Isaiah is the publisher of Leadership Newspaper. He has used his weekly column in the newspaper for constant criticism of the Presidency. Having had an inspiring story on how to start an organisation with less than N1 million, his declaration to contest in the presidential primaries of the APC is comparable to Sarah Jubril’s attempt in the 2011 PDP’s presidential primaries. Analysts opine that Nda-Isaiah will have made more impact had he gone for the Senate or governorship of Niger State. The pharmacist was very close to Buhari. His going into the race may be to test his popularity. Aminu Tambuwal Though the Speaker, House of Representatives is yet to officially join the APC, indications are rife that he will do so sooner than later. Tambuwal has been noticeably absent from major PDP events and hobnobs with members of the opposition party. His turbaning as Mutawallen Sakwato in Sokoto last weekend witnessed heavyweights from the APC. Though he has been urged by his supporters to go for the Presidency, there are indications that Tambuwal is more interested in running for the Sokoto State governorship.

SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

Skye Bank wins bid for Mainstreet Bank

lCedar One Investment, Fidelity Bank are reserve bidders Ayodele Aminu

kye Bank Plc has emerged the preferred (successful) bidder for Mainstreet Bank Limited, which is wholly owned by the Asset Management Company (AMCON). The result of the bidding announced yesterday by AMCON indicated Cedar One Investment Partners Limited as the first reserve bidder, while Fidelity Bank Plc is the second reserve bidder. It came less than three weeks after a botched attempt to win the bid for Enterprise Bank, whose sale process to Heritage Bank Limited is about beCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

experienced in the country would make Nigeria stronger in the near future. The President, who received Muslim faithful on Sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, explained that the challenges would be gradually overcome. The Muslim faithful were led by Sambo alongside the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide. According to the President, this year’s celebration was quite significant as the day of the Arafat fell on a Friday. “From what I was told, it takes a long time to have that coincidence. Remembering the fact that 2014 is our centenary year, that shows that something good is happening to this country,” he said. Arafat is the day before the Sallah, when an important observance which falls during the Islamic month of Hajj, the Islamic pilgrim to Makkah is performed. Jonathan said, “We may have our challenges as other nations but when things begin to happen in a particular way, I begin to see light at the end of the tunnel. “Nigerians should be encouraged by the number of things that have to do with our belief system to see their neighbours as themselves. “What is happening globally now has no religious basis. Only yesterday, a British aid worker was slaughtered by ISIS and that is not Islamic. “Boko Haram’s killing of innocent children and women in market places, mosques, schools definitely has nothing to do with religion.” The President used the opportunity to call on Nigerians to continue to pray for divine direction for the country. “I believe in this country.

ing finalised. AMCON did not, however, give details of the agreed price of the sale of Mainstreet Bank. If Skye Bank – a mid-tier lender with 260 branches - eventually fulfills all its financial obligations and acquires Mainstreet Bank, which has 201 branches, the former’s total branch network will increase to 461. Mainstreet Bank is one of three bridged banks, following a N679 billion bailout by the Central Bank of Nigeria that saved several banks from near bankruptcy in 2009. AMCON in a statement signed by its Head of Cor-

porate Affairs, Kayode Lambo, said, “The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (“AMCON” or the “Corporation”) is pleased to announce Skye Bank PLC (“Skye Bank”) as preferred bidder; Cedar One Investment Partners Limited (“Cedar”) as the 1st reserve bidder and Fidelity Bank PLC (“Fidelity Bank”) as the 2nd reserve bidder for the acquisition of the entire issued and fully paid up ordinary shares of Mainstreet Bank Limited (“Mainstreet Bank”) (the “Transaction”). This follows the receipt of the approval of the Board of Directors of AMCON.”

It, however, said the completion of the transaction is subject to “the fulfillment of the conditions precedent as stated in the Share Sale and Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) to be executed with Skye Bank Plc as well as the receipt of all required regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Securities and Exchange Commission.” In the event that Skye Bank is unable to complete the transaction in line with the payment terms and other provisions of the SPA, the SPA entered into with Skye Bank, according to the corporation, will be ter-

minated and Cedar will become the preferred bidder. “Further, in the event that Cedar is unable to complete the transaction in line with the payment terms and other provisions of the SPA, Fidelity Bank will become the preferred bidder,” added the statement. This sale of Mainstreet Bank started with interest shown by 25 parties cutting across local and international investors. The emergence of Skye Bank, Cedar and Fidelity Bank as preferred, first and second reserve bidders, respectively, according to AMCON, “resulted from a rigorous

and competitive bidding process, which was coordinated for AMCON by Barclays Africa Group Limited and Afrinvest West Africa Limited (Financial Advisers) and Banwo & Ighodalo (Legal Advisers).” Main Street Bank, which commenced operation in August, 2011, as a full-service commercial bank with a national banking licence, has nine subsidiaries. It also has a distribution network comprising 201 branches across 35 out of 36 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; nine cash centres and 200 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

Eid-el-Kabir: Jonathan, others admonish Nigerians I believe that Nigeria has a lot to offer not only to Nigerians but to the world; and that surely we will get to where we want to go. Whatever obstacles we see are very ephemeral and part of history of nation building, if you read the history of all nations, there is no nation that did not pass through some challenges. “But they got over them and moved ahead. I think we are getting over our problems. I thank all of you. I thank all Nigerian Muslims and Muslims all over the world. I congratulate them on this special occasion,” he added. In his remarks, Sambo prayed for peace in the country. He also prayed for divine guidance, strength and good health for the President. Among other dignitaries at the homage were the National Security Adviser, Col.Sambo Dasuki (retd.); Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba; a former Peoples Democratic Party National Chairman, Bello Haliru; Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Nicholas Okoh; a former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Umar Na’Abba. Also present were the Deputy Chief Imam of the Federal Capital Territory, Sheik Ahmed Onilewuran; and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Abuja Chapter, Israel Akanji. *Mark preaches brotherliness Senate President, David Mark, has again reminded Nigerians of the importance of maintaining cordial relations irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliations. In a statement signed by

L-R: Permanent Secretary, FCT, Mr John Chukwu; FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide; President Goodluck Jonathan; Senator representing FCT, Sen. Philip Aduda and Vice-President Namadi Sambo, during Sallah Homage by FCT residents, in Abuja… yesterday

his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, the Senate president said this is the needed elixir for maintaining peace, unity and progress in the country. In a goodwill message to Nigerians to mark this year’s Sallah, he noted that there is no problem too difficult for the nation to overcome if Nigerians unite and maintain the sanctity of brotherliness. He stated that issue of insecurity could easily be tackled if Nigerians “confront it with a single purpose, honesty and unwavering commitment. Government has all it takes to tackle this problem but government cannot make the needed impact if the people fail to cooperate. It requires all the arsenal and good will of the citizens to fight.” Mark added that the National Assembly would

continue to play its role by providing the necessary legislative frame work for the executive arm of government to operate. On the 2015 elections, Mark said the nation should not be turned into a battlefield in the desperation to clinch political offices. “For me, being in politics is a call to service and I believe this is the thinking of every reasonable politician. So our politics should not be a war fare. It is a game for service. We must play it according to the rules. We must be sportsmen and women at all times,” he said. *Sultan seeks solution to youth unemployment The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, yesterday called on the three tiers of government to take concrete measures to solve

the problem of youth unemployment. Abubakar, who made the call in Sokoto in his Sallah message to the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria described youth unemployment as the root of most of Nigeria’s problems. “The three tiers of government are doing their best in this direction, but the problem is becoming more endemic now across Nigerians,” he added. On 2015, Abubakar appealed to politicians in the nation, especially those seeking elective posts to conduct pious and peaceful campaigns. “Nigerians are brothers and sisters and politics should not divide us and cause a breach of the peace,” he stated. The monarch also urged politicians in the country to shun campaign and cal-

umny, while they should regard the whole country as their constituency. He reminded leaders at all levels that life is too transient, and “we will die and be accountable to God. We should be servant to the people and not the other way round. We also need honest and sincere advice as we are also fallible. “We will continue to be fathers to all politicians and our doors will remain open to all.” Abubakar further maintained that the most plausible solution to the problems plaguing Nigeria are fervent prayers and piety. The Sultan said that the victims of insurgency in some parts of Nigeria, especially those in the NorthEast required the prayers and assistance of all Nigerians. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, 05 OCTOBER, 2014

News

Tears, tributes for Dimgba Igwe Tony Okuyeme

ears flowed freely yesterday as friends, colleagues and well-wishers of the late Vice Chairman of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Dimgba Igwe, gathered at the Evangel Pentecostal Church of Nigeria at Okota, in Lagos for a service of songs in his honour. In his sermon, the Gneral Overseer of New Testament Assembly, Pastor Samson Bamigbayan, said he received the news of Igwe’s demise like a bullet while he was in Europe. Describing the tragic end of the journalism guru as most devastating to him, he recalled that the deceased delivered a sermon during his Bamigbayan’s golden jubilee celebration, seven months ago. In a message titled, “We Shall be Changed”, he eulogised Igwe, stating that he came, saw and conquered before his exit from the world. He said that death is not the end of man, pointing out that it is only a gateway to

another world beyond. He urged the congregation to always stand by the truth and to toe the path of righteousness, reminding them that death could knock at anyone’s door at any time. In his remarks, former Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Company Ltd, and his long time bosom friend, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, described Igwe as a real man of God, and a national icon martyred by his own countrymen in a country where there is no value placed on human life. “Dimgba was a true man of God; His life is like a message for me; and I am going to really follow his footsteps; get closer to God, and hope to make heaven too, because if my friend is in heaven I must get to heaven too. Whatever it takes me I want to get to heaven too. He is my Elijah; and I am his Elisha. I am going to pray to have his double anointing to be able to be to face the task ahead and to be able to look after his family,” he said, adding that he is really determined to accomplish

everything that they both dreamt of. “All the books that we both aspired to write, I am more energised now, more determined. The responsibility has really dawned on me that it is a task that must be done; that ought to be done, that will be done. I know my responsibilities are now doubled. I have two families now to cater for; may God help me and I know God will help to take care of his family so that he will be happy wherever he is. I made a covenant with God to stand by his family,” Awoyinfa said. Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Femi Adesina, in his tribute titled, ‘See you someday, boss’, noted that writing a press release on the death of Dimgba, on behalf of the company was one of the toughest things he had ever done, because his fingers shook as he typed the words. “I had been at the hospital, when the sepulchal news was broken that you had lost the battle for life, but the stark reality of that tragedy did not sink in till I began to type the

press release. I wept as I typed. The keyboard was suffused with the raindrops from my eyes, and how I wish tears could wake the dead. I would have shed enough to fill the ocean. “But you were gone. You had exchanged mortality with immortality. You were in another realm, where they neither fall sick, nor can they be hit by drivers from hell. You were already in indescribable light, before the master you had served faithfully for decades. Even if we had the power to call you back, it was doubtful if you would have answered us. No man beholds that infinite glory, and willingly exchanges it for this finite one. The battle is over, and victory is won.” Nollywood star actor, Charles Okafor, described Igwe as a quintessential professional who represented the finest of journalism in Nigeria, while Edo State Commissioner for Information, Louis Odion, said Igwe was a great manager of men and material resources.

Pastor,Banjo Toluwalawi and wife of late Dimgba Igwe, Oby

Mr. Mike Awoyinfa; children of late Dimgba Igwe, Chinazum and Victory

L-R: Publisher, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr.Sam Amuka and Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye

Former MD/CEO, Intercontinental Bank Plc, Mr. Erastus Akingbola(left) and Pastor Dickson Anyanoku

L-R: Tee Mac; Mr. Nduka Irabor; Mr. Henry Iwuala and Mr. Femi Adesina

General Overseer, Evangel Pentecostal Church,Pastor Paul Toun and wife, Comfort...PHOTOS: GODWIN IREKHE

SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

Fashola, Fayemi, Ajimobi pray for Nigeria CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

Abubakar commended the federal government for ensuring the timely airlift of the nation’s pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in spite of the initial delays. Sanusi laments killings The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, yesterday lamented the spate of killings in the country and called for intensive prayers for the sustenance of peace and stability in the state and the nation in general. Addressing thousands of Muslims after the Eidel-Kabir prayer held at the Central Mosque in Kano, Sanusi noted that something urgently needs to be done to end the insurgency ravaging the North-East. “You should know that being a Muslim should not be something on the lips of a person. Rather, he should practise what the religion teaches and strictly adhere to the teachings of God. This will no doubt help the state and the nation to have sustainable peace and progress,” he noted. Ajimobi promises consolidation Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, yesterday reiterated his commitment towards consolidating on his previous achievements and bringing positive change to the state. He said this in a chat with newsmen shortly after observing the Eid-el Kabir prayer at the Agodi Praying Ground, Ibadan. The governor said his administration would place more emphasis on the aggressive execution of developmental projects that would have a direct impact on the lives of the people. In his Sallah message, the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Busari Haruna III, stressed the need for political and religious tolerance among the people, adding that they should continue to maintain peaceful co-

existence among themselves. He admonished the people of the state to continue to have faith in Allah as demonstrated by Prophet Ibrahim in the Holy Quran. Dickson advises Muslims Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has called on Muslim faithful in the country to support the Nigerian project with prayers during the Eid-el-Kabir. Dickson, who gave the advice in his Sallah message stated that the nation needs collective prayers and unity of purpose to only forge ahead and continue to occupy the enviable position of the giant of Africa in all its ramifications. He also called for collaborative efforts in the fight against terrorism, describing the security situation in some parts of the country as unacceptable. It is well with Nigeria Fashola Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has urged Nigerians to brace up to surmount the nation’s challenges, saying it is the duty of Nigerians to rescue the country from the vices threatening to pull down the country. The governor, who spoke after observing Eid-El- Kabir prayers at Lagos Central Mosque located on Lagos Island, said all will be well with the country. He said, “First, I use this opportunity to wish all Muslims Eid Mubarak and all Nigerians peace, but whatever we want for ourselves lies in our hands to achieve. “I am sure that all will be well and it must be well only because we want it to be well. If it is well within us, it will be well around us and in our nation.” Fayemi urges sober reflection Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has felicitated with Muslims on the occasion of this year’s Eidel-Kabir.

L-R: Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alh. Yusuph Olaniyonu; Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Lekan Adegbite; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Shuaib Salisu, during the prayer session to mark Eid El Kabir, at the Muslim Prayer Ground, Oke-Lantoro, Abeokuta yesterday.

The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, said witnessing another Eid-el-Kabir amidst the socio-political challenges confronting the country is a special privilege from the Almighty Allah. Fayemi said the festival offers another opportunity for sober reflection, soul searching and spiritual renewal which Allah demands from the faithful. The governor noted that the lesson of sacrifice which Eid-el-Kabir teaches should not be lost to the celebration. Fayemi also prayed for a safe return of Ekiti pilgrims who are performing this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Shettima tasks Muslims on peaceful co-existence Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, yesterday enjoined Muslims to assist their neighbours, especially those displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency. The governor in his Sallah message to the people of Borno, which was signed by

the Deputy Director, Press Affairs Government House, Ndahi Pindar Sawa, said the feast of sacrifice which the Eid-El-Kabir celebration symbolises also teaches sharing, love and good neighbourliness. The statement also called on Borno people to be kind to their neighbours and live in harmony with people, irrespective of their religious and social differences. According to him, the blessings and lessons learnt during the festive period would further explore avenues to propel the state to achieve peace, harmony and brotherliness. Emir prays for peace Emir of Fika and Chairman, Yobe State Council of Chiefs, Dr. Muhammedu Idrissa, has urged his subjects to be extra-vigilant and report any suspicious movement to security agencies. The monarch stated this in a Sallah sermon shortly after performing the Eid-elKabir prayer in Potiskum, Yobe State.

He warned district and ward heads against the illegal sale of land and urged the people to be wary of accommodating tenants of doubtful character. Ashafa preaches communality Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, has enjoined all Nigerians to see this year’s Eid-El-Kabir celebration as another opportunity to reflect on their spiritual lives, pray for themselves, others and the nation at large. Ashafa said, “As the celebration goes on, we should all reflect on the ideals of peaceful coexistence, which all religions preach and avoid violence at all times and in all places. This period reminds us to be faithful to the Almighty God and live according to His dictates and also pray fervently for our nation at this trying time so that Nigeria will regain its pride of place among the comity of nations.”

Kwara PDP calls for prayers The Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara State has charged the people of the state to always have faith in God, especially as the 2015 elections approach. The party in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Rex Olawoye, urged Kwarans to emulate the virtues of Prophet Ibrahim as exemplified in his obedience to God. The party reminded Muslim faithful of the significance of Eid-El-Kabir, which he said was total obedience to Allah as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim when God instructed him to use his son as a sacrifice. It appealed to Muslims in the state to always imbibe the spirit of self-denial and obedience, not only during Eid-el-Kabir, but all year round. “Ibrahim’s great act of total submission is an example of genuine surrender to the will of God and this should always be followed by all Muslims”,thestatementsaid.

Dangote, others endorse New York Times /New Telegraph pact

President, govs, won’t enjoy electricity subsidy, says power minister

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Telegraph is on the path of priding itself as a medium out to deliver knowledgedriven journalism and number one in terms of content, objectivity, influence and reach,” he stressed. The AMCON MD also said the deal is not only a good development for Nigeria but for the entire African continent. “The partnership between New York Times – a leading United States newspaper and New Telegraph is bound to influ-

ence the way business and economy is being reported in Nigeria. Being the first newspaper in Africa to strike this deal with the New York Times, I congratulate New Telegraph,” he said. Also commenting on the pact, Lemo described it a good opportunity to sell Nigeria to the global community. He said, “This is a good omen for Nigeria and a great opportunity for New Telegraph, not only to put their professionalism on the international landscape

but also to sell Nigeria to the global community. “Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, has been attracting global attention lately. Investors, economic and political analysts should now find the New Telegraph a credible source of valuable information on Nigeria, one of the ‘last frontier’s fastest growing economies. “It should also put our economic managers and politicians on notice that our actions and activities shall henceforth be bench-

marked against global standards - a double edged sword. Congratulations to New Telegraph.” Also, Rewane described the deal as a major milestone in the transformation of financial journalism. He said the partnership “will elevate the quality and channels for symbiotic relations between America and Nigerian audience as well as showcase some elements, which the American’s do not know about the Nigerian content.”

This according to the minister in an interview with Sunday New Telegraph is meant to ensure that the projected gains in the power sector reforms are realised. The minister said the current challenge is that public office-holders’ electricity bills are being subsidised by government. He stated that NERC was already working on a template where such a practice would be discarded in favour of a realistic plan for “For instance, I am being subsidised by government.

Why should government subsidise a federal minister’s cost of energy? Why am I paying the same thing that people who can hardly afford their electricity per kilowatt per hour pay? So the adjustment will begin with those of us who should pay more but that are being subsidised by the Federal Government. Companies that are supposed to pay more for the energy they are getting should be made to pay because they are draining a lot of this energy,” he stated. Full interview on Page 32

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, 05 OCTOBER, 2014

News

Eight die, 3 injured in auto crash Babatope Okeowo Akure

o fewer than eight persons were killed while three others sustained various degrees of injuries in a motor accident that occurred along Akure/Owo Expressway in Owo Local Government area of Ondo State at the weekend. An eye witness said a Toyota Sienna Car with Number Plate Anambra ABN 214 heading to Abuja ran into a truck with

Number Plate Lagos LND 426 XC coming from the opposite direction. The source said the Toyota was trying to overtake the truck. In the process, the truck dragged the bus over 100 meters before it stopped. The witness said eight of the occupants of the Sienna, including the driver, died instantly while three others were rushed to Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, for treatment. According to him, officers of the Federal Road

Safety Corps (FRSC) and men of the Nigeria Police Force were seen evacuating the dead bodies to be deposited at the mortuary while the mangled vehicles were taken to the ‘B’ Division Police Station. When contacted, the

state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Wole Ogodo, who confirmed the tragic incident, said the accident happened at about 3.30am. He, however, said that the three survivors were responding to treatment,

adding that the driver of the lorry escaped from the scene before the security agencies were alerted. Ogodo said that the police are investigating the matter assuring that the driver of the truck would soon be brought to book.

He blamed the unfortunate accident on dangerous overtaking. The PPRO warned drivers to be more careful since life has no duplicate. Efforts were on to identify the dead bodies and contact deceased families.

Court to hear ex-militants’ suit against Kuku Nov 18 Chris Ejim

A Yenagoa

Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State has fixed November 18 for the hearing of the suit filed by 18 ex-militants from Bayelsa and Delta states, seeking an order compelling the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Chairman of the Amnesty Implementation Committee, Mr. Kingsley Kuku and the Amnesty Committee to honour an agreement they reached with the Federal Government on their inclusion in the amnesty programme. In the suit number FHC/ YNG/CS/102/2013, filed before Justice I. E. Ekwo, the petitioners claimed that they were militants that had accepted amnesty under the third phase and surrendered their weapons to the Federal Government

through the amnesty office in 2011 under government’s peace initiative. The suit, which was earlier slated for hearing on October 2, was over the weekend adjourned at the instance of the counsel to the aggrieved exmilitants, Barr. Korkor Sariki, due to application for amendment of two, out the three relieves sought from the court. The petitioners who include Asenekir Oyile; Angiama-Owei Oyindoubra; John Government; John Sawyer; Trydy Okpeke; Dollor Motor; Selebi Ayowei; Bobra Angese; Richman Oyindoubra and Henry Gomeromo claimed that the Amnesty Committee erred by refusing to include them in the ongoing amnesty programme after series of resolutions at meetings with the past and present National Security Advisers to the President, late General Owei Azazi and Col. Sambo Dasuki respectively.

Aspirant calls for peaceful co-existence in Warri

Peoples Democratic Party’s aspirant for Warri Federal Constituency, Mrs. Alero Ogbemi-Barlow, has enjoined the Itsekiris and Ijaws as well as other ethnic groups in the constituency to continue to live harmoniously ahead of the 2015 elections. Ogbemi-Barlow, who gave the advice in Warri while on a consultation visit to some stakeholders in the area, also lauded Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for promoting peace and development in the state. She said her passion to bring sustainable development to Warri Federal Constituency, propelled her decision to vie for the House of Representative seat and pledged the party’s continued commitment to delivering dividends of democracy to the people.

Describing herself as a grassroots and community woman, she pledged to bring her vast knowledge and wealth of experience in law to initiate bills that would benefit the people of the constituency if elected. Ogbemi –Barlow, a PDP stalwart, called for support for the realisation of her political ambition, assuring that she would continue to support the peaceful atmosphere that exists between the various ethnic groups in the constituency to ensure sustainable and meaningful development. The aspirant also visited the Project Director, TransOde Itsekiri Bridges and access road, Hon Otimeyim Adams who described her as an articulate and vibrant person who when given the chance, would bring development to the grassroots.

L-R, Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Delta State Governor Emmanuel Oduaghan and President of the Senate, Sen. David Mark during a visit to Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State

Fulani herdsman arrested for killing two girls Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

suspected Fulani herdsman has been arrested for the brutal murder of two sisters, Mnena Shishie and Nyieshile Jirgba, both of Zongo village near Federal University of Agriculture road in Makurdi, Benue State. Sunday New Telegraph’s investigation revealed that the suspect, Mr. Abdul Ibrahim, along with others now at large, launched a fierce attack on the two sisters with their friend and killed them using a machete. It was gathered that the three girls had left their

homes at North Bank and went to the Zongo village to look for fire wood to enable them cook. While in the bush, the assailants surrounded, attacked and killed the two sisters while their friend Jirgba escaped with serious injuries and was rushed to the North Bank General Hospital, Makurdi for treatment. In a related development, a teenager, Kenneth Kahaga, has been arrested by the police in Benue State for allegedly kidnapping a fiveyear-old boy from Nativity Private School in Makurdi, the state capital. The suspect allegedly

went to the school during closing hours to pick the boy claiming it was at the instance of his father and the school authorities immediately obliged him. But on leaving the school premises, Kahaga tied the boy’s legs and hands with a piece of cloth and dumped him in the bush behind Saint Catherine’s UBE School, Makurdi and went to the market to procure a better rope with which he intended to tie the boy properly. However, one Pastor Terver Orshio, who was in one of the classes for a church programme, heard the cries of the youngster

at the back of the building. He rushed to the scene and rescued him. A few minutes later, the pastor saw Kahaga returning with the items and when the boy sighted him, he pointed at Kahaga as the man who tried to kidnap him. He was apprehended by passers-by who later handed him and the boy over to the police for investigations. Benue State Police Public Relations officer, Daniel Ezeala, who confirmed the incident said investigations into the matters were in progress, adding that the suspects would soon be charged to court.

Imo 2015: Obiano, Umeh vow to reclaim Imo Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

ll Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Imo State has advised Governor Rochas Okorocha to prepare to quit office in 2015 as the party on whose platform he was elected is set to reclaim the state from him. National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh; Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Willie Obiano and former Minister of Interior and frontline governorship aspirant on the platform of

the party, Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho, gave the advice at a well attended sensitisation rally held by the party in Owerri yesterday. Umeh in his speech, expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness so far exhibited by APGA leaders in the state which he attributed to the party’s determination to reclaim its ‘stolen mandate’ in the forthcoming general elections. While charging party members to always work harmoniously towards actualising victory for APGA,

Umeh assured that only responsible and true Igbo sons and daughters without questionable background would be nominated as candidates of the party at different levels in the state to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Governor Obiano, who was visibly elated, urged party members to remain steadfast and committed to the party victory in 2015 bearing in mind that APGA was formed to realise and protect the collective interest of the Igbo nation. He promised to give nec-

essary support to the party in Imo State to enable it reclaim its mandate and win overwhelmingly in the forthcoming general elections. He acknowledged that it would be a difficult task for any other political party to defeat APGA in Imo, judging by its present strength and the grassroots support the party enjoys in the state. In his remarks, Iheanacho reassured that party leaders and stakeholders have agreed to close ranks to ensure that APGA reclaims its mandate in 2015.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

OPINION An unworthy celebration

Valentine Obienyem

he British were in power after their greedy conquest of our country; the highest decisions that affected Nigeria and Nigerians came from the colonial office in London; the colonial masters prepared most of the constitutions under which we were governed; and the British controlled the wealth of the nation. So overwhelming were these influences that whenever the Governor General ‘broke air’ in Lagos, the whole country heard the sound. Those of us who witnessed this British omnipotence still shudder to recall how disrespectfully Nigerians were treated. Clearly, it was only through self-rule that this unbecoming treatment could be stopped. Consequently, the era witnessed the activities of many nationalists who, as occasion demanded, had to suffer untold privations in their quest to win independence for the country. Many of them went to jail; many were exiled in parts of the country ideal only for insulating “trouble makers”; many resorted to the instrumentality of strikes and riots to frighten the colonialists out of their smug dictatorship. Many of our nationalists participated in the constitutional conferences that prepared us for the eventual self-rule. This was Nigeria on the eve of October 1, 1960. With Independence, Nigerians became the master of their own affairs, with their destiny clearly thrust in their own hands. Now, hopefully, the final decision on issues affecting Nigerians would have to be taken in Lagos. A progressive cleansing of the country was enthusiastically envisaged. Nigerians thought that in no distant time, the country would become the Eldorado itself, a famed giant that would be an example for other nascent countries in Africa to emulate. The talk of the time had it that the only way to progress, to give meaning to our victories from colonialism was to avoid the vices and weaknesses of the colonialists and build on the positive legacy they left. The joys of independence and the pervasive influence of our nationalists ensured that almost all of them were successful

politicians in a country that was grateful to them. But a genuine retrospect into our journey so far is uninspiring. All the vices of the colonialists are now with us, infinitely magnified. Even the positive legacies of the colonialists have been bastardised. Very soon we even noticed that life was more dignified and respected under colonialism. If what Nigerians suffer today should give testimony and report to our independence, it cries out: “We have failed woefully in the business of nation building.” Many factors buttress this assertion. Political factors are the most fundamental. The aim of independence is essentially for self-rule. When you rule yourself, you would have the opportunity to determine other things that happen about you – economically, socially and otherwise. But looking at our political scene, one finds out that Nigeria has fared badly. Our postindependent politics are dreary and confusing records of intrigues, shamelessness and abracadabra. We have never had a statesman who would be able to rise above petty distractions and face the problems of the country head-on. What we have always had were glorified ethnic champions and tribal chieftains that almost always succeeded in creating more problems than they solved. The field of politics has been polluted to the extent that men of goodwill and genuine patriots are not given the chance. Some of them have chickened out because the political field is too severe for their comfort. Pretending a patriotic mission of solving these problems created by our civilian politicians, soldier politicians have had reasons to intervene. Being actually inspired by an aspiration to steal from the nation’s resources, they had merely compounded our problems. It was the soldiers’ intervention that proximately caused the civil war; it was soldiers that annulled June 12; it was soldiers that turned almost all our cherished ideals upside down. They merely, in my opinion, relinquished power in the conviction that the country had reached a dead end: inexorably moving towards a revolution.

The economic cause of our failure, as aforesaid, is linked to our political failure. Because we have incompetent politicians, they often promulgate faulty economic policies. The result is an unfortunate sequel: the collapse of agriculture, hitherto the mainstay of our economy; the precarious dependence on oil; the deterioration of transport; the ‘death’ of the naira; monies borrowed from international bodies at usurious interest rates, without any productive investment to vouch for their judicious use. The result is an economy quite unable to export the equivalent of its imports. Let the religious causes of our failure enter the picture. Ideally, in a country, religion should be separated from politics, especially in a plural country such as ours. But somehow our leaders have always appealed to religious sentiments in word and deed. Was it not a president of this country that furtively ‘dragged’ us into the Organisation of Islamic Conference without evident qualms? Such acts, doubtless, make us to seek for religious reasons behind whatever our leaders do. The country is regrettably the worse for it. It has become normal for Nigerians to be killed on account of religious riots. Many centuries ago, the Chinese T’ai Tsung laid it down that no emperor should ratify a death sentence until he had fasted three days as a demonstration of how they revered life. Upon its recklessness, the colonial days showed marked respect for human life like the Chinese of T’ai Tsung’s time. Today, besides during religious riots, lives are taken daily without compunction. The number of unresolved murder cases in Nigeria of today will surely present accountancy with problems. The enormity of social and other serious malaise that bedevil our country leave much to be desired. The level of moral depravity in our homes and institutions is alarming. Dressing is now defined in terms of nudity. The social foundations of our nation have been dislocated, so we reap ethnic and other crises in return. One wonders when all these things will stop! Regrettably, one of the solutions to the perennial problems in the country by our

leaders is to gag the press and go after some influential Nigerians. Whilst they do this, the crime rate is increasing. When you see the level of crime and factors that push people into criminal activities, you will conclude that Nigeria is really in trouble. The good leader would war not against influential Nigerians or institutions but against the common enemy – poverty, for it is out of it that crime and disorder come. With these signs of our failure staring us in the face, Nigerians were wrong to celebrate the last independence with pomp and circumstance, forgetful of their predicament. Many platitudinous speeches were delivered to commemorate the celebrations; there were events to add colour to the entire thing; and don’t forget, many advertisements were placed congratulating Nigeria for its ‘achievements’ so far and perhaps for its future greatness. One is not saying that a 44-year-old country does not have the right to congratulate itself, but my quarrel is with the manner of our celebration. You want to know; perhaps, how best we should have celebrated? We should have put on sackcloth and ashes to openly show remorse for so much faith and hope betrayed. Conferences should have been organised. The speakers should have endeavoured to teach us the perusal of history, to show us the rise, progress, decay, death; and whence, how and by what accidents and errors those great changes and failures have happened, and above all, how to repeat or avoid them. Since all factors making for revolution are with us today, the speakers should have also endeavoured to teach us how revolutions commence; and how they are carried out and by what a fatal chain of circumstances the wisest men are driven far from the limits of moderation; and by what impulses an enraged people is precipitated into excess at the very thought of which they would have shuddered. Independence has come and gone. We should be truthful to ourselves if we acknowledge our unworthiness to have celebrated it. •Obienyem writes from Lagos

Local Content in the Extractive Industry....Who Cares? Akanimo Odon

ocal Content is a complex word and its use has increased substantially in the last few years, especially in the extractive industry. While the challenges and expectations of local content are huge, there is limited expertise in understanding the subject matter and appropriating its benefits and this poses a challenge to international firms trying to do extractive business in developing economies, whether it be in oil or gas or even in mining. There is a clear benefit to local content and local content development for host governments especially in the stimulation of jobs, the increase of workforce skills, the development of international competitiveness in local suppliers and the protection of a nation’s key strategic industries. As a result, national governments have developed regulations and policies aimed at increasing and in some cases incentivising the participation of local suppliers in the supply

chain. This is the first and most paramount driver of local content development in oil and gas rich states. Therefore, in the last 10 years or more, local content has been principally driven by compliance requirements and performance target specifications imposed by governments. Also becoming apparent is that local content is driven by government economic priorities i.e. using the supply chain expenditure to drive the development of strategic sectors of national significance like the development of Brazil and Nigeria’s fabrication and engineering industry. The overwhelming crises in unemployment, especially in developing countries, remains a major driver of local content development and strategies. Not to mention the poor standard of education, technical competencies and skills in these oil rich developing economies. This is increasing the pressure on oil and gas companies to address these challenges as part of their

corporate social responsibilities or as part of their overall long term business strategy. In order than for extractive companies to maintain their license to operate, keep healthy and working relationships with host governments, build countryneeded reputation and profile, achieve a smoother market entry and acquisition profile, attention to local content regulations has become crucial. Therefore, the need for strong stakeholder relationship management has equally been a major driver of local content. However, all these are external drivers of local content. More recently, local content is being viewed as a core principle for sustainable business, especially in the extractive industry irrespective of national regulatory frameworks. This has paved way for more internally-focused factors referred to as business drivers of local content. On a business level, established government relationship increases the likelihood of competitive differentiation especially in binding rounds as well as negotiations

with host governments. The opportunities for lower costs on some locally procured goods and services and the opportunity for quality delivery through supplier proximity and development also drives local content intent, especially when long term business portfolios are in consideration. Local Content development is a business sustainability offering to the extractive industry with benefits to all stakeholders – government, communities, operators, service providers, non-governmental organisations etc. Therefore, smart organisations should invest in the alignment of external and business drivers so as to benefit optimally while operating in local content inclined host countries. This is achieved through the development of an overarching local content strategy embedded in the oil and gas supply chain. Whether you like it or not, local content is here to stay.....Local Content development....who cares? You should....

Sunday Mail OCTOBER 5, 2014

You have a right to be heard! Send your letters and photographs to sundayletters@newtelegraphonline.com. Letters should not be more than 150 words and must have the name and address of the sender.

Shekau, Nigeria Army, Okonjo-Iweala and credibility Dear Editor, After Stephen Davis made a revelation about Boko Harm sponsors and South African government foiled an attempt to smuggle in $9.3 M to buy arms illegally, Nigerian Soldiers started recording some successes against Boko Haram insurgents and we heard that Shekau has been killed again. And now Shekau ‘resurrects’ from the dead after Ngozi O Iweala said that new military weapons have arrived in the country to combat Boko Haram. My question; is Okonjo Iweala the new Information or Defence minister? Is it not strange that a Finance/Economy Minister is the one talking about military matters? By the way when she going to deliver on her promise about, forensic audit account/ report on the missing $20 Billion. Does her word no longer matter? Has she lost her credibility too? Chudy Okonkwo Lagos

Nigeria at 54 is in a mess Dear Editor Nigeria could have been great at 54 had our second generation leaders emulated the giant strides of our founding fathers. They instead descended on the leadership landscape like a locust and foraged indefinitely. We have been in this mess since 1966 and there is no point pretending that all is well. The greatest oxygenator of this decay is injustice. This country will continue to rot until the prevailing injustice is thoroughly addressed. If you want us to remain united, yet subscribes to injustice then you are worse than the man asking for separation. You cannot fight corruption if you subscribe to injustice. You cannot be detribalized if you indulge injustice. You cannot be a transformer if you pretend there is no injustice in the land. Justice and equity are inseparable. We must build this country up based on justice and equity not on pretensions. We have injustice in: -National Census: this is the biggest fraud in the land. People pontificate that we do not need tribe and religion in our census enumeration, yet are quick to use same in advancing primordial advantages. You cannot have a population of about 160,000,000 citizens and record less than 40,000,000 votes in a general election. That is a huge fraud. -National Resource Distribution: this is where the biggest hypocrisy abounds. How can the same people that stood for 50 per cent derivation pre 1966 be opposed to that now? Don’t pretend that you are a nation builder when you do not see the injustice in this. A potential richest state in the country like Taraba state is surviving on this injustice because of laziness. The north that once asked M.I Opkara through Ahmadu Bello to keep more than 50 per cent of oil revenue is the same region that is against 50 per cent derivation. The north abandoned huge agricultural resources because of oil forgetting that the railways were built to transport agricultural produce to the ports. -Governance: the idea that people are complaining of marginalization in national politics is an injustice but the hypocrisy is that those complaining are marginalizing minorities in their various enclaves. Politicians are only interested in themselves rather than the masses, yet the masses are the people supporting them based on bigotry and ethnic affiliations. I can go on and on and on. I criticize the ruling party and the government because it is in charge of the national exchequer. I will do same tomorrow if another party is in power. I have no time to waste on the opposition because it cannot deliver water, good road, electricity, quality education, health, etc . Those are the duties of the government. Opposition is to keep them in check. We can reverse the mess if we collective say no to injustice. We can do this by using our thumbs to vote out harbingers of injustice and enthrone a government that can at least attempt to right the wrongs. The choice is ours. Jeff Eme Benin, Edo State

...Still a long way to go.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Nigeria and the need to establish culture sacking

What Nigeria should learn from US handling of Ebola

Dear Editor, One of Nigeria’s biggest problems is a “total and complete” lack of the “sacking” culture. How do you snooker corruption without a sacking culture? How do you create opportunities without sacking culture? How do you get value for money without a sacking culture? How do you get efficiency without a sacking culture? You do not necessarily have to sack people but when there is a crystal clear threat of that, you get the best out of your employees. It is also common sense that a considerable number of unemployed youths will be in jobs if we adopted the sacking culture. Uche Egenti Enugu

Dear Editor, Last week, The United States announced the first case of Ebola in their country. There are some lessons from what they initiated before this incident occurred. Did Nigeria send people to study anything in the US during the Ebola virus problem? No. Even request by our president was denied by Obama yet Nigeria was able to contain the virus. Now, instead of the US president to ask for slides or PDF of how we did it, the US is sending personnel to Nigeria. If they bring weaponized Ebola virus this time around to Nigeria we only have ourselves to blame. Every single person visiting Nigeria should be checked properly and comprehensively at the airports, seaports and land borders. These guys would want to taint this Ebola virus containment by doing whatever it takes to rubbish that achievement. The time to be very vigilant is now. Let’s think about this; US sent soldiers to fight Ebola in West Africa and they are sending medical personnel to study how we did it without their soldiers. Nigerians, open your eyes!!! Afam Nnaji Onitsha, Anambra State

Mimiko and his summersault back to PDP Dear Editor, How reliable is Mimiko as a person and also as a politician? Was it not the leaders of APC that funded his legal fees when he fought and defeated PDP/Olusegun Agagu to reclaim his mandate that was rigged by PDP? Did he fulfil his own side of the bargain? He has integrity issues and it’s most likely he will carry this along into PDP. Dayo Okunedo Mushin, Lagos

Ghana to export electricity to Nigeria Dear Editor, However, our drive to make our economies and Countries stronger with functioning infrastructure should not be done on the altar of trying to woo in foreign investors. We should rather develop a blueprint to anchor indigenous companies to flourish in our emerging economies. These will not only provide job security for our teaming population but also provide capacity building in the area of technological innovation and development. Most importantly it will help stem the tide of capital flight. A helping hand from Ghana to Nigeria on Electricity exportation is certainly a welcome development. Nigeria needs all the electricity to power up her economy. Gbenga Gbile Oshodi, Lagos

Reflections on Nigeria at 54 Dear Editor, In global development, Nigeria at 54 and Imo state at 38 are paediatric adults. Most times like today, I feel that some cabals are experimenting on Nigerians and Ndimo. While we celebrate colonial exist, we should morn the reoccupation by our black brothers who are colonizing Nigerians in a more dangerous fashion. This is a day that Nigerians should rise against primitive colonization by the political class who dish out only poverty, corruption, unemployment and hate. Nigeria has enough to be better than many western countries. The time to recover Nigeria from more ferocious enemies within is now. As we prepare for this journey, I wish Nigerians more energy to overcome corruption, poverty and hate. Emeka Ononamadu Lagos

SUNDAY, 05 OCTOBER, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Moment

Group Managing Director of SO&U Limited, Mr. Udeme Ufot (right), receiving his National Honour award as Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) from President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja… on recently

L-R: Former Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Eddy Olafeso; Minister of State for Defence, Amb. Musiliu Obanikoro; former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, during PDP South West reconciliatory meeting in Abuja…on Thursday

Akon’s official DJ, DJ Benny D, flanked by members of his entourage on arrival at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport Lagos for the Heineken Green Light Party at Club Escape

L-R: Program Officer, Initiative for Sustaining Family Unity, Babatunde Olasunkanmi; Welfare Officer, Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative, Shittu Folake and Key Note Speaker, Bamigbaiye Elatuyi Omotola, at the first Family Roundtable, organised by Initiative for Sustaining Family Unity in Lagos… on Wednesday

L-R: Head of Corporation, Ideas House Limited, Benson Sunday; Managing Director/CEO, Kehinde Salami; Account Director, Diageo, Emmanuel Akpe and Owolabi Salami, at the 5th Anniversary of the Company in Lagos…on Thursday

L-R: Member, NEC, Alhaji Akibu Ademola Rufai; President, NASFAT, Alhaji Sheriff Yussuf; Rtd, Perm. Sec., Lagos State, Mr. Sammy A. Oki and Executive Director, Keystone Bank, Alhaji. Hafiz Bakare, at the prayer ground, Ikeja, Lagos… on Saturday

L-R: Winner, Nigerian Idol Season 4, Zibili Evelyn (Evelle); Head, Youth Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Elvis Daniel and Winner, Season 3 Nigerian Idol, Moses Adigwe (Teddy Bear), at the 2014 Inspiration FM Summer Concert, co-Sponsored by Etisalat Nigeria in Lagos… recently

L-R: Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina; wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience; Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Yomi Awoniyi; Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide and Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, at the launch of Agricultural Empowerment Programme for Rural Farmers Across the Country in Abuja …on Thursday

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, 05 OCTOBER, 2014

Moment

L-R: Director, Administration and Supply, Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Ola Jegede; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola RichieAdewusi; wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; and Commissioner I, SUBEB, Mr. Bunmi Awotiku, during the inauguration of the Early Childhood Development Education Centre, Ikole-Ekiti...on Friday

L-R: Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Princess Chinwe Nwaebili; Governor Willie Obiano and Echezona Etiaba, during the formal opening of Havila Suites in Awka...on Thursday

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (left) and Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, during the minister’s visit to the Governor in Abuja…on Tuesday

L-R: Olu of Igbore, Ogun State, Oba Adeogun Ogunbona; Dr. Gani Adams; his wife, Erelu Mojisola and Alhaji Oladimeji Igbaja, at the installation of Gani Adams and Erelu Mojisola, as Bashorun and Yeye Bashorun of Igbore land in Ogun State…recently

President, Republic of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma (left) and President, Believers Love World International (Christ Embassy), Rev. Chris Oyakhilome, during the Southern Africa Leaders and Partners Conference 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa…recently

L-R: Commander 9 Mechanised Brigade, Brigadier General Daniel Lubo; Commander Airforce Base, Ikeja, Air Commodore Lere Osanyintolu; Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Cornelius Kayode Aderanti; Commander, NNS Beecroft Olokun Apapa, Navy Commodore Teikumo Daniel Ikoli and the Special Adviser on Security, Major Tunde Panox (Rtd), shortly after the State Security Council meeting, in Lagos.

L-R: Publisher, GEM Woman Magazine/Convener Body Soul and Spirit event, Mrs. Bola Olawale; Director, Public Affairs and Communication, Coca Cola Nigeria, Clem Ugorji and Pastor Funke Felix Adejumo, at the 8th edition of the annual Body, Soul and Spirit Event in Lagos …on Thursday

Chief Executive Officer, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Femi Thomas (left), and President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Mr. Solomon Nyagba, during the scheme’s day at the on-going 9th Abuja Trade Fair in Abuja …on Thursday

News Chris Ejim

yenagoa.

he Bayelsa State Government has said concerted efforts are being made to check acts of criminality such as sea piracy, thuggery and brigandage before, during and after the 2015 elections in the state. Governor Seriake Dickson, who gave this assurance, while opening the 21st State Security Council meeting at Government House in Yenagoa, explained that the days of militia and gunrunning were over, stressing that the state will not tolerate such activities. Dickson, who used the occasion to formally welcome the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Valentine Ntomchukwu, commended the security agencies in the state for their collaboration to maintain peace and security. He reassured the new police boss of the support of the government, while urging members of the public

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Bayelsa govt, security agencies declare war on kidnapping, thuggery to cooperate with him in the efforts to flush out cases of kidnapping and piracy from the state. Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Commander of the Joint Task Force, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, remarked that, the government’s efforts at protecting the lives and property of residents as well as critical assets of the nation and multinationals were yielding positive results. He noted with satisfaction that, illegal oil bunkering and other criminal activities that once characterised the creeks and most of the riverine communities around the state have reduced drastically. According to him, the various security agencies

have been fully equipped to clamp down on cases of kidnapping and other sundry crimes, stressing that pipeline vandals and oil thieves were also disappearing from the creeks and their other hideouts. His words “the creeks are too hot for kidnappers and the security agencies

are not relenting in their bid to rid the state of criminals.” General Atewe also acknowledged the personal commitment of the state governor to security matters, adding that, he has always supported the various security agencies in their efforts at tackling security challenges across

the state. Also speaking at the occasion, Ntomchukwu said he was fully aware of the peculiar security challenges of the state and the technicalities involved, pledging to build on the strategies he met on the ground. He assured that working with other security agencies, the police will

continue to do its best in the task of reducing crime to its barest minimum in the state. On his part, the State Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu warned criminals to turn a new leaf or be prepared to face the full wrath of the law.

New polling booths: Fasehun asks court to stop INEC Tunde Oyesina, Abuja

he Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and its National chairman, Chief Frederick Fasehun have asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from going ahead with the creation of addtional 30,027 polling units for the 2015 election. The plaintiffs in an originating summons filed through their counsel, Mrs. Nella Andem-Rabana at the court registry also prayed the court to declare that the creation of the additional polling units is unconstitu-

tional and null and void. The plaintiffs also want the court to order a perpetual injunction restraining the electoral body from going ahead with the creation of the additional polling units. The plaintiffs however seek an order setting aside the creation of, delineation of or allocation of any additional polling units in any part of Nigeria by the defendant, its Chairman, Commissioners and Officers. In an affidavit in support of the originating summons deposed to by Fasheun, he averred that the additional 30,000 polling units is discriminatory against the states in the southern part of the country.

Ex-deputy govs hail Jonathan’s endorsement Tony Anichebe, Uyo.

he Forum of Former T Deputy Governors in Nigeria has said that the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was a confirmation of the confidence it had in Jonathan when it started the campaign early this year. In a statement in Uyo at the weekend, the Forum thanked all members of the party’s Board of Trustees, National Executive Council and the National Working

Committee for affirming President Jonathan as sole candidate of the party for the 2015 Presidential elections. Signed by its Chairman and Secretary, former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Abdulmalik Mahmood, and former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr Chris Ekpenyong, the Forum said it was proud of President Jonathan’s leadership style and his achievements in the area of power, energy, oil and gas, health, education and road rehabilitation and construction.

Scene of the accident which claimed eight lives along Akure/Owo road over the weekend

Photo: Babatope Okeowo

Group petitions UN over $9.3m arms deal, Boko Haram sponsors Wale Elegbede

s controversy over the purported $9.3 million arms deal continues to rage, the Nigeria Unite Group, has petitioned office of the Secretary General of the United Nations on the deal, insisting that evidences from narration point to criminality and foul play. A copy of the petition dated September 25, 2014, and co-signed by Dr. Mohammed Hussaini and Francis John from the international

secretariat of the group, averred that the arms deal is a total violation of the principles enshrined in the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). A section of the petition reads: “Although the government has admitted knowledge of the deal, it has denied any complicity in the attempt to commit a crime. “However, in court papers, the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa submitted evidence that Tier One, the compa-

ny that Nigeria claimed to have an arms import deal with is not registered with the National Conventional Arms Control Committee and is thus not authorised to enter into any agreements regarding the sale and/or rental military equipment. “This is a total violation of the principles enshrined in the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Moreover, the explanations given by the two Nigerians and one Israeli arrested by the South

African investigators are flawed and riddled with discrepancies.” The group wondred why the money was not sent through an appropriate money transfer. It asked: “Why is the Nigerian government trying to cover up the said rms contract with an unauthorised agency? Where were the arms to be purchased from and for whom were they meant?, The group urged the UN to act swiftly on its petition for Nigerians to know the truth.

Cross River flays evasion of water bills

ross River State Commissioner for Water Resources and Managing Director of the State Water Board Limited, Elemi Etowa, has expressed displeasure over the attitude of some residents of Calabar who have adopted fraudulent means of connecting water to their houses to

evade payment of water bills. Etowa said for the first time in more than 10 years, the water board has challenges in providing 24 hours water supply to residents of Calabar and other parts of the state, because the generator that powers the facilities had issues that could not

be resolved quickly. Speaking in an interview in Calabar, he said the board fought hard to restore water supply in the state, through its public/private partnership management contract that gives the government the privilege of being the first water company in Nigeria that operates uninter-

rupted water supply. He urged water consumers to ensure prompt payment of their water bills to enable government sustain water supply, which is powered wholly every day by generators fueled with diesel procured by the state government at the rate of N150 par litre.

Fashion Playsuits are trending 22&43

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The evil that women do... 21

Body Soul SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014

I play Table Tennis regularly with my wife 窶天ictor Famuyibo

SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

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Juliet

Contents 05.10.2014 COVER

When we were young, with hindsight, we thought dad was too strict. We felt he gave us no room to maneuver like our playmates. We probably felt we were over-managed and perhaps did not like it that much

FASHION Pearshaped ladies will do well to stay completely away from playsuits in jersey.

T h e Te a m Juliet Bumah (Editor)

Vanessa Okwara (Correspondent)

} 22&43

Wole Adepoju

-Victor Famuyibo

Biwom Iklaki (Correspondent)

} 18-19

BEAUTY It’s fairly simple to pamper yourself with a facial steam treatment at home. All you n e e d is hot water, a bowl and a large towel

} 21

GLAM DUDES Trending on men’s fashion scene is the Jalabiya or Bisht. Over time, men, including non-Muslims, are seen rocking this trend at social gatherings and special events

} 44

Ugochukwu Nnakwe (Graphics)

ACCESSORIES Ladies are encouraged to explore the head wrap, not just as a fashion statement, but as part of African identity

Edwin Usoboh (Graphics) +234 (0) 811 675 9770, +234 (0) 701 110 1014 julietbumah@gmail.com julietbumah@newtelegraphonline.com

Associates

} 17

BED, WORK & LIFE “Dave, we’re are not happy to see each other. Akudo is the reason I went into prostitution!” Kathryn says, looking him in the eyes. He sits up.

} 20

Helen Paul

Eyitayo Aloh

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014

Accessories

Unicorn head wrap… sheer elegance Biwom Iklaki

ften referred to as head wraps or turbans, African head coverings have become quite the accessory in various dress codes. They are beautiful additions to the wardrobe and also come in handy on a bad hair day, not to mention a perfect adornment for flaunting your heritage. It is part of many cultures,but indigenous to the African c ontinent.

Ladies are encouraged to explore the head wrap, not just as a fashion statement, but as part of African identity. It will be an injustice not to mention other cultural headwrap advocates such as the niqab, hijab, kufi, kofia, kippah, non la, patka, shpitzel, tam, taqiya. They all have their purposes and are highly valued by those who wear them. The Unicorn knot is so named after the mythical animal- the unicorn, which

is very rare and elegant, yet magical. It is a white majestic creature with a horn on its forehead, which it carries with great elegance. The unicorn knot is a head wrap with the knot done in front, right on the forehead or to the side. It speaks volumes of a person’s African-ness and willingness to play with fashion...forget the bad hair underneath (not the case always of course).

Body&Soul

SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

I play Table Tennis regularly Fifty-five minutes spent with him in the comfort of the Nigerian Breweries Academy Boardroom was worthwhile. He was fun to be with, especially with the broad smile on his face while chatting with CHIJIOKE IREMEKA. He is Mr. Victor Famuyibo, Chairman and President of Council, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management and Human Resources Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc

Most employers see Nigerian graduates as half-baked. What challenges does this pose to your operations in Nigerian Breweries? In Nigerian Breweries, we have every reason to trust the ability and intellectual content of the average Nigerian graduate. We do not see them as half-baked. Rather, we recognise the challenges in our educational system. Nonetheless, we realise that we have precious ‘rough-cut diamonds’ among our graduates. The challenge is how to identify these ‘diamonds’ so we can prepare them for our ‘world of work.’ I believe the reason many employers complain about quality is because they are too much in a hurry to deploy new employees; they are reluctant to invest in the capacity development of their workforce. In other words, many employers in Nigeria behave like ‘mercenaries’, not ‘missionaries.’ In Nigerian Breweries, we take the ‘missionary’

approach in the way we recruit and develop talents. Our approach is ‘missionary,’ in the sense that we don’t go looking for readymade; rather, we look for those with the raw talent, who have the potential - those who are trainable and we invest substantially in their development. Ours is a more sustainable approach because we end up with employees with skills tailor-made to suit our operations, with long lasting commitment to the ideals, the values of our organisation. Many employers go out to recruit and after a week of on-boarding, already expect optimum performance. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way in a challenging environment like ours. Close to 80-85 per cent of our management workforce join Nigerian Breweries via our Graduate Management Development Scheme. We give them structured, modular training program of 12-month duration. The programme is fully residential. It is a complete experience involving classroom and practical training-attachments. They also receive full salary and benefits for the duration of the training. T h e modular training is carefully arranged like

building blocks to give a well-rounded skills upgrade, preparatory to entry into the real world of work. At the end of the 12-month training, these young managers would have been refined and re-tooled and are ready to face the challenges of the first and subsequent career experiences. Thus, upon being deployed as Shift Managers in Production, as Junior Brand Managers in Marketing or Business Analysts/Controllers in Finance, they perform excellently well and we continue to reap the fruits of our investment over the longer term. If only many of the employers who complain of skills shortage will adopt this approach, their story will be different and the country will be better for it. Paucity of funds seems the problem and risk of losing them after investing…. The risk of losing your employees will always be there. You can minimise that risk if you pay attention to all aspects of their motivation e.g. reward, career enhancement, health and safety, work-life balance etc. In other words, creating an interesting employee proposition from cradle to grave and ensuring that your employees see the organisation as ‘a great place to work.’ Much of the time when you buy ‘readymade’ employees off the shelves, you also run the risk that you buy over their baggage, their bad practices and entrenched values that may not necessarily be in tune with your corporate values. Ideally, organisations should seek to invest a substantial part of their personnel costs in the training of their people, especially the new joiners. The small or medium-sized businesses do not have to copy the big corporate multinationals but each employer must devote a part of the personnel expenses to training and development. Yes, there is the risk of losing some of your well-trained employees. That is normal. We also experience some turnover though relatively low. Nevertheless, it is not a good reason to not invest in people. Getting to where you are now didn’t come cheap. How did you start your career journey? I started my career with the Niger State Water Board. This was during my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Niger State was then only a few years old. The experience was very interesting, not only at work but having the opportunity to visit and live in the Northern part of the country for the first time. Together with fellow corps members, I had great fun and still cherish the opportunity. The country was very peaceful. You could travel anywhere at any time of the day or night. There was no fear of robbery, kidnapping etc. Nigeria was a great place to live or work. Nobody cared where you came from or whether you were Christian or Muslim. Everyone was everyone’s brother or sister. On completion of national service, I worked briefly in the Lagos State Governor’s Office as Administration Officer attached to the Economic Department of Governor Lateef Jakande’s cabinet office. It was a brief but thrilling experience. At close quarters, I sat in to take the minutes of high-level cabinet meetings. I was directly involved in much of the low income housing schemes known today as the Jakande Estates.

My passion, however, was for an enduring career in the private sector. So, in less than one year, I resigned my appointment to join the Oceanic Group. This was a local company with foreign equity participation. We worked mainly with the Armed Forces and the Police. I was Head of Personnel and Administration. I worked with the group for more than five years. For a young man, the job was challenging and fulfilling. Nonetheless, I felt it was necessary to continue my Human Resources career in a multinational work environment. When the opportunity came from Nigerian Breweries, I moved on. That was 29 years ago! I joined the company as Personnel Manager. Following a complete on-boarding programme, functional skills training and relief assignments, I was posted to Kaduna to head the human resource function of our brewery in the North. I later returned to Lagos Headquarters to head various key specialist disciplines in HR, including Job Evaluation, Remuneration, Industrial Relations, Manpower Development and Training. In 2002, I was selected for a cross-posting to our parent company, Heineken International, The Netherlands. I lived and worked in The Netherlands with my family for seven years. I had various interesting assignments at Senior Management/Director level during my stay in Heineken. My last assignment in Amsterdam was as Regional Human Resource Director for Africa/Middle East. I returned to Nigeria six years ago to assume the current position of Human Resources Director, Nigerian Breweries. Your upbringing must have played a major role in shaping your life and character today. True, Mum and Dad had a big influence in shaping my values and perspectives. Both parents (now late) hailed from Ekiti. Dad from Ado and Mum from Ode-Ekiti. They were early migrants to Lagos. So, I was born, bread and buttered in Lagos. My father, Festus Famuyibo, was a federal civil servant. Mum, Mary Famuyibo, was a dress maker/fashion designer of repute in the Surulere area. We are six children in the family – three males, three females. I am fourth in line. The children live partly in Nigeria and the United States. Dad was a very strict disciplinarian. He lived by example and was very prudent in the way he managed scarce resources while ensuring that his children had the right level of education without lacking in the essentials of life. He was focused and did not allow any distraction to his family goals. He maintained high standards and was a stickler to rules in the upbringing of his children. Dad and Mum trained us to be good at whatever calling we chose. He was very demanding. When we were young, with hindsight, we thought dad was too strict. We felt he gave us no room to maneuver like our playmates. We probably felt we were over-managed and perhaps did not like it that much. Today, however, we appreciate the style of upbringing we got from our parents and thank them immensely for it. It has indeed helped us to be independent and focused in life. Could you share your educational experiences with us? The quality of schooling in our days was exceptionally good unlike what we have now. Schools had good infrastructure. Teachers were committed and the curricu-

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014

Body&Soul

with my wife–Victor Famuyibo father’s favourite. As a kid, we were not allowed to drink. We ran errands to buy Star for dad and his friends. For us, Star was beer and beer was Star. My father only needed to say, ‘Go get me a bottle of beer.’ We went away and came back with a bottle of Star. Star would always be available. I am also happy to do my Heineken or any other NB brand wherever I find myself.

lum was appropriate. Primary school education for me was at Government Demonstration School in Surulere, Lagos. Learning there was great as it gave us a solid foundation for what to expect later in life. My secondary school education was, first, in Abeokuta and later in Lagos for the Higher School Certificate (HSC). Then, I gained admission to the University of Ibadan for my Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. A few years later, I did a post-graduate degree (Master of Public Admin) at the University of Lagos. Further down, I went back to UNILAG for a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and later proceeded to the Law School. I was called to Bar in 1996. Outside of these qualifications, human resources practice being my chosen profession, I followed the professional Certification of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria. I am currently a Fellow of the Institute. By God’s Grace, I am also the current President and Chairman of Council of this great Institute.

Do your children drink beer? A little bit. They are all adults, so they are entitled to drink in moderation. Do you regulate their consumption rate? No, I don’t. However, given their upbringing, they know they have to drink alcohol responsibly. What are your hobbies? Cycling. Also, travelling. I love people and places. I am a city man. I don’t go on exotic holidays in resorts or do cruises. I like to see big cities, to know new places. Fortunately, my job provides me with that opportunity. I like eating out in nice restaurants, fine cuisine - as long as I will have a bottle of chilled Heineken or Star.

It’s rare to see a Nigerian of your status using one mobile phone. Is it a style or corporate decision? I think one is good enough. There is no transaction that one wants to conduct on mobile telephony that one phone will not accomplish. Due to the busy nature of work for me, I focus mainly on voice, e-mails and SMS facilities in the mobile phone. Only the ‘must have,’ not the ‘nice to have.’ Keeping my resources in one system works best for me. For service delivery, I do not see much difference between one provider and the other. I have lived and worked in Europe. It is not fashionable that people carry more than one mobile phone with them. I do not judge those who choose to do so; perhaps it is by choice but I prefer to keep it simple.

Your favourite meals… That’s a bit difficult. Ordinarily, it will be beans and fried plantain. However, when dining out, my preference is steak and French fries served with a cold bottle of Star or Heineken. Then, my day is made! How would you describe your fashion sense? I don’t like being too contemporary. I believe fashion goes out too fast. I like something in-between, not too traditional or old school but something more stable, somewhere inbetween. But from Monday through Friday, I dress up for work and you would find me in suit appropriate for formal meetings. For formal outings, my choice of colour is white and a blue shirt on a dark suit - but I always like to have a nice tie that is striking. I don’t like dark coloured ties. They don’t fit. I like to brighten the room, not to make it gloomy.

…and why a regular BlackBerry phone? Hahaha…well for two reasons. First, it is our official work tool. BB is therefore company policy. All our managers and executives are hooked to the BlackBerry. If and when there will be a policy change, we will all migrate at the same time. For now, our voice, e-mail, calendar etc. run via the BlackBerry. However, nothing prevents an employee from having a personal mobile phone(s) next to the official BB. At what point did you consider it necessary to settle down? Hmmmmm! Well, in those days and hopefully now, much depended on your circle of friends. You simply moved at the same pace, with your friends and contemporaries, otherwise you were left behind. We gained admission to the university and cherished the freedom that came with leaving home. We enjoyed it responsibly. Then we went on to do the national service. Again, it was a kind of freedom. The parental and university rules were not there anymore. We continued to mature in our ways. Suddenly, it was time to be more responsible and one after the other, we all got married. We all did the right things at the right time. But I think it is different from what obtains today. In our time, jobs were available in abundance. Even before you left school or NYSC, you got a job. The salary was good, not fantastic. From your first year of work, you bought a car, brand new. You rented an apartment; your salary was enough for you to do all of these without hassle! Life was easy, fun! You could plan that six years after your NYSC, you would get married, or travel abroad to do post-graduate and save towards it. All of these have disappeared. They seem like it never happened before in this country. It will be hard, if not impossible, for young men of today to plan without depending heavily on parental/ family support. At age 28, it was time and it was possible and feasible to migrate from bachelorhood to a new life in marriage. God bless Nigeria!

Where do you shop for clothes? In Nigeria, I find it a bit difficult shopping for clothes, maybe because my job affords me the opportunity to travel abroad. I do a bit of shopping when I travel outside the country. And I know a few shops on the high streets where I find what I want. But I don’t do the top end. I like to stay regular and perhaps also because I cannot afford those premium prices. For me, it makes sense to be well dressed and properly groomed. I don’t like it when people look scruffy. People should turn out appropriately for the occasion without being extravagant.

Where and how did you meet your wife? Was she among your corps member friends? No. We met in the postgraduate class. We became friends. We studied and did group assignments together. We remained good friends. After our graduation, we found out that we had common friends. Her brother was in my network of friends. We lived in the same neighbourhood. We hooked up again. Today, the rest is history!

What would you consider as your high point in life? My high point is becoming the Chairman and President of Council, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management. It is very fulfilling. It is the peak of recognition as a thoroughbred HR professional and practitioner. It is a nice cap to my career of about 40 years! In other words, I was delighted to become the HR director of a major multinational organisation. However, the high point for me is becoming the reference point in the HR profession nationally… very pleased that my professional colleagues found me worthy to become the president of our institute. It is fulfilling. I thank them and I thank God Almighty.

Hmmm…what was her reaction when you eventually proposed? Well, not like now. We went to parties together. My friends got to know her. We exchanged visits, etc. Then she gradually became the ‘woman’ even when I had not formally proposed to her. So, there was nothing like proposing with a ring? No. Not in our days. I think the first exchange of rings was during the engagement. Engagement in those days was not like what we have today. It was traditional rites that

What types of jewellery do you go for? Only my wedding ring! No more. No jewellery and no chain on my neck. I don’t believe it’s a man’s thing. I just do the wedding ring, which is very symbolic and shows you off as a responsible man. Even my wristwatch, I don’t do chains. I do brown leather that fits my complexion. I like keeping a nice but low profile. What designer’s perfumes do you wear? I like mature fragrance with woody, long lasting scent and must have a masculine touch. I want you to search for it with your nose. I don’t want to come by and you will know that I’m wearing a fragrance or perfume. I want to keep it private and be good to myself before someone else.

happened at the bride’s family home. It was a home-based, close family traditional event. The marriage is blessed with how many children? Four children – two males, two females. Was it in the course of this job that you started drinking beer? No, I’d been drinking beer ever before joining NB. I am a very social being. My favourites have always been Star and Heineken. May be I grew up to know Star. It was my

What are your sporting activities? Cycling to keep fit. I take a walk with my wife regularly and we jog too. We do quite a bit as much as time permits. But my favourite sport is table tennis. I have the facility at home. I play regularly with my wife and children. My wife was a table tennis star and champion in her school days.

SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

with

Juliet Bumah +234 81 1 675 9770

julietbumah@gmail.com

The evil that women do...

athryn enters the living room. It is empty. She stands at the door and takes in the view. For the first time, she admires the plush divan and the dinette fit for kings. Apart from two landscape paintings and a portrait of Dave, nothing else adorns the wall. She concludes that the interior decorator who furnished the house is very good. However, the house looks ‘unlived in’. She walks towards the kitchen and peeps, very masculine but neat. The kitchen does not look like it sees action regularly. Nothing suggests that a woman is in charge here. As she walks to the staircase, it occurs to her that Dave’s wife may not live here. “Yes! If that is the case, then it will be easy for me to move in. Maybe that’s why Dave talks the way he does when I mention his wife and children,” she muses as she walks confidently up the staircase. ***** “So, you are sending me out of your house because you are expecting a woman?” Ann asks, moving towards Dave who is holding the door ajar, facing her. “This is my house. I allow whoever I want to visit. I gave you an opportunity to be my wife but the greed in you got the better part of you. What didn’t I do for you? Ann, no one man can satisfy you! Now leave, you’re not welcomed here anymore,” Dave replies angrily. “And you think I’ll just leave so that you can bring in prostitutes to...” Ann trails off, her face ashen. It’s as if she’s seen an apparition. Dave swings round and there stands Kathryn! Oh no! Did she hear Ann refer to her as a prostitute? Shocked beyond words, Kathryn sways and slumps. Dave is beside her in a flash. Ann picks her bag and scampers away like a fugitive. Dave notes the fear in Ann’s eyes but first, he has to take care of Kathryn. He carries her to the bed. “My wife, are you alright? Talk to me,” he says soothingly. “I’m alright. Where did you meet Akudo?” she says weakly. “Akudo? Who is Akudo?” Dave asks blankly. Akudo that just left here,” she says. “Oh, you must have mistaken Ann for someone else,” Dave says with a smile. “No Dave, that lady is Akudo. Is she your wife?” Kathryn asks, sitting up in the bed. “No, not her,” he replies, shaking his head in wonderment and muttering “Ann... Akudo”. “So, what was she doing in your house, in your bedroom?” “We’ll talk about that later. I’d like to know how and where you met Ann,” he says curiously.

“She’s not Ann, she’s Akudo. Her English name is Margaret,” Kathryn says. “Oh? You seem to know much about her,” he says, disbelief in his voice. “Yes, I know much about her. She’s my step sister,” Kathryn says. “What! Your what? Sister? How come you people didn’t greet like sisters? Now, tell me another tale,” he says incredulously. “I hadn’t seen her in like six years,” she replies. “The more reason you two would have been happy to see each other again,” he says. “Dave, we’re are not happy to see each other. Akudo is the reason I went into prostitution!” Kathryn says, looking him in the eyes. He sits up. “How...what happened? Tell me everything,” he says. “About 18 years ago, Akudo and her mum

got the document of our father’s house and sold it. My father had two houses in Surulere. We lived in a small bungalow while the other one was placed on rent. The rent was what sustained us then. When my father found out, he fell ill and died a few months later. Akudo’s mother got other family members to throw us out of the house. My mum was a Ghanaian. She was not really accepted in the family. “Mum was heartbroken. She fell ill. The little money she was making from her dressmaking business could hardly sustain us. I was in secondary school then. My brother was in junior classes. At a point, I had to fend for them. Mum became very ill and could not work again. I did all sorts of petty businesses to put food on the table. I hawked bread and seasonal fruits. At a point, I dropped out of school in order to pay for my mum’s drugs and my brother’s

school fees. Mum died two years later. My brother and I were devastated. “I didn’t go back to secondary school. I could hardly take care of my brother and I. I was 24 years when I decided to sit for the General Certificate Examination as an external candidate. Then I sat for JAMB and passed. University education was not easy. I had to look for other means of survival...” Kathryn is crying. “Oh no! Please stop crying my wife. Everything is alright. You are living well today,” he says. “You won’t understand. I met Akudo on the streets years ago,” she says. “On the streets? Doing what?” Dave asks, a little impatiently. “What else do girls do on the streets in the night? She was hustling for customers. The money they got from the house finished. When my uncles discovered that Akudo and her mum sold my dad’s house, they threw them out on the street. They fell on hard times...like us,” she says with a chuckle. His breath catches in his throat. Hmmmmmmm! He must have something for call girls. “Where’s your brother? The one you talked about,” he asks and her face lit up. My brother lives in Paris with his young family. He’s an engineer. He’s doing well and comes around often,” she says. “Good. I’ll like to meet him anytime he comes around. Or, we can go see him in Paris,” he says, his mouth searching for hers. He is excited. He wants her so much. Kathryn kisses him passionately and pushes him away. “Now tell me, what was she doing in your house? And why did she refer to me as a prostitute even before meeting me? What did you tell her about me? So you do patronise call girls? You must be insatiable, if you had to sleep with that thieving slut after the good time I gave you,” Kathryn says, looking him in the eye. Dave sighs deeply and begins, “She is not a slut...no, I didn’t meet her as one. I went out with her for months...I was actually in love with her until I saw her come out of a guest house with a friend of mine...” Kathryn is no longer listening. The words ‘I love her’ slices into her soul. What? He loves her! **** Ben wakes up from a light slumber and picks his phone. Kathryn must have called. Oh no. The phone is off. The battery must have been dead. He plugs it. His spirit yearns for Kathryn. If she doesn’t come, he will go searching for her again. Such is the impression she has made on him. ************** Where is the pendulum gonna swing? Let’s meet here next Sunday. Send your observations to the email above.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 05, OCTOBER 2014

Body&Soul

Give yourself relaxing facials at home

Vanessa Okwara

teaming was a very important part of the beauty regime of women of ancient Greece and Rome. Today, it is done at hi-end spas where your skin is pampered in steam baths and sauna. It is known to open the pores of the skin and unclog all the hidden impurities to allow the skin breath more freely, revealing a fresh and radiant skin. You can skip the bill and have your own 10-minuteat-home facial steaming on a monthly basis. The process allows toxins to exit pores, softens skin and preps your face for a nourishing mask or fabulous moisturiser. Face steaming also helps to fight ageing. As you get older, the dead skin does not come out; making you look dull and old. Steaming your face is good as it moistens the face, treats dry skin, tightens the skin,

fights ageing and removes dead skin. It’s fairly simple to pamper yourself with a facial steam treatment at home. All you need is hot water, a bowl and a large towel. Caution though should be applied to skin with severe acne or any other condition such as sensitivity or skin redness. In such cases, you should consult a skin professional before steaming at home. Take one of your leisurely weekends and try out this step-by-step steam that gives skin a natural glow: 1. While the water is heating, wash your face to remove makeup and dirt. Use a gentle face cleanser and warm water. Removing makeup and dirt is a must before steaming, because steaming opens up your pores, and anything on your face will be able to get inside and cause irritation or pimples to occur if not removed. 2. You don’t have to add

anything to your steam, but to make it truly special you can add some fresh or dried herbs or essential oils that will release beneficial aromas. A herbal teabag, lemon and orange slices will also do the trick! 3. Hold your face over the steaming water. Drape a towel over your head so that it creates a sort of tent over your face, and hold your face over the water. Stay over the steam for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the steam cools. Close your eyes and breathe deeply, allowing the heat to awaken your face and open your pores. 4. The next step is to use a mask to pull the impurities from your now-open pores. A clay mask works well. You can also use plain honey to achieve the same effect. If you don’t wish to do a mask, just rinse your face in fresh water after you’ve finished steaming it. 5. Revive the eyes by

placing chilled slices of cucumber on the eyes while your mask is still on for about 15-20 minutes. This really helps to reduce under-eye bags and puffiness. 6. Using a toner after steaming will help your face look toned and fresh. Use a cotton ball to apply the toner of your choice to your nose, forehead, cheeks and chin. 7. The final step in your facial is to apply a moisturizer to keep your face hydrated.

Health benefits of cucumber

ucumber is a tropical plant but is also easily available in most parts of the world. It is grown predominantly in the northern part of Nigeria and can be purchased anywhere in the country. Most people are unaware of the immense health benefits of cucumber. Cucumber has about 96 per cent water that is naturally distilled, which makes it superior to ordinary water. Due to its low calorie and high

water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who are on weight loss diet. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumbers are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from the digestive system, thus, aiding digestion. Cut down your risk of several cancers by including cucumber in your diet. Several studies show it has cancer-fighting potential. Cucumbers can help regulate blood pressure both high and low because of its

minerals and traces of sodium. Also, a compound called sterols in cucumber helps reduce bad cholesterol. Patients of diabetes can enjoy cucumber while also reaping its health benefits. It contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin. Cucumber is also a good Hangover cure. To avoid a morning hangover or headache, eat a few cucumbers slices before going to bed.

Body&Soul

laysuits are trending, classic one-piece ensembles that will always be relevant, depending on the activity you wear them for. There are so many times you want to wear a little dress or

Biwom Iklaki

shorts for a quick dash to the mall, a casual shopping on Saturday or picnic with friends and family. A playsuit will certainly suit these activities. Pear-shaped ladies will do well to stay completely away from playsuits in jersey. You will not escape

the dreaded camel-toe effect. Stick with linen and keep the cut clean and not too tight or bogus. . You can style it edgy or flirty, playful, chic, even sexy. Just pay attention to your jewellery and shoes. The fabric too is one to consider, as a floral cotton playsuit will not

pass for edgy. Your body type too counts when considering this style. Style low cut playsuits with a pendulum chain or high/collared cuts with jewelled bibs or shorter necklaces. Treat your feet to comfy wedges or flats, after all, its all for fun. This look also works with sexy heels too.

Playsuits are trending

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CBN’s N65 ATM fee stance is misleading – Customers p.24

Transport

Ford breaks 7000 vehicle sales threshold p.25

Interview

Loans for Nigerian cars ready December–Jalala p.27 Personality Herbert Wigwe: Taking Access Bank higher p.28

Onitsha River Port

Onitsha River Port: Nigeria loses N51bn in 25 months T

Chijioke Iremeka

he Federal Government has lost estimated N51bn revenue from rent, duties and levies among others; in the past 25 months for not concessioning the Onitsha River Port two years after it was completed and commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan. A Port-Harcourt-based maritime expert, who is one of the contractors that handled the project, Dr. Edi Nweke, said this in an interview, said when the port commences operations much revenue would be generated from boats and barges registration, collection of rents, levies and royalties for jetty usage including berthing charges. He said the revenue being generated currently by the port through its shadow administration on monthly basis is a mere ‘scratch on the skin,’ adding that Nigeria is losing fortune for non concessioning of the River Port complex. Wondering why the port has not been put to use years after it was completed, he said it shouldn’t take the country up to two

“The process of concessioning would have started since Messrs InterBua Construction Ltd took over the rehabilitation of the port. Other organisations that were concessioned in this country did not take this long before the process was concluded” years to concession a fully developed port that suffered tremendous delay and vandalism. “The process of concessioning would have started since Messrs Inter-Bua Construction Ltd took over the rehabilitation of the port. Other organisations that were concessioned in this country did not take this long before the process was concluded. It didn’t take Bi-

Courtney two years to get the concession rights of MMA2, likewise LCC on the Lekki-Aja express corridor. Two years are rather enough for such concessioning if the President meant well for the port,” he added. According to the former Deputy General Manager and Area Manager of the complex, and NIWA, Asindi Iloba, there is a shadow administration at the complex for registration of boats and barges among others, which generates between N20m and N30m monthly on boat registration alone. He noted that there will be more revenue accruing to the government if the River Port is fully concessioned for operation by the government as more vehicles would be registered, which implies more revenue for the country, stating that non operation of the multibillion naira facility is denying the government meaningful income. He said the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, the regulatory agency in-charge inland navigation and registration of motorised boats in the waterways is losing much for not registering more boats and other watercrafts CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Feature

CBN’s N65 ATM fee stance is misleading – Customers

CBN Governor, Emefiele

Chijioke Iremeka he re-introduction of ATM service fee is currently creating uncontrollable ripples among commercial bank customers across the country. Thus, they are groaning under the effect of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) policy that re-introduced N65 ATM service fee, saying the policy is anti-people, misleading, discourages financial inclusion and has heightened their financial burden. Though these reactions exist among the customers, CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who re-introduced the fee which was earlier suspended by his predecessor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, said the re-introduction is a way of alleviating the issuers’ interbank settlement weight. Meanwhile, the CBN, had in a statement in August signed by its Director of Corporate Communications, Ibrahim Mu’azu, said one of the reasons for the restoring N65 ATM service fee was to reduce the volumes of ATM transactions on other banks’ machines, which has resulted in high operational cost. The Apex Bank explained that since the charges were taken away from the customers and borne by the banks, there has been an astronomical increase in ATM transactions on other banks, stating that such direct access to physical cash is inimical to the CBN’s cash-lites policy. Furthermore, the CBN’s statement, in an effort to give reasons behind the reintroduction of the fee alluded to the need to ensure that customers get better services and increase healthy competition among the banks to reduce their financial burden to enable them to maintain the machines. “The suspension of the service fee has increased cash transactions on the ATM, which negates the cash-lite policy and takes a lot from the banks to service the

ATM. Cash withdrawal at ATM of a customer’s is free. Remote–on-Us transaction is when a cardholder goes to the ATM machine of another bank other than his or her own bank to make a withdrawal. “The first three ‘remote-on-us’ transactions in a month are free for the cardholder but paid for by the issuing bank. The N65 charge only applies when a customer withdraws cash from another bank’s ATM. It applies from the 4th transaction at another bank’s ATM in a month. CBN will not endorse anti-customer policy.” But on the contrary, New Telegraph on Sunday, observed that the CBN had earlier said its campaign for massive public adoption of the cash-lite policy would reduce over a third of total banking operation costs, which were derived from cash handling activities that accounted for a third of all banking personnel as well as all let able floor space expenditures. Sequel to this, Nigerians were encouraged to believe that the expected savings from the cash-lite policy would improve bank customer service and usher reduced charges for transactions, owing to the fact that cash-lite policy would reduce banks’ expenditures, which reflects on reduced COT and other charges that customers are subjected to. It was also gathered that Sanusi stated that interest rates should be reduced and banks would increase credit availability to the small and medium enterprises so as to facilitate rapid inclusive economic growth, which would create more job opportunities nationwide. Appallingly, these expectations remain clearly unfilled and the adoption of the cash-lite policy has caused incredible anguish to many Nigerians, while the attendant incidence of fraud in banking operations may not have reduced from previous levels, leaving a lot to be desired. However, CBN’s claim that ATM main-

tenance cost cuts on the banks’ profit margin has negated its initial position that the policy will drive down banks operational cost and encourage financial inclusion for the masses. But where did the proclaimed benefits of all the expected savings from reduced cash handling in banks, which necessitated the N65 fee go to? is a question that begs for answer. A banker told New Telegraph on Sunday that the reasons given by the CBN for the re-induction of ATM service fee are unfounded, adding that the main reason for the action was stiff determination of the commercial banks to reject transactions coming from customers at another bank ATMs, should the CBN refuses to reverse the order. The source, stated that such was a great threat, which the CBN could no longer discount as it would frustrate the inter-operability of payment system in the country if the commercial banks find it the only alternative to the matter. “So, I think it is good that the policy was reversed so that customers would not be stranded when the need arises.” The Managing Director, Cosams Petrochemicals and an ex-banker, Mr. Obiora Chukwunulu, said the CBN’s position on the reasons behind the return of the ATM tariff regime, is misleading, saying that a customer can only make three free cash withdrawal from another bank’s ATM in a month of 30 days, against the twisted position that it happens on every new transactions. To him, a customer is entitled to three free withdrawals in a month, which can be exhausted in a day if such customer seeks to withdraw over N60, 000 from another bank’s ATM, adding that such it is tactical way of implementing the new tariff regime. He explains: “If a customer wants to withdraw N100, 000 from ATM of another bank, the first three withdrawals will be free but the subsequent ones will not. If he draws N20, 000 per command, at the first three command (N60, 000), there will not be any charges applied but at the fourth withdrawal (N80, 000), there will be a service fee of N65 and also at the fifth withdrawals that makes it N100, 000, another N65 fee is applied. “Also, this is exclusive of the COT, as the COT of N3 per mill (N300) applies to the same transaction, just as SMS alert of N10, each of the five withdrawals applies, thereby bringing the total charges on a N100, 000 transactions to N480. This has not made any difference from what we had before but this is a tactful way of returning such regular fee of N65 to customers again. “This is the kind of policies we have in the country because the policymakers always believe that Nigerians are illiterates

and are confused by a mere skillful use of words. These are the things happening to some of our policies and when you look closely, you would discover a great deal of mischief.” Similarly, Dr. John Abbana, said, “CBN’s Governor once said that Apex Bank will not endorse any anti-people policy. But where is this coming from? The banks have several avenues of making cool money, why don’t they turn to those areas of great potential and reduce the burden of customers. “This is what Sanusi was trying to make them understand that they can make cool money from other channels rather than milking customers. Though it requires money to maintain the ATM but banks can never go down because of ATM service fee. There is much in their possession. Let them re-strategise. They have put much interest in the N100 that’s why they can’t let go.” A midwife with Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Joy Mbonu, said the new system is not bad, though she would have preferred the zero tariff system, adding that the new N65 charges would help the banks improve their ATM services in the country. State Ex-officio and Leader, South-East, People Democratic Party, Chief Anselm Njoku, said the N65 fee is an inhibition in the country’s banking system, adding that CBN should not have restored the fee as the commercial banks are not supposed to collect any other money on ATM services, saying that ATM is a support infrastructure. He said, “We are talking about cashlite policy here. So, why do they want to impose service fee again, having discouraged physical cash transaction (withdrawal) below N100, 000 over the counter? It’s a reap-off on the people. We are even getting close to removal of all forms of charges on current account and somebody is imposing ATM service fee

“For instance, if I use my Zenith bank card on UBA ATM, Zenith will have to pay UBA for my transaction. It’s this burden that CBN wants to take away from the banks to enable them to maintain their infrastructure and provide better services” CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Transport

SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER , 2014

Ford breaks 7000 vehicle sales threshold

Paul Ogbuokiri ord Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) had its best sales month with 7269 vehicles sold last month, recording a year-on-year improvement of 26 per cent. As a result, Ford also posted a record market share of 13.4 per cent this year. “Setting a new sales record in South Africa is testament to the growing portfolio of cars trucks and SUVs that we continue to offer our customers here. Earlier this year we entered new territory when we broke the 6 000 sales milestone for the first time,” General Manager, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa Rob Crouse said. “We will

continue to work hard to deliver the best service and a world class line-up of vehicles and technology that our customers want and value,” he added. Crouse said in an email message to Sunday New Telegraph that industry sales are up 11.5 per cent, year-on-year, and the total industry sales year-to-date are down 2.6 per cent. According to him has also reported that the domestic market was expected to register a decline, in volume terms, of between four per cent and four per cent

compared to 2013. He said also record-setting sales total includes strong performances from the Ranger, EcoSport, Figo, and Fiesta. “Ranger set another all-time record with sales totalling 2629 trucks, cementing its second position in the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) market. To date, Ranger has set all-time sales records six times in 2014 and its desirability among buyers has helped it be a consistent best-seller,” he said. According to him, Fiesta sales were the highest since September 2005, with the compact hatchback moving more

than 1238 vehicles sold in September. “We’re offering consumers vehicles with the type of technologies that are easy to use, and complement their daily lives,” said Crouse. “Ranger and Fiesta remain sought-after, long after their initial launches - clearly buyers continue to find value thanks to these features” he said. He said another vehicle equipped with an award-winning EcoBoost engine is the EcoSport compact SUV. In September it continued its segment leadership, with 788 vehicles sold and the entry-level Figo achieved sales of 1 511 vehicles.

Auto Clinic

Aggressive driving habits can threaten your safety

...As BriscoeFord donates materials to Lekki

frontline authorised dealer of the Ford brand in Nigeria and a division of R.T. Briscoe Nigeria Plc, BriscoeFord, has donated waste bins and cleaners’ uniforms to Lekki Phase 1 Residents Association, in celebration of this year’s annual Global Week of Caring organised by Ford Motor Corporation. A statement by the BriscoeFord Spokesman, Flexi Adesoye, said that Ford Motor Company employees, dealer employees and retirees around the world joined together to volunteer their time and talents to make a positive impact in the communities where they work, live and play during the ninth annual Global Week of Caring 2014. According to him, since the inception of the programme, outstanding projects have taken place in more than 30 countries in Export and Growth. The year’s edition is

the ninth annual Global Week of Caring He said, “BriscoeFord’s involvement in this year’s edition centered on assisting the host community in the area of environmental cleanliness, sanity and prevention of indiscriminate waste disposal. This is quite pertinent at the period government at all levels are trying to fight and prevent the Ebola Virus disease.” Managing Director of R.T. Briscoe Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seyi Onajide, said the Lekki Phase 1 community had shown cooperation and friendliness to the company’s business operations in that location, and as such, it had no hesitation to carry-out the activity to assist in maintaining cleanliness of the estate. Adesoye noted that the Chairman of LERA, Chief Ramon Shitta, said in his acceptance speech after the handing over of the materials that the association was

grateful to BriscoeFord, and by extension Ford Motor Corporation for the gesture. He further called on other corporate establishments within the estate to emulate this positive action and do more for the overall wellbeing of the residents in the area. “You will recall BriscoeFord has participated in past GWCs through different activities such as a charity-walk from Maryland to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Ikeja where retroviral drugs & foods were donated to People Living with HIV/AIDs in 2010; and malaria advocacy program and Charity walk from Maryland to Onigbongbo LCDA where mosquito nets, electronics & other items were also donated to the hospital in 2011, in conjunction with Hygeia HMO,” the statement added.

LASTMA assures of traffic-free Sallah

agos State Traffic Management Authority has assured Lagosians of a traffic-free Sallah celebration, as more traffic personnel would be deployed to the various traffic prone areas in the state to control and manage the situation during the celebration. LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Babatunde Edu, who stated this on Wednesday at his office in Oshodi, Lagos, explained that, the move become necessary owing to the volume of vehicles moving in and out of the state for the celebration. The LASTMA boss said, “We have strategically designed a solution to the gridlocks often associated with celebrations because we know that the roads will

be busy throughout the week for preparations for the festival.” Edu expressed that more personnel would be sent to various flash points and ensure that all impediments are quickly removed for safety. He further advised motorists to avoid excessive speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, flagrant disobedience of traffic laws and officer’s directives. He appealed to traders not to turn the road walks to an extension of markets, saying the festival would be a pleasant experience if we observe all safety measures and respect the right of other road users. In a related development, Edu advised motorists to avoid the use of the

Eko Bridge inward Costain. Instead, motorists are to make use of the Third Mainland and the Carter Bridges as alternative routes to avoid delays due to the rehabilitation work going on at the Eko Bridge. He explained that the state government is committed to making driving on Lagos roads a worthwhile experience, and as such, measures have been put in place to ensure that the repair works does not have a negative impact on traffic on the axis throughout the duration of the repairs. He advised motorists plying this route to obey the traffic instructions of LASTMA personnel.

he safety of your passengers and other road users. Many people experience some level of road rage while they travel on the road. Dealing with road rage and aggressive drivers involves patience and the ability to remain calm. See where you stand with road rage — take the quiz now. Yes or No, Do You ... Maintain appropriate distance when following other motorists, bicyclists, motorcyclists, etc.? Provide appropriate distance when cutting in after passing vehicles? Use headlights in cloudy, rainy, and other low light conditions? Yield to pedestrians? Come to a complete stop at stop signs, before right turn on red, etc.? Stop for red traffic lights? Approach intersections and pedestrians at slow speeds to show your intention and ability to stop? Drive below posted speed limits when conditions warrant? Drive at slower speeds in construction zones? Maintain speeds appropriate for conditions? Use vehicle turn signals for all turns and lane changes? Make eye contact and signal intentions where needed? Acknowledge intentions of others? Use your horn sparingly around pedestrians, at night, around hospitals, etc.? Avoid unnecessary use of highbeam headlights? Yield and move to the right for emergency vehicles? Refrain from flashing headlights to signal a desire to pass? Drive trucks at posted speeds, in the proper lanes, using nonaggressive lane changing? Make slow, deliberate U-turns? Maintain proper speeds around roadway crashes? Avoid returning inappropriate gestures? Avoid challenging other drivers? Try to get out of the way of aggressive drivers? Focus on driving and avoid distracting activities (e.g., smoking, use of a car telephone, reading, shaving)? Avoid driving when drowsy? Avoid taking more than one parking space? Avoid stopping in the road to talk with a pedestrian or other driver? Avoid inflicting loud music on neighboring cars? Score Yourself...

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Equities outlook remains dreary

ith only four trading days in the week, the market traded in both directions, as two days finished positive and negative respectively. However, the market still closed the week positive, as the index finished 0.70% higher week-on-week (WoW) to bring the Year-to-Date (YtD) return to -0.55%. Market returns for the week were driven majorly by the banking and conglomerates sectors which gained 1.82% and 0.88% respectively. The NSE-ASI and market capitalisation pegged at 41,103.94 and NGN13.572tn. IKEJAHOTEL, CHAMPION, INTENEGINS, CCNN and STANBIC led the gainers chart for the week with respective returns of 31.58%, 27.32%, 15.69%, 11.31% and 9.38%. In contrast, RTBRISCOE, MAYBAKER, VONO, ACADEMY and COSTAIN led the losers’ table with respective returns of -12.37%, -9.95%, -8.97%, -5.71% and -5.26%. Volume and value of transactions for the week went in opposite directions as volume surged by 63.16% (2.588bn vs. 1.586bn units), while value declined by 7.50% (NGN24.902bn vs. NGN26.921bn). We are of the opinion that, notwithstanding pockets of positive returns which we expect will be witnessed intermittently, the general market mood will likely remain calm. We continue to extol the virtue of holding certain stocks which we forecast will return positive despite weak general market sentiments.

Banking Sector: Sector Counters Swung Positive

The week was largely positive for banking stocks as 12 stocks gained against 2 decliners while UNITYBNK stayed flat. The top gainers for the week included STANBIC (9.38%), SKYEBANK (8.71%), and STERLNBNK (6.96%), while the decliners were FBHN (3.02%), and UBA (0.60%). Despite the WoW gains, the sector remains beset with challenges from issues including the introduction of Basel II, to the evenly probable policy revision of CRR (private or public) which might arise due to the need of the CBN to mop up the excess liquidity in the system (exacerbated by the impending AMCON maturities worth approximately NGN1trn expected in December 2014). We believe that investors are pricing in these risks, which is causing a drag on the sector’s performance. We expect that these risks will continue to drag sector performance though we expect certain stocks to be boosted by positive Q3:2014 numbers.

Oil and Gas Sector: OANDO led gainers chart even as sector pares by 0.07% WoW

The Oil and Gas sector returned marginally negative for the week as the sector’s index declined by 0.07% to peg Year-to-Date (YtD) return at 24.65%. OANDO which was one of the top gainers for the previous week, as its H1: 2014 result was well received by investors, continues to enjoy this positive sentiment as it emerged the leader this week with 5.48% gains to close at NGN26.37 (vs. NGN25.00 in previous week). FO and TOTAL participated in the industry’s positive momentum as the tickers recorded gains of with 0.90% and 0.56% respectively, to close the week at NGN225.00 and NGN180.00 in that order. Investors were bearish on SEPLAT as it declined by 4.05% to close at NGN640.00 compared to NGN667.00 in previous week. MOBIL and ETERNA followed suit with losses of 1.66% and 1.58% respectively, while all other counter in the industry remained flat for the week. We maintain our positive outlook on both OANDO and TOTAL, whilst we believe that CONOIL is fairly valued

Industrial Goods Sector: Index returns negative WtD

The sector began the month on a negative note, following on from the predominantly

…though pockets of positive gains expected

valuations, we reiterate our position that OKOMUOIL, PRESCO and LIVESTOCK are fairly valued at NGN32.40, NGN29.90 and NGN1.73 respectively.

Consumer Good Sector: the bulls outperform the bears

bearish month of September in which the MERI-IND index shed 2.58%. Stock performance analysis for the month ended showed that 4 stocks recorded price gains, 5 stocks declined, while 3 stocks traded flat. DANGCEM, the largest stock in the basket by market capitalization, declined in value by 1.3% during the month of September even as ASHAKACEM’s bullish run was halted following a 5.8% MoM decline. WAPCO advanced in share price by 8.3%, indicating persistent investor’ positive sentiment on the stock. During the week ended, CCNN consolidated on last month’s gains (4.8%) with an 11.3% increase in share value to drive share price to NGN15.75. PORTPAINT and DANGCEM were the other gainers of the week on the heels of price appreciations of 3.4% and 0.4% accordingly. DNMEYER led the laggards’ list for the week, having shed 4.5% WoW while ASHAKACEM and WAPCO declined by 3.0% and 1.3% respectively. We anticipate a better outing for the sector in the month of October as Q3:2014 earnings releases begin to trickle in.

Insurance Sector: Profit Taking on Heavy Weights Drags Performance

The insurance sector could not sustain its positive momentum as the MERI-INS index’s declined significantly by 2.81% WoW, following the substantial gain of 3.01% WoW it recorded in the previous week. Profit taking characterized some counters that appreciated in the previous week, notably heavy weight counters. In spite of the sector’s negative perfor-

mance, ROYALEX maintained its positive streak as it gained 7.27% WoW. Other gainers for the week were INTENEGINS, CONTINSURE and WAPIC as the tickers each advanced by 15.69%, 4.17% and 2.78% WoW. The underperformers for the week were CUSTODYINS, MANSARD, NEM, and AIICO which declined by 4.88%, 3.33%, 2.44% and 1.25% in that order. The price depreciation by CUSTODYINS and MANSARD was as a result of the significant price appreciation they recorded in the previous week which resulted in profit taking activities on the tickers. We maintain our bullish outlook on AIICO, CONTINSURE and NEM, whilst we believe that MANSARD and CUSTODYINS currently trade at their intrinsic worth, hence we preach cautious trading.

The consumer goods basket enjoyed a marginally positive rally in the week. Most of the components of the basket recorded a level of gains, though some sector heavyweights recorded marked declines. Overall, the sector posted a return of +0.10% WoW. PREMBREW ended its seven consecutive weeks of gains with a 4.97% WoW loss, though it has returned 471.43% YtD. CHAMPION was the basket’s highest gainer for the week advancing by 27.32% WoW, even as the ticker’s YtD return pegs at -26.97%. CADBURY, FLOURMILL, NASCON, GUINNESS, NB and INTBREW all closed positive, appreciating by 2.27%, 1.64%, 5.16%, 3.00%, 0.37%, and 2.97% respectively. 7UP retained its previous week’s gains, trading flat at NGN147.73. NNFM, DANGFLOUR and HONYFLOUR also traded flat WoW. PREMBREW led the sector’s decliners for the week, joined by DANGSUGAR, NESTLE, VITAFOAM, PZ, and UNILEVER which lost 0.61%, 0.47%,0.47%, 0.31% and 2.46% respectively. We expect the sector to continue to benefit from positive market sentiments. The conglomerate sector had a rather uneventful week with UACN gaining 0.89% WoW while AGLEVENT traded flat.

Agric Sector: Sector stocks trade flat on weak sentiments

Healthcare sector: Negative mood sustained

During the week, all of the sector stocks traded flat due to weak sentiments, except for LIVESTOCK which gained 1.70% to close at NGN2.99. This was due to the absence of any major news to drive the direction of trades. FTNCOCOA and ELLAHLAKES each traded flat in the month of September and the quarter ended respectively, while PRESCO and OKOMUOIL advanced 7.11% and 0.29% in the same period. LIVESTOCK, on the other hand, lost 10.66% of its value during the quarter, even as the share’s price declined by 12.31% in September. Whilst we expect the Q3:2014 results to start trickling in soon possibly impacting

The healthcare sector witnessed yet another negative performance in the week, as sector’s performance as measured by the MERI-HLTH index dipped by 3.04%. The MERI-HLTH index has depreciated by 7.92% YtD on the back of investor’s low appetite for the stocks in the sector. The sector breadth pegged at 0.25x as one (1) stock appreciated against four (4) that shed points. The other stocks in the sector closed flat in the week. The only stock that posted gain in the week was NEIMETH, appreciating 0.95%, while MAYBAKER reversed some of its previous week’s gain to lead the losers chart for the week, declining 9.95%. GLAXOSMITH, EVANSMED and FIDSON each declined by 3.07%, 2.38% and 2.06% respectively. In the week ahead, we do not expect any major activity in the three (3) trading days, hence we expect this negative sentiment sustained in the week.

Services sector: Ikeja Hotels Plc rebounds

The services sector ended the week on a negative note as sector breadth was recorded at 0.50x. Two stocks gained as against four decliners, while nine counters traded flat. IKEJAHOTEL reversed last week’s 29.00% slide to lead the gainers with 31.58% WoW return, while ABCTRANS followed suit with a 1.49% gain. On the flip side RTBRISCOE led the decliners with a 12.37% contraction, closely followed by LEARNAFRICA, REDSTAREX and NAHCO which declined by 5.71%, 4.14% and 1.39% in that order. TRANSCORP, CAVERTON, AIRSERVICE, TANTALIZERS, TRANSEXPR, C&I LEASING, LENNARDS, and STUDPRESS, NSLTECH all traded flat. UPL held its 36th Annual General Meeting where it re-elected Dr. Lekan Are as chairman and declared a dividend of 35kobo per ordinary share of 30kobo amounting to NGN150.9mn payout to its shareholders.

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SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sunday Interview

It is about 20 years now since most of the vehicle assembly companies in Nigeria closed production. Why did government decide to reintroduce the auto policy? This government is interested in creating jobs for Nigerians and this is a sector that is a big employer of labour. It is an industry that plays a strategic and catalytic role in the economic development of a country in respect of job creation and GDP contribution. In South Africa, the sector alone contributes seven per cent of GDP and 12 per cent of exports. You will also note that for every single vehicle, there are 3,000 components. This means that it will not be just assembling of vehicles. Many components manufacturing companies will follow. It will also lead to the development of many raw materials that we have in abundance in the country. We are confident that if the Nigerian Automotive Development Plan is well implemented, it will create many Small and Medium Enterprises as well as direct and indirect jobs in the sector. A viable automotive industry will bring about significant good quality employment and a range of technologically advanced manufacturing opportunities. The NAIP will facilitate a steady increase in the local content of vehicles assembled in Nigeria. With this increase over time, specific parts will be manufactured locally as Nigerian suppliers develop adequate competence. Currently, the Nigerian automotive market can support an indigenous and viable automotive industry. The new auto policy is one old on October 1, 2014. It is on course and has recorded milestones already. About 25 auto manufacturers have expressed interest to commence manufacturing in the country. What I mean here are those who commenced investment. Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, Stallion and Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing are already producing different ranges of vehicles in the country. In the next two weeks, ANAMCO will start assembling Chinese trucks. Ford, Toyota and Honda are also interested in coming in to commence manufacturing in the country. The actual production of cars locally commenced in July and within that period 25,000 units have been rolled out. PAN has 25,000-vehicle capacity but can double it to 50,000. Nissan has 50,000 capacity and Leyland has 5,000-vehicle capacity. Is Honda coming under Stallion? They are considering two options, either to use their motorcycle plant in Ota or to go to Stallion. That means most of the new cars we see plying Nigerian roads these days are made-in Nigeria? Not necessarily so, because most of the auto dealers in the country imported large numbers of vehicles in anticipation of the take-off of the policy. As a form of incentive to the importers that have expressed interest to commence production in the country, they are allowed to import two for every one produced in the first year. But not all of them have commenced production? We are taking care of all the enabling laws they asked for. As a matter, it is at the second reading stage at the National Assembly. It will soon be passed. A lot more of the car manufacturers are waiting for the bill and the outcome of the February 2015 elections. Critics of the new auto policy say Nigeria lacks the infrastructure to support a virile sector. How can the policy thrive when power supply is epileptic, the railways are not working and the road network is poor? Every country in the world that has a domestic market puts in place an auto policy to enable them to produce cars locally. The country spent over $3.45bn in 2012 on imported vehicles.

Loans for Nigerian cars ready December–Jalala In this interview with PAUL OGBUOKIRI, the Director General, National Automotive Council, Mr. Aminu Jalala, says the vehicle acquisition finance scheme for made-inNigeria vehicles will soon be ready “We are confident that if the Nigerian Automotive Development Plan is well implemented, it will create many Small and Medium Enterprises as well as direct and indirect jobs in the sector” We are aware that the automotive development is a long term programme, but ours has an initial 10-year target to be reviewed every five years. Because we are in a hurry to achieve result, we have put in place two committees, called NADIP Implementation Committees, to continue to review progress hiccups as we carry on with the programme. With regard to the infrastructure challenge, I would like us to consider what the country has achieved in the cement sector. Ten years ago, Nigeria was producing below two million metric tonnes. With the nation’s cement policy which gave incentives to manufacturers, we are producing 30 million metric tons today. Nigeria will soon start exporting cement. This feat was achieved without any major change in infrastructure. So we are not going to be deterred by the infrastructure challenge. However we have given mouthwatering incentives that will enable the manufacturers to take care of whatever they lose by providing their own electricity and all that. Aside other things, any manufacturer who has shown sufficient interest to commence, for the first year of manufacturing, is allowed to import two units of the same brand at the normal duty. In the second year, they are allowed to import one for every one unit they produce; then in the third year they are allowed half for every one they produce. What of the 35 per cent duty and 35 per cent levy? The 35 per cent levy and 35 per cent duty are for those who do not want to manufacture in the country but want to continue importing. We cannot stop them if they have buyers for their brands but they must contribute to the development of the nation’s auto industry. The cheapest brand new cars is in the region of N2 million. That is too high for an average Nigerian and you are talking of encouraging Nigerians to buy new cars instead of used ones. How do you intend to achieve that? We are working out a vehicle acquisition financing scheme that will be launched at the end of this year. We are pooling a lot of funds into the scheme. Cheap development funds of zero per cent, our own counterpart fund, funds from a development finance company, a subsidiary of Standard Bank of South Africa Standard Bank subsidiary, West Bank RMB. We contacted them and they have met the motor manufacturing companies. It is an

Jalala

all-inclusive thing. They have gone back for the MoU. It was the Ebola outbreak in the country that delayed it. The entity will source the money from Nigerian banks at between 23 per cent and 24 per cent interest. The NAC Fund will come at three per cent and the development finance institution’s fund will come at zero per cent. When we compress it, we will get single digit. We are also expecting an intervention fund from the Federal Government and the funds from the participating Nigerian banks will be compressed to get a single digit interest loan for Nigerians to buy new cars. The aim of the car acquisition financing is to make it easy for working Nigerians to buy new cars in place of the tokunbo cars they drive today. What a Nigerian needs to access the loan is an identifiable means of income, PENCOM Pin number and a deposit of the 10 per cent of the cost of the car he wants to buy and the rest will be spread over fouryear period at a single digit interest. We are encouraging the auto manufacturers to start producing cars that are in the region of N2 million. We know that tokunbo cars are sold at about N1 million and above but like it is done all over the world, car acquisition by citizens is done through a financing scheme. So we are confident that when people realise that instead of paying N1m to get a tokunbo car, they can pay just a quarter of that and the rest within a period of four years at a single digit interest rate, they will definitely switch over to new cars and the tokunbo market will gradually dry up. But let me state categorically that tokunbo is not good for us in this country be-

cause they are vehicles meant for crushing in their country of origin. Since the owners don’t want to pay the cost of crushing, they just sell them to us. With the programme we have in place it will soon be a thing of the past. Are you not afraid that smuggling will derail this auto policy? Smuggling of vehicles would have been impossible if the states’ licensing offices were playing their role by making available to the Nigerian Customs Service the registration documents of each vehicle they register. That will enable NCS to know those who paid duty and those who did not pay. The National Vehicle Identification System introduced by the Federal Road Safety Commission fits into this role effectively. Smuggling is not good for the economy because what is being smuggled is scrap. Those who smuggle the scrap will be made to pay for the crushing. That’s the standard rule in other places. Do you have any plan for indigenous auto accessories and spare parts? We have a grand plan for them. We had given a N11.5bn loan to 32 of them in the past. The loan has largely been fully repaid. But most of them encountered problems in the 20 years of inactivity in the assembling sector in the country. Those of them that were supplying to PAN and other assembly plants in the country faced difficulty when those companies folded up. There was also competition from China. Those of them that survived were the ones that were combined importation with manuCO NTINUED O N PAGE 29

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Business/Personality

Herbert Wigwe: Taking Access Bank higher Herbert Wigwe, FCA is the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank Plc. In this report, PAUL OGBUOKIRI and CHIJIOKE IREMEKA examine the sure-footed steps of this stylish gentleman-banker and his pacesetter financial institution

“Reacting to his appointment, Wigwe told Vanguard Newspaper: “Access Bank has incredibly talented employees and is in a strong position to further its leadership in the industry”

ccess Bank Plc has grown to be one Nigeria’s foremost banking institutions today. The exponential growth has placed it among the fifth largest banks in Nigeria in terms of capital. It is getting bigger by the day and has a good customer base to show for it. Incorporated in 1989 as a privately owned commercial bank and listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1998, it was successfully recapitalised in January 2002 and a new management, led by Messrs Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Herbert Wigwe, took charge of the bank to reposition it. At 69th position out of 70 banks in 2002 when the two gentlemen took over, it was really an obscure financial institution at that time. The lender today prides itself as one of Africa’s outstanding financial institutions with subsidiaries across Africa. It was the first to successfully comply with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s banking consolidation policy through the acquisition of two quality Nigerian banks: Capital Bank International Plc (formerly Commercial Bank Credit Lyonnaise Ltd) and Marina International Bank Ltd. The three banks were fully integrated operationally - people, process and technology - in a record time of 60 days. As a matter of fact, the bank has managed to sustain a top five spot in Nigeria’s banking sector since 2005 till date despite the massive reduction of banks since the minimal capital derivative by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which saw most notable banks shut shop. Access Bank worked tirelessly to achieve their goals and for every goal they have set since 2002 till date, they have achieved. At a recent media parley in Lagos, it said its major goal is to be the most respected bank in Africa.

Wigwe

This came as the Board of Directors of the bank, in a recent statement signed by its Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, announced that the management would on Monday, October 13, 2014 seek its shareholders’ authorisation for the directors to raise additional equity capital of N68 billion by way of a Rights Issue. The lender would offer 7,640,449 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at an issue price of N8.90. The Rights Issue will raise approximately N68 billion (before expenses), if all shareholders fully subscribe for their rights. The fund raised will be used to upgrade the bank’s information technology platforms and branch networks to enable it to provide better services and further improve the working environment. The funds will as well help to improve its distribution channel infrastructure to enable it to provide more efficient services to customers. The funds will also be used to augment the bank’s working capital and support risk

assets. Access had successfully issued a $400 million seven-year tier-2 capital issuance, which is callable at the end of five years. Access Bank Plc is rated A+ (Agusto & Co) and B (Fitch). The story of the transformation of Access Bank is inseparable from these two leading lights of the industry (Aig-Imoukhuede and Wigwe), who in the last 12 years have been on the driver’s seat of the financial institution. As the founding GMD/CEO, Aigboje AigImoukhuede bowed out in December 2014, while Wigwe assumed responsibility as the GMD/CEO of Access Bank Plc on January 2014. On why Wigwe was chosen to succeed him, Aig-Imoukhuede said to The Banker Magazine: “He (Wigwe) has been an outstanding deputy to me and has a complete understanding of our strategies, culture, technology and competitive environment.

Share Trading History (Previous 10 trading days)

Date

Open High

Low

Close Chg

% Chg Vol

Value Deals

29 Sep, 2014

8.81

8.90

8.60

8.90

+0.14

+1.60 63,567,970 562,126,200.00 N/A

26 Sep, 2014

8.81

8.90

8.60

8.90

+0.14

+1.60 63,567,970 562,126,200.00 N/A

25 Sep, 2014

9.12

8.67

8.76

-0.83

-8.65

24 Sep, 2014

9.59

+0.00

+0.00 56,674

23 Sep, 2014

9.59

+0.00

+0.00 1,570,957 15,065,480.00

N/A

22 Sep, 2014

9.59

+0.00

+0.00 6,162,790 59,101,160.00

N/A

19 Sep, 2014

9.59

+0.00

+0.00 596,054

N/A

18 Sep, 2014

9.59

+0.00

+0.00 4,213,216 40,404,740.00

N/A

17 Sep, 2014

9.59

+0.00

+0.00 4,213,216 40,404,740.00

N/A

16 Sep, 2014

9.59

+0.00

+0.00 158,640

N/A

39,518,340 353,031,300.00 N/A 543,503.70

5,716,158.00

1,521,358.00

N/A

Importantly, he has strong relationships with our entire management team and customers. We believe that Herbert’s background and skills make him a perfect fit to lead Access Bank as we enter the next chapter of our transformation.” Reacting to his appointment, Wigwe told a national newspaper in an interview: “Access Bank has incredibly talented employees and is in a strong position to further its leadership in the industry. I look forward to leading Access Bank in the years ahead and helping to make it even stronger than it is today.” In his first six months on the saddle as Access Bank GMD, though the second quarter report of most banks in the country showed reduced profit, as they suffered from impacts of tightened regulation by CBN, Access reported an impressive performance that reassured shareholders of a bountiful harvest at the end of the year. Access Bank did not only report an increase in profit, it also rewarded customers with interim dividend of 25 kobo per share. Wigwe started his professional career with Coopers and Lybrand Associates, an international firm of chartered accountants. He spent over 10 years at Guaranty Trust Bank where he managed several portfolios, including financial institutions, corporates and multinationals. He left Guaranty Trust as an Executive Director to co-lead the transformation of Access Bank Plc in March 2002 as deputy managing director. He serves as the Chairman of Intercontinental Homes Savings & Loans Plc. He has been a Director at Associated Discount House Limited since December 1, 2011. Wigwe is an alumnus of Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme. He holds a Masters degree in Banking and International Finance from the University College of North Wales; a Masters degree in Financial Economics from the University of London and a B.Sc. degree in Accounting from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Five quick facts

• Wigwe is a Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria • He stared his professional career with Coopers and Lybrand Associates, an in ternational firm of Chartered Accountants • He spent over 10 years at Guaranty Trust Bank where he managed several portfolios • He is an Alumnus of Harvard Busi ness School Executive Management Pro gramme • He co-led the transformation of Access Bank Plc in March 2002 as DMD and be came the GMD/CEO in January 2014

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

World / News

CBN’s N65 ATM fee stance is misleading – Customers CONTINUED FR O M PAGE 24

on the customers. I’m not in any way in support of that.” A chartered accountant, Mr. Samuel Adetifa, said the new policy discourages financial inclusion or inclusive, which intends to take care of those customers in the disadvantaged areas of the country, especially the customers banking with those banks with fewer branches or ATM networks. “The financial inclusion is the delivery of financial services at affordable costs to section of disadvantaged and low-income segments of the society, in contrast to financial exclusion, where those services are not available or affordable,” he explained. An Abuja-based legal practitioner and Managing Director of a publishing firm, Charles Ndukwe, said, “because banks have to do a number of services on the machines, they require some funds to do that. More importantly, technology required for these services is not readily available in the country and I think that is why CBN is trying to balance it with the restoration of ATM fee on another bank’s ATM, while transactions within bank network is free. “So, the token on ATM is not too much because banks spend on interbank settlement. CBN re-introduced it to help the banks. For instance, if I use my Zenith Bank card on UBA ATM, Zenith will pay UBA for my transaction. It’s this burden that CBN wants to take away from the banks to enable them to maintain their infrastructure and provide better services.” Prof. Ugwu Christian Ugwu, said, “It is not a bad idea. All over the world such services apply. But you know, everybody likes free things. But if the CBN didn’t restore it, it will get to a point, where these machines will go bad and nobody will give attention to them because they don’t bring money to the business. “And if it doesn’t bring money to the business, why then do you acquire it and want to keep it? It doesn’t happen that way. Sixty-five is not too much for the customer who is in desperate need of money during non-banking hours. So, to me, we can survive with it but let them do something about the COT. It shouldn’t be with COT.”

Hardware traders to quit Idumota in 2015

Paul Ogbuokiri resident of Tools and Hardware Dealers Association of Nigeria, Chief Jude Chukwudi Obika, has said the association will in February 2015 relocate from Agarawu - Idumota to the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex along Badagry Expressway. Obike, who said this at a news conference on Friday, cited insecurity, congestion, exorbitant

rent increase and poor sanitation among the reasons why the market is being moved to a more conducive and business friendly environment. “The plan to relocate the market from Agarawu was conceived by the founding fathers of the association and pursued by successive various administrations. But it was in August 2008 when we assumed the leadership of the association that the decision to move to Trade Fair was taken. Hence, we acquired a portion of land at Trade Fair complex in 2010

and started building. Work is at finishing stage and we hope to commence business at the new place in February next year. I wish to announce to all our customers, members and the general public that a new dawn of freedom and comfort has come. No more area boys harassment, shylock rent increment, lack of movement and parking space, inadequate shops and packing stores for our members, unhealthy environment etc,” he said. The multi-billion complex is a state-of-the-art international

A cross section of Heritage Bank Management and representatives of AMCON advisors, during the signing of the agreement on Enterprise Bank acquisition by Heritage Bank in Lagos, recently

Loans for Nigerian cars ready December–Jalala CO N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E 2 7

With the commencement of the new auto policy, we carried out a technical audit, teaching them to reconfigure their factories to produce parts that meet today’s standards and ISO certification. If you are a components manufacturer, you must be ISO-compliant. We are also arranging a match-making contact for them with component manufacturers abroad. We are have contacted India and Pakistani component manufacturers to come to the country and establish plants. Government will not invest but will

facilitate contacts and provide the enabling environment. What is the source of the N11.5bn soft loan you gave to the indigenous component manufacturers? That was from the National Automotive Council fund. This was raised from the two per cent NAC levy that was collected from 1995 to 2007 when the levy was suspended. The sum of N23.5bn was collected into that account. Mind you, that account belongs to the Federal Government. Government took N7bn out of the money and gave it to different agencies. Part of it was used

Onitsha River Port: Nigeria loses N51n in 25 months CON TINUED FR O M PAGE 23

to operate on the waterways because the port is not ready. A top NIWA official told New Telegraph on Sunday that politics, corruption and clash of interests between different groups in the project stalled the concessioning of Onitsha River Port two years after its completion. The source who would not want his name published, said the delay in the final concession of the port is due to the activities of some skimmers from the presidency, Ministry of Transport, NIWA and Nigerian Shippers’ Council, who are lobbying to get the job. “There is high competition among the people that are lobbying to control port. Government is losing millions of naira on monthly basis as a result of non concession of the port. This is the second year after the completion and commissioning

business edifice housing 2,000 lock up shops and 26 individual plazas. According to the association’s Secretary General, Felix Nnadi, members contributed to the development of the project which has so far gulped about N2.75 billion. “Our members contributed N900,000 each to own a shop at the new place. There are over 2,550 members in all, excluding apprentices. So we still have enough land for expansion in future to accommodate all our members and new comers.” Nnadi said.

of the port. “Remember that Inter-Bua that handled the rehabilitation of the port complex after it was abandoned completed the project many months before President Goodluck Jonathan commissioned it. Now, after commissioning, we have waited for two years for its concession, yet it’s not coming forth,” he said. New Telegraph on Sunday learnt that the Deputy General Manager, Corporate Affairs, NIWA, Mr. Tayo Fadile, had confirmed that the reason why the port has not commenced operation is because it is passing concession processes, which he believes, would soon be completed. Also, the Resident Engineer, Onitsha River Port and Oguta Port, Imo State, Mr. Aguda, said the government is in the process of concessioning the complex but when asked whether two years was not enough to concession and allow meaning-

ful business activities to commence at the port, he said he wouldn’t know, saying, “government shows better.” He said there is an on-going shadow administration at the complex, adding that the complex is not completely running at a loss, as there are few economic activities at the port. He also said that the government would not want to run the port itself as concessioning works better than government-controlled. However, President Goodluck Jonathan, during the commissioning of the project on August 30, 2012 after series of media wars, calling on him to commission the project, stated that the target of his administration is to link roads, airports, seaports and rails together to easily move cargo and boost the nation’s economy, adding that transporting cargo on water is cheaper and reduce wear and tear of the roads.

to buy cars for security agencies during the Obasanjo Administration. The sum of N3.5bn of that fund was given to NAFCON, which it did not refund before it was privatised. We have made a representation to the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to give us that money back because we want use it as our counterpart fund in the vehicle financing loan we are packaging for Nigerians. Apart from our salaries which government pays, we carry out our capital projects from the NAC fund too. One of the worries of Nigerians is that made-in Nigeria vehicles may be substandard. How will you take care of that? We are building three complete vehicle homologation test centres in Enugu, Zaria and Ibadan, where we already have automobile assembling plants. Civil works are 70 per cent completed, while the contract for the procumbent of the testing equipment is with the Bureau of Public Procurement for approval. The installation is expected to be done next year and it will commence in 2016. But the vehicle manufacturers, whether they make the vehicles in Nigeria or abroad, their names will be there. They cannot afford to lower standards anywhere because it is an open market. People would stop buying that brand and that will mean their investment going down the drain. Also, the component must have ISO certification whether they are producing from Nigeria or abroad. Our problem really is imported second vehicles. We will insist that they undergo MOT test. Anyone that fails will go for scrapping and the importer will pay for the scrapping. That is the standard all over the world.

South-East Focus

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014

Anambra community where professors cry

portions of Nwakpadolu avenue, Nnobi street, CEPHA roads in the GRA that have suffered neglect. Prof. Edwin Akusiobi, Sir Joseph Nwakpadolu and Prof Nnabuife president of the residents association addressing newsmen

Tony Okafor

A AWKA

round 1991 when Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife became the first executive governor of Anambra State that was created the same year, he embarked on aggressive housing projects in his ‘Think Home’ philosophy. Before he was kicked out of office on November 17, 1993 as result of the Abacha coup, he had set up no fewer than six functional housing estates in Awka, the state capital. The estates are Udoka Housing Estate; Iyiagu Housing Estate; Esther Obiakor Estate; Real Estate; Ahocol Estate; and Amenyi Housing Estate. Among these estates, Esther Obiakor Estate was mapped out as quarters for lecturers of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, which was before the Federal Government took it before in 1992 a campus of then Anambra State University of Technology (ASUTECH) owned by the old Anambra. Today, the aim of setting up Esther Obiakor Estate seems to have been defeated. Tales of woe occasioned by the abandonment of government projects have become part of life of the people of the community. If not that parents in the estate are people of means who can send their children and wards to any school of their choice, irrespective of the circumstances, most children in the area would have stopped schooling long ago. The only school in the estate had been submerged by flood, causing the residents to send their children to other places outside the estate, many kilometres away. That is not all, as the people of the area are even deprived of spiritual liberty. The nearest

church to the estate has become inaccessible to the residents as the bridge linking the estate and the Aquinas Church, where most of the residents worship, has been cut off. Efforts made by Dr. Chris Ngige when he was governor of the state to salvage the situation was dashed in 2006 via the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division that removed him in office after about 33 months in office. Before Ngige left office, he had done reasonable work on the road and bridge linking the estate and the church. Soon after Ngige left, the road and bridge project were abandoned till this day, leaving erosion and flooding to complete the remaining ‘contract,’ ferociously. An impeccable source told Sunday New Telegraph that the plight of the community got worse when during elections they would continue to vote against successive administrations to solidarise with Ngige for remembering them during his reign. The worst hit in the estate are Nnobi Road, where over 12 professors live. Among them are Profs. Edwin Akusoba (current President General of Nnobi town in Idemili Local Government Area); Gabriel Ukachukwu (former Anambra State Director of the National Orientation Agency); Ben Osisioma (a renown Professor of Management Science and an orator); Nonso Nnabuife (Professor of Engineering); Ben Chuks Okeke (Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Gusau). Others who live at the Nnobi axis of the estate are Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Oseloka Obaeze; Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Princess Chinwe Nwaebili; among others. Just recently, no fewer than 30 professors and 20 doctors (PhD holders), mostly of

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka had to petition the state government over the poor state of government infrastructure and ecological degradation as well as abandoned government projects in the estate. Briefing the press, Prof. Gabriel Unachukwu, flanked by an array of professors and other residents of the community, regretted what the state government’s deliberate neglect of the place, saying several petitions and entreaties to the state government had continued to be greeted with insensitivity and disdain. They maintained that since the estate was built in 1991, residents had been providing for themselves all the essential facilities such as electricity, water in the estate. The professors wondered why government should neglect an area made up of a cluster of heavy taxpayers as professors and top public servants and business class. They said, “We are only happy here during the dry season. Each rainy season, we lose human and material resources. Today, we struggle to go to church because the road linking this estate and Aquinas Church where most of us worship has been cut off by flood. “The only school in this estate is being

threatened by erosion. Most other buildings are on danger list.” Adding his voice, Chief Joseph Nwakpadolu, a businessman, said the irony of the whole story was that upon the yoke they were passing through, government still imposes heavy taxes and levies on them with impunity. Efforts to get the State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Callistus Ilozumba, to comment on the matter di not yield any results as he could not be met in office on several attempts. The residents of the area have now resorted to tasking themselves and motorists plying the estate as a means of addressing the situation. But for Prof. Emeka Ezeonu: “This measure is just like postponing the evil day; how far can this go?” For Prof. Akusoba,”We are looking up God to make a difference through the new government of Chief Willie Obiano.” Say it anywhere, personalities in the class of professors are not to be subjected to such indignities as one in which they would be scooping water in their apartments anytime it rains or fixing government roads leading to their residences. Such a spectre is a major index of backwardness.

Politics SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014

The Sunday Interview

Power minister to Nigerians: Expect stable power supply by March p.32

Interview

Olejeme and Delta guber race p.36 ‘How we can restore peace to Nigeria’ p.36

Jonathan

Ten issues that will decide Jonathan’s re-election P Biyi Adegoroye biyi.fire@yahoo.com 08033024007 © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

resident Goodluck Jonathan has not declared his intention to seek re-election in the forthcoming presidential polls, but has received the full endorsement of all the strategic organs of his party. In a space of one week, the Governors Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Working Committee (NWC) as well as the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party took turns to endorse his candidature. All things remaining equal, President Jonathan is expected to be the sole candidate of the ruling party in the next election. It would be the first time in our recent political history that an incumbent President would have such a free ride to a second term ticket. Even the hard -fighting former President, Olusegun Obasanjo did not have it this smooth in 2003, when he sought to renew his mandate. Besides these endorsements by organs of the party, over 8,000 non- governmental organisations and pressure groups have been falling over themselves in their clamour to encourage the President to seek re-election. In advanced democracies, election of anyone into a political position is based on a number of issues and the stand of the political office seeker on such issues. The track records of

ONWUKA NZEZI and BIYI ADEGOROYE, in this analysis examine the hurdles President Goodluck Jonathan must scale to return to Aso Rock next year

the candidates and capacity to deliver are thoroughly assessed before voters give a nod upon conviction of their ability to deliver. Though he has received the backing of his party for the 2015 presidential election, President Jonathan will be confronted by these basic issues during his electioneering campaigns. For instance, Nigerians found it inexplicable that the nation ranks 37 out of 52 African countries in the recently released good governance index, trailing behind such countries as Toto and Benin Republic! In all of these, it performed below regional and African average. Besides these, matters like power rotation and eligibility, security, energy, foreign relations, economy and the hydra-headed corruption form the crucible which will determine his election come 2015. A closer look at the issues is down hereunder.

Power rotation and eligibility

Up till today, some politicians are hell bent on ensuring that the presidency should return to the North. They say Jonathan is not eligible to rule come 2015. Indeed, a presidential aspirant of the APC, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has vowed to do everything to stop President Jonathan. Similarly, northern socio-political group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), led by Aliko Mohammed and Northern Elders Forum under the leadership of Yusuf Maitama Sule and Ango Abdullahi are insisting on the return of power to the North. Already, some aggrieved persons have gone to court to challenge his eligibility to seek a second term. The plaintiffs, Mase Daphine Acho, Saeeq Umar Sarki, both lawyers, and Murtala Abubakar, are asking a Federal High Court in Abuja, to restrain the PDP from fielding President Jonathan CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014

The Sunday

Power m Nigeria stable e by Mar

Nigeria’s Minister of Powe New Telegraph’s OJIAKU K x-rayed the current state o

Nebo

You were in Lagos recently for an official assignment. What was your mission, Sir? In our bid to ensure the growth of the power sector, we are constantly seeking ways and means to achieve this all-important objective. In the transformation agenda of Mr. President, there are things you might regard as the intangible or software in the power sector in particular - issues like the minimisation of waste and astute supervision of critical policies in the sector. In all those, I found that lying down at the Lagos wharf from anywhere between seven and 12 years were abandoned containers filled to the brim with electrical equipment, armoured cables, transformers, substations, circuit breakers, and all kinds of electrical equipment that we had been looking for. These emanated from contracts that had been awarded eight – 12 years ago but were abandoned at the wharf. All those equipment were cased in a total of 248 containers. So we started talking with the Customs and we are particularly grateful to the Comptroller General who graciously listened by coming to an agreement with the Ministry of Power that those 248 containers of equipment should be released to us for the Transmission Company of Nigeria to utilise them for the completion of the contracts for which they were procured in the first place and fully paid for, but abandoned at the wharf. When we finished the negotiation and works with the Customs, we decided to physically go and take possession of all of them; and I was there in person and helped to load the first container on the truck that was taken to the site. So that is why I was

in Lagos. With the perennial gridlock on the Lagos roads, I hope movement was not too stressful for you? Well, anytime you go to Lagos, you can expect traffic. For instance, I had been to Lagos before when I was vice-chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka for a project by IBM - an international project for which I was actually one of the initiators. IBM representatives had come to Lagos from all over the world. I arrived Lagos by 10 am and still missed the programme on account of heavy traffic. By the time I got to Victoria Island where the meeting was holding, it had ended by 3pm. So it had taken me more than six hours. In fact, part of the reasons I don’t like living in Lagos, like I’ve always told my wife, is that the traffic, plus its general chaotic environment have the possibility of pulling five years out of one’s life expectancy. On a specific note, there is an allegation that you drove against traffic in the course of executing that assignment. Well, ordinarily I wouldn’t drive against traffic but you know I’m not familiar with Lagos. So I was practically being chaperoned. And the lead cars and the pilot car - of course I had no idea where they came from. It was simply that on getting to the airport, there was a pilot car and a bus for me and my entourage. This is very significant and normal for top-class officials, as one’s movement is usually prearranged. So when at a point they took a route I wasn’t familiar with because I don’t live in

Lagos, it took two minutes for me to realise that ‘’Hey, they are running against traffic.’ With my highly disciplined upbringing, I was not happy with them. Eventually, we found our route back to the main tracks but that was after several minutes. When I later asked why did they did what they did, they said ‘Oga , you saw all the cars that we passed all along; if we had not done what we did, you would never have completed that assignment in one day. In fact, you would have remained in traffic for several hours.’ Unfortunately, I don’t know the people that drove me, but I did ask questions why they did what they did. It wasn’t that I gave them such instructions. Besides being a representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am personally law abiding, and so wouldn’t want something like that to happen. How much have your previous jobs like heading universities and practising as an engineer impacted on your present position? Anybody who can fully run a university for five years and not join the national strikes, convincing your workers - the academic and nonacademic and other bodies - which I think is a training ground, can easily handle any other responsibility. My previous assignments have, indeed, helped me very much. I served as vicechancellor for five years at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and spent two years as the vice-chancellor at the Federal University, OyeEkiti. Those were years of interacting with top technocrats, brokering peace deals and achieving consensus. By virtue of these, more people in the end became co-owners and sharers of

the common vision without being forced. Coming to the power sector, I am a professor of engineering and I’m sure you know that engineers who are well trained are good managers. I have to be able to transfer some of those skills in being able to unify those areas that had been divided in the power sector before my arrival. Some heads of the National Union of Electricity Workers have condemned your claim of reaching 5000 megawatts by December this year – calling it unrealistic. Is this a promise you’re still making? Is it still tenable? You know it is easy for people to sit down and think that things are impossible. But as an individual, you’ve been with me. We were together at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, where we given a forest to build a university. Within six months, we were able to have our permanent site with full academic activities there. People, especially those who thought it impossible, turned around and tagged it ‘The six-month miracle.’ Not that I’m a miracle worker, but by leaning on God and praying and working with people - motivating, strengthening and encouraging them and making sure that we provide an enabling environment to work - I believe any target is not only doable but, indeed, achievable. So I believe this set target of 5000mw at year’s end is realisable and by the grace of God, we will celebrate it. If they like, they can call it another six-month miracle. But by God’s grace we’ll get there this year’s end. Among the challenges confronting the

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y Interview

minister to ans: Expect electricity rch

er, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, recently hosted Sunday KALU, to an interview in his office where he of the power sector and related issues

of those skills in being able to unify those areas that had been divided in the power sector before my arrival. Some heads of the National Union of Electricity Workers have condemned your claim of reaching 5000 megawatts by December this year – calling it unrealistic. Is this a promise you’re still making? Is it still tenable? You know it is easy for people to sit down and think that things are impossible. But as an individual, you’ve been with me. We were together at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, where we given a forest to build a university. Within six months, we were able to have our permanent site with full academic activities there. People, especially those who thought it impossible, turned around and tagged it ‘The six-month miracle.’ Not that I’m a miracle worker, but by leaning on God and praying and working with people - motivating, strengthening and encouraging them and making sure that we provide an enabling environment to work - I believe any target is not only doable but, indeed, achievable. So I believe this set target of 5000mw at year’s end is realisable and by the grace of God, we will celebrate it. If they like, they can call it another six-month miracle. But by God’s grace we’ll get there this year’s end. Among the challenges confronting the power sector since its privatisation last year, is there

any not hitherto foreseen? This is not really an easy question to answer because the privatisation process was done in a way that really baffled the entire world. People expected a graduated privatisation process or a phased privatisation process that would have allowed government to take into account the possible hiccups and teething problems. Rather, government courageously decided to do an allencompassing privatisation exercise. In fact, it is regarded as the world’s largest privatisation exercise so far and the international community, especially our development partners, has adjudged it a very bold, courageous and yet transparent exercise. So some of the things that we had not quite thought through then that are accounting for some of the teething problems we have now are that the companies that purchased these very plants were overextended. Many of them were over-extended with regards to their financial situation which means that they do not quite have the credit facility needed to do the kind of expansion of the facility that they purchased or inherited. In addition to that, they are not buoyant enough to carry through their business plans the way that had been envisaged. Part of the reason is that for the first time the Nigerian banks showed that they had come of age and they could completely bankroll the entire process. This is wonderful. To them, this is actually fantastic in that foreign banks were not allowed

to do the transaction the way the telecom privatisation went. But again one needs a very solid liquid market to keep the process moving in a way that will be seamless; in a way that they would actually execute all that they have in their business plans. So some of them had not addressed the issues ab initio, that they were going to be over-extended to the point where credit facilities might not be easy to get. And so because of that there is a little bit of slow down with regards to the expansion of the facilities. Customers continue to provide transformers, poles and cables – besides continuous epileptic power supply. Are you satisfied with the performance of the new owners? Being contextual with regard to your question, nobody will be happy that in a privatised market people are still buying their own transformers and all other necessities. We need to be told these things so that we get the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to get on the backs of the new owners because consumers are not supposed to be buying their own transformers. They need to get NERC to know these things. It is unfortunate but it should not happen. But generally with regards to improvement in power supply, yes there is improvement in many areas. People occasionally send us messages of satisfaction that they are seeing more power now than they had before. Some of the people who hadn’t had power for two months are saying they are now getting power. About a week ago, we had so many text messages coming in, showing that consumers are now getting much more than they used to get. But frankly we are still way behind where we should be. The thing is, like the Chinese would say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step and we have taken that single step. We have taken so many steps; we have taken strides actually and sometimes we have seen that strides were not enough and we leap-frogged. This is because these things are very critical for us. One major problem is that of gas supply, but that is being addressed. For the first time in the history of this country, there has been so much synergy between the ministries of Power and Petroleum Resources in addressing the gas shortage issue. But again remember that all the 10 NIPP projects were conceived and were being executed without taking into account the gas needed for those power plants. Right now, we are addressing that issue and before the end of the first quarter of 2015, every one of those NIPP power plants will have gas going to it. That will significantly address the needed gas issue that is keeping us behind. We are hoping that with maintenance for July, August, September, and especially recently, consumers noticed a surge in power supply and people were very happy; before the recent lightning/thunderstorm that knocked out power in most areas. But we are now going through the process of perfecting the maintenance now. So we are going to be battling with load shedding, and other power supply problems here and there, until the end of September when the gas facilities would have finished their maintenance programmes. Beginning from October, by the grace of God, we should have better power supply that will continue to grow incrementally until the first quarter of next year. Late last year you spoke about low pricing of gas to power being one of the reasons for the lack of supply to the power sector. With the new price, are you confident that this will solve the problem? We feel so. You know, if you are having partial privatisation in the entire power sector where you privatise the power plants but don’t privatise gas supply or liberalise the gas supply aspect to the point where investors are happy, then you will stunt the growth of the sector. This is because

the IOCs (International Oil Companies) are only interested in oil and oil being cheaper to develop, that is where they make all their money. Gas to them is ancillary. So they need to be incentivised to the point of producing a lot more gas at a commercial rate. This is because then they know that with each million cubic foot, they make a lot of profit. That is where we are. Remember, it was not long ago that gas was selling for 10 cents and eventually 50 cents. Now we have come to a place where the stakeholders have agreed that it should be taken up to compete with export gas. This is not something that happened easily. It took meetings with the Hon. Minister of Petroleum Resources; and we met several times between my office and her office. We involved the Central Bank Governor as well as the Chairman of NERC. These meetings will continue until we achieve our target. The question is: ‘How do we create an enabling environment to make gas available?’ And that was why the decision was taken to take gas price to a place where it would disentangle the market from forced price tags. We have done that and believe it or not, people had thought that the power plants would disagree. We have received an avalanche of power companies saying they are ready and we are going to be part of it. At $2.50, they know they will still make their money because it is going to be ploughed back into tariff adjustments in a way that over several years, that cost would be taken care of. So yes, we are happy. We believe that gas producers are very happy with the price and some of them have got prices that are more than that; signing up to IPP (independent power plants) though yet unborn, already licences have been issued. So gas price is now comparative to export gas and there is no reason why they should not sell to the power plants with this development. Generation target was 10,000mw some seven years ago. But generation still hovers around 4,000mw. What really went wrong? Look, if you are building new plants, you should maintain the old plants and beef up the capacity of the old ones. Believe it or not, with all the NIPP projects on ground, we currently have an established capacity for over 10,000mw. It is there; installed capacity right now is in excess of 10,000mw but that is not matched with fuel supply - which is gas mostly. That is not also matched with wheeling capacity with the Transmission Company of Nigeria making sure that we can wheel out all the power that we generate. We are currently addressing the issue of gas supply with wheeling capacity. The way I am looking at it, we will actually be able to get more gas than we will be able to get wheeling capacity. So by the middle of 2015, we should be able to have more gas to do all our power plants but we will be struggling with the wheeling capacity. Right now, wheeling capacity can take on all remaining NIPP projects but not the IPPs that have yet to come on board. TCN is working hard and we are making a lot of investments to ensure that by the end of 2015, we have enough wheeling capacity for all the power that is generated in this country. So it is not that anything went wrong but like is the habit in Nigeria, someone buys a new car and refuses to maintain the old Peugeot that he has. Yet he has installed capacity to move more family members because of all those cars. But because he is not maintaining them, they go redundant and moribund. If those engines are overhauled, you discover that we have installed capacity that is in excess of 10,000mw. But we need gas and more wheeling capacity. With increase in pricing of gas which would ultimately lead to hike in tariff, how is government going to balance the need to keep the electricity market solvent with its social obligation to the people? CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

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Politics / Interview

Ten issues that will decide C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 1

as its presidential candidate for the February 14, 2015 election. They have also asked the court to stop Vice-President Namadi Sambo from running along with Jonathan because, according to them, they are both ineligible for re-election. Lawyers to the plaintiffs, Mustapha Ibrahim, Mr. Abdul Mohammed and Aliyu Lemu, argued that by virtue of the Supreme Court’s decision in Marwa V Nyako (2012) 6 NWLR (Part 1296) at 1999, both Jonathan and Sambo were not qualified to be elected as President and Vice-President respectively. The plaintiffs said Jonathan and Sambo were caught by the provisions of the constitution which state that no person can stay in the office of the president and vice president for a period beyond eight years. They submitted that Jonathan and Sambo, at the expiration of their current tenure, would have held office for five years. The plaintiffs also stated that Jonathan and Sambo had held office for two terms recognised by the 1999 Constitution to wit: (i) the first term was held to conclude the unexpired term of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua between May 6, 2010 to May 29, 2011and the second term is still being served from May 29, 2011 to May 29, 2015. The plaintiffs are seeking among other reliefs, a declaration that the first oath of office subscribed to by Jonathan on May 6, 2010, being the oath of office administered on him to occupy the office of president for the purpose of completion of the unexpired term of office of the late Yar’Adua must be taken into cognizance in computing the number of years that he has served and can serve as president, in determining the effect of the combined provisions of sections 135(2) (a) and 137(1) (b) of the constitution. The plaintiffs whose battle is informed by the principle of power rotation between the North and South have hinged their argument on the premise that should Jonathan contests and win next year’s election, he would have spent 10 years a President in 2019, - as a against a constitutional provision of eight years of two terms.

Insecurity

Another issue Jonathan must crush is the menace of the terror group, Boko Haram, which has killed over 4,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. In Southern Kaduna and Benue State, cattle rustling and regular feud between herdsmen have also claimed over 2,000 people and displaced scores of others. The capture of Gwoza, Bama and Gaborungala in Borno State, and Madagali, Gulak and Michika in Adamawa State by the terrorists who hoisted their flags there, and declared a caliphate, is one sore point in the nation’s security today. The capture of Gwoza was more shocking given the fact that the insurgents allegedly broke into the armoury of the Mobile Police Training School and made away with arms and ammunition.

The Chibok Girls

Since the abduction of the over 200 pupils of the Government Secondary School, Chibok on April 14 this years, global attention has been shifted to Nigeria for the wrong reason. Media reports that the girls have been forcefully converted to Islam and according to Australian negotiator, Steven Davies, turned to sex slaves have been hearth rending. President Jonathan administration’s slow response and perceived tardiness in handling the abduction and challenge of terrorism has been even worrisome. He has been accused of treating it with kid gloves, or at least politicized it. This has given vent to the opposition party, All Progressives Congress’ perception that Jonathan’s administration is either clueless on how to tackle the security challenge or that he stands to reap some political gains

from the quagmire. Expressing fears in this direction, the APC was at the British House of Commons recently, remonstrating among other things, the Federal Government might not be disposed to holding elections in the North-East in 2015 for security reasons. The critical electorate would be eager to see a candidate who will demonstrate a convincing capacity and capability to tackle the security problems.

Poor foreign relations

Nigeria’s poor foreign relations has also been an issue, as the nation is often embarrassed in the international arena, at a period when it matters. For instance, while Nigeria has sent troops to Mali and other parts of the world, not a single nation has assisted the nation so far with ground troops or weapons in the fight against terrorism. Nigeria’s seeming poor relations with her neighbours and other members of the international community, has also manifested in its inability to constructively engage neighboring countries such as Cameroon, Chad and Niger – nations with whom it has existing agreement - in the fight against terror. For so long, the Jonathan administration treated the matter as an internal affair even when there were strong indications that these terrorists had operating cells in these neighboring countries. It would also appear that Nigeria did not call for help from the international community until it was almost too late. Even when it did, the impact of the involvement of the United States, United Kingdom and France particularly in the rescue of the over 200 Chibok school girls abducted by the insurgents has been anything but satisfactory. At a point, Senator John McCain lamented that the nation was suffering under an incompetent leadership, and curious enough, Capital Hill

passed a motion restraining President Barrack Obama from sending troops to Nigeria. Observers have argued that this was an evidence of a rudderless foreign policy and ineffective state actors. Though some seeming successes were recorded with the support of French President Francios Holland in Paris, it believed that the level of international support in the war on terror in Nigeria is minimal. The management of an issue as vital as importation of arms from South Africa which led to the confiscation of the nation’s $9.3 million is one of such.

Corruption

The fight against graft and official corruption by the current administration will certainly be brought to the front burner as the electioneering campaigns kick off in the coming weeks. Some Nigerians have accused the Jonathan administration of not being serious in the fight against corruption. The perception in some quarters is that the government of the day has not been able to confront the monster of corruption because it is itself neck deep in corruption. The allude to the pardon granted Mohammed Abacha whose late father starshed abroad after the Federal Government recovered about $480million in a plea bargaining. Similarly, last week, EFCC, shocked Nigerians when it dropped a 47 count-charge leveled against former Minister of Works, Dr. Hassan Lawal, and nine others, before a Federal High Court in Abuja. He was standing trial alongside the others for defrauding the government of N6 billion. Others were the recent movement of $9.3million in a private jet to Abuja, ostensibly to purchase arms from black market, and government’s failure to release the report of government’s investigations into the N255 million armored cars

purchased by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) during the tenure of Princess Stella Oduah as Minister of Aviation. He must also be ready to justify the continued retention of Mrs. Deziani Allison-Madueke as the Minister of Petroleum Resources in spite of all the allegations of corruption and waste of public fund leveled against her. Yet to be settled is how the Jonathan’s administration handled the pension fraud controversy and the whereabouts of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, who allegedly stole over N12 billion pension funds.

Refineries and fuel subsidy

Government’s inability to complete the turnaround maintenance of the refineries to enable them to produce at full capacity, assist private individuals to build new ones instead of reliance on importation of refined fuel is another issue. Fallout of this remained the payment of fuel import subsidy running into billions of naira annually. Shocking enough, the fuel importation has been enmeshed in subsidy scam, but not before it was scrapped because of the huge burden it has placed on government resources. The scheme was also cancelled because government had realised the enormous graft associated with it and felt it lacked the capacity to check that volume of corruption. However, labour and the opposition political parties latched at the sentiments of a welfarist ideology and mobilised the people to the streets in protest. This led to a partial reversal of government’s decision, the conduct of inquires into the scheme and the establishment of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) to plough back the proceeds of the partial removal of fuel subsidy. The electorate still found it inconceivable that

President doesn’t deserve second Dr. Umar Ardo, erstwhile Special Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is curiously against President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid. Ardo, a governorship aspirant in next year’s governorship election in Adamawa State has already petitioned the National Chairman of PDP, Adamu Mu’azu and recently appealed against the judgment of Abuja High Court which granted Jonathan leave to contest the election. He spoke to ONYEKACHI EZE on why he filed the suit Could you tell us why you petitioned the National Chairman of PDP challenging the adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as sole candidate of PDP? I did not petition them against the adoption of Jonathan, I petitioned them for allowing the president to contest the election. My petition went to the National Chairman two days be-

Ardo

fore National Executive Committee sat down to adopt him because I knew beforehand that they wanted to adopt him. I know for fact that the President is not eligible to contest another term of four years, giving the judgments that were passed by the Supreme Court in four key cases, that of Boni Haruna, that of Chris Ngige, that of Rasheed Ladoja and that of five PDP governors. Anybody that read those judgments and read the provisions of the constitution definitely knows that the president is not eligible. You want to remember that we copied this presidential system from the United States. It is not just the letters of the constitution that we should copy; we should copy also its values, its ethos and then its practices. I have cited

that there were only nine Vice Presidents in America who became Presidents in the manner of President Jonathan. Not one of them ever contested election for two terms and none of them was ever elected. There were two that tried to contest. The first one was disallowed by his party, that was Theodore Roosevelt but he left and contested under another party and he was defeated. The second one was Harry Truman. When the party wanted to nominate Harry Truman, the Congress amended the constitution in such a way that they knocked him out. So if the party cannot do so and if the legislature in Nigeria cannot also do so, then I think the best thing to do is to go to court, which I have done.

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Politics / Interview

Jonathan’s re-election the National Assembly has failed to pass the Petroleum Industry bill four years after it was sent to it. They believe that the legislators, dominated by the PDP, may have compromised and capitulated to the lobbying machine of the oil magnates.

INEC’s booby trap

The creation of 30,027 polling booths by the Independent National Electoral Commission, skewed to favour northern part of the country is yet another issue. The breakdown of the allocation of the units shows that North-West geopolitical zone has the lion share of 7,906 polling units, followed by North-Central with 6,318. NorthEast was allocated 5,291. Curiously, South-West has 4,160 the South-South geopolitical zone has 3,087. A paltry 1,167 polling units were given to the South-East geopolitical zone. Also state-by-state distribution shows that Lagos State has the lion share of 2,870 units, thus bringing the total number of its polling units to 11,565 that will serve its 5,426,391 registered voters. Kano State that has 4,751,818 registered voters was allocated additional 2,053 polling units to bring her total voting centres to 9,809. Bayelsa State, the home state of President Goodluck Jonathan has the lowest number of registered voters of 590,679, has additional 121 polling units, bringing the number of its voting centres to 1,925. The Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly in a statement signed by former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme; elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark and Senator Femi Okorounmu, accused Jega of manipulating the distribution of the polling units. The assembly said that Jega had shown ethnic bigotry, partisan parochialism, and primordial chauvinism, to serve the interest of the North in next year’s election. This formed

the basis of Senate’s letter to INEC and the Presidency calling for the lopsided exercise.

Rule of law

Another contentious issue the opposition has harped upon is Federal Government’s alleged refusal to honour court orders, and its disregard for rule of law. The lacuna created over the appointment of a substantive judge for Rivers State is one issue the opposition and nay many Nigerians are uncomfortable with. Akin to the transfer by Federal Government of $1billion from the Federation Account to the Sovereign Wealth Fund - an action which propelled the governors to institute a court action against the Federal Government. This account the governors said, is alien to the constitution and therefore, a violation of the grand norm of the country. The case is still pending in court. Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo State, tabled this complaint before the new President of the Nigeria Bar Association recently when he said any account, be it that of excess crude or Sovereign Wealth Fund, is illegal according to a subsisting Supreme Court judgment.”That account is illegal having regards to sections of the Constitution. The judgment of the Supreme Court was clear; you can’t keep a part of the federation account anywhere. Crude oil excess account is unknown and even the concept of excess is dubious. How can you have excess at a time you are borrowing? That pronouncement is there.”

Power supply and the economy

Observers have noted though that it has not been a tale of woes as far as good governance and infrastructural development are concerned. Government has taken some giant steps with its

term, says Ardo You said Roosevelt left his party to contest in another political party and Truman in whose favour the constitution was mended. How are those cases comparable with that of Jonathan, knowing as he said that he merely completed Umaru Yar’Adua’s term? When America declared independence and adopted for itself presidential system and drew up the constitution, the constitution of America simply said there shall be a president who shall hold office for a period of four years. And along with his Vice President, they will be elected for that period. The constitution did not say how many times of fours year they will hold office. It is the precedence set by those who the held office. When George Washington, the first President of America took over, he did one term of four years and another term of fours and said it was okay for him. It is not because the constitution said you have to do only two terms. So is the person that succeeded them, George Adams. He did the first term of four years, another term of four years and said it was okay, and so the third president, Thomas Jefferson, until the 37th president, Roosevelt. There is no constitutional impediment that says you cannot go beyond that but the precedent set by them. When Roosevelt took over, he did his first term and when he was about to finish his second term, America went into war, the World War II. And then both him and the party said since there is no constitutional provision that given the circumstance we were into, he would contest the election. He was nominated for the third term and he contest the fourth time but he died in the first year of his fourth term, which brought in Harry Truman, the story I just told you. There was no correlation whatsoever. It was during Harry’s period that the two term in office was given a constitutional backing in 1952. In Nigeria, ab initio, our constitution has pegged election for two terms only. Ab initio,

the president cannot be in office for more than eight years. It really does not apply; it is only if the constitution was amended that the president can re-contest. And even if it does, that constitutional amendment cannot take retroactive effect. Not even when the person concerned became president as a result of the death of previous occupant of the office? It is what the court said that is law. The law is what they calls it to be. The Supreme Court says you cannot go beyond eight years no matter how you got to office, it doesn’t really matter. By May 29, 2015, he will be five years 23 days (in office). Every presidential election in the country is for four-year term, there is no factional election in this country. The constitution says it is four years, so he cannot contest for two years, eleven months and seven days. You are a member of PDP, don’t you think your position is going against that of the party? No, PDP is a product of the law. PDP is bound by the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria. The constitution of PDP is within the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria. So PDP must go along the side of the law. It is better for you to go on the right path alone than follow the crowd on the wrong path. This is my individual position. I have gone to court and if the court says the man can contest I will campaign for him as a party member. But court has to declare that his ambition is in sync with the constitution. It is very important for democratic process in our country. Jonathan has not said he is contesting but people are pushing him to contest. One would have thought that you should appeal to him not to accept the offer than going to court. I have already done that. This is not the first time I have been canvassing for that. I have been canvassing this since November 2012. I said it

gas to power programmed, the unbundling of the old PHCN to GENCOS and DISCOS as well as the offset of their legacy debt of N230 billion. Nonetheless, the current generation of less than 10,000 mega watts of power is grossly inadequate. If anything, it heightens cost of production, forcing many industries to either fold up or relocate to neigbouring countries. Government’s inability to bring down inflation rate from the current 8.5 per cent is a major issue, while lending rate from banks still hovers around 17 per cent. While the nation boasts of the largest economy in Africa, the fact is that millions of Nigerians are roaming the streets despite government’s claim of creation of millions of jobs. Indications are rife that these issues will take the front burner in 2015, as the opposition has said the nation cannot afford another four years of under development. But in spite of the above, the ruling party and the leadership of Arewa Consultative Forum and Northern Elders Forum, led by Mr. Tanko Yakasai, have insisted that Jonathan can contest come 2015. In a recent statement, the group said it will work alongside all Nigerians who wish to ensure that machinations of anti-democratic forces in this country are frustrated. “We reject intimidation, threat and violence. Leaders and elders must lead by example. It’s unacceptable for elders to make inciting and inflammatory statement capable of breaching the peace. We say no to war-like and belligerent posture. “Northern Elders Council commends and fully supports the visionary and transformational policies of President Jonathan and acknowledges the socio-economic strides of the administration in all sectors. The Council pledges its full support and commitment to work for the success of President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo.”

on the media - radio, television, newspapers, online, at the party meetings. I discussed it with party national leadership and at state and local government levels and at different fora that I had the opportunity.. But when they turn deaf ear to it the only thing left is for me is to go to court and that I have done. Are you against the President contesting the election or against his adoption by PDP? The adoption by the party was based on the judgment of the High Court that said he can contest. If there was no such judgment, the party would not have adopted him. And since I believe that that judgment was wrong, I am in court to set it aside. And if we set aside the judgment stating that the President can contest we will be setting aside the adoption. If the court agrees he can contest are you against the adoption? No. If the court says he can contest I will support him, although I heard that why they adopted him is to give him right of first refusal as was the case in the United States. A lot of them are saying it especially the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. But this is false. I have incontrovertible evidence that this has not happened in the United States. All through the democratisation process of America’s presidential system of government, and especially as partisan politics gained pre-eminence, incumbents have severally been challenged at nominations. In fact, on many occasions political parties often by-passed leading candidates, including interested incumbent presidents to favour of more popular candidates. I can give you several examples on this assertion. President John Tyler was bypassed by his Whig Party in 1843 to nominate the powerful Senator from Kentucky, Sen. Henry Clay. President Millard Fillmore was challenged and defeated in the Whig Party presidential primaries of 1852 by Gen. Winfield Scott. In 1856 President Franklin Pierce was passed over for a second term when his Democratic Party turned him down to nominate his chal-

Speaking on the myriads of issues, former Minister of State for Education and governorship aspirant in Delta State, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, said issues like constitutional provisions of eight years have to be resolved. “As a lawyer, I am aware that the issues are constitutional and moral in nature. When such issues which our constitution never envisaged arise, like it did when the former President took ill and later died, the doctrine of necessity has to be evoked. That is the point now; the nation has to pay a price for its unity.” On corruption and security, Gbagi said that the nation has to demand from security and anti-corruption agencies to what extent they have performed their duties, especially with the heavy budgetary allocations made to them annually. “The entire nation is collapsing; institutions like the EFCC and ICPC are failing the nation because they are no longer doing an effective job.” He said the nation will be embarrassed when it sees the annual budgetary allocations the President releases to defence and security agencies every quarter for salaries and purchase of hardware, yet, the nation is far from secure. Gbagi wants the top brass of the military and security agencies to be held responsible for insecurity in the land, and if the Federal Government’s interference has in any way prevented them from doing their jobs, they should reveal this to Nigerians. In climes where campaigns are issue-driven, whether or not President Jonathan will be reelected next year are contingent on this plethora of these important matters and how they are handled. The nation, therefore must be prepared for whatever direction the pendulum swings.

lenger, James Buchanan. President Buchanan himself was challenged at the primaries and defeated in 1860 by Steven Douglas. Also, in 1868 Andrew Johnson, the successor of Abraham Lincoln, was denied nomination by the Republican Party in favour of Gen. Ulysses Grant. In 1884, the Republican Party again denied incumbent President Chester Arthur nomination and nominated James Blaire. In 1912, former President Theodore Roosevelt challenged incumbent President William Taft, but was defeated by the incumbent. In 1976, Gov. Ronald Reagan challenged Gerald Ford but was also narrowly defeated. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter himself was challenged by Ted Kennedy, but emerged victorious. These are just few incidents that I can readily remember now, but if I open my history books I will come up with more examples. The truth is that the right of first refusal is not the norm in America’s democracy; it is in fact the exception. But even coming back nearer home, President Olusegun Obasanjo was challenged by former Vice President Alex Ekweme in the 2003 presidential primaries. Why didn’t the so-called America’s example feature then? The truth is that there is more to this than what is said. If the party wants to adopt President Jonathan as its sole candidate because of some vested interests, it is free to do so, but to make unsubstantiated claims in order to do that is like what the Hausa people would say ‘a sake reshe a kama ganye’. If the court says he is eligible to contest, are you going to leave the party? I will not leave the party, I will support the candidacy, I will support the party because the major thing would have been cleared: the issue of the law. Don’t think you can be expelled by the party because of your position? No. The party will not expel me. It has no grounds to expel because I tread on the path of law and on the path of eligibility and on the path of truth. Why should they do so?

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Politics / Interview

Olejeme and Delta guber race In this report BIYI ADEGOROYE looks at the governorship race in Delta State and electoral promises and credentials of the chairman of the National Insurance Trust Fund, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Olojeme

ith the lifting of ban on political campaigns last week, politicians - the pretenders, contenders as well as the ‘anointed aspirants’ alike - have thrown in their hats in the ring for various elective positions. From earlier actions, they have been making subtle promises even before Independent National Electoral Commission blew the whistle. In all of these categories however, it has been observed that one leadership characteristic remains constant- the courage to dare. Knowing the treacherous character of politics especially of the Nigerian hews demands a huge dose of courage for anyone to aspire to any elective position. But that is as far as the element of courage can go. To be able to galvanise needed groundswell of enthusiasm, support and actually emerge victorious at the end of the day requires much more than courage. Acumen, vision equally matched with a road map and implementation strategies, charisma as well as the human touch are irreducible requirements. In Delta State as in many other states of the federation, not a few aspirants have shown interests in one elective post or another. From the State House of Assembly to the governorship position as well as the National Assembly, many aspirants have indicated strong interests to serve in various capacities beginning from May 2015. Top contenders for the governorship position in the state include Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, former Governor James Ibori’s Commissioner for Information. and now Chief of Staff in the Emmanuel Uduaghan Administration, Dr. Festus Okubor, Hon. Victor Ochei, Elder Godsday Orubebe, Ben Williams, Navy Commander Onabu, Senator Pius Ewehrido, the Chairman of Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme and Chief Great Ogboru. The entry of the politicians have caused not a little upset in the state in the past few months, leaving tongues wagging not only about who possesses requisite qualities for the post, but also which of the three senatorial zones should produce the next governor. But from all indications, a number of politicians in the state are of the view that only a few of them possess a generous dose of required leadership qualities for the job. Of all this lot, Dr (Mrs.) Ngozi Olejeme, a fellow of the Institute of Directors, is one of the rare aspirants. Born in Asaba, Delta State some 50 years ago, some observers have said that Olejeme is the quintessential candidate any electorate should hope for in an election year. They refer to her as an intellectual, accomplished entrepreneur, astute administrator, and a philanthropist without borders, and a visionary leader par excellence. Dr Olejeme is said to have all it takes to stand shoulder to shoulder with the best and brightest in Delta State. A number of people believe in her large heartedness having benefitted from her philanthropic programmes. Speaking on the antecedents of Olejeme, at an event recently, Chairman of Delta Leaders Forum, comprising prominent politicians, professionals and community leaders, Dr. Maxwell Nkenchor, said she brings to the table a reputation of extraordinary successes borne out of personal industry in both private and public lives. In the

private sector, Olejeme is Chairman/CEO of some reputable companies that are now true national institutions, employing thousands of Nigerians and foreigners alike. Nkechor said the companies include Able JES Nig. Ltd, Fresh Energy Nig. Ltd as well as JULIND Nig. Ltd where she is an executive director. She is also Chairman, Board of Directors of several public institutions including the Nigerian Social insurance Trust Fund and Trust Fund Pensions Plc. She has also served as member, Board of Directors of several companies, including the Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd, Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SUR-P) as well as Sheraton Hotels and Towers. He said Olejeme is not a neophyte in the political arena. “Apart from featuring prominently as one of the contenders in the PDP gubernatorial primaries in Delta State in 2007, she was also the Director of Finance, Goodluck Support Group (GSG) in 2007 and only recently, she was a delegate of the Federal Government representing the South-South region at the just- concluded National Conference. He said that although the foregoing antecedents and credentials aptly qualify Olejeme to vie for the top executive job in the state, “she is not relying on these . She is running with a new vision for her beloved state. It is a vision borne out of passion for service to man, God and the state.” Another politician who spoke at a meeting of the Forum in Asaba, Kanayo Okafor, affirmed that “although she believes in the consolidation and continuity of the present governor’s mantra of “Delta beyond Oil,” she wants to take this one notch higher than the scheme of things. This is anchored on participatory democracy, including growth and equal opportunity for all citizens of the state. She believes agriculture holds the key to the actualisation of this policy” According to him, the electing Olojeme will be a bold statement in the move to ensure gender equality and give the womenfolk good offices in tandem with the global affirmative action, especially since she possesses requisite credentials. Olojeme herself could not hold back from articulating her vision in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, “Delta beyond Oil is a programme that must of necessity be encouraged and sustained for the good of our state. One way to do this is to embark on large scale agricultural farms to employ thousands of workers directly and create tens of thousands of jobs indirectly.” She said this can be accomplished through the training of youths on agricultural models which they would eventually take up as businesses, institute agricultural credit schemes in the state, provide tools, fertilizers, and improved seedlings, amongst others. Apart from encouraging the formation of farmers’ cooperative societies, she says under her agricultural master plan, the state will be divided into three “agricultural zones, each producing crops in which it has comparative advantage over others”. She said her “vision is inspired by the passion to serve and uplift the people of Delta State to greater heights. It is a clear goal that seeks to harness the huge potentials and capabilities in the human and material resources available in the state and ensure an all-inclusive growth and development of our beloved state”.

Olojeme

My blueprint includes enhancing education, healthcare delivery, housing, industrial development, security, sports, youth and women empowerment, rural and urban renewal, transportation and infrastructural development She added: “We recognise government as a continuum and therefore intend to consolidate on the efforts of the previous and present administration in the state. I have offered myself for service and will provide the model of governance that will be people-centered”. Olejeme said her blueprint includes enhancing education, healthcare delivery, housing, industrial development, security, sports, youth and women empowerment, rural and urban renewal, transportation and infrastructural development and ex-

pansion; especial in the area of road construction. She said she has no illusions about the huge task ahead as a potential Chief Executive of a state, but she remained confident in her ability not only to meet but also surpass the expectations of Deltans if given the opportunity to serve. “This confidence is certainly borne out of my track record of successes in the past in both private and public sectors of the economy. My records are there for all to see,” she said. At the last count, over 15 aspirants have indicated interest in the governorship position in state. But Nkechor quoted earlier said: “We cannot begrudge or deny anyone his or her constitutional right to vie for any office in the land, including Delta State. The sky, as the saying goes, is big enough for all birds to fly.” He said the ultimate goal of all Deltans no matter where they stand on the political spectrum should be to uplift the state and ensure the political, economic, cultural development of the people”. The leaders also appealed to Olejeme not to cave in to any threat or undue influence, and even when “the tragedy of the Nigerian situation where merit, competence and suitability for office are often relegated to the background in favor of mediocrity, nepotism, god-fatherism and anointed candidacy.”

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014

Politics / Column

Returning the fanfare of Independence Day

rowing up as a pupil, I remember waiting anxiously each year to celebrate the next independence anniversary like we did for the Christmas. Although, I could not really grasp the import of the event itself, in my later years in school and from parental instructions, I came to know that October 1 was the day our beloved country got her independence from Britain. While in secondary school, my teachers told us that our forefathers fought and suffered for the freedom of the country. “We need to keep the memories and stories of those times alive and teach our children to value the great and proud nation that they are a part of.” Indeed, I was proud as a child to celebrate Nigeria. On Independence Day, though a public holiday, we all went to school in our best school uniforms early in the morning. Some of the children who were members of the Boy Scouts and Girls Brigade showed off in their impressive uniforms. At state and national levels, we watched on television, as independence was marked with funfair and nationalistic fervour. The events were characterised by a display of military hardware and parades depicting the country’s military might to the admiration of citizens and foreigners alike. Those days of emotional and nationalist warmth embedded in the celebration of the freedom day appears fast being eroded by the unfortunate new insecurity trends which government continues to adopt alternatives strategies to contain. Unfortunately, the ceremony has since been confined in Aso Rock Presidential Villa with nothing being celebrated in the states. Government’s reason for this, I am told is to save cost. The last of the celebration in the

Anule Emmanuel emmyanule@yahoo.com

We need to keep the memories and stories of those times alive and teach our children to value the great and proud nation that they are a part of open space was at the popular Eagle Square in 2010. Unfortunately, it was marred by the first bomb explosion in the nation’s capital which claimed about eight lives. Since that sad explosion, President Goodluck Jonathan has continued to host the celebration at the presidential villa. The decision to host the independence parade in Aso Rock has however been justified against wide criticisms. What was done merely in response to threats of terrorism as most critics perceive, is gradually becoming a tradition. In defence of government’s action at first, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku said the low keyed celebration has nothing to

do with fear of Boko Haram or any insecurity. Maku’s defence was supported by the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, who on September 3, announced that 2014’s celebration would be a low-key affair in line with the administration’s frown at flamboyant and unnecessary spending. This year’s celebration was not an exception to a low key event. Commencing with a Muslim Juma’t prayers and an interdenominational church service, it also featured the conferment of National Honours on 305 Nigerians and foreigners by President Jonathan. In the forecourt of the Presidential Vila, dignitaries including the President of the Senate David Mark, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, former Head of Interim National Government. Chief Earnest Shonekan, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, the service chiefs and members of the diplomatic corps gathered to witness military parade and change of guards at the grand event. President Jonathan inspected the colourful traditional Change of Guards Parade mounted by 136 officers and men of the Brigade of Guards of the Nigerian Army. The formation of this parade this year was quite interesting. It comprised a New Guard/ Quarter

Guard, a silent drill, posting of sentries and colour party patrol comprising the national and regimental colours as well as echelon of reporting in military style. The Brigade of Guards is a special unit of the military specifically charged with the responsibility of the security of the President, his family members and the seat of government, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. At last year’s event, President Jonathan approved the formation of the 177 battalion to compliment to the assignment of the brigade considering the level of insecurity in the country. One high point of the ceremony this year, was the cutting of anniversary cake and release of pigeons to signify peace. Now that the centenary year has been marked, like President Jonathan said during one of his visits to Rwanda, the days of low key celebration of the independence should become history. Nigerians will hold government to its promise that the anniversary would only remain on low-key until 2014 when the nation would have celebrated the centenary in an elaborate manner. Like Americans and other citizens of independent nations would argue, “our independence is what makes Nigeria what it is. We have freedoms that a lot of other people around the world don’t have, and it’s important to take time out to celebrate”. Any further attempt to continue with low key celebrations and restrict the event to a mere ceremonial change of guards inside the villa, therefore, would mean a justification of critic’s assertion on the fear of terrorists. As we tackle the security issues, our children yearn for a return to the joy of those days when independence celebration was marked by pomp and ceremony.

Why NASS delays passage of PIB

he Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which was first introduced to the National Assembly in 2008, has passed through many legislative processes in an attempt to make it a law that would guide and revolutionise operations in the oil industry. Perhaps by virtue of its significance, it is about the most politicised bill ever brought to the Senate since 1999. In 2012 when the House of Representatives passed the bill for second reading, and subsequently committed it to an ad-hoc committee for further legislative action, Senators, mainly of northern origin, who perceived the content of the document to be discriminatory and skewed against non-oil producing parts of the country, vehemently opposed and resisted its passage. The then Secretary, Northern Senators’ Forum, Senator Ahmed Lawan (APC-Yobe), explained why northern lawmakers and indeed, the North stood against the bill. He said the bill contains certain clauses that gave too much power to any sitting Minister of Petroleum Resources in the country. He pointed out that the northern legislators were also irritated by the provisions for the Petroleum Host Community Fund. In his view and that of the northern Senators, the proposed fund was another ploy by those who conceived the bill to allocate more funds to the oil producing states in southern Nigeria; particularly the Niger Delta, arguing that those states were currently taking home much money through the extant statutory 13 per cent derivation for the oil producing states and the Niger Delta Development Commission. His words: “You cannot pass a bill in which most parts of Nigeria that are not part of the oil producing states will be shortchanged. You cannot pass a bill in which the Minister

From the Chukwu David chukwudavid68@yahoo.com

of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, appropriates unwarranted powers to her office. You cannot pass a bill that the minister will have quasi-legislative powers in which the minister can change the provisions of the law. Whether it is northern senators or any senator from any part of Nigeria, which is not oil producing, I’m sure we will have to work on it properly and make it a panNigerian bill to make it work for every part of Nigeria and make it profitable to the public and private sector.” Moving away from the opposition, some other reasons emerged recently from other sources on why the National Assembly has not passed the bill after six years. Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, in one of his recent interactions with journalists attributed the delay to the technical and complex nature of the document. He said it needed time and expertise to tackle. He, however, promised that the Seventh Senate would do everything within its powers to pass the bill before its life span elapses in June 2015. He said, “I am hopeful that the PIB will be passed before the end of the current Senate. I am very hopeful. It is a technical bill that comes with a number of aspects. We have the legal aspect of the bill, the physical aspect, the environmental aspect of the bill, the petroleum

Whatever reasons being adduced by the parliamentarians for the non-passage of the PIB, the truth is that Nigerians are running out of patience with them on the matter aspect, and the gas aspect. Because of these various components, we necessarily need to get several committees to work together. It is not very easy. If we have two committees it is easier but by the time you begin to have three, four and five committees, it becomes a bit problematic.” Ndoma-Egba said that the various relevant committees in the House of Representatives and the Senate have made impressive progress in processing the bill to become law. He denied that the Senate leadership was playing politics with the bill as widely speculated by many Nigerians, who are concerned with the delay by the lawmakers in passing the bill to law. According to him, no individual, group

or agency of government has tried to use the National Assembly to slow down the passage of the PIB. Buttressing the position of the leader, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, said last Tuesday, that “the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill is in progress. I am a member of the Joint Committee that is working on it and I know what we are doing. It is a complex bill with 16 pieces of other legislations. “We are taking out the obsolete provisions and duplications in the law and we are putting in the things that are required for a 21st century Petroleum Industry Bill. It is a bill that will stand the test of time. It is a bill that will compare with other laws of other countries that are also endowed with oil and gas. I know that before the end of the current session, we will pass the PIB. The current administration in the country is looking at what will revitalise and restore the lost glory of Nigeria.” Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream, Senator Magnus Abe, explained that the PIB was not being politicised but that it has various sections that must be given a thorough attention to make it achieve the desired result not only in the oil industry but also in the entire economy of Nigeria. Whatever reasons being adduced by the parliamentarians for the non-passage of the PIB, the truth is that Nigerians are running out of patience with the National Assembly on the matter. Therefore, the politicians should understand that the only thing the people want to hear is that the bill is passed. Anything to the contrary may not be able to convince Nigerians that they are not playing politics with the bill that is considered central to transforming the economy of this country and by extension, the lives of the citizenry.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Politics / Interview

‘How we can restore peace to Nigeria’ What is the mandate of the Institute? The Mandate of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) is to promote peace and security as well as give professional advice to the public and private institutions in matters of Peace building and conflict resolution. The Institute was established primarily as a think Tank for the federal government of Nigeria. To that extent, it is expected to provide strategic advice on peace and conflict issues both for the government and people of Nigeria and for other African countries. The Institute came on the heels of an African Union resolution requiring African countries to set up Cooperation and Integration ministries with a capacity for mediating in conflicts within and between countries. So the government set up the IPCR in 2000, although the Act was eventually perfected in 2007. The institute has the burden of providing policy guidance on issues concerning peace building and conflict resolution including mediation and other issues of Diplomacy. The institute tries to realise its mandate using its directorates that are established for that purpose. We have the directorate for Research and Policy Analysis; we have the directorate for Internal Conflict Prevention and Resolution, directorate for Defence and Security Studies and the directorate for Democracy and Development Studies. Others are directorate for External Conflict Prevention and Resolution and then the service directorate, which is Finance and Administration. Each Directorate is established to drive an aspect of the strategic vision of the Institute. How far has this institute gone in the discharge of its mandate? So far, what the IPCR has done is to provide research information that would guide the government in taking decisions that affect different forms of potentially dysfunctional conflicts in different parts of the country. We conducted the Strategic Conflict Assessment (SCA), in 2002, that was when the Institute was just two years old. I was privileged to be the National Coordinator of that project. Now that strategic conflict assessment was like a situation analysis. Prior to the studies there were no such comprehensive studies of Nigeria’s conflict environment. That assessment enabled the country to map out the active conflict and flash points in the country. That study was funded by international development partners like the World Bank, UNDP, DFID and USAID. When the report came out it was not only an interesting report in Nigeria it was also that way in Africa and the world, because the U.N took special interest in that study and decided to use it as a model for other countries. Other countries were encouraged to do similar study so that they will have good knowledge of conflict potentials existing in their country. The UN used the Nigerian SCA as a model and requested other countries to do their conflict impact assessment as a basis for sustainable development. As a matter of fact that study influenced subsequent UN resolutions that had to do with urging members states to carry out conflict assessment as carried out in Nigeria. That study brought out a lot of things that we needed to follow up as an institute but I must say that, there was a particular period when one expected that the follow-up will be strong enough, but unfortunately, an inertia set in due to a combination of factors. One of them was the political condition at the Presidency during President Obasanjo’s administration when he had serious misunderstanding with his Vice who was the de jure Chairman of the National Action Plan (NAP) that was the outcome of the Strategic Conflict Assessment. As a result things virtually crumbled, so we were Oshita

Professor Oshita O. Oshita was recently appointed as the director general of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR). In this interview with SIMEON OGOEGBULEM, he shares his plans on how to reposition the institute to play a greater role in the nation’s peace building and conflict resolution efforts only able to take bits and pieces and found people who were willing to support us. For instance one of the elements that came out from the National Action Plan was a decision to carry out national sensitization and training that was channelled towards mainstreaming peace building in development planning. We did that with the support of UNICEF, but substantial elements of the National Action Plan did not find ready funders because the bulk of the financial burden was supposed to be borne by the government. So we were able to carry through mainstreaming peace building in development planning. We did series of trainings and then got to a point where we were able to sensitize ministries and departments of governments to begin to have desk officers on peace in their various establishments. The idea was that if there was going to be developmental interventions, the peace desk officers would be able to advice on whether such developmental interventions could trigger conflict or enhance peace within the unit of that organization. We were able to do that and it became very interesting because at the in-country level state governments became very interested. Some state Governors began to appoint Special Advisers on Peace and Conflict Resolution. So for us, that was a good development because people were becoming aware that a very innocuous development could result in unprecedented violence. What is the status of the National Peace Policy now? The National Peace Policy was taken to the Federal Executive Council some months ago by the supervising minister, Her Excellency, Prof Viola Onwuliri. FEC requested that it should be represented at a later date since then it has not been scheduled for discussion again. I know that will happen soon enough so that we can continue to run that project, because it is so key especially within the context of the present security threat that we have. We need to harmonize our visions of peace as people in one country with all the contributions

that Nigeria has been making in peace support operations outside based on our own domestic vision of what a peaceful country should be. So that is why I am saying that once the national peace policy is taken on board again by the FEC, we will be able to see how it helps us to articulate what becomes a national vision of our country as a peaceful country, a country that is well known for contributing significantly to peace support operations across the world. What has been the response of your institute to the issue of Boko Haram insurgency? The Institute for Peace has always tried to provide its own technical and strategic input into the whole gamut of response strategies towards resolving the Boko Haram issue. The institute uses its own research information to advice government on what it considers appropriate in the circumstance. Also, you will recall that the National committee that was setup to address the Boko Haram issue had my predecessor, the former DG of the institute as a member. That is to show that government recognizes the strategic input that the IPCR can make towards resolving the Boko Haram conflict. I must say that the work is on-going in terms of how government assimilates what has been sent to it and how the various institutions of government internalize recommendations that have been made for necessary social engineering to address the boko haram issue. So I think that the Institute makes available

to the government its own professional advice on how to address insurgency and terrorism. Of course you know we have other forms of conflicts and emergencies that are forcing our citizens to be displaced from their normal places of abode. So these are all things that are of serious concern to the IPCR. Going forward, the institute under my leadership is going to be more visible on our streets and communities in order to give people the information that they need so that they can deal with conflicts in a constructive manner. That way, we will be able to not only help government address conflict at the national level but also help communities to deal with their own problems as first responders when these things occur. What is your relationship with the office of the NSA? The institute for peace works closely with the office of the NSA and we are strategic partners in the sense that the office of the NSA coordinates all the information that come from different security agencies and MDAs that are related to the issues of security, that is the clearing house. So what the institute does is to relate with the NSA in such a way that the input we make receive proper attention. So we are in good partnership and collaboration with the office of the NSA and we feed them with what we have and they decide which aspects of that will be relevant to deal with the situation, since they have other antennas that they use in getting their information. So the institute relates very well with the NSA. As a leading peace scholar, what strategy do you think Nigeria should adopt in her peace building and conflict resolution efforts? When I look at our situation in Nigeria, I always believe that we need a multipronged approach to peace building, by that I mean we need to deal with the structures of the society, we also need to deal with our cultural environment. We need to use all the tracks. Government originally is track one, so we need to use the other tracks, we must harmonize the way these tracks engage conflicts and peace building in our society. The reason I am saying that is because it is historical. In the past, the military regimes had serious suspicion for civil society, so government under military regimes could not work with civil society. In fact, they always suspected them as trouble makers. So we are trying to get over that. Government is beginning to take civil society them into confidence. We now have the public-private partnerships and so on. Society is intertwined. In real communities you don’t have distinctions between government person and other people, so we must work together. My strategy for peace building in Nigeria is that we need to bring together all the tracks so that we sit together on the same table and deal with the issues that are challenging us because conflict does not discriminate between somebody working in government and somebody not working in government. Once there is violence everyone is vulnerable. So it is in the collective interest of all, whether it is a civil society person, a private sector person or a government person that we work together and I think that is the fundamental thing we need to appreciate. That is why I think the government is using the platform of the transformation agenda to communicate that point. I believe that if we sit down and conceptualize issues together we will be able to appreciate what our problems really are and then deal with them in a mutually agreed manner.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014

The Sunday Interview

Nebo to Nigerians: Expect stable electricity by March C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

You know one thing about power is that it does not come cheap to any country. Today, Nigeria has about the lowest tariff in Africa. It is either the lowest or second to the lowest in Africa. The problem in Nigeria today is not actually the tariff because if you count the cost that people put in diesel, it is four times what they pay for power. If people are willing to pay four times to generate their own electricity, should they not be willing to pay a little more to have clean electricity that is both noiseless and free of pollution? This is why we want to enlist the support of the media in letting our people know that they have to pay a little more so that they live longer rather than breath in fumes coming from those I-better-pass-my-neighbour sets or paraffin, especially in villages where children are daily forced to inhale kerosene fumes into their lungs, and also having it blind their eyes. The same thing goes for candles and at the end of the day we say our children are having equal opportunities. No they don’t. Our children in the villages do not have equal opportunities as their peers in towns and cities. By the time they get to secondary school, they will be quite sick. By the time they get to university, they would have already been predisposed to ailments that may affect their lungs, sight and general health. So the children are not being brought up in a way that is holistically clean for them. They are disenfranchised from birth, and that is why we are moving in the area of renewable energy - to try to provide solar electricity for people in communities and villages that do not have these facilities. Frankly, tariff is not the issue, because if you say you double the cost of gas, it does not necessarily double the tariff. If you remove subsidy from petrol or if the cost of petrol doubles, it would not make the cost of for instance, going from here to Lagos double. It may only add about 10 to 20 per cent to the cost because the cost is shared among all the passengers. In the end, when you do the averaging it does not directly transfer arithmetically proportionately to the cost of the fuel. So at the end of the day, there is adjustment but that adjustment is not for everybody. For instance, I am being subsidised by government. Why should government subsidize a federal minister’s cost of energy? Why am I paying the same thing that people who can hardly afford their electricity per kilowatt per hour pay? So the adjustment will begin with those of us who should pay more but that are being subsidised by the Federal Government. Companies that are supposed to pay more for the energy they are getting should be made to pay because they are draining a lot of this energy. I want to also make this clear, people in Lagos occasionally say there is improvement in power supply in Lagos but there are some areas where this is not happening. Why should people in Lagos ever complain? Do you know that in the last couple of weeks we have been giving Lagos more power than Lagos is actually taking? They are not taking the power that is available to them. People are telling me why not force them to take the available power and distribute it to the people? Let it be known to Nigerians and Lagos residents in particular that power has been readily available in their areas but the authorities concerned are not taking all of it. We give Lagos 1,020mw but the distribution companies say they want only about 800mw. Who do people blame, government? Certainly, government cannot be blamed for this. The public does not realise that there are people who are not taking all the power that is being made available to them. That is an aspect that many Nigerians do not even know about; that some discos are not

Ordinarily Lagos needs more than 2000mw, so what reasons are they giving for rejecting an allocation half this capacity? I don’t know. We’ve been finding out in the past few weeks that Lagos is not taking all the energy that is allocated to them. Lagos is targeted to get 26 per cent of all the power generated and we tried to come close to that recently but they are not accepting all of it. We want to find out what is happening. NERC will be asked to look into it because if we are generating power and giving it to you and you refuse it; meanwhile Nigerians are not getting enough power, then something is wrong somewhere. We are giving you power, so why are you not taking it? Like you said Lagos can easily swallow up 2000mw and be complaining that they don’t have enough. So why would you not take all the power that is available to you? We need to know. Maybe part of their problem is that they have not expanded enough to make sure that everybody does have enough power. Or maybe they know that many of those transformers are overloaded and if you accept more, it will shut them down or short-circuit the entire system and create more problems. So let them go and fix those transformers, change them or increase their capacity because that is what they bargained to do. That is what they bought into - because when they fully settled down and begin to make their money, they won’t remember the government. So let them go do the expansion they promised and let Nigerians be better for it.

Nebo

taking all the power that we are making available to them. This brings us to the issue of the N50bn subsidy fund provided by the federal government to subsidise the energy need of the very low income earners. What has happened to this fund? The money will be made available. NERC is working on it because NERC is supposed to administer the fund. But it is the minister who tells NERC who should benefit from the fund. It is the government that determines who are the poor that needs that subsidy, not NERC. NERC cannot be the policeman and the magistrate or the judge all at the same time. Once government decides who should benefit from it, NERC will go and execute it. It is not moribund, it is still on course. From your submissions so far, it is clearly one thing to generate and another to ensure that power ultimately gets to the people. How effectively has the supply chain been maintained to ensure efficiency? It is a very complicated issue. If you look at the entire power sector value chain, generation is privatised, distribution is privatised but transmission is still in the hands of government. Part of the reason is that we need to have a robust transmission network before we can actually privatise that aspect. This is because only government and agencies of government can put in the enormous resources needed for transmis-

sion. No private company can easily do that. We are talking about billions of dollars needed to grow the transmission. Ideally, transmission should be a minimum of 120150 per cent of generation capacity but in Nigeria it is reversed. Transmission is less than generation capacity and we need to build it up to generation capacity and then exceed that capacity. So that as more IPPs are coming on board, there will be enough wheeling power to transmit electricity to the distribution companies. But at the end, the-end users will interface only with the distribution companies which are now private. All we are doing is trying to make them deliver on their promise to expand the facilities. So why are people now being asked to pay for transformers? It is not right and if it is true, then the distribution companies are not doing their job. They are the ones who are supposed to supply the transformers because how do they make their money? The more customers they have, the more money they make. Why would they ask individuals to buy transformers? Unless they say that anybody who buys his own transformers will own shares in the company. Why should I buy a transformer for a private company that is making its money and not remembering that I am a shareholder because I bought the transformer? So people should report to NERC because it is not right. It is not a good practice, and we do not endorse that people should buy their own transformers.

There is still a huge problem in the distribution section of the chain. How is government addressing this? That is exactly part of what I am saying. We don’t have a problem other than (telling the discos) to keep to their business plan. They told us that today they are going to service one million (and) that they would make it in such a way that next year they will service 1.2million, the next year 1.5million and so on. They should go and do it. We want to see them fulfil every word of the contractual agreement that they are going to expand. This is because it is only when they do so that Nigerians will benefit. But then we know that they are not going to the rural areas or the areas that are cut off from the national grid because of lack of infrastructure to transmit or distribute. This is why government is engaged in Operation Light Up Rural Nigeria. That is why government wants to roll out the first pilot phase to make sure that every state has projects that are related to Operation Light Up Rural Nigeria. As soon as it is done, the federal government will up it so that young men and women can go to micro-finance banks and ask them for a few million naira. A typical young entrepreneur will approach a bank and say, ‘There is a village here that needs power. I will set up solar panels for them and in the next couple of years, I will recoup my money and make profit.’ Commercial banks and micro-finance banks will be willing to do that but we need a robust economic model in order to do that. We need a socio-economic model that is legally binding so that it is not that somebody has such an outfit and cannot recover his investment. Finally, what sort of power sector would you want to leave behind? I want to leave a power sector that would, to the glory of God, be very robust, very sound, very stable, very reliable and that is addressing the needs of Nigerians, as industries, as manufacturers, as individuals, as medical and educational institutions. A power sector that would meet the needs of our people, that is what I would like to leave behind.

Abuja Beats SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014

Jackie Chan’s Chinese Zodiac dazzles at Abuja Film Festival

Amadi Nnamdi

eactions have continued to trail the dominance of ‘Chinese Zodiac’ at the grand finale of the 11th Abuja International Film Festival, as movie enthusiasts in Abuja could not but pour encomiums on the film. It was indeed a harvest of awards for ‘Chinese Zodiac’- a film famous for being the last major movie acted, produced and directed by prolific 60 year- old Chinese actor and film maker, Jackie Chan. The movie carted away coveted awards from four different categories at the over-subscribed film awards, beating the likes of Nigeria’s Lancelot Imasuen’s epic ‘Invasion 1897’ and Egyptian movie ‘Just a Friend’ to emerge as the winner of the Viewers Choice Award and the

Best Overall Film Award. Other awards won by the movie were ‘Best Foreign Feature Film Award’ and ‘Best Film in Directing,’ leaving the epic Invasion 1897 to share the remaining few awards with other movie entries. For some Abuja residents, the Chinese film indeed merited the encomiums it got at the film festival, as they were indeed thrilled by the professionalism adopted in the production of the film which has continued to garner so many awards globally. Emmanuel Edogenyi, an Abuja ardent movie lover, has good words for Jackie Chan and his film. “Chinese Zodiac remains the best film for me this year. It has all I always look out for in movies. It is simply a fantastic production, second of course to none,” said Emmanuel.

Jackie Chan

Hauwa Munta, who described herself as a connoisseur of good films, gave thumbs up to Jackie Chan for the film. She said, “It’s a good

production that tells a realistic epic story, that many cultures and countries today are facing against the imperialists who plundered their

Abuja ranks best place to start business Kenneth Tyohemba

f you are an entrepreneur looking for a favourable environment to start a business, here is the reason you may be attracted to Abuja. The city has been ranked by the World Bank as the

FCT minister

easiest place to start a business in the country. Abuja emerged the fastest place to start a business based on the city’s business regulatory reforms on starting limited liability companies, which include registration with federal and state tax authorities and registra-

tion of the business premises with state authorities. The ranking which is based on average city ranking on the procedures, time, cost and paid-up minimum capital to start a business put Abuja as having the least among the states of the federation. Across Nigeria, starting a business requires an average of 10 procedures, which ought to be completed within one month, making the process cumbersome. However, based on the report, Abuja has a cutting edge over the rest of the states in the federation in terms of the number of procedures and the timeframe required to be certified. In Abuja, it takes six procedures, 18 days and 46.3 per cent of income per capita to open a business, much faster and less costly than in Ondo State which is at the bottom of the ranking, as it takes 12 procedures, 40 days and 57.0 per cent of income per capita. The report attributed the favourable environment for

start-up businesses in the FCT to the presence of the Corporate Affairs Commission headquarters in the city as well as the absence of additional state requirements. The report also noted that in most states, more than half of the total time to start a business is spent on registering the company with the CAC due to logistics in connectivity with the national headquarters, unlike in Abuja where it can be done within two weeks. “Although entrepreneurs can apply for business incorporation at the CAC branches in the respective states, applications are processed at the headquarters in Abuja, where the certificate of incorporation is issued by the Registrar General,” it stated. Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, in a reaction said CAC would soon commence online registration to ease the cost and process of registering business across states of the federation.

land. It deserves more than it actually got here.” Chinese Zodiac is a film that tells the story of the old Chinese summer palace and its looting and destruction by British and French soldiers in the Second Opium war. Among the treasures stolen were 12 bronze heads of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac. For the organisers of the film festival led by Fidelis Duker, it was a good outing. The 11th edition of the film festival which holds annually in Abuja saw the premiering of good movies that would dominate the cinemas in Nigeria and across the world. The grand finale of the 11th Abuja Film festival

saw other movies winning other awards. Such movies include ‘Just a friend’ (Egypt), which won the Best Short Foreign Film Award; ‘The Throne’ by Jibril Mailafia emerged as the Best Experimental Film; while ‘Yawa’ and ‘When is Tomorrow’ won the awards for Best Short Film and Best Student Film respectively. The cynosure of all eyes at the closing ceremony of the festival among the actors who graced the event was Mike Omorogie who won the Outstanding Male Actor Award. This was for his outstanding performance in ‘Invasion 1897,’ where he played the role of the protagonist Oba Ovonramnwen.

Independence: Dunamis Church donates to inmates, orphans Yekeen Nurudeen

s part of activities marking Nigeria’s 54th Independence celebrations, the Dunamis International Gospel Centre Phase 4, Kubwa, Abuja donated gift items to police detainees, hospital patients and orphanage homes in the area. Pastor of the church, Olusegun Ayodele, said the essence of the donation was to share the love of God with the less privileged and pray for divine intervention in their lives. He admonished the recipients to surrender their lives to God, remain faithful to Him and expect a glorious restoration. Ayodele said the church’s visit and donation to the less privileged at festive periods were part of its social responsibility to the host community. He assured the beneficiaries that the church would always put smiles on their faces. He also urged Nigerians to renew their faith in God and rededicate themselves to the service of the fatherland. He said God has been

President Jonathan

good to Nigeria and preserved it from disintegration despite unprecedented political upheavals, civil war, insurgency and militancy. He prayed for peaceful, free and transparent elections and enjoined eligible voters to exercise their franchise. The church visited the General Hospital Kubwa, Kings Care Hospital, Unity Clinic and Maternity, Kubwa Divine Orphanage Home, Ark of Refuge Orphanage Home and Police Area Command, Kubwa, Abuja. Items donated include food stuff, toiletries, beverages, baby food, noodles, gospel tracts and clothes.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Life

We makemoney money from We make from washing washing feet customers’ feet–Market –Market women women

Chinedu Ekeja

lepo Market is one of the largest foodstuff markets in Lagos State. Located in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, along Lagos Abeokuta Expressway, the market is always brimming with activities. Dozens of lorries from the far north are always on queue with loads of agricultural produce ranging from yam, fresh tomatoes, okra, potatoes, carrots to pineapple and many others. The market is a meeting point for foodstuff merchants in the neighborhood. Like most local markets in Nigeria, the rainy season is not favourable to sellers and buyers in this market. Not only do the rains disrupt economic activities, the messy state of the market put people off. However, like the economist that will always see gold in every rubble, some smart women have seized the opportunity to rake in some naira while the rainy season lasts. From the Abeokuta end of the market, one encounters a dense human traffic trooping in and out of the market. As a result of the messy state of the market, commercial wheel barrow pushers and ‘load lifters’ clad their feet in various designs of rain boots or plastic bags. As they move briskly in the market, shoppers give them a wide berth. At every entrance of the market are women with bowls, buckets of water, soaps, sponges and slippers. There are also plastic bags, slippers and boots on rent to shoppers who may need them to navigate the mucky market after the rains. These shoppers exchange their footwear with either the boots or plastic bags, depending on their choice, for an agreed fee. When shoppers come out of the market with soiled feet, the women are there to wash off the filth for a fee. It is just like the biblical feet washing where Jesus Christ taught his disciples lesson in humility, but for the foot washers at Ilepo Market, it is a money making venture. Costumers place their feet in a bowl of dirty water, the foot washer scrubs off the dirt with soapy sponge and rinse in a bucket of near clean water. While a foot is being washed, the customer stands on one leg and holds the ‘washer ’ firmly on the back or head for balance. It costs only N20 to have your two feet washed, but “we collect N30 if the legs are so dirty that the mud gets almost to the knees” a small girl in this business that refused to mention her name said. Apart from foot washing, she does some other businesses. According to her, pure water selling is her main enterprise at Ilepo Market. Close to her washing bowls are bags of sachet water, which she sells for N10 to people who do not want their feet to be washed. “People wey no wan wash here go carry pure water pour for their legs,” she said. A woman identified as Atinuke, who seemed to be patronised more than the others around because of her bigger bowl told New Telegraph that one could not predicts the their daily take home because “no be every day rain dey fall. If you come here when rain no

“Na my mama business, na help I dey help am. Small time, she go come, I go go my shop…I dey do people head,” she said fall, nobody go look your face”. She hawks fruit juice on dry days but there is more profit in foot washing due to the high turnover. “If you buy N50 water and N50 soap, the other money na your gain. But if you buy La Casera, you go still buy ice block, after na small gain you go get inside.” Miss Shade, a hairstylist who claims the business is not hers, but her mother ’s, says she comes there every morning before going to her own business. “Na my mama business, na help I dey help am. Small time, she go come, I go go my shop…I dey do people head,” she said. The quick cash here appears to be the attraction for Shade who makes between N1500 and N2000 every day. “Highest wey you go fit make na 1500 or 2000… you don try,” she said. Her colleague identified as Blessing says she doesn’t know how much she makes in a day as that is subject to how messy the market is and how often it rains. More rains more business. “How I go know how much I dey get? Na when rain spoil here well well, you go get money,” she said. The fear of Ebola Virus Disease is completely out of the picture for them in this business. A woman waiting for her feet to be washed said, “Ebola no dey here, na inside Lagos Ebola dey”, and they all agreed. The dry season means bad business for the Ilepo foot washers. “You think am na, even if dust full people cloth, them go use hand comot am, people no dey wash dust, if you come here that time, no body go gree for you,” Shade said.

SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Abuja Beats

My life is miserable right now, laments cancer patient Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

ith blisters and water dripping all over her body on her hospital bed, 36-year old school teacher, Talatu Kaga, cuts a pitiable sight. Her life, indeed, with her present state of health cannot be less than miserable. All her dreams for life are at the moment at a standstill. Except she gets urgent assistance, Talatu’s purposes in life may never be fulfilled. Reason: She is currently battling cancer. For the Library and Information Science graduate of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, life was good and sweet until two years ago when she started having some health challenges. After diagnosis, she is said to be suffering from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma or Hodgkin’s disease. It is a type of lymphoma, which is a cancer originating from white blood cells called lymphocytes. Now bedridden, Talatu who hails from Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State, is on the verge of losing her job at a private international school in Kuje Area Council of Abuja,

if her condition does not improve soon. She requires about N4.7 million to undergo treatment for her condition in an Indian hospital. Speaking with Abuja Beats on her hospital bed at Katameya Firstcall Hospital Kado Kuchi, Abuja, Talatu who groaned continuously, summed up the experience of the last two years of her life as everything but enjoyable. She narrated that the struggle for her life began in September 2012, when she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at the Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, Abuja. Congestive heart failure is a condition in which the heart’s function as a pump is inadequate to deliver oxygen rich blood to the body. It can be caused by diseases that weaken the heart muscle, diseases that cause stiffening of the heart muscles and or diseases that increase oxygen demand by the body tissue beyond the capability of the heart to deliver adequate oxygenrich blood. According to her, she managed the condition till August 2013, when she relapsed and had to go back to the hospital. When she went back to

the hospital in August 2013, she was diagnosed with pericardial effusion (pericardial effusion is the presence of an abnormal amount of and/or an abnormal character to fluid in the pericardial space. Because of the limited amount of space in the pericardial cavity, fluid accumulation leads to an increased intrapericardial pressure which can negatively affect heart function.) Groaning with pains as over 80 per cent of her body is now swollen and covered with sores, she said when the result of the second diagnosis was confirmed, there was need to drain the water which had collected in her pericardial space and this was done. “Then in May 2014, I became very ill again and went back to the hospital. This time, I was diagnosed with pleural

effusion (a condition in which excess fluid builds around the lung). I had to undergo another procedure to drain the water,” she explained. She further stated that despite draining the excess water from the pleural cavity, she continued to have general body pains and a swollen face and it was at this time that the doctor recommended that she did a biopsy. (A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, interventional radiologist or an interventional cardiologist involving sampling of cells or tissues for examination). It is the medical removal of tissues from a living subject to determine the presence or extent of a disease) and it was the result of the biopsy that revealed that she was suffering Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Ever since the last di-

I can’t even pass urine myself when I feel pressed; it’s usually a big challenge to do so. My life is miserable right now but I have hope that by the grace of God and with the help of my brothers and sisters, fellow Nigerians, I shall conquer this ailment

agnosis in May, precisely four months ago, Talatu’s life has been hanging in the balance. She has been in three hospitals so far, battling for her life and has undergone one chemotherapy session which has left her with sores on her body. Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, however, may be treated with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with the choice of treatment depending on the age and sex of the patient and the stage, bulk, and histological sub-type of the disease. This, she also confirmed. Her doctor, she stated, has assured her that her condition is treatable. But it seems to pose the greatest to her life is availability of funds. She lamented that her condition has put a strain on the finances of family and friends, who have been supporting her financially to this point. She added that she is already owing medical bills even as her condition has yet to improve. Talatu cried that it is on the basis of this that she is appealing to the Kaduna State Government and all Nigerians to come to her aid to raise the sum of $28,500 (N4,788,000

million) required for the treatment. “We contacted Max Super Specialty Hospital in India and they have given us a financial breakdown of the cost of treatment which amounts to $28,500 (N4,788,000) “I didn’t have the sores on my body before the first shot of chemotherapy. My doctor says the sores are a reaction to the chemotherapy. I can’t sit or lie down properly and my entire body is in pains. Water comes out of the pores of my skin endlessly, my feet are swollen; I can’t walk, I can’t breathe properly when I lie down and sitting is even more challenging because of the sores on my buttocks. “I can’t even pass urine myself when I feel pressed; it’s usually a big challenge to do so. My life is miserable right now but I have hope that by the grace of God and with the help of my brothers and sisters, fellow Nigerians, I shall conquer this ailment,” she stated. Talatu, who is due for another session of chemotherapy by October 14, said she may miss it unless something drastic happens in terms of finances. Missing the session will cause her condition to deteriorate further.

SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Rock smart Jalabiya Vanessa Okwara

rending on menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion scene is the Jalabiya or Bisht. It was a traditional outfit worn by Muslim men for Friday worship. Over time, men, including non-Muslims, are seen rocking this trend at social gatherings and special events. Jalabiya is a long ankle-length garment. It can be worn over regular clothing such as trousers, singlet or Polo. It

is the traditional Arab dress for men and some other parts of the Islamic world. It is made from cotton/polyester fabrics and sometimes with gold designs in the front. This garment is meant to be worn loose. These days, Jalabiyas are decorated with elegant stitching on the front chest area, meeting down towards the waist. There are clasps stitched into the inner lining from the top of the neckline to the mid-waist and

also pockets on both sides. The fabric has a thin cotton feel, made from good quality, soft and breathable material and perfect for cool evening outings. Jalabiyasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; are also designed with lovely embroideries and crested with designer labels. You can also purchase a readymade one in different colours and embroideries. Wear them with quality palm slippers and stylish flat leather sandals. Jalabiya looks smart and cool on every

man, especially when you style it with a turban or traditional caps. This ankle length traditional garment is light, fanciful and stylish. Jalabiya is great for special occasions or holidays. It is also perfect for warm days, the month of fasting (Ramadan), to the mosque, or as casual day to day wear. As Muslims celebrate Eid-el-Kabir this week, you too can rock this trend and have fun with friends and family in this cool attire.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014

Body&Soul

The dirty games of promiscuity

jeoma is good-looking and curvy. She gets second glances from guys and enjoys all the attention. She has a penchant for flirting and believes it is a girl’s prerogative to have as many boyfriends as she can possibly handle. She knows how to juggle men and make them dance to her tune. For her, it’s all about being a ‘sharp babe’ and playing her cards well. Once Ijeoma allows you a taste her honey pot, she gives you a specific need to fulfill for her. If you are not meeting up with your assignment, she quickly replaces you with the next admirer. Emeka, an illiterate and a big dealer in electronics at the popular Alaba International Market in Lagos is the one she calls her ‘money bag’ or ‘ATM machine’. He takes care of her financial needs, satisfying her whims. Segun is the guy that secured an apartment for her in a choice location in town. He made the mistake of trying to move in permanently with her but she has since shown him the red card. Of all the men in her life, Kidochukwu is closest to her heart. She loves him dearly and makes sure she hides her escapades with other men from him. He is a young banker she has been dating for a long time in the hope that he will propose to her. One day, Franca, a colleague in the office, introduced her to Obinna who just came back from London. They hit it off immediately and she started dat-

ing him as well. Kidochukwu, Obinna and the rest of the guys did not have an inkling that Ijeoma was two-timing. In fact, she played smart for a long time and seemed to enjoy best of both worlds until nemesis demanded a pound of her flesh. Obinna called her one evening and ask her to come over to his place to meet a close friend from his secondary school days. This made her very happy. She reasoned that Obinna was beginning to take their relationship serious. Very soon, she’s sure he will introduce her to his parents. “It’s a good thing I did not put all my eggs in one basket. A girl has to protect her interests and have others to fall back on. I can’t wait forever for Kidochukwu’s proposal,” she rationalised. Getting to his house, she was shocked to be introduced to his childhood friend who was no other than Kidochukwu! Obinna and Kidochukwu went berserk when they realised she had been twotiming them all along. Obinna threw

her out of his house without a backward glance. Kidochukwu felt so betrayed. He has been thinking seriously of making her his wife. He couldn’t believe that a sweet looking girl like Ijeoma could cheat on him. Appearances indeed can be deceitful! Ijeoma was devastated. She has been so careful not to allow her boyfriends’ paths to cross. All her ‘runs’ and playing smart have backfired. She just lost her two prospective suitors in one swoop. The other guys in her kitty are simply not good enough for her as suitors. Ijeoma is a typical smart Nigerian girl who wants to eat her cake and have it. The man in the background is to be a fall-back-guy or an insurance cover if the main relationship hits the rock. It all sounds very logical, wouldn’t you say? Yet something is very wrong with it. You are betraying the trust invested in you by a partner that believes in your love, sincerity and commitment to the relationship. The fear of disappointment should

not be the reason for promiscuity. Neither should financial reward be the sole reason to be in a relationship with someone. A woman needs to hold on to her self-esteem. Why should you be branded a slut or worse still, a whore? Yes, that is what a girl who keeps multiple partners is invariably called. It is coded prostitution more or less. There’s really no difference between you and that lady who stands at street corners at night to trade her wares. Ladies, having multiple relationships is not an ideal thing. You will always need to manufacture fool-proof lies regularly to cover up your slips and fibs. So regardless of the huge sums of money these men collectively give you, it is only ephemeral. Such scams will surely burst one day and you will come out as a laughing stock. Learn to be content in whatever relationship you find yourself in, one at a time. The best relationship is the one you are in right now and if it is not working for you, make a clean break before venturing into another one. Promiscuity is a dirty game and if you don’t stop now, you will surely pay a prize in future. Karma has a sordid way of demanding payment from her debtors. What about the risk you pose to your health? HIV/AIDS still lurks on the edges of indiscriminate sex and having multiple sex partners; please be careful! Send your views to the email above!

Cultural education and the responsibility of ownership

ducation empowers. I am a strong believer in this dictum and have defended it on more occasions than I care to remember. However, when the education is cultural in nature or affects the reporting and chronicling of cultural events, then you do have my attention. That is why I took notice, last week, when I received an application pack from British Council for a training programme in cultural journalism. The workshop is to be held in Lagos sometime this month and the aim is to “facilitate the circulation of knowledge and experience amongst participants, improve culture reporting practices and set up a network of Nigerian journalists and to promote exchange between Nigeria and UK.” All of these objectives are laudable except that once again, professionals in the cultural sector of the economy have to rely on foreign agencies to facilitate the basics of their profession. Where, for instance, is the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in all of these ‘facilitating’ business? Having that agency in the first place is proof that someone shares my ideal of cultural education being key to the empowerment of the Nigerian citizenry, but I dare ask if that agency is functional beyond the office it occupies and press releases sent out? The programme also plans to establish a network of Nigerian journalists (presumably on the Arts and Culture beat) in order to promote cultural exchange. Curious. You ask why? Well, is there no association called Arts Writers of Nigeria (AWON) functioning at the present time? If anything, should they not have a say in the establishment of a new organisation irrespective of whether the organisation is complementary or com-

petitive? Should they not be involved in this kind of programme to educate members of their tribe? It further pains me to think that AWON actually had the vision of this kind of training programme, wait for it, eight years ago. A programme of possible activities and thematic direction was provided by members and facilitators suggested. After much deliberations and dialogue that went back and forth, the vision suffered amid the bureaucracy of organising it. It remained on AWON’s table until this present time and now, it has been taken up by another organisation. AWON also has a book on travel writings by members on the table; let us hope that will not be part of the outcome of the workshop this month. British Council has no fault. It is only working within the terms that established it as a cultural organisation.

However, it is interventions like this that make scholars’ question globalization; makes them think globalization is nothing but the westernization of the global community. I have nothing against British Council; I cannot count the amount of chicken I wolfed down at their Ikoyi office during press conferences in the late 90s and early 2000s. I was also a participant at the Serendipity Workshop it hosted in Lagos and conducted by Sri Lankan author, Romesh Gunesekera. I guess you can say I have been a beneficiary of similar workshops as the one being proposed. However, I still have to say that for there to be a proper cultural ‘dialogue’, then local organisations must be involved in this kind of training programme. They must not just be participants, but full collaborators in the workings of the event, from the plan-

I certainly object to the creation of a new organisation (or ‘network’) of cultural journalists. I think British Council should consider ways of strengthening AWON and using it as the base of any network opportunity that will come to culture journalists. I have never believed, as the saying goes, in throwing the baby away with the bath water

ning stage to eventual execution. That is the ideal of globalization, a dialogue. Both parties must contribute rather than one serving as takers only. It is not too late to involve NOA. The NOA should not in any way try to get out of this with the excuse that it came from a foreign organisation. Let them see it as a first step in getting their acts together. However, I certainly object to the creation of a new organisation (or ‘network’) of cultural journalists. I think British Council should consider ways of strengthening AWON and using it as the base of any network opportunity that will come to culture journalists. I have never believed, as the saying goes, in throwing the baby away with the bath water. It is for this reason that I believe that AWON should still be contacted and involved in the training programme of its members, even if it means a restructure of the organisation. That is why I also believe the training programme should not just be about teaching ‘new’ skills of reporting to help attract a new audience to the culture pages, but also explore how to report better the events in Nigeria. Maybe, there are things uniquely Nigerian that cannot be reported in the ways foreign newspapers do their own reporting. Then, the subject should be about the application of certain skill-set to the reporting. The facilitators can learn so much from the participants as much as the participants will learn from them. Then programme should also be extended to students and scholars alike. Then, cultural education can truly empower in a cultural way.

SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

with

Wole Adepoju 08085003746

woleadepoju@yahoo.com

Lola Akande tackles James Faleke Okocha enjoys marital bliss again

s the 2015 elections approach, contenders and pretenders are beginning to sell their aspirations to the electorate. The political terrain is becoming more interesting, what with the intrigues, betrayal and defections taking place daily. In Lagos, apart from the governorship race, many are looking out for what happens in the Ikeja Federal Constituency, which Hon. James Faleke currently occupies. The battle for who takes the position, come 2015, is generating so much tension. Expectedly, a number of people are interested in taking over the seat from Faleke, who wants to retain it. However, one person whose interest in the seat is worth paying attention to is the member of Lagos House of Assembly representing Ikeja constituency 2, Hon. Lola Fibisola Akande. The reason the battle for the seat is intense has to do with the personalities of these individuals. While Faleke is believed to be very influential in the party, being a loyal boy to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Lola Akande is the elder sister to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and she’s also well connected within the party in her own right. Faleke, who is said to be interested in a second term, became influential in the party when he headed the forum of 57 local government chairmen during his tenure as the chairman of Ojodu LCDA before moving up to the House of

Representatives. He’s also believed to have been very good to Asiwaju Tinubu. All these, many believe, will work in his favour in his battle to retain his seat. On the other hand, Lola Akande, who is a graduate of Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University, aside the support of her younger sister, is reportedly being backed by some top party leaders who want Faleke out. Faleke has been holding meetings and making consultations in his bid to retain the seat in 2015. Celeb Lounge w a s t o l d t h a t leaders of their constitu e n c y, d a y s ago at a meeting, endorsed Faleke for a second term. L o l a a l s o reporte d l y a g re e d

to step down. However, a different gist has it that Lola is poised to take on Faleke without looking back. To confirm Akande’s position, Celeb Lounge put a call across to her and the person who received the call (she claimed to be her secretary) said her boss was not on seat, but promised to return that call. She didn’t do so.

Dupe Ozolua charts new course

Koffi Sagoe’s unchanging marital status

he name, Koffi Sagoe, was just a regular one like millions of other names until he got married to Deola, the daughter of veteran auto dealer, Chief Micheal Ade-Ojo. The union between Deola, a city milliner, and Ghanaian-born Koffi became what many were envious of. They were blessed with three children but the centre could not hold after some time and they went their separate ways. Koffi, after leaving his in-law’s company, Elizade, where he was general manager, landed himself another plum job and has been living fine. His ex-wife has also moved ahead, even changing the name of her fashion outfit from Deola Sagoe to Deola. Also, tales of fresh romance have one time or another trailed her, although, without basis.

Koffi, on the other hand, after about three years, was said to have been ready to give marriage another shot. He was said to be seeing one Nike and several months after the romance

gbo-born ex-international, Austin Okocha, better known as Jay-Jay, was among the lucky Nigerian exports who made a headway in the round leather game. The dude has since retired from active football. With his fat purse, he’s been living life to the fullest, even as he still makes money from product endorsements and private business. However, the skillful playmaker, according to a source, had an issue to contend with, courtesy of his wife, Nkechi. Aside from gathering friends at their Opebi, Lagos home to display affluence, she was said to be constantly having challenges with patronage at their now rested fun spot on Saka Tinubu, Victoria Island, Lagos, Number 10 Bar. All these and other unsavoury tales that swarmed around her in hushed tone were said to be reasons why the former Super Eagles player was disturbed. However, JayJay seems to have got over these issues and is now relishing the good times without qualms.

was said to be leading to a union, nothing was heard about it. Many are wondering if Koffi is serious about settling down again.

Good times for Nike Akande

x-Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Onikepo Olunfunke Akande, cannot wish for more at this time of her life. The paragon of beauty recently joined the league of septuagenarians, as she clocked 70. While preparations are said to be in top gear to make the day a memorable one, another well deserving honour has come her way. Chief Nike Akande, as she’s fondly called, was decorated with the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger by President Goodluck Jonathan last Monday.

hen Edo State-born United States-based Modupe Ozula returned to Nigeria some years back, she became an instant face to watch out for in the society. Although she’s got the beautiful face, glowing skin and trappings to qualify for a space among the movers and shakers of the society, one thing that obviously stood her out was her surgically implanted boobs that she used to bare at will. With her eye-popping boobs and catchy looks, Modupe became the cynosure of all eyes as well as the target of paparazzi at events. She eventually floated a body enhancement centre on Victoria Island in Lagos, where the rich thronged to for one service or the other before the centre lost steam and was rested. The lady allegedly put the centre’s equipment on sale a n d re -

turned to America for reasons best known to her. Ozula has again been shuttling between America and Nigeria for a while and she appears to be set to take a different path this time. Her foundation, which has not been functional for a long time, has suddenly been revived. Among the activities of the foundation is the feeding of the underprivileged in her home state recently. Being the trend in the society, some are of t h e opini o n t h a t Modupe may be trying to make an incursion into the political terrain where quick money is sure.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014

Body&Soul

with

Wole Adepoju

Island, where big boys and girls used to hang out. The light-skinned and amiable woman, few days ago, was 60 years old, and the worthy attainment was celebrated as family, friends and well-wishers gathered to savour the joy of the day with the birthday girl.

Kunle Disu’s ambition sets tongues wagging

t’s an established fact that anyone can aspire to hold any elective position, as far as the individual possesses the requirements that makes him or her eligible. Whether such aspiration

paulhelenproductions@yahoo.com; 08072709777

with Helen Paul

Kike Oyemade rocks at 60

he name, Kikelomo Oyemade, rings a bell in the business sphere and high society where she’s a factor, even though she’s not favourably disposed to making a noise about her personality and accomplishments. Madam Kikelomo is the second wife of top Lagos politician, Hon. Niyi Oyemade. Her husband spent two terms in the Lagos State House of Assembly before he was made Commissioner for Commerce during Governor Babatunde Fashola’s first term in office. His first wife, Folake, is the woman behind Sam & Sarah -the outfit contracted by Osun State Government to make uniforms for Osun schools. Kike, in her own right, is doing very well as her hard work and diligence at work have made her an achiever. As a consultant, she has managed Lagos State-owned hospitality facility, Akodo Resort, for many years and has generated so much funds, both for herself and the Lagos government through this means. She also established the now rested fun spot, Mamundo, on Victoria

THINKING ALOUD

08085003746

will fly or not is another kettle of fish. On this note, a well-meaning son of Lagos State from the popular Disu family, Jubril Kunle Disu, made his intention to succeed the outgoing governor of the state, Ba-

batunde Fashola, known. Kunle Disu, the man behind Victoria Islandbased Vergo-sep Oil, has put so many people in an expectant mood since he mooted the idea of his governorship ambition. Kunle got many, including the deep pockets, interested in his ambition because of his affiliation with dollar billionaire and chairman of Globacom, Otunba Mike Adenuga. Kunle, who is a Buckingham University graduate, is also an in-law to the moneybag as the uncle to Jamel Disu, Bella Adenuga’s husband. Many have been observing and wondering what role Adenuga will play. What is of interest, however, is how the man in question, who wants to run on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, suddenly went AWOL, with nothing heard from him despite all the resources and the support at his disposal.

Lessons from the Eagle (1)

he story of creation is indeed an interesting one. It is an evergreen story that one would love to listen to over and over again. In the story, we were made to understand that God created us (human beings) in His own image and gave us dominion over all other creatures. But do you know that despite this, human beings have a lot of lessons to learn from other creatures? Let’s take a look at the Eagle and the lessons we can learn from it. I stumbled on a book by Kenneth Hagin over the week and was amazed at the analysis he made about Eagles and how they relate to our day-to-day life. To say the least, my sensitivity about life and faith upgraded after going through the book. I don’t want to be selfish, so I will share some parts of it here. What makes the eagle so regal and majestic? What is it about him that is so impressive? But after this article, your perspective about the eagle will change. In fact, you will advise the Nigerian national team (Super Eagles) to change their name because they don’t represent what the real eagle is! The eagle has been used as a symbol of majesty for centuries. The early Romans used its emblem on their shields of battle because it was the recognised symbol of the Roman Empire. It was also used by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. And the national symbol for the United States of America is the American bald eagle, with a sprig of olive branches clutched in its right talon and a band of arrows in its left. Not only does the eagle symbolically stand for majesty, but it also stands for strength, because an eagle is extremely strong. For example, an eagle can swoop down from the sky, pick up an animal off the ground that weighs as much as or more than it does, and fly off with that animal in its talons. Now, when most people first think of a bird, they may think of a duck or some other small bird that doesn’t weigh more than a few pounds. But eagles are large fowl that can weigh as much as 15 pounds, with wing spans that can extend more than seven feet. Those huge wings give eagles a great deal of strength, especially when it comes to their unique ability in flight. No other bird can soar as high as the eagle does; no other bird even comes close to ascending to great heights like the eagle. An eagle will sometimes fly to heights of more than 10,000 feet. In fact, when an eagle builds its nest, it often flies way up into the highest part of a mountain cliff. An eagle nest is absolutely like no other bird’s nest you may have ever seen. The male and female eagles use extremely large sticks and branches to build their next. The eagles take these large branches high up on the mountain and begin to arrange them inside the

I want you to notice where the eagles build their nest. They take all the materials that they gather up on the mountain, and they build their nest on the rocks. There is a lesson here we need to consider. For example, look at Jesus Christ said in Mathew 7 about building upon a rock cleft of a rock. After that, they begin to add smaller branches. Next, they line the nest with leaves. Then as the final step, the eagles may take downy feathers that have fallen off their own bodies to cover the inside of the nest. Once it’s finished, an eagle nest is very soft inside. I want you to notice where the eagles build their nest. They take all the materials that they gather up on the mountain, and they build their nest on the rocks. There is a lesson here we need to consider. For example, look at Jesus Christ said in Mathew 7 about building upon a rock. Jesus said that a wise man builds his house upon a rock. Why? Because a rock is one of the strongest foundations anyone can build upon –especially when it’s solid rock. So we can learn a lesson from the eagle when it come building a strong framework or spiritual house for our lives. You see, just as the eagle builds its nest on a solid foundation, it’s important that we build our spiritual lives upon one too. The foundation is the most important part of any construction because it’s the base. So the foundation needs to be strong; it needs to be sturdy and sure. And if you’re going to fulfil what God has planned for your life, you have to build on a sure foundation. I want you to realise that the eagles are not just building some little, bitty ole nest. This is a large construction, weighing sometimes as much as two tons and well able to weather the elements. If you know anything about mountains, you will know that the strongest gusts of wind usually form near the peaks because of the high altitudes. But an eagle nest can withstand those forceful winds because it’s build inside the cleft of a rock. …to be continued next week.

Body&Soul

DIY on the GO

SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Make your own throw pillows

Esther Odili

he easiest and most affordable way to give your home an instant makeover is to add a set of decorative throw pillows. Throw pillows add visual interest and beauty to your home. They can bring together a room’s colour and design scheme, providing balance and elegance in your home. Throw pillows are small decorative pillows made from silk, leather, and microfiber or suede, cotton and linen. It can be placed on sofas, beds and floors. They serve both aesthetic and functional purposes, as they are attractive and comfortable accessories to your furniture. Throw pillows come in different sizes and shapes, but the basic size ranges from 14,16 to 18 inches, while the shapes are square, rectangular, circular, cylindrical or depending on your choice. Throw pillows can be purchased ready-made or can be handmade. You can make your own throw pillows, giving more personality to it by choosing the size, shape, colours and patterns. So show off your sewing abilities and creativity while saving money. Why settle for the fabrics and patterns of-

fered at the local stores? You can create accent pillows that suit your decor and lifestyle. Sewing a pillow is simple and can be easily customised with zippers, piping and buttons. Materials: • Fabric -decorative fabric of your choice. • Measuring tape • A pair of scissors • Office pins • Pressing iron for ironing surface • Ruler (optional) • Fluff, stuffing or filling • Sewing machine • Hand sewing needle • Pillow pattern (this you can get at the upholstery shop) • Seam ripper • Trimmings Process First, choose a pillow size of your choice and shape. 1. Cut the fabric: You can make use of any fabric you have. Cut two squares of the same size to any size you desire but make sure you have enough material to make two pieces.

Let your choice shape be one that you can easily sew. Cut the fabric for pillow cover. You will need three pieces to make one front piece and two back pieces. The front piece will need to be two inches larger than your pillow. While the two back piece will need to be as wide as the front piece and long enough so that they don’t overlap. 2. To ease sewing and turning, round the corners of your pillow cover slightly. Mark all four corners of the square piece of fabric and two corners on one long edge. To create the back of the pillow cover, cut one piece of fabric the same width as the front piece and four inches longer than the length of the pillow front. Fold the piece in half-length and cut along the fold. Then turn the edge that measures the same as the width of the pillow and press so that no raw edges will be exposed. Turn under again and stitch, repeat this process with the other back piece. 3. If you are using a trim, place the trim so that one-inch extends beyond the seam allowance. Lay down the pillow top with your trim side up with right sides together. Lay half the pillow back on the pillow front, then pin in the trim. On the right side of the square piece of fabric, start at the bottom of

the pillow and carefully pin the trim. Pin frequently, making sure not to stretch the trim. It should not have any tightness to it, or the pillow will pucker at the edges. Put the ends together so the trim appears continuous, adjusting the length as necessary. 4. Next, pin the entire pillow cover together in preparation for sewing. 5. When the first square is completely pinned, place the second square face down, on the other half of the project. The hemmed straight edges will overlap. Again, beginning with the corners, pin the square down carefully. 6. Sew all around the pillow, using a seam allowance that matches the sewing band on the trim. Finally, make sure to remove pins before you sew any given section of fabric. Sewing over pins can break your needle or even damage your machine. 7. Next, turn the project inside out and press. Then, stuff the new cover with your pillow filling or turn the pillow cover right side out and insert the filling. Stuffing the pillow form into the cover is easy. Slipstitch close if necessary. Smooth it around and shake the corners until it looks right, and then, you’re done!

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014

Wine & Dine

Ibukunoluwa Kayode

ruit juices should be added to everyday meal. They are healthy supplements that aid digestion and fight against free radicals in the body. Many fruits are known for their different botanical benefits. The grape fruits belongs to the citrus family which has a lot of nutritional benefits. Grapefruit, a large orangelike fruit, is derived from a natural cross-breeding between orange and pomelo. These fruits are not just good for weight loss. But its albedo contains many anti-cancer agents that help fight a host of diseases. The taste of a grapefruit can be bitter and sour but it has so many health benefits. Grapefruit does not only contain Vitamin C known as a protective against cold or flu; it is not just one nutrient that helps prevent a certain disease, but rather the combination of several ingredients in it that does the trick. This juicy fruit contains citric acid, natural sugars, and essential oils like limonene, pinene and citral. It has high amounts of Vitamin C, and smaller amounts of vitamins A, B complex, E and K in it. In the mineral depart-

ment of grapefruits, larger amounts of calcium, folate, phosphorus, and potassium are found. The nutritive phytonutrients of this voluptuous fruit—liminoids, flavonoids, lycopene and glucarates—help fight cancer and various diseases. The white flesh under the skin of the grape called ‘Albedo’ is said to contain the highest amount of valuable bioflavonoids and other anti-cancer agents. The following are the health benefits of grapefruit juice indulgence. Acidity: Its juice possesses an alkaline reaction after digestion, which has profound effect in the treatment of acidity in the digestive system that causes a host of other health problems. Atherosclerosis: Pectin in this fruit has been found to be effective in reducing the accumulation of arterial deposits, and the Vitamin C helps to strengthen and maintain the elasticity of arteries. Breast

Body&Soul

Healthy grapefruit juice in grapefruit can help halt cancer cells from spreading in breast cancer patients, by ridding the body of excess estrogen. Cholesterol: A certain compound found in grapefruit helps reduce the excessive production of cholesterol in the liver. Diabetes: More consumption of this fruit helps reduce the starches and sweets in the system. Digestive disorder: Helps to promote digestion by increasing the flow of gastric juices. Eat the fruit together with its albedo and pith for their extra fiber that aids bowel movements. Insomnia:

Drinking grapefruit juice before bedtime helps to promote sleep and alleviates insomnia. Pregnant women: The bioflavonoids and Vitamin C help to reduce water retention and swelling of the legs during

pregnancy. Stomach and pancreatic cancer: The anti-cancer agents in grapefruit (especially in the albedo) are particularly protective against these cancers in the digestive system. Weight-loss: This fruit has a fat-burni n g

cancer: The bioflavonoids found

New yam? Make it sumptious

Biwom Iklaki

n Nigeria, most tribes celebrate the New Yam festival, especially the Southern parts. That is usually a very exciting period to look forward to. New yam

enzyme and can help to absorb and reduce the starch and sugar in the body. It is widely consumed by people who are trying to lose weight.

will seem very special and exciting, but when the festival comes and goes, what to do with the bland tasting, soft and mushy tuber? You may want to consider the following: Boil the yam and be sure

to salt it properly and do not overcook it. Serve with fried eggs, chicken curry, pepper sauce (fry a little tomatoes, onions, pepper, crayfish and optional dawadawa), efor, spiced fresh palm oil. Cut the yam into wedges, fry and serve with eggs, fish sauce, or favourite vegetable sauce. You could also make porridge of the yam. You know: palm oil with crayfish, dry fish, pepper, onions and some smoked fish. Add hot

leaf to take it to another level of sumptuousness. A personal favourite is something most people will remember from their mother’s kitchens: boiled yam and aubergine (garden egg) sauce. INGREDIENTS 3 medium sized aubergines 1 bulb onion (diced) 2 medium dry fish ½ cup crayfish Pepper and salt to taste

(ground dry Cameroon pepper recommended) 2 Stock cubes ½ cup oil (choice of palm or vegetable oils) PREPARATION Wash and chop aubergine into cubed pieces. Boil until tender. Some people skin the aubergine. It is advisable to leave the skin on though, for extra roughage and nutrients. Clean dry fish and cook until tender. Get the oil hot, then add the onions, salt, stock cubes and pepper. Let simmer for two minutes. Add the soft aubergine and mash into a paste. Add dry fish and crayfish and stir-fry a bit then turn off the heat. Serve hot and savour the taste from mama’s kitchen.

SUNDAY 05 OCTOBER 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Crack your brain

Twilight stories

Biwom Iklaki

o one in Nigeria today can claim ignorance of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease. Basically, with few precautions, we can keep safe. It can be transmitted through direct physical contact with an infected person’s bodily secretions and fluids (sweat, saliva, blood, urine, feaces and semen) and eating infected fruits (fruits infected by the fruit bat) and meat (chimpanzees and bats). No one needs to be alarmed, just take precau-

tionary measures. No measure is better than greater attention to your personal hygiene. Here are 10 things to always do: 1. Keep your environment clean. 2. Take a bath at least twice a day. 3. Maintain high oral hygiene (brush at least twice a day). 4. Wash your hands very often with soap and water. 5. Make use of hand sanitisers. 6. Wash fruits thoroughly before eating and do not eat fruits that have obvious

pecks/scratches from any animals. 7. Desist from eating ‘bush meat’ and bats. 8. Cook your meats very well before eating. 9. Wash your clothes after every wear, do not repeat clothes without washing 10. After using the toilet, always flush and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Whatever you do, you should remember the motto that says: wash your hands before you eat and your feet before you sleep!

Did you know the name of the person who designed the Nigerian flag? •His name is Mr. Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, he designed it in 1959

Gags Why is 6 afraid of 7? Because: 7 8 9

Tulips, of course, ‘cause they have two lips!

Why did the boy bring a ladder to school? He wanted to go to high school.

A man arrived on Friday in a small town. He stayed for two days and left on Friday. How is this possible? His horse’s name is Friday!

Which flower talks the most?

Cross word puzzle

Colour Art

Faith 51

SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER 2014

Sermon

The Stages of Independence p.56

Interview

It’s wrong to tax churches –Omoge p.55

Sermon

Kingdom investment p.57

Sermon

Maranatha, Lord come! p.58

Methodist Church Prelate, Dr. SCK Uche, thunders

Some Nigerian church leaders are shamefully materialistic Newly elected Prelate of Methodist Church, Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. S.C.K. Uche (JP), in this noholds barred interview with OJIAKU KALU discusses the state of the church, national security and the need for Christians to get involved in politics

Kindly introduce yourself to our readers. I am His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, the Prelate of Methodist Church, Nigeria, formerly, the Methodist Archbishop of Enugu. My election as Prelate took place on September 1, 2013. So September 1 this year was the first anniversary of my election as the new Head of Methodist Church in Nigeria. This is why I now live in Lagos where the headquarters of the church is situated. What kind of upbringing and ambition did you have as a boy? Thank you. While growing up as a young boy in the home of a Methodist evangelist, Paulson Kanu Uche, and his wife, Ebere Kanu Uche, I didn’t know what I would become. But as early as that, I admired the white missionaries that always visited us. Back then, white men were the main ministers in Nigeria. I knew Rev. Johnson, Rev. Joddy Kings and Rev. Magal. Those ministers always visited us whenever there was Holy Communion, confirmation or such important church activities - until the church came into the hands of Nigerians. Then we had people like Ogan at Okigwe before he became the District Chairman, Rev. J.O. David at Ndoki and others. What particularly inspired me was their gentle appearance, their dressing. We lived in the church premises Mr and Nebife where I had the opportunity of Mrs meeting them. I would mimic them when they left. I would wear a choir robe and use a paper to form a collar round my neck. This was from when I was about eight years old until I became 12 and completed my primary education in 1966 at Isuochi where my father was then domiciled. Then there was the issue of what would I do now that I had completed primary school? My father, with the little money he was paid, thought it was necessary for me to go and learn a trade. He asked me to choose between being an electrician and a cabinetmaker. My mother, on her part, discouraged me from learning any trade. It was while we were on this that my mother opened up to me one afternoon on the vow she had made to God before I was conceived. She said she had had two stillbirths - one in 1949 and the other in 1951. As was common with locals back then, they started ridiculing her over her childlessness, while berating my father for marrying from my mother’s family. So as someone who believed in God, having embraced Christianity at a very early age, she in desperation, would go to the Okigwe Township Church and be rolling herself on the altar like the Biblical Hannah. She said she pledged to God that should He grant her a son, she would ensure the boy served Him all the days of his life. This story stuck in my young mind from that day.

Do you remember the date of this incident? My mother told me this at Nkwo-Agu, Isuochi, in January of 1966. That was when we returned from Christmas holiday at Ihube, Okigwe. She thereafter told my father that I would not be going for any trade apprenticeship, but would rather write the common entrance examination in 1966 to go to secondary school. So I sat for the entrance examination that year. I took the federal government common entrance and my choice was Federal Government College, Afikpo; and another for the Methodist Boys’ Secondary School, Ihube. Eventually, I got the two admissions but then the war broke out so I couldn’t go to either of them. CO NTINUED O N PAGE 52

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Faith

Politicians using Chibok girls’ issue CON TINUED FR O M PAGE 51

Before the advent of the war, we were considering Government College, Afikpo – because it was more of scholarship; for back then, if you had a distinction in your First School Leaving Certificate, the government would normally give you either full or partial scholarship. It was after the war that I finally enrolled in school and because of proximity, I went to the school that was close to my home. By then, the East Central State Government had taken over schools in that part of the country and as a result, the school changed from Methodist Boys’ Secondary School, Ihube to Boys’ High School, Ihube. So that was where I ultimately had my secondary school education and finished in 1974. After secondary school, I became a ministerial cadet. A cadet is a young school certificate holder that opts to serve the church. I started with a superintendent of Ihube Circuit - then headquarters of Okigwe Diocese – Rev. G. M. Onyeagwa, and was later posted to Enugu after one year to work under another superintendent, the Rev. Ukaekwe Eke Iheaka, from Item. The second posting after the first was necessary to enable the church authorities to have two reports to compare – to ensure the cadet was of good behaviour. Fortunately by September 6, 1976, I gained admission into the Trinity Theological College, old Umuahia where I studied for a Diploma in Theology and another in Religious Studies. I graduated and was commissioned on July 29, 1979 and thereafter, posted to Aba to start up the English section because they only had the Igbo section. So I was sent to be the minister for the English section. Then in October of 1981, I got married and was transferred to Umu- Okpara, Umuahia where I spent four years. On March 30, 1990, I was transferred to Kano because then, there was the need for the minister to manage a church that was made up of all the tribes in Nigeria. This was because previous ministers on that particular posting had been habitually tribalistic and so did not last long there. The authorities back then needed someone that was not ethnocentric, and perhaps as a testimonial for my success, I was there for nine years. I was managing the Yoruba, Idoma, Igede, Igbo, Ghanaians, Togolese, Gambians and at one time, we had an English couple among the worshippers. In fact, that place brought me to limelight, for it was from there I went to Jos for my degree programme in Theology/Religious Studies. I did my first degree, Postgraduate Diploma, and was already having my Masters Degree when I moved over to Enugu as the Archbishop. While in Enugu I was one of those selected for the conferment of Doctor of Theology Degree, so that was how I came by the D.Th. (Honoris Causa). In Enugu, I settled down to work. Infact I started building the Archbishop’s House. I completed the Methodist College while my wife completed the Women Development Centre. We were going at astronomical speed until the election which took me to Lagos as the Prelate of Methodist Church, Nigeria – indeed the first Igbo man to ever become Prelate in Nigeria. What traits, in your opinion, earned you this rare position? You know when you do things you may think that people don’t notice the way God is carrying you; they notice it. I was thrilled, intrigued to emerge the Prelate. Sir, what actually qualifies one as a candidate for the position? How does the process evolve? You must be a sound graduate from a recognised university. You must be either a Bishop or an Archbishop and must be seen to be sound in your specialisation to be nominated for prelateship. If you don’t have a degree, you will not be considered because this is an office that is internationally recognised. Your grasp of world issues must be reasonably attested to because you are not just a prelate in Nigeria but indeed, a global citizen. But for me, I must quickly say it is not by merit but rather, by God’s grace because we were 10 candidates from all over Nigeria. The immediate past prelate in his own characteristic way of doing things, said that the next Prelate of Methodist Church, Nigeria should be a product of prayer. And because he never had an ordained candidate for the position, the open-secret ballot process was adopted. By the ordinances of the church, is there usually a collegiate that votes in an election like this? Yes, we have what we call the ‘Electoral College’. In this particular Electoral College, we had about 150 members. So there was this transparent bucket; as you received a ballot paper, you filled a name you liked. Now the first ballot eliminated six candidates from among us because those ones didn’t get more than one vote each, while some others got nothing altogether. Then the second ballot was to further weed out the candidates – until the best candidate with the highest votes emerged. For you to be a prelate, you must have 2/3rd majority of the

votes cast. Such a thorough process took us about five hours! So it was during the final voting process that by God’s grace, I emerged the current Prelate of Methodist Church, Nigeria. And for me as a person, it was like a dream! But what I like about the Methodist Church is that after my investiture - because you are not consecrated twice; you are consecrated a bishop once, a prelate is a bishop but the number one bishop. While the Archbishop is a bishop in charge of a number of dioceses, the Prelate is in charge of the dioceses, the entire Methodist faithful in Nigeria. Then, another thing I like is the sincerity, love, brotherhood, synergy and utter cooperation I have received from my Bishops and Archbishops since my election. It is thrilling and commendable to work in an atmosphere completely devoid of conflict - a testimonial to ours being such an organised church void of acrimony, animosity, hatred or malice. We are all moving together in untold love. What is the duration of a Prelate’s tenure? Well if you are a prelate, you are expected to serve normally for 10 years. You will first serve for five years and if your service is adjudged satisfactory, you will then be allowed to do the rest years. For instance, Mbang served for 22 years before the constitution was amended because he was the first prelate. Makinde served for seven years instead of 10 because he was 70 years by that date. The rule is that after your 70th birthday while serving as prelate, you must retire compulsorily. In considering a particular prelate’s duration in office, the church determines that. That’s why one needs serious prayers to be in good health, be a man after God’s heart and to render service to God and humanity. When one does those, whatever becomes of one thereafter, is entirely in the hands of God. Before you ultimately became the Prelate - while still a candidate - you must have had a manifesto for the office. What was it? Well, I’m afraid I wouldn’t readily give you any because what now appears to be my focus was not authored by me. It was handed to me by God Himself. In all honesty, I didn’t see myself as ever becoming one of the candidates, not to ever dream of emerging the winner! Remember I told you something about Makinde: how God inhabited him through the proceedings, and this was manifest in his ever maintaining, “I don’t have a candidate; so all the people that are qualified should be given a level playing field so that at the end, it would be God’s choice and not mine.” I was indeed surprised to see my name among the 10 candidates and because of my unpreparedness ab initio, I didn’t have an agenda or as you called it, manifesto, before my election as Prelate. However, upon recovering from the shock of being declared winner, my wife and I went into serious prayers. We tasked ourselves to 21 days of fasting and praying to seek God’s guidance - because we saw the task as enormous and onerous. On the night of the 11th day, I heard a voice around 3am. I immediately had the thought that something was going to happen, so I sat up on the bed, called my wife and asked, “Did you hear somebody call my name? Someone has been calling my name, ‘Samuel Chukwuemeka.” She replied, “No. I did not hear anything. Maybe it’s a dream.” But what surprised me was that by 4.30am, I went back to bed after going to the

toilet and as soon as I lay down, I heard the voice call my name again. This time, I sat up as I specifically heard the voice command me to “pick a pen and write down the things you are going to do for me.” So I picked up a pen and started writing down the points I heard: 1. ‘Grow the Church spiritually’ 2. ‘Grow the Church financially’ 3. ‘Grow the Church by infrastructure’. At this stage, I knew it must be God talking, as He went on to say, “I have chosen you as a covenant Prelate. If you violate my spiritual standard, I will disgrace you out of office or you may even die untimely.” He added, “Do not nurse any malice against or grudge with anybody; even if they threaten you, don’t retaliate. Leave the battle for me; you saw the way I elected you. It was not man-made, I did it myself. You are my project.” I woke my wife and we knelt down and prayed; for that was a serious matter. So I have been very careful in the way I conduct myself since then. Before the election, while in our hotel room at Ikeja, my wife narrated to me a dream she had while resting that afternoon. In it, she saw a baby coming down from the sky at a dizzying speed and dropped in her arms. Later, just as I surprisingly saw my name among the nominees, I recalled my wife’s dream and thought to myself that maybe God was giving the Methodist Church to us to nurse as a baby. I simply felt this in my mind without telling my wife. You know when you are nursing a baby you must be patient, caring, loving, tolerant and generally develop and exhibit deep affection for the delicate infant. It was after the election that I finally told my wife that the Lord has given us the Methodist Church to nurse as a baby. For a baby to grow, the care must be holistic. So we now have no business in the church other than evangelism. I told her, “For me, I will do my best and for you, the youths – especially the girl-children, are in your hands. You must involve them in the church in Godliness and absolute purity. The Methodist Church is not a church of man; it’s a church of God so you must do your best.” How you nurse a church is through the word of God, you must not compromise. Whatever the Biblical standard that has been set for you is what you must uphold and then of course there is a constitution guiding our church. You must follow the laws rigidly as provided in our constitution. We must enthrone the Rule of Law and must encourage our members to be obedient to the laws of the land and the laws of God. When we do these, the church will grow definitely and we will receive grace to do more for God. You see, people struggle to work for God these days. No you don’t struggle to work for God; instead you ask for the enabling grace and sustenance to implement His instructions. For those 170 years, the leadership of the church never went to the South-East. Did this create some crisis? I wouldn’t say so. But the crisis we had in the Methodist Church which lasted for 14 and half years may be traceable to your question. Not that someone was trying to be the head of the church as it were, but somebody was denied a position he should have occupied In the East and that resulted to the crisis. You know as I’m moving now, there might be some people that are my ardent followers. There is what we call Zikist Movement: its members saw Nnamdi Azikiwe as their god. Whenever you see somebody occupying a top position, such a person is never alone, there are always loyalists around him. Like President Jonathan now, he has his own followers, each leader has his own, name them – Tinubu, Babangida, Amaechi, loyalists abound for each. So the crisis of that time was between the loyalists of the Igbo man and the loyalists of the Yoruba man. They were in conflict, and that degenerated to the 14 and half years crisis from January 1976 to May 1990 when we finally held a reunion here in Yaba to broker a truce. During that period, nobody had the ambition to become anything because the Methodist Church is a family. It simply happens that by God’s mysterious way of doing things, He makes the people to say, ‘Yes, this is our candidate’ – regardless of where he hails from. In filling a vacant position in the church, any candidate can emerge from anywhere. If you zone it, it would be dangerous and it would no longer be the church of God. I think God has directed the church in taking the right step. I believe the people are happy with the new development and they are extremely cooperating. I receive maximum cooperation from every part of the church. For instance, at the conference we held recently in Port Harcourt, we were there as a family, and always meet as a family. At every forum, call it Women’s, Men’s, Youth’s meetings; we meet as God’s family under the Methodist Church, Nigeria, and that is what we are. Sir, how would you assess the present church of God in general? Has it lost its vision of positively influencing the secular world? Yes and no. In every church there is a Judas. Some churches

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for 2015 elections or fellowship groups are living up to the Biblical standard; but others are an utter disgrace. Look at reports of prominent church leaders now randomly divorcing their spouses as if they are merely changing wardrobes! And some others are involved in syncretism – the act of worshipping God and mammon in combination. Still, some church leaders are shamefully materialistic they are no longer satisfied with what God provides for them – as they thoughtlessly veer into unprintable businesses, all in the name of making money. See, anybody who calls the name of the Lord must depart from iniquity because the Bible says in 2nd Timothy 2: 18 & 19 that everybody that calls God’s name should depart from iniquity. Christians should rely on God and depend on what He would provide. I believe that salary or no salary from the church, when you do the work of God, God speaks to somebody elsewhere you don’t know to bless your church or ministry. That’s how we should move and that’s how I have been moving in my works for the Lord. I feel shy to beg for personal things but I will not be ashamed to ask you to support my assignment for God. But for me to say I need garri, pepper or a car and go about begging or arm-twisting members to have them, God forbid! I will never do a thing like that, and a church leader shouldn’t do that. That would mean underrating the God we are serving. I believe the God I’m serving knows my need, for He says “Seek ye first the Kingdom and all other things shall be added unto you.” A minister should have and inspire integrity. A minister of God should conduct himself with decorum; he should have strong faith and should know that the God that brought divine breadcake to Elijah is always alive and if you are serving him sincerely with an open mind, He would always provide for you. God is not man that disappoints – saying something but doing the very opposite. He is immutable, immanent, transcendent and knows what is in our hearts. He knows the yearnings and aspirations of His people, and as He provides for the animals in the forests, so He daily provides for us without fail. Where do we start from in rebuilding Nigeria morally? Thank you. I think all hope is not lost. Nigeria still has hope of rebranding, if we must all be patriotic. Let me tell you, I don’t see any political party as capable of solving the problem of Nigeria, whether PDP, APC or the others. What would solve the problem of Nigeria is the radical reengineering of our mindset as a people. As a people, we all (starting from the family level) must will ourselves to daily live for God and for our fellow men, and this can easily be achieved by asking for God’s help. When we have the fear of God and respect for the Rule of Law, then we will begin to see politics like a game of football in which there must be, normally, winners and losers - with life continuing without schism and rancour. You won’t be my enemy because you are not in PDP with me; and I’m not supposed to be your enemy because am supporting a different candidate from yours, all those are just ways of democratically getting into office to render quality service to humanity. Unfortunately though, people don’t see it as coming to serve; instead they see it as a means of attaining wealth and stardom. When we know that politics is about service then our thinking will change, we wouldn’t rig to win election. Look, you can win as a PDP or an APC person and then distribute your office to other parties. We must begin to play inclusive instead of exclusive politics. If we do just that, Nigeria would reinvent and reposition. The primary responsibility for the politicians is to provide those things that make life sweet for the people. I went to the UK and from there to Florida recently. In those places, I saw examples of an organised society. No outage, the roads are good, infact you don’t need a personal car to travel around. I think the government of Jonathan is working hard to achieve same here. I blame our leaders and other public officers for one thing: most of them travel out, but when they come back to Nigeria they don’t replicate those foreign virtues in their local communities. They rather prefer to buy houses outside, send their children to school overseas, while the people that voted them into offices are left to suffer. That is unfair. What will rebrand Nigeria is for us to change our mindset and embrace the fear of God. Nobody should deny the existence of God - whether you call Him Allah, Chineke or Oluwa in your language, He is God and He is supreme and deserving of our complete reverence and devotion – whether at the workplace, at home, at school, in secret and in public. We must fear God and love His people; even though He is a Spirit that we cannot see, yet He is the creator and owner of the universe. We must also create what we call the Brotherhood of Humanity: as God has not given us the permission to shed blood or destroy people’s lives and property. We should obey the Golden Rule which says to love your neighbour as yourself. When we establish these in our individual lives and homes, Nigeria will rebrand and recover and completely heal. The National Conference has just ended with the report sub-

mitted to the President to be passed to National Assembly for assent. What’s your take on that? What I know is that there are aspects of the report that don’t need to go to the National Assembly. Issues like creation of states, devolution of power and revenue formula should go to the National Assembly, but the rest parts do not necessarily have to go to NASS. The Executive can implement parts like job creation, conduction of credible election, interfaith harmony, et-cetera. On the issue of religion really, it is a matter of maturity. When I was serving in the North for instance, whether by accident or by design I can’t actually say, but all my four gardeners were Muslims, and lived in the same compound with me in the city of Kano. In fact, during the religious crisis in that city in 1991, we hid and fed four of them three times a day until the whole thing blew over. We saw them as our fellow human beings created by God; we protected them despite not being Christians. In fact, during their Sallah celebrations, we provided them with money and other necessities so they could enjoy with their families. There must be freedom of association and tolerance for those who do not belong to our so-called group. At no time and by no means must we force people into our beliefs and associations, against their will and volition. This is why I got quite close to the former Emir of Kano. Yes, he was such a personal friend of mine that whenever we had harvest and other events in the church, he always sent his chiefs to honour my invitations. We related so well. So I don’t know why people, especially current politicians, should wield religion as an instrument to divide Nigeria. Instead, religion should be used as a means of integration and cohesion - that is if one truly knows and loves the God one is serving. See, once you are a man of character, daily eschewing evil in your relationship, actions and utterances, people will be drawn to you. They would emulate your belief without your coercing them. No person should be forced or killed for not following a particular religion. People are animalistic in behaviour. I don’t think they are in the right frame of mind; if they were, they won’t be killing their fellows in the name of religion, just to achieve political power. On the issue of the abducted Chibok girls, for instance, I have maintained that they want to use the abducted girls for politics in 2015; it’s all about power mongering! And with all seriousness, I curse whoever it is that participates or has ever participated in the sponsorship of Boko Haram. Such a person with his entire family would be eliminated from the face of the Earth, unless the person repents. But if he does not repent, he cannot escape this curse because he/she cannot kill other people’s children, rape people’s wives, vandalise their property and go free. No! There is law of karma, they would always reap what they sow. They cannot keep their families overseas and turn around and destroy other people in Nigeria. They must reap their evil deeds; as they sow whirlwind, they must reap whirlwind. Any religion that tells you that if you kill a fellow human being, you go to heaven as a result, that religion is a false religion and completely evil! God says not to kill for any reason. Since no man is justified by God in taking other people’s lives, what type of religion allows one to kill and vandalise? Such is a satanic religion! So the aspect of interfaith harmony in the Conference Report

‘As a bishop now, if I decide to retire and go into politics in righteousness, nobody should stop me. And if I don’t want to go for an elective position, I can be in the background as an adviser’

must not wait for the usual rigours associated with parliamentary processes. The Presidency should extract matters like that from the bunch and as a matter of urgency, fix them. How can the Nigerian economy go back to what it used to be? During our time, while growing up, there was dignity of labour. There was a robust agricultural system in place. Young people then were contented with working on the farms because the reward was high and consistent. Now you don’t see a young man going to a village to cultivate the soil for the purposes of farming; everybody now wants to go to Abuja, Lagos and anywhere they can get easy money from soft or no efforts. Most of our sons have become thugs in the hands of politicians who used them for dubious ends. Our young people must ask themselves this: if political thuggery were good, how come politicians don’t use their children and dear ones? Political thugs metamorphosed into kidnappers and armed robbers, et cetera – because in order for a thug to do the job, he must be high on dangerous drugs. Now Boko Haram, also a product of political thuggery, is consuming our society and they are regretting it because while they were initially raised to intimidate their political opponents and to help them get into power, the thugs have rebranded into an unmanageable terror to exterminate everyone. My father once told about a policeman who took care of a dog that belonged to a white man who served in Okigwe in the early 50s, and the dog was not fed when the Englishman travelled to the UK. The policeman abandoned the dog and went to his own village; by the time he returned the dog had become ferocious and belligerent, out of starvation. And as the policeman finally went to feed the dog, the beast seized and tore him into pieces and drank his blood for thirst. Boko Haram was the making of people who used them to destroy other people in order to achieve power through negative means but now it has boomeranged. And I want to tell you that I don’t like the way some people are now castigating Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika. When he fought Boko Haram ferociously and gallantly - recording palpable victory within a short period - with the country heaving a sigh of relief. Instead of people encouraging him with cheers, they said he was retaliating what was done to the Igbo in the civil war! The same people, not merely satisfied with his removal, have contradicted themselves by alleging that he is sponsoring Boko Haram – the same terrorists he openly waged war against! Whoever plotted that allegation is very wicked. The Ihejirika I know cannot sponsor Boko Haram, so they should leave him alone. If he were sponsoring the group, why did he order the killing of its leader? Gen. Ihejirika is rumoured to be interested in the governorship of Abia State. Do you think the transition from military to politics is good for him, especially this soon? Why not? He is sufficiently educated and has handled several sensitive assignments in the service of his country. As a responsible community member, I am sure he has contributed to the development of his community plus that of Nigeria in general. Politics is all about transforming people and places with sustainable creativity, and that requires rounded exposure. Ihejirika is young and with fresh ideas just from his high military leadership, no time is better than now – that is if he truly wants to run for the office. As for moving from the military to politics, if you had read history, you would discover that some members of the Bush family were in the army before. Even in Britain, soldiers easily metamorphosed into kings and dukes. I believe that if you retire from the army you are a citizen of Nigeria and you can vie for any post whatsoever. As a bishop now, if I decide to retire and go into politics in righteousness, nobody should stop me. And if I don’t want to go for an elective position, I can be in the background as an adviser. We are all political animals, and I am personally interested in what happens to Nigeria. Anybody telling you he doesn’t play politics is fooling himself; we all play politics every day. Politics is about the rule of law, good governance, and so is not a dangerous or dirty venture. So if Ihejirika wants to go into politics, I would endorse him 100 per cent. Let him go - even if he’s not experienced, he would learn on the seat. Despite the ‘dirt’ in politics, do you encourage Christians to be involved? Yes, and do you know that God was a politician? I really do hope you are not disappointed I say He was. During the time of Israel, when He was appointing people like Samuel, was He not a politician? In fact, politics is a product of theology; politics emerged out of religion, so religion is the father of politics. But I am talking about politics in righteousness, governance in righteousness. God Himself is the originator of politics, and the whole world knows He is righteous and holy. If we play politics in a Godly way, there would be peace in the nation. The Bible says, “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to the people.” The reason we are suffering in Nigeria today is because politics has been left in the hands of evil-minded persons. The equation has to change; righteous, Godly, in fact, men filled with and controlled by the spirit of God should and must start seeking political offices – from ward councillorship to the presidency. Christians, by their continual shunning of politics, are disobeying their Lord and Master who commanded them to ‘Occupy till I come’. Anybody who associates politics with ‘dirtiness’ and for that not taking charge of his society through political instrumentality, is ridiculing God. And the result of doing so is very dangerous, as we have seen in contemporary Nigeria.

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Photo speak

Golden Jubilee celebration and book launch of Superior Evangelist Samuel Owatunde Mashal, which heldat the Celestial Church of Christ, Trinity Tabernacle, Otta, Ogun State last week.

Superior Evangelist Samuel Owatunde Mashal, preaching during the church service

Suoerior EvangelistSamuel Owatunde and his wife cutting the cake

Superior Evangelist Samuel Owatunde Mashal, administering Child dedication during the Church Service

Superior Evangelist Samuel Owatunde Mashal dedicating a child during the church service Oriloye 1, Alawowo of Awowo iand, Oba Abdul Gafar Olasunkami (left) and Superior Evangelist, Samuel Owatunde Mashal and his wife during the cutting of cake

Superior Evangelist Samuel Owatunde Mashal and his family members at the special Thanksgiving Service Superior Evangelist Samuel Owatunde Mashal and his well-wishers on the dancing floor

Cross section of guests, at the reception ceremony

Superior Evangelist (Dr.) Richard Anisere(left) and Superior Evangelist Samuel Owatunde Mashal, at the church service

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It’s wrong to tax churches –Omoge Deputy Pastor of Celestial Church of Christ, Rev. Gabriel Beeni Omoge, spoke with BABATOPE OKEOWO on the perceived crisis in the church, his selection as deputy pastor and the proposal to tax religious organisations We would like you to introduce yourself to our readers. I am Rev. Prophet Gabriel Beni Omoge, the Administrative Head of CCC Ondo/Ekiti Arch-Diocese and recently I was ordained Deputy Pastor of Celestial Church of Christ World-wide. I am a Nigerian, born and bred in Isua, a town in Ondo State. I am married and blessed with children. How did you emerge as the deputy pastor of the church? My emergence as deputy pastor was by divine arrangement. I did not plan it and I did not lobby for it. I am not the most qualified when we talk in terms of age or seniority. But in Celestial Church of Christ, it is the Holy Spirit that directs. The incumbent pastor and spiritual head of the church, His Eminence, Rt. Rev. Prophet Paul Suru Maforikan, has come of age. He decided to appoint a deputy to assist him in the administration of the church and had to put the issue before God for quite a long time for God to direct him in the selection so that he would not make a wrong choice. Consequently, I was appointed the deputy pastor, CCC Worldwide. So this is why I said my appointment to the position of deputy pastor was divine. Celestial Church of Christ as it is today is split into two factions. Which one is your

own? Frankly speaking, Celestial Church of Christ is an indivisible entity. As at today, all parishes of the Celestial Church of Christ all over the world run the same mode of service as regulated by the doctrine of the church, we wear the same Sutana - white apparel - and do not put on shoes each time we wear it. We use the same hymn book and sing the same hymns during service. We have the same days of services and programmes and all that. Although physically there are noticeable factions but spiritually the church remains indivisible. In actual fact, what we have are mere sectional interests, not factions, not divisions. And the common denominator for these sectional interests is money and rank. These are what created the border lines. Nobody is fighting anybody. What efforts are the elders of the church making to reconcile all the sectional interests?

Power in the word with

Banke David

n your marks, set, go! ...The runners dash off as they sprint towards the goal-line or finish line. In every race, you have several paraphernalia… the runners, the referee or umpire, the lanes, the spectators, the prize or medal, the attire and so on. For our study today, we shall be looking at these verses of scripture(1 Corinthians 9:24-27):Do you not know that in a race all the participants run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No; I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. From these verses of Scripture, we can deduce the following:-

Tel: 08034156014 • There many participants in the same race. • Only one person will get the prize. • We are to run the race with purpose and focus. • Discipline is required in running the race. • There is a reward for running well. • The rules of the game must be strictly adhered to. • Run with the winner’s mentality. 1. You see, in life just as in a sporting competition, many are running the same race as you are. You are not the only one going through, there are many others. God is a God that finishes what He starts, so we are enjoined to finish this race of life. We are not to give up midway or throw in the towel abruptly. You will run to finish in Jesus name, Amen. 2. I say this because the prize or award is given only to those who

Sincerely speaking, those who are close to the church or the observers of the emerging trends in the Celestial Church of Christ will agree with me that several efforts have been made in the past and efforts are still being made to bring back the church into one united family and under one headship. As I am speaking to you now, I make bold to say that there is hardly any parish of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide where prayers are not been offered for the unity of the church. This to a large extent shows the genuineness of the Celestial faithful to end this unfortunate circumstance that we have found ourselves. I can tell you that every sectional interest is getting tired of isolating itself. Every genuine Celestian prays daily for God’s intervention. Personally, I am optimistic that shortly and very shortly the desired unity will be achieved and God is working in this regard. Some people are clamouring that government should tax religious organisations. What

is your view on this? It is definitely out of place for any form of government to collect taxes from religious organisations. Churches, for example, live on charity, on donations. In most advanced countries of the world, no government puts tax on donations and charity. The money people donate in churches are got from their incomes which have already been subjected to various forms of taxes and so placing taxes on them again in churches or other religious organ isations would amount to double taxation. How much is the government paying to religious organisations that pray daily for their sustenance? We fast and pray to God for peace for the country at all times and for God to direct and guide our leaders aright. How much do they pay to us? Those who are proponents of this idea are looking at some pastors and other clerics who are materialistic, who have acquired enormous wealth in one way or the other and have come to an erroneous conclusion that there is money in religious organisations. So it is wrong to conceive such an idea. Churches, for example, cater for orphans, the widows and all that from the meagre resources available to them. As a religious leader, do you think it is right for Christians or religious leaders to participate in politics? Why not? It is not wrong for Christians to participate in politics. In fact to leave politics in the hands of the heathen is disastrous. More so Christians or Muslims are citizens of the country. Voting or presenting candidates for elective positions are civic responsibilities of citizens of a country. The problems we have in this country are bad leadership and corruption. Christians should participate in the decision making body of our country to bring sanity to the system. When you don’t have the fear of God you cannot do what is right. This is the bane of our society today. Everyone is corrupt. Even today who do you regard as a Christian?

Only the winner gets the prize finish or complete the race. In other words, there is no prize for starting the race; only finishers and winners get the prize. Therefore, I decree by the authority in the name of Jesus that you will end well. 3. Since it is only the winners that get the prize, it therefore shows that we cannot run this race haphazardly; we must run with Purpose. Running with purpose means that you run the specific race assigned to you by the master and not another person’s race. 1st Corinthians 12: 4-12 tells us that God has given us different gifts. So a person should not be jealous of another’s giftings and calling. You are unique in your own way and another person cannot do what you can do in the same way you do it. That is why I encourage people to be unique and not try to copy others. This will only lead to frustration. If you do what God has not called you to do, you will be frustrated. Do not start a business just because another person is prospering in that area. Discover your own area of strength - even if you are a street sweeper, you can sweep in a way nobody has ever done before and I tell you, it will bring you promotion. The gift of a man will bring him before kings and not mere

men. (Proverbs 18:16 ) Use your own Gift, be an Original, not a copycat. 4. Running with purpose and focus also means that you fix your attention on the goal or prize, to avoid distractions. Anything or anybody that will take you away from your God-ordained calling and place is a distraction and should be avoided. A distraction can cause a loss of focus which may hinder you from getting the prize in the long run, so run with focus, concentrating all your energies and abilities on the goal (Jesus Christ). In running this race, discipline is required. Discipline, according to Oxford’s Dictionary, is the practice of training people to obey rules and orders and punishing them, if they do not. You see, discipline involves punishment if rules are not obeyed. We need to be disciplined in life, if we hope to win the prize. A runner disciplines his body with strict trainings and rigorous preparations, how much more, we who are running for eternity! Should we not discipline our spirits, bodies and souls? Should we not be time disciplined and arrive early for events, for how long will we sit on church pews without being active in various departments? How long will it take for us to fulfil God’s

plans for our lives? When God chastises us, let us not complain. It’s all a part of the discipline, it’s out of love. We all should learn to take corrections. As the saying goes, the greatest room is the room for improvement. Discipline is not pleasurable, but it pays. It’s for our own good. 5. There is a prize for running well. God has not asked us to labour in vain. He is a rewarder and will reward those who are faithful. (Heb. 11:6) 6. When running, we should bear in mind the rules of the game; every game has its rules e.g. double-crossing is not allowed in running. You must use your own lane or else you will be disqualified. Let us run with our own gifts and not double-cross to another person’s field. 7. Finally, in running the race of life, we should run with what I term the ‘finishers mentality.’ You need to see yourself ending well, picture it in your mind’s eye and you will get there. God told Abraham in Genesis 13:14 to lift up his eyes, as far as your eyes could see……….. Whatever we can picture, we will capture. See the end from the beginning, like God.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Faith

Stages of independence Firm faith: right reason by

Living in Bondage

he independence of any nation initiates emancipation for its people. A panorama of the story of Israel, God’s people, can teach us some lessons as we commemorate Nigeria’s independence. In the Bible, Israel found itself in bondage in Egypt. After hundreds of years, the people had begun to feel the pressure of the exiled. “Then a new king who had not known Joseph came to power and said to his people. The Israelites are more numerous and stronger than we are. Let us deal warily with them lest they increase still more and, in case of war, side with our enemy, fight against us and escape from the land. So they set taskmasters over them to oppress then with forced labour” (Ex. 1; 8-11). Then the people realized that they needed to free themselves in order to earn selfdetermination. They cried unto the Lord God for help and from their bondage their cry ascended to God who in his mercy revealed himself to his people (Ex. 2: 2325). The people had found favor with God, such that in spite of all that Pharaoh, did to oppress them, they simply increased in numbers and strength. Anyone who favored them also received favor from the Lord their God like the midwives Shiprah and Puah. (Gen. 1:15-21).

Most Rev. Emmanu el Ade Badejo

Tel: 08039494219 Email: fradebadejo@yahoo. God delivers his people In the meantime God’s plans had been made and sealed. He raised Moses, a child he had saved from destruction in the hands of Pharaoh, to speak to Pharaoh on the people’s behalf. Moses was a reluctant ‘savior’. He vigorously argued with God before he was “compelled” to lead Israel out of Egypt. God prepared and equipped Moses for the task and gave him Aaaron as companion to help him in his task. God taught them both what to do and say to convince his people that they had been sent (Ex. 3-5). Then through Moses’ hand God worked powerful miracles, such as had never been seen in the land of Egypt. Through troubles and trials Moses “persuaded” Pharaoh to let Israel go without a fight. When Pharaoh tried to renege on his word, God fought for his people. As the army of Egypt tried to bring the children of Israel back into slavery God sank them into the Red Sea. Then the people

The arm of God

“Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.” Ps 89:13 Have you ever imagined the military side or armory of the Almighty God? When you are confronted with fierce battle and your enemy seems to be in full control of your life, the Bible says, ‘strong is thy hand…’ By the grace of God, I want to expose you to a side of God that Christians have de-emphasized its value. Over the ages, heroes of faith have taken advantage of this and have testimony to show. God has sophisticated and unusual military weaponry which He deploys to discomfit the strong-man and its hold on your life. As a father, if you can use one hand to carry your child, how much more the Arm of the

living God. Though His hand might be invisible but in critical and life-threatening situations, His hand becomes concrete and visible to address every shame, affliction and suffering. When He stretches His hand, it connotes deliverance, liberty, freedom, healing and unending joy, Ps 3:3. The Bible warns sternly about the danger associated with depending on the strength of the flesh (man and human connection) “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Jer 17:5 1 Sam 2:9; there is a strong hand of God full of verve, strength, power, grace and succor capable of terminating your shame and

Then through Moses’ hand God worked powerful miracles, such as had never been seen in the land of Egypt” of Israel sang this song of praise unto the Lord. “Sing to Yahweh, the glorious one, horse and rider he has thrown into the sea” (Ex. 15). Leadership like Moses’ Independence is never a onceand-for-always event. It is achieved day after day. If independence ever comes on a platter of gold it rarely ever stays there. Independence for Israel brought unexpected blessings and responsibility as well. Moses had his hands full with the stiff necked people he had to lead. So God gave him a code of laws, the Ten Commandments, to help him govern them. Living by that code bringing you to a place of honor. His hand (arm) will work in your favor in Jesus name. Friends and associates can hold and later drop you but the Ancient of days cannot because His hand and grip is powerful and prevailing; the strength of His hand is inimitable. Confusion is certain in the camp of your enemies but as for you, it will be the making and illuminating of your star, Ps 75:6-7 but the big question is this, what value do you place on this? Nobody is capable of proffering solution to your plight in whatever ramification if His Hand is not involved because vain is the help of men. No matter the gravity of your burden, sorrow or affliction, God’s hand is able and sufficient to carry all of your life issues (I Pet 5:7). Our God is a humorous God; He brings the lowly from the dungeon and fixes them in places of honor (Ex 6:6). God has agents and angels He places around you but when the problem goes beyond their reach, ability or resources, then He would involve His hand. When you are in a fix or confronted with situation that men could best describe as impossible, all that you need is His hand. Sometime ago, one of our beloved brother was kidnapped by ritualists, somehow we got wind of this and began to intercede on his behalf and afterwards he escaped miraculously. In his words, he said, ‘an invisible hand woke me up and directed me from Ilesha back to Oshodi’ “And the Lord will make his majestic voice heard, He will display the strength of his mighty arm and it will descend with devouring

did not come easy for the people. They wanted as much freedom from God and his laws as they wanted from Pharaoh and his land. They rebelled against Moses and God. At the waters of Meribah they questioned God (Ex. 17.) They even tried to displace God who had saved them. The psalmist put it all so well. “They made a calf at Horeb and worshipped the molten image. They exchanged the glory of God for the image of a bull that eats grass. They forgot their Savior God who had done great things in Egypt, wonderful works in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Sea of Reeds.” (Ps. 105: 19-22). At some stage God even decided to destroy his people but Moses played the leader of every people’s dreams and stood in the gap for his people, making God to “repent” and spare his people. The challenges of nationhood Then Joshua took over the mantle of leadership from Moses. He challenged Israel to be steadfast. He made a covenant on behalf of God with the people. He said to them “You yourselves are witnesses that you have chosen Yahweh to serve him…Remove now from your midst any other Gods and serve Yahweh, the God of Israel with all your heart” (Jos. 24: 22-23). As seen in Bible history the people failed often in their resolve. God however continued to call them to repentance through his prophets and priests. He fi-

nally spoke to all through his Son, Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1-2). Like the people that Joshua led Nigeria did not fight to gain independence but our country has traveled through a similar history as Israel. Authentic independence is dependence on God more than any other power. Like the people of Israel we owe God gratitude for many things. However our independence must be ongoing, for we as a people are yet not free from impunity, injustice, greed, corruption, hypocrisy, Godlessness and the like. Through the hustle and bustle of our celebration; banquets, marchpasts, award ceremonies, lectures and manifestations, we must find a desire for authentic change, a leader like Moses, strong enough to raise the moral temperature of our country. The capacity we need to make a U-turn and adopt change and the capacity to admit error and the courage to right our wrongs are indispensable to our future and development. God, in whom we are known, worldwide, to believe so strongly continues as ever to call us to change. In the Bible he rings he clear and relentless: “Look, I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my call and open the door, I will come in to you and have supper with you and you with me. I will let the victor sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and took my place with my Father on his throne” (Rev. 3; 20-21).

flames, with cloudbursts, thunderstorms, and huge hailstones” Isa 30:30 The arm of God is for special operations in the realm of the spirit and whenever you are stranded or in the quagmire of life, His hand will bring about your deliverance in Jesus name. Are you in the mist of turbulent situation, bondage or crisis, lay hold on this mystery and surely you will see His mighty acts. Behold, the day is coming when you will be all by yourself, but when it comes, you will triumph in the name of Jesus. This is a mystery that works regardless time, space, place or even the personality involved (Deut 9:29, 26:8). The people in whom you place solace can disappoint you, they could become ill and die but this great God is the Ancient of days, He has never failed and He will not fail concerning your situation in Jesus name.

dience (Is 1:19): Before you took that initiative or ventured into that business, career or relationship, did you enquire from Him? God will not pay for what He didn’t order for. • Inward and outward humility: God cannot stretch His hand towards the proud because He detests pompous person if you are not humble in life, you will stumble in destiny (I Pet 5:5-6). • Abide in Him with unwavering faith (Pro 18:10). • Pray in and out of season, (I Thess 5:17) • Be faithful in little things; give God His portion as He blesses you. Do not forget that obedience to financial laws opens the window of heaven without any human input.

HOW TO PROVOKE HIS ARM “I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.” Ps 89:20-21 King David profited greatly from this such that it was said of him that he will be strengthened even with the arm of God; for you to provoke His arm, there are certain things you must do; • Have a good relationship with Him: God cannot help you if He does not see you as one of His sons, do you remember the Lord’s Prayer? Is God really your father or are you a stranger to Him? • Uncompromising obe-

Pray like this • I invoke the arm of God in all the matters of my destiny. • Hand of the Living God; move me to the place of unusual breakthrough. • Oh the hand of God, sign into authority the obituary of my enemies. …in Jesus name I know this message has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through; info@thehebrewsng.com. Hotlines – 01-7903163, 08085845864. You can also listen to my messages on our podcast at www.thehebrewsng. com/podcast. Rev’d Femi Akinola – The Hebrews International, Lekki, Lagos.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Faith

MYSTERY OF ANXIETY with

Bishop John Ogbansie gbe Tel:08033416327

od rejoices in the prosperity of the righteous. For a child of God to enjoy favour and permanent prosperity, especially in health and hard work, there are certain fundamental spiritual principles which must be applied, one of which is the principle of tithe and offering. You must pay your tithe The word of God declares, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But ye say where in have we robbed thee? In tithe and offerings; Ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the store house that there might be meat in mine house, and prove me now here with, saith the Lord of host; If I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

And I will rebuke the devourers for your sake, and he shall not destroy the fruit of thy land neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of host. And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of host.” (Malachi 3:8-12) Tithe is the 10th part of everything which God gives to you. It is 10 per cent of your money or anything you have. Tithe is normally offered to God through His servants. In Genesis 14:18-20, the Bible records that Abraham presented a tithe of war booty to the priest-King of Salem by name Melchizedek, who has no beginning and no end. He in turn blessed Abraham with an everlasting blessing. He made a powerful pronouncement of blessings and said thus: “Blessed be Abraham of the Most High God, possess-

Why I live

s the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me, he also will live because of me (John 6:57).

The Pharisees and many Jews did not see any reason why the Lord Jesus Christ should live. They wanted Him dead. Jesus said He was living, not necessarily because of the Pharisees and those Jews, but the Father asked Him to live because of Him. Many persons may not feel the need for me to live, but I am not going to live long for their sake. I will live long because the Lord Jesus wants me ALIVE. Those who want to eliminate you may not have reasons to let you live, but the Lord Jesus says, “I have a thousand and one reasons why I want you to live.” So I live because of the Lord Jesus Christ. You too should find this reason very important – to live because of your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I shall live long because of the Lord Jesus Christ. I shall live by His Power. I shall live by His Word. His Word sustains the entire world without a pillar so His Word shall sustain me till old age. I know that I shall live long, not by my power or by my efforts but by the Word and by the power of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, because of Jesus. The Lord Jesus Himself will ensure that circumstances that bring about death be kept off from you. 9. By my faith Through Enoch’s faith, he was able to jump over death. He cheated death. Do you know

that we cheat death or we have victory over death daily? How? For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (I John 5:4) Your faith will make you bypass death each time spirit of death lurks on your way. That was how Enoch by-passed death. Because of faith Enoch was caught up and transferred to heaven, so that he did not have a glimpse of death; and he was not found, because God had translated him-- (Hebrews 11:5) Amplified. Each day, Enoch cheated death for 365 years before he finally made the journey to heaven thus by-passing death (Genesis 5:23). It was Enoch’s faith, not just faith that made him cheat death daily for not just for 365 days, but for 365 years. As far as I am concerned, if I can live each year by the power and the Word of God, I can live each decade. If I can live 40 years because of God, I can live 80 years because of Him. If I can also live 50 years by God’s grace and power, I can live 100 years and above by that same grace and power. This same thing applies to you also. You can live more than 120 years by your faith of this writer. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him; but the just shall live by His faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) You shall live, not by the faith of your enemy but by your own faith. I shall live long by my own faith. This is the word of God. I know I shall live long by my FAITH. This is one of the reasons I am convinced I will live long.

Kingdom investment or of heaven and earth. And blessed be the Most High God, who hath delivered thy enemies into thy hand, and he gave him, tithe of all.” Genesis 14:19-20. Also, in Genesis 28:19-20, Jacob pledged to offer God a tithe of all his possessions upon his safe return. Mathematically speaking, it is one-tenth of a person’s income. The Bible records thus concerning Jacob’s pledge, “And this stone, which I have set for a pillar shall be God’s House and of all that shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” (Genesis 28:22) Scripturally speaking, tithe is a law; this was why the word of God declared thus: “Thou shalt truly tithe all thy increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth year by year.” (Deuteronomy 14:22) Morally, tithe is a debt which we owe God, which must be paid by anybody who wants to prosper. To this end, the word of God says, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye say wherein have we robbed thee? In tithe and offering.” (Malachi 3:8) Economically, it is an invest-

My Life And My Health Shall Not Collapse The main Cathedral of the Commonwealth Covenant Church Int’l in Eleme, Rivers State is supported and upheld by about forty pillars, with none in the hall. However, when I look at the earth, I can’t find any pillar anywhere supporting the sky, or Heaven, or the moon, sun, and the stars. What is responsible for preventing the earth from collapsing? God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the world. Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person And Upholding All Things By The Word Of His Power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:1-3) The Earth cannot collapse because the Lord upholds and supports the Earth by the POWER of His WORD. The power of His Word consist the PILLARS that support the Earth, sun, moon and stars. In fact, the Earth rests on the Power Of His Word as pillars. 10. That is the same Power of His Word that sustains and supports my life and my health. My life, my health, and all that concerns me shall NOT COLLAPSE. The same thing applies to you also. My Life rests upon the POWER of HIS WORD, and not on any visible thing. As the earth is sustained by the Power of His WORD, so is my Life and Health. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.

ment. To this end, the word of God says; “But lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:20-21) From the above scripture, therefore, it is clear that the tithe (10 per cent of the tenth part) of all your income, legally, spiritually, scripturally and morally belongs to God. God is always interested in that which He calls ‘His own.’ Since you are a believer and a member of God’s household, it is incumbent on you to pay your tithe. You must pay your tithe. It is either you pay it to God or God allows you to pay it to the problems of life which the devil creates and fabricates against God’s people from time to time. God may also decide to collect it from you in own way or the other with interest. The tithe is not a monthly contribution you pay to the church body and expect the Pastor or God to say ‘thank you.’ Tithe is not a freewill donation or an

offering which you can give at any time or anyhow. Tithe is a compulsory assignment which every true child of God must carry out. God says it belongs to Him and you are under obligation to pay it. This was why the word of God declared thus, “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruits of the tree is the Lord’s. It is holy unto the Lord.” (Leviticus 2:30) There are a number of things which the Almighty God ordained to be holy such as Holy Matrimony, Holy Bible, Holy Communion, baptism and tithing. Anytime there is an increase in your life or you receive your income, 10 per cent of it belongs to God. Don’t use it for yourself, because if you do, you are robbing God and bringing upon yourself the curse of poverty and other calamities. But when you pay your tithe, God rebukes the devourer for your sake. Instead of suffering losses, He opens the windows of heaven and pours out an overflow upon your life; such that all nations shall call you, “Blessed and you shall be a delightsome land.” (Malachi3:12).

WORD OF LIFE by

Bishop Moses Kat tey Tel: 08087707486, Email: moseskattey@yahoo.co.uk

Who hath laid the measure thereof, if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the cornerstone thereof (Job 38:4-6) The Lord asked Job these questions. Similarlly, the Lord is asking others where they were when He laid the foundation of your life, and my life? Do they know on what are my bases sunk? Who among them knows were the foundations of my life and also your life are fastened? Since nobody knows, nobody can also make my Life and your life to collapse. This is one of the reasons why I know I will live long. God’s Word is stronger than all the PILLARS in this world put together. It is this Word of God that constitutes the PILLARS of my life and the PILLAR of your life. My Health shall not collapse, for The foundation is sure and strong. The Lord says so My faith supports the Word Foundation of my life. My prayer supports it. It is supported or it rests on the Power of God’s Word. Nobody can see the foundation to destroy it, so it cannot collapse. The same Power of His Word sustains the Earth since creation, without collapse. The same Power of His Word

is what my LIFE and Health rest on, to avoid collapse. I know I will live long for my life rests completely on the Word of God, and the Power thereof. My life is securely and well built. Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon the house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock (Luke 6:47,48). The Lord Himself “Built” my life like a house. The “digging of the foundation” of my life by God Himself was very deep. God laid the foundation of my life on a Rock. For this reason the flood and the streams of the enemy or death may “beat vehemently” upon my life but cannot shake it for it was founded upon a Rock”. The Amplified Bible puts it this way: 11 and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it has been securely built or founded on a rock (Luke 6:48). New American Standard Version puts it this way: and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house (my life) and could not shake it, because it has been well built.

Faith

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Maranatha, Lord come! THE Oracles of God by

Frank Oboden Olomukoro

frankolomukoro@yahoo.com, 07033621866

he cry ‘Maranatha!’ expresses the yearning among true believers who are waiting for the return of Christ. Maranatha is an Aramaic term and consists of the words Mar = LORD; ana = OUR; tha = COME. “Lord our, come! Put appropriately in flowing term, ‘our Lord, come.’ In the last chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul bid farewell with these words: “The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Cor. 16:21-23) There are people who love the LORD, accept His offer of grace and thereby the divine blessing. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12). Receiving the Lord is taking His name in water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ by immersion (dipping) in water. It is an error of

church tradition to sprinkle water or pour water or be immersed thrice in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38). There is not one single example of such in the whole of the scriptures. That is why we have so much spiritual still-births that do not produce the Christ-like nature but denominational attributes. Correct water baptism precedes sanctification; that is, the cleansing of the human vessel by God through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for Holy Spirit baptism. Acts 2:37-40. There are people who reject this prescription given by Peter for true redemption and stay under the curse. Every individual decides for himself or herself whether to accept the accomplished redemption. God wanted for all people to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). However, only the ones who recognise that they are indeed lost and call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13). To

him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43). ‘Maranatha’ was the password among the believers in the early church. They lived in the expectation of the imminent return of Christ and were of one heart and one soul. This was also the hope they clung to during the persecutions, which commenced in full force in the year AD 63 under Nero. After all, the LORD foretold this: “Remember, the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. And if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…” (John 15:20). The living expectation of the promised return of the Lord (John 14:1-3) was also the most important subject in the Epistles of the apostles and certainly in their sermons as well. John encouraged the believers like this: “And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming/return.” (1 John 2:28). Peter wrote: “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming/ return of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16). Peter spoke

Watch that alluring promise P ersonally, I have gone through a lot of attempts by 419s and swindlers but so far, they have not succeeded yet. Not because I am extra smart, no I have learnt to watch my feelings. The last one, which happened about a month ago or so, I was checking my email in my house. (I am warning you about feelings because there are feelings that make you feel good but they are capable of leading you astray). A lady from the United States dropped a letter in my email box. She started by saying ‘Praise thy Lord’. You know when people say ‘Praise thy Lord’ you find it interesting, isn’t it? They could be using ‘Praise thy Lord’ as a means of getting what they want from you.

“Praise thy Lord! I am sis Katherine; we live in so and so place in America, my husband is an American that lived for this number of years and died and he left over frothy-five million dollars. Now I have been diagnosed with internal disease, doctor told me I won’t survive it and am looking for who to will the forty-five million dollars to and God led me to you and you are the one who will inherit forty-five million dollars.” Wait a minute! This huge money in any currency! I

know of a truth that there are people who will their estate to orphanages and to ministries to take care of. I know it was possible for God to use anyone to send our ministry such an amount of money. But God speaking said: “Will I do this without telling my servant Abraham, knowing he will teach his children to walk in the path of righteousness?” The blessings of God makes rich and adds no sorrow. Before I got so excited, I had to watch my feelings and my spiritual reactions with the word and standard of God. And the email asked me to respond to the mail and then I will get a certain code about the fortune that will be transferred to me. Is that not appealing enough? Are the indexes not literarily correct? But I had to watch my excitement in the mirror of the word and spiritual sensitivity. Don’t be deceived and don’t allow the enemy to sweep you away with promises that are alluring and seductive. There is a way that seems right in the eyes of a man but the end thereof is destruction. Weigh the promises and the fortune with the

word of God. Take time to pray about it. What about relationships? Have you not seen men who come to ladies and say God sent them? Terrible deceit! They profess all kinds of things and share all manners of dreams and before you know my sisters are swept away by empty promises and illusions. Why don’t you do a Word check? Why don’t you ask questions? There are many who are trapped in deadly marriages, suffocated and frustrated because of fake promises. Do not become the next victim. When you ask questions on specific issues than emotional obsession and illusions you will soon find out if he is a liar or not; but not many ladies want to ask questions. Many dwell on fantasies deceived by emotional harassments. Some ladies will tell you: ‘I feel somehow.’Tthat inordinate feeling will land you in a wrong marriage that will mar and jeopardise your future if you don’t control yourself. Why I am careful is because I know the source of pain and jeopardy. Satan is the source and human beings are the resource that he uses. Satan does not do

encouragingly because some were denying the coming of the Lord. “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And saying where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4). James reassured them: “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming/return of the LORD, behold, the husband man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it until he receives the early and later rain.” (James 5:7). Paul could even refer to the ‘THUS SAITH THE LORD.’ “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” (1 Thess. 4:15) The promised return of Christ also becomes the main subject with William Branham: since he is the promised Elijah with the message to forerun and prepare the Bride for the second return/ rapture. At His Return, the heavenly Bridegroom will take only the prepared Bride home. The prophetic ministry in our time was meant to call out the true believers from all religious confusion through the divine message and to prepare them for the sec-

ond coming of Christ. The whole counsel of God is now being declared to the church so that she is restored to her original condition and can at the end once again be as the original church was at the beginning at Pentecost. As in every revival, among those who now hear the last message of calling out and restoration by the promised ministry according to Malachi 4:5-6 – as confirmed by our LORD in Matt. 17:11 and Mark 9:12, there are many that are called but only a few are chosen (Matt. 20:16). The call of the hour is “Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him! All virgins hear it, all wake up, and trim their lamps. And yet there are wise ones and foolish ones. The wise are the elect, they have the oil of the spirit, the fullness of the spirit in their earthen vessels.” (2 Cor. 4:7) “And every word of God is the bread of life for them.” (Matt. 4:4). Lamps, meaning illumination, the foolish virgins have as well. But they miss their preparation; because they also believe the foolish interpretations of men, whereas the wise only believe what is actually written in the Word. Only what is written in the Word is indeed Biblical. And every doctrine is based upon two, three or even more scriptures. Maranatha! Our Lord come.

Taming your Emotions

by Bishop Lawrence Osagie Tel: 08063250667, mail:powerlineministries@mail.com, www.powerlineministriesinc.org

anything without human accomplices. He uses human beings to accomplish all his wickedness. So I won’t allow him to scuttle my future with fake feelings that will not last. The Bible says, “We do not wrestle with flesh and blood.” Ephesians 6:12. So don’t allow your feelings to rule your life otherwise your life will flip through your fingers. Your joy of eternal salvation, your aspirations and dreams will flip through your fingers if you allow your feelings to direct your life. And this will make me talk about taming the spirit of anger. Anger is the feeling that depresses your mood and sets you most of the time on the wrong pace. Taming the spirit of anger What is anger? Anger is a strong feeling of grievance and displeasure. It is the peak of annoyance. Anger destroys and never builds. Satan uses the spirit of anger to bring down all you have struggled to attain. And that is why when some women

are angry over certain issues you see them destroying televisions and all the fragile things in the house. Many people went to an early grave because of the consequences of anger. Some drove cars and lorries dangerously in anger and destroyed other road users as well as themselves. Some took arms and killed close associates because of anger. When anger exists it is strife and bitterness. Where there is strife and bitterness, there is no peace but evil works. Don’t allow anger take hold of you, child of God. It is an evil spirit that brings destruction. It does not build or breed anything good. Anger sparks off hatred and can lead you to kill. Anger erodes you of true sense of judgment and accurate discretion. It speaks only vengeance and retaliation. Proverbs 16:32 says, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city.”

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Sport 59

SUNDAY 05 SEPTEMBER 2014

Interview

Onigbinde: Nigerian sport a failure at 54 p.60

Eagles

Elegbeleye: FIFA won’t ban Nigeria p.61

Golf

Ted Iwere: Nigerian golf still young p.61

EPL

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Wenger wary of Costa’s threat p.62

Sunday Team

Deputy Sports Editor Dapo Sotuminu Golf Reporter Ifeanyi Ibeh Graphics Edwin Usoboh © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Amaju: Forgive me for my wrongdoing

Dapo Sotuminu

he newly elected president of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Amaju Pinnick, who was before the September 30 election in Warri equated with a former NFA boss, Mr. Kojo Williams, renowned for his seemingly arrogant nature a situation that led to his impeachment just after 90 days in office in the year 2000, has apologized to everybody he must have offended in the last 15 years when he became a full-fledged sports administrator. Even when Amaju’s invaluable contributions to the development of sports in Delta state became immeasurable, making him the most successful sports administrator in all the states put together; the fear of his unpredictable attitude was in the spotlight while the delegates that voted for him were being convinced that he was the best candidate for the NFF job. “I am sorry if I had one way or the other offended anybody in the last 15 years. I apologize as this is the new face of Nigerian football and we are determined to improve on the achievements of the former board led by Aminu Maigari and while doing this, we shall step on toes. “Peace and stability is key to any sustainable development. We shall try as much as possible to bring everybody together as our reconciliation move is going to be genuine.” He stated that the new NFF unlike previous administrations would build a healthy relationship with the Sports Ministry and the National Sports Commission, NSC, who are the financiers of all the Nigerian national soccer teams and the football federation. “The era of bickering with the NSC is over; we are going to respect them.” Amaju stressed that the NFF would put a programme in place to discover more Mikel Obi’s across the country with the development of the Regional Soccer League that would be supervised by zonal representatives. This he said would help in the discovery of more talents for the various national soccer teams. The NFF boss, who is renowned for his successes in corporate partnership for sports events in Delta state, stated that, for the NFF, funds would be raised by aggressive marketing as members in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja will be assigned to coordinate in their areas of comparative advantage. We have the First vice president, Akinwunmi taking charge of the Lagos hub of business and Christopher Green is on ground in Port Harcourt.

Amaju

SUNDAY, 05 OCTOBER, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sport/Interview

Onigbinde: Nigerian sport, a failure at 54

Chief Adegboye Onigbinde is a two-time chief coach of the Super Eagles, the first Nigerian coach to take the national team to the World Cup finals. He served as CAF and FIFA Technical Instructor for over 12 years; he was a former coach and General Manager of Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan. He told DAPO SOTUMINU in this interview that Nigerian sport has been retrogressive in 54 years

What is your opinion about Nigerian sports in the last 54 years? Generally one would have loved to see better progress in Nigerian sports but I don’t think we have made much progress because at the moment we are yet to have any definite developmental programme for sports in the country and that is why we have some inconsistency in this area. In terms of competitions, we have won some laurels but I do believe that, that is not the best Nigeria could achieve. I do say one thing probably some people took as a joke. I said Nigeria has the capability of winning the FIFA World Cup but because of the way we are handling the game it is becoming elusive. And this is the honest truth on the way we handle the other sports too. There is no deliberate developmental programme. Let’s talk about football for instance, in those days our major club sides used to draw players from the secondary schools, where are the players drawn from today? What this shows is that there is no development. Will you say Nigeria made progress in the area of administration? Developmental programmes will be created by the administrators, as we don’t have developmental programmes that mean the administrators are not doing their jobs. It is as simple as that. And this is very sad; it has been the same story for 54 years. At some points, some administrators who were focused and seem to know what they were doing were abruptly removed office and replaced with some misfits who obviously were ignorant about the dynamics of sports and its management. It is not good news to refer to Nigerian sports as work in progress after 54 years. This is shameful and not progressive. What do you think should be done to move sports forward from the seemingly retrogressive position in 54 year? The best bet would be an improvement on all those things we have discussed earlier and those in authority should give those who know about the development of sports the opportunity to change the country’s sports fortunes. The

major problem is this using a typical example. In Nigeria today if I am contesting the position of a doctor and I have some friends who can help me financially, physically or whatever, at the end of the day he wins the election and gets to the position. After the election, his highly placed friends would come together to say where do we put this man and tragedy of the matter is that most of the time, the dumping ground has been the sports sector. It is very sad using the sports sector as the garbage can. This is unacceptable and it must change. The system has been just to put anybody there, where the beneficiaries know nothing about sports. They want to compensate their friends for helping in the process of getting political power. If they look left and right and could not find any suitable public office, sports is always their incinerator. That of course is why we have all sorts of characters running sports in this country. Some of them are credible and respectable, but you have a lot more others who are in sports because of what they can get from the sector and not because of what they can put into sports. We have not come to appreciate the value of sports in this country. I keep saying something, if 10 per cent of the politicians we have in Nigeria were sportsmen we won’t have all the killings and maiming prevalent during elections from the local government to the governorship and the presidential, because sports would have taught them that it is not win at all costs, you win some and you lose some. And sport men are known for discipline. Apart from that, if you encourage mass participation in sports you spend less money on medical care and security because it is often said that ‘an idle mind is a devil’s workshop’. If you get the masses involved in sports, there will be less societal problems. A boy who leaves the classroom at 2pm and he had to go for volleyball training session at 4pm would concentrate. His mother would have to beg him to take his lunch before the 4pm training session. And he would be there for two hours, within those hours you can’t find him in any other place, as he is not God, he cannot be omnipresent. And the moment he finishes his training at 6.30pm,

the next thing he wants to do is to sleep. His mother still has to beg him to take his dinner. By so doing we are taking these boys and girls off the streets. And that minimizes responses on crime detection, prevention and prosecution. Aside from that, health wise if you participate in sports, it enhances better blood circulation and it is the blood that carries all the nutrients to the senses of the body. I am not saying that sport cures all, no. The more effective blood circulation is, the healthier you are. There is also the mental and physical alertness. Some of the accidents that happened on our roads happened after the driver had died. The driver would have died before the accident happens, because the moment he loses control he is gone, but for a sportsman he would still want to manoeuvre because of his mental and physical alertness and he may get out of the accident. Contrary to what some people believe it is not only dullards who go into sport. Sport sharpens the intellect. In 54 years, we have only played in five World Cup finals at the senior level. Do you think this is good enough? I said something earlier on, that I believe Nigeria can win the World Cup title; this is a clear indication that I am not satisfied with Nigerian football’s achievements in 54 years. Have we won the World Cup at the senior level before? The answer is no. I am saying practically that Nigeria is capable of win-

When we returned to Nigeria after the 2002 World Cup, the NFA fell apart with me when I told the Federation’s leaders that we should not be preparing for a competition as big as the World Cup the way we did for the 2002 edition and that we should commence the preparations for the Germany 2006 World Cup almost immediately

ning the biggest soccer title in the world. This is achievable if we put all our acts together and get people who can do it, to set out to work. I said something a little while ago, that Stationery Stores Football Club of Lagos used to get all their players from secondary school, where are the players from the schools today. There is one thing that is affecting school sports and education in Nigeria and that is the scrapping of Teacher’s Training Colleges. It was the beginning of the death of sports development in this country. Because in those colleges, physical and health sciences were compulsory subjects for both male and female. And the content of those subjects took us through several sports, administration, technicalities and officiating. So, at the end of the training, graduating students from the colleges are not just Games Masters or Games’ Mistresses, they are already a coach of several sports. And that was why we were able to lay a solid foundation for our sports those days. But today, the Teacher’s Training Colleges are gone. In the area of education, someone who is a Physics graduate would make attempts to teach in schools without learning how to teach. You may have PhD in a subject, if you don’t learn how to transfer the knowledge, you cannot transfer it. And that is why in our universities today, lecturers will refer the students to the internet and sell hand-outs to students instead of teaching them, because they do not know how to transfer knowledge to them. Nigeria has produced only two World Cup coaches from 1960 till date, yourself and Stephen Keshi. Will you say this is satisfactory? This is something that makes someone gets emotional. In I963 when Nigeria was going to perform the experiment to ascertain if Nigerians could handle the national team or not, I was a major force in that exercise. And I knew what I went through to convince the people that there are Nigerians who could do the job. But after some years, things went bad again as I was called back to handle the national team to the Nations Cup in 1984 where we finished second

place behind Cameroon. And 18 years after this, I was again recalled to take the Super Eagles to the Korea/Japan 2002 FIFA World Cup. We barely had two months preparation for the World Cup. Some people said the team was not as good as the USA 94 squad, but they failed to talk about the short preparations. I used virtually a new team, as the squad collapsed at the Mali 2002 Nations Cup in February and I took them for a competition as big as the World Cup in June/ July same year. During the preparations, I played seven friendly matches; won five and drew two. And for the World Cup proper, we lost to Argentina by only one goal; with the poor preparations we had, losing 1-0 to Argentina wasn’t a bad outing. We lost 1-2 to Sweden and drew with England. When we returned to Nigeria after the 2002 World Cup, the NFA fell apart with me when I told the Federation’s leaders that we should not be preparing for a competition as big as the World Cup the way we did for the 2002 edition and that we should commence the preparations for the Germany 2006 World Cup almost immediately. I sent in my programme to them and after about three weeks when nobody responded to my proposal, I packed my things from my office in the NFF in Abuja and left for my home in Ibadan, as those who were in-charge were not serious. Did we qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the answer is no, we did not. People have been saying a lot of things about Keshi, I am not saying that the former Super Eagles is perfect, but he had some achievements to show for it. Let’s even forget about his achievements. I had always said it, that the result of a team depends entirely on that administration. Keshi lost to Congo and played a draw against South Africa, and Nigerians have been calling for the heads of the coaches and the players. But look at our administrative set up now, especially before, during and after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Do we have any stable administration on ground? How will that not affect the team? But everybody is calling for the players’ heads ignoring that aspect of the problem.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, 05 OCTOBER, 2014

Golf Weekly Ted Iwere: Nigerian golf still young Stories by: Ifeanyi Ibeh

he Captain of the Ikoyi Club Golf Section, Ted Iwere, is full of praises for the progress golf has made in Nigeria, adding that the sport is fast gaining the necessary attention that would equate with the standard obtainable at international level. “The game of golf is rising in Nigeria as more people are now playing it compared to what it was some years back,” he said. “And more golf courses are springing up across the country. “Today we have new courses in Lagos and some others in various states. So, people are beginning to realise that the game of golf is a pleasure which you can play for recreation, comradeship and exercise.” He however said that there is still much to be done. “There is still much more to be done, including the regular hosting of the Nigeria Cup to celebrate the country’s independence, and other top notch competitions that are hosted in all the courses across the country,” he continued.

“We want to grow it and we have not gotten there at all and that is why we are eager and dedicated to the development of the sport in the country. “Relative to the rest of the world,

Nigerian golf is still young. If you take the number of golf courses in the country they are not up to the number of courses in some cities in some of the top golf playing countries.

N Iwere

*Says NFF election, beginning of good things to come

Elegbeleye

He stated that the way forward to develop Nigerian golf to the level currently obtainable in top golf playing countries is to keep organising top class competitions for the players to compete in regularly so that they can improve themselves. “It is our duty to provide the facilities, the trainings and the competitions so that people can get better in the game,” Iwere said.

McIlroy grabs Player of the Year gong…again

Elegbeleye: FIFA won’t ban Nigeria he Director General of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye, has disclosed that he was cocksure the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, was not going to ban Nigeria amidst the crisis that engulfed the country’s football in the past three months. Elegbeleye told New Telegraph on Sunday in Warri, Delta state shortly after the NFF elections that he knew the football federation

“So, relatively the game is still young in Nigeria. But in the past we got top players like Peter Akakasiaka, who played in the British Open, even though he did not win the world title, but at least he excelled in the game. Right now we have some young ones who are playing but they have not reached the world class level yet, so it is an aspiration and I think it is something worth working towards.”

would get over the crisis before FIFA finally decides to ban Nigeria. The September 30 election in Warri respected specified FIFA’s regulations and ensured no one contravened their laws. “FIFA said the former NFF president, Aminu Maigari, must superintend over the election with the Secretary General, Musa Amadu, in attendance, these were obeyed with the conduct of the election credible, peaceful and orderly. “The state FA Chairmen who voted conducted themselves peacefully and there was no cause for alarm. This is a sign of good things to come and it also signaled that we shall begin to have a crisis free football association without the fear that a FIFA hammer would fall at any time.” He stated that what FIFA wants is orderliness which is what they preach. And it is good that we have come to the end of crisis marking the beginning of a peaceful reign in the football family in Nigeria. The former member House Committee on Sports however dismissed the allegation of money politics saying that was not the issue on ground. “It was clear to everybody that the election was transparent as all the 44 delegates voted accordingly. I don’t see money in this at all, I am not interested and I don’t know who gave money. That is definitely not

the issue. The election was recorded on tape and very transparent that is how any election should be conducted in any country. “I saw some of the other contestants shaking hands with Amaju, that is the spirit of sportsmanship and that is the kind of politics I like. You cannot win all the time, if you lose today you can win tomorrow, so it shouldn’t be a do or die affair.” He advised the new NFF president to quickly put aside the euphoria of his victory and start fighting the battle of Nigeria getting a ticket to play in the 2015 edition of the African Nations Cup in Morocco. “The main thing Amaju Pinnick should preoccupy himself with at the moment is for the Super Eagles to beat Sudan home and away to guarantee Nigeria’s qualification for the Nations Cup. We must go to Morocco 2015,” he said.

orthern Irish world number one Rory McIlroy was during the week named as the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year for a second time after a stellar 2014 campaign highlighted by two major victories. The 25-year-old, who first landed the coveted honour in 2012, won consecutive majors this season at the British Open and PGA Championship, sandwiched around his victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. He also had two runner-up finishes to go with his three victories and finished third in the FedEx Cup standings. He also earned the Arnold Palmer Award as the Tour’s leading official money winner ($8,280,096) and claimed the Byron Nelson Award for adjusted scoring average (68.83). McIlroy displayed remarkable consistency, finishing no worse

than 25th in any of his 17 tournament appearances and placed outside the top 10 only five times. He said that 2014 was a more consistent season than when he previously won the award in 2012 and thanked his peers for voting him number one. “It’s a great honour and a great honour to win twice in the space of three years, and hopefully I can win it for many more years to come,” McIlroy told reporters, speaking by telephone from the 18th tee at St. Andrews, where he was preparing for this week’s European Tour event. “If I compare 2012 to 2014, I’d say that this year’s play was much more consistent. “Every time I teed it up I felt like I had a good chance to win, and that’s what I feel like I need going forward, consistency in my game and being up there each and every week.”

Mcilroy

Bako thrilled with Odoh comparison

amal Bako, one of Nigeria’s leading amateur golfers, is happy he is being compared to late Nigerian golfer, Paul Odoh, even as he hopes he can continue to improve on his game and become one of the best golfers in the country. The Kano-based Bako, an officer with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has in recent times, following a series of impressive displays at tournaments across the country, been compared

to the late Odoh, who as an amateur regularly took professional players to the cleaners at pro-am events. And Bako is thrilled with the comparisons to a true legend of the Nigerian golf scene. “He was a true legend of the sport and I feel honoured about the comparisons,” said Bako. “But I won’t let it get into my head.” Having dominated the amateur scene for some time now, it is expected that Bako will in the fore-

seeable future leave the amateur scene and turn pro. And he informed New Telegraph such plans are in the pipeline even though he isn’t specific on when he would be turning pro. “I hope to someday. It is something I dream of doing but a lot will depend on my superiors (at the NSCDC),” he said. “They have been quite encouraging and I hope they continue to do that,” added Bako.

SUNDAY, 05 OCTOBER, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sport / News

rsene Wenger admits that Arsenal must find a way to shackle Chelsea’s “killer” striker Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge. The Gunners head to the scene of last season’s 6-0 thrashing today, where they will attempt to derail the Premier League leaders, who have already scored 19 goals this season. Costa, a £32m summer signing from Atletico Madrid, has contributed eight goals himself, and Wenger is fully aware of the threat posed by the Spaniard. “He has done fantastically well,” the Frenchman said. “He has all the aspects of a striker that you like - he is focused, always determined and ready for a fight. “He has also got players who can feed him like (Cesc) Fabregas and Eden Hazard, who can find him with final balls. “Costa is a very efficient player. The timing of his runs and his determination, his killing determination - you feel he is a killer, he has that in him (when in front of goal).” Arsenal, like Chelsea, are yet to suffer a defeat in the league and head to west London with plenty of confidence after the midweek 4-1 mauling of Galatasaray in the Champions League.

Obafemi: I convinced Apam to join Seattle

eattle Sounders forward, Obafemi Martins, has revealed he convinced compatriot Onyekachi Apam to join the MLS side. The former Inter Milan of Italy striker said he told his one-time Super Eagles team mate: “You have to come to Seattle because this is a good team. If you are going to come to the MLS, this is one of the best teams. We have good players as well, so it is going to make it easier for you to play.” Apam’s entrance into the fold comes in the midst of a rough patch for Seattle’s defence, which has given up nine goals in their last three games. Centre back Zach Scott is also dealing with an ankle injury that forced him out of Seattle’s last match against Chivas USA, meaning the Sounders can use all the depth they can get defensively as the MLS season nears its conclusion.

Chelsea v Arsenal: Wenger wary of Costa’s threat

Mourinho Wenger

Wenger respects the ruthless hosts, who dispatched Aston Villa 3-0 at home last weekend, but urged his players to maintain a positive attacking approach. “You have to find a balance between nullifying their strengths, but without forgetting to express your strengths,” he said. “It is very important that we focus and concentrate on us having a great determination, a great desire and a great hunger to have a

that he plays regularly in the Premier League now, in his (central) position, means he is improving game by game, is adding to his game and that is very positive,” Wenger said. “There is a lot more to come from him, especially because he has the basics. “Danny has a good technique, he has good pace and a good mentality, so I believe that Diego Costa is a good example for him to follow.”

Ronaldo doubtful for Bilbao clash

Ronaldo

RESULTS

Barclays Premier League Hull City 2 - 0 C/Palace Leicester 2 - 2 Burnley Liverpool 2 - 1 WBA Sunderland 3 - 1 Stoke City Swansea 2 - 2 Newcastle Aston Villa 0 - 2 Man. City Germany - Bundesliga Leverkusen 2 - 2 Paderborn Bayern Munich 4 - 0 Hannover B/Dortmund 0 - 1 Hamburger Hoffenheim 2 - 1 Schalke Werder Bremen 1 - 1 Freiburg Frankfurt 3 - 2 Cologne Italy - Serie A Hellas Verona 1 - 0 Cagliari Spain - Liga BBVA Valencia 3 - 1 A. Madrid Rayo Vallecano 0 - 2 Barcelona Eibar 3 - 3 Levante France - Ligue 1 Caen 1 - 2 Marseille Bastia 0 - 2 Lorient Gaillard 3 - 0 Metz Nice 1 - 1 Montpellier Rennes 2 - 0 Lens

great performance, and focus on our performance and the way we want to play.” Another chance to see Arsenal come from behind to draw 2-2 with Chelsea Danny Welbeck has thrived in his preferred role for the Gunners, scoring a hat-trick against the Turkish side, and his manager feels he can display similar strengths to Costa. “Danny is 23 years old. The fact

ristiano Ronaldo is doubtful for Real Madrid’s Primera Division clash against Athletic Bilbao at the Bernabeu today. The world player of the year suffered a painful kick to the back of the leg in Wednesday’s Champions League victory over Ludogorets in Sofia. Ronaldo, who scored and missed a penalty against the Bulgarian side, did not play a part in full training on Friday but did run alone as he looked to prove his fitness. Gareth Bale also missed coach Carlo Ancelotti’s latest session for an unspecified reason but did train indoors. A statement on realmadrid.com

read: “Ancelotti placed an emphasis on working with the ball in a training session that saw Cristiano Ronaldo do running alone on the pitch at Ciudad Real Madrid. “Bale and (Fabio) Coentrao did work indoors at Madrid’s training facilities, while Jese and (Sami) Khedira continue with their recovery processes.” Real were given a scare in midweek as they fell behind early to Ludogorets and only secured victory, 2-1, with a 77th-minute strike from substitute Karim Benzema. Their form domestically, however, has been in impressive with 15 goals scored in the process of winning their last three games in succession.

Iorfa: Maigari’s betrayal will haunt him

he vice chairman of Premier League club, Lobi Stars Football Club of Makurdi, Dominic Iorfa, has labeled the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, as a traitor whose betrayal of his loyalists would haunt him for the rest of his life. Iorfa a former national team player said Maigari did not just betray the trust he had in him, but he also betrayed his own trusted friend Shehu Dikko who he promised to hand over the presidency of the NFF to. “It wasn’t funny seeing the same Maigari that promised Dikko the presidency working for the election of another candidate 24 hours to the poll. “The delegates openly sold out

with the biggest sell-out being Aminu Maigari. He is a weakling that was why he was booted out of power, with his achievements in football in the last four years; he remains the most qualified candidate to return as NFF president for a second term in office and not Amaju Pinnick. “Weak leadership was Maigari’s undoing. It is a shame that he sold out and that will surely come to haunt him for the rest of his life. “What happened in Warri was very clear that money exchanged hands to get the guaranteed votes. And sadly the sharing was allegedly supervised by the former president. If we have been doing this we cannot get to anywhere that is why our international rankings have been go-

ing down. “You can see why they were insisting that that election take place here. From the on start when the idea of taking the election to Warri was muted I objected to it, but there was nothing I could do as such decision for a change of venue could only be taken by the delegates, I was not a delegate but only a candidate who had no option than to make myself available for election.” Iorfa said he has been in football all his life. “I am not a businessman or an ace marketer. “At the end of the day, when they are ready to do the right things in Nigerian football, they can call on me and I will be readily available to contribute my quota, what they have in place now is total rubbish,” he said.

Pinnick’s energy a strong point -NOC Sec Gen

he Secretary General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, Honourable Tunde Popoola, has said that, what the new president of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Amaju Pinnick, has going for him is his energy as a young and vibrant sports administrator. He noted that he has been following him closely in the past years and has come to see that, his vibrancy has made him a goal getter. “He is bubbling with energy as he hosted a lot of sports events in Delta state in the past five years and he has been up and doing. I see him carrying over his brilliant ideas from Delta to the national level. One thing Pinnick should be ready to do is to listen and should have a clear vision of what he would do with the continental and the international bodies and how to manage funds. He must have a direction and transparent. He should also as a matter of priority give some of those who contested against him the chance to assist him in implementation of specific programmes as they are acclaimed football administrators with results. He should bring them in. I think the new NFF boss will do well as he would readily get the backing of the corporate world and that of the government because of his antecedents while as chairman, Delta Sports Commission. The election was a peaceful exercise and I was impressed that all the 44 delegates were present and they voted according to their conscience. The contest was open and the electoral committee followed the statutes as laid down before the election. After the first ballot they followed the constitutional provision as regards 2/3 of votes cast.

GOtv set for Hood-to-Hood Season 2 D

igital terrestrial pay TV, GOtv, has announced the call for entry from interested football teams and clubs for the Season 2 of the GOtv Hood-to-Hood Football Championship. The football championship is a grassroots football development initiative which was instituted in 2013 with the aim of engaging the youth positively and redirecting their energy towards sports, and to further entrench the brand with its core target market. The collection of application forms for participation in the Season 2 of the championship began on October 2 and would close on October 9. GOtv General Manager, Elizabeth Amkpa, enjoined interested teams to obtain registration forms at the Lagos office of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), inside the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. She added that the 16 teams that will be participating in the championship will be unveiled at a press conference on October 10.

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Kwankwasiyya fever grips Kano

s a child growing up in my rather remote and bush village in Northern Nigeria, Kano fascinated me. There was no city like that in our part of the world: It had the only international airport and was the vortex of international trade up north with its fabled man made groundnut pyramids.

Our primary school History books and English readers were filled with stories about Kano. I read about “going to Kano” then “Dan Asabe and the torch batteries”. Kano was my dream town and I wanted to be there. God answered my prayers and my nomadic life as a news reporter eventually took me to work there as an editor of the State owned Trimph Newspapers in the mid 80’s. This gave me a chance to find out about the good old city. According to tradition it was founded by Kano, a blacksmith of the Gaya tribe who in ancient times came to Dalla Hill in search of iron. The discovery of stone tools at the site indicates prehistoric settlement there. It was selected as the capital of Hausa state of Kano in (1095–1134). And after the jihad (1804–07), the city was chosen to be the capital of an emirate centered on the city. Later still when the British colonized what they called the Northern Protectorate, they enhanced the status of Kano as a center of administration by making it the capital of the protectorate until this was shifted to Kaduna. Kano was a city of international trade and received kola nuts from Ghana; salt from the Sahara; slaves from the Bauchi and Adamawa emirates; natron from Lake Chad; and sword blades, weaponry, silk, spices, perfumes, and books brought from Europe by the trans-Saharan camel caravans in return for Hausa leatherwork, cloth, and metal wares. British forces captured the city in 1903 opening the railway from Lagos in 1912 hence changing the direction of trade south to the Gulf of Guinea. Apart from its mercantile value, Kano developed a bubbling industrial base which retained its prosperity up to the 80’s. The industrial districts of Sharada, Bompai etc were churning out textiles, knit fabrics, tents, bedding, foam rubber products, clothing, and cosmetics among others while heavy industries manufactured asbestos, cement, concrete blocks, metal structural products, bicycles, automobiles, trucks, and chemicals products that could compete with those from any part of the world. But even while I was there as an Editor, the decline of Kano had begun. Frequent social upheavals – targeted at non indigenes, beginning from the Maitatsine uprising of 1980, scared away the skilled manpower that made Kano tick. Sadly, the Kano of today is not the good old Kano I knew and enjoyed – forty, thirty years ago. Certainly it has lost the allure and the innocence that attracted young men with their dreams, ideas and skills from all over Nigeria and abroad. The industrial districts today are not what they used to be. Last week I had the rare opportunity to meet Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano for the first time in my life. I could not wait for a second opportunity to ask him what he was doing to restore the lost glory of Kano as an industrial city. Agreeing that the industrial life of Kano has been distorted, the governor gave me a cocktail of reasons for this in his lengthy reply; the precarious security situation, the staccato state of electricity supply, the porous borders that enhance the smuggling of cheap products from abroad and on. These are serious problems, most of them beyond the constitutional mandate of the state government. Reviving the industrial life of Kano therefore requires robust federal

“Unlike in Katsina State where I noticed a disconnect between primary and secondary education, Kwankwassiyya secondary schools adorn the metropolitan and rural Kano landscape” Kwankwaso intervention. Besides that, Kano under Kwankwaso in the last three plus years is a success story. My good old city is being reinvented. Starting from Triumph newspapers where I worked in the 80’s, the man has constructed a two kilometer fly over bridge along the Murtala Mohammed Way at N10 billion. There is yet another flyover at Kofar Nassarawa at N6 billion. The road construction network embarked on by Kwankwaso in Kano city is dazzling. It often leads to heavy go slow as you drive around the town. All the major streets – Gwarzo, Zaria, Hadejia, Sheikh, Ja’afar, Independence, Abdullahi Wase, Yantsaki, Mandawari, Airport, Sharada, Bata etc are being dualised, electrified and provided with street and traffic lights. They will consume a whooping sum of N31billion. Meanwhile a metro-line project that cuts across the city is at an advanced stage. Apart from reinventing Kano, the governor has invented three new cities – Kwankwassiyya, Amana and Bandirawo. These a sparkling new towns with modern infrastructure that will decongest the old city of

MAMA LASISI

Kano that was fast becoming a celebrated ghetto with all the attendant adverse consequences on health and security. In order to decongest Kano further or make it less attractive for rural urban population drift, each of the 44 Local Governments of Kano has 5 kilometers of roads dualised and this takes away N31 billion. Back to my question to the governor of how to restore the industrial glory of Kano, he said his government has signed an MOU for 35 Megawatts of Independent Power project at Challawa and Tiga Dams at the cost of N14.2 Billion. Hopefully, with cheaper and uninterrupted power supply, the industries will be able to perform the miracles of yesteryears. Something else Kwankwaso has done in Kano that gets me singing; his record in Education. I have said on these pages and elsewhere that any northern governor that takes education seriously wins me over. There is no way we can have peace in this country when a half of our population goes to school while the other half engages in street begging. Kwankwaso has tickled me. Kano state under him has declared edu-

cation as its central focus of development. He has through legislative action banned street begging. There is a law to that effect, passed by the State House of Assembly and signed to by the governor. You beg in Kano, you go to jail. On assumption of office in 2011, Kano had a backlog of unpaid UBE matching grant for five years. He immediately doled out N8billion for the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and over N1 billion for 2013 to boost basic education subsector. The government has constructed over 2,000 primary school classrooms and 1,000 offices at a cost of about N7billion. Primary education in Kano is free and those who attend public schools are fed for five days and provided two sets of uniforms – all free! Unlike in Katsina State where I noticed a disconnect between primary and secondary education, Kwankwassiyya secondary schools adorn the metropolitan and rural Kano landscape. There is the Magwan Water restaurant in the city of Kano where we used to go and enjoy our lives as young men in those days. The place was abandoned and became an eyesore for many years. Now it has been revived and rechristened First Ladies College (for girls). It looks beautiful from the roadside. There are many other abandoned public buildings that have been turned into schools: the Governors College, and a public building at Yadakunya that has been turned into GSS Janbaki. Kano is making heavy investments in education. There are 23 new institutes established by Kwankwaso for vocational training and building the capacity of the youth. In his first tenure, 1999-2003, Kwankwaso established the Kano State University of Technology; back to the saddle now, he has established the North West University. The structures there when I visited last week looked solid. In Kano under Kwankwaso, it is scholarship awards galore. Every indigene of the state who graduates with a first class or second class upper enjoys a scholarship award to any university in the world where he secures a postgraduate admission. And of course scholarships for undergraduates is automatic. Kwankwaso is not only the governor of Kano, he is a Kano Alhaji – the Kano that sired Dangote. He talks in billions only. So intrigued was I with the projects he has executed that I asked him where the money is coming from. It is no magic he told me. “I cancelled security vote, improved internal revenue generation from N400 million to N1.8 Billion monthly, blocked leakages, made capital expenditure higher than recurrent expenditure”. These are his sources. No single kobo has been borrowed to finance the gigantic project. This is the Kwankwasiyya fever that has gripped Kano. I know it is real because I was back to my good old Kano last week and I caught it.

By Aliu Eroje

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