Binder1, march 15, 2015 by Newtelegraphonline

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SUNDAY Sunday, March 15, 2015 Vol. 2 No. 389

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days to es go... votes vot 5 2015 201

Nigeria

Sanctity of Truth

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Gombe: Despite all odds, Dankwambo marches on

} 14

GENERAL ELECTIONS }31

jonathan, buhari split

royal fathers

Ahead of the March 28 polls, the two major gladiators battle for endorsements from the country’s traditional rulers with allegations of financial inducements

S’African mercenary killed in Borno }4

I’m ready for probe, says Patience Jonathan }4 Drama as Wabba emerges new NLC president }4

T H E S U NDAY INT E R V I E W

Political killings: I’m ashamed to be a Nigerian, says Senator }32 Lekan Balogun

Why I regard Donald }17 Duke as my role model - Nollywood actor, Enyinna Nwigwe

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Contents | 15.03.15 BODY & SOUL

Political Killings A Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and former lecturer, Ahmadu Bello University, the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, Lekan Balogun, is ashamed to be a Nigerian

}32

BUSINESS

Fuel N150 a liter The falling value of the naira may force the Federal Government to raise pump price of fuel after the general elections

}23

FAITH

FG commended Methodist church lauds FG over recent victories against Boko Haram

}51

SPORT

Travails of Bash Ali Former World Cruiserweight boxing champion, Bash Ali - the pride of all Nigerians in the 90s - is today, a shadow of himself

}59

LIFE

Editorial

Gender discrimination We are reminded this Mothers’ Day by Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi that the fight for gender equality can be won by both mothers and fathers within the home

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POLITICS

SUNDAY

ISIS trouble Anxiety mounts as ISIS and Boko Haram collaborate to unlash terror on Africa

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Our mothers deserve this day

oday all over the world, some Christian denominations are celebrating mothers in what is aptly tagged Mothering Sunday. It is a tradition that dates back several millenia and comes up every fourth Sunday in the Lenten period. Lent is observed annually by Christians as a way of getting closer to God. It is a period of fasting and prayers, a time for atonement of sins that also heralds the celebration of salvation for mankind following the death on the cross of Christ Jesus and his resurrection three days later on what has become Easter Sunday. Mothers deserve all they get from everyone today because their story cannot be told in a lifetime. It is significant that the man after whom Christianity is derived, leans towards the mother biblically, than the father. Mother Mary occupies more space in the Bible and other books than her husband, Joseph. Give it to the mother. All of us came through women. Mom will carry a burden for nine good months, she will continue to play her role. She takes every responsibility in bringing up the child, when the baby eventually arrives. And it is a long, rough, tough process. Mama will prepare the meal, dish it and then labour comes. She will not partake of the delicacy she prepared. While others feed, she is in pains, ready to bring yet another being into the world. We all came into the world naked. Before mom ,there is nothing to hide. Today’s Kings and Queens, Trillionaires and tycoons, celebrities and saints, were once babies who cried mama when they knew no other word. Mother will not sleep until all the children go to bed. She would sell the best of her possessions to make sure we get some education. She would overwork herself in the bid to make our tomorrow better. Mama will never get tired in the struggle to bring us up to adul life. Nigeria’s eight Chief-of-Air Staff Ibrahim Mahmoud Alfa could tell a more touching story of a mother. As a fighter pilot during the Civil War, he went on a bombing mission in Biafra and as his jet hovered in the sky, looking for target, he observed a mother,

who apparently sure bombs were going to fall on her baby, used her body to cover the child. In the woman’s thinking at that uncertain moment, she had provided enough cover for the tiny tot even if it meant losing her own life in the process. The woman surely, did not want the baby to face the gory end the pilot would unleash. Alfa was touched. He cruised higher, sparing mother and child. To him that was a demonstration of love and bravery at the same time. All hail the mother. A man who loses his only wife, becomes almost clueless. It becomes a burden carrying on with family chores. The woman is different. When she is widowed, there is the inbuilt strength that can only come from God. She combines the role of father and mother. A mother is a mother all the years of her life. That is why we remain babies all through. Chiefs Afe Babalola and Sunday Adegeye [King Sunny Ade] cried when they lost their mothers. When legendary wrestler Chief Mike Okpala [Power Mike] of blessed memory, lost his mother at a very ripe age in the early 1990s, his friend and foe, Ali Baba, of Lebanon, wrote, “a mother is a mother, no matter her age” That says it all. We must make out time today to celebrate motherhood. The women deserve all the love, kisses, roses and gifts we offer them today. The world would not be the same without them. We celebrate with every mother around the globe. It is an annual festival. We are just coming out of the International Womens’ Day. It is a good season for the women. Our mothers, our wives, our sisters and our daughters.

We must make out time today to celebrate motherhood. The women deserve all the love, kisses, roses and gifts we offer them today. The world would not be the same without them

DAILY TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief

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Editor n Yemi Ajayi

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Adam Eve SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

15 MARCH, 2015

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SUNDAY 15 MARCH, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

News Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

fter a keenly contested election that ran from Thursday night to Friday morning, former president of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has been elected as the new president of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Wabba, who was until his election was the immediate NLC treasurer, succeeds Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, who led the union for eight years. Pioneer NLC General Secretary, Dangiwar Aliyu, who served as the returning officer in the election, declared Wabba as the winner yesterday morning. According to the results announced by the returning officer, Wabba polled 1,695 votes to defeat his closest rival, Joe Ajaero from the Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees, who garnered 1, 140 votes. Ajaero swiftly said he would not accept the results of the polls but did not state if he would challenge the verdict in court. The rescheduled election, which held amidst tight security at the Eagle Square, Abuja for more than 24 hours, was almost marred for a second time as dele-

Drama as Wabba emerges NLC president

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, (middle) and other residents during a visit to sympathise with them and inspect relief efforts by the state’s emergency management agencies at Papa Ashafa, Agege area affected by rainstorm…yesterday

gates loyal to Ajaero and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers candidate, Igwe Achese, staged a protest at the headquarters of the congress less than 24 hours to the election. A total of 3,119 delegates drawn from 43 affiliate unions were cleared by the electoral committee headed by President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Dr. Nasir Fagge, to participate in the elections. However, delegates from NUEE, NUPENG and Tex-

tile workers alleged that the election was characterised by irregularities hence they would not accept the results. Signs that the NLC was determined to avoid the hitch that led to the botched February 12 delegates conference were evident with the presence of security personnel from the Department of State Security Service, Nigeria Police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps at the venue. Following the irregularities that truncated the pre-

S’African mercenary killed in Borno

South African mercenary was shot and killed by friendly fire during operations against Boko Haram in North-East Nigeria, a military officer and a civilian vigilante said on Thursday. The vigilante, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, told Agence France Presse that the man died on Wednesday as Nigerian Army soldiers fought to recapture the town of Bama, in Borno State. “He was killed when a convoy he was travelling with was mistaken for that of Boko Haram insurgents, which prompted a military tank to open fire,” he added. The military officer, who also requested anonymity, confirmed the account, describing the death as “friendly fire.” Nigeria and its allies last month began a fight-back against the terrorist group, whose violent insurgency has killed more than 13,000 and forced some 1.5 million from their homes since 2009. On Wednesday, the Nigerian government said

36 towns had been recaptured since the coalition operation began, dealing a blow to the militants’ territorial ambitions in the remote North-East. Ground operations have been backed by air strikes, while all four armies involved - from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon - have claimed that Boko Haram has suffered heavy casualties. There was no immediate response from the Nigerian government when contacted by AFP about the claims of foreign mercenaries assisting the operation. But an Afrikaans-language website in South Africa, Netwerk 24, identified the victim of the friendly fire incident as Leon Mare Lotz, describing him as a private military contractor. His wife, Almari, was quoted as saying: “I just know Leon was killed. I know that he went to Nigeria with his eyes wide open and was aware that it was a dangerous operation. “He was with some of his brothers-in-arms who have walked a path with him for many years.”

The report said Lotz’s driver was also killed in the shooting, which was attributed to a “miscommunication.” In an interview with Voice of America, published on Wednesday, Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan said “foreign technicians” were present in northeast Nigeria to assist the military. Two companies were involved in the training but he did not identify the firms or indicate the trainers’ nationalities or numbers. Brigadier General Xolani Mabanga, spokesman for the South African defence department, said he could not confirm Lotz’s death. “What I know is from the press but (he’s) not a serving member of the SANDF (South African National Defence Force,” he said, adding that Lotz may have previously been with the military. The civilian vigilante in Maiduguri said: “To be frank, there are efforts to hush up the story (of Lotz’s death) by the military. “Nobody wants to talk about it because they have been asked not to say anything about it,” he added.

vious election, the ballot papers used in the rescheduled poll were redesigned to reflect the names of all the candidates for a particular position. The initial election which held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja was distrupted because the names of all the candidates were printed on different ballot papers, which led to allegations that some candidates’ names appeared more than once in a booklet. Voting started at exactly

Cajetan Mmuta

irst Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, yesterday challenged anyone with evidence of corruption against her to make it public. She threw the challenge at her critics while addressing thousands of Edo women and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party at a rally organised by her NGO, Women for Change and Development Initiative, as part of moves to garner massive support for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the March 28 presidential election. At the rally held at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, the state capital, she stated that she attained her current position in life by dint of hard work, accusing her critics in the All Progressives Congress of practising ‘politics of bitterness’ and acting as agents of corruption. She said her office had not received any fund from government for its activities. “Mrs. Jonathan is the first lady of this country. There is no budget, no constitutional rights. So if from tomorrow you hear Mrs. Jonathan is corrupt, am I holding your money? Are you giving me any budget ? I don’t have any budget attached to my office. Go and probe my office.

5:23am on Thursday and ended by 3:13am Friday morning while counting started by 11am and lasted into yesterday morning. Just few minutes to 10pm on Friday night, a mild drama played out as a polling agent of NUEE collapsed, while counting was ongoing. Immediately, some NUEE delegates attempted to run towards the counting area in an attempt to disrupt the process. The policemen stationed

around the counting area swiftly moved in to save the situation. Achese, Adeyemi Peters, Issa Aremu, Igwe Achese, Sirki Mohammed and Nagem Yasen ran for the three positions of deputy president. Peters polled 1,604 votes; Aremu got 1, 112; Achese garnered 1, 283; Mohammed picked 1, 610 votes; while 1, 118 were counted for Yasen. Peters, Mohammed and Yasen thus emerged as NLC deputy presidents.

Corruption: I’m ready for probe - Patience Jonathan Go and probe me and see whether there is any budget attached to my office. Go and probe and see whether there is any money they send to my office. I don’t touch your money. Whatever I have, I struggled for it. I worked for it. I suffered for it,” she said. The first lady also accused the state government of fixing the visit of Hajia Aisha Buhari, wife of the APC presidential candidate, MajGen. Muhammadu Buhari, for the same date and venue as hers. The APC presidential candidate’s wife’s visit has, however, been cancelled. “Edo people you need to be peaceful. APC is a party of troublemakers; abusers, propagandists. They heard that I was coming, they went to fix their own (event). If I hear they are somewhere, I won’t be there. They have not been bringing women, now they want to bring a woman because they want to make trouble,” she stated. She added, “The days are gone when old people will continue to dominate. This is your time young ones. The youths are the future leaders and the old must give way for the youths. If

Mr. President finishes his eight years, he will return to his house.Whatever he wants to do for Nigeria, he should finish it now. Others were there for eight years, so, it is our (Jonathan/Sambo) turn. Others have done their eight years, why is our own different? We will finish our eight years.” Meanwhile, a policeman and two women fainted at the rally due to exhaustion. They were quickly carried out of the crowded venue in stretchers by a team of stadium officials and party members into an ambulance and rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Benin for urgent treatment. Also, two suspected hoodlums were arrested yesterday inside the stadium for removing the banners and posters of the first lady while the event was going on. They were beaten to a pulp by angry party supporters and handed over to the police while their suspected accomplice managed to escape. Amid the heat and confusion, most of the women who looked frail and exhausted, having been at the stadium as early as 7am, left the stadium in droves.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 15 MARCH, 2015

Immigration test: Jonathan profiting from tragedies - APC Johnchuks Onuanyim

A Abuja

ll Progressives Congress has described President Goodluck Jonathan’s gift of N5 million each to the families of victims of the March 15, 2014 Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment exercise and his visits to families affected by other calamities at this point in time as a ploy to make political gains from tragedies. The party stated that Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party would be disappointed as Nigerians would not be swayed by such gestures. The party, in a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, wondered why it took the President one year to act on the promise he made to the families, adding that but for the forthcoming elections, the President would have simply ignored the families. Jonathan had directed that those who sustained injuries be given automatic employment, but till date none of such victims has been employed. “The truth is that this President was forced to act because of the elections. Otherwise, why has it taken one year for the President to

redeem his promise to the bereaved families? Why has his administration not sanctioned those who sent innocent job seekers to their early graves after extorting them? Why is the Interior Minister, Mr. Abba Moro, who presided over the deaths, still in office, virtually dancing on the graves of those innocent youths? ‘’Sunday, March 15th, will mark one year since those vibrant youths were lured to their deaths by a callous federal government that failed them in all ramifications, including the security of their lives and the assurance of their welfare, the raison d’etre of any government. It is therefore utterly reprehensible, immoral and wicked for the same administration to seek to make political gains out of the needless tragedy.” Also, the party stated that in desperation for reelection, Jonathan had also sought to take political advantage of other tragedies, including the Buni Yadi massacre of school children and the abduction of Chibok girls by Boko Haram. Meanwhile, the NIS Comptroller General, Mr. David Parradang, yesterday paid tributes to 15 persons who died during the exercise. The affected job seekers were Dorothy Edidiog, Dorcas Danladi, Lucy Akpan Eno, Muhammed

Musa, Taiwo Dorcas, Sunday Okezue kalu, Ama Grace, Brown Darlington, Ibrahim I. Mohammed and Maryam Kekere. Also affected were Sandra I.A.A Amu, Patience Agada, Mudashiru M. Ahmed, Auta D. Adams and Oyiza Yusuf. In his tribute, the CGI said, “It is a year today, 15th March 2015, when 15 young Nigerians died under painful circumstances when they presented themselves for the recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Immigration Service.

“On behalf of all officers and men, I wish to use this medium once again to extend my sincere and deep condolences to the families of the deceased. That these young Nigerians lost their lives in their quest to join the organization that I head, is not only humbling but makes their demise most agonizing indeed.” The CGI, who also stated that Jonathan had fulfilled the promises made to the deceased’s families, said, “It will be recalled that shortly after the incident,

Abakaliki

bonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi, yesterday said he had not stopped the salaries of members of the state house of assembly He was reacting to reports that he had stopped the salaries of the lawmakers, who have been enmeshed in a bid to impeach him. Briefing newsmen at

the Government House, Abakaliki, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Dr. Onyekachi Eni, said, “’We wish to state without equivocation that the state government has not stopped the salary of any member of the house of assembly or any other salary earner in the state. “The allegation is therefore the product of mischief and blackmail to demonise the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi. ‘’Apart from the avail-

whom must be a female). “It is gratifying to note that this presidential promise has been kept in its entirety when he met with families of the deceased on the 13th of March, 2015 at the Presidential villa, where in addition to the three automatic slots, the Federal Government also offered N5 million only to each member of the deceased families, to cushion the effects of the loss of their bread winners and loved ones, pick the pieces of their lives and move on.

Ebonyi State Governor, Martins Elechi, addressing the Labour Party supporters during a courtesy visit to the governor, at Government House, Abakaliki...yesterday.

Elechi: I’ve not stopped lawmakers’ salaries Uchenna Inya

the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, ordered the cancellation of the entire recruitment exercise and constituted the Presidential Committee on NIS Recruitment to assist the Civil Defense, Fire, Immigration, and Prison Services Board (CDFIPB) in a fresh recruitment exercise which is currently in progress. “In constituting the said committee, the President promised automatic recruitment into the NIS for three members of the family of the deceased (one of

ability of definite financial records showing the remittance of the salaries of the lawmakers and other staff of the house of assembly to their bank accounts, we also have it on good authority based on bank records that most of the lawmakers and assembly staff have already drawn their salaries. We therefore challenge anyone to show evidence of stoppage of salaries to the house of assembly. “’The unassailable fact is

that Ebonyi State House of Assembly wrote a letter through the Clerk of the House requesting the state Ministry of Finance to suspend the salaries of the lawmakers whose positions were purportedly vacated by the Speaker, Mr. Chukwuma Nwazunku. The said letter was addressed to the State Commissioner for Finance, Timothy Odah. ‘’Aware of the illegality of the request in view of the fact that the issue of the

vacation of the positions of the lawmakers was already in court, the finance commissioner discounted the request and directed that all the lawmakers be paid their salaries pending the court’s ruling on the matter. As I speak, the Ministry of Finance has long remitted the salaries of all the members and staff of the state house of assembly. “However, information available to the state government is that the lawmakers are facing public anger and disgust for their role in the freezing of the State/Local Governments

Account for which the salaries of local government workers have not been paid. “’This situation has continued to evoke the discontent of local government workers in particular and Ebonyi people in general. To assuage such public disgust about the insensitivity of the lawmakers to the plight of the workers, the lawmakers have now resorted to blackmail against Governor Elechi with the false allegation that they too have not been paid their salaries. Nothing can be further from the truth.”

Four die, 30 injured in Onitsha crash Obasanjo, Blair to speak on insurgency in Dubai Okegwo Kenechukwu Onitsha

our persons were feared dead yesterday in a crash involving a trailer and eight passenger at Upper Iweka on Enugu-Onitsha Expressway in Onitsha, Anambra State. The two men and two women were said to be inside one of the buses, which was heading to Awka, the Anambra State capital when the incident occurred around 2.45pm.

Gov. Obiano

According to him, no fewer than 30 persons, including women, children and commercial motorcycle and rickshaw operators were among those who sustained injuries. He said four of the victims died at a private hospital

where the dead and injured were rushed to amidst tears from sympathisers and relations. The owner of the trailer told Sunday Telegraph that the incident occurred when the truck’s brakes failed, forcing it to skid off its lane onto the path of oncoming vehicles.. Members of the Onitsha Unit of the Federal Road Safety Corps were immediately drafted to the scene and were met by our correspondent rescuing victims.

Temitope Ogunbanke Dubai

ormer Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo; ex-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova; and some other dignitaries will speak in Dubai today on issues pertaining to global sustainable education at the 2015 edition of Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF 2015). During the two-day GESF

2015, which kicks off today at Atlantis The Palm Conference Centre in Dubai, 20 former presidents, 20 ministers of education and several other international speakers will address the sustainable development agenda for education in the world. Addressing a press conference yesterday, a member of the GESF 2015 Public Relations team, Pallab Sarken, stated that the winner of the $1 million Global Teacher Prize 2015 would be announced today. The prize will be pre-

OBJ

Blair

sented by the founder of the Varkey Foundation, Sunny Varkey, to one of the 10 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize.

SUNDAY

The Sunday Magazine SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

World of Almajiris: Their dreams, hopes, aspirations

lWe want to become governors, teachers

Almajiris in their classroom

Dan Atori, Adeolu Adeyemo, Adesina Wahab and Cajetan Mmuta

hey are children in their pre-teens or young teenagers, whose abode is mostly on the streets. For one reason or the other, they are itinerant, either by reason of the trade of their parents or because they have nowhere to stay. These are children who cannot be integrated into the standard educational system because they did not start schooling early. So, instead of being allowed to roam the streets as miscreants, President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013 set up Almajiri schools in some states, to enable them to enjoy some form of education. Some state governments followed suit too by establishing their own schools, which they refused to call ‘almajiri schools.’ The policy is free in all its ramifications with the provision of free, uniforms, books, sandals, furniture and every other thing that promotes a conducive atmosphere for learning. Niger State Commissioner for Basic Education, Mallam Danladi Abdulhammed, said that in order to streamline Western and Quranic Education and use it to catch street kids known as Almajiri, the state government built nine Integrated Islamic Education or Tsangaya education centres spread across the state. Explaining further, the commissioner said, “We have 1,000 pupils for now that we have registered for admission. The word ‘Almajiri’ means ‘a learner’ but today it has been stigmatised. When they call you ‘Almajiri,’ they think you are a beggar. A beggar in Hausa is called ‘Mobarachi’, a learner is called ‘Almajiri.’

“In Niger State, we do not accept it as Almajiri education. It is either you call it Integrated Islamic Education or Tsangaya education. Tsangaya in Hausa means bringing learners together and learning all aspects of human endeavour.” Sunday Telegraph went in search of these schools in Niger, Osun, Ekiti and Edo states and found some interesting things about the unique lives of these schoolchildren and their way of learning. The Tsangaya school in Minna is at Ode-Oye Quarters behind the Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank. At the Tsangaya centre, a Primary 2 pupil, Garba S. Ibrahim, who could barely speak English, said he was happy to be schooling for free and also enjoying free meals. A 12-year-old pupil in Primary 3, Muhammed Abdullahi, said he feels very happy to be in school and promised to be a good pupil. His words: “I am happy to be in school, even though I did not start on time. It is not too late. I want to learn and know how to read and write so that I will be a teacher. “We eat in the morning when we get to school, and in the afternoon before we go home.” Suleiman Mohammed, who is a pupil in Primary 3, has a tall ambition: He wants to be a governor someday and believes he can only achieve his aim by getting an education. Mohammed said, “I want to be the governor of Niger State. I will not miss my classes.” He added that although he does not know how to read for now, but that the computers and books in the library will help him and

other pupils to learn fast. The commissioner stated that “Niger State is starting with about 1,000 students, some of whom will be in boarding house while others will be day students. “Among the nine schools, we have three boarding schools at Paiko, Bida and Kotangora. Others are day schools. It may interest you to know that the Federal Government has a hand in the project just as Niger State has hand in the project.” Governor Babangida Aliyu had set up a committee for Almajiri, noting that the state government would be ready to employ teachers on its payroll “so that we are able to control the Almajiri schools and really integrate them. We have to make sure there are no almajiris on the streets.” Also speaking, the Emir of Suleja, HRH Mallam Awwal Ibrahim, who is also the chairman of the implementation committee for the Almajiri schools, urged the teachers to give their best and ensure they are punctual. “We have done the sensitisation and training of the teachers. We have done the admissions and we started on Tuesday 10 March, 2015. “We have approved subjects like Religious Knowledge and the normal lessons we learn in our conventional schools. So, they have a dedicated curriculum. It will not look like conventional and it will not look Quranic but there is a diffusion of the two so that they will learn in both ways. “After they graduate from the basic integrated school, they also have the opportunity to further their education to higher levels. However, the basic aim of this project is to provide

basic education for all as a right.” On lecture periods, he said the classes would run on a daily basis from Mondays to Fridays. “It will interest you to know that we are going to use some of their mallams to integrate them into our system. Let them come and also be part of the teachers. Unless we do that, they will sabotage the effort. Government will pay their salaries. “In the boarding schools, we have staff quarters. The head teacher and other senior teachers have accommodation. This is to ensure we have teachers in school at all hours”. On the challenges of getting the children to attend the schools, the commissioner said, “We conducted a census. We used the number of Quranic schools in Niger State, zone by zone, and that was what informed the distribution of these schools.” He added that, most of the students are nomadic in nature, and they migrate a lot. “But we are trying to discourage that migration. And by the time we start, we will not take anyone who migrates when he comes back. We will not take such lightly and we will ensure that the child is penalised, because education is a right for all and compulsory as a policy. “We shall feed them, buy them slippers and a lot of things. There are times when they are going to even take lessons on mats, so that we don’t remove them abruptly from their traditional way of life.” He further stated that the challenges are normal but they are not problems to the state government because they are surmountable. A teacher at the Minna centre, Mallam Bello Mohammed, said it has 80 pupils and that they

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Magazine are happy. “We run the school from Saturdays to Wednesdays. Thursdays and Fridays are our weekends as an Islamic school. We resume 8am and close 2pm daily,” he stated. A female employee, Safiya Ibrahim Yusuf, told Sunday Telegraph that the centre has 12 teaching staff, two nannies and two cooks. She said it won’t admit more pupils for now as the current 80 students will be used to determine the next step to be taken. She added that if there are more pupils, they will be referred to other centres to avoid congestion. At the Minna centre, the school has 30 new computers, a furnished and well stocked library and a kitchen. The Head Teacher, Mallam Ahmed Dauda, said it has classes from primary one to three, which it will maintain for the time being. He promised that as time goes on, the pupils in Primary Three would be promoted to higher classes. The head teacher further stated that the pupils are taught in Arabic, English and Hausa. Dauda told Sunday Telegraph that the strategy that has enticed the children to school and spurred them to learn fast and remain in school is the food which is served regularly. He said, “We feed the pupils twice daily. They usually take noodles in the morning as breakfast and in the afternoon they take rice and beans or sometimes tuwo shinkafa for lunch.” To ensure the effective implementation of the policy, the state government set up a task force to rid the streets of children and get them into the schools. Members of the task force have since Monday been conducting raids on almajiris, who refused to be enrolled in the schools. The task force is acting on a directive by Governor Babangida Aliyu that there must be no almajiri on the streets in any town or city in the state. Sunday Telegraph learnt that over 500 almajiris who refused to join their peers at the centres had been captured and deported to their respective states of origin. The task force went round major cities and towns in the state to effect the arrests and deportation of the unwilling almajiris. This is the second time such a raid is taking place in the state, as the almajiris are taken to the Niger State Transport Authority and put on buses heading to their respective states of origin. In Edo, almajiri schools were set up to cater to the large numbers of Hausas in different parts of the state. There is an almajiri school off Benin bypass agrarian community; another one is located at Eyaen in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area; while the third is at Eyaekpen village in South Ibie community near Auchi town and Hausa-dominated headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of the state. The almajiri school programme took off in 2013 in Edo State as the Federal Government has consistently ensured that the pupils are adequately taken care of by the management of the schools. Sunday Telegraph learnt that the pupils are taught all the conventional subjects while adequate time is given to Arabic subjects to make them match effectively within the realms of their religious belief. Our correspondent, who went round in search of the schools, spoke with the Headmistress of Khalid Bini Walid Almajiri Primary School, Eyaen, Mrs. Dika Pauline Omosomeh, who shared some of her experiences. Dika, who was posted to the school from a nomadic school also in the state, said it has a population of about 300 pupils in classes 1-6. She said they are taught all the conventional subjects, including Edo language, Arabic and Koranic (Islamic Religious Studies), Mathematics, English, Physical/Health Science Education, Home Economics, Handwriting etc. The school runs a normal academic programme as is done in public/private institutions and the policy has been eventful in all ramifications. “I schooled in the North. So by virtue of the fact that I am used to the Hausas and their language, I was deployed here in July 2013 to head the school. That was when the school formally took off. We have about 300 pupils in the school in primary 1-6 and the teachers are doing fine too. “The purpose of the school is to integrate the almajiri pupils along with other pupils in other

schools. We teach them all the conventional subjects. They also take lessons in Arabic and Islamic religion. In short, that is what makes them different from other schools. We have other conventional subjects like Mathematics, English, Science, Home Economics. We also teach them Edo language; we have a specialist in Edo language here because it is compulsory now that all schools must learn all the local languages, especially in the environment where the school is located. We have other subjects like Basic Science and Computer Science and the children are trying to integrate like other children because the purpose of the almajiri school is to remove them from the streets. “If you are here in the morning you will see many big children in junior classes like primary one, primary two. These are children that have been roaming the streets and now they have been moved into the schools. The Federal Government put up the structure; the classrooms are well furnished with chairs and then we have this white blackboard and they use markers on the blackboard. So, the children are doing fine. We are actually trying to integrate them so that they can write primary six examinations along with other schools,” she explained. On how the school is run, she explained that “the teachers were deployed here by State Universal Basic Education Board because that is the instruction by UBEC. It said teachers should be deployed here from SUBEB and they are the ones responsible for our salaries, not the Federal Government. “What the Federal Government did was to assist the community to build the school but it was SUBEB that brought in the teachers. That was the agreement between SUBEB and SUBEC. The teachers are adequately catered for in line with the agreement between UBEC and SUBEB. The Federal Government has sent us books. “We have a lot of books for almajiri schools which we share to the children and recently they also sent school uniforms to the pupils, sandals and other things. There is no levying, nothing else. The school is free, there is no levy.” Speaking also on the attitude of parents to the new education policy, she pointed out that “they are very happy. When this school was set up, in fact most parents in the community came. They are very happy and even when they came recently for the sharing of the uniforms, I had to invite the school-based management committee to come and share

They are very happy and appreciate the fact that many of their children who were roaming the streets before are now in the classroom learning to become people in life

An Almajiri school

the uniforms to the children by themselves. “They are very happy and appreciate the fact that many of their children who were roaming the streets before are now in the classroom learning to become people in life. The children too are happy. At least they are well taught and they are learning under a conducive environment.” However, Dika said the job has its own challenges. “One challenge we are having is that not all the parents understand what education is all about. There are still some parents who come here to complain when you discipline their children. That is quite a challenge. A condition whereby a parent will come and start complaining about why you flog my child, why did you discipline my child and you know the child is bound to show some uncooperative attitude next time. So, this is the challenge we are actually dealing with but it has to do with those parents who have got the knowledge that we are trying to help the pupils. “Despite these odds, we are gradually doing what we can to reach such ones; like the School-based Management Committee is set up to help such ones to come to understand the reason why children are being disciplined. It is for their own good. Another challenge is that when you invite them to a parents’ meeting, it is not all of them that respond. It is only few of them who actually understand what school is all about that respond,” she stated. Asked about the performance of the pupils so far, she explained that “the children we brought in last year came from other schools, like the neighbouring nomadic school nearby. That was where I was before I was deployed to this school. Some of them came from there and then we have Primary Five pupils that moved to Primary Six. In 2014, they wrote Primary Six exam and we had a good result, about 96 per cent. That was quite impressive for a start. “The performance is encouraging; even some of the children the Hausa people put in private schools before came in from mushroom schools we have around. This morning, I enrolled two big children who had been in one of the mushroom private schools. When the children came here we gave them a test but they could not measure up to our standard. So, I had to deploy one to Primary One and then move the biggest one to Primary Two. So, the standard we have set here is quite encouraging.” In her view, the policy has given hope for comparative analysis on the advantages. “Well, I think the Federal Government needs to be congratulated. This is one step that will make the almajiri children to leave the streets. When I went for a seminar in Minna last year, that was one of the major topics. The reason why that seminar was held was to educate the heads of schools. It was to help these children to come out of the streets. “A child who is in the street can easily be lured into crime; a child who is in the streets can easily be given money and used as a

suicide bomber. I think this is one of the problems the Federal Government is trying to solve, to remove these children from the streets so that they can be trained and grow up like normal children. They can become useful to themselves and useful to the society. So, the Federal Government has done something quite good. We have tried it out and I am saying that they can compete favourably if they are allowed to come into the school.” In Osun State, these schools are situated in different locations of the state where sufficient books and other learning equipment are adequately provided for the pupils in serene environments. Those in the state are Al-Haramam Institute of Arabic and Quaranic School, Ede, with an enrolment number of 231. In Ikirun, there is Raodatus Arabic and Islamijah School, with 856 pupils. In Osogbo, there is Zumratu Muhuminina Atadabiya, with 20 pupils; in Ilobu, there is Markazal Diraasatul Islamiyah Daweh, which has 232 pupils; and in Iwo, the School for Arabic and Islamic Studies has 221. Others are Islahudeen Arabic School and Sheu Abdul Baaqh Mohammed, Iwo, with 197; in Ede, there is Olagunju Islamic Centre, with 200; in Modakeke, there is Mahad Taalim Arabiyatiwal Islamiyatan, with 40; and in Ifetedo is Nuru Islam Moadrasatul AlQuaran, with 203 pupils. Information gathered by our correspondent further revealed that their lecture periods are like normal school settings in primary and secondary schools. Speaking on the schools, the Permanent Secretary for the State Universal Primary Education Board, Alhaji Fatai Kolawole said that the type of education being given to them is a harmonious blend of physical, mental and social capability of every individual. The almajiri school in Ekiti State is located at Esun-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of the state. When the school started on February 2, 2010, it was known as Markaz Ibn Junaid, before it was later taken over by the Federal Government in 2012. The school, according to its coordinator, Alhaji Fajembola Adewale, was moved to its current site in Esun-Ekiti after it was taken over by the Federal Government through UBEC. Fajembola, who doubles as the Chief Imam of Ikole-Ekiti, said the structures and furniture of the school were provided by UBEC, adding that Ekiti SUBEB co-funds the school. UBEC, it was learnt, provides the learning and other instructional materials for the school, while SUBEB has been assisting in the area of human development. Fajembola said teachers in the school were screened by SUBEB, with a promise to incorporate them into the state’s teaching service commission. The school has 10 classrooms, 77 pupils made up of 51 males and 26 females. The subjects taught include Mathematics, English, Basic Science, Arabic Language while the lecture period is between 10am and 2pm, to allow students to assist their parents and guardians at home.

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

News

Again, Jonathan visits Adamawa

Ibrahim Abdul

P Yola

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday made his third visit to Adamawa State in a less than a month. During the visit, which appeared to be part of his last-minute moves to garner huge votes in the March 28 presidential election, he held a crucial meeting with major stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state. During the meeting, the

President addressed some thorny issues rocking the state chapter the party, especially the emergence of a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as the governorship candidate. Jonathan, who chaired the meeting at the Government House, Yola, appealed to all aggrieved party faithful to work towards the success of the party in the elections. Jonathan and some other PDP national leaders appealed to aggrieved parties to reconcile.

Governor James Nggilari, who spoke before the meeting went into a closed door session, assured Jonathan of victory in the state. He said the Adamawa State PDP chapter had remained one family. Nggilari explained to the party stakeholders that they came together to brainstorm on the the crisis in the state chapter and to find solutions to the issues. “We must deliver PDP on 28th of this month; there are no two ways about it. We all agreed

that we must deliver this state as a safe place for you all, the PDP candidates. As party faithful, we must deliver you and other members,” he declared. Nggilari was emphatic that Ribadu’s emergence was a blessing to the party and Adamawa people “We need a governor who has international connections and who will use the connections to build our state and bring in dividends of democracy,” he said. The PDP state chairman, Chief Joel Madaki,

while giving a report of the reconciliatory effort, told the gathering that members had put all the wranglings behind them, with a pledge to work for the party’s victory. “In every organization, there must be disagreement, which does not translate to hatred. There is an internal struggle in the Adamawa State chapter of the PDP. Before the PDP primaries, there were only two major parties in

Police remove stowaway’s corpse from Lagos airport Wole Shadare

Governor Kashim Shettima addressing some of the displaced persons at a camp in Gagamari, Diffa province, Niger Republic...yesterday

Okorocha cautions clerics Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

mo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has called on clerics in the country not to allow themselves or their churches to be used as propaganda tools by desperate politicians. He also said that in the politics and elections of 2015, church leaders should be in the forefront of praying to God to let good and people-oriented leaders emerge. The governor spoke on

Friday at a one-day event tagged ‘A Day of Spectacular Transformation’ organised by the Deeper Life Christian Ministry at Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, with the General Overseer of the church Pastor William Kumuyi, in attendance. Okorocha stressed that church leaders should be in the vanguard of religious harmony in the country because Christ also did that, and should not be deceived by politicians to join in fanning the embers of discord among

Nigerians. According to him, some desperate politicians have unfortunately sold the dummy to some sections of the church that a particular party or candidate would Islamise the country, demanding to know the possibility of that taking place in a country where men of God like Kumuyi are stakeholders. His words: “Let them not bring politics into the church but let God give Nigerians at all levels the right leaders. I came to witness the great job of Pas-

tor Kumuyi, the humble servant of God. I urge the pastor to establish a Deeper Life University in Imo State. The government will provide the land. In Imo things are getting better.” Kumuyi in his brief remark before offering prayers commended the governor for fulfilling his assignment in the state and Nigeria at large. He prayed that no evil power would reverse God’s power and purpose for the state, and also called for peace, progress and stability in the state.

Fashola advises Nigerians on polls Muritala Ayinla

agos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday urged Nigerians to seek God’s guidance during the forthcoming elections. Fashola, who spoke at the 2015 Interdenominational Divine Service held at the Apostolic Church Nigeria,

International Convention Grounds, Ketu, Lagos, said the situation in the country called for prayers and fasting for the emergence of the right set of leaders. The governor, who said the elections present a unique opportunity for all Nigerians to make a choice to improve their lives, re-

minded Nigerians that their choice of leaders would come with consequences. Explaining his administration’s decision to borrow in order to fund capital projects in the state, Fashola said failing to do so would have been disastrous. For his part, Chairman of the Christian Association of

Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola, said the state CAN had not adopted any candidate. He commended the governor for his steadfastness in the last eight years, saying Fashola has personally attended each Interdenominational and Divine Service programme in the last eight years.

the state, which are PDP and APC, but after the PDP primaries we have four parties now. Many of our people have left to other platforms. Nobody from APC move to our fold,” he lamented. Madaki noted that the earlier intervention of the President and other party leaders saved the situation, noting that PDP has come out of the crisis stronger and united.

he Airport Police Command yesterday removed the remains of a suspected stowaway discovered in the undercarriage compartment of an Arik Air Airbus A345, reg CS-TFX at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The stowaway was yesterday crushed to death by heavy equipment in the undercarriage of the aircraft. Spokesman for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Yakubu Dati, confirmed that the incident happened in Lagos on March 14, 2015. Dati said the corpse had been deposited at a mortuary, following due diligence by relevant aviation and security agencies. He noted that FAAN was currently reviewing footage of the CCTV system and airside security operations,

with a view to identifying any gaps and personnel failure, if any, in order to take remedial actions. Dati said, “The authority has intensified efforts at improving security and safety at both land and airside through the installation of high tech screening machines, CCTV surveillance cameras and patrol teams. “We are assuring all travelling passengers of safety of lives and property throughout the nation’s airports.” This is not the first incident involving the carrier, which has continued to expose the under-belly of security at the nation’s airports, especially at the Lagos airport. On August 25, 2013, Arik Air’s flight 544 had departed Benin Airport at 09:05am to Lagos and immediately the plane landed, an adolescent stowaway, identified as Daniel Ihekina, was discovered.

AI woos investors, plans road show Vanessa Okwara

frica Investor, a leading international investment and communications group, has announced that its Africa Infrastructure Investment Project Roadshow, taking place in Cape Town, South Africa in June will attract both African and global infrastructure investors as well as private sector project developers, PPP and privatisation units. According to a statement from the official Public Relations partner, The Quadrant Company, the Summit will bring together Africa’s leading private sector project developers and government sponsors to engage institutional infrastructure investors, pension funds and sovereign wealth funds. Commenting on the summit, Hubert Danso, the Chief Executive Offi-

cer and Vice Chairman of Africa investor said: that, “While infrastructure investment returns in Africa outstrip that of their peers in global infrastructure markets, intermediation between project developers and infrastructure investors remains an area in need of professional intermediation. ‘’We are therefore delighted that this infrastructure investment roadshow will play an important role in facilitating support for our portfolio of bankable infrastructure projects with our institutional investment pension and sovereign wealth fund partners.” According to him, co-investment opportunities will be discussed and presentations will be received from a series of project developers on the second day of the Ai CEO Infrastructure Investment Summit.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

News

Mark, Buhari, IBB boycott ACF lecture Ibraheem Musa Kaduna

enate President, David Mark; All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Niger State Governor and Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Babangida Aliyu, yesterday boycotted the commemorative lecture organised in Kaduna by the Arewa Consultative Forum to mark the 55th anniversary of Northern Nigeria’s self-government. Also absent at the ceremony were influential Northerners such as former leaders, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; Alhaji Shehu Shagari; Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; and Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar. It was not clear why the

other Northern elites boycotted the event. Gowon, who is the chairman of ACF’s Board of Patrons, was represented by a former super Permanent Secretary during his military regime, Alhaji Ahmed Joda. Senator Abdul Ningi stood in for Mark;the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, represented the Sultan; while a commissioner in Aliyu’s cabinet was at the event on his behalf. However, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, who was supposed to arrive the venue of the event between 9.15am and 9.20am, couldn’t attend due to poor weather which prevented his aircraft from landing at Kaduna airport, according to a source. Sambo, whose address was read by Kaduna State Governor, Muktar Yero, noted that the various ethnic groups of the North

had been relating with each other long before either colonialism or independence. Sambo said the North is lagging behind the South with respect to human capital development, adding that “agriculture, which hitherto was the mainstay of the North’s economy, has over the years suffered neglect.” The vice-president noted that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had restored agriculture to its pride of place in the North and the entire nation. “This feat was achieved through the rigorous implementation of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, where agriculture is treated as a business and not a programme,’’ he said. Sambo also pointed out that ‘’the North and other parts of the country require the articulation and effective

implementation of policies that will ensure effective exploitation of our natural and human resources for the transformation of the region. ‘’ Also speaking, Ningi lamented that the low attendance did not show the seriousness and importance of the occasion. He noted that were the Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, alive, all the invited dignitaries would have attended the lecture. Ningi pointed out that politicians and the elite were always invoking the name of the North to curry favour but shied away from their responsibilities whenever it came to adding value to the region. According to him, the same poor attendance marked a similar event organised by ACF last year. The senator said ACF

leaders are in their 70s and 80s, adding that those within the 40-60 age bracket have not shown readiness to take over the mantle of the leadership of the North from the current northern leaders. In his keynote address, the ACF Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, said that Northerners used to be a proud people who were regarded as the moral compass of the nation. He lamented that ‘’gradually, however, things began to take a different but nauseating dimension in almost everything.’’ Coomassie said that the North is still the major stabilising factor in the Nigerian federation in spite of this shortcoming. ‘’Sadly, today, the North and Northerners are now increasingly receiving severe bashing as parasites who contribute nothing to the economy of Nigeria. Instead, it is the part of Nigeria that is slowing the progress of the country,’’ he added. The theme of the public lecture was ‘The North and the Nigerian Federation: Pat, Present and the future’

while former Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Retired Justice Mustapha Akanbi, was the guest speaker. In his speech, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal noted that the North was not all about a poorer, less educated and less enterprising part of Nigeria. ‘’While some of this is true, this is not all that the North is about. The North is much more than the sum of its problems. There is a North that is not always visible because of the menacing shadows cast by the pervasive violence and collapse of industries. This is the North that has managed to keep its courage and combative spirit in the face of inhuman odds. This is the North where the people retain their sense of decency, of fairness and of brotherhood in every situation. This is the North that continues to believe in the unity of Nigeria, the virtues of democracy and the peaceful transition of government in a free and fair election. ‘’

Boko Haram: Group lauds military

Deborah Makoji

PDP governorship candidate for Enugu state, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, sharing exercise books to child-hawkers at the Ariaria Market in Enugu during a campaign visit yesterday

Lagos begs doctors to drop planned strike Muritala Ayinla

agos State Government has appealed to doctors in public hospitals in the state not to proceed with their planned industrial action in the interest of the public. The state government, which also urged residents, especially nursing mothers, guardians and caregivers to immunise their wards against poliomyelitis and other diseases, said adequate measures had been put in place to eradicate the scourge totally in the state. Speaking with journalists on the March National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs), the Special Adviser to Governor Fashola on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adesina, appealed to the doctors planning to

embark on strike on Monday to consider the implications of the action on the public. She said: ”All these things can’t be done in one day. It can’t be done like that. It is all about dialogue, compromise, maturity. That is how you resolve issue; it is not by threat. Strike action doesn’t do anything good but hurt people. Government doesn’t have money to pay now. I need you to look back. Has Lagos State Government not given its all to the people? If your answer is ‘yes,’ then, that means that if there was anything to be done to resolve the issues, it would have been done. Using human lives as a shield is not a resolution to any financially motivated problem.” Adesina, who argued that

dialogue still remained the best way to resolve labour crisis, especially in such a critical profession, said frequent strikes by health workers were unethical and contradict the oath of the medical profession. She said the oath places empashisis on the public interest above self-interest. The special adviser, who warned that privilege shouldn’t be mistaken for rights as in the case of ‘No work, no pay’ policy, said the fact that the state government had not implemented the rule for previous strikes was not a negation of its existence. She, however, called on the doctors to place the interest of the general public above everything and weigh the implications of their planned strike.

Harping on immunisation, Adesina said the state had not recorded a polio case in the last six years. She called on Lagosians to join hands with the state government in the fight against the scourge.

nascent youth group, the Transformation Believers of Nigeria, has held a March for Victory-cum-Rally in Abuja to launch the body’s ‘WeCare’ Initiative which aims to galvanise empathy and support for Nigerian troops and their loved ones. The rally, which was attended by hundreds of youths, held at the strategic Unity Fountain, opposite Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. The rally kicked off with a march across some parts of Abuja metropolis by the youths who were drawn from various ethnic and religious groups in the country. Addressing the Rally, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria National Summit Group, Mr. Tony Uranta, said the gathering was a noble initiative in support of the Nigerian armed forces. He said, “We need to build

up our troops’ morale to fight terrorism. I care about our gallant fighting forces, hitherto betrayed by internal and global foes. I care about the widows, orphans and other traumatised relatives of these gallant men. I care about the Chibok Girls, the Aluu Boys and thousands of other abducted, killed, displaced and dehumanised Nigerians with their loved ones who are victims of these on-going murderous national and international terrorism.” Also speaking, one of the coordinators, Ms. Bola Preye Ayo, said the ‘#WeCareChallenge’ would be formally launched soon. She said that when fully unveiled, it would encapsulate a Unique Empowerment Initiative to bless thousands tangibly, honouring thousands of Nigerian troops killed or maimed fighting terrorism or in some other theatres of conflict.

Oyinlola goes back to school Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

ormer Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, yesterday Returned to school as he matriculated with other students of the National Open University of Nigeria, Osogbo Study Centre. Speaking with newsmen shortly after his matriculation, the former governor

noted that education is power and charged the Federal Government to invest heavily in the sector. He argued that the importance of education in human and societal development could not be overemphasised, noting that if adequate attention could be placed on it by the nation’s leaders, every sector would witness rapid development.

Oyinlola called for adequate funding of the education sector and also criticised the poor attitude of Nigerians to public education. Speaking at the ceremony, the Centre Director of NOUN in Osun State, Dr. Yemisi Pitan, described education as a must for greatness in life and advised the matriculating students to face their studies squarely.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

OPINION Between Kufour, Gbagbo and Jonathan

Habib Aruna

eorge Washington, the first President of the United States, became the leader of the free world largely because of the fatherly role he played during the war for independence from the British. It was also his valuable contributions to the birth of a new nation that influenced his choice as the presiding figure during the convention in Philadelphia in 1776. Historians have noted that the delegates at the convention deliberately missed out term limits for the president in the constitution, due to the respect they had for Washington. He did not disappoint them as he only served for two terms and his farewell address to the American people became a reference point for centuries. Since then, other occupants of the White House were bound to follow suit, except President Franklin Roosevelt who ruled during the Great Depression. By adhering to this convention, successive presidents built a democratic system that became the envy of the modern world and the most copied template in the history of man. Was it therefore a mere coincidence that the outgoing Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba was announced as the winner of the Mo Ibrahim award for African leadership - a lucrative prize worth millions of dollars, when Nigeria, the ‘Giant of Africa,’ was still enmeshed in a gale of uncertainty over whether the postponed March 28 presidential election would hold or not? The award - worth $5m over 10 years and then $200,000 per year thereafter - is only open to former African executive heads of state or government who have left office in the last three years after being democratically elected. They also must have served their constitutionally mandated terms and demonstrated exceptional leadership, the foundation’s website says. Pohamba became the first winner of the award since Cape Verde’s ex-President Pedro De Verona Rodrigues Pires picked it in 2011. “I think (Pohamba) gave us a wonderful

example of a leader who came in democratically and moved his country forward, improved education ... and paid attention to social cohesion,” Ibrahim said. The above is clearly the opposite of what is currently playing out in Nigeria, where the political class are again, with their actions, moving the country towards the precipice. Two other classic examples on the continent are needed to understand why the Nigerian condition is so disconcerting and worrisome. In Ghana, the ruling New Patriotic Party’s presidential candidate Nana Akuffo-Addo came second in the 2008 general election in a closely contested runoff, with Akuffo-Addo receiving 49.77% of the votes, versus 50.23% for John Atta Mills, the National Democratic Congress flagbearer. The party led by President John Kufour challenged the integrity of the elections but the electoral commission addressed the issue and eventually affirmed Prof. John Evans Fiifi Atta-Mills as the president-elect. Some of the NPP members and leaders indeed went to Kufour to urge him not to allow the release of the result and to prevent the electoral commission from declaring Atta-Mills winner of the election. Kufour was said to have cautioned the party members, reminding them that since the electoral commission has addressed all their grievances, the only logical thing was for the opposition candidate to be declared the winner. That was how the impasse was resolved and today, Ghana is the better for it. It was this extraordinary courage and pragmatism displayed by Kufour that made the transition to power of John Dramani Mahama, who was the Vice-President to Atta-Mills when he died, an easy one. Ghana has not only been a stable country, the institutions and structures of democracy have been strengthened by visionary leadership demonstrated by its leaders. Moving to Ivory Coast where the former ruler, Laurent Gbagbo, changed all the rules before and during the election and still lost to the opposition leader Alassane Outtara. Gbagbo refused to cede power after the

UN and other international observers said Ouattara won the election. Gbagbo refused to leave office even though the Ivorian election commission declared him the loser of November’s run-off vote, and the UN certified the result. Gbagbo and Ouattara had both competed in an election run-off and the electoral commission announced that Ouattara won. Dramatically, the Constitutional Council overturned the results, declaring Gbagbo the winner; but the UN insisted that Ouattara was the victor. The European Union extends sanctions against Gbagbo, while pro-Ouattara forces entered the capital, Yamoussoukro, as fighting intensified. “To end this violence and prevent more bloodshed, President Gbagbo must stand down immediately,” United States President Barack Obama said in a statement in the thick of the political crisis. And as a BBC reporter noted, the “fall of Gbagbo has not been greeted with excitement but with a weary sense of relief, as people ask why Gbagbo had to put them through so much war and destruction.” The question still remains why Gbagbo would want to die clinging to power, when he knew that ultimately, he would be forced to go. And that has been the problem on a continent whose colonial experience and the lust of office have prevented its leaders from knowing the boundary between opportunism and pragmatism; an experience that has prevented the rulers from seeing themselves as the state and that the state cannot do without them, a la Robert Mugabe; an experience that make them so engrossed with the perquisites of office that they don’t want to let go even when it is so evident that the people are fed up with them. This brings us to the current tragic situation in Nigeria, where a ruling party that had vowed to rule for 60 years cannot bring itself to the realisation that the people are fed up with the old ways of doing things and would want a change from the status quo. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party under President Goodluck Jonathan still cannot fathom a situation where it would be out of power.

Using insecurity to procure a postponement, the party has now turned to the use of card readers, which its members said will not be allowed. This is even when an Abuja court has ruled that the usage is in consonance with the Electoral Act. But why is the party suddenly against a device that was meant to prevent the manipulation of the electoral process? Why are members of the party insisting that Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, must go before the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections despite the assurances of their principal that the man will not be sacked? The country is moving from one post to the other as this macabre dance continues, while tension and uncertainty remain in the air! Elections are supposed to be celebrated democratic events, where people decide the fate of their leaders. Elections should not be an opportunity for those in authority to use the instruments of state to suppress and manipulate the process in their favour. Why should we be waking up everyday with the consciousness that something inauspicious will happen or that Jega will be removed or even that the election dates will be shifted again? These are things that normally should be sacrosanct; that should be beyond the control of anybody in power. Even though election dates in advanced democracies are not constitutional, the convention has remained for centuries and their countries are the better for it. Why are we behaving as if there will be no tomorrow? This dubious argument of using the percentage of Permanent Voter Cards’ collection as a parameter to gauge the readiness of INEC is not tenable. When has the electoral process been a perfect thing? It is always a learning process and we have to keep learning to get close to perfection. There is no justification for further postponement and the major political parties should know that the country is bigger any individual and they should behave as such. •Aruna, a journalist writes from Ikorodu, Lagos

Fani-Kayode and burden of hypocrites Jude C. Ndukwe

he All Progressives Congress, in reference to the numerous press releases and statements made by the Director, Media and Publicity of the People’s Democratic Party Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi FaniKayode, has no doubt been shocked at the barrage of revelations and challenges constantly thrown by the former Minister of Aviation in the way of the opposition. Just recently and in reaction to one of Fani-Kayode’s statements, a well-respected national newspaper, in a rider to one of its headlines, captured the reaction of the opposition thus: “APC condemns ruling party for mocking its presidential candidate.” In other reactions, the APC has threatened to sue the PDP Campaign Organisation spokesman for some of the allegedly damaging statements he made about their party and some of its leaders. But rather than back down, Fani-Kayode has continued to make statements that are capable of derailing the ultimate ambition of the APC to wrest power from the ruling party, in fact, in a most recent statement, Fani-Kayode has warned or better still threatened the APC with more of such expositions of what the opposition truly and really stands for contrary to their claim of bringing ‘Change’ to the system. This relentless verbal blitzkrieg as the former minister himself puts it seems to have silenced the hitherto vociferous media and publicity machinery of the APC. A party that held sway both in the social and conventional media and evidently dwarfed the media and publicity machineries of both

the Federal Government and the PDP, but now seems to have been driven under by just one man whose appointment as the director, Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation has proven to be the game-changer in the equations leading to the forthcoming elections. Rather than acting, the APC publicity machinery including their acolytes in the media have been drastically reduced to merely reacting to issues as regularly raised by Fani-Kayode who has since seized the initiative from the whole of the opposition put together. This is just like the case of David against Goliath in the Bible where for good 40 days, Goliath whom the scriptures describe as a champion of wars and a giant of fearsome size, defied the entire army of Israel; freely throwing insults and mockery at the Israelites and challenging them to appoint someone to fight him and whoever won would take the camp of the defeated foe for plunder. Each time Goliath came forward to threaten the Israelites, the soldiers cowered backwards and looked for cover. None of the well-trained Israeli soldiers on the war front could muster enough courage to face the giant Philistine until a little boy called David, a shepherd and an amateur warrior whose only credential as a fighter was the killing of a lion and a bear when they threatened his herd of sheep, appeared on the scene. He eventually accepted the challenge of Goliath amidst doubts even from his own countrymen and slew him with just one stone. Everyone can recall vividly how, before the emergence of Femi Fani-Kayode as the spokesman for the PDPPCO, the APC took

over the entire media space and it was as if the PDP had no media machinery at all. In those days, the APC severally, severely, mercilessly and needlessly insulted and mocked Mr. President. His wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, was not left out of it. She was riled and caricatured at every given opportunity. Several caricatures of her went viral on the internet. It was one humiliation too unbearable for a woman. The pains President Jonathan must have passed through watching his wife become the butt of public jokes in the hands of the opposition at that time was better imagined than experienced. Even supporters of the President were silenced as a result of the insults, mockery and harassment they had to put up with for daring to express their support and defend him. A majority of them could only watch helplessly how the President was being unjustly vilified and relentlessly abused. But all that was before the appointment of Femi Fani-Kayode by the President to head the media and publicity directorate of his campaign organisation. Just like David against Goliath, the emergence of Fani-Kayode on the scene has changed the whole colouration of the media campaigns of the two leading parties in the March 28 presidential election. He is not afraid to take on giants. In fact, he regularly calls out the opposition to one challenge or the other, and they have found him quite a handful. He alone, it seems, has been taking on the opposition in a most effective and I-don’t-give-a-damn way. He has not only been able to neutralise them, he has also been beating them in their own game. He is so effective that the opposition sometimes commits the fatal fallacy of

blaming the President for appointing a man like that as his campaign spokesman. In other words, the President should have appointed someone they could easily quarantine so that they could continue to ride roughshod over him, his family and supporters. They are now complaining that Fani-Kayode is taking the game too far. That PDP supporters found their voice and boldness to challenge the APC eyeball to eyeball, at the same time Fani-Kayode started firing his salvos, is not a mere coincidence. It is evident that Fani-Kayode broke the ice; he led the battle, demystified the opposition, emptied their threats and nullified their insults without insulting them. Having torn the veil of mystery covering the APC, Fani-Kayode exposed their emptiness and subjected them to public scrutiny and criticism in a manner never known before. The greater beauty of his job is that while he takes on the opposition, he also publicises the works and achievements of Mr. President to the extent that they now receive adequate media attention and mention even in public places unlike before; hence, the public perception rating of President Jonathan has risen sharply in the last two months more than it has ever been in the close to five years of his presidency. Kudos should also be given to the entire campaign team of Mr. President for this achievement. They have all stood their ground and given a good account of themselves in the present circumstances. The APC is not happy about this development, hence, their endless complaints and empty threats against Femi Fani-Kayode. •Jude C. Ndukwe, Transpharm Plaza, Abuja; 08178746073; jrndukwe@yahoo.co.uk

Sunday Mail MARCH 15, 2015

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. Buhari wasted 20 months without any verifiable achievements Dear Editor, After much anxiety, campaigns and waiting! We have come to the month of decision for Nigeria and her people. But before we vote, you must remember that someone’s religion, tribe and place of birth does not bring food to your table, connect your village road to National grade, and guarantee free and compulsory education. In Nigeria, we have our history! The history that sharpen, bind and attempt to divide us. Yes, I agree totally that Nigeria need more change from the old ways where we don’t have roads from Abuja to Kogi, from Okene to Ilorin, from Kastina to Sokoto, From Benin to Ore, from Lagos to Ibadan. Today these roads are better under President Jonathan, he did not do these roads because he is a South Westerner or South Southerner but because he is a Nigerian President. In the same way, in 1983 our people queued and elected their government Alh Shehu Shagari won the election, during his first term and he started Ajaokuta Steel Company, Alaja steel, Jos rolling mills and built locus houses for workers. Suddenly Buhari toppled his government without Apology and wasted the 20 months without any verifiable achievements other than unnecessary Decrees that sent people to jail. Many died from complications, frustration and starvation. Yes, we had a change through the gun and landed in a mess that threw Nigeria into confusion till today. Johnson Musa from Abuja Where are the road safety.

Go, ink your finger and assert your right for credible candidate Dear Editor, They all want your vote so they all make the best promises they can think of. Which one should you pick? How should you choose? Step1. Make a list of things that are important to you- Values, things you think candidate should achieve etc. Step2. Motivate these choices- Why are these things on your list? How important are they to you? Mark the most important ones but keep the others as well. Step3. Look for a candidate of your choice, listen to speeches, debate, and find out about their opinions, more importantly what motivates them. Opinions can easily be adapted to what the voter wants to hear so, motivations are a little more reliable. Step4. Find out if the candidate(s) you’ve chosen is really the right one. Check their history, find out if they are telling the truth and if they can (and will) actually do what they are promising you. Step5 Make a final pick- Take your first list of important things, the election programme of your chosen candidate and any other important information you stumbled upon. Compare them and decide which of the candidates meets your demands the most if you hadn’t chosen one yet. Credibility should be your utmost desire in a candidate not political party. Step6. Vote! If you have done this right, then hopefully you won’t make the wrong choice. By following the steps and being true to yourself you can be sure you’ve done your best to choose the candidate that’s most suitable to represent you. Then, ink your finger and vote with the believe that you are satisfying your conscience afterall even in defeat, there’s victory! Habib Omachile Rabbiu from Kogi State

There is nothing like competition Dear Editor, I pray that Godly leaders should emerge in government and economy community to provide answers based on principles of God’s word that will eliminate or slow down corruption, insurgency that will put an end this problem of unemployment. Don’t cast your pearls before those who don’t value them lord almighty please help us when making any major decisions/ choices. I am so happy for what am seeing now in politics, there is nothing like competition imagine P.D.P campaigning seriously marketing their party and the other party also campaigning and marketing theirs too. Well i pray for the peace and progress of this nation i pray for the peace of Nigeria. Catherine Oneh Achimugu from Abuja

Another time of madness

Dear editor, As we approach another season of madness called elections 2015, I wish to advise Nigerian youths not to ruin their lives or integrity since politicians as well as their supporters are exercising diverse levels of madness. Some argue and fight over who wins the election when the vote is yet to be cast. A lot of plots and evil calculations are being made by power thirsty politicians on how to win elections at all cost. In all, the youths are the target agents to execute their evil plans. My friends, to before warned is to be fore armed. It is beneath your integrity to indulge in any type of evil activity. Therefore,, do not be thugs, ballot-box snatchers or agents of destruction before, during and after the elections. If you do, you might not survive it. If you die, it’s only your family members, relatives and friends that will feel the pain. No amount is worth a drop of your blood. Who knows, if you are careful and patient enough, you might one day become a chairman, governor, senator, House of Representatives or house of assembly member, minister or better still president of our dear country. Don’t ruin your life or integrity before your time. Stephen Okolo Makoji from Kogi State

Corrupt lecturers

Dear editor, Please, who will save Medical Lab Science NCE students of lmo State University Owerri from the hands of corrupt lecturers? Imagine some students that graduated since 2012 have not seen their results while their colleagues with ‘long legs’ are being inducted. Is Governor Rochas Okorocha aware of this ugly development? Please, someone should alert him. Students of lmo State University are crying and dying. Sam Ubani from Owerri.

Am I alone in a relationship or engaged to myself ?

Dear Editor, Everyone on facebook is employed, I wonder why we still talk about unemployment. Go through their profiles they are either CEO of one company or the other, the new Trend now is the one that ladies now get ‘engaged’ maybe for the Fun of it or maybe because of the comments I don’t Know why. A lot of people I know too well, who are single are engaged on facebook. Why should my relationship status be ‘in a relationship’ or ‘engaged’ when my boyfriend is ‘single’ or in an ‘open relationship’? Am I alone in a relationship or engaged to myself? Obioma Nkiruka from Anambra State

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Positive change Dear editor, I have got to understand that change is a necessity. Be that as it may, it is wise to always make a positive change; that is, to change from bad to good and not from good to bad or bad to worse. If a man who has a jeep changes his jeep for a Toyota Corolla, he cannot be said to have made a better change. Likewise when a man, all in the name of change, turns from God to the devil; he has not only made a wrong choice, but he has chosen death instead of life. However, to make a wise change, we must be able to juxtapose in our right senses between what we have and what we want in exchange for it. It is disgusting and useless to change from good to bad or from bad to worse, May God have mercy on us so that we will be able to make positive change in our dear country. Sunday Ojoanyogbe, Jos

Observation

Dear editor, I am a regular reader of Sunday Telegraph. You are doing a great job, keep it up. However, it beats my imagination that nothing was said about the International Women’s Day in your paper last week. Why is it that Nigeria’s extraordinary women were not celebrated in the paper or is the paper not gender friendly? Celina Andrew from Oshodi.

Nothing but self-deceit

Dear editor, Nigeria is a corrupt nation and many Nigerians wear corruption like a garment and carry it about like a national identity card. Majority of us are involved in the setbacks of this nation yet we blame it on few individuals. Leaders have come and gone and none without blame yet we never pause to ask why? I consider it a child’s play when some hypocritical Nigerians who say they will fight corruption still have corruption written all-over them. The destiny of this nation is in our hands. It’s time for critical self examination. My people, we must individually work on ourselves if we must develop as a nation. The only change we need is attitudinal change and not political party. Nobody can Change you except you. A change from one political party to another without self- change is nothing but self-deception. Ebere Peace Nnaji from Ebonyi State

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Moments

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; Chairman, African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Hannah Awolowo and Director, Tribune newspaper, Rev. Tola Oyediran, at the inauguration of Tribune’s new printing press in Ibadan…on Thursday

L-R: Agura of Gbagura, Oba Halidu Laloko; Osile Oke Ona, Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso; Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo and his wife, Olori Tokunbo, during the grand finale of the 29th Lisabi Day Festival in Abeokuta...yesterday

L-R: Secretary, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Mr. Falade Lawson; Onitire of Itire, Oba Lateef Dauda; Director-General, Police Assistance Committee/Association of Tradesmen/Women and Artisans of Nigeria, Dr. Oni Martins and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olumide Kayode, at a pre-election security seminar on information/intelligence gathering on free, fair and credible 2015 elections in Lagos…on Thursday. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

A cross-section of Newspapers Distributors/Vendors Association of Nigeria (NDAN), Lagos Chapter, at the endorsement Buhari/Osinbajo candidacy in Lagos…recently

L-R: Director, Spectrum Administration, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Engr. Austin Nwanule; Board member, Alhaji Mohammed Bintube; Chief Finance Officer, Wavetek Nigeria Limited, Mr. Joseph Aborowa and Commissioner, NCC, Mr. Dominic Nwafor, at the stakeholders forum on 70/80 GHz band : Spectrum plan and licensing, in Lagos…on Thursday. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

L-R: Director-General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Dr. Antony Anuforom; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Alhaji Mohammed Abbas and former Director-General, NIMET, Dr. Eugene Akeh, at the unveiling of the agency’s seasonal rainfall prediction in Abuja…on Thursday …PHOTO-NAN

L-R: Pastor Tony Onyemaka; Voice of Christian Matyrs, Habila Adamu; Centre for Missionary Development’s, Atim Bassey and Senior Pastor, Trinity House, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, when Trinity House hosted Habila Adamu, a survivor of a Boko Haram attack in Lagos…recently

Pupils displaying books presented to them by the Civil Society Action Coalition Education For All (CSACEFA) during its outreach to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) camp at Durumi in Abuja…on Thursday. PHOTO-NAN

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

News

Guber polls: Odds favour Dankwambo in Gombe Chijioke Iremeka

gainst all odds, Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, is set to ride on the crest of popular opinion to clinch a second term. Dankwambo is surely making waves in his re-election bid, giving a strong boost to the wisecrack that: “A man’s deed makes way for him.” This appears to playing out for the Gombeborn former Accountant-General of the Federation turned politician, as his various achievements in the state are speaking for him. Since the creation of the state in 1996 by the Sani Abacha military administration, quite a number of military administrators and civilian governors have ruled and governed the state. It was not until when Dankwambo of the Peoples Democratic Party mounted the saddle that there was a deliberate effort to develop the state and transform its infrastructural potential. Despite his giant strides, his efforts have not gone unchallenged by his political rivals, chief among whom is one of his predecessors, Sen. Mohammad Danjuma Goje of the All Progressives Congress. The former govenor and sitting senator is currently supporting another candidate against Dankwambo. This strong opposition has not dampened the governor’s huge support base as the people of the state are solidly behind his re-election bid. According to watchers of political events in the state, his chances are very high due to his sterling achievements. There is something curious about how

Dnkwambo emerged as governor. Any informed observer of Nigerian politics would attest to the fact that since the nation’s return to democratic governance in 1999, it has been customary for presidents and governors to choose their successors. The main reasons are to achieve some measure of control over the anointed or to cover the ‘stench’ in the backyard. And so, it was not surprising that a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Usman Bayero Nafada, who was a frontrunner for the Gombe gubernatorial slot, when Goje was winding up his tenure, suddenly lost out when Dankwambo suddenly showed up. The lingering crisis between Dankwambo and Goje had for sometime kept the people in the dark over who controls the state. But in a case of “after darkness surely comes the light,” the people are now better enlightened. Since Goje was replaced by a vibrant and forward looking Dankwambo, who brought succour and hope to the people of the state, a lot of achievements have been recorded in almost all the sectors of the economy of the state within three and half years of modest stewardship of the Talban Gombe. To chronicle the landmark achievements and milestones of a super achieving Dankwambo may take quantum space and time, and it is only pertinent to state that as “seeing is believing,” only a visit to the Jewel of the Savannah will reveal the true scope and breadth of the Talban Gombe’s transformational policies and programmes that have continued to draw honours, awards and accolades from far and near.

are you the one we are looking for? A fast-growing newspaper needs the services of the following: 1. Online Editor 2. Production Editors 3. Head, Supplement 4. Business Development Executives – South East, South South and North West ONliNE EDitOr: Candidate for this post must have at least a first degree in Mass Communication, Social Sciences or Arts and 10 years’ post-qualification experience, four of which must be in the online department of a reputable newspaper. The candidate must have good writing and editing skills, news judgment and be Internet savvy. He must be able to generate content for the web edition of the newspaper. PrODuctiON EDitOrS: Candidates for the post must have at least first degree in Mass Communication, Social Sciences or Arts and 10 years’ post-qualification experience, four of which must be in a similar position. In addition, the candidates should have strong computer skill and an eye for details. They should be able to drive the production process in such an efficient manner to ensure that the production deadline is timely met. HEaD, SuPPlEmENt: Candidate for the post must have at least first degree in Mass Communication, Social Sciences or Arts and seven years’ post-qualification experience. He/she must have strong editorial background with good writing skills. He must have proven track record in supplements and event execution and must be able to conceive and execute revenue-generating ideas. Business Development Executives in: i. South East ii. South South iii. North West Candidates for the post must possess a minimum of HND/BSC in Mass Communication, Marketing or Social Sciences with at least 3 years’ post qualification experience in similar position. He/She must have very strong communication skill and must be able to meet required sales target. Such candidates are also expected to reside in zones applied for. interested candidates should direct their applications to tHE HEaD, aDmiNiStratiON, DailY tElEGraPH PuBliSHiNG cOmPaNY limitED, 1, aJimOBi StrEEt, OFF acmE rOaD, aGiDiNGBi, iKEJa, laGOS or newjobstoday2015@gmail.com. The applications should reach the company within one-week of the publication of these vacancies.

Dankwambo

Though the elections are almost here, Dankwambo has continued to deliver the dividends of democracy to the teeming population of the state. The most recent was the presentation of soft loans worth N750 million to Gombe traders and farmers association. The recent presentation of his scorecard was an ample demonstration of his commitment to the welfare of his people. If achievements and performances are anything to go by. It is obvious that Dankwambo has no match in 2015 governorship elections in Gombe. Based on his leadership qualities, Dankwambo was unanimously endorsed by the PDP Executive Committee in the state as its sole candidate for the 2015 gubernatorial election in the state. His adoption was announced at a special session of the committee’s sitting held in the state capital. Speaking after the meeting, Senator Joshua Lidani, representing Gombe South Senatorial Zone, said the resolution was informed by the committee’s satisfaction with the achievements of Dankwambo in his first term. He said the meeting resolved to: “To declare unanimously our support and confidence in the leadership of His Excellency Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo as party leader and the Governor of Gombe state and to also declare our total satisfaction to the programmes of the Gombe State government. “We unanimously call on all members of the PDP in Gombe State to support the continuation of this government in its entire programmes. In essence, what we have decided this morning is that we are presenting Dankwambo as the candidate of the PDP to contest the 2015 general elections as the governorship candidate.” He said the decision was based on the recognition of his excellent performance as the governor of the state since assuming power. “He has brought a lot of achievements; he has recorded a lot of successes in the educational, economic and social sectors of the state. “He has brought peace and tranquility to the state, and has shown commitment to transparency and accountability in governance and above all, he has created a sense of belonging for all sectors of the state. He added that Dankwambo had proven himself to be a fair, just and equitable leader which Gombe State wants and will continue to support, hence the solid push for his sole candidature for 2015 elections. He, however, dismissed the opposition party’s threat to unseat Dankwambo on

April 11 as “empty noise” made by “empty barrels that are not on the ground. It is sure they will talk. But when it comes to the real test, I am sure you won’t find them because this party has continued to grow by every standard.” According to the Gombe State Commissioner for Finance, Hassan Mohammed, who has brought his financial expertise to bear on the administration, Dankwambo’s achievements have shown a high level of prudence in spending public funds on the development of the state. He said, “Everybody knows that Gombe State is located in the middle of the NorthEastern states; therefore, the location of the state in the middle of the North-East offers a challenge on its own. We all know that the North-East is challenged in terms of security. “In spite of the fact that Gombe shares a border with Borno, Yobe and some parts of Adamawa states, all of which are under emergency rule, Gombe has continued to enjoy relative peace, which is not unconnected with the level of good governance demonstrated by Dankwambo’s administration. “We believe that every well-thinking individual in the state would do everything thing possible to support the Dankwambo administration to succeed. If for nothing, at least, Gombe State is providing refuge for people from the states that are under emergency rule, particularly Borno and Yobe, and we feel the pressure on existing infrastructure. “For example, if you go to the hospitals you would see the number of people that are in those places. Then, you will know that there is an influx of people into the state. Our enrolment has also risen and we had to increase the number of classes and built new schools, township roads and regional roads, which connects villages with town and our farmers with the markets. “And all of them are there for everybody to go and see. Then of course, the nature of Gombe State being deficient in terms of infrastructure has also been uplifted because of the governor. Of course, institutions have been created such as the College of Basic Studies in Kumo, College of Education in Billiri, a School of Nursing, which we are struggling to get accredited and School of Health Technology in Kaltungo. “Basically, I think the government is utilising the bond fund and has been transparent. To say the least, it is not really clear to us those who are trying to prevent the people of Gombe from enjoying the dividends of democracy, and who are trying to sabotage access to the N10 billion bond balance.”

SUNDAY

Fashion

Flounce in flared trousers 44

Bed, Work & Life

Dear Mama mia 20

Body Soul SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

Happy Mothersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Day!

I left my husband two days after our wedding... - Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

eart h y m m o r f t Straigh

at was 49 ys wealth’. Th sexual jo en o Pg. h w e h ‘s e th g, in d n an ea n m lled ‘Ori aku’ care of the home, childreThen, all the eduomen were ca ok arried Igbo w when married women to all the needs of the family. her with the e & Din s ped ed ay d d vi e Wine ro os in th es that equip e way, was s who p d on an e sb th u e h er r w ei e th osed to who by ntin needs of th ly Ce child was exp her husband, she failed cation the girlsatisfy the sexual needs of an soaked in her tears if , Yoruba Frienthde palate fo r ‘Olu omo’ hen a wom home and ith eight tools to run a ng. Those were the days wmale children regarded as w d se es bl regarded as kiusband the much desired s that a man who had beenild and would name W to give her h ride of children”. The dayod to give him just one ch g, the mind is now at phrase for ‘p n would daily pray to G ale boy, ‘Obiajulu’ meanind until the birth of the female childred who happened to be a mregarded as ‘childless’ an iling to be a real man! ce the ninth chil s or not, such a man was e living and the dead for fa other is supreme), not sh sau ked fi o m rest. Eight girle would be hounded by thed his girl child, Nneka (m that untutored mind, s n with golden boy, h e days when a man nam ife, but his own mother! To a Ago’i w E th w e is or ghter red in h Those wer Achebe, captu erished his dau ss a thought. T because he chas not a female! So sensele t, the late erudite Chinua to the question, ‘How is se on sp re in his mother w the days, renowned novelis t’ ot heard. ey are quie Those were hen a man would say, ‘th a woman was seen and n w at ; th ks , she has e then early wor was acceptabl d class citizens that the n It ’ co se y? il a m as fa r ed u you is still regard ose days! eed I remind Those were the the fact that the womanallic-dominated society. N allic-minded Today, despit ches in the rating of a ph at? Pg. 50 erected by ph t th risen some notd assiduously to achieve nted by the glass ceilings the egotist male intellec woman worke women who were not dauthose ceilings and matched orner ook C ot cake My C Kudos to the heroines who shattered forced d p carr an -u te e le so -m , ’ ob ick males eates word ‘Oriaku olden PW g for intellect! u women who made the ata aku’ -the hand that cr e r r, a ea s t’ s I celebrate yo gard the woman as ‘okp at sounds in a chauvinis Parent ! th re the world to no matter how distasteful vide for the family todaysupple- A wealth. Yeah, at rock the cradle also pro ther, who combined the woman many hands thu my dear mother, Allweaa man in good measure, aom your I celebrate yoan with the ‘rockiness’ of ith ease! Daily, I draw fr gh folk w u ness of a womwho played in men’s fieldyou conveyed mostly throbrate you s le h d ce ic or I h w ... w w ck ba dom of fe ring into my words of wis repertoire of ur message-laden eyes, bo Supreme! tales, I feel yoreal SUPAWOMAN! eed, Mother is d in .. s. le er h e ot th puzz m e all word Mma ayi, Cross ays, I celebrat w al d an ay d To

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Juliet

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Contents 15.03.2015 COVER

My mother is still alive and she also played a very strong role in my growing up and also in my being able to hold my career. I owe a lot to her

-Abiola AkiyodeAfolabi

} 18-19

BEAUTY

If you’re in a serious rush, just focus on the three Es — eyebrows, eyeliner, and eyelashes

FASHION

Remember those pants that were skinny at the hips and became fuller as they went down, to create a bell-bottom effect at the ankles?

T h e Te a m Juliet Bumah (Editor)

Vanessa Okwara (Correspondent) Wole Adepoju

} 22&43

Biwom Iklaki (Correspondent) Ugochukwu Nnakwe (Graphics)

MY PASSION A wristwatch saved me in a ghastly motor accident. It took most of the impact even though my wrist was badly smashed

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

Associates

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GLAM DUDES Men want to have some expression in their outfit and for those who wear suits, a flash of colour from the sock is the perfect way to do it

} 44

BED, WORK & LIFE “My wife is pregnant. From what the doctor said, I couldn’t have been responsible for her pre gnancy! Didn’t it occur to you?”

} 20

Helen Paul

Eyitayo Aloh

i By ee

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

Body&Soul What is Enyinna’s background? I am the last of four kids, two boys and two girls, and from Ngor Okpala LGA in Imo State. I studied Economics at the University of Calabar. I am very active in sports. I like to think myself a people’s person. What mischiefs were you known for in school? For this prank, I needed a partner in crime. The person would bend over like a stool behind someone standing (without their knowledge). Then they would move forward until the person steps back and flips over the ‘stool’ and falls. I pissed my best friend off because he was always my partner until I did it with someone else and he felt betrayed. It might have been unspoken but I figured I had broken the ‘bro code’. How did you begin your journey to stardom? My career started by accident. We all encounter that person who leads us to discover ourselves. My case was one of such. While at the University of Calabar, I met this friend who called me up and said there was a new modelling agency in town and they had been doing rehearsals for over three weeks. He suggested I join them. I had no interest in the arts at the time, but my ‘activity’ person just went along to see. I loved what I saw, good looking guys and girls were on the runway practising and I decided to stand by and watch because I was too shy at the time to do something I had never done before with people watching and judging. But they kept pushing me to join them, so I tried it and I liked it. It automatically became my core curricular activity for staying away from trouble; having fun in a productive way and learning something new. I became a model and two weeks after I became a coach along with people who were more experienced than me. Then I met Jeta Amata, the director, while he was filming in Calabar at the time for the government and we became friends. Over time, his passion for film rubbed off on me and when I put together a fashion show, I invited him over. Then, he invited me to his set where he was filming ‘Wheel of Change.’ I went to see how his work went beyond the talk. There was a scene with two guys and he suddenly thought of creating a character (a lot of directors do this), he thought he could do with an extra guy to fill up the frame so he pushed me in. When the film came out, I wasn’t exactly impressed but I knew that it was an experience I would love to try again. Over the years, I have seen myself grow, critiquing and criticising myself. I do not like to watch myself but I have to look out for technicalities and ways to improve. So that was how I grew and evolved to where I am now. How did your parents take your career choice? My parents were not skeptical like the average Nigerian parent would be, but it was new to them. We had nobody in that field in our family, but it was a good thing they had seen the passion from when I was modelling in school. Once when I was at home on holiday I was called for a modelling competition and I had to break my holiday to go for it

How a wristwatch saved my life -Enyinna Nwigwe

Young, suave and candy-packed with talent and five U.S congressional awards, Eyinna Nwigwe, speaks with BIWOM IKLAKI about his life, career and passion he has proven that a black guy out there can do it and hold it strong. He has been really inspiring to actors internationally. On the home front, there is Gideon Okeke, O.C. Ukeje, Ramsey Nouah, Majid Michelle, all these guys have in one way or the other impacted on my career and business. How do you think the social media has impacted on Nollywood? It has impacted on it so strongly like everything else. We have a chance now to be seen by the world and even without putting our films out there. For instance, with the hashtags, I can hashtag Nollywood and someone in China goes to Nollywood and sees me there. It has given us that wider reach and visibility. Others can get to see the personal side of actors which draws them to you and makes them feel a lot more recognised by their idol. It creates a platform for interactions and a closer relationship with the people they love in the industry. What projects are you working on and what sacrifices do you have to make for the job? My favourite project ever would be ‘Black November.’ Besides being the biggest thing I have worked on in terms of quality and reach, it also has a strong message that was conveyed about what has been going on in the Niger Delta in the last 50 years - from the oil spills to the local chief corruptions to then military administration to the gas flaring. It encapsulates everything, including the likes of Ken Saro-Wiwa. There are many documentaries, but none has given that much exposure to the situation in the Niger Delta. Documentaries could be boring but the movie with a proper plot makes it easier. So it is not just a movie, but a movement which I am passionate about and would love to be a part of. There is ‘Silver Rain,’ a Juliet Asante production that premiered in Ghana on Friday, and then will soon come to Nigeria. It is a fight against class and social injustices. I have started filming with top director, Obi Emelonye, a movie that is very physical and I am shedding weight for. It promises to be a thriller.

What was your first big pay and what did you do with it? It didn’t come at once; it came in trickles but it was solving every problem I wanted it to do. It kept me going and rekindled my passion for acting. I wouldn’t let the passion drive me into forgetting I have responsibilities, so let’s just say I am a money maker.

What are you most passionate about? Sports and acting. The movie ‘Black November’ was screened at the United Nations Convention, at the Library of Congress, and African Society in USA. I got five congressional awards for it. It makes me sure I am on the right path. Only last year, Shell agreed to compensate one of the communities that were affected and I learnt the film influenced the decision. After it was screened at Congress, a couple of congressmen headed by Bobby Rush took it upon themselves to champion the cause. I am sure other communities will get their due too.

Who is your role model in life generally? I have quite a lot of people who inspire me. Jeta Amata of course who was instrumental to the start of my career, Donald Duke is a perfect example of who I want to be - correct guy, fine boy, fine wife, relevant in business, politics and in arts. He is a rounded character. For actors, I have had this thing with Denzel. I won’t say it is his acting style, but

What is the Enyinna brand about? It is a work in progress. A lot is going on in my mind and I need help to contain it all. I don’t want to be another actor, I want to inspire, counsel and help people find themselves. I want that name actor to be seen beyond the silver screen. I believe everything

is possible. Describe your style I don’t have a particular style; I go with how I feel. Whether it is right or wrong to the people that judge, I don’t care (in a good way). If I feel good about what I am doing, I will do it without apologies. I could wear colours to trigger a happy mood. What would you never be caught wearing? I would never be caught wearing a dress on the red carpet in the name of fashion. Who is your favourite designer? For shirts, I love Italian designer Maria Kanuchi. And others depend on the piece. Best perfumes? I never wear a particular scent. I always mix scents to get my own fragrance. What accessory brings your entire look together? It’s my shoes, and they also

affect my confidence. My corporate shoes make me feel all business, my boots give me a boost and sneakers make me feel more agile. They are my alter ego. For wrist watches, I cannot step out without my watch and once I am home, my watch must come off. What is the most expensive thing you ever bought? I am not about big names. I just love good quality. I am not comparing your Gucci with my Gucci. A wristwatch saved me in a ghastly motor accident. It took most of the impact even though my wrist was badly smashed. Imagine if the watch wasn’t of good quality. I am going to frame it up in my home, it saved my hand. If you were stuck on an island and could only take three things, what would they be? My camping gas to cook the hell out of the island, (I love my food how and when I want it), my running shoes and my laptop. How do you relax? I relax when I work out, I think better when doing my power walk. I love adventure, I’m passionate about skydiving, scuba diving; I get a great adrenaline rush from physical activity. Who is your ideal woman? We should have conversations freely; she should be a woman I can learn from. She has to stimulate me mentally. Best car? My first car was a BMW and I think I will always go back there. I can drive any good car.

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

I left my husband two days after our Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi is a lawyer and the Executive Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre. She is a leading human rights advocate in Nigeria with specialisation in International human rights and has won several international and national awards for her works on gender equality and fight for women rights. In this interview with VANESSA OKWARA, she extols the joys of motherhood and how women can be amply represented in the society Today is Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, a day mothers are celebrated all over the world. How do you think women have fared so far, especially in the dispensation we are in right now? I think a lot has happened with respect to the development of Nigerian women. If we look at where we were in 1960 and where we are now, while there are still a lot of challenges and impediments affecting us as women, I think Nigerian women generally have recorded a lot of successes. We have moved from being voiceless to having voices although the voices are still not pronounced as we would want. However, there has been a great shift from where we used to be to where we are now. In terms of politics, do you think women are amply represented in the forthcoming elections? In terms of politics, we have not been able to achieve what is expected, given the fact that Nigeria is committed to a lot of national, regional and international polices that ordinarily should have bettered the lot of women. In 2007, Nigeria adopted the National Gender Policy which speaks for the need to increase the number of women appointed into political positions. While at the national level in terms of the number of ministerial appointments, there has been an improvement when compared to 2007 or when compared to 1999 till date. However, that still remains tokenism in a way. It does not speak to representation across board. We can start from looking at the political parties. Hardly will you find a woman as the chairman of

any political party. Oftentimes, women are given positions like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;woman leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and that is the only thing that makes a woman a member of the political board. So you only find one or two women in leadership positions in the political parties and that in itself is a problem. Where you have about 13 to 14 people making decisions and you have one or two women representing the bulk of the women. If you also look at the manifesto of the political parties, while there has been some attempt by some political parties to engender their constitution, there are still a lot of challenges. While we may see some trickles of their engendering in their manifestoes and constitutions, but when we look at it generally, we still see a lot of lapses. I also think there is a need for us to begin to do some accountability within the political parties. There is a need for us to begin to do some positive reading. In the process of reading, I realised that almost all of them in order to be in line with global standards of what is expected of them in terms of manifestos and constitutions, claim to be adhering to gender equality. If we begin to look at that in terms of positive reading, we can take parties like All Progressives Grand Alliance, Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress and begin to investigate to what extent they actually put in place the structures that can support gender equality in their parties. Another challenge we see in the political parties is that they claim that women constitute the majority, but our findings reveal that while you see women in such gatherings in large numbers clapping for the candidates, majority of these women are either hired to do that for that particular period, but are not card carrying members of those political parties. Unfortunately, we are not good with data. You cannot get to the secretariats of political parties and be able to find the data of the percentage of women who belong to their party. But from our findings, we need these women to become card carrying members so that they can be part of those making decisions within their wards and can change the leadership at any level and make impact. So there is a need for us to re-assess our strategy. 2015 might be a little bit late, but for 2019, how do we enter into these political parties to reaffirm ourselves as women so that the political parties will begin to take cognisance of some of our issues? How do you think the lot of women in Nigeria can be improved? The easiest way to improve the lot of women and girls is through education. Up till now, majority are still out of school. With what is happening in the North-East, young girls cannot go to school, likewise boys; but girls are in the majority. They are scared to go to school because of what happened to the school girls at Chibok and other places in Nigeria. So it is a very complex discussion. If we take a look at some states in the North, there is not much increase in the number of women in political positions. Take South West for example, in Osun State, there is no single woman in the House of Assembly. The southern part of Nigeria is more receptive to

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

Body&Soul

wedding to study abroad - Akiyode-Afolabi gender equality. It is only in Lagos and Anambra states that we have women in large representation. In Oyo State, there is only one woman who is the speaker of the house. If we look at all this, we can see that we have not really been able to affect positively gender equality, despite the fact that Nigeria is committed to the Convention on the Discrimination Against Women, which talks about women participation in political matters, where Nigeria participated actively in 1995 at the Beijing Conference. We have adopted some of the Beijing plans of action but we have now been able to achieve the 30 per cent which Beijing provided for. The Nigerian woman and girl seem to have worse chances compared to women and girls in sister countries like Ghana. We are moving, but at a slow pace and then become stagnant. If we look at all that, we cannot say we have achieved a lot in terms of gender equality. You can see it reflected in the global gender index of the country as against other countries. In countries where there have been improvements, they made progress because they changed laws; they have created more institutions to address gender equality. Even countries that are just coming out of war have made more laws than we have, such as Sierra Leone and Liberia. They have laws that are national laws that speak to issues like women empowerment and gender equality. Nigeria, apart from gender policy, doesn’t seem to have laws. Policies are persuasive in nature whereas laws are stronger and can hold people more accountable to a legal framework than a policy framework. That is what we need to do to improve gender equality in the country. How would you rate the government policies on violence against women in Nigeria today? In Nigeria, the Violence against Persons Bill is supposed to address violence against women, which is a major issue in Nigeria. Nothing much has been done in that regard. In WARDC, we get over 20 issues of violence against women such as rape and domestic violence on a weekly basis. Out of 36 states, only 23 states in Nigeria have been able to pass the Child Rights law. For those states that have passed it, enforcement is still very poor. When a woman is violated, they don’t know what to do. The information ministry is not doing enough; the Ministry of Women Affairs is underfunded. That is why we see the effect in the political landscape in Nigeria and also the economy where women remain the poorest. This is also manifest in education and health. That is why Nigeria has the second highest rate of maternal mortality next to India. These are issues that are preventable if we have a government that is accountable to women. How can mothers help themselves and the generation of women in future to ensure gender equality? Up till now, women still let their girls go to the kitchen to cook and their boys stay to watch football. We need to groom the children in a manner that would make them to respect the girl-child. We need to create that gender equality environment right from the home and it’s not about the mother alone. Both men and women would have to enshrine gender equality within the home environment. We need to put all these together so that there will not be any discrimination against the girlchild or the woman. How has WRDC helped in sensitising our

society about gender equality? WARDC has done a lot in terms of laws and policies. We engage policy makers a lot in what we do. In 2007, we worked with women in a committee of the National Assembly to establish what we call Women in Parliament Summit. It is an annual summit. We believe that women in parliament have a strong role to play in terms of policy change and law making. We are part of the advocacy on violence against women, which is a group of civil society organisations pushing for laws like the Violence Against Persons Bill. At the state level, we have worked with women parliamentarians and men in Ekiti State to ensure that the Gender and Equal Opportunity law was passed in 2011 by Fayemi’s government. This

My mother is still alive and she also played a very strong role in my growing up and also in my being able to hold my career. I owe a lot to her. She has always been there for me

year, we organised the Lagos Gender Dialogue where we gave gender pacts to candidates who are contesting elections, particularly governorship candidates and the presidential candidates, to ensure they sign a pact with women which we can use to hold them accountable when they get into office. We also run hotlines where people can call us if they run into crises in their homes or need immediate help against violence. In the office, we run a legal aid programme. We have lawyers and people who are also trained counsellors that speak to women who have been violated. What made you to go into advocacy? I have been an activist since I was a teenager. I was also a school debater. Through that, I was exposed to discussions about the state of the nation. As a teenager, I decided to add my voice to changing the society. With that exposure, I got into Obafemi Awolowo University to study Law. I became the first female Public Relations Officer of the students union as an activist. I read law and I was a leading activist. I was leading a huge number of students and the implication of that was that you had to be current and understand discussions at the national level. That impacted my being as a person and the work that I do. After that, I worked with a human rights lawyer, Dr. Tunji Abayomi. I was working in the chambers supporting issues of human rights. At what point did you get married with all the activism you were involved in as a young lady? I got married at the age of 27; that was in 1997. I got married to a friend who

believes in what I believe in. We were friends for over 10 years before we got married. He is eight years older than I am. He is a good friend of mine and we have been getting along very well. That is why it is easy for me to do what I do because there is somebody who supports what I do. I remember that I got a scholarship in 1997 to go and get a Masters of Law in the United States. I got married on August 15 and I was to travel on the 17th. So I left for the United States two days after I got married and I didn’t come back until two years later. It takes a lot of understanding to be able to part with a new bride two days after the wedding. This shows the extent the man I married understands what I do and is ready to support me. We have two children and a step daughter. It has been a very interesting marriage. We understand our boundaries and we have been able to work together. How do you resolve issues when they come up in your marriage? We have not had arguments that lasted 24 hours. We understand our boundaries. We rarely have strong arguments but when we do, we leave the arguments and respect one another’s positions. It does not affect our relationship at all. You have a right to hold your position and I have mine. How do you balance your busy schedule with taking care of the family? On that aspect, it has not been very easy. I spend a lot of time with my kids when I have the time. Interestingly, they are closer to me more than their father despite the fact that I keep a very busy schedule. There is a space my family occupies that I cannot compromise. My mother is still alive and she also played a very strong role in my growing up and also in my being able to hold my career. I owe a lot to her. She has always been there for me. She was with me when I was in the U.S where I had my first child. She is a very strong woman and also hardworking. I also have that kind of perception about motherhood. We established the shelter in Ogun State called the Margaret’s Place after her because it was what I saw as a young woman that I am doing today. She is a typical epitome of the Nigerian mother who keeps struggling for her children and to keep their home. On special days like this Mother’s Day, I give her a cake and special presents to celebrate and appreciate her and to let her know that she represents that Nigerian woman who is a survivor. Describe your fashion style. I don’t think I am a very stylish person. I wear dreadlocks because I think they are convenient for me. I don’t wear wigs because I think it is not African. I am a pan-Africanist and a feminist. I don’t put relaxer in my hair because I think the African woman is very natural. So I would rather do braids. I decided about four years ago to start wearing dreadlocks. I lock it every six weeks to keep it neat and tidy. For clothes, I prefer to wear casuals. Being a lawyer, I have to obey the dictates of my profession by dressing well. On a good day, I wear trousers and a loose top. I prefer African fabrics. I do a lot of things with Ankara and Adire fabrics. I also love to wear Aso-Oke. And your signature perfumes? I love perfumes but I don’t really have a particular brand. I do a lot of Forever Living products, especially their perfumes and cream.

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

with

Juliet Bumah +234 81 1 675 9770

julietbumah@gmail.com

Dear Mama mia

athryn is shell-shocked! She looks at James, willing him to tell her that what he just said is a joke. “Please James, tell me this is a joke. Tell me it isn’t true. Tell me she didn’t do that,” she cries. “Kiki, I wouldn’t joke with such a matter. She told me to my face that I couldn’t have fathered her children and told me to go see a doctor. The doctor confirmed it. I couldn’t have fathered those kids!” James says, his eyes misty. “Oh no! What will you do now? What will my sister say! This is so sad, dear,” Kathryn says. “Now, that is not the problem right now. There’s another issue that’s giving me high blood pressure, my love. “ James says. “What issue?” Kathryn asks. “My wife is pregnant. From what the doctor said, I couldn’t have been responsible for her pregnancy! Didn’t it occur to you?” James says, tears in his voice. Kathryn attempts to jump up. She sits down, hard, on the chair and lets out a tiny scream. James is beside her in a jiffy. “Baby, what’s the problem? You hurt yourself? Baby, talk to me, talk to me, James says, holding her. “I’m okay dear. I just forgot that in my state, there are things I just cannot do. Tell me something! You are not responsible for my sister’s pregnancy? Haaaaaaaaaa! It’s not possible! How can? No, the doctor must have made a mistake. Don’t believe such crap,” she says. “No darling. The doctors couldn’t have all been wrong,” James says. “Doctors?” Kathryn asks. “Doctors, yes. I sought another’s opinion and it was the same verdict,” he replies. His shoulders droop. “So...who is responsible for my sister’s pregnancy?” Alice asks rhetorically. “I did my investigations...” James begins sadly and his shoulders droop the more. James is going through a very hard time, Kathryn could see that. Her heart goes out to him. A man suddenly realises that he is not the father of his kids and his wife is pregnant, purportedly for him! So, Alice knows that her husband is responsible for their childless state? At what point did she realise that? And she didn’t mention it to her! “My pain is that my wife seems to have found out and had gone to seek a solution to our childless state in the arms of another man. To think that she never deemed it necessary to broach the matter with me. I feel so useless,” James says quietly. “No dear, you are not useless, you are not. It’s not the end of life,” Kiki says, holding out her arms to comfort him. He grabs her arms and draws her into a warm embrace. He looks around him and kisses her. “Kiki, life’s so cruel. All the while, I had thought I’m the one hurting my wife, not knowing that my wife had been cheating on me,” he says. “But if you know all these, why do you want to go back to her? Why do you want to go back to a wife that obviously has been sleeping around? A wife that is pregnant for another man, a cheating wife,” she asks. “Kiki, throughout our time together, I had been cheating on my wife. Before

I met you, I had cheated with another woman. And obviously, when she found out I was the cause of her childless state, she went and got herself pregnant instead of confronting me with her findings. That’s wicked of her. It could also be that she didn’t want to make feel bad. If she had told me to my face that I’m not man enough to make her pregnant, I would have felt very bad...then she sent me out of her house...because I’m so useless to her? Oh Gawd! I’m so confused,” he says. “Calm down dear,” Kathryn says, kneading his wrists absentmindedly. “Thanks baby,” he says, enjoying that feeling. They are at the back garden of a beautiful hotel located in a serene environment, way out of the hustle and bustle of the city. James has lodged there since he left home. Though the rooms and the ambience are warm, he longs for the comfort of his home. They talk more and about half an hour later, Kathryn is ready to leave. “I have to go home now. Traffic may build up and I don’t want Dave to get home before me. Moreover, my phone battery is dead and he may be trying to reach me,” she says. “Oh, let me quickly charge it in my room

for you,” James says. “No dear, I’ll do that in the car. I really need to get going. Will call you when I get home. Do take care of yourself and don’t worry too much. Everything will be okay,” she says. James helps her up, embraces and kisses her. “Go back to your room. You can’t walk me to the car park...it’s too open...” Kathryn says. “Yes, you are right. Thanks for being there for me, my darling,” he says. Kathryn looks at him and smiles. He said it the way he used to, those days. She smiles again and brushes her lips against his. “Now, I’ve gotta leave,” she says. “I know my baby. I mean, my wife. Will definitely miss you,” James says and they laugh. She walks away and James watches her, remembering those days that she set his body on fire. Despite her pregnancy, she still looks very sexy and desirable. He shakes his head, trying to clear his head of the sensual thought that is already affecting his groin. Life! **** Sitting many chairs away is Alice. She

watches as her sister and her husband hold hands, kiss and laugh. She is sitting too far away to hear what they are saying but she has a clear view of their location. She can’t sit closer for fear of revealing her presence. So she makes do with just observing them. So they are still seeing each other? It’s hard to believe! Kiki and James? So why did Kiki tell me about their past dalliances together? Why? Could James even be responsible for her pregnancy? OMG! She doesn’t even know whether to be angry or not. So they are all playing the same game all along? She can’t even challenge them. What moral right does she have to do that? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm! She settles more deeply into her chair. Wondering how this will all end. After a few more minutes, Kathryn stands up. She watches them kiss their goodbyes and Kathryn walks towards the car park. She has to sit and wait for James to leave also before standing up to avoid drawing attention to herself. She would give an arm to know what is going on between them but unfortunately, she may not unless she asks and ask she will not. Well, Kathryn may know she is there because her car is parked very close to hers. She wished she left before Kathryn but she had been so engrossed in watching them! The first getaway weekend they had shortly after meeting, James had brought them to Tuckaway. The name is perfect for the hotel which is tucked inside a very cool and upscale environment near the sea. Tuckaway is a dream place for lovers who want to get away from the noisy city life. That weekend has remained the best. Cool country music wafted from concealed speakers and it added to the dreamy ambience. For the three nights they spent there, they were enveloped in the rhythm of old school tunes. James told her it was the official music in the garden bar. They had been there a few times after. So when she was on the phone with Kathryn hours ago and she heard the cool country music in the background, her mind had raced to Tuckaway. Then James’ ringtone thrown into the mix sort of settled it for her, especially as Kathryn had called to plead on James’ behalf. To be double sure, she called James’ number almost immediately and it was ‘busy’. **** Kiki stops dead in her track! Is that not Alice’s car? She looks wildly around her. She’s sure because the shawl she forgot inside Alice’s car is there on the back seat. What is Alice doing here? Does she have a business meeting with a client here? Has she seen them? Oh no! She has to leave there immediately. She needs to warn James immediately. Agh! Her phone battery is flat and she can’t go back in there. Heart beating wildly, she dashes to her car, turns on the ignition. As she is about to engage the gear, she feels woozy and nauseous. Fear grips her as she feels faint. “Oh mother...mother...” she screams... ****** Did Kathryn pass out? Did Alice meet her at the car park? Where had Dave been all this while? Keep a date with me here on Sunday. •Send your observations to the email above.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

Body&Soul

No time? Glam up in minutes Vanessa Okwara

he mad rush of a hustling city begins as soon as the cock crows. Apart from the fact that you may need to be in the office before eight in the morning, you are also expected to look beautiful with your makeup on point. Just because you have to hurry doesn’t mean your beauty routine has to suffer. You can slice minutes off your grooming while maintaining great skin, healthy hair, and a pulled-together look. You can do this by making sure all you need for your beauty routine are within reach and gathered together on your vanity stand the previous night. Once the alarm rings and you have taken your bath, quickly go through your beauty routine. Here are some of the things you can do to save time and still come out looking glamourous. Use a multitasking moisturiser Score a three-for-one punch by choosing a moisturiser that, in addition to having an SPF of at least 30, contains antioxidants. That way, you can hydrate, sunblock, and get the anti-aging benefits of antioxidants all at once. Focus on the three Es If you’re in a serious rush, just focus on the three Es — eyebrows, eyeliner, and eyelashes. Brush and fill in brows if necessary, line your upper lashes with chocolate brown pencils and slowly wiggle a mascara wand through lashes for definition. If you’ve got under-eye darkness, a quick touch of concealer may be necessary. Add a slick of lip balm or gloss to finish and out the door you go.

Avoid mascara mishaps If you are one of the many women hooked on mascara, you know that cleaning up smudges and retouching surrounding eye makeup can cost precious minutes. To avoid the mess, hold a tissue under the lash line when running bristles through lashes. Any excess mascara will conveniently end up on the tissue. Tissues are especially helpful if you apply mascara to your lower lashes. Buff, don’t paint Sometimes, there’s just no time for a manicure, even though your nails are in need of some serious love. Try buffing instead, which gives nails a super-shiny, healthy appearance. Then smooth on your favourite hand cream. Quick buffing and hydrating will do a world of good. It’s a quick way for your hands to look and feel clean. Use and apply a quick drying nail polish, it will help you polish your nails and dry them in a few minute which may be less than five minutes. A coat of colour on your nails can brighten your nails beauty. Maintain your beauty while you are sleeping Many beauty products do the hard work for you while you sleep. Overnight hair treatments, face masks and foot creams give your beauty regime an added boost with results noticeable the next morning.

Body&Soul

Biwom Iklaki

f you do not believe that fashion is a perfect recycling lounge, here is another reason not to doubt it. Remem-

were pretty hip in the 80s. Some of us will remember them from our parents or grandparent’s photographs. Some others will remember when Fela used to wear them with a bare chest or with those skinny shirts that were later nicknamed

‘happy hour’ or ladies night. Basically, the pants work as a frame for whatever you wear on top to define the look. A tank top and blazer can work your office power pump. While a denim top with statement jewellery can take you from day to

ways play up your assets with this flared trouser look. A plump person wearing it with a frumpy top could come out looking like an unhappy bag lady. Remember to balance the silhouette. Baggy down, fitted top. If you decide to go with a shift or

Flounce in flared trousers

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SundayBusiness SUNDAY

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

News

Terminal operators owe government billions of naira –Minister p.24

Dollar rate may push petrol to N150 per litre

Paul Ogbuokiri

Interview

Why FCT imposed entertainment tax - Ari p.25

Brands Coca-Cola battles Pepsi, others p.28

Paul Ogbuokiri Head, Business paulogbuokiri@newtelegraph online.com

rude oil prices which for the first time in five years fell to $46 per barrel before rising again on fears of shrinking number of rigs drilling for oil in the United States, last Friday closed down, with benchmark Brent losing its most in a week since January. However, the Nigerian downstream petroleum sector, which had been one of the beneficiaries of the decline in crude oil prices, would not be lucky this time around as the national currency, the Naira, has shed not less than 20 per cent value in the last two months. The depreciation in the value of the naira according to analysts at Meristem Securities has eroded the gains the domestic downstream market was making from the falling prices of crude oil in the international market. They said that government is now faced with the harsh realities of either continuing to subsidise the regulated products to cushion the effects of the current huge difference between the landing cost plus distribution margin and the current pump price of fuel or raising the price again. But with President Goodluck Jonathan facing a crucial election on March 28, they don’t foresee the latter as a likely option. The exchange rate of the naira which stood at N197 to $1 at the interbank market on Wednesday, exchanged at N220 to $1 at the Bureau De Change at Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday evening. A forex dealer, Abdulraman Isa, told Sunday Telegraph that it could hit N225 before the end of the week unless something happens. According to Saturday Telegraph edition of March 6, prices of goods, especially imported items, are rising as predicted by renowned economist and managing director of Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr. Bismark Rewane. He recently said that Nigeria’s dependence on imported goods would trigger double-digit inflation this year, lower standard of living and increase the cost of imported refined petroleum products. Information sourced from the website of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Authority on Friday indicated that the landing and distribution cost of petroleum products, arguably Nigeria’s largest single import item, has rapidly gone up from the January 20, 2015 figures of N74.35 and N15.49 to N102 per litre and N24. 49 per litre respectively. After a long wait by Nigerians for cheaper fuel after the nose-diving of the prices of crude oil in the international market, the Federal Government on Sunday January 18, announced the reduction of the pump price PMS (Petrol) from N97 ($0.52) to N87 ($0.47) per liter. Opponents of government had criticised the price cut, saying the reduction was belated. They further accused the Federal Government of playing politics with the issue. Analysts, however, say government should have tarried a little longer before announcing the reduction or it should have used the opportunity to bring the controversial subsidy on PMS and DPK (Kerosene) to an end. They argued that had government taken the latter option, it would have left the two regu-

Jonathan

Alison-Madueke

lated products to be determined by the price of crude oil in the international market. However, officials of PPPRA were quick to defend the decision, arguing that it was taken only after all the fundamental trends in the global crude oil market had been considered. They admitted that the new pricing template was occasioned by the falling value of the naira, but did not say if the development would result in the upward review of the pump price of fuel. An official of the agency who spoke to Sunday Telegraph on Thursday on condition of anonymity, said, “Our responsibility is to present the facts as they are. As it stands today, government is subsidising PMS at N19 per litre. That may go up or come

down tomorrow depending on the exchange rate and the price of crude oil. It is not static, that is why we update daily and monthly. “We don’t decide on subsidy. It is a political issue and it is only the government that can take a decision on that. We can only advise based on the situation on ground,” he said. Sunday Telegraph’s investigation revealed that the average price of gasoline (petrol) around the world on March 9, 2015 was $1.05 (about N200) per litre. However, there is a substantial difference in these prices among countries. As a general rule, richer countries have higher prices while poorer countries and the countries that produce and export oil have significantly lower prices. One notable exception is the U.S, which is an economically advanced country but has low petrol prices. The differences in prices across countries are due to the various taxes and subsidies for petrol. The PPPRA Pricing Template posted on its website on Wednesday, March 10, 2014 show that the actual retail price of the PMS is N117, a difference of N20 per litre at the current price of N87 per litre. At the exchange rate of $1 to N155, petrol was selling at N87 and the landing cost was N74.35 per litre of PMS as at the close of business on Friday, January 16, 2014. The addition of a distribution margin of N15.49 per litre would translate to an open market price or pump price of N89.84 per litre. Government had said it was still subsidising the product at that time at N2.84 per liter, selling to the public at N87. A breakdown of the PPPRA product pricing template for PMS for March 10, 2015, shows that C+F –N90.65 per litre; Traders Margin p/p— N1.47; Lighting Expenses p/p—N4.14; NPA p/p—N0.77; Financing p/p—N1.22; Jetty Depot Throughput Charge p/p--N0.80; Storage Charge p/p—N3.00; Landing Cost p/p—N102.05; Retailers p/p—N4.60; Transporters p/p—N2.99; Dealers p/p N1.75; Bridging Funding p/p— N5.85; Marine Transport Average p/p—N0.15. The total landing cost of N102 p/p plus distribution margin p/p N25.49—N117.54 p/p. The implication is that between January 16 and March 10, the landing cost had increased by N24 while the distribution margin has risen by N10, analysts attribute this to the sharp drop in the value of the naira by not less than 20 per cent. A former president of Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Nzekwe, said the economy is currently in a dire situation. “Foreign investors are taking out their investment. I tell you even the banks are in a dire situation. That explains why there is massive sacking going on in that sector now. The price of goods is skyrocketing. Soon, people will no longer be able to buy basic needs. “So the problem is not just with the pump price of fuel. Government would only have to go back to the National Assembly with a supplementary budget for oil subsidy, otherwise it would have no other alternative than to raise the pump price ofe regulated petroleum products. When they will do it is the issue because it is just a matter of time,” he said. No new announcement has been made with regards to the latest PPPRA pricing template, triggering fears that government might have si-

C ON TI N UE D ON PAGE 24

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Business/ News

Terminal operators owe government billions of naira, says minister lYou’re breaching concession agreement—STOAN

Paul Ogbuokiri

inister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, has said that private sector firms operating Nigerian seaports owe the Federal Government billions of naira in unpaid arrears of terminal and throughput fees. Speaking on Thursday in Lagos, he said since some of the concessions which are of a 10-year lease would in two years’ time come to an end, government had put in place a committee to review the terms. He did not, however, specify the how much the concessionaires owe government. Speaking at a one-day Monitoring and Compliance Conference organised by the Nigerian Ports Authority to assess eight years of the seaports concession scheme, the minister who was represented by the Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, said the concessionaires had failed to meet agreed investment in infrastructural development targets. He added that government had also noticed “unwholesome practices such as block stacking of containers and deliberate delays in positioning of containers for examination and undue delay in the clearing of cargoes from the terminals.” Reacting to the minister’s allegations, the concessionaires who spoke under the aegis of Seaports Terminal Operators of Nigeria, accused NPA of failing woefully in its obligation to the operators, as contained in the contractual agreement between the two parties. Managing Director of Ports and Terminal Operators Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Elizabeth Ovbude, who spoke on behalf of the president of the association, Princess Vicky Hasstrop, accused NPA of introducing alterations to the contract agreements based on extraneous documents, without the consent of the concessionaires. According to her, NPA had also been diverting vessels destined for the PTOL Terminal to other ports and still expected the terminal operators to pay fees to it. “How will I not breach the contract when NPA has clamped down on me?” she asked. A legal counsel to APM Terminals Apapa Limited, Mr. Emeka Ogwuenyi, also accused NPA of double taxation, collecting fees from terminal operators for using the ports and at

Dollar rate may push petrol to N150 per litre C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

lently be brooding over the current huge difference because of the crucial March 28 presidential election. There are speculations that government might raise the pump price again immediately after the election, whether President Goodluck Jonathan wins or loses. It is argued that with the dollar currently exchanging at N225 on the parallel market, Nigerians should expect the price of petrol to be raised by government to as high as N140 per litre after the elections. Sunday Telegraph learnt that there is serious pressure on PPPRA and oil marketers to wait till after the elections before contemplating a hike in the prices of petroleum products. Oil marketers are said to be losing billions of naira buying dollars at a higher rate to import petrol only to sell at a poor margin.

the same time collecting separate fees from shipping companies for berthing their ships at the terminals. But NPA Managing Director, Mallam Habib Abdulahi, said the fees the agency collects from the terminal operators is on cargoes while it collects other rates from shipping companies on vessels. President, Association of Maritime Transport Owners, Chief Remi Ogbumgbemile said the Bureau of Public Enterprises, which handled the seaport concession scheme, did a shoddy job. He said it was was an indication that there was no planning before the concessioning of the seaports was carried out. He alleged that the agency failed to provide parking spaces and truck bays in the ports,

blaming the flaw for the gridlock on Lagos ports access roads. He further said the completion of the reconstruction of Oshodi-Apapa expressway would not bring the problem to an end until the right thing is done. President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Chief Eugene Nweke, also alleged that BPE rushed the concession programme, “thereby causing serious hardship to port users in the last eight years.” Assistant Director of NPA in-charge on Monitoring and Compliance, Mr. Victor Asanga, admitted that his agency had failed in its obligation to the concessionaires, “especially in the areas of removal of wrecks at Calabar Ports; waterfront security mostly at the Eastern ports; poor port access roads; and

timely approvals.” A deputy director in BPE, Mr. Audu Mohammed, also noted the inconsistency in the concessioning agreement with regard to NPA being referred to as commercial regulator and landlord at the same time. He said the Ports and Hrabour Bill at the National Assembly would properly spell out the roles of the agencies in the new dispensation. However, Apapa Bulk Terminal MD, Capt. M.J Bashir, praised the concession programme, describing it as a global landmark that had recorded several milestones. He said these include Foreign Direct Investments, improvement of port infrastructure and security, ship turnaround time and cargo throughput and other contributions to the economy.

L-R: Head of Department, Covenant Capital, Mr. Obinna Ukachukwu; Director, Registration and Regulatory Affairs, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, Dr. Monica Eimunjeze; Senior Pastor, Covenant Christian Centre, Peju Oyemade; Special Assistant to the Director-General, NAFDAC, Mrs. Elizabeth Awagwu and Deputy Director, Imported Drugs, Biologics and Medical Device, Mrs. Rametu Momodu, at an enlightenment Seminar on Hands-on guide on the Registration of Regulated Product for Small and Medium Entrepreneur by NAFDAC in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Obiano’s vocational training initiative graduates 63 women, others E fforts towards building a self-reliant and gainfully employed citizenry in support of the programmes of the Anambra State Government are fast yielding results as the skills acquisition and empowerment programmes initiated by the wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, have graduated 63 students in Beauty Therapy and Hairdressing at the Mary Sumner Vocational Institute, the vocational training centre of Paul University Awka. A statement from the Governor’s Office on Friday said the 63 graduating students comprising ladies, indigent widows and youths, were trained under the auspices of the Caring Family Enhancement Initiative, a non-governmental, nonpartisan organisation with a vision to be the beacon of sustainable empowerment for women, indigent widows and the less privileged. Speaking on Tuesday, the governor’s wife said she was impressed with the reports

from the teachers about the exemplary conduct of the graduating students and pledged to empower them with tools as they enter the labour market. “Be assured that I will not just train you, but I will also empower you with tools like hair dryers, gas cookers/ovens and other important equipment you need to start well. “Judging from the impressive demonstration of what you were taught during the one-month training programme, I can say that you learnt well and I am proud of you all. The next step is to get ready to start and contribute your quota at home and the family by earning some income,” she stated. Obiano, who shared some of her personal experiences to inspire the students on the virtues of hard work, further said; “It is my belief that a woman should be able to support her husband. Actually, the person who puts the food on the table does not matter. Therefore, I want you to be able to

help at home and that way you earn some respect.” She expressed appreciation to the management of Paul University for being able to take-in students for crash programmes like the vocational training, which she said evidenced that the institution has wide spectrum of courses in their curriculum. She also commended the Vice Chancellor, Ven. Prof. Uche Isiugo-Abanihe, for the collaboration between Mary Sumner Vocational and CAFÉ in empowering Anambra women, assuring that she would pass their requests for support to Governor Willie Obiano. Earlier, Isiugo-Abanihe had lauded the governor’s wife for her foresight and dedication to the cause of uplifting humanity through her programmes under CAFÉ. He said it was a noble idea by Obiano to ensure people, especially women from across the state, are trained in various skills.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Business/ Interview

Why FCT imposed entertainment tax - Ari Faced by dwindling statutory budget and increasing cost of administration, the Federal Capital Territory Administration recently introduced entertainment and event fee to augment its revenue drive. In this interview with YEKEEN NURUDEEN, the FCTA Director of Economic Planning, Research and Statistics, Malam Isa Ari, explains the rationale for the new fee What is the entertainment tax all about? The import of the meeting was to get the people of FCT to understand the concept of the entertainment fee. Definitely, we must start by saying that the minister said we must be our brother’s keeper and to be a brother’s keeper you must love for your brother what you love for yourself. It means that we must look at it from the point of view of the rich trying to support the development of this city and the territory in the interest of the poor. Entertainment fee is charged on luxury. If I have to go into a hotel and take some drinks, I need to pay five per cent of the cost. These are fees that try to leverage on the rich to make the poor better in the society. And so or you want to watch cable television, remember that there are others who do not even have a TV set and we need to support them to own TVs. Basically, the entertainment fee is there to increase the revenue of FCT administration. This is a tax you find everywhere in the world, in most cities. Beautiful cities of the world have acknowledged the fact that this type of fee is important to keep the city moving. It is not essentially to stifle residents of the city. No. We are only saying less than 8percent of city population controls 80percent of the resources and if there is no fee to share how will those 98 percent remaining in the city get the benefit? It is only fair that everybody should be encouraged to support entertainment fee in the FCT. Before we started, we visited most cities of the world; we have researched so many cities of the world. In the U.S, Washington D.C, which is the equivalent of Abuja, if you go to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, they do the same. If you go to London you know exactly how it is. Each city of the world has its own way of collecting this levy. If you come back to Nigeria, Lagos State is collecting its own fees. Government recognises the fact that this revenue is collected. Today, Cross River enjoys all sorts of benefits. It is only important that we in the FCT to look at the amount of resources that we are spending. We know that the budget has gone down. And we cannot go down on keeping the city clean. We cannot go down on making people healthy. We cannot go down on educating the residents of FCT. We cannot go down on providing public transportation. It is important and that is why the Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, thought of it very well. I’ll give the credit to him, to say that let’s start looking inwards to see how we can boost our revenue generation without impeding on the residents of FCT. What is your target with this revenue? This is a task that we want to realise N15 billion in the first year and this will grow by 25 percent in the next five years. So it is one of the major sources of internally generated revenue for the FCT. It is a huge task because anything luxury you want to have you are going to pay 5percent fee for it. And then we are really targeting specific areas such as education, health and public transportation to support. We felt that these are

critical areas that FCT needs that support at the moment. Is there any law backing this fee? A gazette is available. If you turn to Section 11 Entertainment Act Cap. 498 Laws of the FCT Nigeria 207, Section 4 FCT Act Cap. F6 Laws of the Federation, 2004. If you look at the statutes of FCT as if it is a state which is privileged by Section 299 of the Constitution, we are very capable of collecting this tax. Because of the enabling law, I appreciate the fact that some others have failed, like park and pay. Just of recent, already the National Assembly has passed the Board of Inland Revenue Bill and its waiting accent. It is not uncommon in building a new capital city with dual responsibilities to find certain things that over the years can be started. Most capital cities are over 200 years, 100 years and then we are 35 or 36. We are coming up and with the Board of Inland Revenue coming in, hopefully this year even in the early quarter of the year that will give us an opportunity to give more. To get back the park and pay, to get back other fees like the property tax that we are looking at. Area Councils are involved. It is a partnership and joint venture between the FCTA and the area councils. Let me be fair here, the city is bigger than an area council and the city must be maintained. I’m very sure if the city is dirty nobody wants to be here. This will be our city of choice in Africa; this is one of the best cities in Africa. To maintain it and make it work, all of us must put our hands on the deck. Why is it just coming? That’s why I said “never late.” The fact is that for quite some time we were looking for funding and the statutory funding is dwindling. It is only fair for us to look at all available means of internally generated revenue and tighten our belts to make sure that they are all collected for the betterment of the city and the residents. Everything we do is in the interest of the residents and to make it a happier and better place to live in. It should be for you to sleep with your two eyes closed and then the next day you come to work. To even keep your car and take public transportation or take a train. We enjoy that when we travel out of the country. So why not Abuja? That’s why we feel it is very important for us to do the best we can to collect this revenue. What’s the status of the FCT’s 2015 statutory budget? Yes, the statutory budget of the FCT for 2015 is already with the National Assembly. When is the entertainment fee taking off?

I’ll give the credit to him, to say that let’s start looking inwards to see how we can boost our revenue generation without impeding on the residents of FCT

It has taken off. In fact, let me be honest with you, some of the hotels have come to us to collect relevant details. Some of the major five star or four stars hotels in this city have come for relevant details. Will the new fee be inclusive of VAT? It is not inclusive of VAT. It is a separate fee entirely and that’s why we said we are charging on luxury. We are saying people who are well to do and can afford one extra luxury thing should be able to support the poor in terms of getting enough revenue to invest in the poor. Can you give examples of such luxuries to be levied? Good; when you go to a hotel and you want to take a drink or you want to download musicals, you go to Facebook. In fact, when you are using the internet it means you have resources over and above and that’s why we are saying you should give us five per cent of it. If you want to watch DSTV in the comfort of your house, it is a luxury, it is not a general television. Let us get five per cent revenue from you. What is the framework under which this fee will be collected? There are two or three classifications here under the payment. If I’m dealing with Hilton, it is a very simple thing. Hilton adjusts its system to recognise a five per cent fee. So if someone goes to Hilton to

take a meal in its restaurant and there’s a fee of N2500, they will add five per cent, which is just about N175. And then at the end of the month we appoint consultants to collect the money for FCTA. They pay into the account directly, not that they will go and collect the money. No, they pay into FCT’s account and we have a mechanism to evaluate it here. We built a system with some consultants and we will be seeing exactly the transaction. If they have only 1000 people coming to that restaurant to eat, definitely we will see the flow of customers and we can say we are expecting a fee from 1000 customers for today. Let me tell you what happened in Singapore. You go to your hotel and it is locked. There’s a five per cent tax on every person that comes in there because there’s a special programme happening and you have to pay. That’s an example. So if you go to DSTV, they will configure their system; if you call in for a N10,000 subscription, you give us five per cent. If you can pay N10,000, you should be able to pay our N500, which is the five per cent and we see it reflecting in our system directly. We are trying to be fair as much as possible and then to be sure that we don’t allow unnecessary leakages.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Bullish trend halts F

ollowing three consecutive weeks of gains, the market closed 1.06% lower WoW, as YtD return further declined to -11.36%. The decline in the market may be attributed partly to profit-taking on stocks which have gained significantly in the last three trading weeks. Volume and value of transactions advanced by 68.57% and 0.73% respectively, as 34 stocks appreciated against 37 decliners (implying a market breadth of 0.92x). MAYBAKER led the gainers for the week, appreciating by 17.76%, on the back of new flows regarding interest in the company from foreign investors. UBCAP, CADBURY, NPFMCRFBK and FIDELITYBK were other top gainers, closing with Week-on-Week (Wo-W) gains of 12.58%, 8.92%, 8.89% and 8.63%. On the converse, COSTAIN led the losers chart with a loss of 16.44%, followed by UBN (-13.04%), BETAGLAS (-12.30%), OANDO (-8.56%) and INTBREW (-8.34%) in that order. Despite the profit taking seen in the week, we expect that there might be a level of resurgence in the market on some trading days in the coming week, as we expect a few companies may release favourable earnings results partnered by attractive dividends. However, given the impending elections and the uncertainties which are set to accompany same, we also expect cautious trading by investors. On a balance of factors, the market might close marginally negative. In this report, we review events in the economy, laying emphasis on performance of different segments of the financial market while presenting our expectations for the week ahead. Economic Round-up: National assembly approves 2015-2017 MTEF The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) received President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday. The President addressed issues concerning government policies and the private sector. He noted the importance of listing more private companies, such as those in the energy and telecom sectors to further contribute to the country’s economic growth and development. The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the Q4:2014 capital importation report during the week. Total capital inflows of USD4.49bn were recorded for the period, representing a Quarter-on-Quarter (Q-o-Q) decline of 31.22% (Q3:2014: USD6.54bn). Total capital imported in 2014 summed up to USD20.75bn, a 2.66% Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) decline (2013: USD21.31bn). The decline was due to Q4:2014 numbers, which was expected due to waning investors’ confidence at the time, triggered by the drop in global oil prices amidst, insurgency and political headwinds. UK (43.24%), USA (23.87%) and Saudi Arabia (9.68%) were the three highest capital importers to Nigeria in the period. The Senate, on Thursday, approved the harmonized version of the 2015-2017 Medium Term and Expenditure Framework (MTEF), and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP). Oil price benchmark of USD53pb was adopted (as against respective proposals of USD52pb and USD54pb by the Upper and Lower house). FX rate advanced by 18.75% to NGN190/USD, as against the initial NGN160/USD, while statutory transfer was reduced by 10.68% to USD368bn from NGN411bn. However, the National assembly pegged its annual budget at NGN120bn, as against the Federal government’s proposal of NGN115bn from NGN150bn. Fixed Income Brief: Apex Bank mops liquidity Despite OMO maturities worth NGN240bn hit the system during the week, liquidity was still strained as OMO auctions for TBs worth NGN113bn, coupled with the CRR debit of NGN79bn in the course of the week mopped up the excess liquidity. The average change on both OBB and OVN settled at +11.15%. Both rates settled at 22.00% and 24.00% in that order. NIBOR also moved in a similar trend, advancing by an average of 8.59% WoW. Average change on T-Bills for the week was -0.58%, as the 1M, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, and 12M T-Bills pegged at 14.37% (-0.28%), 14.40% (-0.54%), 14.72% (-0.69%), 15.52% (-0.40%), 16.05% (-0.01%), and 16.54% (-1.54%) respectively. Bond market activities were bullish during

…as investors take profits

the week, as yields declined by an average of 0.59% across instruments. Securities worth NGN91bn split across the 15.54% 5YR FGN Bond, 14.20% 10YR FGN Bond, and 12.1493% 20YR FGN Bond were auctioned in the week, with stop rates settling at 16.50%, 16.85%, and 16.99% correspondingly. The local currency depreciated marginally by 0.01% in the week, as mid-quote pegged at NGN199.14/USD. The CBN for most days in the week intervened at NGN197/USD, with the apex authority remaining committed to its price stability objective. Agric sector…Sombre mood across all the counters The Agric sector closed the week on a negative note, as WtD return to pegged at -3.68%. Surprisingly, no stock gained during the week, with PRESCO paring the most, with a return of -4.97%. The ticker was followed by LIVESTOCK (-4.55%) and OKOMUOIL (-2.28%), while ELLAHLAKES and FTNCOCOA traded flat. The downturn in the sector may be attributed to the dearth of specific news flow, while we expect sector stocks might be affected by dampened mood in the market in the coming weeks as we get closer to the long awaited general elections. Hence, we advise investors to trade cautiously. Banking Sector: Mild profit taking ensues Following the generally positive mood during the previous week, the banking sector ended the week on a balanced note, as there were seven advancers and seven decliners for the week. The MERI-BNK Index however closed 0.25% lower, bringing YtD return down to +2.13%. Leading the gainers were FIDELITYBK, FCMB, ETI, STERLNBANK and GUARANTY with respective gains of 8.63%, 7.92%, 5.79%, 4.80% and 2.97%. Conversely, top losers for the week were UBN, DIAMONDBNK, ACCESS, STANBIC and WEMABANK, with respective losses of 13.04%, 5.76%, 5.28%, 4.76% and 4.12%. As we await earnings releases for the remaining 13 listed banks, we expect positive investor sentiments may pervade through

the sector and drive perofrmance, especially against the backdrop of the first two releases (GUARANTY and ZENITHBANK), which surpassed investors’ expectations. However, we reiterate that corporate actions in form of dividends from some banks may be limited by the CBN regulations regarding dividend payments. Consumer Goods: Breweries counters trend south. The sector closed with a negative Weekon-Week return of -2.12% as measured by NSEFB10, primarily as a result of negative mood which permeated the breweries sector in the week. There were more decliners than gainers, with INTBREW leading the loser’s chart with an 8.34% WoW loss, while CADBURY emerged as the highest gainer for the week with an 8.92% return. 7UP, UACN, DANGFLOUR, DANGSUGAR, HONYFLOUR, FLOURMILL, VITAFOAM, PZ, UNILEVER, GUINNESS, NB, and CHAMPION closed the week with returns of 0.91%, 1.35%, 5.69%, -5.55%, -4.14%, 0.47%, 2.54%, -3.54%, 0.40%, -1.65%, -4.24% and -3.29% respectively. NNFM, NESTLE, VONO, AGLEVENT and PREMBREW remained dogged despite the swing in the market, as these counters traded flat during the week. In our opinion, at current market prices, most of the companies in the sector present attractive investment opportunities. We anticipate a more positive sector performance in the coming weeks, as investors take position ahead of upcoming corporate releases. Healthcare Sector: MAYBAKER continues its bullish run The Meri-HLTH index inverted the previous week’s trend as NSEASI advanced marginally by 0.04% to peg the YtD return at -19.16%. MAYBAKER reversed the previous week’s loss by gaining 14.76% to emerge as the only price gainer for the week. FIDSON also upturned it previous weeks bullish run marginally by 0.3% to settle price at NGN3.00. All other counters closed flat. The positive sentiments on MAYBAKER over the weeks which drove the YtD return

to 13.29% to record the highest return so far in the sector may not be unrelated to news about foreign investor’s interest in the company, following the WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification on its facility. Despite the positive sentiment in the market, the sector generally have remained depressed. We expect earnings releases in the month to boost investors’ interest in the sector, although we imagine mixed performances. Industrial goods: Lafarge Africa records decline in PAT; Proposes Dividend Investors’ sentiments on building materials stocks remained weak during the week as the industrial goods index grew marginally, by 0.26%. Only three stocks recorded price gains WoW, with five stocks declining in value, while others traded sideways. CUTIX emerged as the highest gainer for the week, appreciating in value by 8.57% to drive share price up to NGN1.52. CCNN and ASHAKACEM settled 2.97% and 1.57% higher at NGN11.80 and NGN18.79 respectively. Lafarge Africa released its FY2014 result showing declines of 0.4% and 43% in Revenue and PAT respectively, with Profit after tax settling at NGN34bn. The company however recorded a total comprehensive loss of NGN123bn representing a 308% decline, owing to other comprehensive losses of NGN157bn. We attribute the decline in PAT to the 98% growth in income tax (which was largely as result of the lower base in 2013), as well as the 107% decline in other operating income. The company however declared a dividend of N3.60 which implies a dividend yield of 4.26% at current market prices. Investors appeared to have reacted negatively to the result release, as the stock shed 5% of its share value on Friday following the release. Other major losers for the week were CAP (-5%) and PORTPAINT (-4.97%). Insurance Sector: LASACO restructures to join Composite Insurers The MERI-INS index advanced by 0.67% WtD, to further trim YtD return to -2.25%. Sector breadth (5.00x) was in favour of advancers as 5 stocks appreciated in price against a lone decliner. INTENEGINS led gainers with an 8.00% gain, to close at NGN0.54 (vs. NGN0.50 in previous week). CONTINSURE, NEM, AIICO and MANSARD trailed with gains of 4.88%, 3.28%, 2.35% and 1.01% accordingly. Contrarily, WAPIC waned by 5.66% to close at NGN0.50, while all other stocks traded flat. Lasaco Assurance Plc announced its intention to commence operation of a composite structure, to be achieved through the combination of its life operations and the general unit, effective from the 2015 financial year. The decision was reached to enable the company to take advantage of numerous untapped opportunities in thee sector. Oil & Gas Sector: Sector wanes 3.55% The Oil & Gas sector traded south in the week, as it returned -3.55% WoW. CONOIL was the lone advancer, with a 0.56% gain, while OANDO, MOBIL, and FO populated the decliners chart, shedding 8.56%, 6.71%, and 5.00% in that order. All other counters in the sector traded flat. As we await full year results from some companies in the sector, we expect corporate actions and declarations to stand as major incentives to investors, and we expect good price performance of sector stocks with strong corporate actions history. Services Sector: Tempered activity engulfs most counters The Services sector index (MERISER) traded flat during the week, leaving the YtD return at -7.78%. CAVERTON led the gainers with a return of 6.05%, followed by UPL (5.23%), IKEJAHOTEL (3.45%), and RTBRISCOE (+2.74%). Conversely, LEARNAFRICA declined the most, with a return of -4.17%, followed by REDSTAREX (-3.19%), and NAHCO (-0.80%). All other sector stocks traded flat. In our opinion, the absence of sector-specific news-flows to drive performance is majorly responsible for the lackluster performance registered over the past few weeks. We, however believe that this might change with the release of sector companies’ results in the coming weeks.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Psychology of wealth Success Nuggets

policy as a lifetime opportunity to change their fortunes. They resorted to squalor and wanton living - womanising, drinking, smoking and ‘spending without earning.’ Soon, there was inflation in the land. Victor Okwudiri Guess what? A few years down the 08037674300 (SMS only) line, there was a reversion to the status quo ante bellum - wealth had relocated to the hands of the three rich men, only that this time, they became richer, while priest told a story of a the rest of the villagers became poorer. village that had a King, a How sad! wise man and three rich Lessons men, while the rest of the • Both wealth and poverty are things villagers were poor. of the mind, not the pocket. One day, the poor conspired to The rich men accepted the King’s demand the execution of the rich men, verdict to distribute their hard-earned claiming that they were the cause of the poor state of the rest of the villag- wealth to the entire village. The reason was simple: they knew that they had ers; as the rich men were said to be the mentality to cultivate prosperity. in control of the wealth of the entire Hear this: village. They took their protest to the • It is the poverty of the mind that King, who did not know what to do, translates into the pocket. as his family was benefitting from the • “If you change your perception, you largesse of the three rich men. will certainly change your condition.” The King thought to consult the wise - Victor Okwudiri.Someone else stated man. When he did, the wise man said it this way, “If we change the way to him, “If you kill these men, who we see things, the things we see will will take care of your family and pay change.”Say “I hear!” your children’s school fees? On the contrary, if you spare them, you might • Wealth (or poverty) is not a state of affairs; it is a lifestyle. incur the wrath of the entire village. The moment the money was distribThis is a dilemma.” uted among the poor villagers, they Fortunately, the wise man came up thought they had become rich. Yes, with an idea. they did. If they did not think so, they “Let us strike a balance,” he said to would not have gone on such a spendthe king. “Instead of killing the rich ing spree. It was only a matter of time men, distribute their wealth to the for their real status to be laid bare. entire village equally. That way, both • The true test of poverty is not in lack, sides will be happy.” but in abundance. “Good idea,” thought the King. He A truly poor person will resort to either did just that.It was good news to the excessive spending or excessive withentire villagers, who saw that fiscal

holding of funds, when he has access to money. The reason is simple: Money is a stranger to him, and can leave at anytime, even unceremoniously. However, a truly wealthy person will resort to investment-oriented spending. On the one hand (it could even be investing in people’s destinies, not necessarily money), and savings, on the other hand. It is possible for a rich person to experience momentary absence of cash. That does not make him poor. After all, the greatest tool for wealth creation, in my opinion, is an idea. • Money gravitates towards the rich, more than it does to the poor. Despite the redistribution of the wealth of the rich men on the order of the King, a few years down the line, virtually all the money in the land found its way into the rich men’s hands. Hear this: “Money is like women - it gravitates towards the one who appreciates its worth and knows how to take care of it.” - Victor Okwudiri • Money does not make one rich. One’s mind and attitude do. The villagers were given free money, but because they did not have the requisite mindset and attitude for lasting wealth, they lost all. Hear these: • “The use of your brain determines your GAIN” - Dr. David O. Oyedepo •“If your attitude steps up, your ALtitude steps up” - Victor Okwudiri. Someone else had stated it this way: “Your attitude determines your altitude.” If you agree, say “I.”

Growing in abundance The Big Picture Julian Atufunwa julianatufunwa@gmail.com

ears back, I had thought that becoming wealthy or rich was all about luck. I had anticipated that one day, I would wake up and stumble on wealth, until later when I found out that there is no such luck anywhere. We create our own luck by working hard and also making calculated moves towards achieving our goals. To build wealth, you must have a burning desire within. Success is for the hungry and the proof of desire is pursuit. Yes! Desire will influence how hard you work, how you give (add value) and even how you pray. Desire will spur you to swim to your ship and not passively wait for it to come to you. Sometime ago, in my quest to change my financial status, I went to see my mentor. I needed information that would aid me to build massive wealth. What I’m about to unfold were the pieces of advice he gave me. Though I’m not exactly where I should be, but the fact is that I’m making progress. I would like you to make progress as well. • Write down every purchase you make and money you receive daily: You must be able to know how much you spend monthly. To do that, you must write down all you spend daily?

How much did you spend on breakfast, transport fare, newspapers, chocolates, sweets? (i) The advantage of keeping this journal is that it will help you to know the resources you have already and how much the universe supports us. (ii) It will help you keep track of where your money has gone to and help you cut down on your expenditure or make necessary adjustments. (iii) By writing down how much you receive daily you will become thankful; thereby attracting more wealth into your life. (iv) You will also notice that your expenditure, when added up, will amount to a big sum of money. Thus, this will help you value every coin you have. • Keep a treasure box: It is vital to keep a treasure box at home into which every little change is dropped. Or you may deliberately decide to drop some money into it daily. What is the idea behind this? (i) A treasure box at home will attract more money according to the universal law of attraction. (ii) It will help prevent waste (iii) It will help every member of the family to master the art of saving. Every child from infancy should be taught how to save. • Buy quality products: This is because quantity will always run after quality. Buying quality things will save you money on the long run. Buying items of good quality will not incur high maintenance costs. They are also durable. • Carry less cash: Going out with less cash will prevent impulsive buying. You will only make do with the little

amount you carry in your wallet. • Cut down on excessive feasting: As much as possible, avoid buying all the ‘Aso Ebi’ (ceremonial attires). While it is great to celebrate with your friends and loved ones, if you are determined to build wealth, you must pay the necessary price. You can identify with your loved ones without wearing those special outfits. • Prudence: Anybody can make wealth - a taxi driver, food vendor, teacher, computer technician or an employee. This is because it is not how much you make but how well you manage what you have. A good look at nature will reveal that every fruit has in it seed to replant; so also every dime you earn has in it (A) Food for you (B) Seed to invest. Don’t spend everything that comes into your pocket. • Attitude is everything: Attitude is the sum total of your thoughts, feelings and then words. How far you will go in life will be determined by how well you manage situations. It is not about what happened to you, but how you respond to what happened. Life is a test; how you handle your current level will determine your advancement to the next level. Attitude is vital to building wealth because, skill may get you a job but it is attitude that will keep the job. • Finally cooperate with people: Man was not created to be in isolation. The saying that it is not good for man to be alone does not only apply to marriage. It also applies to business, career and wealth building. This is why I vehemently disagree with the word ‘self-made.’ Nobody is self-made - you need me and I need you too.

SundayBusiness/News

E-commerce key to Nigeria’s economic growth - Wiles

eading online shopping community, Kaymu.com. ng, has attributed Nigeria’s listing among the 20 fastest growing economies in the world to the upshoot of e-commerce in the country. In a growth chart by Bloomberg, Nigeria with an expected growth rate of 4.9 per cent was ranked sixth behind China (7 per cent), the Philippines (6.3 per cent), Kenya (6 per cent), India (5.5 per cent) and Indonesia (5.4 per cent). Managing Director of Kaymu, Evangeline Wiles, in a statement released by the company, said, “Nigeria’s ecommerce space is the fastest growing in Africa, contributing a monthly spend of N1.3bn to the Nigerian retail sector. The role the retail sector plays in driving Nigeria’s economy cannot be overemphasised as a country’s purchasing power is a major driver of the economy.” The explosion of the e-commerce space in the last two years has fuelled a massive consumer behavioural change. E-commerce in Nigeria records over $2m worth of transactions per week and close to N1.3bn per month from the 38 per cent of Nigerians who prefer to buy products through the internet, according to a survey conducted by the business management and consulting firm, Philips Consulting. Nigerians have a vast spending culture both locally and internationally. Recent statistics from Heathrow Airport show that Nigerian travellers – who patronize the service – spend an average of £1,059 per visit on luxury retail. Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson, has said that e-commerce has attracted over $200 million foreign investment till date thereby expanding infrastructure, warehousing, advertising and logistics services. Explaining how e-commerce application has impacted on the nation’s economy which is projected to have a market potential of over $10bn, the minister added that in the last two years (2012), it was worth $35 million, and in 2014, was valued at about $550m. It moved from 1000 daily orders to about 15, 000, adding that the sector has in the last two years created 15, 000 jobs.

Nigerian oil finds new market in Latin America

slowdown in crude exports from Venezuela to its neighbours has opened the door for Nigeria and its main African rival, Angola, to gain a foothold among Latin American buyers, according to traders and Reuters data. Just months ago, the two major African producers were scrambling to find new clients in the western hemisphere, having largely been pushed out of the U.S market by the onshore shale oil revolution. African exports are also growing now as Mexico and Brazil lack spare capacity to increase sales to neighbours. U.S companies, which dominate refined products trade in the Americas, cannot export crude because of a decades-old ban imposed by Washington. Africa sent at least eight million barrels to South America in the first two months of this year, double the amount a year earlier, according to the data. While African crude tends to be light, and so more expensive than Venezuela’s heavy, sour oil, falling prices allow refiners to afford lighter grades that better fit their configurations. Including additional cargoes of African oil bought from intermediaries, South America is getting about a quarter of its supplies from Africa. Countries such as Uruguay and Argentina are believed to be trying to substitute Venezuelan supplies with African crude as the Andean country struggles to meet supply quotas under trade pacts. Venezuela’s overall exports fell by 100,000 barrels a day to 2.33 million barrels a day last year. But the drop has been sharpest in Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years. Bloomberg reported that Chile, Brazil and Peru also like African supplies because most of them are light and have a lower sulphur content than other regional or European grades. With fewer supplies from Venezuela, countries such as Uruguay are tendering to import from Nigeria, Angola and Brazil. Uruguay’s ANCAP plans to buy 16-million to 17-million barrels of crude this year but only 4.5-million will come from Venezuela, down 25 per cent from previous years, the firm said.

SUNDAY

BRANDS SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

Coca-Cola battles Pepsi, others Early this year, world’s leading beverage producer, Coca-Cola, launched the Nigeria leg of ‘Share a Coke’ campaign. Unknown to many, beneath this promotion was the ‘desperate’ attempt of the soft drink giant to stay atop in the face of strong competition. DELE ALAO writes

or Coca-Cola, the world’s renowned beverage brand, it has been by dint of hard work on the part of managers of the product to sustain its enviable place in terms of branding among other competing brands. Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines throughout the world. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and often referred to simply as Coke (a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company in the United States since March 27, 1944). Originally intended as a patent medicine when John Pemberton invented it in the late 19th century, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman, Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft drink market throughout the 20th century. The Coca-Cola Company has since introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most common of these are Diet Coke and Zero Coke. This is besides Fanta and Sprite, two other variants on the stable of the beverage giant. Checks showed that as at 2013, Coke products could be found in over 200 countries worldwide, with consumers downing more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings each day. Global competitors For many years and across some markets, Pepsi, the flagship product of PepsiCo, has been a main rival to Coca-Cola in the soft drink market and outsells Coca-Cola in some markets. Around the world, many local brands also compete with Coke. In Nigeria for instance, Coke is battling with the likes of Lacasera and other carbonated soft drinks, brands of fruit drinks, energy drinks among others. Further checks revealed that in South and Central America, Kola Real, known as Big Cola in Mexico, is a growing competitor to Coca-Cola. On the French island of Corsica, Corsica Cola, made by brewers of the local Pietra beer, is a growing competitor to Coca-Cola. In the French region of Brittany, Breizh Cola is available. In Peru, Inca Kola outsells Coca-Cola, which led The Coca-Cola Company to purchase the brand in 1999. In Sweden, Julmust outsells Coca-Cola during the Christmas season. In Scotland, the locally produced Irn-Bru was more popular than Coca-Cola until 2005 when Coca-Cola and Diet Coke began to outpace its sales. In India, Coca-Cola ranked third behind the leader, Pepsi-Cola, and local drink, Thums Up. The Coca-Cola Company purchased Thums Up in 1993. As of 2004, Coca-Cola held a 60.9 percent of market-share in India. Tropicola, a domestic drink, is served in Cuba instead of Coca-Cola, due to a United States embargo. French brand Mecca Cola and British brand Qibla Cola are competitors to Coca-Cola in the Middle East. Survival Strategy Faced with growing concerns about a healthy lifestyle by consumers, Coca-Cola had introduced Diet Coke and Zero Coke. The two brands were launched to cater for

Coca-Cola ran ads to combat Pepsi’s ads in an incident sometimes referred to as the ‘cola wars’; one of Coke’s ads compared the so-called Pepsi challenge to two chimpanzees deciding which tennis ball was furrier. Thereafter, Coca-Cola regained its leadership in the market. Coca-Cola has gone through a number of different advertising slogans in its long history, including ‘The pause that refreshes;’ ‘I’d like to buy the world a Coke;’ and ‘Coke is it’ (see Coca-Cola slogans). In 2006, Coca-Cola introduced My Coke Rewards, a customer loyalty campaign where consumers earned points by entering codes from specially marked packages of Coca-Cola products into a website. These points could be redeemed for various prizes or sweepstakes entries.

those who do not like the sugar contents in the traditional Coke. They were all part of a strategy to maintain a share of the market. Various advertising campaigns had also been churned out to position the brand well and retain consumer loyalty. Advertising Coca-Cola’s advertising has significantly affected American culture, and it is frequently credited with inventing the modern image of Santa Claus as an old man in a red-and-white suit. Although the company did start using the red-and-white Santa image in the 1930s, with its winter advertising campaigns illustrated by Haddon Sundblom, the motif was already common. Before Santa Claus, Coca-Cola relied on images of smartly dressed young women to sell its beverages. Coca-Cola’s first such advertisement appeared in 1895, featuring the young Bostonian actress, Hilda Clark, as its spokes-

woman. 1941 saw the first use of the nickname ‘Coke’ as an official trademark for the product, with a series of advertisements informing consumers that “Coke means Coca-Cola.” Coke’s advertising is pervasive, as one of Woodruff’s stated goals was to ensure that everyone on Earth drank Coca-Cola as their preferred beverage. This is especially true in southern areas of the United States, such as Atlanta, where Coke was born. During the 1980s, Pepsi-Cola ran a series of television advertisements showing people participating in taste tests demonstrating that, “fifty per cent of the participants who said they preferred Coke actually chose the Pepsi.” Statisticians pointed out the problematic nature of a 50/50 result: most likely, the taste tests showed that in blind tests, most people cannot tell the difference between Pepsi and Coke.

…And now Apparently concerned about growing competition against it in major markets, Coca-Cola came up with the ‘Share A Coke’ campaign, where the Coca-Cola logo was replaced on the bottles with first names. It was first launched in Australia in 2011 and in Nigeria this year. Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Patricia Jemibewon, said: ‘Share a Coke’ transforms the global Coca-Cola brand into a special, personal experience for our consumers. By swapping our iconic Coca-Cola logo with personal names, we give all our consumers a unique opportunity to connect and share their personalised Coke with the people who matter the most to them- friends, family and loved ones, either in person, or virtually.” “Share a Coke does not only reinforce our ongoing commitment to refresh the world but also to inspire shared moments of optimism and happiness.” As it were, the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign, which idea came from a 151-word brief and which has been launched in more than 70 countries, experts argued, is another initiative from the beverage giant to remain on the top spot against competition.

Campaign materials: Oyo signage agency to enforce rules

Dele Alao he Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agencies has said it is ready to enforce the rules governing regulations of outdoor materials in the state, especially as regards political campaign materials. Director General, OYSAA, Yinka Adepoju, said in a telephone chat with Sunday Telegraph, that all relevant stakeholders in the state had been contacted on the impending enforcement. The director general noted that the agency had waited this long to act, in the belief that affected persons would come

to regularise their papers with the agency. OYSAA had recently lamented the high rate of unapproved political campaign materials across the state. He said: “The Oyo State Signage & Advertisement Agency (OYSAA) has observed and we are greatly disturbed by the unapproved political campaign materials that are errantly being posted in different sites and unauthorised places, including lamp poles, around the city of Ibadan in flagrant breach of the extant laws and regulations of the agency. “We wish to inform the general public and stress that OYSAA, the statutory agency of Oyo State Government, has the

mandate to regulate outdoor advertisement of any nature, including political campaign materials and will not tolerate any violation of its guidelines and procedures. “By this publication, all political campaign organisations/committees are strongly advised to duly apply and obtain approval of OYSAA before posting the campaign materials of their parties in an location, including on lamp poles.” This warning, he said, had become necessary in order not to exacerbate the already tense political climate in the country and to maintain the peace being enjoyed in Oyo State in particular.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

SundayBusiness/Brands

Why we hiked subscription rates -MultiChoice MD Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, in a release from the organization explains its new subscription rates, CHIJIOKE IREMEKA reports The hike in MultiChoice’s subscription rates has hit subscribers like lightning. The prevalent view is that MultiChoice has no justification for such and is just taking advantage of the lack of alternatives in the sector. How accurate is this view? Price increases are always painful and we are very mindful of this. However, they are sometimes necessary for businesses to provide service to their consumers and also provide necessary returns to stakeholders. They ensure that we can continue to provide quality entertainment to our subscribers even with the rising costs and inflation. It is because of the prevailing economic situation and rising cost of content and our other inputs that we have had to increase the cost of subscriptions and this has affected all the other entities across the continent. If you look at a lot of goods and services you will see that there an increase in a lot of sectors as we are not isolated. Many subscribers are calling on MultiChoice to institute a pay-as-you-watch regime, which some claim is available to MultiChoice subscribers in South Africa and some other countries. Are you looking in that direction? As a leader in innovation, we consider all viable options to provide our subscribers with the best and most affordable way to consume entertainment. At the moment, we provide our services through a model that is in use around the world that allows us to take advantage of the economies of scale and provide an aggregate service that reduces the costs for all subscribers. I can confirm that no other country under MultiChoice is providing its pay-TV services through a ‘pay as you watch’ model. People often confuse the ‘Pay as you watch’ model with ‘Pay Per view;’ where essentially, subscribers pay specifically for big ticket events in addition to their monthly subscriptions. This effectively even makes the subscriptions more expensive. We have opted for a more economical model where our subscribers have access to these

big ticket events as part of their monthly subscriptions. We will always strive to bring the best entertainment in the most affordable way and also continue with our innovation. An example is our Catch up service which is our Video on Demand service, that allows you to watch your best programmes at your convenience and our Box office service which lets you download the latest blockbuster releases with your PVR decoder and online from your couch at home. There are claims that the hike in subscription rates has been effected only in Nigeria. Is this the correct position? This is not true, as subscription rates have been increased across the continent. However, as an independent entity, we ensure that we take the decisions based on the prevailing market conditions. For example, where other countries may have effected price increases last year, this is our first increase in two years, notwithstanding the changes in inflation foreign exchange and other indices in our local market.

Price increases, when not steep, cause little or no irritation. Couldn’t your new price regime, starting from April 1, have been less steep? If you look at the changes in the economic indices, you will see that we have gone to great lengths to absorb some of the impacts. If you also look at the content we offer in comparison to our competitors, you will see that we still provide a lot of value for the price of our product. We recently at no cost to the subscriber upgraded a lot of our subscribers who had the old DStv decoders with old technology to the newest HD decoders, and in many cases even upgraded subscribers to the cutting edge new Explora decoder, which is in high demand. We also continue to increase our content line-up and in the 2014 alone, we added at least seven more channels to our bouquets. We also now bring you the best series on ‘Express from the US’ which means that you get to watch them on the Explora decoder just six hours after it is premiered in the US market.

Our local content is not left behind, as we have continued to premiere some of the best local series and movies on our AfricaMagic channels. We also ensure that our subscribers have a choice as they can choose from our large array of bouquets which are available at varying price points, which allows them to tailor their entertainment line up to their lifestyle. Thus you can enjoy the best entertainment there is out there from just N1,200 per month. Most MultiChoice subscribers in Nigeria believe the country is where the highest subscription rates are charged. Why is this so? No, we do not have the highest subscription rates as many people believe and this is a fact. Subscription rates vary in Africa and the rest of the world according to several factors including the local costs of doing business. I am sure that you can independently verify that Multichoice Nigeria does not have the highest subscriptions in the world or the rest of Africa.

L-R: Zonal Business Manager (West), Airtel Nigeria, Ekundayo Fatoki, presenting the key of a brand new Kia Picanto to winner of Airtel One Mic Competition and undergraduate of Ekiti State University, Ololade Alalade, a.k.a ‘Jay Dreamz’ and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), EKSU, Prof. (Mrs.) Ibiyinka Ogunlade, at the school campus in Ado Ekiti recently

Etisalat kicks-off Easybusiness Mouka leverages on World Sleep Day Millionaire Hunt

n demonstration of its firm resolve to continue to reward and empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria, Etisalat Nigeria, has launched the 2nd edition of its ‘Etisalat Easybusiness Millionaire Hunt.” The initiative would see the company empower SMEs with grants, training, office equipment and expertise support to actualise their business ideas. The 2015 edition of Easybusiness Millionaire Hunt was launched with a call for entries and will see 50 entrepreneurs with brilliant business ideas rewarded with training and office equipment, while 10 entrepreneurs with the best ideas will be rewarded with two million naira each at the end of the 2nd season. Director Enterprise Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Lucas Dada, said that the easybusiness millionaire hunt was created out of company’s passion to grow the nucleus of the SME sector. “Easybusiness Millionaire Hunt serves as a platform to further showcase our commitment to investments in small and growing

businesses in Nigeria. At Etisalat, we are aware that though every business starts small, there is always the potential of becoming big. We see a lot of young people joining the workforce every year and we believe that by helping to empower SMEs, the creation of more job opportunities can easily be achieved,” Dada said. Dada also said that this year’s edition would also run in partnership with Enterprise Development Centre who would provide a platform where successful applicants would be trained, developed, mentored and eventually rewarded with business support grants and equipments. Deputy Director, EDC of the Pan-Atlantic University, Nneka Okekearu said: “We are happy to partner with Etisalat on the Easybusiness Millionaire Hunt. Etisalat has made the right choice by revolutionizing the business sector with this grand initiative. We can testify that it is real and we see it not only unlocking business opportunities in the SME sector but also promoting greatness in the Nigerian economy.”

ouka Limited has joined the rest of the world in marking the 2015 World Sleep Day celebration held last Friday. With the slogan, “When Sleep is Sound, Health and Happiness Abound”, the 2015 World Sleep Day celebration is in furtherance of the global campaign to encourage good sleep which is very important to healthy living. According to the Acting Managing Director, Mouka Limited, Mr. Femi Fapohunda, the World Sleep Day is an annual event conceptualized to be a celebration of good sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep. Fapohunda explained that the annual event is organised by the WSD Committee of the World Association of Sleep Medicine with the aim to reduce the burden of sleep problems on society through better prevention and management of sleep disorder. “We at Mouka Limited are lending our voice to the celebration of the WSD because we understand the importance of good sleep to the health of individuals

and the society at large which is why our product are specifically designed to help our customers enjoy good sleep for sound health” he said Also speaking on the WSD celebration, the National Business Manager, Mr. Olufemi Asa stated that lack of sleep or poor quality sleep leaves individuals more vulnerable to accident. “Several researches has shown that people who suffer insomnia are seven time more likely to be involved in an accident causing death or serious injury that good sleepers” he said Asa noted that lack of adequate sleep can lead to a change in character, a drop in the quality of work and performance at work place which may degenerate into crisis and loss of job. He added that Mouka has specialised products designed to provide support and comfort to customers for sound sleep. He cited the Mouka Regal which is made from ultra high density foam covered with quilted premium grade jacquard, and endorsed by Nigerian Society of Physiotherapy as the answer to posture therapy.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

SundayBusiness Interview

Local rice farming is big business -Owoeye National President of Rice Importers, Millers and Distributors Association of Nigeria, Mr. Tunji Owoeye, is also the managing director of Elephant Group Africa. He speaks on the turnaround in Nigeria’s rice industry, STANLEY IHEDIGBO reports Owoeye

As a stakeholder, what is your assessment of the Federal Government’s rice programme? Until recently, agriculture was regarded as a pastime for retired people or the business of peasants or for unsuccessful people. But the policy of this government which was rolled out four years ago has changed that. When the policy was introduced, we as operators were among the Nigerians who attacked the policy; we thought it was impossible. How can Nigeria be self-sufficient in rice production in five to seven years? But that is now history, as companies like Elephant Group, our company, and other colleagues in the industry now own large farms. When they started, we thought the policy was aggressive and extremely ambitious. But four years down the line, we have seen that it is not just aggressive, but achievable. They have done quite a lot in this sector and people from other countries want to come here to understudy the country on the successes it has recorded in agriculture. So, I want to thank Mr. President and the minister of agriculture for the agric policy. Let me give you a lot of examples and I will pick it from sector to sector. Let me start from rice. It is not sufficient for you to initiate a policy, but you must have the political will to defend it. This government has been able to defend the policy and what have they done? They were able to increase the tariff on imported rice. I remembered that when they increased the tariff from 40 per cent to 110 per cent, rice importation into the country from 2010 to 2013 dropped to zero. And that was when all of us, the major operators, saw that this government meant business and we began to look at how are would get involved. Today, you see major companies battling to retain their market share. They are investing heavily in backward integration, large size farms and mechanised farms across the country. There is massive investment in processing plants and many companies that were not into the agriculture sector before are investing in farming now and putting a lot stakes in rice production. But people are saying they have yet to see the locally produced rice and those who have seen it say it is too expensive. What is your take on this? I think government deserves commendation for its import substitution for rice production. Today, most of the people who have the concession are still being supported by government to have bigger capacity for rice production. You have rice farmers and distributors whom nobody ever thought of and never noticed in the value chain of rice production. Some of them are beneficiaries of the concession and we have seen small rice millers, we have seen companies that are very big and have taken to rice production. I think it is a good development. We need a revolution and it is starting in agribusiness. Some people would say that we have segments. No, we are business people and we have seen several governments before. Some of us have been in this business for over 20

We are calling on politicians not to politicise agriculture. We want continuity; we are looking for continuity because we have increased our capital share and other operators have invested heavily in this sector. We have raised additional capital to ensure continuity and production of food in this country years. So, my experience of 20 years has seen about eight to 10 governments and I am saying that this is the way to go towards food security for Nigeria and Africa. Another area is in fertiliser distribution. It is not news to us today that the growth enhancement scheme of the Federal Government is working now and it is the first time in Nigeria that government has come up to say no more fertiliser contract business, let the open markets take care of itself. We thought it was a joke but I tell you, it happened. We are in the fourth year of this policy and no government officials has given fertilisers to anybody. Its beauty is that fertilisers are distributed to farmers every year. Farmers don’t have to travel thousands of kilometres to get fertilisers because in every rendition center, they give fertilisers directly to the farmers. It has given the agro businessmen the opportunity to come into the business; even school leavers, who have no business, are agro dealers and suppliers of agro support products today. I am speaking from experience not from what I read in newspapers. Another area is in mechanisation farming. This is the first government I have seen training operators to become skilled. It is not about machetes and hoes, rather it is mechanised farming. If you go to the Central Bank of Nigeria, some funds were made available for mechanisation. We are calling on politicians not to politicise agriculture. We want continuity; we are looking for continuity because we have increased our capital share and other operators have invested heavily in this sector. We have raised additional capital to ensure continuity and production of food in this country. We need assurances that there will not be any policy sommersault in this sector to sustain the gains so far made. How much is available in the mechanisation farming fund by the Central Bank of Nigeria? First and foremost, the funds in the Central Bank of Nigeria provided by the Federal Government to support the development of agriculture are actually many. I recall there was approval for N200 billion for mechanised farming, for tractors and all of that. Just recently, there was N300 billion

for the real sector support programme. What that means is that to support those in the real sector, when you say real sector principally, you are talking about production and agriculture. So, if you are talking about two loans, that amounts to N500 billion. There is another one that is N200 billion for commercial agricultural scheme. We know as operators that there are close to N1 trillion facilities that are waiting for serious, disciplined and consistent entrepreneurs in agribusinesses to take advantage of. But the problem is that for you to access these facilities there are standards. You cannot say that you want to be given support when you don’t meet the standard. The essence of the loan is for you to be able to pay back, so that the money will be given to other people. Can local production of rice help make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production? It is amazing that those of us that are operators know how perfect these things are working. I said earlier that when government came with this revolutionary policy, we didn’t support it. Today, the operators are praising the policy; I can tell you that this government has done very well in this area. If this policy had not been there, believe me, none of us the operators would have gone into rice farming. But because of the policy, we see that there is no way; it was either we are completely out of the business or you invest in rice farming. If you want to retain your market share, you have to fall in line with the policy. It has worked, so coming to the area of domestic rice production plan, you know what the Ministry of Agriculture has done in their research, what is the consumption gap and in Nigeria, we know that we consume about five to six million metric tonnes. There are some data that were not captured especially for those areas we have access to and out of this we have about 2.5 to 2.6 million tonnes produced locally. You may ask me where they are. If you go to the South-West, in the villages, they don’t eat imported rice. They have their rice they mill in their farms through locally fabricated equipment in the villages. Those local farmers feed their immediate families and gather all this together throughout the country. From Ebonyi State to Nassarawa State to Bauchi State and Borno State, we have more than three million tones capacity, but talking about the ones that pass through then industrial process to the same market, we are saying that we have about a two-million metric tonnes gap. Now in this two million tonnes gap, what government has done about it is what has given us the opportunity for import substitution. What government did in their wisdom was, if you want to partake in filling the gap, let us see your commitment towards local production in backward integration and expansion which government had done in several other products. The Nigerian government has done it in cement, it was a success story; it has been done in sugar, and it is a success story today and now the same thing in rice. This is where government came to the point of import substitution of rice.

SUNDAY

Politics SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

The Sunday Interview

Political killings: I’m ashamed to be a Nigerian, says Balogun p.32-34

General Elections: War of the royal fathers

Interview

Onu: I planned to make Aba technology hub p.35 Branco-Rhodes: Nigeria will win war on terror p.37

Adetona

Sijuwade

The current search for endorsements by politicians ahead of the general elections has placed royal fathers under intense pressure. ADESINA WAHAB, ADEOLU ADEYEMO, KUNLE OLAYENI, UWAKWE ABUGU, TONY OKAFOR, ADEWOLE MARTINS and IBRAHEEM MUSA report

Biyi Adegoroye biyi.fire@yahoo.com

hey may be apolitical according to the provisions of the constitution, but in reality, many traditional rulers are not only taking a centre stage as the nation inches towards the March 28 presidential election, their palaces are now Mecca of sort. The tourists are politicians, especially presidential candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress. Far from merely paying homage to the royal fathers, the visits are designed to woo them and their subjects to support their respective political parties. In the past few weeks, while General Mohammadu Buhari has visited a few royal fathers, President Goodluck Jonathan has traversed various geopolitical zones in an intense lobby visits to secure their support for his candidacy in the elections. By the same token, like governorship candidates, flag bearers of the National Assembly as well as their counterparts at the state levels are not left out. They fall over one another, thronging palaces of the traditional rulers in search of royal blessings and endorsements. Already, the intense lobby is not without some rumblings in many palaces as the royal fathers, who are constitutionally apolitical, are in a frenzy of conferring chieftaincy titles on the candidates. One of such traditional rulers is His Majesty, Isaac

Ikonne, the Obi of Eziama, in Aba, Abia State who honoured General Buhari with a chieftaincy title during his campaign tour of the state. But his action earned him the wrath of the state which condemned the award of the title in strong terms. In Lagos State a couple of months ago, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan, Akiolu, openly endorsed the governorship candidate of the APC in the state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, and blessed Gen. Buhari. The manifest endorsements drew the anger of not a few Nigerians. In Ogun State, President Goodluck Jonathan has met with some traditional rulers in an attempt to secure their endorsements and consequently shore up his electoral fortunes. Prominent among the monarchs are the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; the Olowu of Owu, Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu, and the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Adeniyi Sonariwo, who is currently the Chairman of Ogun State Traditional Council. The consultation with these monarchs took place at the sidelines of Jonathan’s inauguration of the 750MW Olorunsogo II Power Station located in Ifo Local Government Area. The president told the gathering, which included no fewer than 20 traditional rulers from the state, that a total of $650million was expended on the Olorunsogo power plant out of the $8.26billion

committed so far to the nation’s power sector. He also assured that Nigeria would begin to witness stable and uninterrupted power supply within the next two years. The closed-door meeting with the monarchs was said to have been facilitated by former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. But two paramount rulers in the state – Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, and Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle – were conspicuously absent. It was learnt that the president used the meeting to thank the traditional rulers for their support for his administration and also sought their support for his re-election on March 28. On their part, the monarchs were said to have assured Jonathan of their readiness to cooperate with government in advancing the socio-economic and political development of the country. They also reportedly urged the president to remain faithful to the fulfillment of his electoral promises. At the end of the meeting, an undisclosed cash sum was said to have been offered those that attended the meeting. Barely three weeks after, the president came again to the state. This time round, he paid a courtesy visit to the Awujale in Ijebu-Ode and sought CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

The Sun

Political killings: I’m be a Nigerian, says B Senator Lekan Balogun, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State and a former lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, is versed in Oyo politics. The Osi Balogun of Ibadanland speaks on various political issues in this interview with SOLA ADEYEMO

Balogun

Report has it that President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent visit to the Alaafin of Oyo in his palace was to beg him on certain issue. As a chieftain of the PDP, are you privy to that? It doesn’t make sense to me. Why would he be begging the Alaafin? Jonathan is our President, my brother, my friend. Alaafin is my father and I am not aware that there was any quarrel between them. What could he have done to necessitate his begging the Alaafin? Though I didn’t go with him to the Alaafin, but I believe there are a lot of speculations in our politics. A lot of them are false, a lot of them negative, a lot of them lacking in integrity. I learnt Alaafin is a friend of the government and he is a father of all. So, I don’t think such could be true. Some people are of the opinion that Jonathan’s recent visit to the South-West monarchs was belated… Why will he not win the South-West? His major concern about the national Confab is what Chief Obafemi Awolowo and co stood

for. That alone is enough to win South-West. He does not need to beg any monarch. Southern states of the country owe him their votes ordinarily. If some set of people threatened to make government unsettled for him, and they have done so, in order to stampede him out of power, does that spell anything good for anybody in the country? It doesn’t speak well of anyone; it doesn’t speak well of democracy, and South-West is known for democratic principles. And anybody in the South that stands for democracy should vote for Jonathan except anybody from the northern zone. I’m very optimistic that President Jonathan is going to win the votes of the South-West. And mind you, he has the constitutional right for the second term. Everything points to the fact that everybody in the South-West should vote for him en mass. Those who are against him have got their fair share of the almost three and a half years, and now that he wants to have his independence, should they still hinder him? He has his constitutional right to do second term, so

why should they not allow him? If you feel you are a democrat, even as a northerner, you should vote for Jonathan. If you look at the areas of his achievements, anybody would know that Jonathan deserves the second term. And what is wrong with his seeking second term? It is only that the party is weak in the area of propaganda. He has achieved a lot in the area of agriculture. He has achieved a great deal in road constructions. And he has achieved a great deal in creating almajiri schools, about 150 0f them. It shows his respect for education and his respect for human rights. So, what else can they take away from him? The only thing they can complain of is that he is not doing their bidding. The only thing is that they have tested the man’s character. The two or three quarters of his administration, he had done their bidding. So, let them now give him time to do his independent bidding. Let us give him his own time and see if he will behave. Maybe he would do a lot better. I think, he will do a lot better. And like I said earlier, he

doesn’t have to go round begging anybody. The visits were part of campaign. Many Nigerians have hailed the reclamation of more towns from Boko Haram. Yet to many people, it is a game plan to ensure the President wins the heart of the northerners ahead of the election. We had never had this kind of trend. Before, it was thought the Boko Haram insurgents would relent and see reason. And like I said, some cabal had been in control of activities until Jonathan decided to create another structure. He is coming to perform independently and be the real Ebele Jonathan. That is the reason for changes in tactics and strategies. It is not that he is appeasing anybody but that he is becoming independent. He is trying to shove off all those that had been hanging onto him and disturbing his performance even in the handling of the military. He is now telling us that he is independent. All these are good signs of what he would likely do as an independent president if given

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

nday Interview

m ashamed to Balogun second term. Violence at campaign grounds where bill boards are destroyed, campaign vehicles set ablaze and innocent people and policemen killed is worrisome. What is your feeling about this? It is sad. To kill men who take up the responsibility of ensuring the peace and security of this country is an irony of life. I’m ashamed to be a politician; I am ashamed to be a public figure in the society, and I am ashamed even to be a Nigerian quite honestly. Why burn the billboards of your opponent if you have your own? Such action means they are intellectually bankrupt, democratically bankrupt. There is no point encouraging such act. What do you achieve by burning the property of another person in the name of politics? Nothing. It doesn’t make you lose or win election. It doesn’t make sense and like I said, experiencing such in my country makes me to be ashamed of being a Nigerian. I am ashamed that such is happening in my country. I am sorry. I hope events will overtake this and people involved will change because it is a sad experience. It is even worse seeing people being killed like that. The APC is alleging that the March 28 may not hold because President Jonathan is planning another extension, and particularly to sack the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, before the election. What is your view on this? If it is right for democracy for any of these to happen I will support it. If it is not right for democracy, I will oppose it. If Jega is found to be colluding with some people who have a stake in this electoral process; even if people involved are those in PDP, he should be sacked. And if he is colluding with people in the opposition he should be sacked. But if he is not colluding but just doing his job as it ought to be and there is no concrete evidence against him, why sack him? He should be allowed to do his job. It is only speculations that are flying around. So you are hopeful the election will hold? I am hoping it will hold, provided all things are equal. Since the governorship primary that produced Senator Teslim Folarin as your governorship candidate in Oyo State, things have not been the same for the Peoples Democratic Party. As one of the elders of the party, what is your feeling about this? What you people are mistaking for a scattered house is something of a gradual process. The house is not scattered. Everything in life is dynamic and we should be conscious of that. People are dynamic, politics is dynamic, nature is dynamic and life itself is dynamic. The changes that you see are almost inevitable. The present governor will not likely keep 12 per cent of people that brought him to power. About 80 per cent shortfall is now back in PDP. The Accord Party, which many now call a discord party is not likely to hold more that 25 per cent of what they had in 2011. The remaining 75 per cent is now back in PDP. Also, those who went with former Governor Adebayo

Alao-Akala, and who benefitted so much from him as governor of the state then, I very much hope, that experience will repeat itself. The nearer we are getting to the election, the more obvious it is becoming that he will not get that kind of vote again. Half of the members or I may say, a good number of them that were with him are now back in the PDP but we are not making noise about it. For the first time, we are getting block support for the PDP governorship candidate. When I say block, I mean the support is coming from occupation groups and even geographic groups in terms of the social, political origin of the people. I don’t want to mention specifically. Block support; block votes for the governorship candidate. Again lay men cannot see that. So the house is not scattered. Changes are inevitable in human endeavour. It is so dynamic that it is not so obvious to a layman unlike the social science-oriented people. Folarin will win the coming election; PDP will win the election. But assuming all those defectors like Adebayo Alao-Akala and Engineer Seyi Makinde were with you now, wouldn’t you have had lesser job to do? Lesser job when we are winning convincingly? When we are winning more scientifically? What is the difference, lesser job and cheap election? Now, we don’t want a cheap election. I don’t mind using scientific skills to predict the future. Honestly, I don’t mind the way it is going at all. It is more scientific and more exciting than having lesser job to do. The other people are also my people. I must say that Seyi Makinde is also my son. I like him. He did not consult me before his final exit if not he would not have left the PDP. Akala is my brother. I like him. There are some things I like about him too. But the sooner people realise that there are lots of things that happen within 24 hours, the better. Twenty four hours is a lot of time in human life. A lot can happen in the shortest time possible in politics. Senator Rasheed Ladoja is my brother; he is my friend but I think he is a little selfcentred. The love I have for him is not likely to endure, politically, as I can see things. It is just that we are getting to a very advanced stage that we have not been used to before. So, I am convinced that the equation will re-adjust itself very soon. You may notice that we are wrong at this stage, but later realise that we are right at the other. I don’t mind the space that we are experiencing. The house is not scattering. Well, the feeling in some quarters is that the situation in the PDP would not have got to this stage if Baba Lamidi Adedibu was still alive. Do you share that view? Before Adedibu became the kind of Adedibu that we knew, why didn’t we have that kind of impact? Time and events go with a kind of dynamism. There won’t be another Adedibu because time is changing and people are changing. Values are also changing and so on as so forth. Baba could not have been relevant as he was if he were alive now. But the Adedibu that we will be seeing in the years ahead will be another Adedibu. If Baba was alive now, he would

not be comfortable. He came at the right time, but if it were to be now, he wouldn’t be effective as he was then. And to the issue of not being in unity like it could have been during Adedibu, I tell you that we are all going to come together and it will surprise many of you. As members of the Olubadan-in-Council and as a brother and friend, one would have assumed that you would have pitched your tent with Senator Rasheed Ladoja of Accord Party instead of Folarin. What really informed this? That is not politics. Yes, we are brothers and we are friends, but he has an agenda of what he wants to achieve in politics. But I have my own idea of image I want to project to the world in my own political life. And if those views differ, we go our different ways. It doesn’t alter the fact that we are friends and brothers. That we are both Olubadan-in-Council chiefs, so what? Life continues. We are getting more and more dynamic in the way we do things. We like each other a great deal, but that we will disagree on ideological issues, so what? If he comes in now, we will embrace. It is like religion where a husband and wife could love each other so well, but practise different religions. We have had situations of Christian father and Muslim mother, and Christian son or daughter and Muslim mother or father co-habiting. That is the way it should be. Unless he can convince me that what he is aspiring for is right for me, the community, for the state and globally, then I would rather allow our relationship to be like that. But you elders of the PDP like Chief Yekini Adeojo and others were expected to have been instrumental to the unification of the party better than that, giving also the fact that Senator Ladoja was initially part of you. Things have changed. For instance, the old way of doing things in the PDP, dictating how things should be done is no longer the norm. Nobody should interfere in the process. But in as much as a candidate has emerged in the case of Folarin, I should be able to now tell the others to rally round him. But like I said, I didn’t have enough time to discuss with the two people that left, that is Akala and Seyi Makinde. If I had the time, I would have convinced them not to go. But maybe the dynamic nature of politics, like I said, was what played out. I am sure events will straighten things out soon. And you can see that some level of reconciliation has been achieved with the likes of Hazim Gbolarumi, Soji Adejumo, Azeez Adeduntan, all working together now. They will soon be able to identify their own interest in the political process as we are going. Mind you, parties are not meant for personal aspiration, but for global interest. How do you see the postponement of the election by the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, and the hues and cries that have trailed it? I see Jega as a reputable man and political scientist of note, but the way the voter registration exercise was carried out is almost enough grounds to postpone the elections. There are so many people that have not been registered. Many registered but their Permanent Voter Cards have not been printed. You don’t beg to be registered in a democracy. A lot of people

are going to be denied their voting right. There are too many irregularities in the process and for that reason alone, postponement is the right idea. We need to get to a situation where elections are fair and free. But right now, it is not free. And with the way things are now, my hope is that the May 29 will remain the sacrosanct date for swearing in of another government, all other things being possible. I don’t want to say more than that. What role do you think religion should play in politics, considering issues that have been raised regarding choice of our leaders? There should be no role religion should play other than the civilised and decent role of filing the gap between people who are of different religions. It should not be used to magnify sentiments but unfortunately, that is what a lot of people are doing and that is not the purpose of religion. That is how I see it. You are championing the cause of Teslim Folarin. What are his selling points? Folarin is a gentleman; an intelligent one and a good listener. Many governors appear to be friendly cool and accessible, but they are not good listeners. Because of the earlier campaign of calumny against him, some people were saying that as a senator he did not do anything. He has convinced them that he was not an executive and so he reeled out all those infrastructural facilities like hospitals, boreholes, among others that he used his position to attract. From some public debates we witnessed recently, some people now tell me that they did not know that he is that articulate and brilliant. He has a lot of respect for elders and he is a cultured listener. He is exposed. He is a two-term Senator and a Senate Leader. So, he is a good candidate. However, compared with other candidates like Makinde, he and Folarin would have been in the same rating but for party difference. Nevertheless, Makinde’s party Social Democratic Party has no structure nationally. There is hardly what he can attract to the state as a party. And he cannot do that as an individual person. Though he is a good son, intellectually sound and possesses good education, but there is limit to where he can go as the flag bearer of the SDP. In terms of potential for victory, Folarin stands a better chance than all others. And I will always tell you that he will win. Teslim is much younger than the other past governors and the incumbent one. He has no kind of past like the others. It would have been ideal for Folarin and Makinde to work together, but I can assure you that we shall know how to restructure things later. How comfortable are you with the campaign of President Goodluck Jonathan and his chance of success eventually? I am hopeful he will succeed. Few weeks ago, there was a deluge of propaganda about his achievements. Many were saying that he had nothing to point at as achievements, but he has convinced them of his achievements in the area of power, road construction, and even establishment of Almajiri School, among others. He has established more universities than his previous administrations. So, if you don’t see a lot of Almajiri on the streets anymore, it is because a lot of them have been directed to schools. Intellectually, he has been working very well, but they were not known to many until now. Meanwhile, our opponent are very good at propaganda as many people have now known. For every event, they blow it out of proportion. But what they have failed to do is impactful education of the populace. But events have now been compelling them to come out. President Goodluck Jonathan has some handicaps now, but I don’t want to talk about it for now. As time goes on, we shall all see that the man meant well for this country. During his second term, most of these things will be able to manifest better. So, my counsel is that he should be voted in to continue with the series of achievements he has recorded. The issue of insecurity being caused by the Boko Haram insurgents will soon be a thing of the past. That is simply my contribution on that.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

Elections divide royal fathers

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 1

royal blessing for his ambition. The revered monarch, however, told the president that while traditional rulers could create platforms for candidates to interact with the electorate, it is impossible for the Obas to compel anybody to vote for a particular candidate or party. While the president’s consultations with monarchs have generated comments at different fora, opinions are, however, divided on whether the royal fathers could influence any electoral victory for Jonathan. Ogun State is under the grips of APC although the PDP is roaring to oust the ruling party from power. But to watchers of the political situation in the state, the monarchs would have an uphill task in openly selling the Jonathan candidacy. This is because the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has so much penetrated the nooks and crannies with the campaign message that the Gateway State stood a better chance of benefitting immensely at the centre with the APC vice presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who hail from Ikenne Local Government Area of the state, in power. Similarly, in Ekiti State, the presidential rallies of the two main candidates, President Jonathan and General Buhari were also opportunities for the candidates to meet with traditional rulers in the state, subjecting them to intense pressure. The meetings, which took place at the palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, were to solicit their support as well as seek royal blessings. President Jonathan came in January while Buhari came the following month. After the visits, the state Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, is believed to have been making contacts with the monarchs on behalf of his principal. For instance, he held a private meeting with the monarchs last Thursday. The private session, it was learnt, had to do with the coming elections and the need to support Jonathan. It’s suspected that the politicians are inducing the royal fathers financially. In Osogbo of recent, some of the candidates are also laying siege on the palaces of traditional rulers for their endorsement and royal blessings, appealing to them to prevail on their subjects to cast their votes for them in the general elections slated for March 28 and April 11, this year. The candidates, who do not care about what it would cost them to lobby the traditional rulers to get victory at the pools, confronted them with sweet promises and goodies in their states if re-elected or voted in as next president of the country. President Jonathan was in Osun State recently at the palaces of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, and the Owa Obokun of Ijesha land, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, with appeal to the two monarchs to support him in the coming election. In his speeches at their respective palaces, Jonathan sought for their support, promising that when re-elected, he would transform their domains the more. At Ooni’s Palace in Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yorubas, the President was openly endorsed with showers of blessing by Oba Sijuade and over 20 other traditional rulers. Ooni instructed other traditional rulers who were in attendance to point their royal staff at the President and copious prayers which lasted for about 20 minutes were offered for him. Speaking at the end of the prayer, Oba Okunade, said, “By the grace of God, Jonathan would be re-elected into power.” But he appealed to him to develop the South-West, if voted into power. Also, speaking through the Orangun of OkeIla, Oba Adedotun Abolarinwa and Oba Sijuade demanded creation of Oduduwa State with the capital at Ile-Ife. At the domain of Owa Obokun of Ijesha land, Jonathan received royal blessings and was assured of victory at the polls. The visit of the President is, however, now being trailed with divergent views from many

Atuwatse

Edozien

quarters. While a school of thought argued that there was monetary inducement in the visit, the other claimed that the President only came to seek support for his re-election on neutral grounds. On March 1, 2015, Governor Muktar Yero of Kaduna State was in Zaria to round off his campaign tour. Naturally, the governor paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, where he sought the latter’s blessing and support. Though his response was in riddles, yet the royal endorsement by the Emir was discernible. Politics, according to him, is like piloting an aircraft where experience is most paramount. In this regard, it’s better to rely on experience, while voting the next governor of Kaduna State. Afterwards, Alhaji Shehu Idris wished Yero and his entourage a successful campaign, as well as a free and peaceful election. Almost immediately, the opposition took exception to the emir’s endorsement. By his analogy, Malam Nasir El Rufai, the gubernatorial candidate of the APC is more experienced that Yero, the opposition had argued. It is also believed that the Emir is also canvassing for President Jonathan’s re-election. As yet, allegations of dollars that have been doled out for this purpose have remained unsubstantiated. The President visited the Emir on January 31, on his campaign tour of the state. However, the Emir’s supporters have always dismissed this allegation. According to them, Shehu Idris is in a very precarious situation. First and foremost, Governor Yero holds the title of ‘Dallatu’ in the Zazzau Emirate Council. Similarly, his father is the Turakin Dawaki, a prominent member of the traditional institution. Similarly, Vice President Namadi Sambo is from Zaria. By campaigning for Jonathan, the Emir is invariably supporting Sambo, his eminent subject. So, the Emir of Zazzau, according to his supporters, has no alternative than to support Yero and Jonathan due to prevailing circumstances. However, the Emir’s support is merely symbolic because the opposition, from 1999 to 2011, has always won in Zaria, Sabon Gari, Igabi, Kaduna North and Kaduna South local government areas. Invariably, these five council areas have about one third of the registered voters in 23 local government areas of Kaduna State. In Enugu State, the story is almost the same. Chieftains of the two main political parties have been paying courtesy visits to traditional rulers in all their campaign tours of various locations in the state. For instance, when the vice presidential candidate of APC, Professor Osinbajo, attended a town hall meeting in Enugu, with youths in the South-East zone, he apologized to the young men and women for keeping them waiting, explaining that he had to pay courtesy visits to traditional rulers. The same scenario played out earlier in February on separate occasions when President

Jonathan and Gen. Buhari visited Enugu as part of their campaign tours of the country. Each of the frontline presidential contenders first spent some time paying courtesy calls on traditional rulers within Enugu metropolis, those of Ogui Nike and Nike. During such visits by either the presidential candidates or the parties’ respective state chapter campaign teams, the traditional rulers warmly received their visitors and gave their blessings. Although out there outside the palaces, speculations had been rife that the visits amounted to intense lobby of the natural rulers, none of these curious minds would fathom exactly what kind of lobby those would have been. While the possible use of money or materials to sway the support of the traditional rulers during these courtesy visits may not be ruled out, it is equally difficult to state clearly and exactly to what extent the lobbies and counter lobbies would turn the expected tides in favour of the political parties. What is certain is that in Enugu State, it may not be quite effective for a candidate of a political party to rely on a traditional ruler to garner a massive support of his (monarch) subjects during an election. How much support of a community that would be swayed to a candidate through a traditional ruler would depend on the situation in that particular kingdom. In some of the autonomous communities now made kingdoms with monarchs, elections are won through chieftains of political parties who wield enormous political influence in the areas. Monarchs in Delta State have obviously joined the surprises that are associated with partisan politics in the state such that the fear of the traditional institution has become the beginning of wisdom for any politician seeking elective or appointive position in the Big Heart State. The way and manner politicians, seeking elective positions, run to their palaces and their councils in the state to seek endorsement, are attestation to this fact. Although, the state Traditional Rulers’ Council, headed by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwase II, has not collectively or categorically endorsed any candidate for any of the elective positions, fractions of the council, including the Anioma Traditional Rulers, have met, and collectively adopted one or two persons for some elective positions. The visits of the contestants are devoid of party affiliations. Those who have paid courtesy calls on various monarchs in their domains, seeking royal blessings before embarking on their campaigns, were presented with kolanuts, supported (in the case of Delta) with huge sums of money, after which, the contestant will in turn covertly ‘bless’ the monarch before taking his exit. The former state chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, whose ambition to represent Delta North Senatorial District is currently being challenged by the former

Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, on the platform of the Accord Party, had raced to the palace of the Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof.) Chike Edozien, to see monarchs from the Anioma extraction, and was endorsed by over 15 of them. Prior to this, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had splashed car gifts on members of the state Traditional Rulers’ Council where each monarch smiled home with a Lexus Jeep, allegedly to appease them for the errors of the ruling party in the state and to prepare them for the coming of President Jonathan for his re-election rally in the state. When eventually the President came, he met, first, with members of the council at the Banquet Hall of the new Government House, Asaba, before proceeding to the Cenotaph venue of the rally. The Asagba of Asaba waited at his palace for the President to come and pay homage and finally received him during the President’s visit for his endorsement by the Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Co-existence in southern Nigeria. During the visit, the President described the Asagba as a “First Class Traditional Ruler” and acknowledged that his administration has not spread the dividends of democracy evenly, but re-assured him that the party will do its best to bring peace and security to the country, and fast-track economic development in all parts of the country. “We have tarred over 25, 000 kilometres of the 36, 000 km of the federal roads and we promise to complete the remaining ones and open up more arterial roads when re-elected”, having disclosed that over 90 per cent of narrow gauge rails have been completed throughout the country. The implementation of the Nigerian content law in the oil industry has improved the participation of Nigerians in the industry and the implementation of our Cabotage Law with Nigerians now owning ships and more Nigerians being employed in the shipping industry. But the President got what he did not bargain for. The Asagba demanded that the massacre of the people of Asaba during the 1967 civil war should be compensated by the Federal Government. According to the monarch, Nigerian soldiers gruesomely executed Asaba indigenes in the wake of the civil war, leaving their kinsmen in sorrow, tears and blood till date. “So many of our people were killed during the civil war and till today, nothing has been done to appease the people. We appeal and look forward to when the Federal Government will compensate us for their gruesome murder,” he said. While he lauded the President for taking the bold step against Boko Haram terrorists, he enjoined him to liaise with the National Assembly on the implementation of the National Conference report and appealed to him to dualise the link road from Asaba to Kogi to Benue and Abuja. While the monarch assured him of his support for his re-election bid, he urged him to upgrade the standard of the budding Asaba Airport to global standard and approve a Federal University in Asaba. He wondered why Asaba was not accorded its pride of place during Nigeria’s Centenary Celebration for hosting the Royal Niger Company, during the arrival of Mungo Park, with Asaba as the first administrative headquarters, maintaining that “Asaba was not mentioned or given its due recognition during Centenary celebration as one of the places that played a major role in shaping the fortune of Nigeria.” As if that was not enough, the Obi of Owa Kingdom in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II, who doubles as the second in command to the Olu of Warri in the state Traditional Rulers’ Council, in support of Jonathan took former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the cleaners. The monarch, who justified his expulsion CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

Politics

Onu: I planned to make Aba technology hub Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu is a former governor of old Abia State and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress. In this interview with some journalists, he speaks about some political issues and his dreams for Aba while he was governor. JOHNCHUKS ONUANYIM was there Onu

PDP has said it has lost confidence in INEC to guarantee free, fair and credible elections. Do you still have confidence in the electoral body doing so? The INEC is independent and some of us and not only APC were worried that there were some interference in the independence of INEC. We want a situation where INEC would be properly funded because if you do not give them enough funds they can’t perform because we saw that between Ekiti and Osun elections, there was an improvement and we want that improvement to continue. So I will prefer not to give my verdict on the performance of INEC until after the elections. You have advocated for elections to be free, fair and credible they should be conducted on the same day. Why didn’t your party insist on this when INEC was to fix the timetable? It doesn’t really mean that that is the only way you can get free and fair elections. There are many other benefits. For example, the cost of election would be drastically reduced if you conduct all elections on the same day. Secondly, this uncertainty which was introduced by INEC through the advice of the National Security Adviser to shift election date would not have happened. Because if it is a constitutional matter and you fix a date like every February in an election year, election will hold on a particular date, no security man would write anything to shift it. But above all, you would respect the fundamental rights of every Nigerian citizen to determine who governs him because you would have eliminated the bandwagon effect. A school of thought says that the international community is working for the APC with the visit of John Kerry, US Secretary of State and why is that the APC does not see anything good in the ruling party? No, I don’t think it will be fair to say United States of America is working for APC. The United States by their laws cannot even interfere in elections in other countries, but don’t forget that Nigeria is a major trading partner of the US. Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and the sixth largest exporter of crude oil to the world even though we no longer export to the US. So the US is conscious of this and Nigeria also plays a very important role in the security of neighbouring coun-

The reason why Japan grew rapidly was because they placed a lot of emphasises on technology. China has developed and for more than three decades they grew their GDP above eight per cent and it is has never happened in world history tries, particularly in ECOWAS. Now if there is crisis in Nigeria, there are many Nigerians who hold American visas who might not have used them. You will see it would have impact on the US. They know it and Britain also knows. Look at the population of Nigeria, it is more than half of all ECOWAS countries put together. Many of the countries are within five to 15 million but Nigeria can offload 10 million persons without noticing that anything has gone out of it. If five million Nigerians get into a country, do you know what impact that would have, even on the social life of the people - the economy and politics? So that is why you have this interest. When this date was shifted if you recall, it was not only the Secretary of State of the US, that of UK and Canada that reacted. These are the ones that did theirs openly. Do you know what the ambassadors of other countries did? So Nigeria is a very important country and that is why some of us are very concerned. We want to make sure that, that which God has destined for Nigeria are realized and we can only do it when you have leaders who put the interest of the leaders first. Then on your second question, it is not true that we do not see anything good in the ruling party, that cannot be true. Look at the past sixteen years, the level of insecurity has never been as high as it is today. We are not even talking of the North East, even today in the news 80 years man was kidnapped in Kogi State. So you have insecurity across

the country, whether it is in the South-East, South-South, South-West, North-Central, North-West or North-East. It is everywhere. Insecurity is everywhere and the principal responsibility of any government is security. Now just look at within six weeks of the shift of the election the military is doing well in the North-East. We are happy about it but do you know how many lives we had lost. Why are these things done now and not done long time ago? It would have saved the lives of so many people. People even forget that Nigerians live as refugees in neighbouring countries, we talk of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria, what of the refugees in Cameroon, in Chad, in Niger. The governor of Borno State had to go to Niger to see our own Nigerians who are there. If on March 28, APC does not win the presidential election, what do you think about this idea of competition? There is competition. The opposition is not the way people look at it as if it just comes to take power and if it fails, the opposition would go down. Let me say this. If you look at the of APC so far, there was no single step APC took, which people didn’t say it wouldn’t work, even the merger itself. Not only those in the opposition said it can’t work, because they have the history that it has never worked before but here it worked. The last was when we had very strong presidential candidates running for the ticket of the party and most people said this would break the party or that the party would collapse. But they forgot that there were people within the merger who were very determined and would make sure that there were internal democracy and even if there was consensus on any candidate that we will still have election. So our presidential candidate was chosen in a very open and transparent national convention. So, I want to assure you that the competition is genuine and what is driving the APC is not just the members of the party. If you look at the members of the party, then you don’t have the complete picture of what APC stands for. APC is a movement that derives its energy and strength from the desire of Nigerians for change. As a former governor of old Abia State, would you say that your dreams and what you left behind have continued to bring development to the state?

Yes, we were very creative as governor and I am happy that some people have attested to that. If you remember, the reason why Japan grew rapidly was because they placed a lot of emphasises on technology. China has developed and for more than three decades they grew their GDP above eight per cent and it is has never happened in world history. You know economy goes in waves. You go up, you stay there, you come down and so on, but these people went up and stayed there like that. Plateau, it is unimaginable. Why? Technology. You need to know how many engineers they produce in a year and when I became governor of Abia State and because the people are every enterprising, I was to bring in technology. In Aba, there is nothing you can produce there. You see somebody would start as a house boy and before you know it, he becomes a Managing Director of a thriving business and people worked in their garages and so on. But l said no we must bring in technology. I started it and we had appointed a Director-General and many other things before the military derailed it. Another thing I did that was good, which I think I should mention is that by the time I was governor, we were just entering into the information age when computers were becoming very important. And I wanted to introduce computers into primary and secondary schools to prepare Abians for out-sourcing of jobs. Today Indian is making more money than we are making from crude oil. They are making more money by out-sourcing of jobs. That is to say you stay in India companies in the US, Canada and Europe will use your services and pay you. Take for an example, a computer literate accountant here works on his system for a company in New York and they pay him. That is how Indian is making so much money and I had this foresight. I will say that those who took over after me have been working very hard. You know that vision is different and you don’t expect a new government to do what its predecessor had done but we were in the road to make sure that Aba was the really Japan of Nigeria. So that any where you are in the country, you go Aba when you need auto parts. I was amazed when I attended a Made in Nigeria Trade Fair in Aba. They promised me they were going to assemble a bus and they did it. So there is capacity. We can do a lot in this country if you have a selfless leadership.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

Why presidential debate is vital

Hassan Ibrahim

s the March 28, 2015 elections approach, politicians’ rap up efforts to catch up with all outstanding political activities, in a bid to achieve the desired electoral success. The electorate on the other hand, are trying to gather as much information as would allow them to make informed decisions on which candidate to vote for. This decision is very critical for the presidential election. It is no more a secret that the March 28 election is going to be a straight fight between President Goodluck Jonathan of the

Obaze

PDP and General Muhammadu Buhari of the APC. To make an informed decision, the electorate normally rely on the history of the candidates, party programmes, campaign promises, and most importantly, each candidate’s performance at the election debate. In other climes like the US, Europe, Asia and parts of Africa, election debates are known to have swung victories in the direction of a candidate based on his or her performance. This is an acceptable practice because election debates reveal candidates’ true understanding of contemporary national issues, foreign policy

thrusts of the nation, economical, industrial, technological and other national aspirations. Incidentally, the nations that have come to undertake electoral debates as part of their electoral practice (I thought it has become a practice in Nigeria until this year) are the very nations we are seeking to emulate, using them as our template. One thinks that the recent effort to sell the APC brand at the Chatham House was an exercise in this direction It is therefore, surprising that Gen. Buhari for the umpteenth time has refused to appear in a presidential debate. We have

been told that the initial refusal was based on perceived partisanship of the handlers. But, we are also aware that the PDP has since offered to have this debate on the APC’s terms, allowing them to chose the venue and organisers, all to no avail. The President has also recently, written and challenged Buhari to a debate at Chatham House. He is yet to respond. This is very unfortunate and regrettable for a man that wants to rule Nigeria. The Nigeria of 2015 is no more the Nigeria which was ran without alignment to international best practices many years ago. There are global benchmarks in almost all facets of governance, namely: human rights, economics, corruption, industrial and technological issues. Countries are in a race to achieve successes in all these parameters. Potential leaders must therefore show competence and at least minimal understanding of these parameters. It is the evaluation of this understanding through a debate among the candidates that will afford the Nigerian electorate to make informed decisions on the suitability or otherwise of each candidate. It can, therefore, be said that an election cannot be complete without a debate let alone a presidential election. Let it be emphasised that nobody can rule this great country through the back door. Any president that emerges without debating and giving Nigerians a chance to scrutinize him will be a very diminished one. We can ill-afford this kind of avoidable setback in our national march to catch up with the comity of civilised nations. I want to believe that only two reasons seem to explain Buhari’s refusal to debate, namely a disdain for Nigerians and what they care for and an apparent lack of confidence to meet with President Jonathan. Either of these reasons clearly puts him down as an alternative to Jonathan come March 28, 2015. The APC that Buhari belongs to has inundated this country and its citizens with the message of change. Nigerians need to evaluate this message by hearing and clarifying from the’ main change agent, General Buhari, and not through messages prepared by sundry consultants. This is the time to know whether the opposition party has any understanding of the message it has been singing. Gen.Muhammadu Buhari should be advised by his handlers to present himself for this debate as this will provide him a platform to sell himself to the electorate. Anything to the contrary will not be good for the current democracy.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

Politics

Branco-Rhodes: Nigeria will win war on terror Kitoye Branco-Rhodes is the chairman, Ziklag Group and a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State. In this interview with CHIJIOKE IREMEKA, he speaks on a range of issues including the alleged sale of Permanent Voter Cards and the war on terror

Now that you are out of the governorship race in Lagos State, what is next for you in the political arena? We have not ended our quest to govern Lagos; we believe that 2019 is another electioneering year, which we will prepare ourselves for. It is another day and we will work towards it. We believe that the PDP will impact positively on the lives of the people in this state and the country at large. That is why we are seeking the opportunity to impact on people. Though I’m no longer in the 2015 race, we have all agreed to work with our party’s candidate. We have started a movement to emancipate Lagos from the shackles of the All Progressives Congress. The challenge is to free Lagos from fetters of the APC and reposition the state such that it will be in position to harness its resources for the collective benefits of Nigeria. This is the task that must be carried out. If you look at Lagos, there are many infrastructural deficiencies preventing it from attaining the status of a Mega City. The status of Mega City has many infrastructural demands and like I said, one government either in a single tenure or two tenures cannot fully achieve that. It’s a continuous process that would allow us see the kind of Lagos we desire. If we are given the opportunity to do this, we will embark on the journey towards actualising this. How do you see the deployment of soldiers for election duties? I think it’s necessary. If you have been watching the level of politically motivated crime now, you will agree that this election is going to be tough because desperation for office has gone too high and everything is very depressing, especially looking at APC’s desperation to enthrone Gen Mohammadu Buhari. I’m of opinion that we should use everything that is available to secure the electoral process in order to ensure that the results that will be obtained are transparent and credible, especially in Lagos State. There is the need to beef up security on the ground to contain every opportunistic action from anybody. The President has the right to deploy military anytime that he feels that the peace of the country is threatened. Constitutionally, it’s in order. And I think it’s wise to have

Branco-Rhodes

security agencies, including the military as long as the military are limited to peace keeping during the elections. Basically, we need to have the police and the military to ensure free and fair elections and leave afterwards. Their role will be to ensure free and fair election by providing necessary security cover, but INEC will not take direction from them on the election day. Also, in the light of fragile nature of this environment, and the desperation of politicians, I think it will be necessary to have the military serve as critical security agency observers in the elections. That’s what I feel. Again, the use of international observers in the monitoring the election is welcome. All forms of observers should also be accredited for these elections. They should be allowed to inspect the process and ensure that we have credible election results, which everybody will accept in good faith. How do you see the postponement of the elections? I honestly believe that Attahiru Jega was not ready. INEC was far away from being ready even despite the fact that Jega kept assuring us that everything was okay. The postponement of the election was a very wise move and it has also doused the tension in the country. Though it might rise again but it will not get to that original point. What made you think that INEC wasn’t ready for the elections? How many PVCs were available as at the time they said they were ready for the elections? Up till today, my wife and I have not seen our PVCs. If elections were held as earlier scheduled, we would have been technically disenfranchised. If I give you statistics of how many areas that do not have PVCs, you will marvel. Yet INEC said it was ready. Any deficiency in the process will technically mean disenfranchisement for many people. So, we have to guard against that. Let the people who don’t want to vote not vote because they don’t want to vote, but let it not be said that they didn’t vote because there are no PVCs for them, that would mean disenfranchisement. I would say that extra time affords INEC the opportunity to put its house in order, to even conclude the pre-testing of the equipment. They had the opportunity to test-run their card readers at randomly selected areas in the country to ascertain that they work accordingly. So, we need to know if the card readers will work according to the time prescribed for it. These are the things we should consider before we say that we are ready for the election. The extra time affords INEC opportunity to tidy up everything. There has been an allegation that PDP and APC sell PVCs to their supporters. How true is this especially at Oregun area of Lagos? It’s a ridiculous statement to say that you sell somebody’s PVCs, except you are saying that the election is going to be undermined in order to rig out the potential leaders. I don’t see it being feasible that you corner massive PVCs to use on the election day. I don’t see how that works. INEC had introduced card readers to minimise the incidence of rigging. But are you aware that PVCs are sold even in Lagos? To who? I have not seen or witnessed it. I don’t have my PVC. I have gone there severally and there were no PVCs for my wife and I. I’m still going there to check again. Like I said, we would have been disenfranchised if the elections were conducted as scheduled. This is why I said INEC was far from

being ready. And I don’t think it’s necessary to have another extension of election dates because so many things are working together for successful elections. We will go to the polls on March 28, when we get our PVCs, then, I will know that the entire process is set. More so, when I read on the paper and went through the statistics to discover that more PVCs have been collected in the most challenged areas of the country, the north. I needed to understand what was going on. The only conclusion I reach was that such system does not speak well of Jega because it’s unfortunate for him to tell us that they were able to distribute PVCs in the most challenged areas of the country. It’s unfathomable and clearly suggesting that there has been untoward movement there. Be that as it may, I think we will still have a good election. Though in every election, integrity is the most important business. And I think the way PVCs are being distributed leaves a lot of questions to be answered by INEC. However, I want to assure Nigerians that President Goodluck Jonathan will be returned to the office during the election. Also, on April 11, APC will be finally shown the door out of Lagos State. With your position on President Jonathan’s return, don’t you think it would be hard for him because many Nigerians are saying that he has done nothing, especially the way he treats corruption with kid’s gloves? I have always said that the issue of corruption is a collective thing. We all have to engage ourselves in the task to free the country from any form of oppression and corruption in Nigeria. You can’t just leave the task to the President alone, though the greater chunk of that responsibility lies on him, but we have roles to play in ensuring clean environment. Jonathan will finally lay Buhari’s ambition to rest. After this attempt to rule this country, he will retire from active politics. Nigeria needs a young and more dynamic person for this task. Jonathan has bought our vision of freeing Lagos for good of the Lagosians and the country as a whole. Do you think that Jonathan and Buhari would have come into contention if there was a more credible candidate from any other parties? The person will not win because of money issue in Nigerian politics. The presence of money bags in the nation’s politics has become a toxin and it hampers the development of the country. The same people, who will complain are the ones who will sell their voices. And once you collect money from them, be sure that they won’t do anything for you. We need to deal with this money politics. When somebody releases N2 million for election, do you expect him to be the right candidate? Would you rather say that the President was never determined to wipe out the Boko Haram insurgency since it started, going by the success recorded by soldiers within this short period? I think the issue is a very complex and challenging one. Of course, you see what ISIS is doing in the Middle East and with that we can see that terrorism is challenging both developed and developing countries. The President has always said that there was no full support from the country and even from the African neighbouring countries. What I think has happened now, is a change of tactics in the country, as well as involvement of other African brothers, which has added an impetus to the fight. Somehow, there is determination between the President and neighbouring communities to flush them out of the system and I believe that it will be sustained.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

Umeh can’t stop my re-election, says Ngige

Chijioke Iremeka

he senator representing Anambra Central on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in the Seventh Senate, Dr. Chris Ngige, has said his All Progressives Grand Alliance challenger, Chief Victor Umeh, is no threat to his re-election bid. Ngige, who spoke while addressing members of Nnobi Welfare Organisation, Lagos branch recently, also promised more democracy dividends for his constituents. The senator, who was accompanied by his Campaign Manager, Chief Uzoma Igbonwa; the APC candidate for Idemili North/ Idemili South federal constituency, Chibuzor Obiakor, and some aides, was received by the NWO Lagos branch Chairman, Mr. Ogochukwu Okongwu, and members of his executive and the organisation. Ngige, whose visit to his NWO was part of his campaign tour, said he was impressed by their support during his current stay in the Senate and while he was governor of Anambra State. Ngige, who has a maternal link with the town in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, outlined various programmes he had carried out as a senator, noting that he was challenged to do more by the immense support of the people of the district. The senator, who defied a dpownpour to honour the NWO appointment, said he was in a good position to become the next Senate president if his party wins the majority in the March 28 National Assembly elections. He said Umeh was not his match in politics, as he had more experience than the APGA

L-R: Vice Chairman, Nnobi Welfare Organisation, Lagos branch, Mr. Wilson Ezue; Chairman of the organisation, Mr. Ogochukwu Okongwu; Emeka Okafor and Senator Chris Ngige during the Senator’s courtesy visit to the organisation in Lagos...recently

candidate. He said it would amount to a great disservice for Ndigbo to vote rookies into the Senate when there is much work to be done to lift the South-East to its pride of place in national reckoning. Speaking further, he denied insinuations that the Nnobi-born House of Representatives member for Idemili North and Idemili South, Charles Odedo, dumped APC for the Peoples Democratic Party because Ngige was against his ambition to get re-elected. Ngige explained that rather, it was the lawmaker’s refusal to heed good counsel on the recent primaries that led to his defection. Ngige said that before the primaries, he had

cautioned Odedo to wait for the whistle to be blown before launching his bid but he ignored his advice. According to Ngige, the party had to give the ticket to Obiakor, who hails from Ogidi in Idemili North since Nnobi had produced two occupiers of the seat in the persons of Odedo and Hon. Jerry Ugokwe. He urged the people of Nnobi to participate fully in the March 28 and April 11 elections and assured the community and the entire senatorial district of better representation, if re-elected. Ngige noted that his re-election would enable him to complete the work he started in

General Elections: War of the royal fathers C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 4

from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after he publicly tore the party’s membership card, described his past and recent outburst as “an attempt to destroy democracy.” Obi Efeizomor, who, in his palace in Owa Kingdom, said the former President’s action could be interpreted in different ways, explaining that the action goes to show the quality of leaders that have ruled the country. He said, “It is good that Obasanjo has destroyed his membership card in the public and it tells you what makes up the quality of those who have ruled Nigeria. And it tells you why Nigeria has not grown because as a leader at that time, I had a lot of respect for him, I cherished him and have visited him times without number. “But I know that membership card is an instrument of identification, in other words, it is like a currency. If democracy means anything, it is the membership card because it is the symbol of democracy. “It is like picking up the Bible or Koran and destroying it. Our former leader has picked up democracy and tore it. Democracy that brought him from prison and gave him freedom, gave him opportunity to rule Nigeria for eight years excluding his military regime. “Then at the end of it, at the foot of election, you tear democracy. In other words, he staged a coup against democracy. He sentenced democracy into oblivion. He terminated democracy.” While he urged all patriotic Nigerians not to be upset by the divisive utterances of the former President but go about their constitutional rights to votes as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission, over 22 traditional rulers on the Niger, representing the Ibos across the River Niger, demanded a full implementation of the reports of the National Conference that was conducted last year. The monarchs, who endorsed President Jonathan at their enlarged meeting, expressed

deep concern over the political tension, especially in the North Eastern part of the country as a result of Boko Haram attacks. A statement issued at the end of an enlarged meeting by monarchs in Asaba, at the palace of the Asagba of Asaba, said the implementation of the Conference report would serve as a solution to the socio-political tribulations bedevilling the country. While the monarchs, including the Obi of Owa Kingdom, HRM Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II and the Igwe Mbakwe, Eze Abacha of Idemili North of Anambra State, lauded the President for conducting his affairs with honours, they called on Nigerians and all Igbos to support the return proposal of the President. Governor Uduaghan’s Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, a subject to the Asagba of Asaba, has since justified why monarchs should bless those seeking elective positions in an interview, saying, “They (the monarchs) don’t exist in isolation. They need to move in tandem with the reality on ground and around them. Yes, they are custodians of the peoples’ culture, yet it should be noted that the political actors are their subjects. What they did was to give us wisdom and guideline through their Royal Blessing.” However, a group - the Anioma Youth Forum (AYF) queried the role played by the Royal Fathers in foisting partisan politics in the state, wondering why the monarchs chose to dabble into the murky waters of politics. The group, led by their leaders (names withheld) was reacting to the endorsement of Nwaoboshi by the Anioma monarchs. According to them, the alleged primary election that produced him was ‘inconclusive’ and he is currently in a running battle with the wife of the former National Chairman of the party over the senatorial seat. They wondered also why the monarchs took the side of the oppressor by setting one Anioma son against the other by endorsing one without considering the track records, competency and experience. The group therefore prayed the Royal Fathers to “restrict themselves to being the cus-

todians of the peoples’ customs and tradition rather than being despotic because naira and kobo have exchanged hands.” In Anambra State, it has also been endorsement galore for politicians by traditional rulers. Hundreds of the politicians have visited various prominent traditional rulers in the state. Most of whom allegedly, get N500,000 per politician for this endorsement. It was sarcastically called ‘kola’. The traditional ruler of Nawfia, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo, however, said it is wrong for a traditional ruler to endorse more than one person in the same elective contest. He said the right thing for a traditional ruler to do is to give Ofo (symbol of authority) to only one person for an elective position. He maintained that to do otherwise amounts to 419. Nwankwo who had lived most of his life in the United States of America before becoming a traditional ruler, nevertheless said there is no law prohibiting traditional rulers from actively playing politics. He said Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria permits every citizen of this country to be politically partisan. The section reads: “Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and belong to any political party, trade union or any other association of his interest. Provided that the provisions of this section shall not derogate from the powers conferred by this Constitution on the independence National Electoral Commission with respect to political parties to where that commission does not accord recognition. The consensus is that traditional rulers should not expose themselves to the vagary of partisan politics. Victor Nwachukwu, an Awka-based legal practitioner said “by the virtue of their position as the custodian of people’s culture and tradition, traditional ruler are not supposed to be partisan. He said, “They are supposed to play fatherly role, irrespective of clan, religion, ethnicity and so on. By their nature, they are not supposed to thrive on nepotism, tribalism, clannish and other primordial considerations.

the areas of providing transformers, scholarships, classroom blocks, water, health facilities and empowerment among others. He said, “In spite of the tribulations, I represented Anambra Central Senatorial Zone well in the Senate. As a matter of fact, for a long period in 2012, I was the only sitting senator from Anambra State, and I’m proud to say that I represented Anambra State with competence and dedication.” According to him, during the period, he was responsible for all the Millennium Development Goals initiatives and constituency projects for Ananbra North, South and Central senatorial districts. He added that it was the first time in the history of the state for a senator to represent three different zones in the state at the same time. “It’s important to know that if APC wins the senatorial seat, the South-East has the chance of producing the Senate president in the coming dispensation. If I return, I will be the only APC senator from the South-East and I will become Senate president; that’s if APC wins this election. Then, our region as well as the state will be better off,” he said. Ngige promised to reduce the poverty rate in the senatorial district through the provision of more scholarships to the less privileged also described Obiakor as a reliable politician. In his reaction, Okongwu assured Ngige of NWO’s total support and promised to use his position to rally support for the senator and Obiakor. “I will use my good office to ensure that our members call their relatives in their respective villages to vote for Ngige and Obiakor, who is going to the House of Representatives. We just have to do it because we saw what Ngige was able to do during his tenure as the state governor, and we know he will deliver on election promises. “Ngige is our son. His mother comes from Nnobi. So, it’s a good thing he came to see us. We benefitted from his previous administration, so there is no doubt whether we will support him. Also, the fact that he has endorsed Obiakor means that Obiakor will work too. So, we will ensure that our people vote them accordingly,” he said. Okongwu maintained that they were excited that their son was aspiring to such a high position, hence, they would give him all the necessary support both in Lagos and back home. He said, “We are hoping that he will open up some roads in the area that are prone to gridlock, especially during festive periods. Nnobi-Nnewi Road is one of them, likewise Nkpor to Nnobi and others. We have also made a demand for a university in this zone, which he said he would look into. I, therefore, urge every indigene of Nnobi as well as Idemili North and South to come out en mass to support the duo in the March 28 elections,” he said.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

Politics

Elections: Between INEC and military From the

Green Chamber ternyam@gmail.com

Philip Nyam

ecently, the House of Representatives was embroiled in crisis over lawmakers’ disagreement on the constitutionality or otherwise of using the armed forces for the purposes of elections. Although the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, had ruled that it was constitutional and that the President has the powers to deploy troops during elections, the opposition is still kicking and challenging the decision. Notwithstanding this development, the House last Thursday adopted the conference committee report on a Bill for an Act to further amend the Electoral Act. No. 6 of 2010. This is to ensure a level playing field for all participants in the electoral process and for a more transparent process of conducting elections in Nigeria. The primary aim of the proposed amendments is to further enhance the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission and free it from the whims and caprices of the government and other vested interests. Interestingly, one of the major amendments adopted by the House is to give the electoral umpire a blanket cheque to decide when military can be deployed to monitor elections. In other words, the House is now investing the electoral umpire with the constitutional right to request (if it is necessary) the President to order for the deployment of the armed forces. The import of the amendment is that the President cannot deploy troops for election purposes unless INEC demands for it. A new sub-section (b) pro-

posed to the extant Section 29(1) of the Principal Act seeks to give more powers to INEC to be the authority to request for the deployment of security personnel for election monitoring. Chairman of the House committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Jerry Manwe, said, “This new provision seeks to ensure that the commission is responsible for requesting and deploying relevant security personnel necessary for elections or registration of voters; assigning them in the manner determined by the commission in collaboration with the relevant security agencies, with the condition that the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces shall only be for the purpose of securing the distribution and delivery of election materials.” Specifically, Section 29 (1) (b) of the adopted amendment states that “notwithstanding the provisions of any other law and for purposes of securing the vote, the commission shall be responsible for requesting for the deployment of relevant security personnel necessary for elections or registration of voters and shall assign them in the manner determined by the commission in consultation with the relevant security agencies. Provided that the Commission shall only request for the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces only for the purpose of securing the distribution and delivery of election materials. And protection of election officials.” Another significant aspect of the new amendment is the proposal to empower INEC to disqualify candidates by inserting section 7(A), which provides that “any political party that presents to the Commission the name of a candidate that does not meet the qualification stipulated in the Constitution and this Act shall be disqualified from participating in that particular

election for that office.” The amendment is also effected in section 63(3) by empowering presiding officers to announce results at polling units. It states that “the presiding officer shall then announce the result at the polling unit and shall thereafter give the candidates or their polling agents, the assigned police officer, the assigned representative of the State Security Service, assigned representing of Security and Civil Defence Corps, accredited election observer groups and a

representative of the media a copy each of the signed and announced result form.” These are indeed laudable amendments, which if passed into law would confer real independence on INEC. This will create a fertile process for the conduct of transparent, fair and free elections in the country. It is hoped that the Senate will be favourably disposed to these amendments. This is a bold move by the sponsors of this amendment and should be supported by all stakeholders.

...A biosafety agency at last

lso, during the outgone week, the House passed for third reading the Bill for an Act to establish the National Biosafety Management Agency, charged with the responsibility of providing a regulatory framework as well as an institutional and administrative mechanism for safety measures in the application of modern biotechnology in Nigeria. It consequently constituted a conference committee headed by Hon. Mohammed Monguno to meet with their Senate counterpart to harmonise the bill preparatory to forwarding it to President Goodluck Jonathan for assent. If enacted into law, the bill will empower the agency to provide a regulatory framework as well as an institutional and administrative mechanism for safety measures in the application of modern biotechnology in Nigeria with a view to preventing any adverse effect on human health, animals, plants and environment. Based on provisions of the bill, the agency shall be responsible for the effective management of all components of the na-

tion’s bio-safe; establish and strengthen the institutional arrangement on Biosafety matters in Nigeria as well as safeguard human health and the environment from any potential, adverse effect of genetically modified organism including food safety. In addition, the agency is to ensure safety in the use of modern biotechnology and provide holistic approach to the regulation of modified organisms; provide measures for the case by case assessment of genetically modified organisms and management of risk in order to ensure safety in the use of genetically modified organisms to human health and the environment. The agency shall also provide measures for effective public participation, awareness and access to information in the use and application of modern biotechnology and genetically modified organisms and in addition to ensuring the use of the genetically modified organisms does not have adverse impact on socio-economic and cultural interest either at the community or national level.

Obanikoro: With presidential might, the ‘ayes’ have it Villa Notes emmyanule@yahoo.com

Anule Emmanuel

t is often argued in political circles that ‘you never underestimate the powers of the President,’ civilian or military. In Africa and in Nigeria particularly, the powers of the President are enormous and can easily be considered as the final arbiter as far as decision making and policies for the country are concerned. Aside the dictatorial approach of the military, it was former President Olusegun Obasanjo who first set the standard in Nigeria with the return of democracy in 1999 for understanding the significance of the immense power of Aso Rock. This was similar to what Ronald Reagan did in the White House.some years back when he ruled the United States, in influencing decisions in Congress through the approach of always taking advantage of the power of persuasion. In fact, except the third term agenda, virtually everything that former President Obasanjo wanted scaled through the two chambers of the National Assembly. He got away with much ease. Persuasion, intimidation and money featured at different times.

The current seventh National Assembly has no doubt exhibited some qualities of vibrancy in debating national issues in its handling of bills and the investigation of corruption-related cases within the jurisdiction of the legislature. Such issues as the alleged revenue losses and sleaze at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; the N24 billion police pension fund which the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee alleged was also missing at some point and the bill to push for a single tenure of six years for the President and governors easily comes to mind. The controversy in the last three weeks at the National Assembly over the screening of former minister of state for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, as ministerial nominee and its final outcome reveals to a large extent how a smooth working relationship between the leadership of the legislature and the executive can influence major decisions at the highest level. The Senate, amidst tension, concluded the screening and confirmation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s eight ministerial nominees - Senator Patricia Akwashiki (Nasarawa); Prof. Nicholas Akise Ada (Benue); Col. Augustine Akobundu (retd.) (Abia); Mr. Fidelis Nwankwo (Ebonyi), Hauwa Lawan, (Jigawa); Kenneth Kobani (Rivers); and Joel Ikenya, (Taraba), as well as Obanikoro, despite resistance by members of the opposition All Progressives Congress on the candidature of the

nominee from Lagos, Obanikoro was among the seven members of President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet who resigned last year to seek the governorship tickets of their respective states on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. Unfortunately, like many of the other few, he lost out in the race to Jimi Agbaje in Lagos State. As one of the favourites of the President and a key member of the Lagos chapter of the PDP as well as being someone perceived to having a galvanizing strength particularly as it relates to the re-election bid of President Jonathan, he was promised and given a second chance to serve as minister in the current administration as a compensation and a strategy to end further crisis in the party in Lagos. But Obanikoro was recently named in a leaked tape as a principal actor in the alleged rigging of the Ekiti State governorship election in 2014, sparking national outrage. The scandal has yet to be investigated by the Federal Government. Considering the gravity of this allegation, his screening by the Senate did not come without repeated deferments and protests from senators from his home state, Lagos, and other members of the opposition APC, who had vowed to stop the clearance over the Ekiti scandal. As far as the APC senators are concerned, Obanikoro had been implicated in “very sensitive issue that touches on national interest,” and court cases, includ-

ing one by a PDP member, Kemi Lawal. Just as one of them put it, the Senate was at a cross-roads regarding its standing rules and tradition. First is the tradition which states that any nominee rejected by at least two senators from his state of origin should not be cleared. The second is that as a former member of the hallowed chamber, he would need to take a bow and leave without questions. None of these happened though. What the legislators failed to understand was the quantum interest from the presidency and its influence. Knowing so early the plan of the opposition to scuttle Obanikoro’s screening, President Jonathan himself and his array of aides also did not just sleep off the matter. Obanikoro was in fact at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, a day before his screening, possibly to receive presidential blessing and the assurance that all would be well. Many knew a few weeks ago when the revolt against his ministerial candidature begun that he would have his way once the presidency got involved. The style and approach of the Senate President, David Mark, on the floor which frustrated all attempts by the APC senators revealed clearly that with a little push from the presidency, the ‘ayes’ would always have the day. Now that Obanikoro is back, he must not fail to understand the real reasons of his re-nomination into the cabinet. He really must be an election cabinet member.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics Interview

Nigeria is on course - Charles Jacob Apostle Charles Jacob is the founder of Believers Family Assembly. In this interview with EDWIN USOBOH, he speaks on current political developments Of late, the nation has been bedeviled with lots of challenges, ranging from Boko Haram insurgency, the recent shift in the election dates and corruption, etc. What is your take on these? God has not told me anything recently about any of these challenges. But as a prophet of God, what I know is that I perceive that there will be unprecedented peace in Nigeria at the end of the tunnel. For the insurgents that have threatened our nation, the armed forces are out for them now and there is no hiding place any longer. Besides that, there is no problem I foresee. Whoever wants to foment trouble will be removed by God because God is bigger than Nigeria. Why do you support President Goodluck Jonathan’s candidature? Remember, as a child he was not there when his parents christened him ‘Goodluck,’ so that good luck means that “God is good.” Anything that concerns God is good, therefore when someone’s name is Goodluck, God has to favour him. That’s what is happening in President Jonathan’s life. The presence of God will never allow problems to consume this country. You said he’s bringing good luck to Nigeria. Can you expatiate on that? Cast your mind back to about 10 years and you will agree with me that Lagos – Ore – Benin Expressway was almost relegated to a death trap and became impassable. Most Nigerians from Onitsha to Lagos spent about two days on the road but the administration of Jonathan has brought good fortunes to that road. For the first time in so many years, I travelled recently along that road and behold I was in Onitsha under five hours. In the area of road rehabilitation and reconstruction, he has done very well. Not just that road, but if you take a trip round the federation, all

Jacob

the federal roads have received adequate attention. Or are you going to talk about the drainages, fight against erosion, the Second Niger bridge, etc? Again, he has done well in the area of power generation. Electricity has significantly improved; just that most of these achievements are being under-reported. Remember that Rome was not built in a day. Look at the tremendous turnaround in the agricultural sector, the transport sector, youth empowerment and job creation, etc. So I can tell you for free that all

we need is patience, as our country is getting better. Nigeria cannot be rebuilt in a space of four years because things have deteriorated over the years. So in rebuilding, it will take a gradual process and patience to repair and rebuild the nation. Goodluck is working. If we want to put sentiments and politics aside, the God that took him from obscurity to that height will preserve him. Still talking about Mr. President, there is the insinuation that he is shielding corruption. Do you share this line of thought? I’m not a politician, I don’t know if there are corrupt people in his government or not, at least until a competent court of proven jurisdiction proves so. But what I know is that there is one thing that triggers God to approve somebody and that thing is personal disposition and a heart towards others that negates the level of favour around the person in question. The favour in his life is affecting our nation for good and things will continue to improve from one point of achievement to the other.

Let’s consider the level of insecurity in the nation, with special inference to Boko Haram and the abduction of the Chibok Girls for almost a year now. Do you think Mr. President has put in his the best in ensuing the security of the nation? The problem of Boko Haram started way before Goodluck assumed office as the president. But if you cast your mind back to what we used to have, you’ll bear with me that besides Boko Haram, there are fewer killings and political assassinations now than we used to have. We are only faced with just one challenge now. During the regimes of IBB, Abacha and Obasanjo, there were assassinations and ethnic fighting. We had the Arewa, the Bakkassi, OPC, Niger Delta militants all fomenting one form of disturbance or the other against the government to vent their anger. But here, we have just Boko Haram, so let’s believe him that in a short time from now it will be relegated to history. Do you think the March 28 presidential election date will stand? I don’t know about that. March 28 or not, all I know is that the election will hold. The opposition party, APC, is agitating for change. Do you foresee Nigeria being better under Buhari? Capital NO! Buhari has nothing to offer this nation again. Let’s give Goodluck the chance to consolidate on his current achievements. That’s what we honestly need now as a nation. Just a few weeks back, former President Obasanjo publicly destroyed his PDP membership card, bearing in mind that he’s been an ardent critic of Mr. President for about two years running. What does that singular action portend for us as a people? The same Obasanjo once told us that politics is a do or die affair. To politicians, change is their food, they can change political parties like a man changing clothes. His former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has changed parties for about four times now if I’m not mistaken. What do you have to say about the future of the country? What God told me is that there will be peace in this country. There will be no problems. When I travelled home recently, I met one of my sisters in the village. They relocated from their base to the village and I told her that that was an error of judgment. I said that should anything sinister happen, it would happen even in this village. If the devil is after you, no matter where you take refuge, you’ll still be located for destruction. What I promise every Nigerian today is to know God. Once you accept Christ, you are under a strong covering. Where you are does not matter as our father in the faith, Bishop Oyedepo, has always said. He said where you are does not matter but the light of God will protect you.

Life SUNDAY

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

More trouble for Nigeria as Boko Haram joins ISIS

ISIS-iraq-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi

Shekau

Nigeria’s insurgent group Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad), better known as Boko Haram, has declared allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). While commentators – perhaps some with the benefit of hindsight – say this had been on the cards, what does it actually mean? IRIN takes a closer look at the implications of the announcement, made in an audio recording by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau last weekend. What happens now? Nobody quite knows. Shekau introduced himself as the Imam of Boko Haram, and swore bay’ah (allegiance) “to the Caliph of the Muslims” ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, saying he would “hear and obey in times of difficulty and prosperity.” In a formal sense it means that Shekau

accepts the authority of Baghdadi as caliph – the transnational leader of all Muslims. But Human Rights Watch researcher Mausi Segun says she is “not sure Shekau is ready to yield any part of his authority to ISIS.” Fatima Akilu, director of behavioural analysis in Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser, doesn’t see Shekau’s personality allowing him to be “under another person’s authority.” And according to Ryan Cummings, chief security analyst for Africa at the crisis management firm red24, “declaring allegiance doesn’t necessarily mean taking direction.” He believes Boko Haram’s narrow focus on Nigeria and the Lake Chad region may well continue, rather than the group turning to wage a broader jihadist war. Cummings points out that ISIS has not yet formally accepted Shekau’s bay’ah but this is presumably only a formality. The ISIS-linked Amaq news agency reported that fighters in Syria’s ar-Raqqah governorate “celebrated through the city

We don’t know how long they will stay or where they will be operating in Nigeria,” he said. “There has been no parliamentary debate, even of the broad outlines of the MoU

streets,” following news of the pledge, according to the jihadist monitoring service, SITE. ISIS’s Twitter accounts also published “welcome” messages to Boko Haram. Is this out of the blue? Commentators have noted that links between the two organisations have

long-been flagged through video and social media “shout-outs.” When Shekau announced the creation of a caliphate in the captured Nigerian town of Gwoza in August 2014, his video made reference to al-Bagdahdi, who had proclaimed an ISIS caliphate in June. ISIS had earlier approvingly cited Boko Haram’s abduction of the Chibok school girls in April 2014 to justify its enslavement of Yazidi women. In November, issue 5 of ISIS’s glossy English-language Dabiq magazine said that bay’ah had been received from “Nigeria”, among other territories, but recognition was being delayed. “This delay should end with … the appointment or recognition of leadership” by the Caliph for “those lands where multiple groups have given (allegiance) and merged,” the magazine said. It was possibly a reference to the re-unification of elements of Boko Haram’s breakaway Ansaru faction, according to Jacob Zenn of the extremist C ON TI N UE D ON PAGE 42

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

monitoring group Jamestown Foundation, quoted by CNN. Most commentators have pointed to Boko Haram’s improved communication technical skills as further indication that links pre-dated last weekend’s announcement. Does it have operational significance? The Nigerian government has framed the alliance as proof of Boko Haram’s incapacity. It is evidence, they say, that regional military pressure involving neighbours Cameroon, Chad and Niger is working. “For Boko Haram it’s a big propaganda coup, even for ISIS. We’ve been talking about them for the last few days now, and one of their objectives is to have that global spotlight,” said Akilu. “But operationally, I can’t see how it can have a significant benefit.” Boko Haram is known to have longstanding connections to Al-Qaedaaligned Al Shabaab in Somalia and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). But ISIS has made significant inroads into North Africa, with allegiance sworn by Egypt’s most active jihadist group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, Algeria’s Jund alKhilifa - which broke away from AQIM - and perhaps more significantly, the rise of Ansar al-Sharia in Libya. “It is easy to understand the attraction to ISIS and the growing disenchantment of younger militants with Al Qaeda with its ageing leadership and its inability to carry out a major attack against the West. By contrast, ISIS with its slick recruitment videos, is carving out a large swathe of territory in Iraq and Syria and its military successes in spite of Western airstrikes is especially appealing to the youth,” wrote Hussein Solomon, for the think tank Research on Islam and Muslims in Africa. While the jury is out on what level of operational and resource assistance could be shared between ISIS and Boko Haram, security analyst Muktar Usman-Janguza points out that on the map, Libya is just one country (Chad or Niger, both with porous borders) away from Nigeria. “Boko Haram could draw on the technical expertise of the ISIS network in Libya. There could be help with bomb-making and IEDs (improvised explosive devices), or command and control to help them weather the pounding they are getting from the regional military forces currently operating against them,” he said. Segun of Human Rights Watch agreed that ISIS making inroads into Libya “is worrying for the Sahel region. In all likelihood, the two groups will have a far easier connection.” Is Boko Haram now in the jihadist mainstream? Yes, and it’s new-found credibility is a significant plus for the organisation. Shekau’s past media performances have been “erratic” and unlikely to appeal to a sophisticated audience abroad, said Usman-Janguza. His at times deranged diatribes, worthy of a Nollywood-style villain, are either the result of atrocious acting by a body double hired to impersonate the actually deceased leader - as researcher Andrea Brigalia insists – or, by Akilu’s reckoning, the result of the strain of being a hunted man. Boko Haram always was to a great extent a local Nigerian phenomenon. It has its roots in the Wahabist Jama’t Izalat al Bid’a Wa Iqamat al Sunna (Society of Removal of Innovation and Reestablishment of the Sunna), also known as Izala, that was founded in 1978 with Saudi backing. Izala was in direct opposition to Nigeria’ s ancient Sufi traditions and far more liberal interpretation of Islam. Under Mohamed Yusuf, the founder of Boko Haram who regarded himself a scholar, the group was almost mainstream (although it still killed Muslims that opposed it, allegedly including Yusuf’s mentor, Ja’afar Mahmud Adam). Shekau took over in 2009 with the death of Yusuf in Boko Haram’s aborted

Life

More trouble for Nigeria as Boko Haram joins ISIS

Nigerian solders

uprising, and is far more the soldier than the sage, according to Akilu. Boko Haram’s limited ideological horizons, fixated on battling Nigeria’s secular state, was one reason for the breakaway of Jama’atu An’aril Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan (the Vanguard for the Protection of Muslims in Black Lands), better known as Ansaru – with its far more pan-Africanist outlook. According to Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser, Boko Haram further localises its appeal by drawing 85 per cent of its recruits from its Borno State stronghold, thereby narrowing membership to largely a Kanuri ethnic pool. Its extreme violence, and failure to distinguish Muslims from non-Muslims in its attacks, was further cause for the rupture with Ansaru, which now seems at least partially repaired. Boko Haram has potentially widened its appeal with the ISIS endorsement. “It has enhanced its jihadist credentials in the wider West African region,” said

Cummings. Boko Haram’s videos are now subtitled in French, a clear nod to a neighbouring Francophone audience in Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Validation by ISIS also provides the opportunity for “people who want to fight for ISIS, but can’t get to the Levant” to join Boko Haram instead. Nigerians that have the wherewithal have made their way to Syria to join Baghdadi. The latest publicised case was last week, with the son of a former chief justice of Nigeria, who crossed to Syria from Turkey. For others, a homegrown Boko Haram, authenticated by a jihadi “central command,” may be an alternative. Where next for Nigeria? Boko Haram is “being pummeled, deterritorialised, but I would hesitate to say these guys are on their last legs,” said Usman-Janguza, a UK-based member of a Nigeria-focused security forum. “They will definitely go back to their

old guerilla tactics;” employed before they started seizing towns and territory last year. Cummings believes a bombing campaign aimed at Nigeria’s presidential elections due on March 28 is a distinct possibility, with potentially attacks beyond Boko Haram’s traditional northern zone of operations. The potential for human rights violations against the local population by Nigeria’s regional military allies mounting cross-border raids would work to Boko Haram’s advantage, said Usman-Janguza. “Inevitably the security dynamics can have an impact on the (insurgency’s) local dynamics,” he noted. He pointed out that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and its partners Chad, Cameroon and Niger is shrouded in mystery. “We don’t know how long they will stay or where they will be operating in Nigeria,” he said. “There has been no parliamentary debate, even of the broad outlines of the MoU.”

Police accused of neglecting slain cops’ widows (IRIN) - The Nigerian Police Force is not only failing to pay all the financial benefits owed to the families of their officers killed in action against Boko Haram militants, but in some cases sexual favours and kickbacks have been demanded of the widows in return for the dues they did receive, according to new research in the northern city of Kano’s police command. The study, by the Kano-based Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation, presents the results of interviews with nine widows of policemen who had been based in Bompai and Hotoro barracks. It found six had been paid funeral allowances and their husbands’ pensions, one had received just the pension, and two of the nine had been granted neither funeral allowance or pension payment. None of the widows had received their husband’s gratuity – a potentially sizeable lump sum depending on his years of service. “The Nigerian Police Force doesn’t care about their own, they don’t care about the welfare of their men that have put their lives on the line so others can live,” study author, Fatima Ibrahim, told IRIN. “The men have no incentive to fight this insurgency because they know if they are killed, then their families are in trouble.” Corruption The research, which took place between April and July 2014, also revealed that before any of the pension entitlements were awarded, the officer

responsible for issuing the payments asked each widow for a bribe of between US$90 and US$190. “Those who could not afford such (an) amount, were asked to meet the officer-in-charge of issuing the cheques at a hotel,” the study noted, where he demanded sex. The officer has since been dismissed. Although the women are entitled to stay in police accommodation until their full benefits are paid, those in Bompai barracks complained the police authorities were “harassing them” to leave. At Hotoro the widows were under the protection of the second-incommand, but both groups spoke of feeling like outcasts – shunned by other wives, and ignored even by the friends of their late husbands, who feared they would be asked for financial support. “All the wives responded that life has not been easy … since their husbands died, leaving them with the burden of taking care of the children alone,” and were plagued by unsympathetic in-laws, the study said. The inspector general of police had made one donation of food items, but although some of the women had asked to be employed as cleaners, nothing more was forthcoming from the police command. Doing the best we can? The new police commissioner for Kano, Ibrahim Idris, told IRIN that some delay in paying benefits was inevitable. “Funeral allowances are paid immediately, but there are legal considerations for the other claims. For example, when it comes to pensions and gratuities, we

have to be very meticulous and verify the next of kin.” He insisted that, according to police regulations, widows are fully entitled to remain in the barracks and cannot be forced to leave until all their benefits are settled. And, in the case of officers missing in action, their immediate family continues to receive salary payments for 12 months until they are confirmed dead. “We are doing the best we can within the context of our policies and laws,” said Idris, who until his deployment to Kano last month, had headed the paramilitary Police Mobile Force (PMF). He rated morale as “average” and said the police command was aware of the problem among officers battling Boko Haram in the northeast. He gave an example of how he and the inspector general had made an official $10,000 Christmas donation to the next-of-kin of the 35 officers killed in an attack on a PMF training school in Gwoza, in August last year. Human Rights Watch researcher Mausi Segun believes there are “patterns of neglect” within all of Nigeria’s security services “where lives are expendable.” She said there was anecdotal evidence that some of the families of soldiers killed in the six-year conflict in the North-East have also been “totally ignored”. She added: “It borders on wickedness.” Ibrahim’s study on police widows will feature in a soon-to-be released CITAD book, Insurgency and Human Rights in Northern Nigeria.

ber those pants that were skinny at the hips and became fuller as they went down, to create a bellbottom effect at the ankles? They â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fela shirtsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. This look can be fancy, hobo, formal and jazzed up for a night of

night by taking down a few buttons. The important thing to note is al-

tunic, belt up to define your waist. Here is our current obsession:

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Bright socks are in vogue! T

Vanessa Okwara he dress shirts, then ties and now colourful socks have taken their pride of place as a must-have in a stylish man’s wardrobe. Socks are rarely given the attention their stature deserves. While most men are quick to pick up a new pocket square or tie, the same is seldom said about a new pair of socks. The fact is that too many men are afraid of sporting any other sock than black. Black socks are perfect, but colourful ones are equally great. Look at colourful socks as an accessory that add a pop of colour to your outfit. Update your look and stand out this year with colourful socks. Put your best foot forward by kicking off the safe black socks in favour of bright colours and dashing prints. This is the biggest menswear trend for 2015. Colours like red, blue, purple and orange have been especially hot, as well as bold stripes and prints. The basic rule of thumb for men’s socks is an easy one. It simply states that the colour of your sock should match the colour of your trousers. But in this new trend, this rule is thrown to the gallows as you don’t have to follow the socks colour trend to pull off this new fad. Don’t worry whether they ‘match’ your outfit. Some things are meant

to stand out. Colourful socks are an easy and affordable way for guys to add a personal touch to their overall fashion ensembles.There is no sartorial rule when it comes to coloured socks although matching your socks to your tie or another accessory would make for impressive style. However, it depends on whether you are doing formal or casual. If it is formal, the whole point of these bright things is to add a dash of colour. If you do match them to your tie, then you can be termed stylish. Bright colours and patterns have become key trends in the socks category. Men want to have some expression in their outfit and for those who wear suits, a flash of colour from the sock is the perfect way to do it. Go ahead; brighten up basic outfits with fun socks in bold patterns and vibrant solids and make bold statements with your unique style.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

Body&Soul

Find out where that relationship is heading

f there’s one thing I detest in relationships, it is when the destination is unknown. I mean, how can you be in a ship that is heading nowhere? It might as well be heading to Iceland if the destination is not carefully mapped out. Even cruise ships, built specifically for tours and entertainment has a particular destination it’s heading to; so why not a relationship? Assumption is a killer of committed relationships. Never assume you and your partner are reading the same pages of a book just because you have shared a few mind blowing kisses and had some good times together. Sure, you love each other; you connect well and have a rather healthy relationship but are you sure he/she is the one you should marry? Being a great boyfriend or girlfriend is different from being a great spouse. Many people assume that since they get along with their partners as boyfriend and girlfriend, that they will automatically end up married and live happily ever after-Right? Well, Wrong! Every relationship is not obligated to end in marriage. There are people you meet on the road to destiny who are just great friends but they are only there to map out the layout and not necessarily your destiny helper. Women are particularly culprits in the assumption arena. Even if you have been in relationship with a guy for a long time, don’t automatically assume it will end up in marriage. The guy might be having a great time frolicking with you and marriage is the last thing on his mind. The sooner you find out where the relationship is heading the better for all concerned as it will help prevent a lot

CONNECT NG vanessaonsunday@yahoo.com of confusion and heart ache later on. To avoid this type of mistake from occurring, the first thing you need to do in every relationship you enter is to define it. Ask yourself: What kind of relationship do I really want with this person? Is it going to be platonic, friends or strictly for marriage? This way, you will know whether you are both on the same boat or not. If your heart is set on marriage, how can you tell whether your partner is thinking the same way? Well, the signs are very clear to read, if you are willing to accept the truth staring you in the face; even if it is not what you want exactly. The first step is to throw sentiments in the air and observe all angles of your relationship- not just the wonderful parts that you want to see. If you are the type of person who would like to settle down and get married, then you are naturally going to want a partner who will have the same dreams and goals as you when it comes to love and relationships. That is exactly why you must talk about this with the person you are dating once your relationship reaches a comfortable enough point to talk about marriage and commitment.

Of course, there are some relationships where it is difficult to read your partner, due to mixed signals. If you feel that your partner loves you, but not really sure whether he or she will actually agree to marry you, then the following signs are what you should look out for: • Your partner tries to change the subject or brushes you off whenever you bring up marriage. • He or she tells you that marriage is not something that he/she is too crazy about at the moment or that relationship

If your heart is set on marriage, how can you tell whether your partner is thinking the same way? Well, the signs are very clear to read, if you are willing to accept the truth staring you in the face; even if it is not what you want exactly

requires some level of patience • When they come up with classic excuses such as: ‘’I am not ready yet; We’ll get married when we have more money; I’d like to get some other things done first before marriage; We love each other, so what’s the rush?....and so on.” • Tries to change you to conform to who they want or complains about everything you do. A person either loves you for who you are or they simply don’t. Don’t allow anybody to put you in a box they created all by themselves Do not rob yourself of true happiness by thinking your partner will come around or that you can change him/her, because this usually never works and you will only end up waiting around for a man or woman who will never give you what you truly want. Don’t blame anyone when a seven year relationship ends just because you didn’t have enough courage to ask where the relationship is actually heading to. The best thing to do is to observe your partner’s behavior when the topic of marriage is broached and then trust your instincts to unravel the true destination of that relationship. When the chips are down and you’ve been able to decipher that your partner is not deeply committed to the relationship like you do, then it’s time to pack your bags, end the pity party and look for someone who will see love the same way you do. Getting married is a beautiful life experience, but only if it is with a person who wants to be in it just as eagerly as you do. •Send your views to the email above!

Do we really need an international day for women?

t is no longer news that I am not one for all these specialised days and weeks for different purposes. However, I could not help but notice that last week was the International Women’s Day. Everyone was out in full force to show their support for women and to demand more accessibility to rights for women. Strangely, it was said to be the 40th edition of the event and it is gaining in popularity. Despite my love for women, I failed to be drawn towards the oft repeated and worn out argument of empowering women, empowering the girl child, stopping cultural practices that degrade women etc. Seriously, we have heard them all in the past and if they are still an issue, then I ask, who listens? My concern is that these issues have become easy cash cows for charitable organisations to fleece willing corporate bodies. I apologise to all the genuine organisations who are out there and really care about the plight of women but I say, we must change tune. For instance, the Women Writers Association of Nigeria (WRITA) published an anthology, ‘Breaking the Silence’ in 1996. It is full of the perceived injustices women faced and presumably broke the glass ceiling of publishing for women. Almost 20 years after, there is neither a follow up to that book nor is WRITA still that active voice for female writers in Nigeria. However, does that mean that literature is dead amongst women? I make bold to say that the works of Nigerian women in the literary space is significant at the

present time more than ever. Currently, the best known Nigerian author on the international scene is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. On that plane will also be Helen Oyeyemi and Lola SoneyinSoyinka. On the local scene, Akachi Ezeigbo is still waxing strong as well as Toyin Adewale and a host of other women writers who have dared the writing world and conquered. They did not wait to get published on March 8 or wait to get their voice heard on this day; they simply went out there and told their story to publicised acclaim.

Despite my love for women, I failed to be drawn towards the oft repeated and worn out argument of empowering women, empowering the girl child, stopping cultural practices that degrade women

That is why, to stay relevant, we must actually begin to look at issues that really do affect women and their general perception in our society. Strangely, while Jurgen Habermas was busy formulating a Public Sphere of discourse in Europe that is very masculine in orientation, local cultures already had titular women. I cite as an instance, the role of Iya L’ode, a title that actually means the matron or mother of the public and open sphere. She is the voice of women and no king will take her serious if she keeps singing the same tune for 40 years. I ask, why for instance has no one shed light on the plight of the aging women in our midst. Only recently, this title ran a running series on the plight of widows. Is anyone even considering looking into the matter and alleviating the plight of these afflicted widows? Did anyone think of using International Women’s Day to further draw attention to possible action plan to permanently eliminate such debased activities in our society? Your guess is as good as mine. On the contemporary scene too, we see the young and beautiful body glo-

rified. Weekly in this pullout, my face is surrounded by female flesh of the young and upwardly mobile in entertainment and industry flashed for attention. Does that mean that the older woman is not sexy? I know there will be arguments made for some of the older women already featured but then, there is always an attempt to show how they have managed to stay ‘young’ and beautiful. Can’t they stay ‘old’ and beautiful? Can’t the wrinkly waves on the aging body be seen as a sign of pride and grace in the twilight years? The men folks do not seem to have that problem as they are featured in traditional attire and fitted into suits to look good. Therefore, I am throwing this challenge to all the female page editors in Nigeria: a feature of older women in all sorts of attire from fashionably sexy ballroom gowns, to native attires and casual wears. You will be surprised at how good our older citizens will look in these attires. We need to show that there are issues that no one is talking about and taking steps to address all of them. I also need to ask this question quickly, if there is just one day for women, does that mean we men get the rest of the year? So 364 days of the year for men and one day for women and we hope to redress an imbalance? Our orientation must change. The movies we make, the music we sing and the books we write must show that women are not seeking power, but already empowered; and they don’t need a day to proclaim that.

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul with

Wole Adepoju 07037763410

Jasmine Bruce relishes her world Borrofice

Borrofice retraces steps

etting to the pinnacle of his career was not a surprise to those who knew his mental capacity and his goal-getting character. Ondo State-born Ajayi Borrofice, having made exploits and imparted knowledge to his students as a lecturer, moved on to other things. This was after he began to float into the consciousness of the public when he was made the director-general, National Space Research and Development Agency. In his sixties, the professor did not act short of his antecedents as he recorded success all round. His next line of interest was the political arena where he immediately became noticed on account of his high wired connections and deep pockets. Borrofice signified his interest to occupy a seat in the Senate. He was able to accomplish this ambition on the ticket of the then reigning political party in Ondo State, Labour, on whose platform he was elected to represent Ondo North. Typical of a politician, Borrofice soon dumped LP for Action Congress and so much dust was raised by his action. LP made several failed attempts to recall him from the Senate but the leadership of his new platform, which later became the All Progressives Congress swung into action on a rescue mission. The APC’s intervention worked and he remained in the Senate. Meanwhile, the erudite politician was known to have been a devout member of a church in Akure, Prayer Centre Church of God, where predictions said to have been made for him came to pass. Sources closed to him revealed to Celeb Lounge that the senator dumped the church after all his efforts to pick the governorship ticket of APC in the last gubernatorial election in the state failed. Borrofice, who is said to have been known as a regular face at the church, stayed away from all activities of the church so much so that it became so clear to the entire congregation that he was no longer a regular face at its activities. Fresh information at our disposal, however, has it that the the politician, who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, recently returned to the congregation which he once deserted. The source further said that the situation had made him swallow the humble pie as he is now said to be conducting his affairs in a quiet manner. This is unlike when he used to gallivant and preside over issues. He no longer sits on the front row reserved for him and a few others as a mark of respect but prefers to blend with the congregation.

asmine Murray Bruce, daughter of the founder and chairman of Silverb i rd G ro u p , m i g h t b e a young lady who is just in her mid-20s. Given her knowle d g e , e x p o s u re a n d a c c o m plishments, Jasmine appears t o b e o n e w h o i s n o t c a rried away with her identity, which normally should guarantee her attention anywhere and anytime. Rather, Jasmine has decided to toe the path of her father by focusing on her business and growing it. The graduate of Communication some years ago opened a spa that caters for celebrities of note and the rich. The spa and beauty outfit, Monam, which is located i n S i l v e r b i rd G a l l e r i a , h a s grown by leaps and bounds over the years with dedication and commitment. Based on her status, many expected Jasmine to have gone the way of her peers who have since q u i t s p i n s t e rh o o d . B u t s h e seems not to be in a hurry t o s u r re n d e r t o a m a n . J a s mine was reportedly dating a popular musical act sometime ago but nothing conc re t e t o c o n f i r m t h e s p e c u l a t e d a ff a i r e v e r h a p p e n e d . This was even as the alleged love birds never owned up to the speculation.

Gbenga Islander’s hiatus

h e way city businessmen like Godwin A n a bor and B o d e Oyedepo a.k.a Bode De Islander Way, at a time, were the people to watch on the social scene because of their deep pockets and exceptional penchant for social gathering. It’s in the same manner Gbenga Akinbolola, who is popularly known as Gbenga Islander, emerged on the social scene. After so many years seeking greener pastures and trying to make ends meet, handsome and well-built Gbenga ran into good fortune. He became the man to watch on the social scene with so much money to toy with. He started making waves and became the toast of musicians who sang his praise regularly. However, he was also investing his

woleadepoju@yahoo.com function he finds himself. His involvement in the business world cannot be underes timated as his hospitality, real estate and oil and gas businesses Ajanaku are doing very well. To show for his thriving business ventures are his properties scattered around Lagis, especially in Lekki and VGC. For reasons best known to him, Rotimi decided to try his hands in partisan politics in the last dispensation where he gave a shot at the House of Representatives. His dream could not be realised as it was cut short at the primaries. Not deterred by the defeat he encountered, Rotimi this time around, tried to represent Ibadan North at the lower chambers of the National Assembly. Yet again, he met a brickwall as he lost the ticket to Saheed Fijabi at the primaries of the All Progressives Congress. The thrust of this piece mainly is that the socialite cum politician may have resigned to fate and moved on. He has since put the experience of his defeat behind him and made himself available for party assignments. He’s said to have particularly been involved in the re-election campaign of Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajibola.

Paul Dokpesi relegated

F money in different ventures. One of th many business pies he has his fingers in is the multimillion naira posh hotel situated in highbrow Opebi area of Ikeja in Lagos State. The name of this Ondo town, Ondo-State born businessman was in the news not long ago when his mistress, Titi Masha, got pregnant for a Fuji artiste, K1 De Ultimate, who had benefited from his generosity. Little or nothing has been heard about him in recent times. He has also been conspicuously missing from the social scene where he’s known to be a factor. Efforts to confirm the reasin for the hiatus yielded little result. There were, however, unconfirmed rumours that the man about town may not be as buoyant as he used to be.

ounder of Daar Communications, operators of Ray Power, AIT, Darasat and Faaji FM, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, is one of the numerous men who are adept at separating their families from their public life. Aside from his wives, his offspring have remained at the background. However, a few of them are gradually coming into the public light with their father, most notably Paul Dokpesi. Though Paul has for a long time been an executive director at Daar Communications, many were not aware of his existence in the company until recently when he was said to have been promoted to the level of taking over the running of the organisation from his father. It was a decision that was seen to be in

Rotimi Ajanaku moves on

he dark-skinned young man popularly known as Rotimi Ajanaku was not noticed until some years back when his long search for the golden fleece yielded result and his life was transformed. Rotimi, with the wherewithal at his beck and call, has been able to establish himself as a socialite of note whose presence cannot but be noticed at any social

Dokpesi

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

Body&Soul

Thinking

the right direction. However, what has been noticed is that Paul has only been verbally saddled with the running of the company. He still lives in the shadow of his father, who appears to still be the one calling the shots. Sources in the know revealed that Dokpesi has remained up and doing, especially since political campaigns started because the station has been actively involved in them. His activities are said to have reached a crescendo with the heat generated by the hate documentaries against the All Progressives Congress and some of its chieftains.

Tennessee, USA got married, she has been working on how to develop her businesses which include international class crèche as well as an online beauty business. The ventures are said to have been moving towards enviable height so much that she’s been respected for her midas touch. Sharon at last has a reason to smile and be thankful to God as she is pregnant with her first child. Expectedly, she’s excited over the good tidings.

Olu Maintain up to new thing

or obvious reasons, the name Edward Olumide Adegbulu, a.k.a Olu Maintain, will conOlu Maintain tinue to be mentioned as far as the Nigerian music industry is concerned. Olu and Tolu that make up the musical group, Maintain, made waves with their various tracks at a time hip hop music was finding its feet in the country. As a solo act, Olu was among those who revolutionised the music industry with hit tracks and had so much money to show for it. His monster hit track, Yahooze, which took him to the top of his career with so much glamour and money is still fresh in the memories of many. Olu has since quit the stage as a rave but his name definitely still rings a bell, especially as he’s synonymous with showmanship and glamour. The glamour and opulence associated with his last two videos are still being talked about. For his continuous off and on in the country, it was at a time said that he had delved into the faith business. However, if information at the disposal of Celeb Lounge is anything to by, Yahooze crooner, Olu, may have decided to go into real estate business.

Sharon Ademefun over the moon

oing by the status of her father and how much financial power he wields, nothing short of a superlaSharon tive wedding as well as a classy one was expected for the daughter of billionaire businessman, Deji Adeleke, of Pacific Holdings, Sharon. She is the beautiful elder sister of musical rave, Davido, and had consummated her affair with her lover, Yomi Ademefun, at a classy event some two years ago in the United States. Ever since the graduate of Mass Communication from Adventist University,

Victor Ochei attracts attention ith his

standing in the society as the former speaker of Delta S t a t e House of Assembly, it’s natuOchei ral that the moves of Hon. Victor Ochei will attract attention. However, with the situation on ground in the state, the amiable former speaker seems to have become one of the men to watch out for. Ochei had signified interest to rule the state but he lost at the Peoples Democratic Party primaries to Senator Ifeanyi Okowa. Events unfolded and he eventually left the PDP to pitch his tent with the Accord Party, where he was well received and has since been enjoying immense patronage by people who believe in his cause. Meanwhile, many who thought he would sort his differences with the ruling party but saw him do otherwise are watching to see if taking this will make or mar him. This is even as he is locking horns with immediate past chairman of PDP in the state, Peter Nwaoboshi, in the contest for Delta North Senatorial District.

Unveiling Laitano lounge

agos metropolis is regarded as the hub of entertainment. One of the factors that make it so is the variety, as far as relaxation is concerned, for different people. Fun spots that make the Lagos social scene thick include strip bars, lounges and many more. Celeb Lounge can state that an additional fun spot easily described as one of the newest in town as well as the toast of fun seekers has recently berthed in the metropolis. The fun spot, which is a brain child of dynamic city big boy, Oladimeji Oguntoyinbo, is called Laitano Lounge. The multimillion naira tastefully furnished lounge, which boasts of all exotic fittings befitting a world-class club, is tucked inside Agege. This makes it the toast of all and sundry in the area as well as the entire state. Since the advent of Laitano some months back, with its sister bar which has been in existence for a while, this fun spot has become the rendezvous for fun seekers of different shades who want value for their money and desire relaxation in a secure and posh environment.

Aloud

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with Helen Paul

When is it our turn?

hen I hear some leaders age, passion and resilience to of this country referring fight for what belongs to us. The to the youths as ‘leaders late Obafemi Awolowo and comof tomorrow,’ I laugh because pany who fought for Nigeria’s Inthat popular parlance is far from dependence were youths when the truth. They are never ready to they fought and claimed their give us the chance, and perhaps, rights from the colonial masters. we the youths are not ready to Many of them were in their 30s take up the challenge as well. that time. As a little girl in primary school, So how come youths of today I have been hearing that, till to- can’t follow the same path by day, they have not given us the fighting for the real change. I chance to test our leadership have looked at all the candidates skills in government. The same contesting for this year ’s elecset of people who have been rul- tions. From those vying for the ing us since Independence are Presidency to the bottom, they still the ones rotating power are all old men and women. That among themselves. It is simply a is not the future or change that situation of ‘the rich getting rich- we desire. er and the poor getting poorer ’. I’m dreaming of a day when a How old was General Mu- 30-year old dude will become hammadu Buhari when he first our Governor. When a agile and ruled us? In his 30s I guess. How creative-minded man in his 40s old was Muritala Mohammed, will emerge the President of Obasanjo and the likes when they the Federal Republic of Nigefirst ruled us? ria. A day when Of course they I’m dreaming of a day the Senate and w e re y o u t h s . House of RepreWhen you look when a 30-year old sentatives will at the age grade be dominated of those who dude will become our by youths, not ruled Nigeria Governor. When a agile pot-bellied old since Indepenmen as we have dence, most of and creative minded man it now. Until all them were in these are done, their 30s. Some in his 40s will emerge the the ‘future’ they decades after, President of the Federal have been tellthese same set ing us about of men are still Republic of Nigeria. A since childhood our leaders. is still very far I wonder when day when the Senate and away and unrethe ‘future’ they House of Representatives alistic. p ro m i s e d us Like Bob Marwould be, when will be dominated by ley rightly said, some people we youths of who were kids youths, not pot-bellied Nigeria should then are already emancipate having grand- old men as we have it now ourselves from children. Honmental slavery estly, I don’t rebecause none ally want to blame our leaders. but ourselves can free our mind. The youths also should share part We need to conquer that nonchaof the blame. I assume that most lant and lazy attitude of ours. of us are too scared, or whatever Let’s take up the challenge. Our the case may be, to emancipate destiny is in our hands, so we ourselves. should fight to make it brighter. We don’t want to leave our comIf we fail to do this, politicians fort zones, so we pretend that will not stop using us as tools for what they are doing up there violence and abandon us when is none of our business. But the they get to power. If we know truth is that we are the worst af- that it is our right to be among fected by the monotonous and the rulers of this country, then recycling leadership Nigeria has politicians will find it difficult been having. We are the worst using us to achieve their selfish hit in anyway you want to look aims. It is time we take the bull at it. We now find ourselves in by the horn and say NO to this a condition where the so-called nonsense. ‘future’ looks bleak, uncertain That is the change we need; not and unrealistic. the change of baton from some But we seem to be contended by old men to another set of old being spoon-fed by these daddies men. God bless Nigeria. and mummies. We lack the cour-

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ondemnations yesterday trailed weekend attack on campaign buses of President

Goodluck Jonathan in Jos with the president calling on the All Progressives Congress (APC) presiden-

tial candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, to call his supporters to orCONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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Afromedia: Incapacitated adverse regulation by

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Okonjo Iweala, a mismatch economy, says Enwegbara for Nigerian

2 /newte legraph

Director mo Bassey of HOMEF, Nnimcould not , said the fishermen fisherman hope to fishing pittance was better than return in the Bodo that Shell to fered the communities creeks because rivers initially to pay. of- ters hydrocarbon of the depthand with cleaner “This can to fish. Sadly of pollution hardly ing from a good fishing Bodo pollution , although wapurchase the oil spills. resultthe boat and ment necessary the Goi also damaged He equipamount expressed that the fishing making community waters to return being offered the people the community business to tinue that to languish know each conthey choose best – that the glect without in abject Civil rights is if neto move remedy,” to other tion, the organisaThe Food he said. and Health CONTINUED Mother Organisation Agriculture of Earth FounON PAGE Food Price (FAO)’s monthly 22 describeddation (HOMEF), December Index declined in agreement as ‘inadequate’ has stability. after three months the by oil giant, to pay of a Shell, million penalty of about Pounds 55 Sterling N16 billion) (about ermen and to 15,600 Bodo extensive community fishfor 2008/2009. crude oil spills the of Although, p.36 the group scribed the development dea welcome news as Year, it, however, for the the compensationargued New that be compared could not with the damage level of to their The group environment. spokesperson, Cadmus comparedAtake, said that when companiesto what polluting The Business paid elsewhere oil their ecological Desk ayodele aminu amount crimes, for L-R: Manager, Deputy Editor brought the Inspections inadequate (Business) by Shell Bank Plc, Bayo akomolafe Janet Nnabuko, and Monitoring, for the damage severity is Monitoring, done Asst. Editor of Madiebo Consumer Executive Director,National Lottery Regulatory (Maritime) He said: Protection Lagos & at the 5th sunday Ojeme Commission, South West Council, “HOMEF the compensation draw of the Ifeyinwa Afam Ojeh, Bank, Fidelity Asst. Editor sees Fidelity Save4 Nwamuo amount Head, Savings, (Insurance) Bank Plc., and Divisional Scholarship to about which will Godson Ikoro Head, Retail Ikemefuna Mbagwu, Fidelity each of savings N600,000 Asst. Editor promo in the plaintiffs Bank, Fidelity for Manager, (Money Market) Lagos. balance Bank Plc., with the going for Dele alao Richard projects Industry & – school community Agric Editor health centres blocks and Dayo ayeyemi – as inadequate for the Property Editor done.” severity of damage adeola Yusuf Atake Kunle Azeez Energy Editor ment of maintained that Wole shadare building compensation payawfully promised igeria’s missed Aviation Editor in early ics wouldof schools and and Domain New Telegraph its 2014 would increase 2014 that System Name clintarget, not by Chris Ugwu (DNS) reduce it domain uptake The missed has learnt. the demandany means fered setback space sufCapital Market names to of gent clean-up as the regulator the auspicious target was end of that for an 250,000 by .ng last year, abdulwahabEditor on the year. vironment. of the Ogoni ur- try code number domain of Isa This means of names Finance Editor en- (ccTLD), Top Level the coun- registered that the planned .ng had a target Domain Kunle azeez to be by of 190,000 country istration Nigeria Internet names planned NiRA has the end of 2014. Senior Correspondent domain Association Reg- about reportedly by individuals, to be registered (NiRA), 60,000 domain Chuks Onuanyin sold government as at the corporate INFLATION names end of Energy agencies and RATE 2013 and November nnamdi amadi had 2014........................7.9% both Rates D October 2014............................8.1% LENDING CONTINUED ashboa Reporter RATE InterBank ON PAGE rd Johnson adebayo September Rate....................12.57% 22 2014.....................8.3% Prime Lending Asst Production EXCHANGE Editor RATE Rate...........17.93% (Parallel Maximum As at Jan. Lending Rate...26.83% USD . . . . 08) EXCHANGE . RATE Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N182 (Official As . Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at Jan. 08) USD . . . . l Foreign N390 ......... . Reserves . . . . . N205.50 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . – $46.5bn N168 . as at 8/01/2015 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N253.09 ......... Source: CBN . . . . . .N197.70

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ng to relocati fear n and ntry, for tting dow the cou likely out ed shu any ddy other parts of pright in by sho ool pro ring ened part of the of being cau ting. Sch conside threat figh being ations on the al Electoralr break of also said to be e weeks in hi ac g ove rs are for som prepar ndent Nation hangin i, Onyek of eto tting down ions Indepe sion. Also likelihood Nzesh Abdul icat shu ka ind ury. be Onwu d Ibrahim Commistions is the threats, acc Februa y, there are may not ers se elec ing ns by Eze an Alread s of vot ir franchi 5 the lence, follow r-accusatio lly of nte the 201 ABUJA t million e the ause up till vio and cou ates, especiaty and tha e to exercis days to in Niges bec sations ctly 34 did abl 6 election atic Par t is exa ial electionng Valen- various can PAG E ing the ent Democr UED ON presid art from bei 14 is the the Peoples es Congress. s busi- dur CON TIN iou ria. Ap , Februaryl go to the All Progressivels and var , Kano, Day y, hot Abuja startns wil ent, who tine’s in ead eria lly e Alr t en Nig Presid Jos, hav , especia day wh elect a new y for the nex nesses , Lafia and polls to the countr Kaduna already will leadrs. are ls yea pol four ver, the Howe

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TRAvEl Advisory Your guide to local and international flights 4

Feb 14: APC blows hot

lDSS' story on hacking senseless, says Lai Mohammed Temitope Ogunbanke

he All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday faulted the re-

port of the Department of State Services (DSS) that it planned to inflate its membership data as well as hack into the Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC) database through the creation of party membership forms and cards to match INEC's

voters register across the country. Addressing a press conference yesterday in Lagos, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

QuicK reaD

Editorial

Managing a depressing economy }19 Female suicide bombers kill five in Yobe }7

the Pr be inv esidential not conalid if ele poll will cross bled ducted ctions are by Indep Elector endent leg al section of comp North-E in the tro uNa as al ex pe ris have rts Borno ing Ad t states (INEC) ch Comm tional At sai iss and Yo amaw d air tor sor the Th resul that a, ga Attahiru man, Pro ion Sta ney-Gen be ts of for eir comme . te an era fes Jeg rd to me nts wa the po a, with re-- of Ni d Senior l of Abia ho expres d by the ge scepti s in- sta lding electi ssibility noted ria, Dr. Advocate sed a Awa tes cis few da that m due to on in tho of som Kalu, ex ys ag o ba Speaking insecurity. se dentie states fro clusion of m ckgro al ag der the election the presiund, ainst thi s final res s will ren a for mer ults inv alid. ria CON

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Bodo spill: N16 billion Group faults Shell’s compensati on

Communities in the NigerDelta have been drastically affected by activities of oil companies

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Wine & Dine

Body&Soul

Friendly Centine for the palate Ibukunoluwa Kayode

ine is a refreshing drink to relax the palate whenever there is a call for it. Centine Rose is a perfect Cabernet Sauvignon to rejuvenate the palate. Grown in the heart of Tuscany in Italy, this rose wine leaves the palate with a long lingering refreshing taste. Centine Rose is picked from the finest grapes alongside fresh and dry beery fruits to create a well balance finished taste of satisfaction on the palate with a fairly high acidity. Rich in berry flavours, well structured with a long crisp

clean finish aroma from light to fullbodied. This rose wine offers incredible depth and breadth with hints of woodland berries, rich bouquet intense pink in colour with an Alcohol Volume base 12.5 per cent and residual sugar level. Centine cabernet can serve any occasion and as a table wine to balance a meal. This wine can be best enjoyed served chilled. This rose cabernet makes a perfect a match with both traditional and continental dishes like fish, mild cheese, grilled lean meat, pepperoni, poultry and young.

Ewa Ago’in with smoked fish sauce Biwom Iklaki

his meal is a gift that keeps on giving, and it was first introduced by immigrants from Benin and Togo republics. Ewa Ago’in is a meal made from brown beans (Oloyin), which is very healthy and contains protein and many essential nutrients. For those who live in Lagos, you can see some of these immigrants selling this very tasty bean mash with its unique sauce. Many people prefer to eat it as breakfast

or as dinner. Many Lagosians never miss an opportunity to eat this meal with their beloved ‘Agege bread’. They swear it tastes better. INGREDIENTS 4 cups brown beans (Oloyin) 3 tbs cup pounded pepper ¾ cup crayfish 4 medium tomatoes (finely chopped) 1 whole onion (finely chopped) 3 tbs vegetable oil 1 tbs locust beans (dawadawa,

pounded) ½ cup palm oil 1 smoked fish (de-boned) Salt to taste 2 stock cubes PREPARATION Pick chaff and stones from beans. Wash, and cook in pressure pot with about 1½ litres of water for 20 minutes. Strain the beans and transfer to a regular pot, add 3 cups of water and vegetable oil, then cook for an additional 10 minutes while stirring

and mashing at intervals. When you have a soft mash, take it off the heat. In a saucepan, heat the palm oil until it smokes, add chopped onion, tomatoes and stir. Leave to simmer till you achieve a pasty consistency. Then add the pepper, salt, stock cubes and smoked fish. Stir and add the crayfish and dawadawa. Stir till properly mixed and set it down. Serve with any bread of your choice, friend plantains or white soft boiled rice.

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Parents are golden

long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap under the shadow. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by, the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. “I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more,” the boy replied. “I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad. One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited. “Come and play with me,” the tree said. “I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?” “Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” the tree said. “I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the man. “Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time. Finally, the man returned after many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you,” the tree said. “No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite” the man replied. “No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that now” the man said. “I really

My Cook Corner

Pick-me-up carrot cake

hen you need something sweet for your lunck pack or just a pick-me-up snack for a quick burst of energy, sometimes a carrot cake may be your answer. It is easy to make, but make sure you have adult supervision. Enjoy this cake with a glass of milk or juice.

then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If making icing, sift icing sugar into a bowl and stir with 1-2 teaspoons warm water to form a smooth, soft icing. Drizzle over slice with a teaspoon, then leave to set for 10 minutes. Alternatively, dust with 2 tablespoons sifted icing sugar.

INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup sugar 175ml sunflower oil 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 large carrot, grated 100g raisins Grated zest of 1 large orange 175g self-raising flour 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with tears. “I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the man replied. “Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on PREPARATION and rest, come sit down with me and rest.” The man Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears. and line the base and sides of This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our par- a 28cm x 18cm slice pan. When ents. When we were young, we loved to play with you are done, use a wooden our Mum and Dad. When we grow up, we leave spoon to mix the sugar, oil and them; only come to them when we need something egg in a large bowl, then stir in or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents the carrot, raisins and zest. Sift will always be there and give everything they could in flour, soda and spices. Stir just to make you happy. to just combine, then pour into You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes is how all of us treat our parents. We take them for until a skewer inserted in centre granted; we don’t appreciate all they do for us, until comes out clean. Cool slightly, it’s too late. Moral: Treat your parents with loving care…. For you will know their value, when you see their empty chair…We never know the What travels around the world but stays I’m tall when I’m young and I’m short love of our parents for us, till we in one spot? when I’m old. What am I? Ans: A stamp! have become parents. Ans: A candle By Shel Silverstein What has a foot but no legs? Mary’s father has 5 daughters – Nana, Ans: A snail Nene, Nini, Nono. What is the fifth daughPoor people have it. Rich people need it. If ter’s name? Ans: Mary! you eat it you die. What is it? Ans: Nothing How can a pants pocket be empty and still have something in it? What comes down but never goes up? Ans: It can have a hole in it. Ans: Rain

Gags

Cross word puzzle

MOYIN & FRIENDS

LITTLE LINDER

By Ayo Oyerinde

08034407393

By eei

SUNDAY

Faith 51

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

Interview Cleric to Nigerians: Change see God’s glory p.52

Sermon Still on the marriage and family

p.54

Methodist Synod lauds govt’s efforts on insurgency

News Bible Society of Nigeria dedicates Hausa version p.57

Methodist minister at conference

Stanley Ihedigbo

Tai Anyanwu Head, religous Desk titus.anyanwu@newtelegraph online.com

ethodist Church of Nigeria, Diocese of Lagos North has commended the federal government for the latest reprisal and sustained attack to chase out the Boko Haran sect with the collaboration of neighbouring countries. The commendation was conveyed in a communiqué issued at the end of the 4th Annual Synod of the Diocese of Lagos North, held at Abesan Circuit, in Lagos. Bishop of the Diocese, The Rt. Rev. Olu Akinola, urged the federal government to increase the pressure on the Boko Haram insurgency. He advised the government to raise the level of ground-intelligence reports using the citizenry to check the incessant suicide bombing. The cleric also urged the FG to pursue the release of the Chibok girls. Reflecting on the theme of the Synod “Aglow with the Spirit” taken from Romans 12 vs. 11b - RSV), Akinola pointed out that Apostle Paul admonished the Romans and indeed all Christians on the need to allow the spirit of God

to guide their conducts and not to conform to the world. “The Synod called on all Nigerians to be aglow with the spirit and surrender their lives anew to God so that God could take control of their attitudes more than ever before and make both our nation and our lives better. The Synod reflected on the state of the nation, and appreciated the efforts of the federal government as led by His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his administration’s efforts in moving the country forward through his Transformation Agenda. The issues bothering our polity were noted and discussed.” On corruption, the Bishop said the Synod noted with dismay, the high level of corruption in governance and in all facets of the life and therefore called on President Jonathan to be more decisive in tackling the menace. “The Synod joined the majority of Nigerians to demand for political stability, security of life and property, youth empowerment, constant power supply, provision of portable water and provision of a conducive business environment for investment. The man of God cautioned politicians to stop politics of hatred,

1. Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Uche

blackmail and castigation and urged them to seek solutions to various problems bedevilling the country through issue-based campaigns. He also called on Nigerians to rise up in prayers for the country so that the elections would be free, fair and peaceful as well as produce a candidate who is the choice of God as President. The church Bishop commended the administration of the Gover-

nor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, in transforming the state and the lives of its people in the area of Education, Health, Economy, Infrastructure, Housing and reduction in crime rate. “We called on the electorates and the government to hand over power to a candidate who has the fear of God to serve the people and continue good governance in the state,” he said.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Faith

Cleric to Nigerians: Change see God’s glory

Let look at the situation in the country right now, what are your worries? We are praying; and want the best for Nigeria. Some of the problems facing this country are sin, selfishness and all these wrong things people are doing, is not good and they don’t bring glory to God. Genesis 36, says that God regretted that He create man. When God look at what is happening in Nigeria today, He will not be happy because Nigeria as country belongs to God. God blessed us with a lot of things, there is nothing we lack. But Nigerians have forgetting God and we are even blackmailing God. We know the right thing to do and we are not doing it. Until we decide to do things right, and we are praying that Nigeria should change. If we change Nigeria will be a better place because. Nigeria was not like this before and Nigeria will not continue to be like this. It was a good country when the people were behaving well and doing things the right way. But now, we are doing wrong thing. The moment we change, the glory of the country will be restored. So, Nigeria must change, and the problem is not Nigeria but us.

The coordinator of Motailatu Cherubim and Saraphim Church Lagos zone headquarters, Rev James Akinadewo, has urged Nigerian to embrace positive change so that for God to step into the affairs of the nation. He spoke with Tai Anyanwu

How would the change come about even when the church as an agent of change is not free of corruption? That is why we need leadership training, training the people and telling them to do things in the right way; teaching them the way to stop doing the wrong thing, and talking to the leaders and the led. We have to change our behaviour. Part of our problem is bad leadership. When the people are giving proper orientation, these evil things will go way and we have the right country. God never blesses where there is impurity and the bible said if my people who are called by my name will change from their evil way, if they call on me I will come down and bless them. We need to total healing, total transformation. The church is preaching good leadership, doing thing in the right way. However, the people have to determine that they want change in this country. Agreed; but what is your take on the N7billion scandal against some men of God who allegedly accepted the bribe to work against the APC presidential candidate of the? Unfortunately, it is a wrong stigma for church of God. That is why bible said that judgment will start at the house of God, from alter. Now the money bags have taken over churches, and we are not doing the right thing again. It is alleged that they gave money to churches. You should not blame them, because the church has lost focus on what we should do. The politicians now come to the churches and turn God’s hallowed place to a campaign ground. It should be; but we have allowed the world to take over alter of God. We that are in the vineyard of God will give account of these things, damages to the house of God. Every evil thing we have done, we will give account of it. We have to be careful this is end time. We shouldn’t be talking about men of God collecting money from politicians. In the bible, we learnt that whenever a king in early bible days, wanted to go war, he will go to the prophet. The prophet will counsel

Akinadewo

them on the mind of God concerning the war, who will lead and how to go about the war. Today, the opposite is the case. The churches are running after the politicians, moneybags; and God is not happy. Judgment will come. God is a merciful God but it is dangerous to fall into the hand of angry God. We are bringing shame into the ministry and God is not happy with that. What do you think about the call for interim government? There is no need for that. Let’s have an election. Let there be election and let the winner be sworn in as the next

president. We don’t want any interim government. How do you feel when some people or cabal behave themselves as those who have monopoly of determining who control and political future of the nation? Nobody is higher than God. It is God that has the final say. God showed King Herod in the Bible that He is the Almighty. God also showed King Hezekiah and King Pharaoh that He is the Almighty. Anybody in this country that want to make himself god, God will show them and soon or later God will show his final word concerning men. God is watching and God will step-in in the affairs of this nation this time around. Does that trouble you that Boko Haram has threatened to disrupt the coming election? The bible said that God Almighty is the God of war and Jehovah is His name. I said early that God is higher than any one. God can silent anyone that is speaking proudly; because he has the final word. Soon God will speak. God will sought-out the problems; nobody has power over anything, except God. All power belonged to God, and He has the finally said in the affairs of man. So what is your counsel for Nigerians regarding pervading fear about the elections? Let them change from their evil and come back to the king of kings, who said that the earth is of the Lord and the fullness there of; and the one who was and who is to come again. Let’s go back to him and say Lord, we have no power. If we decided to come back to the creator today as a nation, God who said that if our people who are called by my name, I will repent of their sins, seek my face and pray, will show us the light in the dark tunnel. Anybody who thinks he can do anything outside God is a bad thinking amiss. Nobody have power over 2015 and nobody can decide. There is nothing wrong with Nigeria; but the people are the problem.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Faith

Scenes at the second anniversary ceremony of Hebrew International Church, Lekki, Lagos on Sunday March 8, 2015. Photo: Tony Eguaye

General Overseer, Reverend Femi Akinola and his wife, Revâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d (Mrs.) Titilayo Akinola (middle), and other leaders of the Hebrews International Outreach, Lekki, Lagos, at the event Worshippers praying during the anniversary

Cross section of the Hebrews International Outreach, Lekki, Lagos, at the second Anniversary ceremony L-R: Regional Head, The Hebrews International Outreach, Lekki, Lagos, Pastor Maxwell Ikheanose; General Overseer, Rev. Femi Akinola and his wife, Rev. (Mrs.) Titilayo Akinola, at the occassion

Cross section of the Church Choirs, at the second Anniversary ceremony of the Church, in Lagosâ&#x20AC;Śyesterday.

Member of the Church at the reception marking the anniversary ceremony

Cross section of the Church Choirs bringing the glory down with songs

Ministers and church leaders cutting the anniversary cake at the occassion

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Faith

Still on the marriage and family Firm Faith:

Right Reason Most Rev.

Emmanuel A. Badejo fradebadejo@yahoo.

0803 949 4219 (SMS only)

he Christian World has of recent been focusing more on the family. It cannot but do so really. In a world besieged by problems at various levels, many struggle to find an explanation for the diminished respect for human life, for youth delinquency, chronic dearth of values, pervasive aggressiveness and violence and a near rejection of authentic religion and the rule of law. Numerous analyses do not seem to touch the root cause of modern society’s descent to decadence. Perhaps however, society has only embarked on a suicide mission for deliberately ignoring the main source of a lasting solution to its debacle and to crafting a restoration plan for the future. The way out of trouble is in restoring the family, a force of nature which originates only from the Creator himself. What is the family? For adherents of the “religion of the book” the origin of the family can be traced to the very beginnings. Christians believe the Bible that God saw it was not good for man to live alone and gave him a woman, asking them both to be fruitful and to multiply (Gen 2:18). Jesus came

into the world in a family as well (Lk 2: 6-7) and the Church has always taught that a family is composed of a man, a woman and children, although in a wider sense that can include relatives as well. That union of a man and a woman is stamped with divine authority by the words of Jesus himself: “Man has to now leave father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body. so they are no longer two but one body; let no one separate what God has joined” (Matt 19: 5-6). The Church believes that the reality, thus sacramentalized, is God’s design and the cradle of all human development. The family is in fact, that phenomenon, before which all of us should rightly put off our shoes in grateful reverence (Ex. 3: 5). Words of faith and wisdom The Church calls the family “the domestic church”. No surprise that popes in history have given remarkable teachings on it. “The family, grounded on marriage, freely contracted, monogamous and indissoluble, is and must be considered the essential cell of society”, said Pope John XXIII. Pope Leo XIII in his own turn taught: “The family may be regarded as the cradle of civil society, and it is in great measure within the circle of family life that the destiny of states is fostered”. The great English writer, George Bernard Shaw, similarly inspired, wrote: “Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered by anybody to the country and to mankind is to bring up a family”. The Church teaches with clarity The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is elaborate on the family as the

Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered by anybody to the country and to mankind is to bring up a family foundation of society: “The family is the original cell of social life. It is the natural society in which husband and wife are called to give themselves in love and in the gift of life. Authority, stability and a life of relationships within the family constitute the foundations for freedom, security and fraternity within society. The family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God and make good use of freedom. Family life is an initiation into life in society” (CCC 2207). With such valuable functions it is necessary that the family be preserved and protected from decay. Practical experience has shown as well that it is unwise to leave the family unassisted in this task of building society, better, rather, to nurture and accompany it with prayer and faith. The Catechism supports this view: “The importance of the family for the life and well-being of society entails a particular responsibility for society to support and strengthen marriage and the family. Civil authority should consider it a grave duty ‘to acknowledge the true nature of marriage and the family, to protect and foster them, to safeguard public morality and promote domestic prosperity’”. Crossing today’s Red Sea Contemporary society, in summary,

seems to be on a roller coaster to autodisintegration. There is an apparent effort to dislodge God and religious values from the thoughts and practices of people. Exaggerated concepts of freedom lead to relativist interpretations on everything. The lobby to legalise gay unions and homosexuality in our African society is only a small part of the anti family conspiracies comprising unrestricted artificial contraception, abortion on demand and what has been termed comprehensive sexuality education, indiscriminately offered to people of all ages. Faith, morals and values regrettably make way for crass, illuminist ideas about individual rights, especially of women with little concern for personal responsibility. We will always need family We all must realise that the family is part of the nature of every human being and if it fails, a lot fails in humanity. That family that restores society derives its power from love and commitment offered in marriage. Since the beginning of creation that kind of family has done nothing but good, as the launch pad of authentic civilization, the reference point of identity for its members all through life and the repair workshop to which the individual returns in search of succor, solace and consolation in time of need. It is in our best interest to preserve, promote and protect the family from the turbulence of life’s seas, otherwise we risk losing the values, devoid of which society becomes an ethical jungle and the human being, little better than a beast unto his type. That is undoubtedly, too great a risk for this or any generation to take.

Oh Lord, restore to me Insight Rev.

Femi Akinola

www.thehebrewsng.com

01-790 3163; 0808 584 5864

any Christians today are in anguish because something precious has been stolen from them. You may have been crying to God, saying: “Lord, where is your face?” I have a word from the Lord for you and I am charged with the Holy Ghost and with the power of God on my side that everything that has been stolen will be restored to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I want you to begin to visualise what has been stolen from you. Peradventure, it was stolen while you were still in the womb or after you were given birth to. It doesn’t matter the time, because in the realm of the spirit, time and space does not matter, it may be 100 years ago the enemy stole from you or when you were growing up it doesn’t matter. This precious thing could be your star, glory, your health or employment opportunity. It does not matter who was responsible for your initial loss but the Lord instructed me, after waiting on Him for hours and said, “Tell my people that I will restore to them if they so desire it.” So if you are desperate to get it back, shout this loud: “I want it back, oh Lord.” All that God wants you to do is just to believe because nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37) According to John chapter 10 verse 10,

there are three peculiarities about the mission of the enemy which began from the Garden of Eden. When you do nothing about the recovery of what the enemy has stolen, then you become hopeless. May you not be hopeless in Jesus name. Genesis 1:30 explains that after God had created everything, He saw that it was wonderful. This brings to reality that in the beginning, your health, marriage, finance, education, etc, were perfect and everything about you was excellent. But in the third chapter of the book of Genesis, the devil came on the scene. I don’t know the events that transpired that particular day or time that allowed the enemy to invade your life, career and marriage, but I know the Lord of hosts will spoil their camp and you will possess your possessions again in Jesus name. When Samson fell into the trap of his enemies, they took his eyes and everything away from him. But one day he said, “God, please restore to me just this once…” Esau, on the other hand, was not determined to fight and get back what was rightfully his. He did not get it back (Gen 25:33). Are you determined and prepared to take it back? Surely, you will get it back in Jesus name. What is that precious or valuable thing that was stolen from you? This invariably is responsible for the hardship, failure, disappointment and breakdown you face. I am here to declare the word of God to you; if only you believe, then today shall be your day of recovery. The devil is a thief and a robber too. After he has stolen from you, he still wants to kill you both spiritually and in every possible way and finally destroy you. Come with me to I Samuel 30:1-4, 8: “And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the

Don’t give up in prayers. The Bible says, “Pray without ceasing “1st Thessalonians 5:17. Do not be discouraged, tired or disgusted south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire… David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David inquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” God gave David a threefold recovery command, “pursue, overtake and recover all” to counter and discredit the devil’s threefold destructive mission. The enemies have stolen something from you at a particular time of your life and now you are struggling. Be prepared now because it will be restored to you in the name of Jesus. You know what you have been crying for from year to year and it seems God is far from you. This is a word of assurance from the Lord that help is on the way. I prophesy that your tears are turning to testimonies today in the name of Jesus. So, weep no more, because you will get it back. The same people that mocked and scorned you yesterday will return to celebrate with you because better is the end of a thing than the beginning. This year, I want to implore you to approach your situation just as David did. This isd because without the help of God, life will be hell. Say today I will pursue,

overtake and recover all my lost glory in the name of Jesus. Psalm 18:37 says, “I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn until they were consumed”. Using your sacrificial giving to your Maker to fight on your behalf cannot be over-emphasised in the pursuit of your recovery. All that has been stolen from you, you will get them back. Let me hear you say today i shall recover it all. You just have to pursue, overtake and recover in Jesus name. Pray these prayers • My head; hear the voice of your Maker and co-operate with my recovery. • In the battle of life, I refuse to be a loser. • Every enemy pursuing me because of my star, receive triangular attack and die. • I receive the anointing to recover all that has been stolen. • My Father, empower me to fight and take back what has been stolen. in Jesus name. I know you have been blessed. Write and share your testimonies, co ments, with me through; info@theh brewsng.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 TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

It’s time to arise

Mystery ofAnxiety Bishop

John Ogbansiegbe

0803 341 6327

ime in the scriptures is interpreted by two Hebrew words ‘Chronos’ which means (chronology) and “Kairos,’ which means divine timing or God’s time. From the above scripture story, the blind man, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, was described as the blind son of the blind man. That made his case to appear chronically bad and his miracle more unique. Misery has always been the object of mercy. Indeed, the miserable blind Bartimaeus was a true object of mercy. “Faith cometh by hearing; and hearing the word of God,” - Romans 10:17. One day, while Bartimaeus was there begging, he heard that Jesus was passing by on His way to Jericho. He began to cry out to Jesus saying, “Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me!” The disciples of our Lord Jesus tried to stop him and shut him up. They tried to bamboozle him, but the Bible says that he cried the more with a loud voice. Don’t give up in prayers. The Bible says, “Pray without ceasing,” - 1st Thessalonians 5:17. Do not be discouraged, tired or disgusted. If you try praying and it does not work, try fasting. If you try

fasting and it does not work, you try midnight prayer. If you try midnight prayers and they don’t work, try evangelism. If you try evangelism and it works, try praising God with songs. If you try praising God with songs and it does not work, you try sowing a seed. If you try sowing a seed and it doesn’t work, try giving special offerings and sacrifices. If it does not work, try tithing. One of them must work because God is a covenant keeping and faithful God. Bartimaeus cried out the more. Don’t give in to any form of discouragement. Be resilient, resolute, persistent and determined, and at last you shall be on the testimony side. The blind Bartimeaus cried out the more and got the master’s attention. The word of God declares: “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God , that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand,” Ephesians 6:13. Many things may be required for you to stand. So, cry the more and be more aggressive in your prayers. The Bible records that as he cried, he got the master’s automatic attention. The Bible says that our Lord Jesus Christ stood still and commanded him to be called. Our Lord Jesus Christ shall stand still this season to recognise you. He shall stand still to give you attention. He shall stand still to hear your prayers. He shall stand still to identify with you. He shall stand still to heal you. He shall stand still to deliver you. He shall stand still to bless you. He shall stand still to lift you up. He shall stand still to provide for you; He shall stand still to fight for you. He shall stand still to give you total victory in the name of Jesus Christ.

Don’t give up in prayers. The Bible says, “Pray without ceasing “1st Thessalonians 5:17. Do not be discouraged, tired or disgusted When our Lord Jesus Christ commanded him to be called, the same people that tried to stop him, bamboozle and intimidate him became the people that carried the good news and the message of his miracle. They said: “Be of good comfort for he calleth thee.” It shall not be long, the same mouth that condemned you, shall be the mouth to praise you. The mouth that criticised and mocked you shall be the very mouth to praise your God. Let the wounded be of good comfort; let the sick and afflicted be of good comfort. Let the sorrowful be of good comfort. Let the miserable be of good comfort. Let the frustrated be of good comfort. Let the broken hearted be of good comfort. Let the lonely and deserted be of good comfort. Let the poor and needy be of good comfort. Let the deprived and downtrodden be of good comfort. Let the victimised and oppressed be of good comfort. Yeah, let the hopeless and helpless be of good comfort. Rise up from that ugly situation; for the master calleth thee. It is time to arise. There is always a time for everything. This is your time. It is your time to rise to your next level. The master calleth thee to heal thee. He is calling you to provide for you. He is calling you to break that yoke which has held you for many years now. He is call-

Faith

ing you to set you free. He is calling you to give you a business and financial boom. He is calling you to give you a marital breakthrough. He is calling you to put a baby in your womb. He is calling you to lift you to the next level and put you on the Hallelujah side. He is calling you to lift you from where you are now to where you are destined to be. Bartimaeus wore that garment of begging for many years. It was a cloak or a uniform that identified him with his condition. But when he was told to arise, the Bible says that he yanked it off and cast away that garment of begging. He arose and went to the Master Jesus and received his sight. Beloved ones in Christ Jesus, it is time to arise. You shall arise from your failure to success. You shall arise from sickness to sound health. You shall arise from poverty to wealth. You shall arise from barrenness to fruitfulness. You shall arise from sorrow to joy. Yeah! You shall arise from frustration to favour, from zero to hero and from nothingness to something else in the name of Jesus Christ. This was why the word of God declared, “Arise and shine for the light has come and the glory of the lord is risen upon thee” for behold the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people, but the lord shall arise upon thee and His glory shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightness of thy rising,” Isaiah 60:1-3. Arise, cast off the garment of sorrow and pain. Cast off the garment of poverty and penury. Cast off the garment of sickness, fear, misery and woe, and arise unto power, glory favour, fortunes, blessings, success, prosperity , joy and dominion in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

A trail of the sin of unbelief the of

Oracles God

Frank Oboden Olomukoro frankolomukoro@yahoo.com

0703 362 1866

How Sin Began It all started in Genesis, the beginning of human existence on earth. Genesis, the seed and offspring of good and evil. If unbelief is the mother sin, itself being sin, it was Satan’s launch pad to sow the nature of sin in man as we manifest today; when he brought doubt on the commandment of God to Adam and Eve. To doubt the written word and God’s spoken word is sin. “Go and sin no more lest a worst thing come upon you.” (John 5:11) Jesus wasn’t talking about some immoral acts. He was talking about unbelief. He that believeth not is condemned already. It is your unbelief that condemns you. God doesn’t send you to hell for smoking but because you refuse to believe your provision that’s made for you to go to heaven. See? You don’t have to do a thing to go to hell. Only thing you do is just reject Jesus Christ, just fail to believe His Word. Satan’s always put a question mark on the word of God. It was at this point that the devil tempted Eve when he injected “Hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden?” (Gen 3:1) Unbelief gives birth The attributes of unbelief entered humanity through curiosity. Eve was beguiled and thereafter she was no longer a virgin. She carried the seed of

the serpent in her, gave herself to Adam, bore Cain and right afterward bore Abel. (Gen 4). There were two different seeds in Eve, two sons which were called brothers. (Gen 4:8-10). Cain was a false brother, he was not the son of Adam and is not found in any registered genealogy. (Matt1:1-16, Luke 3:23-38, Gen.5:1-3) He was the son of the wicked one, the serpent seed. That is how the original sin, ‘unbelief,’ gave birth to ADULTERY; which was extramarital sex between Eve and the serpent. (Genesis 3:6) Following this is the craft of covering our sins, as the Bible warns, “He that covereth his sin will not prosper.” (Prov. 28:13) Adam and Eve began to hide from the presence of God when the glory of God that covered them was stripped off and they knew that they were naked. (Gen. 3:11) What was it? FEAR became a scourge. Cain, the product of that illegitimate affair, was confirmed the seed of the serpent. (I John 3:12) “Not as Cain who was of that wicked one…” Like his father, Cain exterminated his only brother, Abel, giving birth to murder, violence, malice, anger, wrath, hatred, envy, jealousy, lie, man’s inhumanity to man as man’s sinful nature began to find greater expression through the attributes of unbelief. By the time of Noah, unbelief had become the prolific parent of all guilt, making the unregenerated man an unbeliever, capable of the vilest crime that was ever committed. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen 6:5). At this time, lust, inordinate affection, lasciviousness, evil concupisence, filthy communication, uncleanness, fornication, immorality were not only born but flourished. Faith is undermined

by every interpretation being substituted by unbelief. “That the sons of God (the lineage of Adam, not angels from heaven) saw the daughters of men (the lineage of Cain) that they were fair (beautiful) and they took them wives of all which they chose. (Gen 5:2). God had no choice but to destroy the sinful world. This is because to doubt God’s word and to distrust God after innumerable instances of His Love and after numerous proofs of His mercy, exceeds everything. Sin crossed over the flood After the flood, with only eight souls alive by the grace of God, the trail of unbelief crossed over the flood when it was envisioned that evil had been literally wiped off the face of the earth. But later in the home of the only survivors, the family of Noah, unbelief gave birth to drunkenness. “And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.” (Gen 9:21). Ham’s posterity was cursed because of another sin that bothered on uncleanness and homosexuality. By the curse on the lineage of Ham, insubordination, rivalry, slavery, servanthood, superiority, class, inferiority, inequality came alive into the human race. Ham’s descendants in Nimrod invented idolatry, a heinous and deadly sin that impersonates the great God. Infidelity, deism, atheism, the most cruel characters of the attributes of unbelief, gave licence to blasphemy to deny the very existence of God. The pernicious tree of unbelief has matured, with its ripe fruits producing the most terrific eruption of the volcano of unbelief. From then on, the multiplication of the attributes of unbelief was unstoppable as a plague and an incurable cancer. Like a colossus, it spread with such expertise

into families, homes, nations, kingdoms and in the lives of individuals - great, small, rich and poor. It hardened the heart of Pharoah. Unbelief has sharpened the knife of suicide. It has mixed many a cup of poison. It has brought many to a shameful grave. Unbelief disables a man for the performance of any good work. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23) Now we know that drinking and carrying on is sin: but the whole thing is because of unbelief. If you believe Jesus Christ and you’re born again, you will absolutely not do those things. He that is born of God does not commit sin. See? You can’t believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and live the same life that you once lived in sin. That’s right. That makes it pretty strong. Because He said, you passed from death to life and will not come into condemnation. John 5:24. The only thing that condemns you is your unbelief. Only unbelief is called sin by Christ, as he says in John 16: “The Spirit will punish the world because of sin, because it does not believe in me.” The sin of unbelief has ravaged virtually every aspect of human relationship with God. As it was in the beginning, it has moved to interpret and misrepresent the Word of God. Based on this, organised religions have been established. People who don’t believe in the unadulterated word of God don’t even have a clue that their sin of unbelief is actually robbing them blind. Sadly the only scripture most of today’s uncertain souls know are emasculated and paraphrased Biblical doctrines rewritten to eliminate conviction of sin and catering to the rebellion of those who insist upon having the gospel modified to suit their own unbelief and traditions. God will not accommodate their rebellion.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Faith

Obedience to spiritual authority attracts favour Taming your Emotions Bishop

Lawrence Osagie 0806 325 0667 www.powerlineministriesinc.org mail:powerlineministries@mail.com

uthority is of God, there is no authority except that which is established by God. The reason why Lucifer fell out of favour with God was simply because he dishonoured authority and wanted to equal God. In the Bible we read: Children obey your parents in the Lord, (that is starting from the front) Eph. 6:1. He didn’t say on what ground. “Children obey” has been set over you. For as long as you obey the instructions of your spiritual leaders, the favour of God will follow you wherever you go. It is automatic and it is guaranteed. Ephesians 6:2-4 says: “Honour thy father and thy mother which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Do you see the level of submission? You fathers provoke not your children but bring them up under

the plan of God. Verse 5: “Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart as unto Christ.” You have a master: what God is saying is go and obey your master. He did not say go and teach your master, go and correct your master with every sense of arrogance and pride. The Bible did not say you should go and manipulate your master, go and terrorise your master. There are many believers that have become spiritual terrorists. They use their born again experience to torture their masters, who are unbelievers, in their offices. They tell them: “I am fasting for you,” and use it as a tool of manipulation. God will deal with you. Verse 6: “Not with eye-service, as menpleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. With goodwill doing service as to the Lord and not to Men.” Submission to spiritual authority positions you for uncommon favour. When you submit, it will recommend you to a higher position. When you are faithful in little things, you position yourself for greater things. But if you remain unfaithful in that which is another man’s, you disqualify yourself by your attitude to the favour that has been set in place for you. So, honour spiritual authority. Repentance: Let me simply say that repentance here means acknowledging that you have erred and showing remorse for it. It

You have a master: what God is saying is go and obey your master. He did not say go and teach your master, go and correct your master with every sense of arrogance and pride

could be by saying: “I am sorry.” Some marriages today are in turmoil because somebody feels too big to say “I am sorry.” I am sorry is a magic word that can turn your favour to start pursuing you. Many people are divorcees today because of issues that are too flimsy. Too minor – because somebody felt it is not dignifying for him or her to say: “I am sorry.” The season why a lot of people are running in the circle of defeat today from one defeat to the other is because they can’t repent. Repentance is a powerful spiritual force that can paralyse your enemies. When you repent before God, you are saying to God: “I am sorry, I made a mistake.” When you refuse, your stubbornness and rebellion become tools in the hands of the enemy to destroy you. Do you know that every time

you stand praying in church the accuser of the brethren checks out your records? “Who is this one calling on God? What right does he have to call on God?” Every prayer made in unrighteousness is an abomination unto God. Repentance is a powerful key that can attract the favour of God. It weakens your enemies; it weakens their weapons against your life. Repentance is not changing style. When they catch you here, you change tactics; which most believers do these days, that is not repentance. Repentance is turning around. Look at the situation and say this one is not building me neither is it helping my destiny and you turn around with a true sense of remorse. The Bible says: “If my people who are called by name will humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear their prayers from heaven and I will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:1415). “If my people, not the unbelievers; if my people, those that are called by my name, those that are speaking in tongues, those that are sitting in church - title holders but kingdom destroyers. But if my people which are called by my name will turn from their wicked ways, and repent of their sins, then I will hear and come and heal their land.” Repentance from sinful and wicked ways attracts the favour of God. When the prodigal son repented and returned home, the father received him with joy and gave him a change of garment, a royal robe in a great festivity.

The Goliath of this nation must bow Liberation Tidings Pastor Samuel Daniel

globalgracechurch@ymail.com

08060143296 (SMS only)

pick my text in the book of First Samuel chapter 17 verses 4. The Bible said there was a champion named Goliath of Gath, who came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. Chapter 8 said he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul. Choose a man and have him come down to me.” This week we want to talk about, ‘Your Goliath Must Bow,’ because every man has a Goliath in his life. A lot of people think that when you are born again, you don’t have any problem anymore. The truth is that the line of thought is not correct. A man born of a woman from the first day he was born, has enemies. Yes Satan is our enemy but the devil always use humans to accomplish his aim in our life. The Bible said that when Saul wants to become king, the children of Beneli said that they will not honour Saul. The Bible recorded that Saul said those who said Saul will be not king, ‘bring before me and I will slain them.’ Jesus mentioned the same thing then in the book of Luke Chapter 7: “Jesus said those my enemies who said that I will not be a ruler bring them before me I will slain them. Jesus was quoting the book of Samuel, where Saul was talking.

That is to tell you if Jesus can know that there are group of people that don’t want Saul to be a king and he said gathered them. Are there human beings that do not have enemies, even from the first day Jesus was born, enemies have been planning how to kill the baby Jesus but if not that the hand of God was upon him? That was how God dealt with the Herod of the old, without the death of Herod, Jesus would not have come back to Israel to fulfil his ministry and I want to tell every man, no matter what, there is a Goliath in the life of all individuals. Children of God that is why we need to pray. In the book of Luke chapter 18, Jesus said that we ought to always pray and that parables tell us why we must pray, he said that all heads must bow, all you need to do is to pray. It is not a physical thing; it is prayer that you need to deal with every Goliath in your life. Number one every Goliath must go, number two Goliath will make you to be under bondage, as long as Goliath is alive, you have no freedom of your own. Number three, Goliath must die, so that your name will be announced because it was after David has killed Goliath that the name of David was announced to King Saul and that was how David was brought to King Saul and the king honoured him. For every man in life, there is something that would bring him to people that matters. As a child of God, the day your news will go forward, there must be Goliath that must go. Goliath comes in divert forms like obstacles in form of problems, in the form of sickness, Goliath comes in many ways. That is why a programme has been set up by the Global Grace Church on Friday nights that helps us deal with Goliath in any man’s life, so that you can have your freedom. No nation would have its freedom until the Goliath of their life goes away. Every country that got their inde-

As a child of God, the day your news will go forward, there must be Goliath that must go. Goliath comes in divert forms like obstacles in form of problems, in the form of sickness, Goliath comes in many ways.

pendence and still struggling through war has a Goliath. Why is that Colonial masters have been there, Goliath. That was why they struggled to break away from their colonial masters. That colonial masters is the Goliath over their lives, but if you are able to defect the Goliath in your life, then you will know the truth that you are qualified to be a free man and I want everybody to acknowledge that they are threatened it is then you will see a way out. You may be thinking that you have money but some big men are under bondage of Goliath and how will you know some have factories and imported machines but those machines never worked one day. If you are such a big man, I want tell you that there is a Goliath in your life and you need a prayer. When you are a man and you are building a house but to complete the house no way. Brother there is a Goliath that must go for your way to be opened, that is why you need to kill the Goliath. What of Nigeria as whole, Nigeria has a Goliath, a lot of Goliaths have come to this country but

God is removing them one after the other. I don’t want to know if there is any Goliath that stands that this nation will not move forward and I want to prophesy as prophet of God that through this programme, that Goliath must be slain for peace to reign in this nation. How God will do it we don’t know, because God knows how to remove Goliath from any individual. Goliath is occupying corporate bodies, like a blockage. God really blessed this nation and the only way, we can enjoy this nation, is when the enemy of this country destroyed. God will remove them on His own because if you wait for human beings to begin to remove them they will make mistake and kill innocent people but only God knows how to sweep out the evil ones and that is why we need to pray. The Bible says in the book of Peter, “Cast your burden upon him that He careth. God careth for us that is why we cast our need on Him, by prayer and God said that men ought to pray. We will keep on praying and my prayer is that this month there will be peace in this country in the name of Jesus Christ. And this month of March anyone that the enemy is holding will march forward by the name of Jesus Christ, even if it is a problem, I loose the person to march forward into the next level in the name of Jesus Christ. And once again, I pray for peace of this nation there should be no war, there should be no violence, nobody’s blood should be shed as scapegoat for anybody in this nation. Everybody is unique, no one was born to rule, no one is more important than the other. We all are equal before the presence of God, so, nobody will be scapegoat during this election during and after the elections, no person’s blood will flow for us to move forward in the name Jesus Christ. I want to invite every one of you to our vigil every Friday’s.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Poverty limits churches

United Methodist Atlanta Georgia-based Nigerian Priest, Very Rev. John Makinde, speaks on challenges related to church development with STANLEY IHEDIGBO

When you think that it is when you have a private jet before you can go somewhere to preach, I don’t know what our lord Jesus Christ would say about that development their wealth while many Nigerians languish in abject poverty? I don’t agree with that. However, if it is okay with their church members well, so be it. I mean you cannot persecute them. I think it is very wrong, although I don’t know why the ministers of God are acquiring so much wealth including private jets, while they have other ministers working for them who can reach places which the jet owners claimed are difficult to reach that led to owning private jets. When you think that it is when you have a private jet before you can go somewhere to preach, I don’t know what our lord Jesus Christ would say about that development. Makinde

Can you let us into your humble beginning in the United States of America? I got scholarship to study in Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA, after my first and second degrees in Nigeria. That was the beginning of the journey. After my programme, I was called upon by one of my professor to be a Chaplain of a Methodist Hospital in Dallas. I was invited by the board of United Methodist Church and ordained a minister to serve on a committee of ministers who organises conferences for United Methodist Chaplains. So, since then I have been residing in the United States and currently serve as a Pastor at United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. How does the body of Christ in the United States compare with the church in Nigeria? The different is that Nigerian worshippers are dynamic people. We celebrate God; we know how to worship God. But economic downfall is affecting us in every aspect. This is a problem; because there are many things the church can achieve for the youths, the men and even the women. Poverty affects everything including the body and soul. When that happens, nothing much can be done. But I think the churches in Nigeria are moving forward especially in the area of evangelism and outreach. How to you assess the impact and the wide spread of Nigerian church abroad? Just as churches are spreading in Nigeria that is how Nigerian churches are growing in the USA and other places of the world. However, some of the churches are not really striving. Again, for economic reasons, people want to be Chief Executive Officer. Incidentally, some don’t know what to do, what kind of business to establish to make a living. The next thing, they turn to opening a church. Of course what it takes is to have a place to start praising God, the ability to preach and talk; then people

will start coming. Like I said earlier, not all the churches are striving. Many black churches in the USA have 20 to 30 members for five to ten years; they are not growing. What comes to your mind when Nigerian church owners who are named among the most affluent people in Africa flaunt

What do you have to say about a Methodist Priest in USA who was sacked for wedding a gay partner? Yes, it is the policy of the United Methodist Church in the US. The church doesn’t approve of gay marriages and no minister of the United Methodist Church is allowed to perform gay marriage, it is simple as that. And when you go against the policy of the church, you are punished. How did you feel when you heard that your colleagues back home collected N7

Faith billion to influence their followers to vote for a particular presidential candidate? If a minister takes money from a politician to influence his members to vote for a particular candidate, his ministry is questionable. It is the job of ministers to educate their members about the candidate of any party and the members will go and vote for whoever they think would be on their side in terms of good governance. You don’t use the church of God as a campaign ground because you have received money from politicians. How can the youths be stopped from leaving Orthodox Churches for one- man owned new generation churches? The Orthodox Churches need to introduce more viable programmes like night vigils, evangelical programmes, gospel jams and programmes that will be attractive to the youths. Also, youths should be encouraged to take charge and not move from one place to another, because they are the leaders of tomorrow in those churches. As a Nigerian living abroad, how did you feel when the date of election was postponed? Nigerian politics is still in a sad mood and nothing is balanced yet. But no matter how many times the general elections are postponed, Nigerians should not change their mind about who they want to vote for. I mean if I want to vote for a candidate, it doesn’t matter how many times the election was postponed. In the USA, they don’t postpone election after the date has been fixed and the people have made up their mind and ready to exercise their civic right and move on to other developmental issues in the country. What is your advice for the Church in Nigeria? The church has to show good example to the nation because they are the light of the world. And the church must make its stand known and hold the politicians that are not doing the will of the people responsible.

Bible Society of Nigeria dedicates Hausa version

Amaka Nzerem

he Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) has sent a passionate appeal to Christians in Nigeria for support in its drive to make the Holy book available in various Nigerian languages. The General Secretary of BSN, Dare Ajiboye, made the appeal at the public presentation of the Hausa Common Language Bible held in Lagos during the week. He said, “As you already know, our business in the Bible Society of Nigeria is making the word of God available. We do this through Bible translation, publishing, distribution, programmes and fund raising.” The BSN secretary explained that his society was currently working on 15 different Bible revision and translation projects with some nearing completion. He added that with the current hike in prices of commodities in the country, each of the projects now cost about N45million to N50 million; “that is why we are raise funds.” Ajiboye explained that the Hausa Common Language version was the third Hausa Bible translation. The first Hausa Bible, Littafi Mai Tsarki, was published in 1932, by the British and Foreign Society. “By the 1950s, there was a need for another translation following some new developments in Hausa language, he

L-R: Assistant General Secretary,B SN, Victor Damilare; General Secretary, Dare Ajiboye and Deputy Manager, Church and Public Relations,Benjamin Mordi, at the press conference in Lagos PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

added. Subsequently the need to translate the Hausa Bible for ease of understanding to both native Hausa and non-Hausa indigenes gave rise to translation of the Hausa Common Language Version. “There are over 15 million people in Nigeria who speak and worship in Hausa language. For most of these people, Hausa is not their mother tongue; rather it is the common language of people of many languages. Many of these people live in

remote areas where level of education is low and reading skills limited. This common language translation is also designed for this set of people,” Ajiboye explained. The translation, which began in 1991 was completed in 2012 and would be dedicated on March 19. The BSN secretary used the opportunity to thank individuals and corporate bodies who have been supporting the BSN in their drive to make the word of God available to all.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Faith

Understanding the secrets of financial blessings! (3) The Voice of Dominion by

Bishop David Oyedepo

7747546-8 (SMS only)

ast week, we examined among other things, a qualifier for financial blessings. Also, I gave you an example of the Macedonian Church, whose addiction to giving resulted in strange financial fortune. Apart from that, we looked at the need to be empowered over self, to maintain a giving life. This week, I will be showing you some basic truths about

money, the benefits of giving and why we are blessed. Some basic truths about money: Recognise that money is part and parcel of living. As soon as a child is in the womb, it starts consuming money. This is so right from conception to childhood and from childhood to adulthood. So, money is an essential part of life. Money was so essential that Jesus could not do without it, during His earthly ministry. Note, from adulthood to the grave, you need money! Giving is a God-ordained gateway to financial favour. If you are not a giver, you are not entitled to financial fortune. However, love is the essential facilitator for giving. The proof of our love for God is in our giving to the poor and needy. There is no substitute to giving for

anyone that must enjoy financial fortune. You are giving to access financial fortune and you need giving to sustain financial fortune. You need the giving grace (2 Corinthians 8:7). There is an anointing that empowers us to walk in God’s statutes without stress (Ezekiel 36:27). That is the anointing of love, which empowers our obedience of scriptures without stress (Romans 5:5; John 14:21). Benefits of giving: • Recognise that the giving covenant gives us things that money can’t buy. Money can’t deliver you in times of trouble; but giving to the poor delivers you from trouble. • It will keep you alive and make sure you are immune to sickness. Money can’t buy you all these; but giving grants you

access to them. • Every giver is endowed with discretion and intelligence (Psalm 112:5). • Giving secures your posterity (Psalm 112:1-3). • You can give your way to a super healthy life. •Apart from material returns, giving is heaven’s joker! That is why no true giver ever gets stranded! • You can give your way out of poverty, lack and want (Proverbs 10:22). You are not where you are by your physical strength; you are where you are by your giving. Why we are blessed: God delights in our financial fortune and riches. However, at the root of man’s challenges is spiritual ignorance. Hosea 4:6 says: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee….Behind the affliction of the afflicted is basically spiritual ignorance. Everyone’s ignorance is his mountain. In Genesis 12:2-3, the Bible recorded that God told Abraham that He would make him a great nation and in him shall all families of the earth shall be blessed. In Genesis 22:17-18, the Bible recorded: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed… And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. 1Timothy 6: 17-18 says: Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. The Bible says: And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work (2 Cor. 9:8). From the above four scriptures, we are primarily blessed to be a blessing. Until you open up to be a blessing in your life, you have shut God’s channel for blessing you in life. So, abundance answers to a giving heart. Without a giving heart, you have placed a limit to God’s blessings on your life. You don’t grow big to manage well; you manage well to grow big! So, start giving from where you are. That is how to move to the next level! Friend, the grace to be a blessing to others is the birthright of children of God. You become a child of God by accepting and confessing Jesus as Lord. If you are not yet a child of God, you can do so by saying this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. Forgive me of my sins.

SUNDAY

Sport 59

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

Football

Victor Moses: Eagles’ AFCON failure good for me p.60

EPL

Ideye sends West Brom closer to safety p.62

Golf

Smokin Hills finally lands tour event p.61

Bash Ali: Travails of an ageing champion

Dapo Sotuminu

ormer world boxing cruiserweight champion, Bash Ali, used to be the toast of all Nigerians in the late 80’s and in the 90’s when he won a number of titles to the pride of the country, but today, he is a shadow of himself as he kept chasing a seeming unrealisable dream of having his name written boldly in the Guinness Book of Record as the oldest boxer to win a world title. This dream which started in 2004 after his last fight against Tony Booth at the National Stadium, Lagos, has put the former North America Boxing Federation (NABF) cruiserweight champion in trouble many times with the federal government which he has insisted must sponsor the fight and a number of corporate bodies. Today, he’s being held in prison custody in Kuje, Abuja for disrupting the daily operations of Nexim Bank in Abuja. Bash claimed that President Goodluck Jonathan last year asked the bank to support him financially to actualise his dream and the bank has been adamant since he refused to grant the managers’ request of taking a large chunk of the money as bribe. The bankers have denied this saying that, the problem started when they asked Bash Ali to show them the commitment letter from Mr. President. Before the boxing legend got President Jonathan’s attention he was brutally assaulted by the president’s security aides when he attempted to break protocol at a public function. The brutality was televised on national television. During the era of President Obasanjo, Bash Ali got a presidential approval for N120million to

stage the fight, but this was never released due to some bottlenecks which Bash claimed was largely caused by the people in government who wanted to keep a large chunk of the money in their pockets. In protest, Bash stayed under a bridge on one of the highways in Abuja for one month just to get the attention of the president which never came. The Secretary of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control, NBB of C, Remi Aboderin, stated that he won’t want to say much about Bash Ali’s aspiration to set a boxing record as the oldest boxer to win a world title fight which he believes would be documented in the Guinness Book of Record. “Bash is like a big brother to me and he has his own way of doing things and he has set a target for himself which we all believe would be very difficult to actualise, but he has remained resolute that this is achievable that is why we have left him to continue to strive for his dream to come true. “I spoke with him on a number of occasions telling him the truth of the matter. Even from his detention at the Kuje Prison he has been speaking with me. He told me that despite meeting the bail requirement, he prefers to stay inside the prison where he feels safe away from the corrupt people who have decided not to make the fight possible. He alleged that the fight has not seen the light of the day as those who have been saddled with the responsibility of making it happen are hell bent of collecting everything earmarked for the fight as bribe.” The former Director-General of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Chief Patrick Ekeji, told Sunday Telegraph that the issue

Deputy Sports Editor Dapo Sotuminu

Bash Ali presents a champion’s belt to President Goodluck Jonathan

of Bash Ali’s Guinness Book of Record fight should not be discussed by serious minded people. “My position on the fight when I was DG has not changed. I don’t know when Nigeria will be serious about sports. “The proposed Bash Ali’s fight is no issue. He took me to the National Assembly on matters of the title fight and I told the House point blank that I won’t be a part of the shenanigan. When was the last time such an old man fought at the international level that he was talking about a world class title fight? He won a title in the 1990’s. There a limit to how far you can go in sports. He forgot that some of us were active sportsmen and we even coached after retirement, we cannot be deceived. It is unfortunate that he has refused to let down on a dream that is a wild goose chase. Even you as a sports journalist, what do you think about such a fight. And the amount he is asking from government is so outrageous, who will give him such money. When are we going to be serious in this country?” Ekeji queried. Nigerian Olympian and former national boxing champion, Jerry Okorodudu, expressed his disappointment on the false aspiration. “Bash Ali cannot realise his dream, because in boxing your fight must be sanctioned by the world body and once you are 50 years old they won’t allow you to into the boxing ring. So, I don’t know how he wants to do it. “Bash having problems everyday with people is not good and this

does not speak well about the image of boxing. Everybody respects him; he should just keep it cool. I am not happy with the stories I am hearing about him. Today he is in prison custody, tomorrow he is taken to court because of what. He said President Goodluck Jonathan asked a bank to give him money. Government don’t have money in the bank. This is professional boxing, it is not the country that sponsors but through a promoter, maybe if you win the country would recognise you that would be honourable.” Okorodudu said he doesn’t know what Bash wants from Nigerians. When I look at the whole thing, it is like a mirage, it won’t work. Even if he gets support, under which body would he fight because nobody will sanction a fight by a 50 year old man, let alone when you are 60 years old? Even if it is an exhibition match, he won’t be allowed to go into the ring to fight. “Bash wants to become the oldest boxing champion in the world to enter the Guinness Book of Record. The truth is that none of the greatest boxing legends is in the Guinness Book of Record, Muhammed Ali is not there, so what is Bashi Ali looking for, how is he going to do it.” Okorodudu advised Bash to simmer down and let the whole thing slide. “He should start promoting boxing as I am doing now. I am also running my Boxing Academy and training the national team. He should do anything that would enBuffon able him to give back to boxing, Nigeria would remember him,” he said.

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sport

Victor Moses: Eagles’ AFCON failure good for me S toke FC of England and Super Eagles of Nigeria winger, Victor Moses, has disclosed that the failure of the Nigerian national soccer team to book a ticket to play at the last edition of the African Nations Cup was a good one for his club career in England. The on-loan Chelsea player noted that, if the Eagles had played well to book a ticket at Equatorial Guinea 2015, it would have spelt doom for his recovery programme back to full fitness. “If the Eagles had qualified for the Nations Cup, Nigerian officials would have convinced me to play in the tournament despite the fact that, I just returned from a long term injury and I needed to rest my legs according to doctor’s advice. “I don’t know what I would have done if I get the invitation to play for my country because I love Nigeria with my whole heart and would always want to contribute my quota to the team’s victory.” Moses, who had a spell at Liverpool FC, stated that, his injury started from the 2013 African Nations Cup where the Eagles won the

title. The injured leg did not heal properly even during the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Soon after that, the doctors in England placed me under strict supervision much that I wasn’t available for most part of the Nations Cup qualifiers and it was a good development for me that Nigeria did not qualify. “If the country qualifies and I decline to play in the competition, Nigerians may find it difficult to understand my plight. And I don’t want a situation where the soccer-loving Nigerian fans stop loving me. Nigerians are so passionate about football and they always want the national team to do well no matter the situation. “Today, after an extensive therapy and proper rest, I am back to my full fitness without any injury hindering my real style of playing football. I am enjoying my stay in

Stoke City and eagerly waiting for a comeback to the Super Eagles after a long stay out due to injury,” Moses said in England. Moses started out playing football barefooted in the streets of Nigeria from a young age; He enjoyed playing football with friends in Nigeria. In an interview, he revealed, “I wore no shoes. We simply barefooted and when a small ball fell at our feet and we started out playing football.” At the Under-16 and Under-17 levels, Moses chose to represent his adopted home of England, almost leading his team to a championship at the 2007 UEFA European U-17 Championship in Belgium. It wasn’t until 2011, at the age of 20, that Moses accepted Nigeria’s call-up to play for the Super Eagles. He has since participated in several international friendlies, and started all of Nigeria’s four matches at the

2014 FIFA World Cup before they were eliminated by France in the Round of 16. The star player chose to represent Nigeria for the opportunity to fully display his talents Conscious of the immense talent that England’s national team is presented with every year, Moses chose to make the move to Nigeria where he felt the full international opportunity would knock. In an interview, he talked about the great young players that England produces, and felt that he would be better utilized on the Nigerian team for international play. His versatility has made him invaluable to teams, as he can play from nearly anywhere on the front field and still create opportunities to score. In an interview, he said, “I feel comfortable anywhere up front. Left wing, right wing, behind the striker… I just want to enjoy myself and play football.”

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015

Golf Weekly

Smokin Hills finally lands tour event

L-R Gbenga Soyombo and Olaitan Muyideen of Media Reach OMD, waiting for Afolabi Balogun and Tayo Rotimi of MacTay to take their turn in the bunker at the Corporate Golf Challenge held on March 7 at Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate

‘Courageous’ Odoh gets O PGAN commendation

ne of Nigeria’s scenic golf destinations, the Smokin Hills Golf Resort, in Ilara Mokin, has finally landed a Professional Golfers’ Association of Nigeria sanctioned tour event after the PGAN confirmed that the Ondo State-based resort would play host to the 2015 edition of the annual Consolidated Management Consultants Limited Open Championship. Also known as the CMCL Open, the championship will hold from May 19 to 22 at the 6,510 meters course, which in a lot of ways is expected to stretch the players to the limit. Amateur players will also compete for laurels at the CMCL ProAm from May 22 to 23, while their professional counterparts will be eyeing a slice of the winning purse, which has not yet been announced by the sponsors. Emos Korblah is the reigning champion of the CMCL Open, having won last May’s event at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja. But the Ghanaian, as well as

estus Makelemi, Director of the Professional Golfers’ Association of Nigeria, has commended the efforts of one of the country’s top golfers, Oche Odoh, on the Southern Africanbased Sunshine Tour, saying he has shown immense courage by competing as the country’s sole representative on unarguably the continent’s toughest tour. Odoh during the week shot 73, one over, at the Irene Golf Club to miss a chance to tee-off at the Tshwane Open. It was the third successive time he would be missing out on a chance to tee off at a Sunshine Tour event, having failed to make the cut at the Johannesburg Open and the Africa Open. Makelemi, however, feels that Odoh has been successful going by the conditions surrounding his appearance on the Sunshine Tour. “Odoh may not have made the cut into the finals, which on its own was very ambitious given he is the only Nigeria there. But I think his chance would have increased if there were more players from Nigeria with him. That is why we must salute his courage,” said Makelemi. He added: “For instance, at the Tswane Open, he needed to finish among the top-ten out of the 122 players that he competed against to move to the next round, so the odds were against him as he has to compete in a different weather and different golf course. And he is on his own. That takes a lot of courage.” The PGA of Nigeria has since 2001 enjoyed a five-man associate membership slot from the Sunshine Tour, and encourages the top-five players from the Nigerian

Tour to take advantage of the opportunity. The players however have to compete in the pre-qualifiers, a situation Makelemi hopes will change in the foreseeable future. “For now, despite the high ratings of our tour, the best we can get our players to take part on the Sunshine Tour is for them to go through the pre-qualifiers,” said Makelemi. “But we are hopeful it would change sooner rather than later.” This week, Odoh will be attempting to earn a spot on the Investec Open before being joined by compatriot, Gift Willy. Both players, who are the top Nigerianborn players on the PGAN Tour, will thereafter head to Zimbabwe and Zambia from April 9 to 26 for the Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open and the Mopani Cupper Mines Zambia Open.

other pros on the Nigerian Tour, would likely discover a different level of challenge at Ilara Mokin because unlike most of the existing championship courses in the country, Smokin Hills’ grass is bespoke. And Tournament Co-ordinator of the PGAN, Jide Bolaji, described the development as “an exciting one” he hopes would “encourage proprietors of equally promising golf facilities to host tour events.” PGAN Tournament Director, Martin Odoh, also said all members of the body have for long been looking forward to playing on the course, especially against the backdrop of the number of positive reviews coming from a host of amateur golfers that have played on the scenic course. “The only challenge I think we may have is the length of the course, which many have said may warrant the use of carts,” said Odoh. “I must confess, I have not confirmed it, but we will make sure our members have the best of time there.”

Concierge Sports Corporate Golf Challenge

eam Eko Support Services last weekend, at the Lakowe Lakes Golf & Country Estate in Lagos, won the maiden edition of the Corporate Golf Challenge organised by Concierge Sports. The team, made up of Seni Edu, Tunji Adebayo, Remi Edu and Peter Eben-Spiff, garnered 84 points to finish six points ahead of Team Tata Motors comprising of Sanya Akindele, Winston Strasser, Remi Olukoya and Frank Momoh. In third place was Team Smooth FM 98.1, made up of Dapo Akande, Tim Ayomike, Leke Akinsanya and Mummuney Dagazau, and who also got 78 points but finished third by virtue of count

•Eko Support Services emerges victors

back. Kayode Oguntayo of Concierge Sports said: “I don’t think it would be fair to judge any team by their overall performance at the event. The primary aim was to create the platform for the players to connect, relax and have fun which I believe was achieved.” Other teams that competed at the event were Total E&P Deepwater, Mandilas, Old Mutual, SAB Miller (Castle), Stanbic IBTC, Media Reach OMD, First Bank, MacTay Consulting, Sonar Tusk, Seabulk Offshore, Grand Oak, Labash Cocktails, Bridge Clinic\

Pathcare\Thebe HMO, and Huawei. Veuve Clicquot Champagne was the event’s headline sponsor while First Bank, Media Reach OMD, Mandilas, Old Mutual, Tata Motors and Huawei were holes sponsors. Four Points Sheraton, Wheat Baker, Southern Sun, Sheraton Lagos, Moorehouse Hotel, R.S.V.P Kitchen, Talindo Steak House, Mansilla Restaurant, Glenmorangie, Castle Beer, Grand Oaks, Wilson’s Lemonade, Labash Cocktails, Huawei, and BNatural Spa were event partners.

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sport / News

Enyeama gears up for 100th game against Bolivia

Pacquiao, Mayweather agree to drug testing

oxing superstars, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, have agreed to undergo Olympicstyle random drug testing prior to their May 2 mega-fight in Las Vegas. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced on Saturday in Manila that both fighters would have to make themselves available for random urine and blood tests and provide USADA with an itinerary of their travels. “It’s a strong statement of the importance of clean and safe competition to have these two fighters voluntarily agree to have a WADA level anti-doping program implemented for this fight,” said USADA chief executive Travis Tygart. “We commend them for their stand for clean sport and the message it sends to all those who want to compete clean at the highest levels of all sport.” Tygart said the fighters have agreed to the rigorous rules established under the World AntiDoping Code and the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA).

RESULTS

Barclays Premier League C/Palace 3 - 1 QPR Arsenal 3 - 0 West Ham Leicester 0 - 0 Hull City Sunderland 0 - 4 Aston Villa West Bromwich 1 - 0 Stoke Burnley 1 - 0 Manchester City Germany - Bundesliga Leverkusen 4 - 0 Stuttgart Augsburg 0 - 2 Mainz Frankfurt 4 - 0 Paderborn Hertha Berlin 2 - 2 Schalke Hoffenheim 3 - 0 Hamburger Bremen 0 - 4 Bayern Munich Italy - Serie A Palermo 0 - 1 Juventus Spain - Liga BBVA Valencia 2 - 0 Deportivo Espanyol 0 - 0 Atletico Madrid Eibar 0 - 2 Barcelona France - Ligue 1 Monaco 3 - 0 Bastia Nice 1 - 2 Guingamp

Brown Ideye in a diving header that gave West Bromwich Albion victory against Stoke City

Ideye sends West Brom closer to safety

uper Eagles of Nigeria top striker, Brown Ideye, was the hero once again as his club in the English Premier League, West Brom, edged out Stoke City to move 11 points off the relegation zone at the Hawthorns. Ideye headed home the only goal of the game in the first half to end a three-match winning run in the league for Mark Hughes’ men, who were second best before the break, but improved after half-time. A flurry of injuries - to Ben Foster, Victor Moses and Jonathan Walters - disrupted the second half and Pulis’ old club failed to

sufficiently trouble replacement West Brom goalkeeper Boaz Myhill. The hosts could have extended the margin of victory, but wasted countless chances before hanging on to recover from two defeats in the space of four days to Midlands rivals Aston Villa. Pulis made one change to the West Brom side beaten at Villa in their previous league match, as Stephane Sessegnon replaced Claudio Yacob. Hughes also made a solitary switch, restoring captain Ryan Shawcross to his defence in place

of Philipp Wollscheid. That backline was soon threatened by Saido Berahino, who fired in two early shots from the edge of the box, which both forced good saves from Asmir Begovic. The visitors responded with better possession, but no real penetration, and West Brom took a deserved lead in the 20th minute. Craig Gardner was given space to cross from the right and took full advantage, before Ideye evaded the marking of Phil Bardsley to steer a stooping header into the far corner.

Izamoje becomes NBB of C patron, floats Brila Exposures

he Chairman of Brila Group, veteran sportscaster, Dr Larry Izamoje, has been appointed as patron of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C). The appointment was sealed with a certificate of patron ship which was handed over to him at the board meeting of the NBB of C at the Brai Ayonote Boxing Gymnasium, National Stadium, Lagos. Presenting the certificate, the president of the NBB of C, Dr.

Godwin Kanu, assisted by the vice president and president of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, said the footprint of Dr. Izamoje on the sands of time in Nigerian sports reportage and promotions have been fully etched, hence the boxing board found him worthy to be a patron. Dr. Ladipo noted that; “It’s a fact that Dr. Izamoje started out as a journalist reporting boxing among other sports whilst he was with the

Concord newspaper in the late 80’s. This coupled with the recognition given to Larry with the invitation letter of the World Boxing Council (WBC) asking him to be a special guest at the last Convention in Las Vegas, USA goes to show that he is not only recognized at home, but also respected abroad, this Ladipo said is a good omen for further development of the sports of boxing in Nigeria. The board believes Larry deserves to be our patron.”

uper Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, will make his 100th appearance for the Super Eagles when the team battle against Bolivia on March 26 at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium Uyo. Enyeama who made his first game for the Eagles on June 12, 2002 will be honoured by the Nigeria Football Federation as he becomes the second ever Nigerian to reach that milestone, after former national team captain, Joesph Yobo. Enyeama, on the books of Ligue 1 club, Lille OSC these days spoke about his happiness at the impending occasion explaining that “it is a delight” to reach 100 caps. “Nothing matches being recognized by your own country. I am very excited at the prospect of reaching 100 caps, and more so at the decision by the NFF to honour me on the day. “The NFF media department has also been speaking with me and I have followed the publicity they have generated about it. It is a delight. “I am also excited by the fact that it will happen in Uyo, my hometown. What a great honour,” Enyeama said. The France-based goal tender stated that the South Africa 2010 World Cup group game against Argentina on June 12 at Ellis Park, Johannesburg stand out as his best game ever. “I can tell you that is one match I will always remember. I was highly inspired, and although we lost, I was selected the man of the match.

Enyeama

The constitutionality or otherwise of using electronic card reader in the 2015 general elections (2) C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 6 4

power for the device, the Commission has procured more than 35, 000 back-up batteries that can be rapidly deployed. If the device itself fails in the course of accreditation, the Commission has procured more than 26,000 spares that can be rapidly deployed in replacement within the scheduled accreditation hours of 8a.m – 1p.m. Whatever time is lost on these scheduled hours in the course of replacement will be added and accreditation extended beyond 1p.m to compensate for the lost time. In the extremely unlikely and isolated event that a faulty Card Reader can’t be replaced within the scheduled accreditation hours, INEC has come to a firm agreement with political parties that the exercise be repeated the following day rather than revert to manual

accreditation. These procedures, which registered political parties have agreed to, have been written into the ‘approved Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of 2015 general Elections.’ Question 6: What if the Card Reader verifies a voter’s PVC but his/her fingerprints cannot be authenticated? Answer: The Commission has come to an agreement with registered political parties on what to do: namely that if a voter’s PVC has been read and it is evident that he/she is the legitimate holder of the card, but the fingerprints cannot be authenticated (or he/ she doesn’t have fingers), the Presiding Officer of the voting point will complete an incident form and the voter will be accredited to vote. Party Agents and Observers would be there to witness to this.

Question 7: Is it possible to accredit all voters who turn out within the stipulated hours for accreditation using the Card Reader? Answer: The accreditation of a voter, using the Card Reader, is estimated to last an average of 1020 seconds per voter. Even if we double this time to 20 to 45 seconds for planning purposes, and working on the basis of a maximum of 750 voters per voting point, and using a generous projection of 70% voter turnout (the average being 54% from past elections), which equates to 525 voters, the Card Reader will need 6.5hours to process all the voters. This is well within the operating time for the elections as well as the battery life of the Card Reader. Question 8: How is the Card Reader programmed?

Answer: To prevent fraudulent use, the Card Rader is configured to work only on Election Days. In addition, the device is configured to specific polling units and cannot be used elsewhere without requiring reconfiguration by authorised INEC personnel. Question 9: How has the INEC’s Card Reader addressed the problems experienced in other countries in the sub-region? Answer: The challenge with a few of the Card Reader devices in Ghana, for instance, during the Country’s 2012 general elections was the battery power, apparently because the affected devices were not fully charged. It was in learning from this experience that INEC designed the Card Readers to be used in the 2015 elections with 12-hour battery life in active usage, and also procured more than 35,000 units of back-up bat-

teries. The imperative of adequate charging of the Card Readers is underscored during the trainings of election personnel. The supposed technology failures during Kenya’s general elections in 2013 had nothing to do with card readers, as the country used computer poll books for accreditation. The challenge was rather with the electronic system used in transmitting results, and not Card Readers. INEC, mercifully, still has some weeks to perfect its fundamentally flawed planning. Nigerians do not expect anything less. The times are perilous, the stakes high and the route cloudy. God bless Nigeria. Is INEC reading this sermon on the mount of “The Nigerian Project” by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, OFR? • Follow me on twitter @ MikeozekhomeSAN

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

The card reader will disappoint E very new technology is, to be sure, an improvement on an existing one and, invariably, on the quality of life. So, it is always welcome. In the case of the card reader being primed for use in the Nigerian general elections billed for this month and next, it is a technology designed to check electoral fraud and, by extension, the mayhem that almost always accompanies it. But, I think that for the purposes of the March 28 and April 11 elections, the card-reader technology remains largely untested in Nigeria and by Nigerians and, therefore, cannot be relied upon to deliver the desired result at the end of the day. Let’s face it, manipulating or putting new technologies to use is not one of our strong points in here. Consider the ATMs, for instance. There are thousands of customers who would not accept ATM cards from their banks because they can’t just stand the emotional stress of having to deal with machines that would deduct your money but won’t dispense the cash, or simply swallow your card and you have to apply to retrieve it from the bank where you used the ATM machine or that are perennially unable to dispense cash (and this often happens when you need the cash the most!). Ok, let’s come back to election matters. Remember the data-capture machines? It was also Prof Attahiru Jega’s idea. An Internet-based voter registration technology, it was again designed to forestall multiple registration by unscrupulous voters and their cheating politician-sponsors, by ensuring that if anyone first registered say in Lagos and went back to Sokoto to register again, he or she would be immediately detected once his or her personal data was fed into the machine in Sokoto. But, did it work like that? Of course it did not. In fact, there was probably higher incidence of multiple registrations by voters after the data-capture machine was introduced than before it was introduced. Besides multiple registrations, the data-capture machine was very problematic as a technology in use. There were all manners of complaints about it, ranging from short battery life of the computers to their inability to capture finger prints and photographs of registering voters. In many places, the computers did not work at all, leading to manual registration of voters. In the rural communities especially, the exercise was in addition marred by inadequate logistics on the part of INEC preparatory to deploying the computers for the important national assignment. For instance, either because they genuinely needed their help or purely out of mischief, INEC officials were reported to be threatening villagers to provide fuel and small generators to power their computers or they would not register such villagers. Or, who has forgotten that data-capture machines were in use when the late Gani Fawehinmi and pop star Michael were registered as voters in Anambra State? More importantly, owing to inefficient use of the machines by INEC staff, the registration exercise was, needless to say, prolonged, with the Commission having to shift the timeframe for the exercise again and again to enable it accommodate the interests of as many voters as came out to register. I am afraid that five years down the line, we are back to the same old game of national deception by our electoral umpires, what with the lack of transparency on the part of INEC and its suspicious supporters regarding this whole issue of card readers. As usual, self-serving politicians have managed to coral us into two camps— the I-agree-I-no-gree camps—so that rather than critically weigh the options before us and decide which would

Sunday

Felix Oguejiofor Abugu

abugufex@gmail.com 08076290498 (sms only)

Jega

Card reader

be best for us, we are busy spewing emotions and constructing conspiracy theories in the name of debate while the important questions remain unanswered. And they are: how prepared is INEC to use card readers for the elections? How efficient and or effective are these card readers as to give us the confidence to insist on using them in the coming elections? The previous week, INEC used the card readers to conduct mock election in 12 states. While it may be true, as Punch excitedly reported, that the card readers ‘passed the mock test’, there were also some glaring problems associated with them. One—and very im-

portant at that—was that, as it turned out, some of the card readers couldn’t even capture thumb prints to match the ones in the voters’ register. Thus, disingenuously, some genuine voters were disenfranchised, an indication of what we will experience in real terms on March 28 and April 11. Two—and even more important—the accreditation process using the card readers was very slow. It some cases it took a minute or more to accredit a voter. Given the five-hour voter accreditation time, imagine the number of hours such slow process could translate into for voters to be accredited before finally casting their votes.

I agree with those who have expressed fears that the card readers will fail us at the most delicate moment during the elections. I was listening to the Raypower FM Political Platform the other day and my friend Austin Agbosunremi, the programme’s anchorman was saying something to the effect that INEC’s decision to conduct the mock election where the strengths and weaknesses of the card readers became obvious was influenced by outcries by the media, especially hosts of the Political Platform. And it begins to dawn on you that INEC never considered necessary, in the first place, a test-run of one of the newest electionrelated technologies in the world before deploying it for use in the conduct of the general elections in Nigeria this year. What were they thinking? What manner of self-confidence led to such thoughless behaviour? A month ago, INEC told the world it was ready for the elections. And that was at a time more than 30m of the 68m Nigerians registered to vote in this year ’s elections were yet to collect their PVCs. It was such silly display of impeachable self-confidence that made many suspect that INEC was working to a predetermined destination, especially when it was considered that while Adamawa and Yobe, which are security challenged, had PVC collection rate of 80+ per cent and Lagos 34 per cent and yet the opposition was raring to go to the polls. Did they know something we did not know? Had the government not saved the day by insisting that Boko Haram must be sufficiently degraded before the elections thereby prompting the shift from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11, 2015, I am sure we would have held one of the most controversial elections in Nigerian history. Elsewhere where public officers in positions of responsibility like take their jobs seriously, Jega and his team would have tested the card readers several times over in the past, thereby assuring Nigerians that nothing would go wrong during the elections. We would have heard and seen long ago that INEC was training its staff, permanent as well as ad hoc, in the use of the card readers. We would have heard and or seen that some of the malfunctioning card readers were returned and replaced and that the Commission had tested and primed ALL the machines it had acquired for the elections and was waiting for the electorate to turn out en masse on the D-Day to cast their votes. But, not here. Instead, our INEC was busy deceptively boasting that it was ready for the elections when indeed it was not. Out of the thousands of machines that INEC will use on the election days, is the Commission saying that all of them will function optimally on those days? The answer is no. How many of those are malfunctioning and have they been replaced? We do not know. All we know is that we have an electoral umpire that is economical with the truth, that suspiciously boastful about its capabilities but which inspires little confidence that it is sincere about conducting free and fair elections come March 28 and April 11. Certainly not with the opaque way it has been going about the processes leading to the elections. My view is that the card readers are insufficiently tested and primed for the elections and will disappoint us. They will mar these elections and as such I do not think it is wise for us to use them. We do not have to do what will in the end not serve our national interest well just to please Jega or the so-called international community. Let’s police the elections very well and conduct them the old way---for now.

SPORT Bash Ali: Travails of an ageing champion

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FELIX O. ABUGU

Sanctity of Truth

SUNDAY

The card reader will disappoint

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015

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The constitutionality or otherwise of using electronic card reader in the 2015 general elections (2)

C O N T I N U E D F R O M L A S T S U N D AY

ection 153(2) of the Electoral Act merely expressly provides for the prohibition of ‘voting machine.’ The provision does not cover, nor does it affect, card readers which do not record or count votes. It is only used to verify PVCs and is not meant to record, register, count or publish votes. Consequently, the Electoral Act does not apply to PVCs. ACCREDITATION AND VOTING Indeed, the card reader is merely meant to carry our accreditation of voters, which is a world different from the act of voting itself. ‘Accreditation’ is defined by the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary as “official approval given by an organisation stating that somebody/something has achieved a required standard.” ‘Voting,’ on the other hand, is defined by the same dictionary as “the action of choosing somebody/something in an election or at a meeting.” Thus, accreditation which determines whether a prospective voter is indeed qualified to vote, precedes the act of voting itself. This allows the prospective voter to cast his/her vote. To accredit is simply for the presiding officer to crosscheck a voter’s card, find out whether the name is on the voter register and then, accredit him/her by ticking the name on the register. Without accreditation, voting cannot take place. Accreditation is therefore the handmaid or midwife of voting. Accreditation is anchored on the production of a PVC. It then gives birth to a ballot paper being issued to the voter to vote. Significantly, Section 49(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act, 2010, as altered, eloquently captures this as follows: (1) “A person intending to vote with his voter’s card, shall present himself to a Presiding Officer at the polling unit in the constituency in which his name is registered with his voter’s card. (2) The Presiding officer shall, on being satisfied that the name of the person is on the register of voters, issue him a ballot paper and indicate on the Register that the person has voted.” To clearly bring out the difference between accreditation and the actual act of voting itself, the guidelines, regulations and manuals issued by INEC pursuant to Section 153 of the Electoral Act carefully separate the time of accreditation from the act of voting itself. They provide that accreditation shall take place between the hours of 9.00am and 1.00pm, or such time as the last person on the queue completes his accreditation. On the other hand, the real voting starts at the hour of 1.30pm or so soon thereafter when accreditation must have been completed, till the last person concludes voting.

The

Nigerian Project

MIKE OZEKHOME san, ofr mike.ozekhome@yahoo.com 08128444555 (sms only) of voting and generally reduce, if not totally eliminate, incidences of electoral malpractices. The pivotal role of a card reader will also probably enthrone a regime of free, fair, credible, respectable and peaceful elections that will meet international best practices. However, this is as far as the argument goes. There are problem flash points that cannot be ignored. In a developing country like Nigeria where availability of light is epileptic, it is difficult to know how INEC hopes to cope when the power in a card reader goes off. For starters, INEC has so far woefully failed in carrying out one fundamental responsibility given to it by the Electoral Act. By virtue of Section 2 (a) of the Act, INEC is to “conduct voter and civic education.” It has not lived up to the expectations of teeming Nigerian voters on this score as regards providing adequate information on the card readers. Till now, this writer has never seen one. None has been demonstrated physically on television or at town hall meetings or rallies. Everything is shrouded in secrecy and mystery. But for the Senate which summoned INEC to brief it of its trumpeted readiness for the elections, no Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had seen the card reader before INEC demonstrated its use at the plenary session. This has led to much hoopla by cynics and skeptics, rightly or wrongly, that INEC was setting up a dangerous booby trap for unwary Nigerians. There is also the corollary challenge of power failure. INEC says each card reader lasts for five hours when fully charged. Even if we agree that the accreditation of one voter takes one minute only (a view I do not share, considering many Nigerian workers’ lousy attitude to work), it would take five hours to accredit the usual 500 - 750 voters per booth. But, by INEC’s guidelines, accreditation commences at 8.00AM and ends at 1PM, which is only five hours. How will INEC accredit 500 - 750 people in four hours at the rate of one minute per person? What hap-

Jega

pens where the card reader fails, or malfunctions, or its energy saps? The occurrence of any of these preventable scenarios will undoubtedly lead to anger, mass hysteria, commotion, unrest and even chaos and anarchy, by those who would feel shortchanged. This is moreso in this extremely charged and combustible political atmosphere that has been elevated to an unarmed civil warfare. INEC’S REACTION TO THESE SERIOUS CONCERNS INEC has reacted to these serious issues raised above, and more, in a question-andanswer publication on the use of Card Readers. It says: Question 1: How does the Card Reader work? Answer: The Card Reader uses a highly secure cryptographic technology that is used

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commonly in devices that need to perform secure transactions, such as paying terminals. It has ultra-low power consumption, with a single core frequency of 1.2 GHz and an Android 4.2.2. Operating System. The INEC staff operating the Card Reader will scan the PVC of each voter to verify its genuiness before allowing the voter to get accredited. It takes an average of 10 to 20 seconds to authenticate a voter. Question 2: How long is the battery life of the Card Reader? Answer: The Card Reader has a 3200mAh battery, which can lasts for about 12 hours in continual usage when fully charged. The device hibernates when not in use to save and lengthen the battery life. Question 3: Who operates the Card Reader at the Polling Unit? Answer: An Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) at the Polling Unit has the responsibility to operate the Card Reader. Poll officials that will operate the Card Readers have received extensive hands-on training and are well equipped to handle the task. The Commission has also painstakingly outlined the operational procedures in its ‘Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of 2015 General Elections’ Question 4: Have the Card Readers been tested ahead of the 2015 general elections? Answer: The Card Reader units have been broadly subjected to simulation Quality Assurance, Integrity and Functionality tests and INEC has full confidence in their performance for election purposes. The Device has also been subjected to Performance and Conformance Test, both locally and in Texas, United States, laboratories by the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Research Centre and found to be of the highest quality grade. Besides all these, and with additional time resulting from the rescheduling of the 2015 general elections, the Commission has directed that Stress Test can be conducted on the Card Reader device in mock election scenarios-two states in each of the six geo-political zones-ahead of the new election dates. (Details of this exercise will be unveiled by the Commission next week).Question 5: Can the Card Reader fail to function? Answer: Going by the results of tests already conducted, it is highly unlikely that the Card reader will fail on Election Day. Still, INEC has drawn up serial intervention plans in the unlikely event of the Card Readers failing. Should there be a challenge with battery C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 6 2

By Aliu Eroje

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX: THE PROBLEM AREAS INEC CANNOT IGNORE It is correct to deduce from all I have said above that INEC has actually not engaged in electronic or e-voting, but in manual voting, through which a hard ballot paper will be used after accreditation. The card reader is merely to read and decode the special features and biometrics of the voter as embedded in the PVC (Permanent Voter Card) chip. In this wise, the argument flies that using a card reader for the purpose of accrediting voters will no doubt quicken the process Printed and Published by Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Ltd: Head Office: No. 1A, Ajumobi Street, Off ACME Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja-Lagos. Tel: +234 1-2219496, 2219498. Abuja Office: Orji Kalu House, Plot 322, by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Advert Hotline: 01-8541248, Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: EMEKA MADUNAGU.